What is the Best Clothing Material for Trekking and Hiking?

Lots of trekkers write to us about what kind of material to wear while trekking, especially while trekking in the Himalayas. 

The debate always comes down to cotton versus dri-fit material, whereas a few other materials like linen and merino wool get a few mentions. 

So what is the best material to wear while trekking?

So, What Clothing Material is Best For Trekking and Hiking?

In October 2024, we surveyed trek leaders and our Indiahikes Trekking Club members, asking participants about their preference for the material. The goal was to understand what trekkers and trek leaders are choosing and why.

Our trek leaders, who trek day in and day out for months together overwhelmingly voted in favour of dri-fit clothing. A near-negligible minority chose cotton. We noticed the same among members of the Indiahikes Trekking Club, who trek regularly in the Himalayas as well as the Western Ghats.

Why choose Dri-fit?

• Dri-fit works best in cold, high-altitude regions (like the Himalayas). It wicks away sweat very easily, keeping your skin dry, especially during cold weather conditions.
• If wet, dri-fit dries quickly, preventing the fabric from sticking to your skin, which helps lower the risk of hypothermia.
• Dri-fit is super lightweight, enabling you to layer easily. Additionally, it doesn't add much bulk to your backpack.

The downside of dri-fit: The challenge one faces with dry-fit is that it holds onto the odour. To overcome this, we recommend carrying a few more T-shirts than you normally would.

3 tips while buying dri-fit t-shirts: 

1. Buy the versions of dry-fit t-shirts where you get net or mesh cloth around the armpits which helps with sweat and odour.
2. Always choose dry-fit clothing with full sleeves. It keeps you from sun tanning. 
3. Dri-fit T-shirts with full sleeves and a collar are even better. Your neck gets protected too. 

When to Choose Cotton?

Cotton works well in a hotter environment where drying time and weight aren’t concerns. 

Choose cotton clothing if you are going to central India treks like Pench Mowgli, Chhattisgarh Jungle Trek, Narmada Backwaters Trek, and Odisha Debrigarh Sanctuary Trek among a few others.

Linen is a great choice as a placement to cotton. It is lighter and dries faster, but is more expensive. 

What About Merino Wool? 

There is a lot of conversation around Merino wool of late. It’s a bit of a paradox though. According to our survey, not many people have heard of merino wool. But the few who have used it, swear by it. 

Why merino wool? Or what trekkers like about merino wool?

• It doesn’t smell no matter how much you sweat. 
• They especially swear by Merino wool socks since they can use them for days and they won’t smell. 
• It does a good job of wicking sweat away. 
• They prefer merino wool in winter because it keeps you warmer than dry fit
• They believe it to be more sustainable because it is 100% biodegradable. 

However, most of them find it too expensive to buy. We will dive deeper into merino wool in another article, and answer the most common queries about it.

In conclusion: 

For any trek in cold regions, we recommend going to the dri-fit. Even in hot weather, dri-fit wicks sweat better. But if you prefer cotton, it’s better to use it only in hot regions and not in cold regions. 

If you have any questions, drop them in the comments below. We’ll get back to you.