Shirts

[arctic hobo]

What do you lot wear as a base layer? I mean shirts, T shirts, whatever. I'm looking at getting something new and wondered what sort of thing is tried tested and good for bushcrafting :wave:

[Squidders]

cotton T-shirts... cheap as chips... actually, they're cheaper than chips.

[Wayne]

Don't forget cotton kills. Its cold when wet and takes ages to dry. Merino wool is good and modern synthetics are great. Some don't even stink too much. The cost kills though. The choice is yours.

[Squidders]

cotton kills? that's a very funny statement!

Be careful or the government will be banning cotton for under 18s!

[Viking]

Winter - Wool like Ullfrotte or swedish army m90 shirt
Summer - swedish army m90 or m59 shirt

[arctic hobo]

cotton kills? that's a very funny statement!

Be careful or the government will be banning cotton for under 18s!

:rolmao: It does kill though. First time I went to Norway, I went up in the mountains in a cotton T shirt and fleece. I sweated into the shirt, and then got so cold it was incredible. Never again!

[Squidders]

Isn't the idea to wear just enough to not be cold but not so much that you sweat buckets?

Cotton doesn't kill, come on.

[Viking]

The clothes only does 30% the rest is knowledge. The swedish army and many other used cotton in all their clothes, when I went in to the army in the late 90´s we had cotton long johns and we survived without any problems even in the cold winter.

[tomtom]

I ware cotton tea shirts too..

(disclaimer: in england)

[arctic hobo]

Isn't the idea to wear just enough to not be cold but not so much that you sweat buckets?

Cotton doesn't kill, come on.

When you're walking hard with 60lb on your back you sweat, it's unavoidable. Then when you stop you get very cold, as the climate is cold but mainly that your cotton is waterlogged because it soaks up a very large proportion of water it's in, which then evaporates and makes you very cold. You are caught between the two extremes and constantly have to keep changing your clothes when you stop and go... it might not kill, but it can certainly make you very cold indeed, even on a day that seems warm.

[bigjackbrass]

I've always thought that "cotton kills" was a bit simplistic, but it does at least get the point across. Viking is quite right, I believe, with the view that knowledge of how to use a fabric is important. One of my favourite undershirts is an L.L. Bean River Driver shirt, the old two-layer Duofold design where a thin inner of cotton is attached to a mixed (wool/cotton/synthetic) outer layer, but I would not wear it all of the time. For serious cold I prefer all wool or synthetics (unless I'm wearing my Buffalo, in which case I don't need an undershirt), not least because they are much more forgiving if you screw up or the unexpected happens. I've been bone-chillingly cold (dangerously so) and have no particular wish to repeat the experience.

[Squidders]

Well, I wouldn't call a hard slog with 60lbs bushcraft, I would call that trekking or something... I guess we got our wires crossed.

I was referring to general use bushcraft, spill fish guts on it, have it smell of camp fire, use it to dry dishes and abuse it to hell and back without caring less cotton T-shirts.

In that scenario, may I recommend something technical? if you're in cold climates working at near maximum capacity over extended periods you want a base layer that simply wicks moisture away, followed by an insulating layer or two and a shell garment. I favour lowe alpine for wicking layers as they're cheaper than the HH stuff and seem to generate less static electricity.

I would also prefer a long sleved shirt with no pockets or seams to rub you.

Joe

[Ogden]

Brynje or Ullfrotte.
Cotton as base layer doesn´t make sense to me. Only in very warm climate I wear cotton mesh (which is pefect in the heat).

[Brendan]

I usually use a Lowe Alpine dry zone long sleeve shirt as a base layer I could not believe the difference after wearing cotton. I chopped wood for almost an hour and I didn't get a sweat problem at all, my cotton shirt would be wringing wet after that.
I quote
"Faster-wicking zones are mapped seamlessly over body ‘hot spots’ giving enhanced comfort."

Not everyones cup of tea but I really noticed a difference.
Next layer is usually an arktis antartica merino wool shirt or a Gore windstopper N2S shirt depending on conditions. If I need pockets I also take an issue soldier 95 DPM shirt.

[alick]

Around the woods - cheap 3 pack of cotton T shirts from the huntin' and fishin' bit of any Decathlon store. 2 shades of green and one khaki. Works out at only a few quid each.

I don't get on well with wool so in the hills I like lowe alpine dryflow T shirts and fleece/pertex.

I've done the sweat buckets into a cotton baselayer on a freezing cold day and know just how cold you can get when you stop.

[BIG-TARGET]

Milspec NYCO BDUs. if its colder, then over that I wear 100% nylon fleece sweat pants & sweat shirt(with hood).


And let's not forget "Woolies" (100% wool heavy wool socks) :biggthump

[RovingArcher]

Our weather is so mild, that from March through December, you will find me wearing nothing but cotton. A short or longsleeved T has been my usual base layer, but lately I've been wearing a longsleeved Henley.

For the other two months when it rains and gets cold, I am a wool fanatic. I've been wearing wool for years and really like the merino Henley as my base layer (it doesn't get cold enough to need to layer too much). I also wear a good heavy Wigwam merino hiking sock.

[bambodoggy]

Arctic Hobo is spot on with his ideas on cotton but only in certain circumstances, if I was trekking in cold climates I'd never dream of wearing a cotton base layer - I wear a HH which is perfect (albeit a little "shocking" when you take them off....mmmm, love that static hair do!).

But, let us not forget that the Famous Norwegen army shirt is made of......cotton and not the wool you would expect.
I also like the british army Vest ECW (extream cold weather) which I think is made of cotton but I can't be sure (I'll look at the label tonight) but I'd still choose the HH if I'm on the move.

If I'm messig about in the woods then I tend to go with Squidders that you can't beat a cheap as chips cotton t-shirt. Covered with a cotton britsh army og shirt (dpm if I'm stalking) if it's a bit nippy or my swanni if it's spring/fall.

I also have a buffalo mountain shirt and can't speak highly enough of them, I had my last one stolen while working training instructors on an outdoor centre and found out how much I missed it...I went and bought another within the week. you don't wear anything under them and they can be zipped open all over the place so you don't get hot in them, they keep you warm when wet too....only down side if they burn easy and catch campfire sparks which leave little holes that your mates look at suspicously! I stick my og smock over the top if I'm by a camp fire for long.

[Wink]

Cotton has its downsides, but then so do synthetics, so it's horses for courses!

When I'm walking with a heavy pack I usually wear a synthetic wicking base layer (with built in mosquito repellency!), with a supplex nylon shirt over the top (Air Land & Sea). The shirt has mesh covered vents in the back, loads of pockets, adjustable cuffs and button secured roll-up sleeves. I run warm, so tend not to wear anything else on top of that while on the move, just adding a fleece when I stop, unless it's raining of course. I've found that this synthetic layering principle massively improves the sweat problem, and vitually eliminates clamminess. My back still gets wet, but after 10 minutes with my fleece on at rest, I'm a lot more comfortable. My cotton layering used to stay wet for hours. As Squidders says though, this isn't that relevant whilst pottering about in the woods.

Also synthetics smell horrible, especially after a few days, so you need to rinse them out when you can. At least they dry quickly.

When I get to camp I like to change into cotton, particularly to sleep in, as it smells less and feels more comfortable on the skin. Wool generally makes me itch and is too warm, but I am getting some Ullfrotte long johns for Christmas, so we'll see if the non-itch claims are justified!

[MalIrl]

I have a long-sleeved HH that I've used for over ten years, and it's still going. Over that if I'm working then an old synthetic fleece (mine are Gelert). If I'm after warmth (e.g. flighting duck or winter mountaintops) I go for an old cashmere or merino wool layer. (Aldi do great merino jumpers if you find them!) Both are very warm and also thin, which is good if you're using bow or gun as you don't get that 'Michelin Man' feeling.

The synthetics are easy to clean and they dry quickly, and they sure don't hold sweat like cotton can.

Sin é.

[Gary]

Generally summer and winter i wear a icebreaker t-shirt, these are wool but pretty good even in the summer.

I have tried ULLSFORTE stuff but think it way over prices and not that good either, a army norgy under a ranger shirt would be better than their 200gm under a 400gm and half the price!

ANother good base layer - again Merino wool - is advantage survival gear, not as good as icebreaker but still pretty good.

Personally I aviod synthetic t-shirts like the plage while cotton ones are best saved for the heat of summer.

[jakunen]

My normal bas layer is either a US or British army cotton t-shirt, as I don't 'normally' do much in the cold (prefer a galss of whiskey in hand by log fire indoors), but I'm looking into Merino wool/Smartwool as it sounds like its the canine's tender parts of you choice.

I used to use silk, but currently don't have any. Must get some more...

For my mind, I'd rather pay a bit extra for something that I know will keep me warm than curse myself for not spending the money and freezing in something inadequate but cheap.

Having said that I have a SwannDri Ranger winging its way over from New Zealand at a very reasonable price...

[TheViking]

I have to admit I always wear cotton T-shirts. :roll: I'm not dead yet... :wink:

[masongary44]

H/H do a good synthetic / woool mix Lifa base layer now, it is quite abit thicker than the traditional one but tons better. It is warmer, holds a lot more water before feeling wet, stays warm (relatively) when wet and is not much more expensive than the normal Lifa. It seems to hold off the smells well too.

I wear ine for running / walking now it is cold, you have to be carefull though the wool can cause the dreaded Nipple rub (as my left side will happily testify.... oh the blood...... )

I also found that as an alternative to the ulfrotte stuff on RM's web site, Blacks now do a range of 100% pure merino wool base layers in several styles and thicknesses, but like you say they are not cheap, even less so coming from Blacks!!!

I have to admit, for all the technical fabrics i have, I tend to end up wearing cotton t's, 10 quid for 3, if it gets wet, i change it.... dry it by the fire, and its good to go for another day.....

[Viking]

I think many of you miss the point, cotton only kills when getting wet and they usually get wet from sweat, and that means that if you are sweating you are having too much clothes on you or are working/moving to fast. People that are living in extreme cold knows that as soon they start to sweat they are in trouble so they take it slow or they take off clothes.

If you are travelling through a very windy open landscape on a sunny day you will probably start to sweat a lot but when you stop for a break keep a jacket or shirt easy accesible so you can take it on to keep you warm.