T-SHIRTS FOR WALKS
The T-shirt has a humble reputation, but choosing the right one can make summer walks so much more comfortable. Emma Lewis seeks the perfect T for hikers
The best T-shirts for summer days out.
• All T-shirts featured come in men’s and women’s sizes Cool-Lite Merino Amplify Short Sleeve Crewe T-shirt
Icebreaker, £65, icebreaker.com
Not normally a merino fan? Try this. The ‘130 featherweight’ fabric in this odour-resistant top is superlight, cooler and softer than pure merino. The secret? Cool-Lite: a blend of 50% merino,
35% TENCEL and 15% nylon. TENCEL is a brand name for lyocell, an environmentally sustainable fibre made from wood pulp (usually the fast-growing, low-maintenance eucalyptus), which can absorb 50% more water than cotton. This impressive lightweight top also has mesh at the back and under the arms to allow more freedom of movement, as well as offset shoulder seams to reduce backpack rub and a dropped back hem. It would work well for layering year-round.
VERDICT Lightweight, breathable and excellent quality. 9/10
LIFA Active Solen T-shirt
Helly Hansen, £35, hellyhansen.com Perfect for hot, sunny hikes, this lightweight crew neck features S.Café technology, which infuses recycled coffee grounds into the fibre to give permanent sun-protection of UPF 50+ (ultraviolet protection factor, giving you UVA and B protection). The tiny pores on the coffee grounds also absorb odours and help the top dry ‘four times quicker than cotton’. Meanwhile, the durable, double-layered LIFA Active fabric wicks moisture really speedily.
VERDICT Sun-safe and durable. 8/10
Dart Zip T-shirt
Montane, £34, montane.com
Have you considered a slight collar for a little more sun protection, and a quarter zip to add ventilation? The supersoft knitted fabric on this one is 100% recycled APEX ECO polyester, which wicks and dries quickly and includes Polygiene permanent odour control, allowing you to reduce your pack weight by taking fewer tops on multiday trips. You’ll get UPF 40+, flat-locked seams and a fairly relaxed fit, too. This tee doubles up nicely as a cycling top.
VERDICT Smart and supersoft. 8/10
24/7 Short Sleeve Tech Baselayer
Berghaus, £25, berghaus.com
This one punches well above its weight for the low price tag. Made from bluesignapproved polyester ARGENTIUM fabric that is kinder to the planet, the simplelooking top is lightweight, fast-wicking and drying, odour-resistant (thanks to silver-ion technology that gives permanent odour protection), breathable and stretchy. Closefitting and a good length, with flat-locked seams for comfort when wearing a pack, it comes in a wide range of sizes and colours.
VERDICT Comfy and great value. 8/10
Capilene Cool Merino Shirt, Patagonia, £65 (£70 with graphics), eu.patagonia.com Synthetic fabrics and merino wool both have their merits (synthetic is hard-wearing and can be stretchy; merino is less stinky) but a mix of the two can give you the best of both worlds. This superlight (88g for the women’s) new design is a good balance, at 65% merino and 35% Capilene, or recycled polyester. The back dips slightly on the women’s. It’s Fair Trade-certified sewn and one per cent of sales goes to eco causes.
VERDICT Lightweight and Fair Trade. 9/10
Cambia Short Sleeved T-shirt
Páramo, £40, paramo-clothing.com
This reversible tee works well in both hot and cool conditions. Wear the smooth surface of the polyester Parameta T+ fabric on the inside when it’s hot, so more of the fabric touches your skin, absorbing moisture fast and helping it spread to aid cooling. Wear the more textured side next to skin in cooler conditions to wick moisture faster. You get SPF25+, flat seams and a bit of stretch in this recyclable, Fair Trade top, but no anti-pong treatment.
VERDICT Cool and versatile. 8/10
Alpine Hemp T-shirt
Salewa, £65, salewa.com
This top gives great all-day comfort, has a relaxed fit and features 23% hemp fibres blended with 55% organic cotton for a cool feel. Recycled polyester (22%) provides stretch, even in the seams. Reinforced Durastretch (polyamide and elastane) panelling in the shoulder helps wick moisture caused by your backpack. Hemp is durable, breathable, thermo-regulating and can absorb a lot of moisture before it feels damp.
VERDICT Eco-friendly, breathable. 9/10
Zero Ice Cirro-Cool T-shirt
Columbia, £45, columbiasportswear.co.uk
If you’re going somewhere hot or tend to overheat easily, this tee might keep you walking comfortably for longer. The cooling technology features tiny blue rings, visible on the inside, along with snowflake images. These rings provide a greater surface area of material to help absorb moisture, plus react with your sweat to lower the temperature of the fabric and help cool you. Made from 100% polyester (around half of it recycled), it has plenty of stretch.
VERDICT Good for hot days. 8/10
Insect Shield T-shirt
Keela, £29.95, keelaoutdoors.com
With Lyme disease from ticks an issue, not to mention midgies and the like, this top could be useful for local forays as well as to more exotic locations. How does the tech work? The treatment, which lasts for 70 washes, contains permethrin, which affects insects’ nervous systems when they come into contact with it. It’s predominantly cotton, so works best without a backpack. The faint chemical odour disappears after one wash.
VERDICT Good bug protection. 7/10
Mountain T-shirt
Mammut, £40, mammut.com
The relaxed fit, bold graphics and colours plus rolled-up sleeves (women’s version) means this looks great in the pub post-hike, but it’s pretty technical too. It features ‘drirelease’ fabric, which wicks moisture and dries four times faster than cotton. The
14% cotton (blended with 81% polyester and 5% stretchy Spandex) helps give it a more natural, cooler feel against the skin than some, while an antimicrobial treatment keeps whiffs at bay.
VERDICT Stylish and sporty too. 8/10