Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Gear Forum :: In defense of cotton
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straighthairedcurly |
But I have always worn a lightweight cotton T-shirt (thin, not thick cotton) for paddling on a typical day. One of my cotton T's was worn on so many trips in my youth that it fell apart on my trip to Hudson Bay. My mom creatively used it as the matting when she had my trip map framed. I am rarely cold, I usually run on the hot and sweaty side. I like feel of lightweight cotton when I am sweaty much more than the feel of a synthetic when I sweat. And I like the feel of it on my skin if I need to cool off even more by dunking the shirt in the water. |
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mjmkjun |
Like. |
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bobbernumber3 |
I have plenty of wool and poly clothing, but still take a pair of jeans. Nothing beats the comfort around camp like a good pair of well worn jeans. Yes, keep them dry. They are well worth the comfort factor. Watching canoes dump on a windy day from camp on Sarah Lake, Aug 2012. |
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jhb8426 |
But I put on jeans on cool nites. |
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ozarkpaddler |
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Banksiana |
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Pinetree |
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bobbernumber3 |
Banksiana: "bobbernumber3: "Wearing cotton jeans is similar to having a down sleeping bag. Both are super comfortable and warm. But you have to keep them dry!" Ouch! Well, in defense of my analogy: An analogy is, according to Webster’s, "a comparison of two things based on their being alike in some way." My point being made, that you missed, is that down and cotton are similar in that they need to be kept dry. All analogies fail when you add additional comparisons beyond the intended point being made. |
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BuckFlicks |
What? A pair of jeans weighs more and takes up more space than two pairs of Columbia PFG convertible pants of the same size. Also, you don't need a fire to dry synthetics. Sahara or PFG pants dry in the air in about 4 minutes, while you're wearing them. Personally, I'd never take jeans on an outdoor trip. If you want to, that's cool, but don't delude yourself into thinking jeans are better or more practical. They're heavier, take up more space and are more dangerous when wet. At least with a down sleeping bag, it's lighter and takes up less space than a synthetic fill bag of the same temperature rating. That said, I do take a cotton t-shirt along for wearing in camp sometimes. |
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joewildlife |
If I knew it wasn't gonna rain or be damp, then yeah some cotton clothing is nice to wear in camp. But I never know that, so I'm all about fleece, polypro, under armor, etc. I don't have to get naked to bathe, just do it with my clothes on and it all dries by the time I get the firewood gathered and camp set up. Joe |
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missmolly |
TominMpls: "If you're wearing cotton, you're thermodynamically naked." So, you're saying that cotton-wearers are hussies? Well, then, shame on them! |
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bobbernumber3 |
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x2jmorris |
WhiteWolf: "Get soaked from rain or dumping or whatever. You need to dry stuff. Try drying out synthetic around a fire. try cotton, Big difference. Other than Merino Wool - I really like cotton and actually prefer over synthetics. " I've been soaked in cotton and while it does take forever to dry there is something amazing about when it does dry and I can get out of my only other clothes which happen to be rain gear. |
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justpaddlin |
Banksiana: "Light colored lightweight merino wool t-shirts are fantastic in hot weather. They dry fast, stretch with your motion and are resistant to dirt and stink. On really hot days dip the shirt and let it cool you as it drys. Plus you get to reuse your light cotton dress shirts for something useful! My favorite lightweight cotton tee shirt also burned up really fast when hit by sparks from a campfire. Fortunately I wasn't wearing it at the time. If you have plenty of tech clothes and don't mind the extra bulk and weight of adding a few pieces of cotton, why not? |
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Pinetree |
KarlBAndersen1: "I compromise for my camp clothes. I do like the mixture-combo,you get a compromise of the benefits of both. |
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x2jmorris |
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walllee |
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Banksiana |
Long sleeved light cotton dress shirts are good for sun protection and most bugs- plus you look stylish. |
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timatkn |
T |
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tumblehome |
No cotton jeans for me. Ever. I do wear cotton shirts since I can change them easily but most of my gear is synthetic now. True, they didn't have synthetic clothes in the 'old days'. They didn't have penicillin either . Death by syphilis was common place back then and almost everyone had it. Tom |
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bhouse46 |
Personally I prefer wool and poly to wear, but a really soft cotton hand towel is great for a quick refreshing splash of water over the face and then wipe it dry with that towel. It travels in my day kit handy to dry my hands when I want to grab the camera, etc. The backup towel is a great packing cushion for gear. |
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x2jmorris |
bhouse46: "If the defense is based on function cotton usually does not win the battle, but when it comes to comfort there is room for debate. In my mind that is similar to the debate is it worth the weight to carry in a camp chair " Well I get what you mean there however it isn't quite the same. Cotton takes no extra space or weight. A chair takes both weight and space. It's more like rectangle or mummy bags :) |
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Abbey |
I lived in Arizona for a few years, and I probably tried almost every synthetic. Huge variation from the cheap “wicking” shirts to the comfort oriented synthetics. I have a few REI brand synthetic hiking t-shirts that are more comfortable than most of my cotton t-shirts. I also have a wide variation in the comfort of my cotton. Generalizations are generally wrong. Assuming it’s not dangerous cold, wear what you want. Especially lounging around camp. I personally just wear the same clothes around camp that I wore all day and invest the pack weight into a flask that gets lighter throughout the trip. |
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mjmkjun |
KarlBAndersen1: "I compromise for my camp clothes. Thanks for posting this. I hate wearing jeans when working outside during summer. When I think of buying more camo lightweights I also have forgotten where I purchased the last pair. The price is low. Hope they're durable. |
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straighthairedcurly |
bobbernumber3: "Wearing cotton jeans is similar to having a down sleeping bag. Both are super comfortable and warm. But you have to keep them dry!" I have always traveled with a down sleeping bag...only every got wet once...when someone else swamped a canoe back in the days before dry bags. |
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yellowcanoe |
TominMpls: "If you're wearing cotton, you're thermodynamically naked."Huh? Have you suffered in Alaska in June under a broiling sun directly overhead at the solstice? Cotton when damp keeps you cooler. It can be over a hundred degrees where there are no shade trees. |
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x2jmorris |
Normally I go cotton either long or short sleeve T with quick drying pants (don't know the material... Northface I believe). I have merino wool and fleece in case I ever need it but its pretty rare and that is only for colder weather. Even below freezing I don't wear much more than what I listed. |
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x2jmorris |
tumblehome: " Ha. Well that isn't quite the same comparison. |
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WhiteWolf |
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yellowcanoe |
Cotton can be wet to cool you by evaporative cooling.. Heat exhaustion is actually a common thing on northern canoe trips.. But I don't take cotton knit jersey as it does take forever to dry as do jeans ( thick) Work pants that are cotton and poly dry fast and the best is a cotton long sleeve shirt with a tight twill weave. |
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sylvesterii |
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tumblehome |
x2jmorris: "tumblehome: " No not the same but it came to mind :) I am old school, and a purist so I choose traditional everything when I can. But sometimes I need to be realistic, and logical. And since I travel solo and I'm getting older, I do prefer the lightest materials I can find. I figured out the cotton thing on a trip some time back when my pants were soaked for more than a day. I now wear the quick-dry convertible pants. And they clean up easy too so one pair can last a whole trip. And merino wool unless it's hot. I love that stuff. Tom |
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TominMpls |
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Pinetree |
I know many pants have a cotton-nylon mix. |
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KarlBAndersen1 |
I wear the 60/40 cotton/poly blend rip-stop cargo pants. I would never take blue jeans into canoe country. BDU cargo pants And you can get a 65/35 poly/cotton: 65/35 |
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Banksiana |
bobbernumber3: "Wearing cotton jeans is similar to having a down sleeping bag. Both are super comfortable and warm. But you have to keep them dry!" Not really. The analogy is flawed. Modern tents and stuff sacks make keeping down bags dry easy with a modicum of common sense. Down is both lighter and compacts smaller than the alternative. Down bags offer a distinct advantage to the alternative. Jeans don't. |
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thlipsis29 |
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Hank |
I don't wear jeans in the bush. I understand why some do, but for me, the fact that they take so long to dry limits their usefulness for me. And I find that the black flies really dig the color blue. I stay will light tan and greens. |
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minnmike |
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pamonster |
If you want your mind blown you should try some cotton sweatpants lol |
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yellowcanoe |
Actually as it was our first extended trip of any kind so we had no idea what we were doing we had two big garbage bags full of clothes.. Yep jeans. Yep sweatshirts. It rained every day.. We had spare jeans and sweats. ( man those bags were heavy). When we got back to Grand Marais we were out of clothes so we had to go to a laundromat before we went back to New Jersey. We filled three washers with our camp clothes which now stank of mildew. The other patrons in the laundromat immediately left whether or not their wash was done. |
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nojobro |
...only wear them in camp. Still water is everywhere up there. Not too hard to get wet in camp. Also just the weight of one pair of jeans vs. quick dry pants and IMO it's a no brainer. Cotton shirt, though: whatever. Have fun |