Why People Wear Long Sleeves in Extreme Heat
Video Overview & Insights
Most of us instinctively wear less clothing when the weather gets hotter.
Would you wear shorts and a T-shirt, or lightweight long sleeves in extreme heat? Weâd love to hear your experience. đđ„Ÿ
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But after walking 630 km across Portugal during a summer heat wave, I realised the people who understand extreme heat best often do the exact opposite.
In this video, I share what I learned on the Camino PortuguĂ©s, what surprised me most, and the clothing system Iâd use if I had to walk it all over again.
non-hot climate people don't know about the sun being the actual problem.
Some advice if i may...
-White is better than all other colors,, (when at the red light on a scooter today,,
white sleeves felt comfortable, navy blue trousers were cooking my legs.... at the same time )
-Linen, is by far the best material, baggy, not snag.
-Hats make an unbelievable difference.
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I may look like a fool wearing my loose 40s style denim jacket on sunny days, but Iâm quite comfortable. The heat stays on the outside of my jacket, my skin doesnât get warm and burned by UV rays. Most of my shirts are too thin to prevent the UV rays from passing through. Also loose pants that keep the air between my skin and pants fabric. Iâve been wearing a pure cotton denim bucket hat lately, and it helps keeping the rays from my neck. Besides, skin cancer is becoming one of the main cancers and it is easy to see why when you look around how people dress in the west.
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Well those of us from hot countries wear long loose clothing - fully covered arms, legs and head. I'd rather not have the sun burn my bare skin
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What you just mentioned, dress for the sun not the heat, I wish I had known earlier. Just this summer I started using a sun hoody and a wide Panama hat. I used to wear a runners or baseball cap found found the Panama better. I was able to stay out longer than my usual time in the sun and yes, I cooled down much quicker than before. Next I'll try the arm sleeves and an umbrella. Just subbed.
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đ Our Gear Recommendations
I recently spent a month in Egypt and Italy (May 2026), where the temperatures ranged from 105 to mid-80s. I wore loose long-sleeved linen shirts with a cotton v-necked t-shirt and was comfortable the whole time.
Explore the essentials for your adventure! These are the items we personally use and recommend:
đŠ¶ Foot Care & Comfort
it's not umbrella - it's parasol XD
Wongari Merino Wool Blister Guard: https://www.wongari.com
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I couldnât agree more! I just finished the del Norte this summer and most of it was during the heat waves. Iâm from Alaska AND Iâve got the same skin tone as you - I donât tan, I burn. My merino sun hoodie was scary to me to try at first because for me at home, wool = warmth and I was getting sick from the heat. But I got even sicker from burns which are worse. That sun hoodie became my favorite piece of equipment by FAR.
I also had sun sleeves and did use them but they felt hotter because I couldnât feel the air circulation on my skin so I only wore them on âcoolerâ days. My hat was a Decathlon ballcap with detachable cape that was awesome. And I always wore pants that could zip into shorts but usually had the legs on (extra valuable because thereâs a LOT of ticks this summer).
My last beat the heat strategy was starting walking before sunrise (leaving about 5am - 5:30am) and stopping by noon. The height of the heat in Spain is 2pm and my Arctic self can NOT tolerate 30sC.
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I have always hiked with long loose fitting hiking pants, a long sleeve PFG type collared shirt and my favorite outback hat. I do carry a buff these day as is nice to wet down and use as a cooling collar. I have tried the sun hoodies but prefer a collared shirt.
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i learned 25 yrs ago looking at the way the middle east men dress. long clothing protects your skin from the sun. the heat doesnt hit your skin directly. you dont absorb the solar energy directly. the other half is your internal temps. A breeze (which you generate while walking) is really impt to help keep the long clothing cool and you skin cool at the same time. ever noticed that if you absorb so much solar energy, it takes a long time to cool down at night? sun hoodies, hat and pants works great! plus where i live, we have problems with ticks and fleas. which the pants and long sleeve help with.
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Iâve done three Camino (Portuguese, del Norte, VdlP) with a reflective umbrella, and VdlP with UV protection sleeves. One more thing that summer Camino more bearable is a handheld umbrella. Mine clips onto the umbrella handle. It was so hot when I reached Merida last August that my phone wouldnât charge and photo processing was delayed. Those gear helped me being out even in mid afternoon.
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You tube just introduced me to you . Great video đ Just gave you a sub. Anyone who understands the virtues of a Zpacks is worth subbing đ I have a bald head and i am Half Irish and my dada was a ginger so i tend to burn at the start of summer. I really dont like using sunscreen and my go to is always a light coloured sun hoody. The lighter the colour the better for me. I have found the Montbell Capalene works the best because the material doesn't cling and its highly breathable and dries out much quicker than all of the other brands i have tried plus it doesn't smell. Happy hiking
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Me lo apunto por si algĂșn dĂa camino en verano, aunque lo veo lejano đ
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Loose, long sleeve cotton blouses and loose trousers. The air circulates nicely and I don't need sunscreen. The blouses are permanent press, wash and dry easily and actually look half-way decent after 7 weeks of hand-washing.
Womenâs T-shirt - Merino wool: https://zpacks.com/products/zpacks-womens-merino-wool-t-shirt?ref=viqS6T8FZ26y&mid=861
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Another option most people don't consider (or are unwilling) is to walk during the night/early morning i.e walk 2 am to 10 am and sleep 5pm to 1am. How feasible is such a walk?
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I start the Portuguese Coastal next Saturday...unfortunately for me I cant wear merino products, but I will be using a ridiculously thin, breathable running jacket thingy to cover up...its been 30 degrees in the UK and it seems to do the job...bamboo socks and underwear are my go to as a replacement for merino
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I walked the VdlP (unfortunately a Camino interruptus due to an Achilles challenge) this spring and tried a FjÀllrÀven sun hoodie with a very light cap from decathlon. I never got used to it, It wasn't comfortable for me, and as the sun hoodie wasn't Merino it didn't do good things with the smell.
I never forgot when I met a peregrina on the Frances Meseta, with an umbrella fixed to the backpack, it looked soo good, so now I got one for myself for the next Camino this fall. Looking forward to find out how this will work on the Camino
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I could not agree with you more. Several years ago I started wearing merinowool and long sleeves after spending time in India and seeing the people dressing for the sun including an umbrella. I feel it is very comfortable, I never burn (skin colour similar to yours). Two weeks ago I finished the Via de la Plata and it was very hot, but allright for me. I came accros some people with terribbly burned skin wearing shorts and short sleeves. So, please keep telling people to change their clothing.
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ABOUT US
We are â Ricky and Erica, long-distance walking enthusiasts who have a thing for outdoor adventures and love exploring new pilgrimages worldwide. At Caminotellers, we believe in the transformative power of travel as a pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago. Our purpose is to guide and accompany those who seek the personal transformation that this journey offers. We aspire to be the source of inspiration and tools for those who wish to embark on this unique and enriching experience. We believe that the Camino de Santiago is not only a physical journey, but also an emotional and spiritual one, and we are committed to helping our followers discover their own path towards transformation. Our purpose is not only to inspire individuals but also to foster positive change in the world.
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