best heat/ summer shirt?

Mountain Hardwear Canyon Shirt.

Handles our aussie summer hiking very well.
I sweat a lot while walking in 35°C weather with a pack on….as one will.

Good venting and they dry quickly.
Stops the bugs and they are UPF 30 so I don't get sunburned.

I do think there would be lighter/thinner shirts out there though.

I really like the canyon shirt as well. I've used it previous seasons and it has proven tough, but not particularly comfortable. I recently got a Patagonia Tropic Comfort Hoody and although I haven't tried in on any big trips, it has been really great for day hikes and just hanging out in the high desert. It's not as sun protective though.

It probably is going to depend a lot on where you hike. Are you above tree line and need sun protection, hiking the green tunnel of the AT, etc.

I don't need sun protection so I like an airy short sleeve shirt, the Mountain Hardwear Wicked T. I have the older version and like the fit and the mesh fabric. I use them to run in also and find them to be cooler than UA or most other tight knit wicking shirts.

Look for something with Supplex for fast drying. A little bit of Modal is ok too as it feels cold like silk.. Tight weave is good vs. skeeters. A collar that flips up shields your neck. I like a zipped pocket for my camera. Mine are Columbia . About $10 at Goodwill or on ebay.

Even in the height of summer heat here in Virginia, I choose between a 150 weight Icebreaker GT (with a weensy bit o spandex mixed in with the wool) and Capilene 1. The wool gets damp with your sweat, still feels great (particularly if you get an errant breeze), and doesn't smell too much. The Capilene wicks flawlessly and dries almost instantly but gets stinky. I hem and ha between them each and every time I go out.

I also go back and forth between my Cap 1's and Merino 1's- thinking about giving them all a Permethrin treatment this year

the Cap 1 dries a little quicker, the Merino 1 feels a little nicer on the skin

Merino 1 T or simple cotton/poly blend button up short sleeved shirt, the latter works excellent in dry desert conditions, buttons allow me to regulate heat, they also enable me to button down to the middle of my chest and show off my chest hair and gold necklace.

OK… I don't have chest hair….or a gold necklace. Cotton blends work well for me in a really dry heat, sweat evaporates before it poses a "risk"… it is hot afterall, the only risk in having a damp shirt is nipple chafe….but that's for another thread. If I go full synthetic, Cap 2 over Cap 1 for me.

I now live in Thailand which is very hot.
I am one of the few people here who go out and hike (need machete and lots of water)
I must wear cotton and also take a cotton handkerchief. I must continually wipe the sweat out of my eyes.
I've tried poly blends and they just are too hot and don't do it for me.
I prefer longsleeve if i am going in the sun but, usually I am in the jungle.

I learned from watching the natives, both here and in Mexico.
See what the farmers, construction workers are doing.
They know!

A big straw hat of some kind (that ventilates) is key also.

Have fun out there. Keep the polypros and equivalent in the pack for night time temps.

Ex Officio Airstrip Lite or a polyester silk weight base layer tee– Patagonia, Mountain Hardware, GoLite, North Face all have one type or another. The more open, mesh-like weaves work best for me.

If you want cheap and good, thrift stores may have wicking polyester shirts that were freebies at marathons. Many are of excellent quality and dirt cheap— you just have to live with the logos. If you are going bushwacking, it takes the pain and cussing out of shredding your $30 Capilene tee.

I've been to hot and humid SEA a few times – spending weeks at a time in Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Burma, Singapore, etc. NOTHING will keep you comfy and dry over there — not even hiking nekkid. You WILL sweat buckets no matter what.

Between cotton and synthetic or poly/cotton blend, I would leave the cotton at home. Two advantages:

1. When it finally cools down (i.e. you dodge into an AC shop or hotel), you will feel drier and more comfy a lot faster than if wearing 100% cotton.

2. Again, since they dry so much faster, you can get away with bringing just 2 sets of clothing. Wash at night and your clothes will be dry in the morning. Thin cotton tees will work too — but DEFINITELY not cotton khaki pants or jeans.

So how come poor farmers and workers wear cotton then, you ask? My take is this: cheap poly is most uncomfortable. But 'technical' synthetics or blends are much more expensive — not for the poor to wear and labor in — day in and day out. So the best compromise choice for them is cheap cotton. OK enough and in any case, they're used to it. But most 'first world' travelers can afford modern synthetics or blends — so why not take advantage of them?

I don't think there is a perfect hiking shirt that breathes well, keeps the bugs out, and keeps the sun off that you do not roast in. Maybe a white cheap dress shirt that you can see through. I wish someone would make shirts out of noseeum on the undersides and a light thin blend on the tops.

Sorry, I can't agree with your statement.
I jog here (been living in Thailand for 8 years now) at least twice a week and many times more.
I've tried all kinds of shirts and I receive a poly blend shirt every year in the Phuket marathon. I ask them every year why they give us such a hot shirt (not cheap)

Since I've tried just about everything, I will gladly wear my cotton as it keeps me the coolest.
To say that fishermen, construction workers, police, etc (people who must work outdoors) wear cotton simply because it's cheaper is not true.
Cotton is no longer the cheapest here. Cotton prices have risen considerably in the past few years.

I hiked the desert portions of the PCT and CDT with a long sleeve, lightweight cotton shirt and a straw hat and would do so again.

Glenn:

No problem, no need to agree. That's why poly will never drive cotton off the market — or vice versa. But a couple more points:

1. In the hot/humid tropics — the term "coolest" is meaningless. When active (and too often even when just vegetating), everyone sweats profusely! I've worn full cotton shirts and tees — and my view is simply that EVERYTHING is very, very uncomfortable. However, once cooled down or indoor, cotton is the last to dry. A disadvantage both in terms of regaining comfort and also in terms of traveling light — as I explained above. No one can wash a pair of jeans or cotton trousers in the tropical night and expect them dry by early next morning.

2. Desert portions of PCT and CDT — here, we're dealing with dry or drier heat — which is a different ballgame altogether vs. the hot/humid tropics. Here, cotton's characteristic of holding onto moisture longer can be an advantage, as it helps in a more prolonged evaporative cooling. A quick-dry synthetic may feel more 'searing hot' quicker.

3. Finally, even though things in general are getting more expensive, cotton tees are still significantly cheaper than technical synthetics — the type designed to wick moisture to the surface for faster evaporation, etc. Even I find them too steep for daily wear.

So circling back to Nico — one should distinguish between hot and humid vs. hot and dry. Different tools for different tasks at hand.

http://arcteryx.com/Product.aspx?EN/Mens/Base_Layer/Phase-SL-Crew-LS 3.7 oz

http://arcteryx.com/Product.aspx?EN/Mens/Base_Layer/Phase-SL-Crew-SS 3.3 oz

I use these when it's hot out. They are light, wick well, dry fast, and are the only synthetics I've worn that don't get stinky. Even after a 4-5 days of sweating in them, they don't smell that bad.

They compress to about the size of a tennis ball. They are thin, but just thick enough so that they conceal my nips.

it seems the answer is one must simply find what they like best. As for me I believe I will be trying the merino and the cap 1 first. If that doesn't work out, ill move on to other options.

Thank you all for posting!!

add: arc'teryx added to the "to try" list following new insights on its above average nip coverage.

I've got my answer but yall feel free to keep the debate a'boilin! =)

-Nico

I like REI Sahara shirts (and pants) but my Cabela's Guidewear polyester shirt is even more vented W/ chest pocket vents as well as a big back vent.

On Erics comments on the Sahara shirt. I like button front because it can vent and because the material better protects from bugs and sun. Exofficio is also great for the same reasons and it too breaths nicely. The long sleeve synth shirts drape too close to the body and allow mosquitos to get at you.