The choice of clothing is crucial to ensuring the comfort of little ones (and adults) during outdoor adventures. A very common mistake that many parents make when dressing their little ones to play outside is choosing cotton clothing as a base layer.

Cotton is a material that should absolutely be avoided as an underlay. Here's why :

Cotton absorbs and retains moisture.

The main disadvantage of cotton is its ability to absorb moisture.

For example, when we sweat or when a child is too hot in their snowsuit, cotton tends to absorb this moisture and keep it on the child's skin, which creates a humid environment that cools our skin. toddlers.

Cotton loses its insulating power when wet.

Cotton has the particularity of losing its thermal insulation capacity when wet.

This means that if your child is wearing cotton as a base layer and it becomes damp because they are hot, in the rain, or wet from snow, their base layer will not be no longer able to keep him warm. This can cause you to feel cold and even increase your risk of hypothermia, especially in cold weather.

Cotton dries slowly

Cotton tends to dry slowly. If your little adventurers got their clothes wet during their escapades, it will take some time for their cotton clothes to dry completely and will potentially keep them uncomfortable for a long time.

Fortunately, there are many alternatives to cotton base layer clothing.

Merino wool base layers are preferred because they wick away moisture, dry quickly and maintain their insulating power, even if they get wet. Additionally, merino wool has the ability to thermoregulate body temperature, making it an excellent choice for outdoor activities in both summer and winter.

Opting for socks , a beanie , a neck warmer or a balaclava made from merino wool are also wise choices to ensure comfort during outdoor activities in cold weather.

To fully enjoy your outdoor escapades with your little ones, make sure you choose their clothes carefully!