It can't be said enough — the shirt is a remarkable piece of clothing! Often overlooked by outdoor enthusiasts and, in some people's minds, slightly old-fashioned, the shirt has plenty of genuine advantages to offer for all your outdoor activities and travels. Let's explore those undeniable benefits….
Versatility and modularity
The first advantage of the travel and hiking shirt is its versatility: you can roll up the sleeves in the heat or unroll them to protect yourself from insects and the sun. It's also a true all-rounder — equally at home in the countryside as in the city. A shirt or short-sleeved shirt is perfect for the evening at your stopover if you're dining somewhere a little more cosy and refined. A shirt works perfectly for exertion, rest, breaks, meals and cultural visits alike.
Lightness
Today, the fabrics used to make shirts have come a long way. Most innovative technical materials shed unnecessary weight. Beyond the actual weight saving on the scales, there's also the perceived lightness. Thanks to its more or less relaxed cut, you get a genuine sense of ease on the upper body. And a shirt rarely takes up much room in a suitcase — or adds much to your baggage allowance!
Ventilation
Not only are today's fabrics highly breathable, but a shirt is naturally well-ventilated. Air circulates freely under the short sleeves or through the front of the shirt. What's more, you can open it as needed depending on the heat and the weather conditions, and close it again whenever the temperature drops.
Practicality
Shirts generally come with pockets, most often on the chest. This lets you keep essential items close at hand and secure. Whether it's your passport, cash or anything else useful for your trip — and those pockets are very rarely accessible to pickpockets! On top of that, many manufacturers are innovating with functional improvements and ideas that are often genuinely useful.
New materials
Not only do the new materials used in the construction of hiking shirts give them an unbeatable lightness, but they often come with some impressive technical properties. For example, many fabrics feature fibres that dry very quickly and are highly breathable — so you gain in comfort as well as drying time, and above all, the shirt creases less and needs far less ironing.
Furthermore, for hot countries, some fabrics are treated with an insect repellent finish — such as the hiking shirts in the CimAlp range, which feature EULAN anti-mosquito treatment, used by NATO forces and tested against mosquitoes carrying yellow fever and ticks. In this range, the sleeves are mid-length and adjustable via a button tab; the collar has a double flap for optimal neck protection; they include a small chamois leather insert for cleaning sunglasses, and even a hanging loop for easy drying and storage.
It's clear to see that the hiking shirt has many advantages it would be a shame to miss out on — especially when it also offers far superior comfort to a t-shirt or polo shirt.
So don't hesitate to rethink your clothing choices for hiking and travel, and move the technical, comfortable hiking shirt right to the top of your shopping list — I'm sure you'll have nothing but good things to say about it afterwards.
