Clothing

[mcsoupman]

Ok, you guys have been helpful with everything from food, tools, solar, etc, but now I have a clothing question. Thanks again for all of you experienced guys and your opinions.

Clothing questions:

Jackets, Shirts, pants, boots, socks, even underwear. What do you recommend for comfort, longevity, durability, etc?

Shirts - mixture of T-shirts, long-sleeve flannels, underarmour?

Pants - blue jeans are great, but they aren't are flexible or even as durable as some work type pants.

Boots - Does any boot/shoe work? Heavy duty expensive redwings vs Big 5 or costco work boots? Do you need specific hiking boots? Weight an issue?

socks - I know these are important. How often do you plan to change? Are certain brands better than others? Do you just leave some in your bag and only plan to use in the BOB need situations?

chones - no joke, you serious guys know what I am asking. Anything, non chafing?

And as always, do you recommend a good place to pick stuff up? REI is wicked expensive, Walmart stuff can be way too flimsy. . .

Thanks again!

[sskeeter]

Avoid cotton. Layer with fabrics that are breathable and move moisture away from your body. Your outer layer should be waterproof and breathable like Gortex. Smartwool socks are comfy in any weather and won't cause blisters. I like lighter weight hiking books from Hi-tec for value/perfomance.

Nylon or sythetic zip-off leg pants are great. Check out Sierratradingpost.com for good deals and a great return policy. Craigslist can be good if you know what to look for.

[bubbagump]

REI is expensive. Here are some tips. Winter Clearance is your friend. If your a big person (Large and Extra Large Sizes), then there is a large selection of clearance clothing (only skinny people shop at REI). Used gear sales have heavily discounted clothing that are still good. My wife buys most of her clothing in the mens section because of color, style, and price...mens clothes seem to be cheaper at REI.

If you don't want to go through all that trouble, then Carhartt and Dickies is the way to go. Walmart, Sears, and Swap Meets are good, inexpensive sources of these brands. I've been using the same pair of Dickies since 2006 and they are just a bit faded.

EDIT: A note about dickies. The pants and shorts are a blend of polyester and cotton. More polyester than cotton I think. They dry rather quick if you get them in black. My paire of 2006 shorts have seen hard use. They survived a few high speed bicycle wipe outs that I didn't fair so well in. Just an FYI.

This is what I use for winter and summer. Most of what I do is backpacking/fly-fishing (multi-day trips). I like my stuff to pack small and be lightweight...so take that into consideration.

Summer
Smartwool Socks
Injinji Toe Socks
Liner socks
Cheap Walmart polyester running shorts
Under Armour Compression shorts (polyester)
cotton t-shirt
Under Armour polyester under shirt
Cotton Bandana, Synthetic Ball Cap, or Straw Sombrero
Cotton REI Climbing Pants or Nylon Mountain Hardware Pants
La Sportiva Trail Runners or Merrel mid-length boots

Winter
Smartwool Socks
Liner Socks
Under Armour coldgear compression tights
Nylon Mountain hardware pants or Cotton REI climbing pants
Polyester Dickie Shorts
REI Down Jacket
REI Fleece Hoodie
Mountain hardware beenie
Outdoor Research PL 400 Liner Gloves
Wool Gloves
Under Armour Coldgear long sleeve turtle neck
Sunglasses
Gaiters
Marmot Precip Rain Jacket
Danners Waterproof Boots

I tend to stick to light colors for my active clothing...keeps me cooler...

That all I can think of right now. I usually mix and match that gear but its my complete list for SOCAL backpacking.

[Fireguy]

I would include some natural fiber clothes in the mix. Wool for example will retain warmth even when wet and wears well. The high tech materials don't stand up to high heat. Ever sit near a camp fire and have an ember out of the fire on to your Hi Tech clothes and leave a hole in the fabric? Just food for thought.

[bubbagump]

I would include some natural fiber clothes in the mix. Wool for example will retain warmth even when wet and wears well. The high tech materials don't stand up to high heat. Ever sit near a camp fire and have an ember out of the fire on to your Hi Tech clothes and leave a hole in the fabric? Just food for thought.

+1

I had a synthetic fill sleeping bag catch fire with me in it...

90% of the time, I don't have a campfire because of fire danger/leave no trace. So its not something I consider when buying my fancy schmancy clothes.

I know LL Bean sells some good wool gear.

[cantcme]

Wool is very important because it works when wet and is durable. You must have something that will stop the wind. The cold isn't that much of a threat unless you are at high altitude or way up north. The real threat is wind and moisture. a 40 degree day will hurt you if it's windy or raining and you aren't prepared. Combine the wind and rain without protection and your life is in danger.

Don't forget your wool hat with bill for warmth and sun protection.

[mcsoupman]

This is some good stuff guys. I really appreciate you weighing in. I am trying to schedule some over night hiking stuff with some guys this year so I can get a taste of being out there.

[colddeadhands]

Wool, any thing you can get your hands on. its worth the money for good wool cause it will last for ever as long as you don't put it in the washing machine. Don't worry about dry cleaning bills though wool doesn't absorb odors like other fabrics. dirt can be brushed off and even mud when it dries will peel right off.

Smartwool socks are awesome, but at $17 a pair I only wear them in the winter. Costco sells some merino wool socks that are $20 a four pack and the quality is excellent for the price.

I buy most of my shirts at cabelas you can get good tough canvas shirts for $25 and they last a long time.

My dad used to wear Ben Davis pants a lot cause there rugged, dry fast and they're cheap.. I never could get used to how they're kinda scratchy on your skin.





I personally don't like all the ultra modern plastic clothing i just don't think it lasts, but that's just my .02

[sskeeter]

Wool, any thing you can get your hands on. its worth the money for good wool cause it will last for ever as long as you don't put it in the washing machine. Don't worry about dry cleaning bills though wool doesn't absorb odors like other fabrics. dirt can be brushed off and even mud when it dries will peel right off.

Smartwool socks are awesome, but at $17 a pair I only wear them in the winter. Costco sells some merino wool socks that are $20 a four pack and the quality is excellent for the price.

I buy most of my shirts at cabelas you can get good tough canvas shirts for $25 and they last a long time.

My dad used to wear Ben Davis pants a lot cause there rugged, dry fast and they're cheap.. I never could get used to how they're kinda scratchy on your skin.





I personally don't like all the ultra modern plastic clothing i just don't think it lasts, but that's just my .02

I was going to mention those socks from Costco rock but I can't find them down here in LA. I bought a pack in Oregon a couple of years ago and would love to get more.

I have a Gortex shell and pants from the early 90's that still work and look great. You just wash them and put on more water repellent every couple of years. I wouldn't want to sit around a roaring fire with sparks but I'm guessing in a bug out situation I'm not going to be making a lot of roaring fires.

[ChaparralCommando]

I visited the Army-Navy surplus store in Billings, MT when I was there last month. That place has everything you would ever need. Huge place and good quality. I was short on space in my luggage so I just got a nice pair of wool pants. They have a website and ship. http://go-armynavy.com/

[pullnshoot25]

I visited the Army-Navy surplus store in Billings, MT when I was there last month. That place has everything you would ever need. Huge place and good quality. I was short on space in my luggage so I just got a nice pair of wool pants. They have a website and ship. http://go-armynavy.com/

My phone didn't ring... hmmph...

[mcsoupman]

Since comfort and durability are important, any thoughts on the ol' loin cloth covered region. Regular old tighty-whities don't always cut it.

[Skullster]

Since comfort and durability are important, any thoughts on the ol' loin cloth covered region. Regular old tighty-whities don't always cut it.

Compression shorts like those by Under Armor and Nike etc. I have never been dirt biking out in the desert without wearing em instead of my usual cotton briefs. Combined with either a long sleeve or short sleeve shirt it's like you are wearing an air conditioner!

[till44]

I'm a fan of North Face gear, their clothes fit me well and have lasted well for me. They are expensive though, luckily I live in Norcal near the North Face outlet in Berkeley. If you are ever up north stop in and load up. Shoes range from $20-$50, pants/shorts $8-$20, shirts $3-$15, sweatshirts/coats $10 and up, tents/sleeping bags/packs are always close to half the MSRP.

If making any trips north is not doable become an REI member and shop the member sales every other month. All returns, whether barely used or really abused are sold to members only every other month. I have picked up $200 pads for $18, $150 stoves for $25, shoes for $5, and clothes for $3-$50. It costs $20 bucks to join but you get 10% back of whatever you spend during the year, so come January you get a check from REI. Despite REI's high prices, their return policy makes up for it and is the main reason I shop there. I had a pair of hiking boots that started causing serious blisters after a year and a half of heavy use. I took them in to ask them what I could do to fix the problem (insoles, different socks, etc.) and they said not to try anything but they would just return them and get me a different boot. No hassle, no receipt.

[Dion]

Bubbagump mentioned work gloves. This is an important item I think many overlook.

I have a pair of Wells Lamont full finger in my home BOB, and a pair of regular work gloves AND winter gloves in my truck BOB.

Gloves are also important for warmer weather conditions, too, and fingerless variety are available. All survival methods are done with our hands - the last thing I would want in a situation is frozen, cracked or painful hands.

Base layers are important to wick moisture away from the body onto an outer layer. Base layer wicking will keep you drier and therefore warmer OR cooler. Also, long sleeve base layers are good for the hot weather as well as cold because they act as a sun block.

For boots, I have a pair of Asolos hiking boots - but these were $150. In my truck BOB, I have Asics running shoes - which I will probably trade out for some Big5 hiking boots. Since I'm a business professional, most of the time I'm travelling in a suit with dress shoes on.