In considering hiking shirts and other outdoor apparel, there's an old adage that's simple and prescriptive: “cotton kills.” Cotton absorbs moisture, people reason, is a poor insulator when wet, and dries slowly, meaning hypothermia is much more of a danger while wearing cotton in cold, wet conditions. But for most hikers, on most of our backcountry excursions, a sweat or rain-soaked cotton t-shirt won’t be a matter of life and death but one of comfort and suffering. Rest assured, there is a better way, and there are better shirts for hiking.
With the recent explosion of activewear and hiking gear brands, it can be tricky to tell the difference between one shirt and another. Below are some things to consider. Followed by our top picks for the best hiking shirts of 2023. Read on and dig in!
Fabric
Certain fabrics perform much as hiking clothes because they can stand up to a wider variety of conditions. Polyester is highly breathable, lightweight, wicks moisture, and dries quickly, making it a good choice for hot weather and often used in high-quality sun shirts. Wool hiking shirts are naturally thermoregulating, quick-drying, odor-resistant, and antimicrobial, meaning they can stand up to a variety of temperature ranges and climates and work well on backpacking trips when a shower isn’t always accessible.
Style & Features
It almost goes without saying, but there are plenty of shirt styles to match the manifold landscapes in which one might wish to wander: t-shirt, sleeveless tank top, sun hoodie, button-up, and on and on. Choosing one is most often a matter of preference, but sometimes included features make the difference. For instance, some hiking tops are made with offset shoulder seams to prevent chafing, some long sleeve shirts include thumb holes, and some hiking tops include treatments for sun protection and insect or odor control.
