/trv/
How do you deal with clothes when backpacking?
Do you choose the "buy cheap clothes wherever you are and wear them until they're unusable" or the "buy high-quality clothes that will last longer" route?
I heard merino wool clothes are a great choice because of its thermal properties and high odor resistance but the price tag is quite steep.
So what's your choice, /trv/?
Anyone care to share some experiences?
>>1089880
Laundromats do exist in civilized places. If not, a basin of water and some washing powder and get a-scrubbin'.
>>1089880
Merino is awesome but a bitch for backpacking. If you don't take good care of it you will have pilling all over it.
>wash it at 40°C max, use wool wash and always together with a denim jeans
That's not really practical for backpacking.
>>1089927
Nice to know.
But I guess it wouldn't be a problem to wash in a basin or in the shower?
>>1089965
No, it will pill anyway unless you wash it at least 5-6x as described to break it in and even then you can't avoid it unless you take really good care of it.
I just use a quote from icebreaker.com
>Pilling: How to prevent it and how to treat it
>Pilling is a natural process that is inherent in merino fabric due to the fact that merino is a staple fiber. Generally if pilling occurs, it’s because the shorter fibers are working their way to the surface of the fabric.
>The best way to avoid pilling is to wash a new Icebreaker within 3 wears. To alleviate the pilling, we suggest that you wash the garment with a coarser fabric such as denim jeans (ensure all zippers are closed). The fabric will improve over time as the shorter fibers are removed.
It's great as a (winter) base layer nobody will ever see else the price tag is not worth it unless you can take care of it.
>>1089972
Oh, damn!
Maybe it's better to go with synthetic then? Read it's also odor resistance, though I don't know about its thermal qualities.
>>1089975
If you don't need high performance cold weather gear most of the better outdoor bands have shirts, pants and underwear with quickdry. You can wash it in the evening and it's good to wear in the morning even if you wear it for 2-3 days it won't smell horrible.
>>1089975
if you don't have any philosophies on fashion, the best way to go in regards to clothing for heavy and frequent use is synthetic fabrics.
>>1089993
Even pants? Do people get like dress shirts made of synthetic material?
Trying to find a balance where I don't look homeless without dragging a dresser's worth of clothes around
This is only semi-related but what packing advice should I give to a girl that wants to travel with me?
She wants to bring tons of dresses and be a fashion model everywhere (going to the Mediterranean) but that can't be practical right?
But if we rent a car, packing a ton of luggage doesn't really matter though does it?
>>1090008
>packing a ton of luggage doesn't really matter though does it?
it will matter eventually because you're the one who's gonna be hauling it anyway. of course it's not practical and it's always easier to travel with less luggage, but if it tips the scale in your favor and gets you more blowjobs or something, then it's up to you.
It's interesting to read the downside of merino wool here. Lots of light backpacker blogs I searched said merino wool (icebreaker, smart wool and similar) were the absolute must have for traveling light because it's light, can keep warm when cold and cool when hot and can be worn for days without stinking.
But since none said about the maintenance, maybe they were semi-sponsored posts.
>>1090103
I use merino wool. Costco brand is a good compromise between price and quality. Merino socks get too hot for me but they're amazing in super cold weather.
Pilling doesn't matter to me because it's always a base layer. It's advantage over synthetic is that it doesn't fucking smell. Once synthetic starts smelling, it won't go away no matter how well you wash it.
The Costco is like 90% merino and 10% synthetic so I can live with that
