Xbox is campy now

Xbox has released a clothing and accessory collection dedicated to camping. No, not the type of video game that sees the organization trick 100 Thieves out of its clothing line — Microsoft is actually almost get out and touch the grass, The camper collection includes a variety of shorts, shirts and headgear as well as items such as hammocks and camping chairs.

Given that most people don’t usually associate gaming with going outdoors, some of the items in the lineup look really cool. Xbox’s Camp Chair looks like a clone of the popular design by Helinox Chair Zero (to be fair, so pretty much every other camp chair has), but electric green and twice as heavy. Given that it’s significantly cheaper than the Helinox, though, it’s hard to complain about the weight.

The hammock also sounds fine—again, people who count every ounce probably won’t want it, but it seems perfect for slinging between two trees at a campsite. And while I love that Microsoft is trying to get people to drink more water with this Nalgene water bottle, I wish it didn’t charge double There’s a normal retail price for it now that its very cool topographical branding has been slapped on.

As one outsider himselfHowever, I’m not sure how exactly Microsoft’s “Camper” marketing line makes some of these products. It says its T-shirts, hats and sweaters are for “exploring the great outdoors,” but they are made from 80 to 90 percent cotton, according to their typical sheets. If you’ve ever lived within spitting distance from an REI or other outdoor shop, you might recognize that it’s a problem—the phrase “cotton kills” is probably one of the most commonly cited pieces of advice in hiking and camping. Is. community.

To be clear, this is an overly dramatic slogan. Cotton clothing has been included in some of the risk deaths over the years, but it’s not like you’ll die instantly if you step on a trail wearing this ABXY Heath Tee. However, if you get caught in inclement weather, you could have a real problem on your hands – cotton doesn’t keep you warm when it’s wet. Making matters worse, it dries very slowly, so even when the rain stops, your cotton shirt can wick heat away from your body. And while that probably won’t kill you unless you’re in a very remote area, in the words of sans undertale, “You’re going to have a bad time.” Also: moisture won’t necessarily come from precipitation. I’ve had a lot of hiking trips where a cotton tee soaked up all my sweat and then proceeded to prop me up to the bone once I reached a shady section of the trail.

Image: Microsoft

I don’t want to exaggerate the danger here. You don’t need a shirt made of wool or fancy athletic fabrics for hiking; If you do this you will have a more pleasant experience. (And for the price Microsoft is charging for these shirts, you can definitely find a good hiking shirt if you’re going to spend a lot of time outside.) The odd thing is that the clothing in Microsoft’s collection is Other pieces, like this nylon windbreaker or these nylon shorts, are made from a material that’s really hiking-friendly.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t buy any of these gear—I’ll even admit that the Xbox-y Outdoors-y patterns look great. But if you pick them up to add to your Microsoft clothing collection, maybe leave the shirts at home on your next camping trip, unless your definition of “camping” is sitting near a spawn point. call of duty, Demon.