About Report 5.
If you didn't come here via the main page the other reports are at http://sites.google.com/site/travelulcomp/
Features of Compact Warm Clothes. Starting with clothes for hot weather, see another report, clothes for down to freezing goes into the pockets.
In the outdoor shops you mostly find the Light Warm Clothes.
Pioneering a new field?
Searching Google for "Warmth to Weight ratio" gave some 6,440,000 hits.
Searching for "Warmth to Volume ratio" gave some 600 hits, Sept. 2010. A bit of a new field?
That is why in the shops you mostly find the high warmth to weight ratio variety.
Designers have mostly been concerned about Warmth to Weight ratio. But when you are traveling with 28 g, 1 oz, and don't want to look stuffed with all in the pockets, Warmth to Compressed Volume, is more important. Searching Warmth to Compressed Volume, Sept. 2010, gave only one hit - this page.
I checked in the outdoor shop but didn't see any jackets with all the features I suggest for compact warm clothes. But there were some that could be modified.
Spray on clothes
There is work going on in this field and it can possibly be something for Ultra Compact Travel.
Imagine you feel cold. You take out your little spray can and spray on a warm foam vest.
Development is at the moment hampered by too much shrinkage when garment dries. :-).
In the meantime I suggest you use the tips in my Travel light & Compact reports.
I think I have found an Ultra Compact, all in the pockets, way from hot to freezing. One holy grail of travel light?
When you start to feel cold in your basic shirt and trousers, e. g. a tropical dress or one for a colder climate, it's time to put on more clothes.
The problem is to design clothes that has a high Warmth-to-Compressed-Volume ratio.
E.g. for the compact and warm wind jacket I have listed some 10 important features for design and material to look for when buying or ordering from a tailor. How many can you suggest? If you are buying a US$ 80 wind jacket it is good to know what to look for to get the best one. And how to possibly modify it to make it better.
I checked the light wind jackets in the outdoor equipment shop. Some of them didn't have several features which are crucial when it comes to keeping you as warm as possible.
Every step, even small, in the right direction makes you feeling warmer. Or, a good wind jacket is almost as good as two bad ones. And half the volume.
Bring smart clothes for e g embassy reception with free food and drink?
No! Buy Dead White Man's clothes!
You are traveling. When in little X-land it is the big celebration day of your country. The embassy invites all countrymen: "Free food and drinks! Dress: Smart."
Can't be missed!
So you better bring along a jacket?
No need, at least not in Sana, Yemen. This nice looking jacket was only US$ 3.
I guess it has been sent from Europe. The locals can't understand that living men would discard anything so nice looking and they assume it is from a Dead White Man.
(As you are traveling light you give it to the locals or sell it back to the vendor before moving on!)
Check the weather along your planned route!
Buy now!
Sure it will take some time to get your warm clothes in order.
Some 14 pages (letter size/A 4) with some 6 pictures/illustrations
You can use this information when buying ready made clothes. Then possibly modifying them a bit to make them better.
Or, for probably a better result, have an affordable tailor making them for you. In inexpensive countries tailors are affordable for most western travelers.
You use the information in the report to instruct the tailor about the important features.
If a third world tailor makes wind breaker trousers, shirt and a jacket for you, you may save from some USD 200.
On payment, you'll receive a download link via email for a Microsoft Word document.
Buy at/go back to: http://sites.google.com/site/travelulcomp/ (Where also the other reports are presented.)
© Copyright Anders Ansar 2008-2010. You can use pictures and text from pages as long as an adjacent link is provided to that page/s. All rights reserved. All lefts reserved too.
Last modified Sept. 23, 2010.