Breathability is an integral component of outdoor clothing, allowing sweat and heat to dissipate freely from your body while keeping you comfortable.

However, finding clothing that combines both waterproofing and breathability can be challenging; that’s why many outdoor enthusiasts bring two separate shell layers with them: a rain shell and windbreaker jacket.

Cotton

Cotton’s cellulose fibers allow air to pass freely through them, making it the ideal material for summer outdoor wear. Sweating evaporates more efficiently while keeping skin cool – decreasing risk of rashes or discomfort in hot temperatures.

Bamboo, Tencel and Rayon fabrics offer additional breathable and soft textile options that are often combined with spandex for stretch and drape. While softer than cotton, these plant-based materials tend to pill more frequently. Polyesters and nylons tend to outperform them on this score.

Cotton fabrics absorb water when wet, increasing weight when saturated and slowing the drying process. However, cotton can be treated with Durable Water Repellency (DWR) sprays and treatments to resist water absorption and mildew growth; DWR treated fabric will also resist odor quickly as fleece does over multiple wash cycles.

Merino wool

Merino wool should be at the core of your backpacking wardrobe. Made from soft yet durable natural fiber from Merino sheep breeds, merino offers superior body temperature regulation, moisture wicking properties and odor resistant qualities that provide comfortable warmth without restricting airflow or creating sweat odor.

Merino wool’s natural crimped structure creates pockets of still air which provide insulation when temperatures drop and cooling when temperatures increase. Furthermore, this natural fiber absorbs and releases water vapor back into its surrounding environment as heat–a process known as convection.

Merino wool’s superior thermoregulating and moisture wicking qualities make it the ideal base layer for outdoor activities, particularly multi-day hiking and camping trips that may experience differing weather conditions. REI Co-op offers an assortment of merino-based base layers to meet this need, including the 185g/m2 Smartwool Classic Thermal Merino and 87% merino wool Outdoor Research Intraknit Thermal. Many of these shirts even feature front zippers to facilitate thermoregulation.

Linen

Linen textiles are made from fibers found on the flax plant (Linum usitatissimum). Light and breathable, linen provides a cooling effect against your skin while its light texture promotes airflow over cotton’s moisture retention and potential odor formation. Linen’s natural ability to wick away sweat makes it a better way of dissipating heat, making it an excellent choice for use during hot summer days.

Linen’s breathability stems from its natural structure, which allows for efficient airflow. Furthermore, this fabric’s moisture-wicking capabilities also reduce sweat build-up which could otherwise cause discomfort or chafing.

Linen fabric boasts many desirable properties, from its breathability and quick drying time, to being resistant to odors and wrinkles, hypoallergenic properties and versatility in use for garments like dresses, pants and skirts. Plus, there is a variety of colors and styles available so that everyone can find what best fits them!

Polyester

Polyester fibers are popularly used in outdoor clothing due to their water resistance and durability, light weight, heat-resistance and wrinkle-resistance qualities. Furthermore, they can be modified with additional UV protection or impregnated with resins that improve breathability for improved breathable clothing options.

Polyester may seem more suitable, but keep in mind that it doesn’t breathe as freely as cotton or linen fabrics; polyester can feel damp against your skin and hold onto odors more effectively, and therefore isn’t recommended for hot-weather activities as it doesn’t allow your body to release heat through sweating.

To combat this problem, many outdoor brands have adopted special polyester fabrics designed to breathe better than regular polyester fabric, usually thinner than its counterpart. When combined with other materials they can provide ideal coverage in both hot and cool conditions – including Capilene, Dacron, Lavsan, Polartec Thermolite Trevira are some examples. You may also come across recycled polyester garments made by turning waste plastic bottles into new fibre for production of recycled polyester clothing which has earned a B grade ranking from Make-By sustainable fabric ranking scale; making these garments significantly more eco-friendly than standard polyester garments.