poss

What am I not understanding?? I've always worn cotton for comfort in hot, sticky weather-- the idea of polyester has always been "yuk." But I read on these boards that "wicking" clothes are great for CR, that polyester is great. My husband and I bought a couple of t-shirts at EMS and REI-- "techwick." We wore them for biking once and tennis today-- and we were much more uncomfortable than we've ever been in our usual cottons. We live in Florida and it's very sweatsy, and we found that with the new shirts, we were even more sweatsy. Presumably these kinds of clothes dry faster, but if one feels soppy wet/clammy while they're wearing the clothes, what's the benefit? What are we not understanding?

shillmac

All that controversy about type of clothing is, in my opinion, silly. We wear our cotton things (t-shirts, tanks, shorts) in Costa Rica all the time--both seasons. It's simply never been a problems.

I think there are a lot of travelers that prefer to buy special clothing for certain areas of the world and the new "tech" clothing is very popular. But there are a HUGE number of folks who just pack up their usual stuff and head south to enjoy Costa Rica. Don't let this issue become another point of concern for you!

shillmac

Oh goodness, that would be problem, not problems!

Iza

Don't worry poss, you can wear you cotton clothing in Costa Rica. That's what we do and are just fine. The only advantage I can think of with the new polyester clothing is that you could wash it in the sink and it would probably dry faster than cotton.

Molly2

Poss, it's really a matter of preference. The teck-wic is not the same type of polyester that was used for years. I hike and exercise a lot, and do find some of the "new" tech-wick clothing more breathable. I also like that I can occasionally hand-wash items and they dry much faster. But as you can see, PLENTY of people much prefer cotton, even in Costa Rica. Pack and wear your cottons and don't give it any more thought!

Tess_Durberville

Poss,

You live in Florida; you certainly don't need anyone to explain the humidity factor to you. The reason I've avoided taking all cotton garments is because of the laundering issue --- a morning hike in CR (or whatever activity you're doing) and those clothes are all icky, sticky and in dire need of a wash. And if you've ever tried to wash & dry a 100% cotton T-shirt or pair of shorts (hanging it up to dry), then you'll understand why many folks opt for "wicking" materials. Of course, there are laundering options in many hotels, as well as in whatever town you'll be staying --- provided of course, your itinerary allows sufficient time for laundry turnaround.

Molly2

I forgot to mention that we have a peculiar knack for getting caught out in the rain - constantly!

For example, after becoming hopelessly lost in San Jose our first night and forgetting to bring along umbrellas, we became drenched to the bone. After taking a break for a hot meal at a soda, our tec-wick clothes were DRY! In cotton, we would have been miserable.

Poss, don't forget your umbrellas and/or good raingear!

Rick_B

Just to second Tess' post--

We washed our own clothes in the sink/tub while in Costa Rica, and cotton would have taken much longer to dry. That's why we went with wicking materials, but I agree cotton would have been more comfortable...

TripleSecDelay

I'd like to underscore the above posts and add that the cotton/polyester blends are the fabrics that have worked best for us --- even in Orlando.
If a person checks the labels on their inexpensive "fleece" clothes they bought last winter (or are in the stores now) a person may find that this is made from polyester. Totally different weave. And totally different from the Saturday Night Fever thing that was going on back in the '70s.
The wicking weave is much more breatheable and often has a cotton mix. Best of both worlds. I just never was comfortable wearing a 100% cotton sponge in the rain. Everybody's different and I'm opinionated.

MaxwellSmart

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