With reference to my previous post regarding the lad who got rescued from Snowdon whilst wearing cotton jeans, I wanted to provide some context. Let us get to the heart of it - Cotton kills. The reason has to do with the way that cotton behaves when it is wet. In dry conditions, cotton is OK, however, when wet it loses it’s insulating properties. When you are wet you lose heat 27-times faster than when you are dry, and wearing a wet cotton t-shirt or jeans is no exception. Also, cotton takes longer to dry out compared to other materials. As an alternative, I would always recommend wool (merino wool for base and mid-layers is great) or the more modern synthetic fibres that are high-wicking and fast drying. The beauty of wool is that it will retain some of it’s insulating properties when wet which can be the difference between life and death. To give cotton some credit, the exception to the rule is Ventile. This is cotton that is weaved is a particular way that, when it gets wet, expands and provides a waterproof barrier. There are outer layers that are Ventile that are very effective and very good if you are looking for tough clothing (not necessarily lightweight). So before you venture out, please take time to think about your clothing and how you are going to stay dry. at-one-with-nature.co.uk/%401_with_nature/Tips_and_Advice.html
Posted on: Fri, 16 Jan 2015 10:53:46 +0000