Spring/Summer Layering

Takuro Hayashi is a freelance writer and photographer who works for ski, snowboard, and outdoor magazines, and also runs the outdoor equipment store "Transit Higashikawa" in Hokkaido.

With the coming season approaching when you'll be more likely to sweat, Hayashi offers suggestions on how to choose and layer Teton Bros. spring and summer base layers according to the season and situation.

This column is aimed at you, the sweaty ones.

You have the same constitution as me: whenever you go to the mountains, sweat drips from your hair and the slightest thing can soak your T-shirt. Others in the same situation sometimes ask me for advice: "I sweat a lot. What should I wear?"

Comrades, unfortunately it's hot in the summer.

To escape the heat, you have no choice but to walk at a slower pace, choose a route with plenty of shade and breezes, and take into consideration the season, time of day, terrain, and altitude. Again, hot is hot. Changing your clothing won't stop you from sweating.

But my friend.

While it's not possible to prevent sweating, there are ways to reduce the discomfort of excessive sweating. That's what we call layering, as we do in winter. The layer you wear next to your skin moves the sweat away from your body, while the second layer absorbs it and dries it. By following this mechanism, you can eliminate the wet feeling of sweat and get closer to a refreshing, dry feeling. Here's an example:

[Early spring, late autumn, alpine zone] PPP + VAPOR L/S

Our natural tendency is to sweat easily, even in climates that most people find cool.

It easily shows its true potential on even a slight climb. However, since the temperature is not high, sweat will quickly cool down. In this case, I recommend wearing the PPP first, then layering the Vapor L/S on top. The key is to wear a material that absorbs water on your bare skin, and then wear a second layer of material that absorbs water.

PPP is a hydrophobic, super water-repellent polyester material. Even when you sweat, the fibers themselves do not absorb moisture, so your skin always feels fresh and dry.

So where does the sweat go? It passes through the gaps in the fibers and is absorbed by VAPOR. VAPOR also boasts strong water absorption capabilities, making it a sweat hunter that quickly absorbs even the smallest amount of moisture.

Located at an altitude of 1,000 meters at the foot of Mount Daisetsu in Hokkaido, Kumoigahara Marsh is chilly even in July. As a result, I wear long sleeves to keep warm and protect myself from sweat. I wear PPP layered over VAPOR.

This combination prevents sweat from remaining on the skin, allowing it to dry effectively and preventing you from getting cold. If you need a wind shell on a ridge, we recommend the WIND RIVER series, which has excellent breathability and does not hinder the evaporation of sweat.

[Early Summer] PPP + T-shirt series

In this season, sweating increases, especially on the back where the backpack rests. The amount of sweat increases dramatically, and the Vapor's suction power is insufficient!

When that happens, I switch to a Teton Bros. sweat-wicking, quick-drying T-shirt. The reason is that the short sleeves allow for ventilation, and it's easy to have a change of T-shirt on hand, so once the sweat has been absorbed, I can just change into it.

Rather than just wearing a T-shirt when it's hot, wearing a hydrophobic material like PPP will keep you dry and comfortable, depending on how much sweat you're wearing. PPP is long-sleeved, but if you want to do something about that, the short-sleeved ELV 1000 series is also a good choice. Although it's designed for running, it's also perfectly usable as a short-sleeved base layer.

I was hiking the Daisetsuzan mountain range in mid-July. My 60L backpack was stuffed to the brim, so I helped with some of the loads. This is when I really started to sweat. I'm always ready to change, so I used a PPP + Teton Bros. T-shirt to protect myself from the sweat.

The reason why I often use long sleeve PPP as the base is not only to cope with the temperature but also to protect against the scorching sun that is unique to high latitudes.It also allows a moderate amount of air to pass through, making it more comfortable than short sleeves.

[Midsummer] ELV 1000 Series

I want to make the most of the running wear mentioned above. It's a waste of time to try to absorb sweat when we're dealing with the middle of summer.

In any case, it is necessary to switch to a completely athletic mindset of how to shake off sweat from the body. Both ELV and PPP are perfect for this purpose, as they are water-repellent enough to wrap up and carry water like a furoshiki. Because they are completely non-absorbent, they can be worn as all-weather clothing, allowing you to walk around in a light rain without worrying, and they also allow for UL-like behavior.

Sweat prevention measures are effective not only for those who sweat a lot, but also for activities such as trail running and speed hiking, where sweating is unavoidable as the amount of exercise increases.

With summer fast approaching, why not incorporate layering ideas to make it a little easier!

Back to blog