What T-shirts to wear?

[Luka]

Is it true better not to wear cotton on the Camino, because it easy gets wet and takes long to dry? What type of fabric is better? I saw some very nice shirts from buff. LIke this one for example:

https://www.kitshack.com/catalogue/prod ... y_vat=true

But they are quite expensive. Are they worth the costs? Or is cotton good enough?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Moisture-wicking, high performance clothing is more comfortable to wear, but cotton usually dries faster. Avoid cotton socks, but for shirts, wear what is comfortable and affordable.

 

[lynnejohn]

Yes, it's a matter of personal taste and budget. You will find proponents of both tech fabric and of cotton. I prefer a super light-weight tech fabric (loose fitting) as the breeze goes through it and I just feel cooler. These more open-weave tech fabrics dry in about 30 minutes, as compared to the more dense, heavier tech fabric shirts.

So yes, whatever feels good and is affordable.

lynne

 

[AJ]

I wear a superfine merino wool shearer's singlet - the best thing I've tried on the Camino. Available fron New Zealand Nature Co.

 

[jeff001]

I am not sure what kind of cotton Falcon is talking about but a cotton t-shirt soaked with either sweat or rain will almost certainly be less comfortable and take longer to dry than either Merino wool or a synthetic. Merino also has the advantage of being odor resistant. You can get Merino products - Smart Wool - at REI in the US.

 

[LTfit]

Hi Luka,

I most definately agree with jeff001 - no cotton allowed :!:

High tech, fast wicking clothing is often indeed expensive but one forum member pointed me in the right direction last year - Decathlon! I knew the store from trips to France but didn't realize that they had a store in my backyard (well almost). Here is the link for their store in Amsterdam: http://www.decathlon.nl/NL/ but they are all over.

I wasn't keen on their walking shoes but purchased 2 high-tec t-shirts for I believe E5,90 each and a head lamp (for those early mornings) for E7,90! I am thinking about going back to get walking poles for my next Camino.

Good luck preparing!
LT

p.s. here is the link to the shirt I was talking about but in the men's version :wink: http://www.decathlon.nl/NL/runningkleding-h-l1-11590846/
p.p.s. took the 2 t-shirts this past summer and they did just fine all the way from SJPdP to Finisterre and the battery in the head lamp didn't give up until the morning of my last walk from Corbubión to Finisterre!

 

[KiwiNomad06]

I had two modern, light moisture-wicking t-shirts. One was an expensive tech fabric from an outdoor store- had a lovely feel to it. The other was a cheap warehouse item- and I didn't know whether I could believe the claims made that it was wicking etc. But it was. (Actually, it is the one I am wearing in my profile photo here on the forum.) Both t-shirts dried in no time, both were comfortable to wear, and both wicked the sweat away beautifully. Next time I wouldn't even bother with the expensive version, as the cheap version worked fine!
Margaret

 

[Luka]

Thanks all! Conclusion so far:
- no cotton
- not necessary to buy expensive shirts

Hi Luka,
High tech, fast wicking clothing is often indeed expensive but one forum member pointed me in the right direction last year - Decathlon! I knew the store from trips to France but didn't realize that they had a store in my backyard (well almost). Here is the link for their store in Amsterdam: http://www.decathlon.nl/NL/ but they are all over.

I wasn't keen on their walking shoes but purchased 2 high-tec t-shirts for I believe E5,90 each and a head lamp (for those early mornings) for E7,90! I am thinking about going back to get walking poles for my next Camino.

For less than 6 euros I should at least give it a try. Bought walking shoes there, but they were horrible. It seems that their T-shirts are fine though!

 

[Anniesantiago]

Luka, I'm not sure where you live but if you're in the US, you can find a Goodwill store and they have an "active wear" section. I found all my quick dry shirts there for under $5

 

[Caminando]

Tell me if I'm wrong, but arent these wicking Tshirts a bit stinky after a few hours?

I agree tho' about cotton being a problem.

 

[LTfit]

I never had a problem and I walked in July. Must mention though that I don't sweat very much.

These type of shirts are made for running and other intensive sports. They dry much quicker than cotton and so do not stick to your skin as cotton does - at least that is ny experience.

 

[jeff001]

The big benefit of the Merino wool is that it get stinky which makes daily washing much less of a necessity. They are more expensive, though.

 

[Caminando]

Thanks folks

It seems then, that they are stinky, so I'll let them pass. This is a backward step in technology.

 

[KiwiNomad06]

I think jeff meant that merino doesn't get stinky.... you can wear it for weeks :wink:
Margaret

 

[jeff001]

I didn't try weeks, but for sure several days.

 

[Luka]

Luka, I'm not sure where you live but if you're in the US, you can find a Goodwill store and they have an "active wear" section. I found all my quick dry shirts there for under $5

Thanks, but I live in Amsterdam, the Netherlands...

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Luka,
I think that the best cheap option for high tech shirts and other trekking wear in Europe is Decathlon, the European Wal-mart of cheap hiking gear. Some of their stuff is very low quality, so beware. But I don't think there's much risk in buying a cheap wicking shirt. Check out their Dutch site:

http://www.decathlon.nl/NL/

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Rebekah Scott]

and just so you know, lots of the techy shirts do indeed get stinky, and they stay that way. Hand-washing just doesn´t get the job done so well... :cry:

 

[KiwiNomad06]

Just as well you were kind enough to do my laundry for me in a machine when I passed by then Reb. I must say, I never really smelled anything myself.... I guess I became immune!!
Margaret

 

[peregrina2000]

Reb's right, the high tech stuff stinks. So it's a choice between drying quicker or smelling stronger. Laurie

 

[LTfit]

My Decathlon t-shirts held up well - can't speak for their other products. Only thing I noticed were rough spots on the back but this is to be expected I believe walking 6-8 hrs per day with a pack-pack!

The Decathlon in A'dam is HUGH. It is at the Arena. Definately check it out!

 

[gittiharre]

don't wear a t shirt, wear a long sleeve, uv resistant lightweight quickdrying shirt like the sort of thing you can buy at Columbus, it is fantastic. I wear a t shirt type thing in the evening which is a merino based item I bought from Kathmandu. Both these items have done me for 1800 km without getting smelly. Pretty good going. Cheers, Gitti

 

[Tia Valeria]

As always a very personal decision. We both use hi-tec T-shirts under a hi-tec longsleeved shirt. Quick drying and don't smell. A mini-handwash under the arms and of the shirt collars each night and a good handwash every few days if possible kept them clean. Machine washed on return home and ready for this year again. Terry's will be on their 3rd time on the Camino, mine on their 2nd and we have been wearing them for some of our training so they wear well. (Terry's full Camino was 5 weeks)
If you can buy Trekmates in the Netherlands they are quite good and also do longjohns if you need them - we did. Our T-shirts and shirts are Rohan, expensive but worth it. Most of ours has come from their sales when possible. You might like to try their sale/souk section of the website and check out postage costs too.
Rohan dry a little quicker than Trekmates and weigh a fraction less.
Buen Camino
Tia Valeria

(Edit: Like Ian -2 posts down - in 2009 Terry didn't bother with 'mini-washes, that was me when we were together last year. Still didn't have any problems etc)

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I have several brands of high-performance shirts. Some dry very slowly. Some retain odor. Some are not particularly comfortable because they wick but then do not evaporate, either because of the fiber or the weather. The high priced Under Armour brand is the best in my opinion. My cotton-blend long sleeve shirts dry fastest, followed by all-cotton, followed by the synthetic fibers shirts. I choose based on the ability of the pattern to hide dirt and sweat. Sorry, but I cannot guarantee that sitting next to me is pleasant when style is masking hygiene, so keep your distance if you are bothered by odor. There may be over a hundred similarly situated persons each night, so beware. When it rains a lot, nothing dries, so nothing gets washed. Wet wool smells like wet wool. It is warm and comfortable, but even if human aromas are not added by the wearer, it still is wool. My socks, some merino, are far enough from my nose to be ignored by me, so my recommendation is to stay at least that far from them when you are near me. After a couple of days of wet walking, all bets on odor are off. My suggestion is to pick what you can afford and like to wear. There is not a huge difference between any of the fabrics, colors, or styles.

 

[Sagalouts]

from a blokey point of view I can't be doing with all that washing every night and fighting for space on the washing line, pegs for the line can weigh as much as an extra t-shirt,also the endless fashion parade of the base layer-wicking gortex brigade click klacking with their walking poles-you can hear them coming a mile off flashing their name tags,I once walked with a great Welshman who carried a load of old sun faded t-shirts,when they got too dirty and smelly he binned them-when he got to Santiago he had the lightest pack ever :lol:
a girl from New Zealand used the left clothes box found in most aubergue's as a dressing up box a different outfit every day.
my own Camino wardrobe is extensive I am always buying gear but never ever new,I trawl e-bay charity/thrift shops car boot sales in fact any place that has second hand goods I would hate to walk in crease free brand new goods,I go for the veteran practical lived in look 8) plus everything I carry can be binned without too much commercial loss.
the stuff left at Roncesvalles each day could fill a small shop most of it brand new left by people worrying what to bring on the Camino and then finding out they were carrying too much fancy stuff.
I tend to carry lightweight base layers they take up less space and weigh less-I also work on the old English 3 field system -working 2 tops while one lays fallow in a plastic bag at the bottom of my pack-same with socks and underwear washing once a week in a aubergue machine sharing the cost with other pilgrims.
Ian

 

[Caminando]

In India, I found that the people, many of whom wore artificial fibres, never ponged. Yet the heavily poilluted environment often stank to retching/gagging levels.

In France, I can often smell people's armpits, yet the environment is OK.

Is this a miracle?

Maybe pilgs using modern fabrics should ring a bell like the lepers of earlier times. :shock:
Or let's have a botafumiero in every albergue.......

 

[Luka]

Thanks for all your comments. There seems to be a lot to tell about something like a T-shirt!

 

[Anniesantiago]

Well, honestly, while I was walking I didn't notice any smell that was out of the ordinary.
I used the same shirts for the last Camino and have them packed for the next.
Maybe i just got lucky, or maybe I do hand-laundry better than you guys! lol

 

[Pollyappleseed]

i like your style!!! no more freaking out over what to wear!

from a blokey point of view I can't be doing with all that washing every night and fighting for space on the washing line, pegs for the line can weigh as much as an extra t-shirt,also the endless fashion parade of the base layer-wicking gortex brigade click klacking with their walking poles-you can hear them coming a mile off flashing their name tags,I once walked with a great Welshman who carried a load of old sun faded t-shirts,when they got too dirty and smelly he binned them-when he got to Santiago he had the lightest pack ever :lol:
a girl from New Zealand used the left clothes box found in most aubergue's as a dressing up box a different outfit every day.
my own Camino wardrobe is extensive I am always buying gear but never ever new,I trawl e-bay charity/thrift shops car boot sales in fact any place that has second hand goods I would hate to walk in crease free brand new goods,I go for the veteran practical lived in look 8) plus everything I carry can be binned without too much commercial loss.
the stuff left at Roncesvalles each day could fill a small shop most of it brand new left by people worrying what to bring on the Camino and then finding out they were carrying too much fancy stuff.
I tend to carry lightweight base layers they take up less space and weigh less-I also work on the old English 3 field system -working 2 tops while one lays fallow in a plastic bag at the bottom of my pack-same with socks and underwear washing once a week in a aubergue machine sharing the cost with other pilgrims.
Ian

 

[Tia Valeria]

We wil be walking next year with our same 'Camino Kit'. We must be treating it right as for Terry's it will be its 5th outing and for mine the 4th. It is carefully packed away between Caminos, especially as much is now discontinued/altered lines.
(See post above for type and care to save repeating myself
Buen Camino

 

[Craigewers]

Moisture wicking is great if its your only layer but better to wear another fabric if it is between layers or under a rain jacket otherwise you end up very wet!! In April-May, I found any old t-shirt then a sleeveless fleece with a rain jacket was most comfy. More layers if it was really cold!

 

[jeffnd]

I picked up a few pairs of moisture wicking t-shirts at walmart for about $12 a piece. I hope they work, because I'm not paying $50 for a shirt.

 

[DSouthard]

I bought expensive shirts from 2 different outdoor outfitters for the camino - light weight, fast dry, wick the moisture away, yada yada yada. If you were a day or so behind me you would have found them in the donation boxes of a few albergues after a few weeks. I replaced them with souvenir cotton T-shirts which I found much more comfortable. I washed and used deodorant daily and no one complained of any odor. Maybe they were being polite. They may not have dried as quickly as the man-made fabrics, but I carried three shirts, so not having one for a day was no problem. For my next pilgrimage I'll pack 3 cotton t-shirts.

 

[David]

all personal opinions, so - mine is - go natural, cotton, wool, silk - breathe with the world.

If your underclothes are getting really sweaty and wet - get rid of the expensive 'breathable' body-fitting coat and wear a poncho and, more important, most important - slow down!! :|

 

[Susannafromsweden]

Hi all

I just spent a lovely Saturday getting my Camino Shoes and researching some t-shirts.
Im all set to get merino (because from experience on my last Camino....my hi-tech ones stunk no matter how hard I washed them)

Anywho......One thing I learnt today is that Merino may not offer the same sun protection as the high-tech or cotton T-shirts do.

Can I please get some feedback from some people who has use merino on the Camino on if they noticed if the Merino did let the sun through...or if it provided just as much protection as a normal shirt.

Many thanks in advance for any advice.

Hi,
I often wear merino tops when out walking. I had the one I'm wearing right now, a cream coloured long sleeved icebreaker top, when I was travelling in Nepal last year. Lots of sunshine. And I got no tan at all.
In fact, I have never ever managed to get any kind of tan when wearing clothes, no matter what they were made of. And I'm blond and have a sensitive skin. But that's me. Maybe other feel different.
Actually the first time I saw clothes with special uv protection in a shop for sports clothes, it made me laugh. Yeah really, I thought. Just another way of trying to sell us more things made of recycled plastic bottles. :wink:

 

[camino-david]

I always wear Merino t-shirts when walking, and that includes a couple of Caminos and also much walking in Australia where it is very easy to get sunburnt. I have never been sunburnt or got the merest hint of a tan under the t-shirts. The big plus for me is that I sweat a lot, and Merino absorbs the sweat and it evaporates quickly so I don't get cold when I stop walking for a rest. I have also found it to be warm when the weather is cold. So you can see that I am one of those tragic converts! David

 

[daesdaemar]

I've used only hi-tech shirts and never really noticed any stinky-ness. I do use a deordorant and washed my shirt every night in a sink and it dried super-fast. These fabrics do not absorb moisture - they wick it away. Stinky-ness might be a personal issue :shock:

 

[na2than]

my old led zeplin t shirts are old , thin and loved.I wore them last august and survived. i took 2 t -shirts one vest and a long sleeved shirt.This summer i will take one tech t-shirt instead of one of the cotton for walking wear and easy washing.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Especially about the light colour merino Susanna- I was looking at getting a creamey/beige one. I learnt my lesson last time not to get white as that Camino dust does not come out

If you have a much loved item that is dust stained then steam cleaning might just remove the dust.

 

[Fishern1]

Icebreaker is the brand of high tech merino wool I like.

 

[Laliibeans]

The big thing I want to know is: Is Merino wool itchy? I find most wool itchy and can't stand it against my skin generally, but I always find it hard to judge with my hands. They can tolerate much more than my arms, etc can.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Is Merino wool itchy?

I find it the same as other wool. Others will disagree strenuously! My Icebreaker brand t-shirts get wetter, and stay wetter, than my polypropylene t-shirts. Both get smellier as the weeks go on.

 

[uniornize]

I have ever bought some shirts at this site(http://www.footballshirteu.com/) ,the quality was decent,light moisture-wicking t-shirts and comfortable to wear.

 

[Peregrina 2013]

After years of backpacking I found the ideal sports bra and shirts to wear (for me)! Like someone on this post has mentioned, Icebreaker has some nice tees and long sleeve, half zip, and other shirts that are available in different weights. Website: http://us.icebreaker.com/Womens/womens, ... rable=true
SmartWool is another great brand! They have everything, from tops, to bottom layers, to great socks; their main website is: http://www.smartwool.com

For sports bras I am partial to wool, because it breathes, it does not retain odor and if wet it keeps you warm, or in warm conditions it help to cool you off. For me the buggy on IBEX is the fact that it doesn't retain odor Here is their site: http://shop.ibex.com/Apparel/Womens-Sport-Tops
but many places that sell outdoor gear have this brand. Otherwise you can find good deals online for all 3 brands!
Hope you might find some useful information here.

Ultreia!

Mary

 

[k-fun]

Manoll, How long does it take for a wool sport bra to dry? Are the itchy?

I will have to look around to try one on.

 

[Peregrina 2013]

K-fun, the Ibex sports bra and also the sports shelf bra tank are extremely comfortable! One of the greatest attributes of wool is that no matter what the weather is like, wool will either keep you warm or cool. Merino wool naturally deals with odor, which is a big plus! The wool bra is an amazing piece of clothing you will not regret having. It has been a key piece to my layering and although it is not cheap, it is worth every penny! Seriously! And I have tried many different brands prior to finding this incredible sports bra!

To answer your question, if you wash the bra and the weather is warm it'll be dry in the morning, but if it's a cool evening and you need to wear it in the morning, believe it or not, you can still wear it when it's damp and your body heat will dry it. No, it will not give you chills at all; it'll keep you nice and warm

Mary

 

[Anniesantiago]

Well, I'm going to celebrate winning my case by gearing up with better stuff!
Last year, one of my walkers gifted me a merino wool teeshirt for my birthday and I've fallen in love with it. So this year, I'm taking pretty much merino wool everything, except for a walking skirt I've found called the Macabi. It is a lightweight nylon skirt that makes into pants or shorts also. It's expensive but is durable and dries in a couple of hours. They make them for men too! Here is a link: http://www.macabiskirt.com/ I'm going to wear it over merino wool leggings when it's cold and alone when it's hot.

HOORAY!
New GEAR!

 

[lindseh]

Thought I'd throw it out there that right now Costco (at least in the Lower Mainland in BC, Canada) has Merino Wool t-shirts at the moment for a very reasonable price, although I can't remember exactly how much. $15-20? Compared to, say, the $50 ones at MEC, it's a steal. Picked up a few (they have really nice colours!), and one's coming with me to the Camino next month. I've also worn it around for non-active things... it's just a nice shirt!

ALSO, I've mentioned this before but can't say enough about it.

http://shop.lululemon.com/products/clot ... women-tops

This top from Lululemon is amazing! It's incredible light (mine's 82g) and unlike my other "high-tech" shirts from my first Camino that completely lost their shape after so many washings, it still looks brand new. Still has its shape even though I wore and washed it almost every day. It's practically dry the first time you wring it out. It has anti-stink properties and is seamless to avoid chafing. It's really soft and comfortable and if I had an excuse to buy another one I would, but this one is still perfect and is coming with me again! I'm not really a Lululemon person, I've never really bought into the activewear and yoga pants everyday phenomenon, but this shirt is just perfect. Consider it, ladies!

 

[Étienne]

don't wear a t shirt, wear a long sleeve, uv resistant lightweight quickdrying shirt like the sort of thing you can buy at Columbus, it is fantastic. I wear a t shirt type thing in the evening which is a merino based item I bought from Kathmandu. Both these items have done me for 1800 km without getting smelly. Pretty good going. Cheers, Gitti

I also like to wear Cotton full sleeve Tshirts in summers. It remains cool and comfortable all over the day and never smelled...