Living and working in south GA has left me with a healthy respect for heat and the limitations it puts on working. Due to this, I have tried a few different items to try to 'beat the heat' and am throwing my reviews out there in case anyone is wondering about a product.
I'm going to start from the bottom with boots. About a month ago I got a pair of Bates C3's to try. They are lightweight and break in quickly, and the zipper seems to be high quality. They feel weird when first put on due to having a series of small holes in the sole to allow air in from the side channels. I have not ran through any puddles, but have been in some small storms and my feet have stayed surprisingly dry. However, the boots are not like Under Armour for your feet and do not make you feel 10 degrees cooler. Your boot temp seems to stay the same, but there's less of an oven feeling. Also, the boots have a weird heel that puts your foot an odd angle and can be uncomfortable if you stand with a lot of weight on your heels.
Conclusion: save some money and get something with thin walls for the same effect
Socks: The best ones I've used are the green with silver threading I got while still in the Air Force. When new, they keep your feet dry and snug, though they are a little thick. The socks themselves last a long time, but seem to lose some benefits after a while. They are also a little tall for my taste for summer wear. I have found Haynes makes some pretty nice, cheap, and comfortable 6-inch socks that have worked well the past few weeks. I have not tried Under Armour socks for a long period of time, but did not find the material to be to my liking (felt like my foot was slipping).
Underwear: This is an only you can decide category. I have tried different types of compression shorts, but found that I like regular cotton the best.
Shirts: I hate, hate, HATE compression shirts. I find they ride up at the bottom and do not like having them tight on my stomach or chest. The 3 shirts I usually wear are below:
Starter's moisture wicking: bought them on a trip when I forgot some T's. Got 3 for like $7 at Wal-Mart. They are comfortable, work a lot better than I thought they would, and, best of all, are tagless. They are cut a little small and body armor will sometimes slide around.
Under Armour loose fit 'cotton' style: have the look of and feel somewhat like a regular cotton shirt, but have some moisture wicking abilities. They do not work as well as a compression style but are not bad. They are a good under vest shirt though get a little itchy and will get a sour smell after 14 hours
Black Sophie's brand t's that I got while in the AF- soft, comfortable, cut well, last a while. However, will hold moisture more than the other 2.
The best way I have found to test a shirts effectiveness is to take a shower, leave your back a little wet, then put on the shirt and your vest for a little while. If your back still gets dry, you are good to go.
I hope this has helped anymore who is out in the heat as much as I am. Please feel free to add to the list.
I'm going to start from the bottom with boots. About a month ago I got a pair of Bates C3's to try. They are lightweight and break in quickly, and the zipper seems to be high quality. They feel weird when first put on due to having a series of small holes in the sole to allow air in from the side channels. I have not ran through any puddles, but have been in some small storms and my feet have stayed surprisingly dry. However, the boots are not like Under Armour for your feet and do not make you feel 10 degrees cooler. Your boot temp seems to stay the same, but there's less of an oven feeling. Also, the boots have a weird heel that puts your foot an odd angle and can be uncomfortable if you stand with a lot of weight on your heels.
Conclusion: save some money and get something with thin walls for the same effect
Socks: The best ones I've used are the green with silver threading I got while still in the Air Force. When new, they keep your feet dry and snug, though they are a little thick. The socks themselves last a long time, but seem to lose some benefits after a while. They are also a little tall for my taste for summer wear. I have found Haynes makes some pretty nice, cheap, and comfortable 6-inch socks that have worked well the past few weeks. I have not tried Under Armour socks for a long period of time, but did not find the material to be to my liking (felt like my foot was slipping).
Underwear: This is an only you can decide category. I have tried different types of compression shorts, but found that I like regular cotton the best.
Shirts: I hate, hate, HATE compression shirts. I find they ride up at the bottom and do not like having them tight on my stomach or chest. The 3 shirts I usually wear are below:
Starter's moisture wicking: bought them on a trip when I forgot some T's. Got 3 for like $7 at Wal-Mart. They are comfortable, work a lot better than I thought they would, and, best of all, are tagless. They are cut a little small and body armor will sometimes slide around.
Under Armour loose fit 'cotton' style: have the look of and feel somewhat like a regular cotton shirt, but have some moisture wicking abilities. They do not work as well as a compression style but are not bad. They are a good under vest shirt though get a little itchy and will get a sour smell after 14 hours
Black Sophie's brand t's that I got while in the AF- soft, comfortable, cut well, last a while. However, will hold moisture more than the other 2.
The best way I have found to test a shirts effectiveness is to take a shower, leave your back a little wet, then put on the shirt and your vest for a little while. If your back still gets dry, you are good to go.
I hope this has helped anymore who is out in the heat as much as I am. Please feel free to add to the list.
