When you work outside in the summer...

Brothers of Briar

Help Support Brothers of Briar:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Bub

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 15, 2007
Messages
1,987
Reaction score
4
do you wear short sleeve pants and shirts or do you wear jeans, long sleeve shirts and a hat.
I am a short sleeve shirt and pants guy and I find it hard to believe that long sleeve shirts and jeans are more comfortable. I can understand if the concern is sun, poison ivy, mosquitoes, allergies etc...but they just look too damn hot.
 
I can see where you're coming from. Its kind of counter intuitive that more clothing in the heat is better. First some background I grew up in central Texas summer temps could go as high as 115 in the shade. Stretches of 90+ days over 100 degrees were not uncommon. Humidity could run as high as 98%. I worked outside mostly as a teen bailing and hauling hay. I would wear blue jeans a t-shirt and a heavy denim long sleeved button up shirt with a straw hat. Yes it's uncomfortable until you catch a breeze then you are miles ahead of the guys in shorts and t-shirts. The evaporative cooling achieved by the long heavy clothing ends up making you more comfortable for a longer period. In shorts and t-shirts The sweat evaporated quickly and you then start to overheat. The long heavy clothing is also common in the deserts of Africa. It's simply an evaporative cooling technique. I will vouch for it being extremely effective too.

Jim

Oh also of note by the end of summer I would end up with a serious tan through the denim shirt. The area under the t-shirt would remain Lily white but my arms would be very dark not quite as dark as my hands but way darker then say my chest.
 
Worked in Michigan doing forestry work.  In the summers we would wear a pair of coveralls over our jeans and wore a canvas vest to carry our tools and paint.  the coveralls would keep the paint off of our clothes.  We also wore cotton gloves and a hat.  It was hot and we had to consume a large amount of fluids.  It would really be hot when we worked on fires.  Our outer gear were Nomex coveralls, leather gloves and safety boots.  You get used to the heat and PACE YOURSELF, drink plenty of fluids.  Just my $.02!
 
I worked on the beach in the summer...it was shorts and some times shoes and a shirt.
Now its all these strange things growing on my skin that takes a dermatologist to keep in check.
 
Both of my brothers are frequent flyers at the dermatologist. One would never wear any kind of hat the other would only wear baseball caps. They both started having "growths" removed from their faces by the age of 40. I would not go outside without a wide and I mean wide brim hat. The only comment I get at 47 from the Dr is about a harmless capillary tumor at the edge of my hairline. Sun exposure when young is a real killer. Please guys if you ever worked outside in your youth see a dermatologist. Growths can be deadly. Get them checked. I lost an uncle to skin cancer.

Jim
 
I worked trail maintenance and building in a state park. Wore jeans and a shortsleeve T-shirt. Worked in a steel mill where it could be 140 degrees and more. Wore jeans and a longsleeve flannel.

I never liked jeans, but at the time, I did't realize the options. I also wore what I had, which was straight-legged Levis. I wish I'd at least bought some dungarees. So what I'm saying it is as much about fit as it is materials. Loose, comfortable fitting jeans would be fine for outside work. Old casual khakis would also be fine, because of that loose and comfortable fit. Also, in unbearable heat, sometimes more clothes are better than lesser clothes, as huffelpuff said.

When I work around the house, do lawn work, etc, I prefer a thin linen button-down longsleeve (old dress shirt) and these super thin nylon athletic pants that are ugly as sin but cover my legs. In other words, I like to only have my hands and head exposed. I don't tend to wear a hat.
 
Living in Texas, the sun is the b*****d ! For me, long pants and long sleeve shirts are deriguer and 100% cotton only ! A broad brimmed panama (3 1/2' or wider) as well ! :twisted:
 
My wardrobe rarely changes from season to season. In Colorado, you learn to dress in layers, because it may snow in June and be 60 F (that's about 15 C on Stick's side of The Pond) on Christmas. It may also snow four inches in the morning and melt by noon. I wear jeans or other long pants and a button-down shirt most of the time, with the addition of a hooded sweatshirt or coat during the cold weather months.

I'm blessed to have Irish, Scottish, and English heritage, which means my legs are pasty white, and I've never really been able to tan. Consequently, I consider it a public service to keep myself from blinding the public. I've also always preferred heat and humidity, such that I'm most comfortable when the temperature is between 80 F and 100 F (~26 C to ~37 C) with 100% humidity. Any colder, and I'm prepared to wear a hooded sweatshirt or something warmer; any hotter, and I'll be comfortable in the shade with a cold beverage.
 
blue jeans are too hot. I have high SPF fishing shirts and quick dry high SPF pants that convert to shorts. Also if you have not tried David Archy bamboo boxer/briefs do yourself a favor and try them. Bamboo is antimicrobial naturally and no more heat rash / crotch rot camping and fishing for me!
 
Top