March 23, 2009 Reader packing list
OBOW reader Paul submits this packing list:
I wouldn’t ever wear synthetics on the plane — only cotton, wool, & leather.
Packed Clothing:
Coolmax polo shirt (2)
Long-sleeved shirt (1)
T-shirt (2)
Lightweight sweater (wear if it’s cold)
Coolmax undershirt (1)
Coolmax undershorts (2)
Long nylon pants that zip off into shorts
TravelSmith polyester dress pants
Willis & Geiger khaki vest
Flip-flops
Tilley walking socks (2)
Swim trunks (double as hotel shorts)
New Balance hiking boots (wear if traveling via other than air)
Patagonia rain shell
Worn clothing:
Cotton polo shirt
Cotton jeans or chinos
Cotton undershorts (wash ‘em when you get there, will be dry in a couple of days)
Dansko clogs (if traveling via air - easy to take off & put on)
Tilley Adventurecloth blazer (no, it’s not a natural fiber, but easy to shed in case of fire)
Tilley hat (y’all seem to hate these, but I love my T4 and hemp T5)
Miscellaneous:
Disposable Trac II razor
Antiperspirant
Prescription meds
Alka-Seltzer
Spare glasses / sunglasses / glasses leash
iPod
Cell phone
Palm TX (use as travel alarm where there’s no cell service)
Pocket digital camera
Wall warts for 4 above (certain things are essentials)
Book
Moleskine pocket notebook / pencil
Small backpack or largish lumbar pack (packed for use as daypack at destination)
All packed into a 2005-vintage Patagonia MLC
The only things I ever need to add to this list are a necktie, a fleece, and a laptop computer (and then only in specific situations).
Reader Comments (20)
I'm the original poster -- forgot to include a belt in that list..
Great post! Brad, any updates on how your 10# challenge is developing?
Vic
I'll have a post coming soon. Twelve pounds is going to be no problem. Ten might work if I cheat a bit. My netbook, charger, camera, and AC plugs for three countries will total 4.5 pounds.
Paul Z - how much does your packed bag weigh?
You don't need four wall warts. I have an iGo device that's about the size of a normal charger, with tips for my various phones, iPod, DS, etc. It'll plug in most countries, and with a splitter will charge two devices at once.
No disrespect intended to the OP, but is your concern about synthetics on the plane regarding a crash/fire? I'm sure you know, but being in an airline crash is *extremely* unlikely. Or is it more of a comfort issue?
Reminder - I'm always happy to post any submitted packing lists. They're always helpful to someone.
At last. Someone else who worries about synthetic fabrics melting into their skin in the event of a flash fire flare up during an evacuation.
I first got worried about this when I read about the horrible experience the U.S. Army was having in Iraq with Under Armour tee shirts on the troops - the flash fire heat from IED's were melting the synthetic fabric into the soldier's skin when they wore Under Armour and other synthetic rash guards under their G.I. fatigues.
Apparently cotton either protects the skin from singing during a flash fire or turns to ash. The skin then just vaporizes and burns on the upper layer, but the burn wound is not necessarily deep and severe in and of itself. This type of burn progresses differently from a hot oil burn or from a normal sustained fire burn.
All this assumes a FLASH fire, like a flash of vaporized jet fuel. If you encounter a wall of sustained flame, you ARE toast. Imagine a BBQ grill lighter fluid flare up, or a gas range flare up that burns off your eyebrows but leaves your face unharmed. That is the type of fire cotton and leather protect against, and where synthetics are a problem.
And no, synthetic underwear under denim jeans is not a good solution - the flash heat can melt the synthetic fabric into one's skin even through a thick cotton layer.
Cotton boxers are horrible in terms of weight, bulk, and drying time on a trip; all cotton (except the waistband) briefs are getting harder to find and have the same problems, but perhaps are less bulky. Sometimes I think I should just wrap a handkerchief or cotton bandana around my you-know-whats until the take-off/landing is completed, and accept some minor damage in the unwrapped areas, since the odds of a survivable crash coupled with flash fire (not sustained fire, not smoke inhalation) are admittedly low .
BTW I wear Smart Wool socks; cotton socks are still available; but almost all socks have some synthetic blended in, albeit at low percentages, if only for the "stretchiness" socks need.
Men have a natural air crash evacuation advantage - we have pockets to keep our wallets in, and can also fit other "valuable to have on the ground" stuff in our pockets (the patch pockets in jeans are far superior for this purpose compared with slash pockets on chinos and slacks; rear pockets should be buttoned shut). Women tend to rely too much on purses, which can easily get left behind in an emergency evacuation, slip off shoulders, catch on things, really tie you up if worn cross body.
Probably the best emergency evacuation strategy is to keep Stuff You Really Want to Have in a waistbelt, especially medicines and eyeglasses or spare contact lenses. So called Fanny packs are really quite useful, you can leave them on all during your flight, and crew is not likely to shout at you to leave it behind no matter what the nature of the evacuation, or to force you to stow them under your seat or in the overhead. Trick is to find a good one that has reasonably capacity and not useless bells and whistles.
Mine contains an emergency space blanket, my eyeglasses and some disposable contact lenses, and an ultralight hiking windbreaker pullover and pullover pants, a couple of nutrition bars, plus a small water bottle I refill post-security (and don't drink during the flight). You should assume that you could be uncomfortable for a fair amount of time following any emergency.
BTW wool is a better material than cotton. When cotton gets wet it provides little insulation from cold, and it dries really, really slowly. Wool still insulates, and you can wring it out to improve the insulation.
OK, I understand the concern about synthetics and heat. No disrespect intended, but aren't the odds of being in a car fire much, much, much higher than being in an airplane fire? Do you avoid wearing synthetics when you get into a car? Especially considering that gasoline is much more volatile than jet fuel, and therefore more likely to create a flash fire?
Eric, I've always found that a bit of paranoia is healthy. (Yes, the no synthetics thing is because of a severe fire phobia.)
Michael W., I know that wool is generally better, but wool undies just ain't Good Eats (to paraphrase Alton Brown). The cotton shorts I wear in flight get washed as soon as I get where I'm going, and they're only worn again in transit the other way.
Brad, I've never weighed the bag -- it's easy enough for me to shlep using the MLC's backpack straps, and I'm no Charles Atlas.
Also re: car fire vs. plane fire, contrary to what we've all seen on TV, cars tend to not catch fire when they crash. (I can't remember the last time I saw a car fire, but there are wrecks all the time around here.) I'd have to think that the number of car fires compares favorably to the number of plane fires.
Paul Z, Good points about car fires compared to plane fires. I'd love to see statistics on deaths and injuries in plane fires too. Most of the plane crashes I hear about don't involve fire, with a couple notable exceptions.
Paul, is your Patagonia rain shell completely waterproof? I was looking at them on the Patagonia site, rather like them.....my Gore-Tex jacket is okay for light rain but get into a heavy downpour and I start to feel decidely damp on the insides, it's also heavier than most rain jackets I've come across.
I also dress for flights with emergencies in mind (comes with the job, I work for the Fire Dept). Womens tights are the worst for fire/heat, which is why I never wear them for flying and makes me wonder why female flight crews do. I always wear a shirt with cargo pockets to carry important ID (which is kept inside a ziploc bag for waterproofing). I used to have a fanny pack but found it too bulky, what I do now is use my Rick Steves Guide book bag (roomy and slim line). It comes with a removeable, adjustable shoulder strap but I bought two caribiners and attach each end of the bag to my jean belt loops, still looks like a fanny pack with the bonus of not being constricted about the waist when sitting/sleeping on long flights.
Btw, we respond to a fair amount of car accidents, they hardly ever burst into flames. However, we do respond to people's cars suddenly catching fire in parking lots and driveways where an electrical fault has caused the problem.
wow, you guys are funny. You sacrifice convenience for the remote chance of incurring burns after surviving a plane crash and flash fire. This is such an unlikely event, it's not even worth worrying about. You are much, much more likely to be hit by a lightning while wearing your synthetics than survive a plane crash with flash fire.
Considering I won't wear wool or leather, because of the abuse inflicted on the respective animals, I'll stick to cotton if I feel paranoia about fire aboard the plane. However, I usually wear synthetics when I fly anyway. I sometimes get really sweaty and the synthetics keep me from being a nasty mess.
Sacrifice convenience? Ermmm, no......I haven't worn tights since '97 and don't ever intend to (if I can help it) so not wearing them on a flight isn't a sacrifice for me. If anything, by travelling 'ultralight' I make things more convenient for myself, certainly more comfortable clothes-wise. As I get older comfort and covenience have become my main objective, the materials Pima and Modal, have become my best friends at home and abroad.
You don't really need to be in a plane crash to experience fire, one can break out in the galley (for example) 35,000 ft up.
One a flight, half an hour from Heathrow I could smell burning, so could the crew. The smell got stronger but couldn't see smoke or haze in the cabin, on approach to the runway the Heathrow Fire Brigade vehicles were chasing along the side road. We parked on a layby off the runway while the FB checked the undercarriage. By the time we had stopped I was already prepared to evacuate. Each flight attendant was stationed by an exit ready to begin evac if required. That type of fire situation is more likely to occur than a crash/fire.
If passengers knew half the things that go on during some flights....well....let's just say Ignorance is bliss.
@Esther
Ok, leather I understand. But wool...? Which abuse? I've seen sheep getting sheared. They don't particularly enjoy being handled but abuse is a strong word and the bit of stress they incur might not be enough reason to deprive oneself of one of the nicest materials on earth.
Cotton, unless you buy only eco-cotton, the pesticides and agricultural methods used in its cultivation do much more irreversible harm to nature's creatures than shearing a sheep. Seriously!
Man-made materials: High-tech fibers have their use and especially for traveling they can have considerable advantages. However, man-made fibers, as the name indicates are not natural. One might think this is good because nothing is taken from mother nature. However, this is far away from the truth. Most of these are petrol (oil) based, and we all know what kind of damage oil drilling does to our world. Second, these materials are even harder to recycle than natural fibers and their production does take more energy. This means they create potentially more pollution. Lastly, these fibers and materials are produced by huge chemical giants, who, let's face it, don't have the well-being of the planet in mind as their number one priority.
What I am saying is, that a lot of people seem to make choices that appear conscionable and environmentally sound, but that are in reality incongruent and do more harm than good. The case of not wanting to wear wool (as I can only suppose for reasons of stress to the animal) and instead opting for man-made materials is such a case.
As far as leather is concerned. So much beef is eaten in the world, that, I believe, no additional animal is killed just for its leather. Basically, most animals that get killed for their nutrition value also serve for leather production. Fur coats and exotic skins are the exception. This means, buying leather products has no effect on the number of killed animals. They are gonna be killed anyway, for food. Buying leather means that you will use all parts of the animal and thereby make a more resourceful use of nature's gifts.
In principle, wool clothing, leather or canvas luggage, and leather shoes are the most environmentally conscious choices, especially if you buy from "green" producers.
Paula, my Patagonia Rain Shadow Jacket isn't a Filson Shelter Cloth jacket, but it's completely packable (unlike the FIlson) and as waterproof as any thin nylon shell can be. I wore it on a hike around Two Medicine Lake in Glacier National Park last year and it was great, and in yesterday's rain in NYC I stayed dry (and warm, since I had a fleece underneath). I think the Rain Shadow is well worth the prince.
Actuary, I don't feel I sacrifice any convenience, since all the clothing I have packed is lightweight and washable. And since most of the clothes I wear every day are cotton, wool, and leather it's no big deal for me to wear that on the plane. (And on the train, for that matter -- that Glacier trip we took was on the Empire Builder. Hell, I'll wear that in the car too when we drive upstate to the Finger Lakes.)
Till,
I don't want to hijack this thread, but I feel your questions are coming from a place of ignorance.
If you can't tell from my post, I'm a vegan. This means I don't consume any animals or their byproducts. I take this stance, because I don't feel the earth and its inhabitants are here for me to use and abuse.
Regarding sheep production: as with any other animal, the sheep are subject to factory farm conditions that are cruel and unnecessary. First, the sheep are forced to grow more wool than it needs, to protect itself from the elements. This is to increase wool production.
Second, there's the issue that once the sheep are shorn, they are immediately susceptible to the cold and wet. The shearer does not usually leave a minimal covering to protect the sheep.
Third, the sheep destroy the woodlands, because of their eating habits. This is not environmentally friendly.
In addition, most of the sheep who are shorn are then sent out for slaughter. I refuse to contribute to the murder of these animals, who have done nothing to deserve this sort of treatment.
With regards to leather, you are correct that cows are not solely killed for their skin. However, you seem to forget that the tanning process involves hazardous chemicals and also wastes a good deal of water. In addition, these tanneries have elevated levels of chromium, formaldehyde, and other toxic chemicals in the surrounding groundwater. In case you don't know, these chemicals should not be ingested.
One more thing regarding leather. China, France and other countries use cats and dogs for their leather. However, because there is no regulation regarding labeling or origin, no one knows that the leather they're buying is made from Fido or Fluffy.
As for the energy use of high tech fibers, it is true they require energy for their production. However, in comparison to the environmental damage from the raising of animals for food and other products, the energy consumption is not as impactful. The quantity of tech clothing that I own is much less than the organic cotton, hemp and other renewable fibers that I normally wear. In addition to my vegan diet, my carbon footprint will be much lower.
If you have any other questions, please e-mail me eastercat (at) gmail (dot) com
For not wanting to hijack the thread, you did a pretty good job of it.
I've seen this tactic dozens of times. If you disagree with someone, you are automatically "coming from a place of ignorance".
"in comparison to the environmental damage from the raising of animals for food and other products, the energy consumption is not as impactful." Can you cite your source for this information?