SE Asia: clothing to take?

Hi Chunking:

Visiting SEA over the years, I've worn both cotton and 85/15 poly/cotton blend. Whatever you wear, just know that you WILL sweat right through them. That said, I recommend blended as they dry much faster than cotton. No matter the lengths of my trips, I always bring 2 outfits — one on me and one in the pack — and bringing clothing that dries quickly will save you the weight of packing extras.

You can certainly try 100% synthetic — if you don't experience the "funk syndrome" that plague some people.

Since you will be going to high altitude rather than just staying in the hot lowlands, I also recommend "layering":

o lightweight tees
o a full-zip wind jacket
o an insulation jacket (your MB down will do just fine)

A rain jacket in SEA will be a disaster for all but the highest/coolest areas — and even then, the humidity might still defeat the purpose. If no bushwhacking, you can try Driducks to serve as both wind and rain jacket (it's light as heck and prolly the most breathable rain and wind proof jacket out there). Otherwise, maybe just bring a UL wind jacket (Patagonia Houdini) and carry a UL umbrella instead (may not work in thick jungles, but great for in-town use).

As for pants, I much prefer trousers over shorts — although you can wear a pair of convertibles. Dupont's "Supplex" nylon material works well for me.

When I trekked in Nepal I wore my regular hiking stuff. Nylon pants and long-sleeved shirt, lightweight boots, light down jacket, some other stuff I don't really remember. What I do remember are these two things:

1) I should not have brought more than one set of hiking clothes and one set of town clothes. I never changed my clothes and I could have washed my clothes if needed.

2) I could have brought nothing at all with me and bought what I needed when I got there.

Oh, a third thing (don't know your gender):
If you're female, you're not going to like the pointing, snickering and staring in some countries if you show your legs. So long pants or a skirt is a must. I could wash my pits and pudding in public under a skirt and nobody would bat an eye, but walk in shorts and people were pointing, staring and laughing.

Curious, when it comes to trekking, will you be doing this solo — or perhaps more likely joining up with some outfitter or another?

If you can find out what the water is like, you can make a better choice between Steripen or chemicals or filter.

For urban use, or anywhere water is reasonably clear and OK tasting, I much prefer the Steripen. I used my Steripen Traveler for 7 months on my RTW trip last year. It's just a lot easier and less conspicuous to use. But for yucky water, you may want something that can clarify/improve look and taste. Again, before lugging a filter, try to find out if trekking outfitters provide their own water treatment gear.

Right, Piper, two sets of clothing (shirt, pants, undies, socks) plus one insulating jacket and one shell jacket are all that's needed — no matter the duration of the trip.

And by choosing clothing and shoes with simple styling and neutral colors (i.e. avoid exaggerated outdoorsy look like shirts or pants with 19 pockets or shoes with reflective lime shoelaces) — your hiking and traveling attire can be one and the same — great for the outdoor while also presentable inside temples, mausoleums, theaters, finer restaurants, etc.

I agree with Benjamin… I've also been through SEA several times and many other areas with similair climate. I find the 100% synthetic shirts to be useless in hot climates due to, as Benjamin calls it, the 'funk'. I typically wear a cotton shirt and deal with a daily sweat. I find that more comfortable than dealing with the 'funk'. When I was last in Madagascar I left with the latest and greatest synthetic breathable shirts. After a few days a tossed them and bought cotton t-shirts, off the streets, from local vendors.

When the sun goes down you must "always" cover up. Don't let the mosquitos have a chance of getting you. As the sun goes down it gets a little cooler. That's a good time to put on the Rail Rider Eco-Mesh shirt. It's a baggy shirt that won't stick to you and give you the 'funk' feeling, but will protect your arms and breath for you. I typically wear nylon convertable pants WITHOUT an elestic waist band. I hate those elastic waist bands in hot climates while having to wear my money belt down my crotch. Every time you breath in, the waist gets tighter and tighter, making it very hot in the crotch region. It's far more comfortable to have a loose fitting waist.

I typically bring a fleece, because I typically find it around my waist, thrown on the ground with my bag, stuffed on a bus or train overhang, basically out and about getting beat up all the time. After a week it really smells and it's simple to clean it in a sink or give to the hostel for cleaning. I'm afraid a down jacket may not be able to take the abuse. It sounds like benjamin has had no problems.

John

I spent 4 months in SE Asia and a month in Vietnam a bit ago.
I know the temptation is there, but I wouldn't buy any fancy clothes or gear for the trip if I were you.

Old clothes that you don't really care about are your best bet. three old tee shirt, shorts, pair of light paint, cotton is fine but not jeans. one outfit that you can look good in to go to a club or bar or nicer place to eat.

Vietnam is not a modest country, in the city pretty much anything goes, out in rural be a bit more respectful.

Go to Hoi An and get some custom clothes made. I got some great shirts and jackets made and shipped home for pretty dang cheap.

Anything you need you can buy there so don't worry about forgetting something.

If it is raining someone will be selling poncho's and umbrellas

If it is cold someone will be selling sweaters

If it is hot someone will be selling sugar cane juice and same same but different Tee shirts

Don't bring the down jacket. You don't need it
Bring a wind breaker and a long shirt or a ratty old sweater or fleece that you don't mind losing. it will be plenty. If it ain't you can buy a sweater for 3 to 7 dollars.

I get washing your own clothes in expensive places like Europe or the states but I mostly got my clothes washed for me. It was only 1 buck a kilo and i only had two kilo's of clothes. It just seemed easier.

If you can go to Laos. I liked it way more than Vietnam. quieter, cheaper, more nature, better beer.

The central highlands of Vietnam were intense for me. There are huge hills that still 50 years later have NOTHING growing on them. And towns full of people with birth defects. Humbling.

As a former Peace Corps Volunteer married to a Filipina and thus a visitor to Mindanao from time-to-time I've found REI's synthetic convertable Sahara pants and long sleeved shirts great. You WILL sweat like a rabbit passing razor blades but the REI clothes(or other hiking/fishing clotheslight synthetic fabrics) dry fast.

P.S. Also look at Cabela's summer catalog or online for similar clothes. Their "Guidewear" synthetic line is good. I have a Guidewear shirt and have worn it for over a decade. Still going strong.

I go to Hong Kong all the time, and have been to Vietnam a few. Vietnam is not so bad because there aren't tons of narrow sidewalks and large buses-heat generating vehicles.

– I found tight 50/50 cotton/poly retro hipster T-shirts worked well.

– linen would be good but it wrinkles. I'd avoid 100% cotton, one day and they'd be gross, but laundry services are cheap. I hate synthetic in general but especially in humidity.

– Any light nylon trekking pants should be good… eg. Mountain Hardwear Canyon pants or their Mesa convertibles (they kinda look like regular khakis as well).

– I only did this once, but I wore a 150g merino wool icebreaker long sleeve on a 35*C day w/what had to be 100% humidity as an experiment and it wasn't too bad. It almost felt like the wool insulated me from the heat, especially the blowing heat from vehicles as I walked by. And it doesn't feel too bad sweating in it, keeps you warm when in air conditioning, feels good after sweat dries.

– Check out the Cu Chi Tunnels.

– Nha Trang (beach town, great cheap seafood) is lovely and definitely worth a visit. Actually doable for you to rent a scooter and be like the locals. $80 from Ho Chi Minh City from local travel agency, $25 nice hotel rooms (not hostels). You'll want to stay for awhile.

Never been to the north.

Whatever clothing you didn't bring, as another has mentioned, you can buy very cheaply. I'd avoid cotton t-shirts like the plague though.

Great people, you'll have a good time.

Sorry re-read your post… I'd go with merino wool, or light fleece, and a windshirt.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=36538

Hi there,
I kind of got lost when I was out there and ended spendeng a couple of years between India, Nepal and SE Asia.

I think clothing choice is very personal but for me I generally go with a pretty standard set of clothes.

Zip off trousers (supplex or poly cotton)
swimming shorts
ankle socks x 3
Calf socks treated with Permethrin for the evenings
light poly cotton ss shirts (150g)x 2 (or 3 if you don't like washing)
light poly cotton ls shirt (200g) x 1 – weave must be tight enough that mossies can't bite through
light fleece
wind shirt
poncho
umbrella – fantastic in the tropics
light cotton boxers x 3

All of the3 above dry overnight if you wash them in your room except the socks and undies that need a bit more time.

I took a rain jacket as I was coming from the Himalayas, but even on Mt Pinataubo, Kinabalu and some of the Indonesian volcanoes it wasn't used!
David

Being from Malaysia I'd say leave your down jacket at home. If you're planning to do some hiking in the rainforests it can get so humid that nothing ever dries out which is not too good for down in general.For clothing long sleeve tees and zip off pants normally work for me. Good for insects as well as sun protection and flexible also. I actually like synthetics as they're more airy than cotton and dries faster but they tend to stink after wearing them a few times. I'd agree with Ben that layering is the way to go but if you're only sticking to lowlands then you might ditch the jacket and make do with an umbrella and a disposable poncho. Goretex do not work here at all and that goes for shoes as well. Try to get leech socks as sometimes the jungle will be crawling with them and gloves would be good protection against bamboo or rattan barbs. I'd definitely take a scarf or bandana as it could get pretty dusty in places like vietnam or cambodia esp when you're travelling on a tuk tuk.

I wouldn't skimp on a water filter as the tap water in places have a lot of sediment in them. What works best for me is a filter + tablet combo.

Lastly, things are so cheap here esp clothing that you can always buy what you dont have.

I second Eric's suggestion of a filter & Katadyn chlorine dioxide tablets. The Shanghai $hits (or Green Apple Quickstep)are NOT fun!

Never eat ice or ice cream B/C the water used in it may be contaminated & the cows where the ice cream milk came from may not be tested for TB. Teberculosis strikes other parts of the body besids the lungs.

Get ALL the shots recommended bu the World Health Organization, esp. typhoid, para-typhoid and hepatitis. Malaria prophlyaxis medicine is wise to take while in-country.