Not everything in the Xbox camper collection is suitable for outdoors

Xbox has launched a collection of clothing and accessories dedicated to camping. No, not the kind of video game that esports organization 100 Thieves lashed out with your own clothing line — Microsoft’s is actually about go out and touch the grass. The Camper collection includes a variety of shorts, shirts and headgear, along with things like a hammock and camping chair.

Since most people don’t usually associate gaming with getting outdoors, some of the items in the line seem decent. The Xbox camp chair looks like a clone of the design popularized by the Helinox Zero Chair (To be fair, also pretty much each other to camp chair), but electric green and twice as heavy. However, since it’s significantly cheaper than the Helinox, it’s hard to complain about the weight.

the hammock also seems fine; again, people who count every ounce probably wouldn’t want it, but it seems perfectly suited for hanging 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 bottleI just wish it wasn’t loading double usual selling price for him now that his admittedly very cool topographical mark has been slapped.

as a outdoor person myselfHowever, I’m not sure Microsoft’s “camper” marketing lines up with how some of these products are actually made. He says it’s Tshirts, hatsY sweaters they’re for “exploring the great outdoors,” but they’re made from 80 to 90 percent cotton, depending on their spec sheets. If you’ve ever been within walking distance of an REI or other outdoor store, you might recognize that’s a bit of a problem: the phrase “cotton killsis probably one of the most cited tips in the hiking and camping community.

It is, to be clear, an overly dramatic slogan. Cotton clothing has been implicated in some exposure deaths over the years, but it’s not like you’ll die right away if you step on a trail wearing this marbled t-shirt from ABXY. However, if you’re surprised by bad weather, you could have a real problem on your hands: cotton doesn’t keep you warm when it gets wet. To make matters worse, it dries very slowly, so even if it stops raining, your soaked cotton shirt can still absorb your body heat. And while that probably won’t kill you unless you’re in a pretty remote area, in the words of Sans Undertale, “you will have a hard time.” Also: Moisture won’t necessarily come from precipitation. I’ve had many hikes where a cotton t-shirt soaked up all my sweat and then chilled me to the bone once I hit a shady section of trail.

Image: Microsoft

I don’t want to exaggerate the danger here. You don’t need a fleece t-shirt or fancy athletic fabrics to go hiking; you’ll just have a more enjoyable experience if you do. (And for the prices Microsoft charges for these shirts, you could definitely get a good walking shirt if you’re going to be spending a lot of time outdoors.) However, the strange thing is that other clothes in the Microsoft collection, I like this nylon windbreaker either these nylon shorts they are made of a material that is really suitable for hiking.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t buy any of this gear, I’ll even admit that the Xbox-y outdoor patterns look pretty cool. But if you pick them up to add them 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 on obligations. You monster.