Friday, May 12, 2017

What to wear at the end of the world

You may not have a lot of choice in wardrobe at the end of the world, but you do have some control over what you put in your Jump Bag.

Since the idea of the Jump Bag is to help you handle a few days of unpleasantness it might be a good idea to include some items of clothing that are designed for use in less than ideal conditions.

I went with items that were designed to be used by travelers, they are made from fabrics that allow them to be cleaned easily and dry quickly.  Socks are important, since there is a good chance you are going to be walking a good bit.  I went with the J.B. Expedition Adventure Travel Quick Dry Socks.  These socks breath really well and are designed to minimize friction, which is important if you will be walking a good bit.


I'm a boxer brief kind of guy.  The ExOfficio Men's Give-N-Go Boxer Brief fit the bill.  The fit is good and they are very comfortable.  There have been some folks that don't like them, but they seem to be in a minority.  When considering underwear for your Jump Bag, give some thought to the boxer brief style.  The longer leg will help with friction if you have to walk a long distance.  That problem plagued me in the Army until I finally found boxer briefs.


When it comes to undershirts I usually go for a tank top, because I tend to be fairly warm.  For my Jump Bag though I opted for a v neck undershirt.  The ExOfficio Men's Give-N-Go V Underwear shirt was my choice.  I opted for this over my preferred tank top style because in an emergency situation I might need to wear this in place of whatever other shirt I had on when I grabbed my Jump Bag.  I wanted the additional skin coverage this style provided. 


When I was preparing my wife's Jump Bag I wanted to make sure she had a bra that would be as easy to clean as the other undergarments I was including.  The ExOfficio Women's Cross Over Bra comes in a variety of colors and has the same easy wash and dry characteristics of the other items.  It seems kind of flimsy, but she said the fit was decent and it gave enough support. 


Don't forget headgear.  If you're going to be outside then you're going to probably end up in the sun.  Sun screen is important, but don't forget a hat.  I wanted something that I could collapse flat but that offered good coverage.  The Rothco Boonie Hat fit the bill nicely.  The hat is made of cotton and has a pretty durable design.  It's perhaps not the most fashionable hat of all time, but it's certainly functional.


Footwear is probably the one thing most people who are not outdoorsy people with struggle with.  You can't get a new pair of hiking boots and just stuff them in a bag and hope for the best.  You need to put some miles on them before you need them.  If you can't, then go with what you have that is sturdy and you can walk in a good ways.


Most of the time I wear a fairly good combat boot style of footwear.  I work in an office, but I'm not a fan of the men's dress shoe or loafer.  Brands vary, but I've worn Bates and Worx.  You can get a good pair in a range of prices and styles.  Like I said earlier, put some miles on your boots so they are broken in before you need to use them in an emergency.

We may not have much control over the situation when we have to grab our Jump Bag.  Spend some time with your gear, try things out if you can to make sure they're going to work for you.  Think about your environment and the challenges it will present and then pack clothing items that will help you be comfortable in that environment.

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