Clothing

When it comes to clothing, this is going to be very area, climate and seasonally specific so it makes it sort of difficult to do the broad strokes version. I previously mentioned hiking clothes specifically. Hiking clothes are excellent choices for several seasons and climates because performance-wise they are breathable, they are designed for excessive wear 'n' tear for days, even weeks on end between washes and still cover your skin to reduce sun exposure. When combined with long johns or a fleece, they are easily adjusted to autumn and winter uses as well.

Overall, clothing when Bugging In isn't as important as when Bugging Out because you aren't living out of a backpack... you're living out of your closet and dresser like you always have. Even with that said, it's still in your interest to stretch out the amount of times you wear your clothes to minimize your washings because that will cost you water.

While Bugging-Out, the clothes you wear can make a world of difference to everything from comfort to your health. If you decide for some reason to wear cotton or wool directly against your skin, you'll find yourself chafing constantly and the smell will be atrocious quickly. You want to think layers. You'll want a base layer that you can stack on top of. The base layer should be something breathable and lightweight like polyester, polypropylene, or some of the 'tech' clothing designed for sports. I've heard people discus their preference for silk as well.

The outer layers can contain cotton or wool, but I still personally stray away from cotton unless you're in the desert or a dry climate. Wool socks, fleece sweaters, gortex... there are plenty of choices and resources to reach upon that you'll have to evaluate. Having the right tool for the job is important even with clothing. If you are spending the winter in Chicago you'll want something wind-proof vs Portland which you may opt for something waterproofed. Rain gear like a poncho may even be an appropriate consideration to think about.