YMO's Semi-Guide to Survive Hot/Humid Environments

As you guys know I live on America's Penis, which is Florida. Summers in Florida are harsh, but not close to Southeast Asia or places like Singapore. Summers here in Florida (including most of the Southeastern US) gets Hot/Humid where the air is max Humidity. This means nothing will dry off your clothing because there's no where the water that's on your shirt for example can evaporate to. If you were in West Coast where it is dryer, shirts can dry much faster (but this all depends on the material of what you are wearing).

I have more things to talk about, but for now I want to focus on what material you are wearing clothing wise.

Cotton Is a Double-Edge Sword

Cotton is a great material, it is breathable (doesn't hold in heat in your body, which is needed for the summer), natural fiber, and feels great (depending on the quality cotton and how thin/thick it is). However, there is a reason why cotton is used on all bathroom towels: It's great on picking up water and hold it in. So when it is hot/humid out, wearing cotton may not be the best choice. I wouldn't use cotton boxers during the outside since your body will be sweating so much, it will drip down to your butt and you get the infamous swamp butt. Cotton is bad when doing anything active outside beside it will be one giant towel: Picking up all sweat like water, and since the outside is max humidity it will be impossible to wick off/evaporate too. This is why people don't wear cotton in doing anything active (this is why all workout gear is just about not cotton, but polyester). If going to be outside for awhile when it is super humid, I don't 100% recommend wearing anything cotton. But if you are wearing anything cotton, try to keep it to a oversize shirt that won't touch your skin. I would avoid wearing cotton boxers or cotton pants if possible.

While not the most durable thing you can get, the 32 Degree Mesh Boxer Briefs is perfect for the summer. Cheaper in Costco, but I get mine from Amazon. These are made of nylon, have mesh holes, and wick off sweat easy. However, these start to fail if your pants you are wearing are cotton pants that are tight. So for pants I recommend nylon or polyester mesh design pants. If you must wear cotton pants, keep it not too tight on your skin. With cotton shirts, the thicker they are, the more you can sweat and feel a little hotter. However, they do a better job picking up sweat and wicking of your body.

Cotton however is what I wear where I go to bed. My bedsheets are also 100% cotton, which is the best material to use during the summer months.

Polyester Is Another Double-Edge Sword

Why people wear Polyester? It's cheaper to make than cotton and since it is a synth fiber made of plastic, it can pick up sweat from your body faster and wicks off quicker than cotton. However, Polyester is not a breathable fiber (makes you feel hotter, that's why most winter wear is made of polyester), not the best for the environment if you care for it, since it picks up sweat and leave it in the polyester fibers it can stink even if you wash it correctly. When I do any active wear or working outside, I use Polyester shirts, the 32 Degree Mesh Boxers, and one of my Uniqlo Polyester shorts with Mesh patterns on it. Great for picking up sweat fast so I can work longer, bad for smell control. I smell worse in polyester than Cotton, because polyester picks up all sweat. Furthermore, if you don't clean polyester correctly it can be perfect for mold to grow in your shirts (which happened to me recently). If you want Polyester to breath a little, make sure it has a mesh pattern on it (mini holes).

Personally I leave Polyester to active wear, unless I am going outside where sometimes I wear an overside cotton shirt and Uniqlo Polyester Shorts with a Mesh patter. Doesn't matter how good polyester can grab sweat from your body, if it is hot/humid outside it won't wick much.

So what happen Cotton/Poly blends? They do wick sweat faster but personally I do feel hotter when wearing these blends than a 100% cotton shirt. I only have Poly/Cotton blend polo shirts for work.

Linen is Good To A Point

Long story short: Linen is the best fabric to wear since it is breathable, sweat goes away quickly, and when it is the summer and you can feel the wind, it's a great feeling to have. Downside is Linen shirts are only button up only due to their design, must be iron out if you hate wrinkles, and cost more. Personally I don't like Linen Shirts, but I prefer to wear Lenin Pants. I have Uniqlo Linen/Cotton Blend pants that have less wrinkles due to the cotton but still have some benefits of the Linen. I would avoid wearing backpacks if possible during the hot/humid summers since your back will be sweating no mater what (even if you are wearing Linen).

Keep in mind also this, the lighter stuff you are wearing, the better it is for hot/humid summers, regardless of what material you are wearing.

Powder Your Butt and Balls

Gold Bond Powder is great, but don't use Gold Bond medicated on your balls if you want to avoid pain. Why use Powder products on your body? The Powder (which nowadays no longer made of Talc but with Corn Starch) grabs wetness/moist from your body and helps not get too wet on your body. If you have to wear 100% cotton outside in hot/humid days, powder up your body. Use foot powder for your feet if wearing sneakers, body powder for your body, and Happy Nuts if need to rub it on your balls like I do. If you are a guy, I recommend Happy Nuts since you want to avoid chaffing and smelly balls (but not the best to use it if you are expecting to get action from your other half). Clubman Pinaud stuff is used at the barber shops, people do like the smell of it more than Gold Bond. I don't recommend that on your balls, but still works the same as any other Body Powder. Downside is cost of use is higher with Clubman Pinard, so I prefer Gold Bond. Anti-Monkey Butt is also another popular brand of Body Powder.

Smelly Pits

For armpits, I actually use Crystal Deodorant Potassium Alum Stone. Yes, you are salting your pits with this, and yes this is the same Alum Stone if you are a wet shaver and want to stop cuts after using your straight-edge/double-edge safety razor (you can also buy Crystal for cheaper and not the fancy stuff from different barbers). This stuff give me the longest value of keeping my pits not smelly than any stick product. However, this stuff only works good if you shave your underarm (which I 100% recommend for hot/humid area like I do) because the alum stone must make contact with your skin (not your hairs). You also have to use it every time you get out of the shower (and only after taking a shower) and rub a lot on your pits. In the hot/humid days you will take more than one shower, so yes you put these stuff on every time. I don't like stick products since the ones that stops order and prevent sweating have aluminum on them, which causes stains in my underarm area of my shirts. I don't have this problem with Crystal, but every body is different and Crystal may not work for you.


Shave The Balls

You guys might laugh hard on this, but it's the truth. In hot/humid days you don't want to have hairy nuts. The more of a jungle is in there, the risk you can have rashes, heavy ball sweat, and possible you can get a fungus infection because they love dark and damp environments (and hairy balls and yes hairy underarms are perfect for that). That's why I shave my armpits and my balls, it's a safety issue during the summer in Florida (but I do it all year round). Happy Nuts as I recommended does work better if you shave your balls since it works best with skin contact. With a Linen pants and wearing the 32 Degree Boxer Briefs on shaved balls, you will feel heaven and not having that area full of sweat. Anything to avoid fungus infection is good, and yes you have to do hard decisions at times.

More to come when I have a moment, in the meanwhile provide your recommendations since we have to help each other out in the hot/humid summers.

 

Also a Floridian - all great points.

For me, I lean towards long sleeve linen for the sun protection. The sun is out longer in the summer, and I'm not great at remembering to religiously apply sunscreen, so I prefer long sleeves and full length pants. I also make a habit out of wearing fingerless sun gloves to protect my hands. I use ones from Buff, but any one will do.

And to top it off - a wide brimmed hat! I personally use a wool felt Stetson, but any wide brimmed hat will also offer some sun protection. There are hats with more ventilation if your head runs hot.

Finally - stay hydrated! I take a water bottle everywhere with me, every time I leave the house, and am constantly drinking water, especially when outdoors on hot days.

 

Oh yes I forgot, some good points you made. Wide brimmed hats don't look good on me, so I do basic ballcap hats. However, hats must be washed/cleaned regularly because the salt from your sweat can ruin hats.

Wool is a good material, but you have to be careful on where you are using it. Personally I like ultra thin merino wool socks, because it is leagues more breathable than cotton socks and keeps my feet cool for the hot days and warm on the cold days (on top of making them dry). That with some foot powder and my feet keeps dry to the point that it is hard to get any fungal infection.

Long sleeve shirts for me I don't like in the summer since it always make me feel a lot hotter. However, for others keeping the skin from getting hit from the sun helps them to keep them cooler. It all depends on your preference.

And yes, drink a lot of water and I hope you can enjoying peeing a lot. Pee is good and love here in Florida.

 

I usually try to wear an athletic/synthetic/quick-dry shirt under my dress shirts. Feels slightly warmer, but the wicking will help you feel better in the long run. Bonus is the wicking also lessens the pit sweats.

I don't have foot powder, but do carry a small bottle of baby powder around. Not just for the feet, but a super quick poof under the arms or back of the neck works well. I've even used it in my hair in a quick pinch to take out some of the oily shine.

 

Synth shirts will work better for you since you are in the land of milk bags. You don't have to worry too much about max humidity multiple months of the year. For me, if I attempted to wear synth shirts under my dress shirt I'll be stinking and sweating too much. All materials have their place, but the weather and humidity is key.

 

A little dash of borax and washing soda (very cheap stuff) mixed in with your regular detergent really does help reduce the stink on synthetics and boosts the effectiveness of the wash (they're called laundry boosters for a reason).

Especially on the athletic stuff. They tend to have finer threads/tighter weaves, which is good for wicking faster, but that winds up producing a greater surface area that your sweat and oils will stick to. Pre-soak if possible to help break down your body gunk on the fabrics. Hang dry for a bit in the sun so the UV can kill all the stink producing bacteria. Try not to let stinky sweaty clothes fester too long in the basket too, or at the very least lay them somewhere they'll dry if it's gonna be a while before you wash.

Don't use fabric softeners, that just adds a tiny bit of waxy/chemical goop to your clothes that eventually reduces the moisture wicking ability of your clothes.

 

Uh, basically what you guys said above. Good stuff.

+1 on this. Economical, ecological, and no chemicals to clog your pores.

I look like a doof in a brimmed hat, but for hikes and the beach it's essential. I go for the "surplus" boonie-style. In the sun, I can also rinse it out with water and have the evaporation effect to cool down. In humid situations, you might not want to do this.

Merino is surprisingly good! it's soft and wicks moisture better than synths. Also, I learned from a tailor years ago that a wool suit actually insulates against the heat. I assume if the heat is really hot outside, and if it's not too humid, so um yeah-no on that. But there is rationale that if you can shield yourself against the sun either with a light shirt you won't feel so hot. Again, it's usually the humidity and not the heat that will get you.

My own experience:
Plan ahead and take your time. Economy of motion will make thing more pleasant than if you're rushing through the hot pea soup that is sub-equatorial Asia. There's a reason why tropical locals are "slow"...they're being smart.

In dry climates: drink more water. If you don't sweat, it's because it's probably evaporated, whereas in humid areas you know how much you sweated.

Backpacks...I go with the one shoulder carry when it gets too hot. A tote bag or a messenger bag might be better. Not gonna suggest a man bag.

 

I find the traditional vesti (dhoti" wrap-around cloth) to be good, although it gets very sweaty around the waist. Paired with a baseball cap, which might not be needed by those who still have more hair. And a kurta (smock-like, longish, shirt).

In the house, with AC keeping ambient to around 26-28 C (Sorry, Google will tell the F) I just wear a pair of cotton boxer shorts and a knee-length towel wrap. That's thin towel, like kitchen, not bathroom).

My wife's take on fabrics, as someone born and bred in this steam-oven climate: She will not wear synthetics. Cotton only. Silk is also very sweaty. She wears it only for special events in AC venues.

Sure, cotton is not perfect. If I go walking for a couple of hours in summer (April to September) then sometimes I need help to get the sweat-welded shirt off over my head.

Nights, although as much as 10 C degrees cooler, feel worse, as the humidity seems to increase. The bedroom AC seems to always fail in mid-summer! This year, it did so last month: lets hope that's it for the year.

I would guess that Chennai-India climate is not that different to Florida. Except (maybe?) it is still hot and humid here in mid winter. A fewer hurricanes.

I'd rather be in this heat than the British cold+damp.

 

Reading with awe and contentment from the comfort of cold.

In the summer time when it reaches up to 35 deg C in the shade here (95 deg F), which while mild to the southerners, is unbearably hot for me, I grab for the loose and long sleeved linen or thick cotton clothes. Especially for physical work. In that temperature sun is the greatest threat - getting the radiation reflected and blocked is a must. And a hat is appreciated.
Materials POV - many synthetics are poor blockers of infrared - Nylon for instance. Great for letting some body heat escape, but in the sun you become a runaway greenhouse in those clothes.

As for sweating IDK what's up with the synth sports wear - the stink like a rotten animal after workout, whereas normal linen/cotton stuff smells of manly sweat.

Surely this will be elaborated on - I have observed drastically different adaptations and genetics to match either end of the rope better or worse.
I have all the adaptations for cold - balls cling close to the crotch, not too big nose, from as early as I remember could swim in ice cold water without much drama and built in dislike to any temperature above 27 deg C (80 deg F).
A colleague of mine from Greece living here in Estonia for 5 years keeps reminding me of the misery of the climate here every other discussion. At the same time he admitted to have adapted significantly.

 

I use regular detergent and add white vinegar during the rinse cycle. This helps with my synth fabric and also the old fashion fabric softener since it kills the hard water that's in Florida's water.

Also, adding too much detergent also adds that waxy/chemical feeling on your clothes. Too many people add too much detergent.

 

Obviously this differes for one's local water, but broadly, I'd agree. I reduce the recommended amount (included measure) substantially. It takes very little detergent to wash sweat out of clothes. Greater amounts is for the car tinkerers, grass rollers, etc etc who actually need to get rid of dirt and stains.

A Japanese colleague once told me that manufacturers love the Japanese market, because the people follow the instructions. If it says "apply liberally" on, eg, a shampoo bottle, they do, whereas the rest of the world has discovered that a small spoonful is more than enough.

Fabric conditioner is a con. I was addicted/fooled by it before I moved to India. At that time, it just wasn't on the shelves here and I learned how completely unnecessary it is. It makes fluffy clothing seem fluffier by adding crap to the fibres.

 

Is the lungi the same?

 

No. It's also a wrap around garment but is stitched in a circle (one has to step into it) and folded/tucked differently. Also usually coloured rather than white. A check patter here, can even be floral in Kerala. It's more informal.

Have to confess that I don't actually know know how to tie one!

 

I find wide brimmed hats to be a bit unwieldy, so I have some ball caps with flaps that cover your ears and the back of the neck. I think they are commonly called flap caps. I've seen brimmed hats with the flaps as well, seems redundant to me.

 

What's the move for socks to keep your feet cool and not stinky? I've tried all cotton, I've tried synthetic workout socks, haven't yet tried Coolmax socks.

I live in Central Texas and we have too many 100+ degree days here. My feet end up hot as hell and by the end of the day my socks are soaked through. After I take them off and they dry out, they're stiff.

Would love any recommendations to help mitigate these issues.

 

Modern Moses YMO bring his holy testament to our fair forum.

 

Same problem with me. No other solution than to go bare foot. I remove shoes and socks as much as possible during the day, even in office.

This is some underrated physiology people are missing. Most efficient heat radiation from body is from feet, palms of hands and face. This is where arteries and veins connect in specific fashion and are nearest to the surface of the skin.
Link to Hubberman explaining this stuff, go to 30 min in :

 

OK, so back in "temperate" UK, I was one of those scorned socks and sandals men , here in the heat I'd say that bare feet and open sandals is the only way to go. Watch out for sunburnt toes, though! But don't even think about wearing socks. What is the point of something that is only going to get sweat wet!

Indoors at home, I always wore something softer and more comfortable than outdoor shoes. Then I picked up the Indian rule of outdoor footwear being left at the door, and realised how disgusting it is to walk the dog shit and everything around one's house.

(India rule: it doesn't have to be bare feet at home: my wife wears indoor flipflops)

Barefoot outdoors? It takes a lifetime to toughen the skin. Otherwise, I think it quite dangerous. Small cuts plus dirt can lead to nasty things, even including tetanus. Also, many surfaces (eg our concrete driveway) get burning hot in the sun.

Once, we were visiting a temple with a tourist friend from America. The black-stone courtyard was so hot that I couldn't walk on it at all. My wife had light socks, and she gave them to me: she could stand it, I couldn't. I felt like the stupid tourist that day. not foreseeing this.

 

Gold Bond Foot Powder and higher percentage Merino Wool thinner socks (not the thick ones). This combo always kept my foot dry in the hot FL summer. Merino Wool is a great material to keep foot dry and cool/warm depending on temps, and also good to prevent bacterial growth in your feet.