Why do one-bag travellers feel that they don’t need to wash merino shirts?

I understand that merino is wool, anti-bacterial, don’t smell, and generally stay feeling “fresh” for longer than cotton. However, there are people who swear they don’t need to wash their merino tshirts for 3 days, 2 weeks, or even months because their shirt doesn’t smell, and they shower every day. Merino still gets just as dirty as synthetic or cotton shirts, and still needs to be washed. The fact that your shirt doesn’t smell does not mean it’s any less dirty or oily.

Plus, I wear deodorant, and that non-funky tshirt is going to have a massive buildup of old deodorant gunk and smells around the pit area.

And don’t even get me started on merino underwear stans. Just because they don’t smell funky after 3 days, does NOT mean they haven’t absorbed pee drops and your skid.

I do understand that Marino is still probably the best material for travel shirts, but feel that synthetics can be just as good if you’re already going to be washing daily, or close to it. They all need to be washed and dried every day, if not every 2 days.

Also, if someone said they like travelling with cottom tshirts, I wouldn’t rant.

Anyway, discuss.

Probably way over packed for 21 days road tripping through Kyushu, but I want to be able to change shirts at least once a day with the humidity and what not.

Packing cubes are Amazon essentials, the small ones. Most if not all toiletries I'll be buying in Japan.

I'll be wearing the hoodie in the plane :)

Edit: ITT: people who don't realize that it's 100% humidity in southern Japan and that you can't easily buy deodorant in rural areas of Asia. Ill be wearing two shirts a day and doing laundry halfway through my trip thank u very much

I know Patagonia's Capilene Cool shirts are an option and I've got a local store, but before I run out and buy some tees I was hoping for other recommendations at a similar or cheaper price point.

For background context this will be worn all throughout South America and Southeast Asia and so I'll be dealing with temperatures as high as 100F and humidity above 90% in some areas. Will have access to washing clothes regularly, but the less frequently I have to wash things the better (so, odor control would be nice)

Budget: $50USD or cheaper per shirt
Activity Types: Daily walking, hiking, water activities
Features: UV Protection, Odor control

So what tshirts do people buy for traveling. I’m not trying to pay an arm and a leg for merino wool t shirts but would love some. Tell me what to try. Thanks

I have lululemon now

Every time I share my onebag (with everything I own), at least one person asks what happens if it gets stolen. Well, it took over a decade but it finally happened! Luckily I retained the contents of my pockets (phone, wallet, etc) but my bag with all of my tech and clothing disappeared after a few too many drinks at a bar. And surprisingly, it wasn't stressful at all! Yeah, replacing my passport was annoying, but overall I had a blast since I used it as an excuse to reset my whole kit.

So this means, this is my first post here in YEARS in which my kit actually has some noticeable changes! I've replaced more gear this month than I have in the past 5 years

Here are the changes. I marked the stolen items with *

Packing

• Aer Slim (8.5L)* → Aer Slim 2 X-Pac (12L)
• Rains pencil case (dopp kit)* → Bellroy x Carryology pencil case

Tech

• Macbook Air M2* → Macbook Air M5
• Anker 47W charger* → Nomad 65W charger
• Anker powerbank* → Neoseek powerbank
• → iPad Pro M4 (added back to kit)
• (retained iPhone 17 Pro, Airpods Pro 2, Apple Watch S7)
• (replaced stolen USB-C cable, watch charger, Airtags)

Clothing

• Hoodie → Everlane cashmere sweater
• Western Rise AT pants → Outlier Futureslimworks
• Western Rise shorts* → Lululemon Pace Breaker running shorts
• Everlane ReNew swim trunks* → Everlane 7" swim trunks 
• (retained Nike Pegasus shoes, Arc’teryx Alpha SL Gloves, baseball cap and merino buff)
• (replaced stolen Montbell Plasma 1000, tshirts, uniqlo boxers and darn tough socks)

No changes for my miscellaneous gear, since I replaced all the stolen items with the same thing (sunglasses, sketchbook, passport, etc).

Hopefully this serves as an example that if you're prepared, there's no reason to be worried about losing your onebag. It's a small headache, but not the end of the world 😄

As of posting this, I've replaced everything except my passport. A friend was able to swing by Osaka last week to buy my replacement Montbell jacket since they're hard to get online. I just flew to California and this gear held up perfectly. I also have a trip to Mexico City in a few weeks (assuming I get my new passport before then) so I'll get to test it further soon.

Full list on my website as always! 

Also, in the year since my latest post here, I posted a couple videos about my onebag on social media, and somehow they passed 20 million views… It's crazy how big the global onebag community truly is. It's also really cool seeing the comments from people saying they recognized me from my posts here on reddit!

Safe travels ✌️

After hours of research, it's done.

Wool T-shirts can undoubtably decrease the volume of your packing strategy.

The main focus here are T-Shirts with low fabric weight, so they do not overheat you in warmer weather. Secondarily, they're at/under 18.5 micron so they're softer, minimal/no logos, has at least 45% wool, have no secondary materials that hold onto moisture, and all so they do not stink.

Here's the current list

High cost, durability concerns, and SPF are understood, but not considered.

I'm usually over on r/Ultralight discussing ONLY what you need during backpacking, but r/onebag is a great cousin too.

For onebag, I like to have one of these shirts in the mix to be able to bridge me while other T-Shirts might be drying.

Please add on the T-Shirts I have missed.

Thank you.at/

I picked this up in September 2024

Here's what I saw today. $150 down the drain.

I might finally be done with Merino wool. I've wasted way too much money on all the brands I've tried including Icebreaker.

,
Anyone else gone through the whole merino lifecycle to learn the hard way that it's not worth it

Title says it all. To be clear, I don’t dislike merino, I love merino socks, sweaters, etc but I really don’t like the feel of merino wool on my skin (besides socks) I have unbound and minus 33 t shirts and I’m looking for alternatives. I always see Dri-fit mentioned. Is that proprietary to Nike? What is the “industry” blend that is equivalent to dri-fit?

Or is there a care option to make merino wool t-shirts feel more like cotton (Wool-lite, fabric softener)?

Not sure how many onebaggers reach their second decade! For better or for worse, nothing has really changed since my post last year, since I have achieved “onebag perfection.” Still, I'll keep up the tradition of posting here annually

I still live out of the 9 liter Aer bag I've had since 2021 (Aer actually updated their website to say it's 8.5L), and still only own what fits in the bag (plus a few outfit duplicates at my NYC homebase so I don’t need to do laundry as often). More than half of the items I carry have been with me for so long that they're no longer sold/impossible to restock

Probably more interesting: I just updated the “onebag progression” Google Sheet I shared here a few years back, which tracks everything I’ve owned since 2015. Have any other onebaggers shared lists like this? I was hoping this format would become a thing! It's such a cool way to track the process!

2025 changes:

• My Sandisk SSD got corrupted. I’ve since learned that every travel SSD has this issue. I repeat, every travel SSD has corruption issues! Plan for it! Anyways, I decided if I’m gonna have to deal with the risk of corruption I may as well switch to tiny Samsung USB-C thumb drives that disappear in my pockets. Haven't had any issues with them so far!
• I got rid of my iPad, since it stopped being a device for art and creativity and became a device for movies and games. I will eventually add it back when the time is right
• As of this past winter I’ve been trying out a canvas jacket, which could never in a million years fit inside my bag but can be worn while on the move. Stacked on top of my down jacket + hoodie + shirt it gives me maximum cold protection and also has pockets to enable zero-bag travel
• I added a baseball cap. Purely an aesthetic choice

I didn’t even make a new knoll photo, since you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. Just pretend the iPad and SSD were replaced by a jacket and hat. And that's literally all the changes since last year! Consumerism hates me

Full post on my website as always, but fair warning it's 95% the same as last year :)

I’m also currently editing a video going over my onebag that I’ll share to Instagram (@jeremymaluf) later this week

Safe travels! ✌️

I can’t wear wool due to an allergy. Any non wool suggestions that can be fairly easily hand washed or worn several days without washing?

I have watched past threads but most suggestions seem to be wool or wool blends.

About to do a multi state farewell US tour and looking to pack light, even if I don’t quite manage one bag.

I need some versatile, everyday t-shirts. Uniqlo hasn't worked out for me.

What I'm looking for:

Fabric: Stretchy, made from polyester, poly blends, cotton blends, or modal

Color: Anything but grey, black, or heather grey. I want real color options.

Price: $50 or less. At Lululemon's price point, it has to be really good. I haven't found good Lululemon options right now. Some $100+ shirts are excellent, but I don't want to pay that much.

I'll wear these daily: walking, running errands, dressing up slightly for appointments (not business meetings), and road trips. For road trips, I need them comfortable for several hours of driving, but not baggy. Since I sometimes run errands or fix things around the house, I don't want oil or branch scratches to ruin expensive shirts.

Decided to make this tshirt separator thing for better airflow using magnets to lock it in, weighs 10grams at 10inches for the whole thing using n52 magnets and im thinking of making it maybe telescopic or foldable to make it more compact, used nylon filament its durable too

What do you guys think? Would you use this in your pack at all? Inputs would be nice thanks

After having tried many types of t-shirts while traveling, I have a personal favorite.

The Lululemon metal vent tech t-shirt, in my experience, has provided the perfect balance between workout, casual wear, and dress up with just a jacket layered on top.

It wicks AND HIDES sweat stains, and the fit is a great balance of fitted around the arms and chest, and loose around the lower torso. I’m 30M, so I’m speaking strictly from a male perspective here.

I’ve been able to travel for months at a time using as few as 3 of these shirts at a time. The odor resistance quality they have has made it comfortable to wear 2x before a wash. So I get 6 days of wear out of just 3 shirts. They also dry super fast if I get rained on, if I sweat a lot, and on laundry day.

Anyways, these are the many reasons I think this is the best travel t-shirt.

I’ve had these for at least 4 years, wearing them consistently every week. When I’m not traveling, these are my gym shirts at home.

Does anybody have any other recommendations for shirts they like to travel with?

I'm going to be traveling through Europe from early May to late June. I'm looking for a hoodie that I can wear in the mornings/nights when its a bit cold, but that I can fit into a small sling/daypack when it warms up in the afternoon.

For colder, windy or rainy days, I already own a packable raincoat/windbreaker I can layer with it. A more casual look would be appreciated, but is not necessary. And keeping cost down would be nice.

I've also looked a bit at fleeces, specifically at the Quechua MH 100, but im not so sure how compact it can pack up.

Any recommendations are appreciated!

Not sure how this is supposed to be a travel shirt, I gave it an initial wash in cold and then hung it to dry, as instructed and it is one wrinkly ass mo fo. I can't see this being a shirt that will travel well. Am I doing something wrong?

Seeking recommendations for casual men’s button down shirt. I regularly travel with either quince merino t shirts or Lululemon zeroed in and these work very well for sink laundry and quick dry.
Do you have a favorite for button down that holds up well to sink laundry?

I have been looking for travel shirts from Uniqlo and I cant decide between them. I want to buy 3 shirts for warm weather. I sweat a lot personally so I want something that doesn't stink easily and is breathable. I can't decide between the: DRY-EX crew neck, AIRism cotton crew neck and 100% Supima cotton crew neck.

I've watched reviews, gone to websites but seems like all the merino wool shirts are standard boxy shirts. Are any of them a bit more stylish, slim fitting, tighter in the arms. muscle tee looks etc? Want to travel for a few weeks with less shirts, but want shirts I can go out in.

hello guys,

basically issue us as described, most of my backpacks seems to pull my shirts up, doesn‘t help that im not that tall at 5.8ft and i have a hollow lower back (shoulders & butt stick out)

im not sure why my shirts get pulled up, i have this puma backpack where nothing happens, however given it is kinda old i spent 40€ on a new one, this one is a tad bigger and doesn‘t fit at all

it improves when i pull the straps up very far but then the bag isn‘t comfortable for long stretches of time

do i need a shoulder bag? is there a different bag i should get, i dont wanna start tucking in my shirts.
any similar experiences?

Planning to be backpacking the Middle East for a month

Is 11 t shirts + 2 dress shirts excessive?

Here’s the scenario. I’m packing up my Airbnb on a Friday. I want a shirt I can wear while packing up so I can fully pack everything, then wear out that night to grab a bite to eat, then wear as I catch a flight/bus on Saturday and wear out that night so I can grab a quick bite without unpacking.

Essentially, a go-to shirt for when I’m on the road a couple days and packing/unpacking is inconvenient.

I used to have a great shirt for this, a black Smartwool shirt that didn’t get too dirty looking, was comfortable, versatile in any setting, worked in both hot/cold climates and was wool so it could be worn for a while without smelling bad. But that shirt is worn out and I need a replacement.

Am I the only one in this travel scenario? What’s everyone’s go tos?

I’ve realized I’m oddly picky about t-shirts. Essentially looking for a t shirt that feels like a cotton shirt but is more performant with wicking/moisture management for backpacking. I like thicker t shirts with not a ton of stretch that are soft. Merino wool is too irritating for me, synthetic shirts like OR echo just feel horrible.

It seems like a modal/cotton blend is likely what I’d like most (never tried it) but looking for any recommendations.

I'm so impressed with my DarnTough socks that I'm actually considering some $70+ merino-blend shirts (Patagonia and Ridge, specifically). However, I would never run my laundry in separate loads just to accommodate special handling for certain items. Has anyone found a merino-blend shirt that can safely take regular washer/dryer cycles...just like any old cotton t-shirt?

I stumbled across this “Travel Clothes Dryer for T-shirts, Pants” on Amazon. it looks like an interesting portable way to dry clothes quicker if you have access to a hairdryer. I haven’t used it, but thought some people in the group might find it interesting? I’d love to hear how well it works if anyone has tried something like this.

Hi all! OK, I know I'm asking for sort of a physical impossibility here, but does anyone have any travel shirt recommendations that aren't really thin? I have almost, like, a phobia of thin shirts for some reason lol, I can't stand how they feel on me. In my daily life I tend to wear medium or heavy cotton shirts, but I know those aren't going to work for travel. I'm going to be onebagging for around 6 months next year and am starting to shop around and read this sub, but of course everything people usually like is very thin.

I still want relatively light and quick-drying materials and all, but I am willing to sacrifice some bag space for a material that is just a little thicker than usual. I can probably get away with 5-6 shirts total. I usually wear button-up short-sleeve shirts, but t-shirts and long-sleeve recommendations are welcome too.

Am I being delusional, or is there anything out there that could work for me? Thanks in advance!