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Cotton has large spaces between the fibers, that holds water and acts much like a sponge. It takes hours to dry, and in humid environments, drying times increase significantly. This water (sweat) carried by the cotton is not only heavy, it is dangerous and can cause mutliple problems.
In the Summer the wet clothing will cause your body to stop cooling itself. This will eventually lead to Heat Exhaustion and eventuall to Heat Stroke if not remedied. Heat Stroke can cause permanent brain damage as well as other complications.
In the Winter time your wet cotton clothing will slowly freeze next to your skin, throwing you into a hypothermic state. And I think everyone knows why that is dangerous. Hyperthermia can lead to frostbite, losing appendages, and death.
Your feet have more sweat glands than the rest of your body combined. Cotton socks will sponge up all that sweat, and hold it inside your boots. This will eventually lead to Trench Foot, and blisters as your feet literally float within the boot, rubbing against the socks. Not to mention the horrendous smell of sweaty cotton socks!
Cotton is abundant, easy to process and fairly cheap and as such, it's the most common material used in clothing. In the outdoor world, it is your enemy. Look into clothing made of Polyester, Nylon, Lycra and Spandex. Look for the super material, Merino Wool. It comes with a hefty price tag, but it is called a SUPER Material for a reason. It wicks away sweat, and has anti-microbial properties that eliminate bacteria and the smells caused by certain bacteria. It's also very soft, and its short soft fibers eliminate the 'itchiness' of regular wool.
Stay away from cotton, and I promise your hiking will be much more enjoyable.
N.A.C. News
(Sunday, June 28, 2020) Hello everyone,
The 2020 Pandemic is slowly winding down. Businesses are starting to reopen, and Niagara Adventure Club is again, running adventures. Unfortunately, this pandemic will continue to effect us for a very long time yet. We will have to change our lifestyles for a while and be very conscious of everything we do. It has also proven to have made some of our favorite activities nearly impossible. Niagara Adventure Club, along with our guests have made the decision to cancel the Iceland trip to backpack the Laugavegur Trail. There were far to many complications in order to continue with the trip. We will reschedule the trip for the 2021 season, and those that had registered for 2020 will be granted the opportunity to join us in 2021 first. On the positive side, I am looking into a way that we may be able to have a larger group, up to 20 available spots. This pandemic has also affected our trip to the Grotto in Bruce Peninsula National Park. With a group of 12 people, NAC had reserved two campsites in the park back in January. The park allows 6 persons per campsite. Due to the pandemic, Parks Canada is reducing the usage by only allowing use of every second campsite. With that, I have received notification that one of my campsites was cancelled. I may be able to rectify this situation in Mid-July, however, it may be necessary to cancel the Grotto Backpacking Trip as well. Despite all this news, Niagara Adventure Club will continue to run day hikes, and we have 2 other backpacking trips already planned. As things return to normal, and I can organize events safely, I will return to planning everyone's favorites and maybe some new possibilities. Stride & Stretch, operated by Rhonda McMahon, still has space available in the upcoming retreat to the Temagami Wilderness that includes a charter flight, lodging, amazing meals, 8 waterfalls, hiking experieces, canoeing, tubing, yoga, meditation, and so much more all at a great price. Her retreat is sceduled to begin September 28th. Act quickly to reserve a spot! Wild Temagami Fall Retreat. I hope everyone is doing well, and I wish you all the best summer, but remember, stay safe, Lenny Burch Niagara Adventure Club