Road Warriors - lessons learned?

[Rex G]

Regarding the quest for socks, try Smartwool. (Or, SmartWool, Smart Wool; whatever it is.) If ones has to wade in water, and keep wearing them wet for hours or even days, it is doable, with Smartwool.

Smartwool socks are very low-odor, too. Wear them for a day, and then accidentally mix them up with your clean socks? It may be difficult to tell the clean ones from yesterday’s “dirty” socks.

In a situation where one has to wear the same clothing, for multiple days, such as an urgent, straight-through drive, an evacuation, or a first-responder having to remain on-duty continuously through a hurricane, or such, well, Smartwool socks, and Ex Officio underwear.

[Hideeho]

Travel with an assortment of ProBars. Eating on the road can be a killer. They provide a meal worth of energy/nutrition. Especially useful when surrounded by a food court full of processed food.

Pick a bag without wheels. You’ll fit in more overhead bins. I use a RedOxx Air Boss or a Dagne Dover duffel. Both carry a week’s worth of clothes, and can fit in the smallest Embraer regional jet. Pack light, less than 20lbs including technology.

Resource: https://www.onebag.com/

[Rex G]

If one has to stay clean with pre-moistened towelettes, forget Wet Ones and baby wipes. Look for the larger, sturdier wipes sold with incontinence supplies, which leave no unpleasant residue or smell. The best ones I have found are store-branded, from Kroger and H.E.B., which probably are made by the same supplier. The Walgreens branded ones are almost as good, but leave just a bit of a smell, and perhaps just a bit of residue. These can be used indefinitely, if necessary.

For a bit more odor protection, such as one’s pits, well, there are deodorizing pet wipes, available at pet stores, such as Petco and Petsmart. The best of these, I have found, are Nature’s Miracle brand, Deodorizing Bath Wipes. If using these regularly, one may be able to forego underarm deodorant. These are smaller than the above-mentioned adult wipes, so do not go as far, and are not as easy to use to quickly clean a large area.

[randyho]

PortaPow for plugging into untrusted usb power.

+ 1 for smartwool, darn tough, etc., wool socks. Warm dry feet are a priority. Use anti-p wipes if necessary.

Bring your own hotspot. If I can get to the network you're on, I can take advantage of any vulnerability your tech has. If you're on your own network, I can't. Assume I'm there.

[UNM1136]

Regarding the quest for socks, try Smartwool. (Or, SmartWool, Smart Wool; whatever it is.) If ones has to wade in water, and keep wearing them wet for hours or even days, it is doable, with Smartwool.

Smartwool socks are very low-odor, too. Wear them for a day, and then accidentally mix them up with your clean socks? It may be difficult to tell the clean ones from yesterday’s “dirty” socks.

In a situation where one has to wear the same clothing, for multiple days, such as an urgent, straight-through drive, an evacuation, or a first-responder having to remain on-duty continuously through a hurricane, or such, well, Smartwool socks, and Ex Officio underwear.

I bow hunt in smartwool boxer briefs. The, as my wife is sick of hearing me call it, "junk funk" is nearly nonexistant after 5-7 days of constant wearing and covering ground. If I could afford it, all undergarments would be smartwool. I have literally hung my boxers over a hammock line overnight to air them out after wearing them for a week and worn them for another week without issue.

Marino wool is the shiznitz...

pat

[UNM1136]

If one has to stay clean with pre-moistened towelettes, forget Wet Ones and baby wipes. Look for the larger, sturdier wipes sold with incontinence supplies, which leave no unpleasant residue or smell. The best ones I have found are store-branded, from Kroger and H.E.B., which probably are made by the same supplier. The Walgreens branded ones are almost as good, but leave just a bit of a smell, and perhaps just a bit of residue. These can be used indefinitely, if necessary.

For a bit more odor protection, such as one’s pits, well, there are deodorizing pet wipes, available at pet stores, such as Petco and Petsmart. The best of these, I have found, are Nature’s Miracle brand, Deodorizing Bath Wipes. If using these regularly, one may be able to forego underarm deodorant. These are smaller than the above-mentioned adult wipes, so do not go as far, and are not as easy to use to quickly clean a large area.

I buy wet wipes at the hunting shops, no scent or residue. I keep them in my gym bag. When I work out on the clock I only have an hour total, including showering. The hunting wet wipes allow me to take a whores bath for less time than it takes me to dry off after a quick shower. They do have a bit more....texture, so crotch scrubbing needs to be done carefully.

pat

[fatdog]

1. Pack for one more day than you plan to stay (underwear, socks, shirt), you should never trust the airline system to get you home the day you plan.

2. Never check your bag unless you have to (e.g. checking a firearm)

3. Learn how to deal with folded clothes, learn how to fold your shirts and pants so minimal ironing is required. I have my drycleaner fold my shirts, I use Eagle Creek packits for years now.

4. If you are taking two pairs of shoes (meaning you are wearing one and carrying another) get a simple shoe bag. It prevents your shoes from contaminating the rest of the suitcase.

5. Take along a plastic garbage bag and segregate your dirty clothes as you go along.

6. Get a decent rolling carry on. I still prefer Hartmann after all these years, but there are many good brands, the ballistic nylon versions with an inner plastic liner are lighter and fit in more difficult overhead bins. I have a pair of Hartmanns of two sizes, one is 22 years old and the other is 15 years old, they work just fine still.

7. Get a folding style shave kit that hangs, these are often easier to deal with in tight bathrooms that don't have enough counter space, and don't overpack you shave kit.

8. The Eagle Creek or similar zipper packing bags can be useful in helping you compress stuff like socks and underware for longer trips where the space is getting tight in your bag.

9. Luggage tags that hide your information and require somebody to open them, and even then I reverse the card so they will have to unbuckle, remove the strap and pull it out. The part you can see through the window is where I wrote "see other side for information" so the baggage claim types know to pull it off and look.

10. If you are going to travel with a handgun, well that is another whole thread but you are going to have to pick a case to go inside that is secure enough for TSA requirements but not so heavy it puts your bag overweight. After a few trips, I am starting to dig this one because in a pinch, it can also double as hotel room or rental car storage with the cable if that becomes necessary.

11. Enough protein bars or whatever your preferred meal substitute is to cover a whole extra day on those alone. You don't know when you will end up in an airport with everything closed, or stuck in a hotel for an extra night that has no restaurant or food service of any kind at all. (and if the airline happens to decide to put you up on their dime overnight, that sort of flea bag is exactly where they will stick you), too many times too late to get any dinner and leaving too early before any breakfast is available.

12. Battery powered charger plus spare wall charger for your phone

13. Something to read or a device with audio books...you can have hours to kill at some point with nothing else to distract you.

14. Spare pair of prescription glasses, especially if you normally wear contacts.

15. Spare flashlight in your carry on and spare non-lithium batteries

[Joe in PNG]

In regards to bags, I prefer a Swissgear backpack with a laptop pocket. It holds enough that I can carry my lappy, tablet, extra clothing, and other essentials without bulking out or being super hard to carry along.

For checked bags, I find that the ones with the two larger wheels tend to survive better than the ones with 4 small swivel wheels. I suspect that baggage handlers keep a tally of how may casters they can sheer off in one throw.

[Coal Train]

Pick a bag without wheels. You’ll fit in more overhead bins. I use a RedOxx Air Boss

I have used an Air Boss for several years and agree 100%

[TQP]

I'm at work right now, and more often than not I'm in boots for 16 hours straight, with 24 straight happening regularly.

I'm wearing black merino Lorpen hiking socks. I have like 10 pair. I can get away with them as dress socks. Being merino, they also are low odor.

Regarding the quest for socks, try Smartwool. (Or, SmartWool, Smart Wool; whatever it is.) If ones has to wade in water, and keep wearing them wet for hours or even days, it is doable, with Smartwool.

Smartwool socks are very low-odor, too. Wear them for a day, and then accidentally mix them up with your clean socks? It may be difficult to tell the clean ones from yesterday’s “dirty” socks.

In a situation where one has to wear the same clothing, for multiple days, such as an urgent, straight-through drive, an evacuation, or a first-responder having to remain on-duty continuously through a hurricane, or such, well, Smartwool socks, and Ex Officio underwear.