In this video we are going to talk about the clothes you should wear during monsoon treks in the Sahyadris.

This video is basically divided in two parts. In the first part of the video we are going to talk about the clothes that you should wear while trekking and in the second half we will focus on the clothes that you should wear when your body is at rest i.e., while camping or sleeping.

Cotton clothes as base layer are best avoided while trekking in the monsoon. Cotton t-shirts and denim get excessively heavy when wet and does not insulate well as compared to synthetic clothing. Most synthetic or quick dry clothing moves perspiration (sweat) away from the skin and spreads it over the garment to speed up evaporation without drawing away the body heat. This leaves you less sweaty throughout the day. Therefore, always wear quick dry synthetic t-shirts and trek pants while trekking.

Most people prefer shorts and t-shirts as their trekking attire during the monsoons, but I tend to deviate towards a full sleeve quick dry t-shirt and a convertible, quick dry trekking pant. You can always roll the trouser bottoms if you need more ventilation. Full sleeve t-shirts and pants provide better protection from insect and mosquito bites, thorns and sunburn. In addition to this, we must acknowledge that clothing is our first line of defence against minor slips and falls. Also, prefer trousers that have zippered pockets and are reinforced in key areas like knees and the seat so that they don’t tear easily during a slip or a fall.

Let us move to the second layer i.e., your rain gear. On a monsoon trek the choice of rain gear may oscillate between an umbrella, a two-piece rain suit and a poncho. An umbrella on a trek is not effective during sharp gusts of wind on the open plateaus and holding an umbrella ties up one of the hands. Keeping your hands free is essential on a slippery trail as it helps the body maintain its balance and free hands may help break a fall. A two-piece rain suit is definitely better than an umbrella but a lot of moisture build-up due to perspiration and inadequate ventilation in such suits. If you are purchasing a rain pant make sure that it has zips at the bottom so that you can wear it quickly without removing your trekking shoes. A poncho takes no more than 10 seconds to put on or take off. It keeps your backpack dry and it fits loose. The loose fit prevents moisture build-up due to perspiration and humidity. The downside of a poncho though is, that it restricts the trekker from seeing where he/she is keeping his/her feet on the trail and thus increases the probability of slips and falls. A poncho becomes ineffective on open plateaus because the wind makes the Velcro closures ineffective.

So, after doing all the comparisons, in my opinion, we should focus upon enjoying the rain instead of covering ourselves with waterproof layers of raincoats. I strongly believe that a better use of raincoat during monsoon treks is as a windcheater protecting you from gusts of wind and keeping your body warm while you trek. I would recommend wearing only the upper layer of raincoat while trekking. It will protect you from rain and wind both, to some extent and you can always get into dry clothes after you finish your trek.

You should always carry a cap with you on a trek because during peak afternoon hours the sun can be harsh at times even during the monsoon season. A cap thus protects your skin from sunburn as well as reduces dehydration and the consecutive energy loss.
The choice of socks is very important while trekking. Since our feet always stay inside the shoe i.e., since there is no ventilation, you should wear cotton socks that absorb moisture from the feet thus reducing the chances of fungal infection. Make sure that you do not wear very thin layer synthetic socks because when they will rub against the walls of the shoe while walking, they will give you blisters. Keep at least 3-4 extra pair of dry towel socks in your backpack

Now, let us talk about the time when our body is at rest i.e., the time when you have reached the campsite. All this time when you were trekking, your body was in motion and thus, it was generating enough heat. The moment your body comes at rest, it will start feeling cold and thus it becomes really important to preserve the body heat. Therefore, the first thing that you must do is to change to dry clothes as soon as possible. You can prefer wearing full-sleeve cotton t-shirts along with a woolen pull over to stay warm. This is not the time to prefer synthetic quick dry clothing

The next day when you plan to trek the remaining part of the trail, get into those quick dry synthetic clothes again.

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