Isle Royale Forums

So this may be a ridiculous question, but I’ll be making my first backpacking trip in June. Six nights. Should I, um, plan on packing a pair of socks and a pair of undies for each night, or do you rinse and reuse? I completely understand if no one wants to touch this one.

Take enough to keep you happy, is the answer used by a nonprofit I used to travel with. For me, for any trip of 3 days or longer I carry 3: one to wear, one dry spare, and the one I wore yesterday which may or may not be dry yet from being washed. For socks, I usually carry two pairs and only wash the dirtiest pair if I have favorable drying conditions.

Concur with Bobcat1. But would bring 3 pairs of socks, too. Especially if I think I may want socks to sleep in, in which case only use that pair for sleeping. If it rains a lot things may never get the chance dry out.

The underwear is a matter of personal preference, so I'll say that Bobcat1's advice to take enough to keep you happy is spot on.

As to socks, I subscribe to the 3 pair theory. 1 pair is only for sleeping and never sees the outside of the tent/hammock/tarp so that they're always dry. The other 2 pair are alternated. I try to rinse and dry the socks I hiked in that day in the evening at camp while I wear the pair I'll hike in the next day. That means dry socks most of the time in the morning, unless it's just uncooperative weather and you're left with damp socks.

"Take enough to keep you happy" is excellent advice. That said, for me:

Socks: Sleeping socks plus two pairs for hiking. Preferably one pair of hiking socks is washed each evening.

Underthings: Wear one and carry one. Preferably the dirty ones gets washed in the evening.

In either case, I prefer dirty but dry underclothes to clean but damp. Some conventional wisdom states that the damp clean clothing will get dried out while wearing them, but in wet weather that has turned out to be uncomfortable.

Thanks for all of your quick replies. I’ve gotta say, you all in this forum are on top of things. Every question I’ve posted has drawn multiple responses, all well-conceived and well-intentioned. We leave 5 months from today. Can’t wait!

Yah, well, it’s the dead of winter and we’re bored. Glad to help by answering questions!

When hiking, I wear a pair of shorts with a liner (think swiming suit). Better ventilation.

socks: I bring 1 pair for hiking and 1 pair for sleeping on shorter trips. On longer trips ( 6+ days) I bring 2 pair for hiking 1 pair for sleeping.
(not applicable to IR but when winter camping - double those amounts)

underwear: 1 for hiking, 1 clean for at camp/sleeping