[at-l] The perils of cotton

[m_factor@hotmail.com (Mara Factor)]

Hi Amy,

I'm not sure if anyone touched on the root of the attitude many of us have 
towards cotton.  (I've fallen behind in my responses and am trying to catch 
up...)

Cotton is perfectly fine while it's dry.  The problem is keeping it dry.

Once it gets wet, cotton no longer provides insulative value, does not wick 
moisture away from your body, and can feel rough and rub your skin creating 
blisters or packsores.

Some people who don't sweat much, may find cotton works for them, but they 
should always have a backup in case something happens and their cotton gets 
wet, either from sweat, rain, or an accidental dumping in a brook.  If 
cotton does get wet, it takes a lot longer to dry than most equivalent 
synthetics, and is much heavier when wet (because it can hold a lot more 
water) than synthetics.

If you wear wet cotton in cold weather, you'll need a lot more energy to 
keep warm.  This ends up being a recipe for hypothermia.  This is the root 
of the "cotton kills" phrase that is so often bandied about.

Some people like the feel of cotton, but if you want to wear it, I feel you 
should always have plenty of extra clothing just in case something happens.  
If you're going to carry the extra clothes anyway, why not just carry and 
wear the synthetics.  The same insulative value tends to be lighter.

All that being said, there was plenty of other philosophical discussion of 
cotton.  It's still left for you to decide what you are going to wear, but I 
would do some experimentation either close to home, or when you're willing 
to bite the bullet and carry the extra weight of a change of clothing.

For many hikers, the only piece of cotton they carry it their bandana.

Mara
Stitches, GAME99

>From: Amy <askowronek@mindspring.com>
>Date: Wed, 09 Jan 2002 08:13:53 -0500
>
>I'm sitting here wondering how deadly my long underwear is.
>
>I've heard the phrase "cotton kills".  ...

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