Cotton clothes are great for us, but when it is about outdoor activities they are not. It is not that someone has decided to do so, but actually, there is science behind it. Cotton clothes can hold up the water, which is a great feature. When it is raining or humid day, it will absorb the water.
In such a scenario, synthetic ones are best to choose. Note that when cotton is wet it will not keep you warm. Another thing is that cotton doesn’t have wicking properties. It means the cotton is not able to move water from your skin into drier areas. If the temperature outside is windy, then you can easily catch a cold or can also lead to hypothermia. Therefore, there are more comfortable clothes available presently that are specifically designed for the outdoors.
Here, we are mentioning some of the reasons behind not choosing cotton for outdoor activities like hiking.
Absorb moisture
As mentioned earlier, cotton can absorb moisture. Other than cotton, materials which are used for making hiking outfits absorb less moisture. Because of this property, cotton becomes heavy and also loses the property of retaining the warmth.
Bad at regulating the temperature
Whenever you are planning for some outdoor activity, it is necessary that the clothing provide great temperature regulation for keeping you warm or cool depending on the outer temperature. The science behind it is that if your apparel soaked up the sweat, the body heat will automatically be transmitted to that very quickly. Cotton clothes are therefore not a great option for hiking in cold conditions.
Take long drying time
Cotton takes time to dry up as it absorbs so much moisture. If you are going hiking, you need clothes that easily get dries with any heat loss. Thus, it helps in keeping your body at natural temperature.
Till now, you must have got an idea about the reasons behind not choosing cotton over others. Try to shop intelligently and visit outdoor equipped to get your clothes at affordable prices.