Hiking & Outdoor Shirts & Jackets - Types

Outdoor Clothing that is meant to protect your torso like Outdoor Shirts and Jackets are the most important pieces of clothing. Your torso houses all your vital organs and your core warmth (see Hypothermia). All the basic Functions of Outdoor Clothing are important for all your body parts but become even more important when it comes to your torso. This is also why the Three Layer System is most widely used for torso clothing.

In this section, we will look at the different types of Hiking Shirts and Jackets starting with Base Layers and moving all the way up to Mountaineering Jackets and full body suits.

Base Layers & Thermal Underwear
As explained in the Three Layer System section, the first layer will be the one responsible for extracting moisture away from your skin. Base Layers are mostly lightweight, durable, and they dry quickly. Base Layers and Thermal Underwear shirts are mostly long sleeved, thereby covering your entire torso and arms.

Short & Long Sleeve T-Shirts
T-Shirts are popular in casual clothing in which case they are mostly made out of cotton and other water-absorbing fabrics. Outdoor T-Shirts come in both long and short sleeved versions and use outdoor fabrics to give them more moisture-wicking qualities. Many of the snug, moisture-wicking versions can also be used as Base Layers.

Button Down Shirts
These are also very popular in casual clothing but they have some properties and materials that make them more useful for outdoor conditions. Button Down Shirts are mostly used in warm weather conditions and often feature very lightweight but durable fabrics with UV protection, great ventilation, and moisture-wicking qualities.

Fleece Shirts & Jackets
Fleece Jackets are the most widely-used Insulation Layer as outlined in our section on the Three Layer System. They combine the insulation qualities with moisture-wicking property to move moisture to the outer layer. Pure Insulation Layer Fleece Shirts are meant to be used together with an Outer Shell and will be very bare without many pockets or features. Fleece Jackets are more versatile and can also be used without an Outer Shell. Fleece Jackets are often treated to make them more water-resistant.


Soft Shell Jackets
Soft Shell Jackets mostly combine the functions of the Insulation Layer and Outer Shell Layer in the Three Layer System. They are typically less waterproof than hard shells but have increased breathability and flexibility. Soft Shells mostly have a more comfortable fit and less bulky, making Soft Shells ideal for Outdoor Activities that require more intense upper body and arm movement like skiing, climbing, and bouldering.

Hard Shell Jackets
Waterproof and breathable Shell Jackets finish off the Three Layer System by giving protection against all outside influences. These shells are mostly thin, lightweight, and in bright colors. Shell Jackets with attached hood greatly improve protection against rain and strong winds. Again, there are many variations that add moisture-wicking and insulating properties to the outer shell to make them more functional.

Mountaineering & Down Jackets
Just like Mountaineering Pants, Mountaineering Jackets are for the coldest of conditions and can be worn to reach the highest summit on this planet. Like Sleeping Bags, they are often filled with down and have a baffle system to guarantee an equal insulation around your body. They are designed to maximize heat preservation and use high filling power (700+) Down to decrease bulk.

Full Body Suits
Instead of having a separate down filled Jacket and Mountaineering Pants, you could opt for a Full Body Suit which better encapsulates air around your entire body. Down Filled Full Body Suits are the very best when it comes to surviving extremely cold conditions. Full Body Suits use high quality fabrics and construction to ensure the best waterproof, breathable, insulating, and moisture-wicking properties possible. A Full Body Suit can easily cost $1000 but they are the very best you can get and your best bet in surviving the most extreme conditions the planet has to offer.


These are the different Types of Hiking and Outdoor Shirts and Jackets. Know the features of each type so you will be able to determine what kind suits your needs.
Ref: www.abc-of-mountaineering.com