What to wear?
Clothing can make or break a trip. Their is a Norwegian saying that says ‘There is no such thing as bad weather just bad clothing’. This might seem a little over the top but it is essentially true. If we make the right choices and have the right equipment then our comfort levels can be increased dramatically and allow us to enjoy the outdoors in any conditions.
Matching your clothing to your activity and the weather conditions is critical. But, we all know that the conditions in the mountains can change dramatically and quickly and will sometimes catch people unawares. So having flexible equipment and packing the right thing for what you are doing is very important.
Bushcraft clothing Vs Backpacking clothing
Mountain and backpacking activities have slightly different demands on our clothing choices. When travelling through the mountains, lakes and backwoods we are often limited by what we can carry. This is where the expensive store brands play their role. Super lightweight insulating or outer-layers come with a price tag. They enable you to carry all the layers you may need but without sacrificing too much in weight or space.
With bushcraft and wilderness living we are generally not travelling as much and don’t often need to carry every thing on our backs. So we have the luxury and benefit of choosing heavier and bulkier materials. We also have the need that they be fairly rugged as we will be bushwhacking, crafting, constructing and using tools. They need to stand up to these demands and perform well in keeping us warm and dry.
What to look for
Shops are full of fancy expensive brands promising you the best equipment. However you really don’t have to spend $30 on a pair of socks if you are on a budget.
The golden rule is: WOOL.
I can’t say it loud enough!! Merino wool and or alpaca wool garments. Underwear, base-layers, mid-layers, toques, glove liners. You name it, buy it in wool, except for your outer layer waterproof or windbreak. Wool will keep you warm when your clothing is wet from sweat or rain. There is an old expression being ‘soaked through’. This would literally refer to being wet through all your layers from rain. Before modern fabrics people would wear wool as their outer-layers and insulating layers and it would keep them warm in hard rainy conditions and would sometimes get soaked through.
With the advent of modern synthetics and industrialization of cotton, acrylic and polyester are cheaper and simpler to use and manufacture clothing. However fabrics like cotton are actively detrimental to your comfort in the backcountry. Cotton being the worst as it holds water like a sponge and doesn’t help you retain any warmth. It is called ‘Death cloth’ by Yosemite search and rescue and it is a well deserved title. The simple act of wearing a cotton t-shirt to climb a mountain could mean you are in grave danger of hypothermia should temperatures fall below 10C (50F) That isn’t that cold!! A soaking wet sweaty t-shirt and a cotton plaid mid-layer. Bingo. Say hi to the ferryman should you get lost, get stuck, get overnighted etc.
It is worth scouring the second hand stores and checking all those material labels of anything that might be wool. You can get some great deals. Bushcraft demands a bit more sometimes and a great trick is to buy an XL wool jumper and shrink it in the washing machine Depending on the knit pattern you should come out with a medium. The result is a denser warmer top and perfect for bushcraft at a fraction of the price.
Most recently I have noticed a new trend of outdoor products that boast they are made of wool. But, when you read the label they are 10 or 20% wool. This is just not worth it. It looks like a great deal online but unless they state the percentage of wool stay away from it. and don’t get dupped by anything less than 80% wool.
Quick Drying Materials
Nylon and polyester are quick drying economical options for outdoor clothing. I realize not all budgets can stretch to pure wool base and mid-layers. This is where Mid layer fleece is the cheapest most effective option for mid layers. Not all fleece is created equal so the thickness and density is what you are looking for in terms of warmth and durability. Some fashion based fleeces are woefully thin and although may serve you for a time. They just might not help you out that much when the temperatures drop or brush past a thorny bush.
Nylon and Polyester are often the best hiking and backcountry pants you can get. They are light fast drying and can stand up to a fair bit of rough work depending again on the weave and thickness. You can’t beat trying them on and feeling the materials in your hands. Often polyester is mixed with spandex to make for stretch pants that are breathable and suited best for highly active pursuits such as hiking, climbing and canoeing.
From a bushcraft perspective these are just fine. The only downsize is that sparks from a fire can melt some lovely big holes in these snythetic materials. I have seen $300 waterproof shells, down jackets and sleeping bags get ruined in just one night around a campfire. This certainly doesn’t put smiles on peoples faces.
Bushcraft Clothing
Bushcraft clothing doesn’t necessarily need to be light weight and easily packable. We demand rugged hard wearing functional equipment that is good in all conditions and around fires. We can go a little more durable and heavy by wearing heavier wools as our insulating mid-layers rather than packable down or fleece.
Our outer-layers are a little trickier and is my only exception. Waxed canvas can be used as a waterproof and wind break layer. However, these do require maintenance and rewaxing periodically depending on the amount of wear and tear they get. Just like Gore-Tex and other breathable waterproofs they are not 100% waterproof. They will let water through in the seams or where the wax has worn out or just because the material just can’t hold out the volume of water that is falling on it. You are probably thinking; ‘That’s not great!’ Nope its not perfect. But, with dense wool layers underneath your body heat will keep them drier than they would be otherwise and you can still be active and warm in a downpour. This can work for both your tops and pants.
I especially prefer to have waxed canvas pants for long periods in the woods. They are just more durable and they keep off the dew and moisture from bushwhacking and early mornings. Fjallravens G1000 material is a thick waxed polyester so it is suited for the woods but not the best around fires. However, it is not as durable as Filson Tin cloth,Which is a waxed cotton canvas. It has to be the most rugged waxed pant I have come across. I have had a pair for 10 years and they are still going strong!