Clothing

Clothing for camping is a really personal choice, and it is really hard to write a post saying “this is what you SHOULD buy”, but there are definitely things you should be looking out for when you are buying clothing specifically for camping.

Camping Technical Clothing Glossary

With any kind of technical clothing, comes technical jargon. Before I jump into the pieces I recommend I thought I’d demystify some of the technical languages so you know exactly what you’re looking at.

This is just a quick list of technical clothing language, for more info have a look at our What To Wear blog.

• Water-Resistant – The garment (usually a jacket or shoes) can survive being splashed by water and will keep you dry in a light shower. Anything heavier and it (or you) will get wet.
• Waterproof – Completely waterproof material is usually not very breathable but it will keep you completely dry in even the worse of downpours.
• Wicking – When we get warm we sweat, wicking material moves sweat away from the body keeping you dry and warm.
• Breathable – Breathable material helps the wicking material to move your sweat away from your body and out, keeping you dry.
• Baselayer – Worn next to the skin, usually for warmth and as part of a layering system. Baselayers can be worn on their own in warmer conditions.
• Midlayer or Insulating layer – Usually made out of fleece (synthetic or natural) and worn on top of a base layer, under a waterproof layer to keep you warm.
• Outer Shell – Some mid-layers can be worn as outer layers in warmer weathers, outer shells are usually thin waterproof jackets worn on top.
• GoreTEX – A registered trademark, GoreTEX is a type of breathable waterproof material. Clothing made with GoreTEX material is usually more expensive but far superior.
• Merino Wool – Wool from a specific breed of Spanish sheep, merino is particularly soft and fine, making it very soft and versatile. In Camping clothing, merino wool is an excellent choice due to its high wicking abilities and temperature regulation properties.
• Fleece – Fleece is usually an insulating layer mean to keep you warm. Fleece can be synthetic (polyester) or made from real wool.
• Down Filling – A type of feather filling, usually made from goose or duck down feathers, this is a great option for keeping things light but very warm. Down is more expensive but better quality than synthetic fibre, but it does lose it’s insulating properties when wet.
• Synthetic Fibre – Usually polyester, synthetic fibre is cheaper than down but usually heavier and not as good quality-wise (although there are some excellent synthetic clothing options available). Synthetic fibres usually retain their insulating properties when wet.

Our Camping Clothing Recommendations

For each option, there is a men’s version and a women’s version, I’ve tried to keep the prices reasonable without compromising on quality.

All of these recommendations are things I have either bought myself or I will be buying in the future because they are really good quality. I’ve added the men’s equivalent to each one, and tested them on my Dad!

For a list of great footwear, have a look at our footwear specific page.

Adult Baselayers

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Adult Mid Layers

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Adult Outer Layers

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Adult Waterproofs

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Adult Socks