PackHacks: Men's Lightweight Travel Wear
/As we have mentioned in previous posts, this trip we are trying to reduce the amount of clothes we are bringing with us. On our first long-term travel adventure we both had a small carry-on bag plus an additional shoulder-bag/backpack each. We learned that we routinely wore only about half of the clothes in our bags, forcing us to carry around stuff we never wore. This time we are attempting to pack smarter and lighter and we hope we can help you do the same. We already know that we will be packing a Travel Laundry Kit which will allow us to do laundry wherever and whenever we need. We can now pack enough clothes for one week as opposed to two weeks (like our previous trip) knowing we will never have to seek out laundry facilities. We are also trying to shop smarter, choosing to buy light-to-medium weight, non-cotton, wrinkle-free layers that we can mix and match depending on the weather. This allows us to leave the bulky (and slow drying) jeans and cotton shirts behind. We hope this change will free up enough room to allow us to leave those cumbersome carry-ons at home (at least one of them).
Here are a few new items i'll be bring with me on our next trip:
Horizon Pants from Eddie Bauer are perfect for long term travel.
- Made from 94% Nylon and 6% Spandex for an ultralight, flexible, breathable fabric
- Freedry™ advanced moisture management technology wicks moisture away from the skin and allows material to dry quickly.
- Freeshade™ UPF 50+ sun protection shields your skin and prevents sunburn.
- Wrinkle-resistant material allows you to wear them after they've been rolled up in the bottom of your bag.
- 5 pocket design; with two velcro back pockets and a zippered cargo pocket along the seam help keep your belongings safe.
- Machine washable and dry-able for easy care.
Icebreaker Merino Wool Outerwear
- Merino sheep from New Zealand have unique wool that make it ideal for producing outdoor/travel clothing.
- Merino wool has an exceptionally high warmth-to-weight ratio which helps keep bags light.
- Highly breathable fabric keeps moisture away from your skin while also allowing for quick drying time after washing.
- Natural odor resistance of the fibers keeps your bag from smelling musty and damp.
- Ultra-fine fibers won't irritate the skin or make you itch like traditional wool can.
- Tiny air pockets in the fabric help keep you warm in winter
- Moisture-wicking fabric keeps your skin dry and cool in summer.
- With a few different layers in your bag, you can mix and match to find the best combo for whatever the weather.
- Hand or machine washable.
With a couple pairs of these pants and four or five shirts of varying weights, I have successfully reduced my pack list by half. No longer will I have to carry clothes that only get worn when everything else is dirty which is a real load off my shoulders.
If you think there is something we should find room for in our bags, please let us know. We are always trying to do things smarter and more efficiently.
Happy Packing!!