For the love of layers
It may be a little early, but we are already thinking about what we will take with us on our long journey. That seems very complicated, and yes, I can tell you… it is. We have a target weight of 9 kilos and don’t want to take too much unnecessary ‘what if’ junk. We do not want to be cold, want to be able to hike ánd take beautiful pictures. Warm clothing, walking shoes and a good camera are certainly included.
How are we going to take warm sweaters? They are thick and take a lot of our precious space…
During our holidays we often take no more than 6.5 kilos, so now 9 kilos is already luxury. We leave the warm clothing at home for most holidays, swimsuit and creditcard are usually sufficient, ghehehe 😉
Merino sheep with one layer …
No, this is a different kind of topic, all seasons in one bag…
We decide to consult our big friend Google and the more we read about clothing the more we start thinking in layers. It’s all about the layers.
This is how it works, the layers all have their own characteristics that can all be combined. Between all these layers a layer of air is created, which ensures your skin to be nicely insulated, and can breathe at the same time. Many interesting studies have come to this conclusion.
The underlayer
We start with the underlayer, a thin soft fabric that feels good on your skin. This layer has to drain the moisture as much as possible to the next layer, so that your skin remains dry. A combination of, for example, merino wool with an artificial fiber is a good choice.
For our packing list: a merino shirt with long sleeves, check!
The middle layer
Furthermore, we have the middle layer that ensures that the moisture is further drained outside and that your body heat stays with you. This layer forms an extra layer of air which intensifies the effect of the layers together. A great cooperation between the fabrics.
A breathable fabric that is also warm. Polyester microfleece is very suitable for this middle layer. We now have a microfleece zip hoodie on our list, so check!
The top layer
Then, apart from the several combined underlayers, we have an outer layer. The outer layer protects you from external influences. We leave cold wind and rain outside our comfort zone. A multifunctional raincoat and windstopper that can also let out the moisture from the inside? We have found this hero. And he is super light too! Outer layer: double check!
Merino fan
Merino wool is my favorite. It is light and dries quickly, it does not tickle and it feels nice and soft on your skin. Unfortunately merino is quite pricey, but on the other hand it stays in good condition for a long time. A good investment.
Cotton, on the other hand, is a lot cheaper and available in all shapes and sizes, it breathes easily too and has a natural look. Unfortunately cotton can also act like a sponge, it will suck up your sweat and after washing it will take a lot longer to dry.
In addition, cotton is a lot heavier than wool, so less suitable for light-travelers.
Well, we’ve already come a long way with preparing our packing list. We have already gathered most of the clothes we want to take in the best fabrics for well-combining layers.
Bit off topic
Packing your clothes… Pack bags or packingcubes are a fantastic invention to efficiently pack all those nice layers. You can fill these cube-shaped bags with your tightly rolled up clothes and close them with a zipper so that you have a good view of the clothes in your backpack. Definitely crucial for the over-organized travelers amongst us!
So, background information on clothing = complete!
What’s next?
121 days to go…
