Personally, I prefer the long sleeve option because it's more flexible, but also because I enjoy walking in the woods and near streams. I am one of those "fortunate" people who seems to attract any biting flying things for miles around and although I use (with a reasonable degree of success) various repellents, covering up takes a lot of beating.
Which is cooler, long or short sleeved shirts?
- Thread starter Paul_B
- Start date
It also depends on other parameters. Are you talking about hiking in hot weather in the daylight? Or sleeping in hot weather in the darkness? Dry or humid? And a host of other specifics. Personally I used to prefer going bare chested in hot, humid weather (above 90f ambient and above 85% humidity) because any shirt of any kind stuck to the skin when wet and was extremely uncomfortable. The resulting skin cancers have stopped that nowadays (although the use of sunblock back in the day might have prevented that had they been around then)
Long sleeve. And loose fitting alowing air to cirkulate. And preferable material linnen.
The less you get sunlight direct on skin the better.
Me, a couple of years ago on a very hot day strolling around an island in Helsinki. White shirt made of linen. And a sleeveless undershirt of thin merino wool.
The less you get sunlight direct on skin the better.
Me, a couple of years ago on a very hot day strolling around an island in Helsinki. White shirt made of linen. And a sleeveless undershirt of thin merino wool.
Last edited:
Bear Grylls shirts are just craghoppers with different coloured labels. Nothing significantly different unless the branding appeals. The double flip up collar, among others, was a feature with craghoppers exped shirt probably before bear Grylls left the armed services. Certainly before he sold his name to use on a line of outdoor clothing aimed at younger demographics than those that craghoppers had as a customer base at the time. IMV craghoppers got successful with good kit but kind of stood still and became staid and unfashionable in the outdoors. Went cheap a bit too. New customers were won through a cynical marketing exercise with Bear Grylls' name.
Personally I buy what suits me irrespective of image or name. I have my favourite brands which changes when they change their fit or quality. Also, my preferences change. For example I used to be mostly into blue and black for year round or cooler months kit. Lighter shorts and t-shirts usually grey or light grey/green. A few years back someone bought a craghoppers light fleecey long sleeved t-shirt in grey with green sleeves. I later bought a special 6 shirt in green because I needed something with its features and could only find a green in my size near me. Now I'm preferring a darker khaki or green/dark moss colour.
Right now I am looking at two craghoppers ls shirts. One is the Expedition shirt with button down chest patch pockets in nylon (polyamide). The alternative is the Pro shirt with more discrete chest pockets with vertical zip closures in polyester. I cannot see much difference except the pockets and fabric. Which fabric is best nylon or polyester? I really don't like cotton when I'm exercising and sweating. Never liked the sweaty, clamminess of cotton no matter whether it's actually better in the heat or not. Discomfort is individual in perception I guess.
So nylon or polyester?
Personally I buy what suits me irrespective of image or name. I have my favourite brands which changes when they change their fit or quality. Also, my preferences change. For example I used to be mostly into blue and black for year round or cooler months kit. Lighter shorts and t-shirts usually grey or light grey/green. A few years back someone bought a craghoppers light fleecey long sleeved t-shirt in grey with green sleeves. I later bought a special 6 shirt in green because I needed something with its features and could only find a green in my size near me. Now I'm preferring a darker khaki or green/dark moss colour.
Right now I am looking at two craghoppers ls shirts. One is the Expedition shirt with button down chest patch pockets in nylon (polyamide). The alternative is the Pro shirt with more discrete chest pockets with vertical zip closures in polyester. I cannot see much difference except the pockets and fabric. Which fabric is best nylon or polyester? I really don't like cotton when I'm exercising and sweating. Never liked the sweaty, clamminess of cotton no matter whether it's actually better in the heat or not. Discomfort is individual in perception I guess.
So nylon or polyester?
Why not linen? https://www.varusteleka.com/en/product/sarma-linen-shirt/64252
For me, pure nylon or polyester shirt is the last thing to wear ever. It´s like wearing plastic bag.
For me, pure nylon or polyester shirt is the last thing to wear ever. It´s like wearing plastic bag.
Craghopper's shirts are typically either cotton or polly-cotton. The polly-cotton provides many benefits not least of which is that you can wash it, hang it up, and it's dry in a few hours. I find fabrics like linen and pure cotton just get wet with sweat then cling to your body Even in the tropical jungle my Craghoppers polly-cotton shirts managed to wick away the sweat - linen would have been a nightmare IMO.
Each to their own
Each to their own
The Kiwi shirts are polly-cotton and on offer at the moment at half price - I would prefer those to a pure polymide or polyester which are a good bit more expensive TBH. Apart from anything else, they feel nicer.
There is a reason why I had the thin merino wool undershirt under the linen shirt. It doesn´t feel wet or clammy even though soaked with sweat.
This one: https://www.varusteleka.com/en/product/sarma-sleeveless-merino-wool-shirt/59733
This one: https://www.varusteleka.com/en/product/sarma-sleeveless-merino-wool-shirt/59733
I do not get on well with pure Merino. I've never had any Merino that hasn't holes or due to wear within a year of use only during winter and cooler times of the year? I also find it holds sweat against the body. My favourite winter base layer is a Helly Hansen prowool base layer. PP inner and Merino outer layers. No sweat against the skin ever no matter how much I over heat.PP is the best fit wicking sweat from your skin.
Although sweat against your skin in hot weather evaporates to cool you with cotton and possibly Merino I do not like sweaty, clammy skin. Hate it a lot. For me polycotton isn't A nice fabric to wear if you get too hot and sweaty. I wear mostly synthetic outdoors because IMHO it works well.
Not sure which is best nylon or polyester. Nylon is stronger, but absorbs a small amount of water. On the other hand polyester absorbs no water but it's oleophilic which AIUI means it reacts to oil to bind into the fibres. Since odours are supposed to be linked to oils this means odours from sweat sticks badly to it. Washing covers it up but from what I've read body heat brings out the old odours again. Nylon washes out old odours. It's just a few negatives. It's not be as breathable, it absorbs 2-3% water and that means it doesn't dry out as fast as polyester.
Although sweat against your skin in hot weather evaporates to cool you with cotton and possibly Merino I do not like sweaty, clammy skin. Hate it a lot. For me polycotton isn't A nice fabric to wear if you get too hot and sweaty. I wear mostly synthetic outdoors because IMHO it works well.
Not sure which is best nylon or polyester. Nylon is stronger, but absorbs a small amount of water. On the other hand polyester absorbs no water but it's oleophilic which AIUI means it reacts to oil to bind into the fibres. Since odours are supposed to be linked to oils this means odours from sweat sticks badly to it. Washing covers it up but from what I've read body heat brings out the old odours again. Nylon washes out old odours. It's just a few negatives. It's not be as breathable, it absorbs 2-3% water and that means it doesn't dry out as fast as polyester.
It is not just PE or PA but fiber thickness very much too. Thinner fibers and finer yarns are more comfortable, they behave differently with water too as the surface area increases. Downside being that they wear down faster too and they do not take thorns as well but on the whole I prefer the synthetics for hot weather.
Can't beat à long sleeve shirt imo. Best of both worlds, and I find t shirt in winter Nice and warm but hot in summer, far prefer the options of open buttons and a cooling breeze
Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk
I reckon that keeping cool in a shirt is not really down to sleeve length, it's more to do with whether you have your shirt tucked in or untucked. Overall, though, I reckon that a loose-cut shirt in a natural material with long sleeves (that can be rolled up) untucked from your waist band is the coolest way to go - in terms of temperature... When it comes to style , that's a very different matter about which I know absolutely nothing!
Out of the two craghoppers the nylon exped shirt looks more loose and aimed at interesting trips to hot and humid places. The polyester Pro shirt looks tighter fit and I'm not sure what it's purpose is, perhaps more UK trips.
Fabric wise it seems to me that polyester has more potential for synthetic stink than nylon because of surface chemistry. They've both got antimicrobial treatments to the actual fibres but I doubt that works for long. Mind you I'm a keen user of polypropylene base layers and we all know about smelly Helly, right?
Fabric wise it seems to me that polyester has more potential for synthetic stink than nylon because of surface chemistry. They've both got antimicrobial treatments to the actual fibres but I doubt that works for long. Mind you I'm a keen user of polypropylene base layers and we all know about smelly Helly, right?
If not and humid is your destination look at what’s worn in the Caribbean. Usually a guayabera shirt or some derivative. I’ve tried a couple of them and in general they’re comfortable but the well made ones are usually expensive. Another plus is they usually come in solid colors (unlike Hawaiian shirts)
Oh no! I'm UK based and use will be UK. The comments about humidity were really about the peak demand on the garments I mentioned. The UK does not really have the extremes of conditions. It does of course have it's own form of extremes which it's taken American outdoor brands many years to understand. Especially US tent brands. Mesh inners and high flysheets do not make a good design of tent for most UK conditions. I've yet friends experience wind blown rain getting into the American tent because of these features in the middle of summer.
We've not got truly harsh conditions except the few Scottish Cairngorm winters. Certainly not hot and humid extremes. 35C++ and very high humidity like parts of Colombia for example would probably have me wilting even in the best of clothing choices.
We've not got truly harsh conditions except the few Scottish Cairngorm winters. Certainly not hot and humid extremes. 35C++ and very high humidity like parts of Colombia for example would probably have me wilting even in the best of clothing choices.
Last edited:
Is that Suomenlinna?Long sleeve. And loose fitting alowing air to cirkulate. And preferable material linnen.
The less you get sunlight direct on skin the better.
Me, a couple of years ago on a very hot day strolling around an island in Helsinki. White shirt made of linen. And a sleeveless undershirt of thin merino wool.
Similar threads
