The usefulness of a a basic jacket is amazing. even a simple raincoat holds heat, protects from insects and repels rain -- and in a bright color helps get you found.

I keep a spare in my pack and in my car.

When I travel on airlines, I always wear a (dress) sport coat, usually the common blue Blazer. I like the extra pockets it gives me; more space to carry things which is always useful. Some brands are designed for travel, with even more pockets. Also, I have found that this simple garment seems to, how to say it, put me in a different group than many of the other travelers, and get me better service. At least so it seems. (And a Tie helps also.)

So I stuff my coat's pockets with all sort of useful things and don't have to put all that stuff in my already stuffed carry-on.

For traveling in a business suit, I generally wear a nice wool overcoat. For more casual dress, I wear a wool duffel coat. I still carry (all year) a light rain coat that can go over the wool coats. I usually carry a light merino wool base layer all year also.

For years I have included the lightest weight hooded jacket I could find in my pack, even when it was slightly redundant. Currently I carry a Houdini (Patagonia).

I tend to prefer bright colors (red!) and so the ability to aid potential searchers is a handy rationalization. Dull colors do make the searchers job just that much more difficult.

Do keep in mind that synthetic fibers are killers in the very unlikely event of a fire.

Just another reason I prefer to wear cotton while traveling on planes.

I generally whip my ropes and cordage by melting the cut tips, so I know that hot, melting nylon is hot and nasty, not the thing you want in contact with one's delicate skin, but...

Killers? If things are hot enough to melt nylon, I would think the victim has even bigger problems. Are there documented cases of deaths caused only by melting synthetics- no other contributing conditions (like scorched lungs?)?

I can see the point when flying, especially with undergarments. But then, I find flying less and less satisfactory or cost effective, even if I can keep my shoes on for TSA.

Well, in any case I think it is safe to say that synthetics are likely to make a person's injuries unnecessarily worse in the event of a fire. I too avoid wearing them when flying…cotton at least won't melt, but wool is naturally flame resistant and is even better so I wear as much of that as is practical for the conditions. Check out this demonstration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvCh1QIHbmk

Are there any data regarding synthetics/fire/trauma? Obviously, there is potential, but just how much of a real world problem is it?

I would think that for melted synthetics to be an issue, you'd have to be in direct contact with flame to ignite them. If it's hot enough for them to spontaneously combust without flame contact, well, you will probably have already spontaneously combusted yourself. And if you're in an aircraft disaster where you're in direct contact with flames, that doesn't bode well for your survival in the first place. Most of the folks in aircraft disasters die from the smoke or blunt trauma from the impact. For the unlucky ones who who had not only smoke and physical trauma to deal with, but flames too, I dare say they were probably toast from the get-go. Even if they were wearing cotton.

But I wear cotton most of the time anyway. Not because I fear melting, but because it's more comfortable.

It seems mostly it has to do with risk of fire/explosion, if its higher than household risk (campfire), then recommendation is wear fire resistant clothing (including underpants)

I vaguely recalls seeing surgeons removing melted underpants , maybe on history channel, maybe on tv show ... but it looks like they describe, a second skin made of plastic that needs to be excised



Marine Corps News Room: Popular clothing off-limits to Marines in Iraq


Industrial Flash Fire and Burn Injury Fundamentals with an Instrumented Manikin Demonstration of Protective Clothing Performance

CORDURA® Brand - New Lightweight CORDURA® Baselayer Brand Fabric

Electric Power eTool: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) - Flame-Resistant (FR) Clothing

USAF Flying Safety magazine

0851–2348P–MTDC Tests of Undergarments Exposed to Fire

camp fire Utah boy, badly burned when fleece PJs caught fire, slowly recovering | The Salt Lake Tribune

calfire shelter not deployable (melted shut) Burned Calif. Crew Found Shelters Melted | Firehouse

Thank you very much for those references-good, thoughtful reading. I was most interested in the material on fire shelters. My first fire fighting season was 1956 and back then we had nothing in the way of protective clothing (other than hard hats). We all wore cotton routinely. Although fire fighting was an occasional job through the years, I didn't encounter fire shelters until the 1990s. By then everyone on the line was wearing Nomex.

That's my approach exactly. By the way, the ScotteVest has several neat ultimate solutions for that. I have just purchased the sport coat on Cyber Monday from them ($50 less): http://www.scottevest.com/v3_store/SeV-Sportcoat.shtml In the past, I have been traveling overseas wearing their Revolution system (fleece jacket zipping into the outer shell, 42 pockets total! All weather top clothing in one piece). At the TSA station you just take it off and put on the conveyor ignoring funny looks. On one of the trips I've been able to lighten my checked bag for almost 30 pounds (!) of various gadgets to avoid paying for overweight, and it felt like nothing on my shoulders, thanks for the SeV's weight distribution net. Add their ingenious Personal Area Network to that. The only problem I had is that it takes several days after the trip to find and fish out all of the stuff you hid in all these pockets... Oh, and I had been delaying the line to the Stratosphere tower overlook in Las Vegas once, as they've decided to search me when I've been wearing the SeV Fleece and didn't pass the metal detector, having all 20 pockets stuffed with various survival kits and other travel bits Took me about 10 minutes to unload everything and pass the detector. Fortunately, I had also a collapsible nylon bag on me to just grab that pile afterwards not bothering to stuff it back right away

Just checked their new Revolution system. The older version seem to be more thoroughly thought out for practical aspects. The new one has some new neat features, but seem to incline to a "fancier looks" direction. E.g. the older version of the shell is longer and even have an overhang on the back, which allows to bend forward in the rain and keep the bottom dry.

Re: Fires. If I'm in a situation where the synthetic fibers are seriously burning ... I've already got much bigger problems. Really.

JACKETS - My own impression is that jackets that have a front zip are a better choice. I find that I am more likely to carry a jacket that can be unzipped ... it is easier to adjust how much body heat is retained - by altering the zip.

I suppose this comment seems 'picky'. But after i put on a jacket then put on a backpack, i like to start trekking and allow my body to fall into a steady natural pace. it is efficient to hike this way. so i adopt the mindset of marching for a very long distance ... and i really dont want to keep stopping frequently, dragging off my backpack, and adjusting my jacket. instead, its much simpler to change the front zipper and so adjust body heat while walking.

cheers,
Pete