No Cotton? Here’s the Best Clothing to Wear When Camping

Q: My friends say I can’t wear my normal cotton T-shirts when we go camping. What should I wear instead?
— Carly, Fresno, California

A: Cotton T-shirts can be the most comfortable thing to wear while hanging around your campsite. The problem? When you start to sweat, they’re terrible at keeping you cool and dry. Your best bet is a T-shirt made of a fabric that will do just that. Usually called “performance” or “technical” shirts, they’re made of a synthetic blend like polyester or merino wool. Both types of fabric dry faster than cotton and keep you comfortable by moving sweat away from your skin.

You can find a good selection of performance gear at scoutshop.org.