Wicking clothes do i need them?

Cotton is a wicking fabric.

Don't cotton shorts ride up after a while?

Wicking shorts are so much lighter and more comfortable.

I hardly ever run in shirts, but when I do, a good wicking fabric always feels better.

buy some wicking clothes ... one of each shirt and shorts to see if you like them.

run with a guy who was old school for 20 years, finally broke down and bought some new "tech" clothes and was amazed.

i wear wicking fabrics during the winter, as a base layer - you stay warmer when you arent wet with sweat.

i grew up in the era when training gear was composed school gym shorts, cotton t-shirt and gray sweats - certainly dont miss those days.

Maybe I will. I just dont want to follow those "runners world" crowd with all their garmin, motion control shoes and wicking clothes. I also hear that wicking clothes especially shorts tend to smell awful and is extremely difficult to wash out. Is this true?

Shorts only smell bad if you don't wash them after you run in them. Letting them sit around sweaty for a week or two then they will smell awful, but what won't?

oh last question. How are those cotton wicking shirts? They are 60% cotton and 40% polyester.

you have to be kidding me with cotton shorts. Do you wear regular undies? How uncomfortable does that have to be? I have gone through stages of anti-wicking fabrics, but I never wear anything but running shorts. I live in FL, so shirts aren't necessary 10 months out of the year, but I would never run in anything but wicking running shorts. And yes, they stink like crap after a while...if you don't wash them AFTER YOU USE THEM.

also, troll-o-meter: 2/10

Well I usually run in nylon shorts. I wear cotton undies too and I never had a problem. I just wanted to know the pros and cons of cotton, polyester and i'll just add nylon shorts to the comparisons.

How many people ditch the undies when running in shorts that come with support? In my experience, that's the most comfortable option.

duck in the chicken wrote:

How many people ditch the undies when running in shorts that come with support? In my experience, that's the most comfortable option.

I know I do. It gets uncomfortable if you try to wear anything with the support. Plus it just feels more "free" when you're running.

Cotton clothes have too much potential for chafing when they get wet, not to mention the weight. When I have to wear more than just shorts, I always wear wicking (or at least synthetic fiber) clothes on runs.

Cheapart2004: Well I usually run in nylon shorts. I wear cotton undies too and I never had a problem. I just wanted to know the pros and cons of cotton, polyester and i'll just add nylon shorts to the comparisons.

Nylon is fine. Nylon, polyester, dri-this, tech-that, super-wicking... any of these synthetics are fine in a running short.

Cotton is wretched - lose those undies if you're serious, and see if you're not comfier - but other than that, one fabric vs. another just doesn't matter much in running shorts as long as both are comfy against your skin. In one square foot of fabric, it's not like differences in wicking ability or whatever add up to anything.

I've never met a "wicking fabric" that I couldn't soak through just as easily as cotton.

Non-college wrote:

I've never met a "wicking fabric" that I couldn't soak through just as easily as cotton.

The point of wicking fabric isn't that it never gets wet-the sweat has to go somewhere. The whole idea is that it keeps any areas from getting overly wet, and it doesn't hold onto the moisture like cotton does. Plus, when it does get wet, it holds the same shape it does when its dry, so you won't get the excess bagginess that you get with a wet cotton shirt.

Take a pair of "wicking" shorts and a pair of cotton shorts, dunk them both in water and see which one dries faster.

You can buy wicking shirts now for as cheap as you can buy a cotton shirt. I know that Academy Sports, Sports Authority, Target, etc... have their own brand for as little as $15 on sale. Keep in mind though, when buying the fabric that it is not as environmentally friendly as cotton and will not break down in a landfill etc..It is made of polimers that are with us for a long time. In other words please wear the hell out of them before discarding them for new.

Wicking fabrics are the way to go when running for all the reasons everyone else has said.

Please don't color coordinate though.

Thanks guys I learned some good stuff today. no more cotton and undies when I run.