Cotton - Synthetic Fiber - Merino Wool ?

Let's find out the most suitable T-shirt for walking in the Dolomites.

It's obvious, the soft 100% cotton T-shirt is perhaps the most comfortable item we have in our wardrobe, the most practical, the one that immediately gives us a sense of freedom and informality.

However, this garment is not suitable for eminently sporting uses, it does not guarantee the necessary comfort and above all it is not able to ensure correct body transpiration during physical exertion activities, even moderate ones.

Who among us hasn't experienced the unpleasant sensation of wearing a sweat-soaked cotton T-shirt that sticks to you and perhaps without having a spare pair in your backpack!

We are therefore all fairly in agreement in stating that cotton is not the fibre that helps us during a mountain trekking and that we can certainly use a pure cotton T-shirt in more relaxed situations.

Some people go the "eco" route with Merino Wool. The results are better than cotton but not much different. A 100% Merino Wool shirt is not able to guarantee adequate breathability and tends to accumulate body moisture between the fibers. If you are someone who sweats normally/abundantly during physical activity, you may be better off looking elsewhere.

We come to the trekking T-shirt made with synthetic fiber, in particular Polyester.

To which can be added quotas (10 -15%) of the above mentioned fibres or Elastane, to increase tear resistance, general comfort and wearability.

Some may turn up their noses, but a Polyester trekking T-shirt is the only one capable of guaranteeing the necessary breathability, lightness, continuous comfort during physical activity and the maintenance of body temperature.

It is always preferable to select Polyester T-shirts treated with anti-odor technology such as Silver Chloride or modern textile technologies made possible by the use of nanotechnologies.

Of course there are huge differences between technical trekking shirts.

In the mountains should the neck of the trekking shirt be high or low?

It depends: in autumn/winter it is an additional protection for the neck, and helps maintain local temperature.

In the summer, in the high mountains, it would be wise to wear a high-necked T-shirt to protect the nape of the neck (which we always forget about) from the strong, poorly filtered sun rays, only to find ourselves in the evening with annoying if not painful localized sunburn... A good sunscreen is, however, a more than valid option to prevent unpleasant events.

We always analyze, in a trekking t-shirt, how the seams are made

If they are flat and tend not to cross or, worse still, overlap, the shirt is well constructed and takes into account the discomfort (or long-term damage to the skin) that a seam that is too thick or placed in the wrong area could cause (to mention one, the shoulder seam, right where the shoulder straps of our backpack put constant pressure on ...).

The correct size is a crucial issue

Are you a fan of the "comfortable sweater"?

This could be a good option for when we are relaxing at home and our trekking takes place between the sofa and the fridge.

It's not the right choice in the mountains.

The size must be carefully considered and the trekking shirt must fit neither loosely nor "super tight".

We need to find the perfect synthesis that allows us not to have an unnecessarily large trekking shirt but also not a skimpy garment that only creates discomfort and does not produce the expected performance.

Quality is key when choosing a good trekking shirt

It's better to have a very good couple than few ones poorly made.

The best ones are those pre-treated with antimicrobial agents that have the function of regulating the multiplication of unwanted bacteria during physical activities that involve - such as trekking - certain sweating.

Washing and storing trekking shirts

Trekking shirts - if they are of good quality - are sturdy and very durable. They do not tear easily (shrubs or sudden tears) and tend to have a rather slow and controlled consumption of fiber.

They should not be "boiled" by washing at 90° C in the washing machine, but the simple washing instructions on the label should be followed.

Often a short wash at a very low temperature and a little detergent is sufficient.

Fabric softener - as always happens when washing technical garments - is not necessary and actually ruins the quality of the fibres and negatively affects the expected technical performance.

M.D.C.