Running naked harder or easier!

Is there scientific (or opinionated) evidence that running with a tech shirt during the summer makes it easier on the runner then running without one?

I have been running and racing shirtless (not naked) most of the summer and sweating like Ewing in the 4th quarter. I wonder if it is making me hotter and therefore harder to run.

This is by no means a scientific answer, but I have thought that a tech shirt helps to more evenly distribute the moisture over the surface area of the skin and retain it for cooling purposes, as opposed to the sweat just beading up and running down into my shoes. I think I sweat more shirtless, but do I? I don't know.

Mr MattM wrote:This is by no means a scientific answer, but I have thought that a tech shirt helps to more evenly distribute the moisture over the surface area of the skin and retain it for cooling purposes, as opposed to the sweat just beading up and running down into my shoes.

I agree with Matt. I think that the tech shirt would hold the moisture to keep you cooler, as opposed to the sweat running off of you or evaporating.

Mr MattM wrote:This is by no means a scientific answer, but I have thought that a tech shirt helps to more evenly distribute the moisture over the surface area of the skin and retain it for cooling purposes, as opposed to the sweat just beading up and running down into my shoes. I think I sweat more shirtless, but do I? I don't know.

I'm going to take this answer one step further: The tech shirt helps distribute the sweat for cooling purposes until its fully saturated. Then, it traps heat and moisture in, and inhibits cooling.

For that reason I often start with a shirt for the first chunk of miles then take it off. Or, I will pit stop into a dry shirt halfway through the run. This strategy is especially effective on the treadmill.

Dave-O wrote:

Mr MattM wrote:This is by no means a scientific answer, but I have thought that a tech shirt helps to more evenly distribute the moisture over the surface area of the skin and retain it for cooling purposes, as opposed to the sweat just beading up and running down into my shoes. I think I sweat more shirtless, but do I? I don't know.

I'm going to take this answer one step further: The tech shirt helps distribute the sweat for cooling purposes until its fully saturated. Then, it traps heat and moisture in, and inhibits cooling.

For that reason I often start with a shirt for the first chunk of miles then take it off. Or, I will pit stop into a dry shirt halfway through the run. This strategy is especially effective on the treadmill.

Are we talking sleeved shirt versus singlet equally here? I don't like the FEEL of that sweat soaked singlet, but I don't know that it's helping or hurting my running much.

Dave-O wrote:

Mr MattM wrote:This is by no means a scientific answer, but I have thought that a tech shirt helps to more evenly distribute the moisture over the surface area of the skin and retain it for cooling purposes, as opposed to the sweat just beading up and running down into my shoes. I think I sweat more shirtless, but do I? I don't know.

I'm going to take this answer one step further: The tech shirt helps distribute the sweat for cooling purposes until its fully saturated. Then, it traps heat and moisture in, and inhibits cooling.

For that reason I often start with a shirt for the first chunk of miles then take it off. Or, I will pit stop into a dry shirt halfway through the run. This strategy is especially effective on the treadmill.

That's a good point, especially related to running on the treadmill. But I think that as long as there is good air movement it doesn't inhibit cooling. I have noticed, in this summer heat in particular, that I can feel bursts of superheat during stretches where I've turned away from the breeze. It's like being in a broiler.

Here you go Thanks to a friend of mine.

[url=https://servimg.com/view/16584390/117]
[/url]

I just hope this thread does not go into the pros and cons of wearing shorts versus going without....

Kenny B. wrote:Here you go Thanks to a friend of mine.

[url=https://servimg.com/view/16584390/117]
[/url]

This study fails to mention anything about air movement.

Mr MattM wrote:

Kenny B. wrote:Here you go Thanks to a friend of mine.

[url=https://servimg.com/view/16584390/117]
[/url]

This study fails to mention anything about air movement.

And, who cares about moderate heat? I sweated through my shoes last night.

Yeah, nothing moderate about the heat this summer.

I was kicked out of a jr high track once. Since, I stopped running shirtless.

Jerry wrote:I was kicked out of a jr high track once. Since, I stopped running shirtless.

Wouldn't have pegged you to have Moobs, Jerry.

Chris M wrote:I just hope this thread does not go into the pros and cons of wearing shorts versus going without....

I with you 100% on that one Chris!

Martin VW wrote:

Mr MattM wrote:

Kenny B. wrote:Here you go Thanks to a friend of mine.

[url=https://servimg.com/view/16584390/117]
[/url]

This study fails to mention anything about air movement.

And, who cares about moderate heat? I sweated through my shoes last night.

Yeah I don't think there has been anything that has been moderate about this summer's heat! Been in the 90's again and looks like come Saturday close to hitting 100! Shoot VW your doing good with just sweat coming through your shoes! I feel like I just jumped out of late Michigan after a run!

Been down here in La Paz Mexico for a week and running before 6 am finishing between 7:00 and 7:30. It's been dark for half the run with a sea breeze but they get 100F or close every day here in the summer. The kids that live down here say they like hurricanes. I guess it cools things off. I ran shirtless and with singlets. Shirtless was mucho mejor!

I seriously doubt that a fabric can beat millions of years of evolution. Shirtless keeps you cooler.

However, I'll keep my shirt on in order to avoid the pools of spectator-vomit that would ultimately ensue.

Stan

BTW, nice post Kenny.

It's all about dewpoints for me. That study had modest humidity of 35%. I think shirtless works best when dewpoints are higher, especially in the morning before the sun's radiant heat gets you.

In Maine, I have found flying critters that bite, sting or pester you something wicked prevent that approach!

Diego wrote:It's all about dewpoints for me. That study had modest humidity of 35%. I think shirtless works best when dewpoints are higher, especially in the morning before the sun's radiant heat gets you.

In Maine, I have found flying critters that bite, sting or pester you something wicked prevent that approach!

Diego I could not agree more with you I pay way more attention to the Dew Point numbers than I do the humidity %. This whole summer it seems like Chicago's dew point numbers have bee in the range of 62 to 72. Which sure does make for a lot of uncomfortable runs but I know once those numbers drop it will feel awesome!

As Stan says in a roundabout way, let's not forget what the whole point of sweating is. That moisture is carrying heat out of your body and the evaporation is really what cools you off. If that moisture is trapped on your skin by a shirt, you're completely losing that evaporation factor. That's why a high dewpoint/humidity is so tough to run in, the sweat doesn't have anywhere to go other than sitting on your skin and not evaporating and cooling you off like it's designed to.

I run without a shirt as often as possible and I really don't care if someone is offended!

Very interesting discussion. I have nothing to add, except to note that my company's porn filter kept preventing me from reading this thread at work.

Chris M wrote:I just hope this thread does not go into the pros and cons of wearing shorts versus going without....

Well, I sure went there immediately...since where I am right now it is 85 and the humidity has reached 85% every day and anything longer than a mile means wringing about a gallon of sweat out of one's clothes... those teeny tiny briefs and tops that they have been wearing in the Olympics are looking more appealing every day.

E Greenie<--last day in humid paradise

Great feedback and discussion! I think I'll stick to naked running as long as I don't start offending the neighbors .