What to wear for trekking in tropical climates

Although trekking is all about contact with nature, in addition to the benefits that such physical activity brings to the body, clothing and apparel play an important role in this practice, whether the practice takes place in cold or tropical climates.

The best of routes can be marred by a lack of the necessary correct equipment: both clothing and footwear. Whatever the season and wherever you are on the planet, you can always find a way of dressing that will help make the experience perfect.

Although the first impression might be that for trekking in a tropical climate it would be enough to get rid of several layers of hiking clothingIn reality, it is best to resort to the theory of the famous "three layers": inside, middle and outside.

The idea of this is that although it is true that you will need to wear less warm clothing than in the high mountains in winter, you should still wear clothes that are breathable and tend to keep the body dry. In other words, trekking clothing in general is designed to wick moisture away from the skin and also to prevent it from getting wet so that you can walk for long distances without discomfort.

Trekking clothing

Trekking clothing, except for extreme winter cold, should serve at least a couple of functions:

• It must be breathable. Every time the body exercises, it produces body steam. Clothing should be designed to not only keep this vapour away from the skin but also to keep it dry.
• It must be waterproof. Even if you are in a warm area, this does not necessarily mean that it won't rain. On the contrary, in tropical climates there is often a fair amount of sudden downpours, so clothing should help to keep you dry.

The three layers

In short, trekking experts recommend that clothing should be worn under the three-layer method. This is precisely because each of the layers has a specific function to keep the body comfortable at all times.

• Inner layer. This layer is the one that will be stuck to the skin. Its function is to keep moisture away as much as possible. In general, this garment must not be made of cotton but synthetic materials such as polyester or polypropylene. This is because cotton garments will be much easier to get wet and more difficult to dry.
• Middle layer. It is this layer that does not allow discomfort from the outside to reach the skin. Synthetic fibres are also recommended, as they are usually lighter and do not restrict freedom of movement. Another condition is that they should be breathableto allow the vapour emitted by the body during physical activity to escape and to prevent clothing from becoming damp.
• Outer layer. This layer resembles a "cover" or "shell". It is responsible for covering and protecting the other two layers, so it should be waterproof, breathable and windproof.

READ ALSO: How to dress for the mountains: the 3-layer system"

Trekking shoes and socks

Whether you are in the harshest of winters or in a hot tropical climate, your feet sweat, usually profusely. Add to that the fact that during trekking you may encounter a fair amount of puddles or rain, and the conditions are ripe to generate some good blisters if proper footwear is not worn.

It is highly recommended that the footwear worn for trekking should also be breathable and waterproof at the same time. The reason is very simple: the footwear must allow the foot's natural perspiration to escape without any external moisture seeping in.

In addition, trekking often involves walking over uneven terrain. In view of this, good protection means that it will be necessary to have a footwear covering the ankle to avoid sprains and injuries. It should be noted that nowadays there are trekking shoes with great stability, even if they do not have a high upper.

Specific trekking footwear also has an important role to play. sole thicker. This design is designed to prevent subsequent problems such as plantar fasciitis.

The socks They must also have certain characteristics: they must be made of breathable and quick-drying material. Cotton is generally not recommended because it takes a long time to dry, but rather, in warm weather, socks should be worn in polyester and very thin.

Waterproof, water-resistant, water-repellent

It is a good idea to learn to read clothing labels. A garment that is labelled as waterproof means it will be impervious to water, even in the most extreme conditions. In addition, it will be made with zips in critical areas.

For their part, the garments waterproof will offer some protection against light rain but will not protect for a long period, whereas water-repellent garments have a water-repellent coating, type gore-texetc., which makes it waterproof and, as a general rule, also breathable - an essential aspect if we don't want to get soaked in our own sweat.

Neither too much nor too much

The clothes you choose for trekking in hot climates should not be too loose or too tight. Why? Well, it's simple: if your clothes are too loose, they can get caught on plants or rocks along the way, while if they are too tight, they can cause sweat-related injuries to your body.

You may be tempted to wear sleeveless clothes or clothes that are not trousers short shorts to enjoy the warm temperatures. However, this may not be so advisable for a couple of reasons: because of the sun's action on the skin and to avoid scratches or insect bites. What you can do is to opt for long-sleeved but still lightweight fabrics and avoid excessive heat concentration.

Long underwear should also be avoided in hot weather. This will only lead to discomfort and discomfort, such as excessive sweating.

Another good tip is to always include a rain jacket in your luggage to protect you from the rain. This is usually very light and takes up very little space in your luggage. backpack. For warm climates, simple windbreakers are a good choice.