The Wicking Phenomenon

: Image via Wikipedia

This posting explains wicking as it pertains to outdoor wear.

Wearing wet clothing while hiking can be very uncomfortable with one notable exception: in very hot and dry desert hiking like descending into and returning from the Grand Canyon during summer months (See my recent post on hiking the Grand Canyon.).

Wearing wet clothing while hiking and backpacking can even be dangerous and deadly. If your clothes are wet from sweat, for instance, and the weather turns chilly, you could experience hypothermia, a condition that can kill.

This is where wicking comes to the rescue. What is “wicking” anyway?

WICKING EXPLAINED

The term comes from the word “wick”, which refers to the small chord in the center of a candle that draws melted wax upward against the force of gravity. So, wicking is a phenomenon where liquid is drawn through a porous material. It is analogous to capillary action where liquid rises in a capillary tube (“capillary” means narrow tube) against gravity.

When you blot a liquid spill in the kitchen, for instance, with a sponge or a paper towel, it is capillary action or wicking that draws the liquid up into the material that you are using to blot or wipe up the spill.

WEAR A BASE LAYER MADE OF A GOOD WICKING MATERIAL

While hiking or backpacking, you want to wear a base layer, the layer of clothing worn against your skin, that is made of a wicking fabric. The purpose of wearing of such a wicking layer is to draw sweat away from your skin to an outer layer of fabric. Doing so will help you remain dry, comfortable and safe from hypothermia.

In capillary action, the smaller the tube, the higher a liquid like water will rise in the tube. Similarly, the finer the fabric that your base layer is made of, the better its wicking properties. This is why modern microfibers make such good wicking base layers.

Here is a list of wicking fibers, ordered according to their wicking properties and starting with the best:

Synthetic materials like microfibers or polyester,
Wool,
Silk

Avoid cotton as a base layer. It has very poor wicking properties and will not transfer sweat to an outer layer of clothing. Instead, it will absorb and retain moisture, dangerously, against your skin. Choose a base layer that is made of a good wicking fabric.

Hike dry. Hike safe.

by Richard Davidian, Ph.D.

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