[at-l] Re: Fwd: Silk versus cotton?

[chaynes@javanet.com (Clifford R. Haynes)]

When I started my summer with the Maine Forest Service  for my first
uniforms, I bought cotton blend short sleeve shirt and pants, and light
nylon synthetic lines uniform jacket because it was the cheapest and because
I figured they would be the most comfortable. My boss insisted each ranger
carry at least a loaf,a jar peanut butter, and a pair of clean dry socks in
his patrol vehicle, and kept lecturing , that a unit ranger wasn't prepared
for patrol unless he could through a couple sandwiches and a map in the back
of his shirt and spend the next couple days on foot in the woods. Seems for
the next 2 weeks at least twice a day he told me I should get the wool blend
uniform and wool jacket. Well I was young and a whole lot smarter than
someone as old as he was could ever be. I had been hiking, camping, hunting
and fishing all of my young life. The year before I spent on the from June
to the middle of November hiking the AT, no particular goal just out
enjoying the trail till I got bored or ran out of money. Anyway one day I
was assigned to help a Game Warden search for a lost child. Since it was a
nice day and I was just dropping off a vehicle at Division headquarters and
flying back all I wore was my cotton blend short sleeve uniform. During the
night the temp. dropped and it started to rain. It was the worse night of my
life, but had a happy ending , the child was found and was ok after a couple
days in the hospital. I learned and important lesson. Since then I have
always tried to be sure that I was prepared to "throw a couple sandwiches
and a map in the back of my shirt and spend the night in the woods", of
course after leavening the forestry the woods was sometimes the city, or
even just driveling to the supermarket for milk and bread.

My outdoor clothing today is very similar to Bob's. Though is certainly
isn't for everyone it works for me for several reasons. One is I grew up
with layering, when you warm you remove a layer so you stay cool, but you
always have the layers to put back on when you need it. I've tried the new
synthetics but the just don't work for me, especially not that I am old and
really fat, and sweat as fast as I can drink. Often in below 0 temps
snowshoeing during the winter while moving I wear a cotton t shirt, light
wool shirt, cotton long john bottom and light wool pants. When I start to
cool down during breaks I pull on my Wal-Mart nylon Anorak and nylon wind
breaker pants.
For extended winter camping as an outer layer I often use a homemade white
canvas (well it used to be white) long Anorak and over pants, with wool and
cotton under layers. As I remember it, it was Egyptian cotton, a very tight
weave and probably somewhere around 6oz duck(spl). Unfortunately I loaned
these to friend to use a pattern and though he keeps telling me I'll get
them back, I still don't have them.
Anyway it's not for the ultralighter, and certainly not for the majority,
but it works for me. The cotton keeps me cool in the heat, and with wool or
anouther appropriate outer layer warm and comfortable in the cold.