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What kind of outdoor
clothing is best for backpacking? |
A sleeping bag . You can save a couple
pounds for $100 more - and get a better, warmer bag. With many
pieces of outdoor clothing, on the other hand, you pay a lot
more to get a slightly better item that saves you an ounce or
so. Spend the money if you want to - most of what these
manufacturers say about their clothing is true - but their are
cheaper alternatives that will work almost as well.
Outdoor Clothing - Other Options
Some outdoor clothing ideas and options you may not have heard of follow.
Consider what you really need for your plans. Scaling peaks in
Patagonia for a month? You may have to stick with the best sales
you can find on the high-quality stuff. On the other hand, for a
fair-weather overnighter, a two-ounce, two-dollar plastic poncho
isn't out of the question.
Pants
Jeans don't belong on most wilderness trips. Soft, lightweight
and quiet brushed-nylon pants (7 ounces versus 24 ounces for
jeans) will not only save weight, but they dry fast. For this
reason, they'll usually keep you warmer than heavy jeans
(getting cold is usually from being wet). Of course, I do wait
until they go on sale.
A pair of hiking pants that have zip-off legs (9 ounces). The
zipper areas become dark bands of dirt, and the zippers jamb. I
found it is better to wear plain lightweight pants (7 ounces)
and carry single layer nylon shorts (2 ounces). Same weight
over-all, with fewer problems.
Shirts
Cheap poly-cotton blend t-shirts. They weigh 5 to 6 ounces, and dry
quickly, unlike the pure cotton ones. I also like silk button
shirts. They weigh just three ounces, and used to show up on the
racks of thrift stores regularly for $3. They are comfortable
too, although some styles make me look like I'm searching for a
wilderness disco.
Sweaters
Wool is good. The newer poly-pile fabrics have surpassed it in
performance for the weight (by a little), but light wool
sweaters (10 to 14 ounces) work almost as well. They also don't
stink after a day's wear. Oh, and I buy them at thrift stores
for a couple dollars.
Underwear
lightweight boxers - they double as shorts. For insulating underwear, I
buy whatever promises the most warmth for the least weight - but
I buy it on sale.
Gloves
Lightweight poly-pile gloves work well, and can be worn under a
shell-mitt for more warmth.
Hats
A sun-hat I bought on sale and weighs just four ounces. It is great for
here in Colorado and I used it when I lived in Arizona too. It
has save me from a sun-burned neck more than once. I have a good
lightweight balaclava for colder hiking (2 ounces).
Coats
Use a rain jacket as my only jacket lately, to save weight. Down
coats (which also can be found at thrift stores) are my
preference for colder weather, but be careful if you will be
getting wet. Down is pretty worthless when wet.
Sew your own hiking and backpacking clothes? Forget it. Too much
work.
- To make a light ski mask, use an old polypropylene thermal
underwear top or bottom. Cut 12 or 14 inches off a sleeve or
leg, and pull the piece over your head. Mark where your eyes and
mouth are with a pen or marker, then cut holes. You now have a
balaclava. Mine weighs less than an ounce. You can sew the top
shut if you want, or just pin it shut with a safety pin.
- Put your hand in a sock, spreading the fingers slightly. Mark
the sock at the fingertips with a pen. Cut holes here for your
fingers. This is a way to make cheap hand warmers. Wear them
under other gloves or mittens for more warmth.
- Want a cheap and light insulating layer? I wore a four-ounce
piece of poly batting like a tunic under my outer shell, to the
top of Chimborazo (20,600 feet) and other mountains. Buy a roll
of the batting used for making blankets and pillows, cut out a
4-foot by 2-foot piece, put a hole in it for your head, and you
are done .
How Much Should Outdoor Clothing Weigh?
You should be able to find several good lightweight options (for
any size), that fall within the weight ranges listed below.
Shoes: 20-40 ounces/pair
Socks: 1-3 ounces/pair
Underwear: 1-3 ounces
Pants: 8-18 ounces
T-shirts: 4-6 ounces
Shirts: 3-9 ounces
Sweaters: 8-13 ounces
Windbreakers: 7-14 ounces
Hats: 1-4 ounces
Gloves: 1-4 ounces/pair
Down Vests: 6-16 ounces
Down Coats: 16-40 ounces
Rain Pants: 6-10 ounces
Rain Jackets: 6-12 ounces
Read what the manufacturers say about their outdoor clothing.
Many will give you all sorts of descriptive information (weight,
temperature ratings, materials, special features) Mostly they
will tell the truth. What they won't do - what they can't do -
is tell you how to balance the various factors, like weight,
cost, performance, and your personal comfort. This more
complicated accounting you have to do for yourself.
Key Points
1. Clothing for backpackers should be light.
2. Clothing for backpackers should be quick to dry.
3. Outdoor clothing doesn't have to be expensive.
4. There are many options, including making some clothing on
your own.
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You can make a cheap closed-cell foam sleeping bag pad fold up
like one of the more expensive ones. Cut it across, halfway
through, every foot or so, alternating sides. It should fold up
nicely, accordion-style. I have used mine repeatedly this way
without them breaking. Folded up, the pad can also be used to
stiffen the back of a frameless pack.
If you run into cold weather unprepared, you can use the seed
head fluff from cattail plants to insulate your jacket. Watch
for the stalks with their fluffy heads in wet areas. Put a layer
of this fluff between your sweater and your jacket, and you'll
effectively turn it into a winter coat.
To keep certain items from sliding down to the bottom of your
pack (like a camera, for example), put them in a small nylon
pouch and safety pin the pouch to the top inside seam of the
pack. Don't let the pin puncture the pack - only do this if
there is enough extra material to pin to along the top seam. |
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