The Gun Counter

With the recent spate of travel threads and my increasing travel, the topic of clothing while traveling has been on my mind. Arctictom mentioned high tech travel clothes here.

So, if you want to travel as lightly as possible and you're willing to exchange a bit of inconvenience for a savings in weight, how do you pack? I've got some travel drawers that seem to work as advertised.

TravelSmith clothing sounds good, but does it work as promised?

Tim Ferris, the 4-hr work week guy, has some ideas on traveling on 10 lbs, but it's better suited to vacation, it assumes more expense than I can tolerate, and it has some parasitic elements that I don't care for.

I'm kind of interested in wonder fabrics that don't wrinkle, dry quickly, and look ok for business casual.

Fire away.

ETA: Backpacking/camping/sport clothing could be an option, too, I guess. REI or Campmor?

I was going to say something like 'cotton kills'. The newer outdoosy high tech synthetics would probably be a good way to pack light and durable.

Personally, I suggest wearing silk, wool, or linen if very hot. Nothing else is very comfortable, although the synthetics are good for workout clothes.

Aglifter wrote:Personally, I suggest wearing silk, wool, or linen if very hot. Nothing else is very comfortable, although the synthetics are good for workout clothes.

+1. I'm just packing for a trip, and I always pack wool underwear and socks. I also have a some quickdrying underwear that's easy to wash and dry overnight.
If I travel on vacation I try to only bring fast drying clothes, then I can wash it in the evening and let it dry overnight.

Aglifter wrote:Personally, I suggest wearing silk, wool, or linen if very hot. Nothing else is very comfortable...

I couldn't agree more.

"IceBreaker" is a good brand of modern, functional woollen clothing. Lots of choice. You can even get it silver-impregnated, which keeps odours at bay if you have to go a long time between laundries.

"SilkBody" for - you guessed it - silk. Silk is excellent for thermoregulation, and easy to wash and drip dry in a hotel washbasin overnight. Use your hair shampoo as wash detergent (same with wool).

I have no brand recommendations for linen, but linen is durable, light, comfortable and available both as business and casual attire. Linen always looks creased, so wearing it out of a suitcase or travel bag is fine.

There are two types of luggage: carry on and lost.

Business travel, I go with maximum 3 days/changes regardless of trip length. I have laundry done enroute at hotel as needed (since travel expense policy allows for that).

Do they make woolen underwear (other than long underwear?

Yep. Merino. Smoooooooth

I am the sad owner of a Ford Expedition(low MPG). Packing is not a problem, it will haul insane amounts of stuff.

I travel with the Colombia omni shade shirts and pants made out of similar stuff , and one pair that zippers into shorts , one pare of good hiking shoes and one pair of sandals , a stuff sack parka ,and a light fleese thats water proof , then I am set for cloths . My things weigh in at around 20 k , check amazon and or Colombia web sites for particulars. The new fabrics are very very good in hot places where you might require UV protection , I found them fantastic in the Atacalma , in northern Chile, and other very hot places I have visited.
I fish in the pants with sandals , the moisture wicks away very fast , really increadable stuff.