Travel Products - Clothing for RTW trip (carrying hand luggage only)

Inspired by Olybeast's (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/members/olybeast.html) 89 hour round the world journey (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-reports/1182157-one-sexy-itinerary-round-world-89-hours-long-awaited-tr.html) I am now planning a similar adventure.

I'll be traveling light with hand luggage only. I want to maximise what I carry with me and also what I wear. I'm looking for high performance clothing that wears well through different climates even after 89 hours of air travel.

Garments made from merino wool look interesting. Underwear, T-shirts made from merino wool are apparently anti-bacterial, odour resistant, crease resistant and machine washable. Seems perfect!

Does the forum have any other recommendations? Any particular brands or suppliers?

Any insights much appreciated.

Cheers!
Hopetimist

For clothing suggestions you should probably specify male or female. Just sayin'.

My favorite travel shirt is the $9 Puritan from Walmart (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Puritan-Men-s-Short-Sleeve-Plaid-Wovens-Shirt/19424257). It's a 60/40 cotton/poly blend that is durable, doesn't wrinkle, requires no maintenance or special care. And of course they are dirt cheap so you can pick up a few to spare. You can cram them in backpacks and they come out still looking pretty good.

But since you are asking about Merino wool I'm guessing your budget is a little higher than that. As a side note, I have heard people complain about Merino wool being itchy. Something you might want to test out before you head out on a long-haul.

For clothing suggestions you should probably specify male or female. Just sayin'.

My favorite travel shirt is the $9 Puritan from Walmart (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Puritan-Men-s-Short-Sleeve-Plaid-Wovens-Shirt/19424257). It's a 60/40 cotton/poly blend that is durable, doesn't wrinkle, requires no maintenance or special care. And of course they are dirt cheap so you can pick up a few to spare. You can cram them in backpacks and they come out still looking pretty good.

But since you are asking about Merino wool I'm guessing your budget is a little higher than that. As a side note, I have heard people complain about Merino wool being itchy. Something you might want to test out before you head out on a long-haul.

usually ``crazy'' male do this:p

I reckon you first need to get a Scottevest jacket of some sort, maybe some pants too.

Check out the no bag blog: http://www.rtwblog.com/

Also I have a S***load of New Zealand Icebreaker tops. I backpacked around the world for 2 years with one jumper, a 320 gram icebreaker, plus a bunch of 100-200 gram long and short sleeve icebreaker t-shirts.

it is expensive though, so try to find an online sale or items on ebay. I only get mine on sale or from the outlet in Auckland, but I must have dropped like $3k by now on Icebreaker gear. Even after 5 years some stuff has holes and I have tossed it, especially the 120 gram stuff, but all the 320 gram stuff is still going strong.

I also love the ex-officio underwear, easy to dry. I also have a short sleeve ex-officio shirt, which is great in really hot weather as the sweat just dries immediately as you cool down.

So to recap: Scottevest, Icebreaker and Ex-officio is a great start.

First of all, totally agree with Icebreakers. I did feel a little itchy when I first wore mine, but somehow, it quit. Also a Scottevest fan. What I'd do is first have an itinerary with pit stops plotted so I'd know logistically just how often I'd be showering and changing clothes. No sense hauling along more than you're going to be able to change into. Looks like olybeast was wearing jeans and sneakers (loved the yellow laces :p) For that kind of trip, I can't imagine better. Fifty hours on an airplane, you want to be comfortable. Once you have a plan it would be easier to give some specific clothing suggestions. But during a recent 24-segment mileage run I learned that it's the support stuff you have along that makes or breaks your experience: lip balm, water, snackage, wet wipes, earplugs, sleep mask, pillow, fleece, music, movies, books. There's a thread in this forum "Must have accessories" which you should look at. If you don't have time for the whole thing, at least the last few pages. So, you booked yet?

Looks like olybeast was wearing jeans and sneakers (loved the yellow laces :p) For that kind of trip, I can't imagine better. Fifty hours on an airplane, you want to be comfortable.

Not convinced that denim jeans are my preference for long haul air travel. I find denim jeans can be heavy to wear and are not necessarily a high performance fabric. Ideally I'd want the garment to weigh less than 500g and be a cotton/polyester mix with an 'easy care' finish. Dont want to look like I'm hiking a trail though :)

I reckon you first need to get a Scottevest jacket of some sort, maybe some pants too.

Check out the no bag blog: http://www.rtwblog.com/

Also I have a S***load of New Zealand Icebreaker tops. I backpacked around the world for 2 years with one jumper, a 320 gram icebreaker, plus a bunch of 100-200 gram long and short sleeve icebreaker t-shirts.

it is expensive though, so try to find an online sale or items on ebay. I only get mine on sale or from the outlet in Auckland, but I must have dropped like $3k by now on Icebreaker gear. Even after 5 years some stuff has holes and I have tossed it, especially the 120 gram stuff, but all the 320 gram stuff is still going strong.

I also love the ex-officio underwear, easy to dry. I also have a short sleeve ex-officio shirt, which is great in really hot weather as the sweat just dries immediately as you cool down.

So to recap: Scottevest, Icebreaker and Ex-officio is a great start.

The trick with IceBreaker is to air what you've worn out overnight where possibe. Makes in a huge difference in how nice they smell and feel.

I ran into a huge 1/2 off sale at Backwoods stores beginning on Saturday. Mostly in the Midwest and in Texas. I wonder who else is having such sales. End of season, etc.

Not convinced that denim jeans are my preference for long haul air travel. I find denim jeans can be heavy to wear and are not necessarily a high performance fabric. Ideally I'd want the garment to weigh less than 500g and be a cotton/polyester mix with an 'easy care' finish. Dont want to look like I'm hiking a trail though :)

Well, OK, if you subscribe to the heresy that denim in not a good travel fabric, so be it. You will find you have but a paltry 99% of the traveling public on your side. As for me, I'm committed--it's the cowgirl way. One thing about being female, though, is our jeans come in an astonishing number of fabric weights, even knits, I hear.
Where is Till when we need him? He'd have just the advice you need. If he doesn't see this post, pm "tfar". He is truly amazing in his knowledge of travel products, and very stylish to boot.

I love convertible pants when traveling casually (I'm female, have 2 pr that do pant/capri/short combos) My husband also has a couple pairs. Not sure they're nice enough for what you want, but Columbia has nice options. Try sierratradingpost.com for discount options.

My husband also has 3-4 prs of shorts made from this fabric - loves it -very quick drying: http://www.columbia.com/Men%E2%80%99s-Aruba-III%E2%84%A2-Pant/FM8053,default,pd.html

or
http://www.columbia.com/Men%27s-Silver-Ridge%E2%84%A2-Convertible-Pant/AM8004,default,pd.html

I like merino wool but it's difficult to find good options for a female that aren't too tight/sporty. I keep looking^

I'm another fan of Scottevest and you could just about get away with taking only SEV clothing on a quick RTW trip. Based on watching the No Baggage Challenge videos that Rolf did, packing 2-3 outfits would be more than enough for your quick trip.

I also own Columbia, REI, Royal Robbins, and ExOfficio. I live in the mountains in NM and travel a lot. My entire wardrobe consists of the brands I've mentioned. Oops, I do have some Lands' End clothing, especially for winter. For women, Lucy pants are fabulous for travel or home wear.

Be sure to take quick-dry clothing and some soap or detergent to wash everything with. Q-D underwear is essential, REI and ExOfficio make the best. Scottevest makes "boxers" that can double as running shorts or swimsuit.

I used to travel for many months with carry-on, washing clothes every night and rolling in a towel to get most of the water out - just like the No Baggage guy's video, Paris stop. The only time something didn't get dry was in Mt. Isa, Queensland when I only had about 5 hours layover - it was 40 years ago before quick-dry fabrics were invented. I had to carry my long pants over my arm to the airport, they did get dry draped over a chair... With the high-tech fabrics available now you won't have that problem.

Well, OK, if you subscribe to the heresy that denim in not a good travel fabric, so be it. You will find you have but a paltry 99% of the traveling public on your side. As for me, I'm committed--it's the cowgirl way. One thing about being female, though, is our jeans come in an astonishing number of fabric weights, even knits, I hear.
Where is Till when we need him? He'd have just the advice you need. If he doesn't see this post, pm "tfar". He is truly amazing in his knowledge of travel products, and very stylish to boot.

"Stretch" denim is your friend on trips like this - take a couple of pairs and a pair of convertible travel trousers + whatever tops you need. You'll be sitting for most of the trip and will need a little give.

For the underlayer - cotton or bamboo. Take plenty and change, even if you don't shower.

Topped with a fleece jumper, that's all you need.

I've done C/F RTWs with hand baggage and minimal stops in less than a week with less gear....

Hope, give this (http://www.ayegear.com) a try. Recently recommended a few people based on my experience with their products. I reckon it would do you extremely well in your trips.

Good luck! I wish i could do the same one day, please let us know how it goes or if theres a blog we can follow.

Al the best

Wool itches. Period. End of sentence. If it's going to be that cold, get some silk interlock long underwear.

Now that PJ's are socially accepted to wear in public, I wear PJs on my long hauls. In fact, I wore black PJs long before PJs became socially accepted wear in public, and no one ever noticed. Get some black PJ bottoms from Walmart if you want to go cheap. When I want more of a splurge, I have some fancy-pants velveteen embroidered PJs by "Twisted Heart" from Saks. So you can spend at every price point and still wear comfy PJs. But at the end of the day, I think if you're too hooked on brands, you just become a victim of marketing and spend way more than you need to. Comfortable walking shoes. Undies that dry overnight, which probably means nylon. For a trip this short -- did you really say only 89 hours or is that the air portion not counting landside? -- but assuming it's a 4 day trip you can just bring wear/bring a pair of socks for every 24 hours. If you wear older pairs for your first airport, then you can throw them away and not be carrying dirty socks. Look at your old sock drawer and you'll be shocked how many tired socks are just waiting to have one last exciting trip and then you toss them. If you wear a decent anti-perspirant deodorant and take advantage of every airport and hotel shower along the way, a shirt lasts three days. So wear a shirt and bring a shirt. Or don't bring a shirt, as you'll likely buy one as as souvenir anyway. For that matter, lots of tourist areas have those guys selling socks, so why carry a lot of socks.

I usually wear a photo vest with many pockets that can hold some of my extra stuff but for a trip this short you probably don't need it.

My RTW wardrobe is entirely breathable hand-washable Ex-Officio shirts and underwear. Can't beat it.

Wool itches. Period. End of sentence. If it's going to be that cold, get some silk interlock long underwear.


This is an opinion, sir. To some of us, wool does not itch and the latest iterations are a true miracle fabric. The OP can try it if he wants. If he does, I would wholeheartedly recommend both the Icebreaker that has been mentioned previously and I/O Merino.

Wool itches. Period. End of sentence.

As I stated, I wore the same Icebreaker jumper everyday I was in a cool climate for nearly two years. Nearly every shirt and singlet and as well as underwear and socks in my backpack was icebreaker.

Merino wool is like microfibre. I cannot wear normal wool, I am very sensitive. I have no problem with Icebreaker.

The itchiness of wool that some people experience is related to fiber diameter. Finer fibers, such as pure Merino wool, give greater comfort. The comfort limit for garments worn next to the skin is 28 microns. Many people experience discomfort if more than 3 to 4 percent of the fibers are over 28 microns thick. Wool can be treated with chemicals or blended with other fibers to remove the itch factor. Some wools, such as SmartWool® are guaranteed not to itch.
http://www.sheep101.info/warmwool.html

Lucky enough to spot a sale on at a Canadian chain called Atmosphere that sells North Face, Columbia, Quicksilver clothing and active gear. Picked up two pair of walking shorts for $38, one a North Face slate grey lightweight walking shorts with button front pockets and velcro back pockets plus a nice linen feel pair of Quicksilver chocolate brown pair.

Both will come in very handy on a trip to CDG in June as they will be far lighter than other walking shorts I have. ^

I discovered this interesting post just now. Sorry to have let you down, Skip. ;)

I'll first of all give my honest and chilling opinion on the matter: What a stupid idea in the first place! :D But, hey, there's worse, so I'll play.

89 hours around the world is technically feasible and is only a strain on your wallet and maybe a little bit on your body. It's not a great exploit in any sense. You will be in an air conditioned, relatively clean space for probably 72 out of the 89 hours, maybe more.

Unless you wear rubber boots and a latex stretch suit or a decontamination overall, the choice of garment shouldn't matter. If you don't wash you will stink after that period of time, no matter what you wear.

Nonetheless, there are some things you can do to make the experience more agreeable.

Hygiene: Use a deodorizing body wash before you start and use a heavy deodorant/ anti-perspirant. Trim body hair. Take a small bar (just a piece really) of deodorant soap with you. And take a crystal deodorant or other solid deodorant. Take no cologne. If you feel like cologne, get a spritz of something in the local duty free shops. You'll be bored anyway. It would be good if you could take two showers over that period. Given that you will most likely only fly through big hubs to achieve a quick RTW time, this should present no particular challenge.

Clothing: If chosen wisely, you will only need one additional set of underwear and an extra shirt or polo. Choose underwear made of breathable natural fibers. Ideally wool (which is per se anti-bacterial) with a silver "plating". The silver enhances the anti-microbial properties. The same goes for the socks. Wool with silver. If you are easily cold, use a long-sleeve polo or shirt over your undershirt. If not use a short-sleeve. I'd take a rather close fitting but stretchy fleece jacket with a high collar and also some pockets. This will allow good movement, ventilation, stowage for the very important documents directly on your body (passport and credit card never leave you) and warmth if the cabin gets cold.
Trousers, I'd choose what is the most comfortable for you. A stain repellent fabric that is also wrinkle-resistant is certainly a good idea. I'd look again for wool pants, possibly with a comfort waist (elastic in the waistband).
Belt, choose something that slides in and out really well. You may have to go through security many more times than what you'd like.
Shoes, same as above. I find my Cole Haan Air Jackson Two-Gore Slip-ons to be the ideal travel shoes.
Coat, depending on your style preference I'd choose a sport coat or something like a field jacket. If sport coat look at the Rohan stuff it has good features for traveling and is not terribly expensive. I also very much like my Cole Haan travel anorak. Pockets, hood, wrinkle free, protects well against wind and water, looks quite alright.

Luggage: Given the short duration of the trip, a single personal item (briefcase) size bag should be sufficient. The clothes go in a folder. Bring a ziploc bag for your used clothes. Otherwise the bag will hold your


Gear: As I said, good deodorant products are important. You'll also want some lotion and lip balm, as well as a toothbrush and some toothpaste. Take tiny samples. This way you can circumvent the 311 baggie. The less hassle at security the better. Otherwise, reading material (kindle), entertainment (ipad, headphones), earplugs, eye shades and perhaps a pen and notebook.

Simple, really.

It is still an exercise in futility. You spend thousands of dollars, you increase your carbon footprint to the yearly fourfold of that of the average US citizen (already the highest in the world) in just 3.5 days, you get to see nothing but planes and airports (as opposed to actually spending some time in each location), you are not the first to do it, it is not very difficult to do, it helps nobody but the bottomline of the airline you use. There is no sense to it, if not utter self-indulgence. So I'd do something to make it at least somewhat count.

Some suggestions:

Learn some poems by heart or some quotations. It's good for your brain and it will earn you more recognition than the RTW trip in under 4 days.

Write emails to long-lost friends.

Clean up the mess on your computer (if it's anything like mine). ;)

Use the time to meditate about the condition of your life and where it's going except to the next airport.

Hit on as many women as possible and get as many numbers as you can. You never know when that may be useful. You should get at least one per destination. At least that's somewhat of a challenge and who knows what becomes of it. :D

Bon voyage,

Till