Quote Originally Posted by davedove
There's lots of comments here on the proper material to wear while hiking, but it's always with the outlook of the hard-core hiker. Wouldn't a cotton fabric work fine for someone who only day hikes during decent weather?
Yes and no.

Certainly, people wore cotton for years while hiking, before modern fabrics had been invented. Long-distance hikers wore blue jeans; soldiers still wear cotton fatigues out in the field; Boy Scouts by the score go hiking in cotton every year. But now there are other options.

If it's warm out, you're not going above treeline, and you're not staying out overnight, then cotton is probably just fine. Wear your Utilikilt.

If you know it's going to rain, or that the weather can change quickly (above treeline), or it's cold or windy out, I would highly recommend against wearing anything cotton. Being wet when it's warm out is miserable. Being wet when it's cold out is dangerous. You can easily catch hypothermia, especially if it's cold and windy. Wearing garments that keep your core warm even when they're wet is very important. Wool does this, as does poly-viscose. I don't know if acrylic does.

Andrew.