High Sierra Topix

Hi,

I'm after the perfect Sierra evening wear. Usually after a day's hiking, I find a stream or a lake, sponge myself off, and change from shorts to some ultralight nylon pants I have and from the day's hiking shirt to a long-sleeved shirt, but I have yet to find the perfect shirt. In the past I've used a very light-weight long-sleeved T-shirt, but it wasn't even slightly bug-proof; it just provided a platform for the skeeters to land on. Completely useless in a buggy environment. However, it could be used as an alternative hiking shirt when it was a little too cold for a short-sleeved T (e.g., for a predawn departure). So, I switched to a "Buzz-Off" long-sleeved T-shirt, by Ex-Officio. That kept the bugs away, but it was cotton and somewhat heavy. The cotton made it prone to getting damp and staying that way. As long as it's completely dry, it's fine, but even slightly damp it feels clammy and uncomfortable, and it's really bad to wear during any sweaty activity.

So what I'd love to find would be a synthetic, light-weight long-sleeved T-shirt that had a tight enough weave (or something) that the bugs couldn't ordinarily bite through it. Suggestions?

B2, go to Sierra Trading Post and instead of hiking shirts go to fishing shirts. I think you will find something more like what you are looking for. I have bought a couple from there and like them a lot. One of them that I have is the Columbia Bahama shirt that they have now for $29.96. Not much of a color or size option right now but they always seem to have them. You would have to treat them yourself with bug juice.
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/p/4359 ... l-Men.html

I didn't figure what your looking for even existed. I gave in last year and brought some deet so that as I hiked I could put a few sprays on my shoulders and arms where the buggers would bite through my clothes. Would be great to have a shirt they cannot bite through that is still light weight.

My solution was a synth t-shirt under with a cotton long sleeve over. And yes, the deet as well, but only on the exposed areas. buggers never made it through that, and it wasn't as hot as it sounds. Tested that theory last July.

I have been pretty happy with the synthetic fishing shirts as long as I treat them with Permethrin. I had been buying it in the spray can but it gets kind of expensive because it didn't go very far. This year I bought a bottle of the Cutters brand in a 24oz pump bottle for $16 at REI and hope it works as well.

Bill,

Find the shirt you like and treat it yourself! Even a college professor could do it! I wear my long sleeve shirt when Hiking, mostly. Rinse it (and myself) out when I get to camp. By late evening it is usually ready to wear. In the meantime if I am taking it easy I put on the silk t-neck (from sierra trading post) that I sleep in and my old ragwool sweater on. As it gets cooler I add my windbreaker, down vest, and then long sleeve shirt as or if needed or in any combination that works.

Mike

I have one of those standard khaki-colored long sleeve synthetic shirts, which I wear over any old thin t-shirt and mosquitoes can't bite through unless the shirt is pulled taut against my skin (like when I'm reaching or bending). Maybe I'm just lucky?

a few years ago I bought an Ex-Officio shirt on ebay - nylon, roll-up-sleeves, lots of vents, bug-off, light color and UPF 50 - something like $20 because it was marked as a merchant sample. Really like it for the warm season. Way too vented for anything but summer, though.

here in use at the Muir Ranch while checking email:

fishmonger wrote:a few years ago I bought an Ex-Officio shirt on ebay - nylon, roll-up-sleeves, lots of vents, bug-off, light color and UPF 50 - something like $20 because it was marked as a merchant sample. Really like it for the warm season. Way too vented for anything but summer, though.

You know, I actually own one of those (it's 65% poly 35% cotton, btw) of almost exactly the same color, but for some reason (maybe because I bought it for the tropics) it never occurred to me to take it backpacking. Thanks, Fish, I think you just saved me several bucks!

mine is definitely 100% nylon, but I am sure a blend will work, too.

There are plenty of "fishing shirts" out there that are relatively affordable, and technically, they are very similar and should work fine for hiking, too.