[pct-l] RE: hiker tan

[mardav at charter.net (Marion Davison)]

When we hike we go against the prevailing hiker's clothing norms.  We 
see most people hiking in shorts and short sleeve shirts. 
We always hike in long pants and long sleeve shirts.  Ray is blond and 
blue eyed and has had several bouts with minor skin cancers.  So we are 
quite concerned about preventing sun exposure.  The long sleeves/long 
pants also help ward off mosquitoes and ticks, poison oak and scratches 
from chaparral. 
For hot desert hiking we wear lightweight baggy cotton shirts and 
pants.  For high elevation hiking we wear voluminous silk shirts and 
baggy nylon hiking pants. 
We get all of our clothing at thrift stores.  Silk shirts are 
great--they let the breeeze through, dry very quickly, and are really 
baggy so most bugs don't get us.  But they are not at all durable so we 
take about four for a month long trip and they are all shredded by the 
end.  The armpits go first, then any area that's under a strap.  Solid 
color ones last longer than prints.  Seems as if the process of creating 
a print weakens the fabric.  When we send ourselves resupplies we always 
include a couple of extra silk shirts. 
With this outfit I only need sunscreen on my nose and cheeks and backs 
of hands.  I like to use the stick roll-on type sunscreen so that I 
don't get my dirty hands all greasy. There are several sunscreen sticks 
that are made specifically for the face.   (A llama packer's hands are 
always dirty as llamas love to roll in the dirt). 
 I only need to apply deet to my ankles, the backs of my hands, the back 
of my neck, and under my chin and on the brim of my hiking hat.  If the 
bugs are really bad I also spray my shoulders and keep a bug head net 
handy. 
Ray has also hiked in poly-cotton dress shirts.  My number one concern 
with hiking in a long sleeve shirt is that it lets the breeze thru so I 
don't overheat.  There is probably a good durable nylon shirt out there 
that does the trick but I haven't tried any.  I'm sure I won't find any 
at the thrift store.  I am concerned that nylon would be too tight a 
weave and would hold in all my body heat. 
Last year I asked the list what I should wear for gaiters, as my ankles 
are subject to heat rash and I couldn't wear conventional nylon 
gaiters.  I am very pleased to report that the "trailman" gaiters that 
were recommended did the trick for me.  They are made of some kind of 
super stretchy jersey-like material and didn't give me any heat rash. 
Marion