Sitting in a hide in Namibia, dressed in nothing but black silk skivvies, I felt a little stupid.

Baking under the African sun, without a breath of wind, the hide felt like a barbecue grill with the top down. Beads of sweat raced down my skin but not just because of the oppressive heat. A physical and mental standoff with a large Burchell's zebra stallion contributed to the rivulets. I wanted that stallion -- bad.

From the time I first saw the herd until the stallion finally walked in for a drink at the waterhole, two excruciating hours had passed. The mares and foals were extremely nervous and hesitant to approach the water, but the stallion made them look careless.

Even as he drank, facing me, he was wired to explode. Finally, when a tiny bird flitted to the water's edge, the zebra bolted to a broadside position, and my arrow was gone. The gorgeous stallion was mine.

As I spoke into the lens of my camcorder, my voice cracked with excitement. After watching the footage later, I discovered I was right -- I did look ridiculous! Still, considering the conditions, I was as cool as humanly possible.

Whether it relates to a broiling August antelope blind or stalking a mule deer in 100-degree heat, hot-box hunting requires special consideration. First and foremost is personal hydration. Even sitting still in a blind can dehydrate you, and hiking in the blazing sun is especially tough on your body. You can't drink enough in those extreme situations, so you must carry plenty of water in a hydration bladder or other reservoir.

Next in importance is what you wear. Heat stroke is a dangerous malady, and you must be able to shed layers so your body can expel internal heat through radiation and evaporation of perspiration. Once you get down to the last layer, you need a hydrophobic material that won't hold moisture but rather will allow rapid evaporation.

Some hunters still prefer cotton in hot weather because it does hold moisture, which prolongs evaporation and the cool feeling it yields. Personally, I don't subscribe to that philosophy because I can never predict the weather or length of my hunt.

For example, if I'm roasting on stand and then a front moves in, dropping the temperature and some rain, I don't want to be caught in wet cotton. Or, if I'm sweating while stalking a mule deer and end up pinned down in the chilly shade, I want to be dry. You're almost always better off if perspiration dissipates quickly -- as it does when you're wearing today's high-tech, moisture-wicking garments.

The following garments will dry quickly, sometimes in minutes, to assure that you will remain dry and cool under the most extreme conditions. If beads of sweat will be a constant companion on your next hunt, check out some of these garments.