CLOTHING CHECKLIST

​

NOTE: While weather forecasts today are usually accurate weather is still very unpredictable.  Always have a contingency.  The weather can swing up to 30˚ warmer or colder than what has been forecasted.  BE PREPARED.

 

For Warm to Hot Weather Camping (Low 70˚ to high 100˚):

❏  Underwear

❏  Socks

❏  Light weight hiking pants

❏  Hiking shorts (if hiking pants are not zip-off)

❏  T-shirt or short sleeved shirt (moisture wicking)

❏  Hiking shoes or boots

❏  Gym shorts

❏  Rain top

❏  Rain bottoms

❏  Light weight shoes for camp

❏  Brimmed Hat/boonie hat

❏  Class A uniform (If attending a Council or National Resident Camp)

❏  Swim gear (If attending a BSA activity with Safe Swim Defense qualified supervision)

 

For Moderate to Cool Weather Camping Additional Items (Low 40˚ to high 80˚):

❏  Warm sleeping socks

❏  Sweatpants

❏  Long sleeve sleep shirt (moisture wicking)

❏  Warm hat

❏  Long sleeve base layer shirt (moisture wicking)

❏  Long underwear (moisture wicking)

❏  Warm durable gloves

❏  Fleece jacket

❏  Outer shell coat/windbreaker

❏  NO COTTON CLOTHING

 

For Cool to Cold Weather Camping Additional Items (Low 20˚ to high 50˚)

 

NOTE: Prolonged exposure to freezing temperature while living outside over several days will greatly affect your body as compared to a single day of exposure to cold weather.  When you are outside near home and you become cold from freezing temperatures you would normally return home or go indoors so your body can rest and regenerate.  When you are living outside there is no relief from the sustained cold.  Your body will initially experience “cold set” the first week of sustained exposure to freezing temperatures.  Your body will need more layers of heavier warm clothes just to stay warm.  BE PREPARED.

 

❏  Waterproof shoes

❏  Waterproof double lined gloves

❏  Layered weatherproof moisture wicking cold weather coat with a hood

❏  Cold weather moisture wicking socks

❏  Heavy moisture wicking outer shirt

❏  Heavy long moisture wicking underwear

❏  Cold weather or fleece lined pants

❏  Weatherproof mittens

❏  Cold weather hat.

❏  NO COTTON CLOTHING

 

Layering

For the most comfort in the outdoors with the least weight in your pack, use the layering system. Choose layers of clothing that, when combined, will meet the most extreme weather you expect to encounter. On a chilly autumn day, for example, you might set out from the trailhead wearing long pants, a wool shirt, a fleece sweater, mittens, and a stocking hat. As you hike, the effort will cause your body to generate heat. Peel off the sweater and stuff it in your pack.  Still too warm? Loosen a few buttons on your shirt or slip off your mittens and hat. You also can use layering to keep cool in hot climates by stripping down to hiking shorts, a T-shirt, and a brimmed hat. Lightweight long pants and a long-sleeved shirt will shield you from insects, brush, and the sun.

 

Footwear for Camping

Almost any durable shoes will do for a front country camping trip. When your plans include walking to a backcountry campsite with all your food and gear in your pack, hiking boots can give your feet and ankles protection and support.

 

In addition to boots for hiking, you might want to carry a pair of running shoes or other comfortable, lightweight shoes to wear around camp. Any shoes or boots you use for camping must fit well. Your heels should not slip much when you walk, and your toes should have a little wiggle room.  Clean your boots or shoes after every outing. Use a stiff brush to remove mud, or wash them off with water and mild soap, then allow footwear to dry at room temperature.  (Placing shoes too close to a campfire can dry out leather and damage nylon.) The manufacturers of leather boots might recommend treatment with a boot dressing or waterproofing agent; follow their instructions.  Be sure to break in new boots before using them in the field. Wear them several times, gradually extending the length of time you wear them until they feel like a natural part of your feet.

 

Why does Cotton Kill?

Have you ever wondered why people say, Cotton Kills? Do you understand exactly why? Here’s an in-depth explanation as well as a list of other fabrics that you should avoid when shopping for hiking clothes.

 

Insulation

Clothing keeps you warm by trapping warm air near your skin. When cotton gets wet, it ceases to insulate you because all the air pockets in the fabric fill up with water. When you hike, you perspire, and any cotton clothing touching your skin will absorb your sweat like a sponge.

​

If the air is colder than your body temperature, you’ll feel cold because your cotton clothing is saturated and no longer providing any insulation. This can lead to disorientation, hypothermia, and potentially death if you become too chilled. Remember, hypothermia can occur in temperatures well above freezing and become serious if you get wet and chilled.

Wicking and Layering

 

In addition, wet cotton does not wick water away from your skin. Wicking fabrics move water from wet areas to dry ones using a process called capillary action. For example, a wicking base layer shirt made from Patagonia Capilene will move moisture from the surface of your skin to the outer layers of your shirt leaving the part of the fabric touching your skin dry. This is why layering is such an effective clothing strategy for hiking because wicking fabrics move water away from your skin and up through your layers one after another, enabling the fabric near your skin to trap insulating air and retain your body’s warmth.

 

Wool

Wool does not wick as well as synthetic garments and will absorb up to 36% of its weight in water. Unlike cotton, it does insulate when wet and is considered an acceptable fabric for hiking clothes.

 

Other Forms of Cotton

Avoid wearing garments that are labeled as corduroy, denim, flannel, or duck. These are all made with cotton. In addition, steer clear of cotton-polyester blends, for example, 50/50. They’ll still kill you, although it may take a little longer.

 

Other Fabrics to Avoid

Modal, rayon, viscose, tencel and lyocell are all manufactured fabrics made from cellulose fiber. They absorb water even faster than cotton and lose all of their insulation value when wet. You should also be very careful with clothing made from Bamboo, which is often advertised as being a green product having characteristics comparable to wool. Many bamboo fabrics are actually just a type of rayon and share all of its pitfalls.

 

Silk is also very absorbent and loses its insulation value when wet.