Clothing

No discussion of backpacking gear would be complete without including clothing. Your body's ability to stay comfortable will be affected by what you wear. The style and fit, as well as the type of fabric, will all play a major role in how your body regulates itself in your environment. For those of you interested in sewing your own clothing and gear, be sure to check into the retailers below that sell the fabric, notions, and patterns.

In talking about style and fit, I'm not referring to becoming a fashion statement! In hot weather you want clothing that will protect you from the sun and be loose enough to allow airflow to help keep you cool. Wearing light colors will help deflect the sun's rays, instead of absorbing them like darker clothing will. Another way to keep cool in the heat is by wearing a wet cotton shirt. This differs from what you would do in cooler weather, where you don't want to wear cotton. Cotton doesn't wick moisture away from your body and it will stay wet much longer than a synthetic fabric. By wearing a wet shirt in hot weather, you are providing your body with evaporative cooling. Hiking in cool weather, this is definitely a disadvantage. You can read about appropriate winter clothing on my Winter Hiking page.

You want clothing that will keep your body comfortable in whatever kind of weather you are hiking. There are many new hi-tech fabrics out there now that wick moisture away from your body and disperse it to the surface of your clothing where it can evaporate. This is extremely important when you are hiking in cooler weather. Your body will perspire with physical activity no matter how cool it is outside, and if moisture stays against your skin, any breeze will rob your body of its precious warmth. This can be deadly and lead to hypothermia. Many people believe that hypothermia is only a problem in extreme cold weather, but on the contrary, most cases occur in temperatures in the fifty-degree range!

Some of the most useful fabrics on the market in recent years are the waterproof/breathable synthetics, such as Gore-Tex, Avalanche, Ultrex, and Darlexx. They are made to repel rain but allow perspiration out. Another fabric that has reached our everyday lives is Polartec or polar fleece. These fleece fabrics are lightweight, great at wicking moisture, and are very comfortable. (Just don't get them near a flame where they can melt to your skin!) By putting a windproof shell over it, fleece becomes a great insulating layer. Fleece also becomes a great pillow when your are backpacking! Anything that has more than one use is always an excellent choice for backpacking.

When choosing clothing for your outdoor activities, always look for items that can be layered together. For instance, starting out in the cool of the morning, you may want to wear a shirt, topped with a fleece jacket, and a windproof-shell. As you warm up, take the appropriate layers off. By having a shirt that opens down the front, you can help regulate your body heat even further. Several companies also make pants that convert to shorts by simply zipping the legs off-another great method of layering. Another useful garment is the hat. A brimmed hat will protect you from the sun, and a knit cap will help keep your entire body warm.

Layering is a necessity while hiking in a desert environment. Many people are under the mistaken notion that it is always warm or hot in the desert, but because of the lack of humidity, temperatures range as much as forty degrees or more between night and day. Also, much of the desert southwest is situated at higher elevations. The South Rim of the Grand Canyon is at 7000 feet in elevation! As I write this towards the end of summer, temperatures are getting down into the mid-forties at night and up in the eighties during the day. This is a high-desert environment and differs wildly from the low deserts of the Phoenix valley. We have ponderosa pine forests up on the rim, and the Phoenix area is covered with cactus and mesquite trees. Yes, we do get snow in the wintertime, sometimes several feet during a single storm!

Working at Grand Canyon has made it obvious to me that many people do not do any homework before their visit to the park. They'll show up in November with only shorts and T-shirts to wear and sometimes be caught in a snowstorm! It's good for the retail businesses since they get to sell sweatshirts and warmer clothing for premium prices.

As for hiking at the canyon, people will start their trip from the cool South Rim completely unprepared for the heat that will assault them as they get further down into the inner canyon. The elevation at the river near Phantom Ranch is only 2400 feet, a drop of 4600 feet! The lower the elevation, the hotter the temperatures will be. You can count on a difference of 20 to 30 degrees! Do your research and prepare your clothing and equipment appropriately.

For those of you who are interested in making and/or repairing some of your own clothing and gear, there several excellent catalogs and websites available. They sell patterns, fabric, buckles, cord, trims and all kinds of goodies for outdoor gear.