Can You Hike Without A Shirt? (2022)
The other day I was hiking in Yosemite National Park with my family, and we were all dying from the intense heat and climbing steep trails. Then the question came to mind can you hike without a shirt?
Shortly after asking myself this question, I took off my shirt and felt immediate relief from the blistering heat, enjoying the rest of my hike in comfort. The funny thing about this experience was that when I turned around to find my younger brothers, I saw they all took off their shirts too!
So yes, you can hike without a shirt. But before you guys and gals get excited about showing off your bodies on your next trip in the wilderness, there are a few things you should be aware of before hiking without a shirt.
How To Hike Without A Shirt?
This may sound a bit silly, I mean, you would think that you could just start walking like usual only without the shirt. But there are a couple of things you should keep in mind if you are hiking shirtless.
You Need Sun Protection:
Sun protection is essential whenever you are hiking and even more so if you do it without a shirt. Dermatologists recommend SPF 30 or greater, especially if you are doing an outdoor activity such as hiking. Wearing a hat and sunglasses are other ways to protect yourself from the sun but wearing sunscreen is a must.
Bring Bug Spray:
Bug spray is another essential to have whenever you go hiking, and its importance is magnified if you are doing it without a shirt. If you are in an extremely buggy area, forget hiking shirtless and protect yourself from those little monsters!
Pack Extra Clothes:
Even though you can hike without a shirt, that doesn’t mean you should show up to the trailhead unprepared. Make sure you have proper hiking clothes and extra layers in your day pack. Weather can easily change, and the last thing you want is to find yourself freezing at the top of a mountain!
What Is The Best Weather To Hike Without A Shirt?
So even though you can hike without a shirt doesn’t mean that every situation is a good one to do so. The best weather to go hiking without a shirt would be when it is sweltering outside with a low UV index, which indicates how dangerous sun exposure is on a given day.
Benefits Of Hiking Without A Shirt:
While hiking without a shirt is never something you have to do, there can be some benefits to doing it shirtless.
The biggest is cooling off when hiking in the summer heat. Trekking up a mountain is tough enough as it is throw in some intense heat, and it can be downright brutal. Walking shirtless in these situations can help you keep cool during an otherwise strenuous hike.
The other benefit you get is a nice-ish tan! Say goodbye to those classic farmer tan lines and hello to some tan lines outlining your backpack .
When You Shouldn’t Hike Shirtless:
It’s not always a good time to hike shirtless doing so in some conditions may even be dangerous. Some instances where you should avoid hiking without a shirt include:
- High UV Index: If you are hiking with a lot of sun exposure and a high UV index, putting on a shirt would be good for added protection. According to this article, unprotected sun exposure can cause damage to your skin, eyes, and immune system and can even lead to cancer.
- Inclement Weather: It should come as no surprise that being caught in rain or snow without a shirt won’t be very comfortable and can be dangerous. Wearing the wrong clothing or no clothing at all when hiking in the rain can lead to hypothermia.
- Buggy Areas: If the bugs are nasty where you’re hiking and bug spray isn’t enough then your next thing you should do is put on a shirt. These guys can be ruthless and ruin your time on the trail if you aren’t prepared for them.
- When Backpacking: I will get into this one more depth, but you should avoid backpacking shirtless.
Can You Backpack Without A Shirt
No.
Doing a day hike without a shirt is one thing but I would not recommend backpacking without a shirt. The reason why that the combination of your pack weight and the constant rubbing of the straps against your shoulders and straps can lead to blisters and burns.
I learned this the hard way when backpacking in Great Smoky Mountain National Park after just one day of backpacking without a shirt I was left with these battle wounds. Ouch!
