Prepping in Style: The Most Comfortable Clothing to Add to Your Stash

Functional and Comfortable Clothing to Add to Your Prepping Stash

When you’re building a stash of clothes for your home, your car, or a bugout bag, don’t overlook the importance of comfort. It’s easy to get caught up in buying tactical pants, big jackets, thick socks, and long-sleeve thermal shirts, but when it comes time to use your clothes, you might be left wishing you had packed something more comfortable.

While the right clothes can protect you from harsh conditions, keep you warm, and avoid blisters, you also need to account for times when you may just want to sit back and relax. 

Here’s a breakdown of the comfortable clothing items you want to keep in your preparedness stash.  

Moisture-Wicking Base Layer Shirts

A shirt that wicks moisture away from your body will be your first line of defense against chafing, irritation, and hypothermia. However, not all of these shirts are the same. Some are more comfortable than others, and it’s a good idea to try several brands and styles to see what you like best. 

For example, some shirts are designed to provide compression, while others offer a relaxed fit. Since this will be your emergency stash, you don’t want to end up with a bunch of clothes you don’t like.

Merino wool base layer shirts tend to be the most comfortable compared to polyester blends. They’re soft, warm, and odor-resistant so you can wear them multiple days in a row if needed. However, it’s a good idea to pack an additional polyester base layer because they hold up in tough conditions and dry really fast.

Compression Socks

If you don’t already have compression socks in your preparedness clothing arsenal, you need to get some right away. While it’s important to have thick socks to keep your feet warm, compression socks offer support for aching muscles while encouraging better blood flow.

You can’t predict when you or anyone in your family might end up with a swollen ankle or fluid build-up, but when you prepare for the possibility, you’ll be grateful if that becomes your reality. You can get a similar amount of compression from a wrapped elastic bandage, but it’s not as comfortable or easy to apply. Socks can be taken off and put back on, while bandages have to be wrapped and unwrapped.

Ripstop Nylon Pants

You might be surprised to know how versatile ripstop nylon pants can be when you can’t wash your pants frequently. Not only can they function as rain pants to keep you dry, but they can be used to walk through blackberry brambles with ease. Nylon is thinner than jean material, but it’s less likely to snag thorns and branches as you move. They’re also great for doing yard work because you can remove the clippings by wiping the fabric with a towel. This will help you avoid having to wash a good pair of pants just because you needed to cut some weeds down.

Large Raincoats

You probably already have a raincoat, but if it’s not at least one or two sizes bigger, you may want to rethink the coat you add to your stash. While it can be beneficial to store a perfectly-sized raincoat, that will become a problem if you need to put it on over a sweatshirt or multiple layers of clothing. Getting a larger size coat makes it easy to wear over your existing clothes, including a small backpack.

Pit Zip Jackets

Armpit zippers are one of the most convenient features you can find in a jacket. The idea is that you can unzip the armpits to cool down without taking off your jacket.

Sherpa-Lined Sweats or Pants

Even though you’re supposed to wear nylon or polyester as a base layer to avoid sweating, nothing beats the warmth and comfort of a pair of sherpa-lined pants directly against your skin. If you’re in a casual situation or you just want extra warmth while you sleep on a cool night, sherpa pants will beat any other type of fabric in terms of comfort. Just make sure you don’t wear them while you work up a sweat or head out somewhere without the ability to change clothes.

Tactical Gloves

Gloves are essential, but generic gloves make it hard to use your hands and they never seem to fit right. That’s where tactical gloves can help. A good pair of durable, tactical gloves can be worn comfortably for hours at a time while you handle a mountain of tasks.

Prepare to Be Comfortable

Being prepared doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice comfort. In fact, the more comfortable you feel in your clothes, the easier it will be for you to get things done in a true emergency situation.