Your Hiking Clothes and the Three Layer System

Hiking clothes can be just any combination of every day clothing that can keep you dry and warm. But over the years, the more appropriate hiking clothes are through the three-layer system. Even outdoor shops sell this set of clothing.

The first layer is called the “base”. It can also be referred to as the thermal underwear, which is the one that has direct contact with the skin. The usual underwear and shirts made of cotton take the moisture of sweat, thus keeping on cooling your body down. It is not only uneasy, as it also compels your body to build up its heat production, thus, increasing the possibility of under cooling. Remember that these hiking clothes should not hold moisture, but instead, take it away from the skin to hit back the after-exercise chill. The materials can either be synthetic fibers of reinvented ones like wool. All in all, they should be lightweight, yet durable; they should withdraw moisture from the skin; and should be treated to lessen the chances causing fungi, body odor, and itchiness.

Next is the “insulation layer”. These hiking clothes are worn on top of the base layer. It works to reserve body heat by creating a layer of dead air around the body, that will lessen the heat exchange there is between the body and the outside world. The commonly used materials for the insulation layer are the polyesters such as pile, bunting, and fleece. They all carry the might to withhold body heat. Aside from that, the treated polyesters can perform the same as the base layers in terms of transporting moisture to the outer layer and to dry it out very quickly.

The final layer is the “outer shell”. These hiking clothes are the only ones having direct contact with the outside world. Its purpose is mainly to serve as a guard from the rain, wind, or snow and to protect hikers from cuts, scratches, or chafing. They can be shock-absorbing, breathable windbreakers, and of course, waterproof. On checking the level of waterproofness, the largest factor is still the fabric. Next are the seams and the zippers. To avoid leaks, the seams must be coated and sealed and the zippers must be very well protected.

Through the three-layer system, you will definitely be protected from the risky conditions outside. If you are wondering why these hiking clothing mostly concerns the upper body, that is because the neck and the torso are the vital parts of insulation since they are the ones protecting the core of the body.