Human-caused climate change is sending global weather patterns haywire. Summers are hotter, winters are colder, precipitation and wind are more extreme, and all of that is happening in places and at times it didn’t before. Fortunately, clothing technology is advancing rapidly, too. Here’s some of the latest, greatest gear that’s genuinely capable of keeping you more comfortable in more challenging conditions.
I often find myself on the frontlines of those changing weather patterns. Here in Montana, the coldest temperature I hiked in this winter was minus 44 degrees Fahrenheit. Fishing the Gulf of Alaska this May, I was caught in a multi-day storm strong enough to blow antennas off the boat’s roof. Daytime highs on a camping trip in central Mexico early this year soared to triple digits. I’ve tested a bunch of apparel options in those conditions, and found stuff that works.
The Best Clothing for Extreme Heat
QMax is a measurement of how quickly heat flows through a material. The higher a fabric’s QMax score, the cooler it will feel. Thin silk, for reference, has a QMax score of .194.
But silk is expensive…
