How many changes of clothes do you bring?

[John Doe]

I'm planning a group hike in May in Central Florida for 4 days. It'll likely be hot, and it may rain or it may not. We'll be doing 10-13 mile days.

My current clothing for this hike currently looks like:

Worn:
Synthetic t-shirt (likely Under Armour)
Synthetic shorts (no idea what brand. might be swim trunks)
Synthetic boxer shorts (ExOfficio)
Under Armour socks
Floppy wide-brimed Columbia hat

Packed
Zip off pants for bug protection
Synthetic t-shirt
Under Armour socks
Synthetic boxer shorts

Do you always bring a spare change of clothes in warm weather or do you just plan on air drying your worn clothing if you got heavily rained on.

[Nick Gatel]

Zero.

[Bob Gross]

Zero.

–B.G.–

[Jason G]

Zero

(although I bring a pair of compression boxers and wear lined running shorts to wear as underwear too. Ill switch off depending on weather and washing)

[Keith Bassett]

One extra core layer. I sleep in it, and change into it if I get so soaked that it becomes a problem. Shirt, long johns, socks. Other than that, only what I am wearing and the carry along insulation and rain gear.

It isn't the lightest, but it rains constantly in the PNW and it is nice to have one set of stuff to shift into while the other goes from soaking wet to uncomfortably damp. Once you get soaked during the wet season here, it never really dries out because the ambient humidity is so high.

These lucky guys in the SW don't get stuck with soaking rain at the same frequency, and I envy them. :)

K

[CW]

Zero.

[David Ure]

4 days – none.

Over 4 days – additional shirt and underoos.

[Travis Leanna]

Zero.

[Daryl and Daryl]

I take along one complete set because I assume everything I'm wearing will get soaking wet from rain or sweat. I try not to change until I get to camp.

If I change while moving then the second set will get wet. So the first set has to be enough to keep me warm when I'm moving and the second set has to be warm enough to keep me warm at camp.

I like closed cell foam clothing because it stays warm when wet.

I'm a heavy sweater hiking in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest US. My experience might not apply to you.

[Ken Thompson]

spare socks only, sometimes. Otherwise none. You barely need clothes in central FL in May at all. Wear your zip off pants as shorts and skip packing a pair of shorts/pants.

[Mary D]

One change of socks–that's it. All my other clothing is in the "wear all at one time in the worst expected conditions" category, and varies according to expected temperatures.

In Florida, though, you might have some different challenges with (1) heat and humidity making you sweat a lot more and (2) you probably don't need a base layer so you don't have something to wear at night if your hiking clothing is wet. Out here in the northwest or in the Rockies, I need a lightweight base layer for mornings and evenings in camp (warmth) and also to wear in the sleeping bag if my hiking clothing is wet and/or dirty. You might want something very very lightweight for this purpose.

Just use the zip-off pants as both shorts and long pants.

[Chris S]

No spare primary hiking clothes, but I do bring Cap 1 or 3 (depending on the temps) tops and bottoms that I change into for sleeping. They also provide a little bit of extra warmth in camp and I sometimes layer the top over my primary hiking shirt if it's cold enough….although I don't think cold is much of concern in your case.

Edit: I also bring an extra pair of socks

[Noel Tavan]

zero, bring layers that you will need. extra socks and underwear to sleep with I(optional).

[Jerry Adams]

spare socks

spare underpants

[Bruce Thibeault]

Warm weather… for sleeping or while clothes dry… terramar silk base layer, Nordic Track boxer brief (Sears), SS Techwick tee (EMS), saloman coolmax ankle socks.

[Eugene Smith]

Clothing in FL for May?

Optional.

[Hiking Malto]

I have some extra clothes but the only duplicates are either two or three pairs of socks (including the one worn.) But I generally will take both long pants and lightweight running shorts (weighs about the same as convertibles.) and usually both a lightweight short and long sleeve shirt. Other than that I wash and go.

[Chase Norton]

zero for anything less than 2 weeks. 14 days seems to be my limit on UA underwear….

[Mary D]

If your hiking clothing/underwear is of quick drying material, you can rinse it and wear it until it's dry, which doesn't take long at all when you are hiking. Not something I recommend for the PNW in winter or even shoulder season, but certainly in Florida!

[Elliott Wolin]

Heretic speaking here: I bring changes of clothing!

Dry socks for sleeping (liners or wool, depending). Extra liner socks, wear one pair while the other is drying after washing. Extra underwear for the same reason. Sometimes lightweight short pants to wear at night. Spare t-shirt for sleeping.

I want to be able to sleep in reasonably fresh, non-sweaty, non-salty clothes at night, and I don't want to wash clothes every day. All this doesn't add up to much weight-wise (4 oz shirt, 1 oz liners, 3 oz short pants, etc). So maybe I carry an extra 1/2 to 3/4 pound in spare clothes, I don't care.

Note that I have somewhat sensitive skin and have found that having fresh clothes at night helps avoid chafing and rashes.

[Richard Rini]

Zero – well except for 1 pair of underwear. For just in case…

[Carl Zimmerman]

Extra pair of running shorts w/ liner (underwear), extra socks, and possibly long underwear to sleep in (for May in FL). Most "normal" trips (mountains), I add glove liners, knit cap, and insulating jacket (Montbell Thermawrap). I always pack some sort of rain gear (usually jacket & pants).

[John Vance]

No extra hiking clothes but I bring long top and bottom silkweight for camp/sleeping. I also have an extra pair of socks for hiking and alternate them on longer trips.

[Anonymous]

"Zero." + zero + zero = Zero

[Stephan Doyle]

I don't.

[Author]

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