Vancouver BC Hiking Tips: Hiking Clothing

1. Don't wear cotton: Cotton Kills! It quickly gets soaked with rain, or sweat, and takes too long for it to dry. When cotton gets wet it loses 100 percent of it's insulation properties. Wet clothes wick heat away from the skin.

2. Don't wear jeans: You'll be hiking in BC rainforests, not herding cattle in Saskatchewan. Jeans are heavy, and don't insulate when wet. Cotton sweatpants are just as bad.

3. Wear Synthetic Fabrics: Synthetic fabrics don't retain water easily, they insulate when wet and dry rapidly.

4. Dress in Layers: Layer 1 should be comfortable thin synthetics ( ie T-shirt and shorts). Layer 2 should be for warmth (ie a fleece jacket/vest and long pants). Layer 3 should be for protection (ie goretex jacket, toque, gloves)

My goretex jacket

I bought a gortex jacket I bought 20 years ago in university... I want to give it some tribute...

My gortex jacket from Taiga has simply never stopped working to keep me dry and warm. I remember how I saved my pennies to be able to afford the amazing new technology of gortex when it was first available. Taiga made a coat that I could afford - and I liked! Living on the westcoast of BC has given me ample opportunity to use this coat in all types of rain: drizzle, mist, fog, light rain, showers, downpours, freakin' downpours and the occasional "not possible" rain pours.

Now, it's time to go run in the rain.