How Many Items of Clothing do Nomads Own?

[dualstow]

We've got some permanent nomads here, Mark & Jake.

I'm curious- how many outfits do you gentleman travel with? And if I may ask, Jake, does your wife carry that many more outfits than you?

I met a National Geographic guide on a tour who said he had all his possessions down to two backpacks. I have no doubt that he still had more than half of his stuff, memorabilia, etc at his parents' place, but that's still very impressive. I think he had like one suit and the rest was activewear. But then...his job was giving nature tours, mostly at Yellowstone.

[Jake]

We've got some permanent nomads here, Mark & Jake.

I'm curious- how many outfits do you gentleman travel with? And if I may ask, Jake, does your wife carry that many more outfits than you?

I met a National Geographic guide on a tour who said he had all his possessions down to two backpacks. I have no doubt that he still had more than half of his stuff, memorabilia, etc at his parents' place, but that's still very impressive. I think he had like one suit and the rest was activewear. But then...his job was giving nature tours, mostly at Yellowstone.

I've never asked myself that question before, but since I have logged everything I own in an inventory app, I was able to check! It turns out that I own 60 items of clothing in total. That easily fits into 1 suitcase, plus whatever I am wearing. As for number of outfits, I am not sure what qualifies as an outfit... I can tell you that it breaks down like this:
clothing for business: 5 items (no suits)
clothing for warm weather: 35 items
clothing for cold weather: 16 items
Shoes: 4 items
We don't have any stuff in storage anywhere, so that is it.

As for my wife, she has 1 suitcase too. I don't know how many items she has. Her suitcase is a little heavier than mine, but it all still fits in just 1 suitcase.
I did a podcast recently about getting rid of clothes: http://www.thevoluntarylife.com/2016/03 ... othes.html

[dualstow]

That is very impressive!
Will check out the clothes podcast.

[Mark Leavy]

3 Sets of Black Silk Boxers
3 Pairs of copper fiber (anti-microbial) socks
1 Pair of Black 501 Levis
1 Black nylon narrow zippered money belt / dress belt.
1 Pair of Linen tropical/resort pants
2 Dress shirts
1 Underarmour T-shirt
1 Merino wool sweater
1 Pair of short pants/swim suit
1 Pair of shoes
1 Pair of sandals
1 Bandana
1 Rain Jacket

When traveling, I wear the jeans, belt, a dress shirt, the shoes, a pair of boxers and socks, and the bandana.  The rest goes in my bag.  The rain jacket is rolled up and clipped to the outside of my bag.

I'm getting ready to pack up and move in another hour or so.  I'll take some photos and post.

[dualstow]

Wow! I probably have more food-stained clothing that I only wear at home than your total, Mark.
Accident-prone diner.

No coats?

[barrett]

3 Sets of Black Silk Boxers
3 Pairs of copper fiber (anti-microbial) socks
1 Pair of Black 501 Levis
1 Black nylon narrow zippered money belt / dress belt.
1 Pair of Linen tropical/resort pants
2 Dress shirts
1 Underarmour T-shirt
1 Merino wool sweater
1 Pair of short pants/swim suit
1 Pair of shoes
1 Pair of sandals
1 Bandana
1 Rain Jacket

The one pair of long pants blows me away. I would always go with two unless I were traveling exclusively in warm places. And how many books? Paring those down would pain me the most. And I'd have to nix the wife who has a huge walk-in closet filled to bursting with clothing. Every item has a story (Paris, 1991... Italy 1996). Exact prices are etched on the inside of her eyelids.

[Jake]

3 Sets of Black Silk Boxers
3 Pairs of copper fiber (anti-microbial) socks
1 Pair of Black 501 Levis
1 Black nylon narrow zippered money belt / dress belt.
1 Pair of Linen tropical/resort pants
2 Dress shirts
1 Underarmour T-shirt
1 Merino wool sweater
1 Pair of short pants/swim suit
1 Pair of shoes
1 Pair of sandals
1 Bandana
1 Rain Jacket

When traveling, I wear the jeans, belt, a dress shirt, the shoes, a pair of boxers and socks, and the bandana.  The rest goes in my bag.  The rain jacket is rolled up and clipped to the outside of my bag.

I'm getting ready to pack up and move in another hour or so.  I'll take some photos and post.

Mark is a ninja

[Pointedstick]

I'm not a digital nomad, but I only have two pairs of pants as well, and seven T-shirts all of the exact same brand (Hanes Tagless) that lasted the longest in a test of many different brands. Enough underwear and socks to last a week, with the socks all being identical Darn Tough socks.

[Jake]

I'm not a digital nomad, but I only have two pairs of pants as well, and seven T-shirts all of the exact same brand (Hanes Tagless) that lasted the longest in a test of many different brands. Enough underwear and socks to last a week, with the socks all being identical Darn Tough socks.

Reading about you and Mark, I am starting to think I'm not yet very minimalist after all!

I like the same brand idea. Is it a deliberate strategy to avoid decision fatigue?

[Libertarian666]

And how many books? Paring those down would pain me the most.

That's what a Kindle is for.

[Pointedstick]

I'm not a digital nomad, but I only have two pairs of pants as well, and seven T-shirts all of the exact same brand (Hanes Tagless) that lasted the longest in a test of many different brands. Enough underwear and socks to last a week, with the socks all being identical Darn Tough socks.

Reading about you and Mark, I am starting to think I'm not yet very minimalist after all!

I like the same brand idea. Is it a deliberate strategy to avoid decision fatigue?

Yes, and also to simplify laundry. No need to waste time or brainpower matching socks if all the socks are identical! As for the shirts, the Hanes Tagless is simply the most durable and comfortable T-shirt I could find from a large sample, so I figured, why not standardize on them? They're dirt cheap too. I get 'em for about $4 each from http://www.shirtsinbulk.com.

The real problem is pants. I have yet to find a pair of pants that lasts more than a year or so of near-constant wearing in conditions of gardening and home improvement without disintegrating. Recommendations would be welcome.

[bedraggled]

Our Kindles last a bit more than 2 years.

Not a horrible price to pay.

[Libertarian666]

Our Kindles last a bit more than 2 years.

Not a horrible price to pay.

I dropped my Kindle 2, breaking it. I bought it in 2009, so it lasted about 7 years, and probably would be good for several more years if I hadn't dropped it.

So I bought a "new" (slightly used) Kindle Keyboard on ebay for $61.50, including shipping. It's smaller, lighter, and has both wi-fi and 3G (my old one had only 3G). Its only drawback is that the keyboard doesn't have a numeric row and it's annoying to have to use the symbol feature to type numbers. I did have to buy a case for about $15, as otherwise they are too fragile. But still not too bad if I have to do that every 5 years or so.

[MachineGhost]

Wow! I probably have more food-stained clothing that I only wear at home than your total, Mark.
Accident-prone diner.

Dawn is your friend.

[MachineGhost]

I'm not a digital nomad, but I only have two pairs of pants as well, and seven T-shirts all of the exact same brand (Hanes Tagless) that lasted the longest in a test of many different brands. Enough underwear and socks to last a week, with the socks all being identical Darn Tough socks.

Great minds think alike!

They don't make clothes like they used to.  I'm still wearing 100% cotton, heavyweight, long-sleeved Henley's from Gildan in the early 2000's that I bought from a T-Shirt wholesaler at about $10 each.  Try finding that quality now!  I can easily rip that thin and cheap crap from Walmart just by putting it on.

I did find another loophole.  Land's End sells Super Tees that are of high quality cotton (I don't know about durability yet) for low-moderate prices, so long as you get it on sale.  Look up their story: they made their name selling durable, high quality clothes without the cost back in the 60's.  Sure makes me wonder why so many people care so much about wearing fashion brands than quality or durability.

[MachineGhost]

The real problem is pants. I have yet to find a pair of pants that lasts more than a year or so of near-constant wearing in conditions of gardening and home improvement without disintegrating. Recommendations would be welcome.

You can try this...  it's luxury-grade jeans at low-moderate prices (they're a disruptive startup raising funding ): https://www.dstldjeans.com/shop/mens

[dualstow]

I'm impressed, guys! My metabolism finally slowed down around age 35. I have read that you should just get rid of tight clothing instead of saving it and hoping to get back to that target wait. But...I'm trying to get back to that target weight. So I have pants with waist sizes ranging from US 33 to 36.

Wow! I probably have more food-stained clothing that I only wear at home than your total, Mark.
Accident-prone diner.

Dawn is your friend.

I use Bac-Out by Biokleen when I can actually catch the stain in time.

[Mark Leavy]

Packing up this morning...

Clothes with their stuff sacks
[img width=600]http://i66.tinypic.com/n6zx9u.png[/img]

Clothes to wear
[img width=600]http://i63.tinypic.com/2nrnjh1.png[/img]

Clothes ready throw in the pack
[img width=600]http://i67.tinypic.com/6fwjtj.png[/img]

Everything ready to throw in the pack
[img width=600]http://i66.tinypic.com/350pg2a.png[/img]

Ready to move
[img width=600]http://i66.tinypic.com/2nhqgic.png[/img]

[barrett]

Mark, That is beautiful. Is the backpack waterproof? I have a waterproof cover that wraps around mine but maybe I just need a better pack!

[Cortopassi]

What's the long brown cylindrical object?  And right to the right of it, a mirror?

[Tyler]

Very inspiring.

This is how I picture you making money on the side.

[img width=400]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... skrima.jpg[/img]

[Pointedstick]

I'm not a digital nomad, but I only have two pairs of pants as well, and seven T-shirts all of the exact same brand (Hanes Tagless) that lasted the longest in a test of many different brands. Enough underwear and socks to last a week, with the socks all being identical Darn Tough socks.

Jeez, nothing personal, but it's a good thing you're married and not dating. You'd have a tough time picking up women in that getup. 

I picked up my current wife in this getup so maybe I was just looking for a different kind of woman.

[gizmo_rat]

Everything ready to throw in the pack

Wow, I send the kids off to school with bigger packs than that.

This actually makes me smile, I think I'm envious of your stuff.

[Mark Leavy]

Mark, That is beautiful. Is the backpack waterproof? I have a waterproof cover that wraps around mine but maybe I just need a better pack!

Hi Barret.  Not waterproof - but close.  It's a waxed canvas and it has kept my stuff dry in many a torrential downpour and crazy boat ride.

I've found that it pays to buy a good bag with leather and gussets and 1/2" wide solid brass zippers, etc.  Regular daybags aren't made for the abuse I give my bags.

I've been buying Filson stuff for years and it has never given out on me.  (I learned a long time ago to buy what the horse people buy - they know their shit).

Filson doesn't seem to carry my exact bag anymore, but this one is very similar:
http://www.filson.com/luggage-bags/back ... kpack.html

[Mark Leavy]

What's the long brown cylindrical object?  And right to the right of it, a mirror?

Tyler is exactly right that I mostly use that hardwood dowel for Irish Stick Fighting while buying drinks in seedy places.  But, like all of my things, it has many purposes.  It makes a fine muddler for crushing ice and making mojitos.

And... then I use it with my 30' of 3/4" black webbing for a range of isometric and isotonic strength workouts.

[img width=600]http://i63.tinypic.com/jgql1z.png[/img]

[img width=600]http://i65.tinypic.com/6s6lms.png[/img]


And yes, the black thing is a mirror.  The black bag next to it is a set of hair clippers.  After several disastrous oversea's haircuts, I finally gave up and learned to cut my own hair.  After an embarrassing learning curve, I now have a consistently reliable mediocre haircut.