Hey - Can’t believe I’m the first to comment on this thread.

My clothing item would be a pair of old khaki cargo pants, purchased circa 1999, and made in China. Wore them to the threads on my first big trip in 1999 and continued wearing them for many years thereafter, despite a gaping hole in the crotch. They are now coming apart, but I still have them stored in my garage somewhere. They’ll probably be trashed next time I move. Sigh.

And no, they didn’t save my life or anything. It’s just a sentimental thing. Plus I like have a lot of pockets when I travel … gives the theives more opportunities to steal my stuff!

Like the site, by the way! I’ll be watching as your journey progresses.

I cannot live without my running shoes. It seems simple—just a pair of shoes, some might say. But I take my running shoes very seriously and there is a serious rotation to their life. I have been wearing Brooks Adrenaline running shoes since before they were called Adrenaline. They are made in China, but the company is located in Bothell, Washington, a city I once called home as well. These are the shoes that I have run marathons and triathlons in, yet I also lounge around in them. They are so important that the wallpaper on my phone is a picture of them (Hal Jordan, or whatever he is going by these days, can verify that for you).

At any give time I have five (yes, F-I-V-E) pairs floating around somewhere. These are the five phases of their life: First, they start out as long run shoes. This pair stays at home, not in the closet with my other shoes, but in my bedroom with the toes of the shoes neatly tucked under my dresser. They have my Road ID (if you do physically active things alone I seriously promote getting one) on them, and they get used once a week for long runs or races on the weekends. The second stage of their life is in my locker on campus. These are my “short” run shoes—I use them for my weekday runs. After the short run phase, they become my everyday shoes. The vast majority of my day-to-day wear is an old pair of running shoes.

By the end of phase three, I have worn down the rubber outsole on the heel and ball of the foot but the shoes are not useless. These are now my mud shoes. This is the pair that I have run “Mud Run” races in, or that I will wear for a muddy game of disc golf. The final phase of life for my running shoes is as my car shoes. This is the spare pair that I keep in my car for whatever emergency I may need them. Perhaps it is a warm summer day and I am wearing sandals but I need a pair of closed-toe shoes to wear for a spontaneous game of tennis…enter my car shoes.

I am amazed that each pair can take as much abuse as I give them, but that just adds to their charisma, and why I have made it so I am never without a pair of my running shoes.

I would have to say my flip flops. Yes, that’s right, flip flops. Even though I live in Canada I wear my flip flops ALL year round. They have to be from Old Navy and I own about 7 pairs in a variety of colours.
I walk 3 miles to work and 3 miles home in my flip flops, I’ll stand in snowbanks to help push somebodies car in while wearing my flip flops. I shower with them, walk around the house with them, travel with them and even wear them to weddings and special occassions if I can get away with it.
I get really excited when I find a pir on sale for $3. In fact it makes my whole week when I do. My friends and family think I’m nuts, but the flip flops are just one of many reasons why they think that.

So there you have it. I might slip and fall on my arse when its wet out, but I still wear them!!

I never go anywhere without my Bonds stretch singlet with shelf. The shelf is the bit where you stick your boobies - I just can’t hack having them swing low. It is perfect for wearing on long flights too - ultra comfortable but supported.

Made in : Bonds, being a good Aussie owned company, has their products made in China!!

I have a lucky raincoat. It’s a piece of crap — probably worth $2 new — but I love it. It has been a blanket, a pillow, a jacket (against rain and summer chills) and even a makeshift sack.

Can’t go international without it.

Made in China

My favorite gray sweater

Was better

Even when wetter

It kept me nice and warm

From frigid arctic tundra

To frigid air con Thai buses

A cushion for my head

Bug protection in bed

And the best thing:

I only did pay

Three dollars

But oh did I holler

When I went to launder

And I thought I washed it on “cold”

But now it only fits a three year old

My favorite piece of clothing that has now gone to t-shirt heaven was my Grateful Dead Concert t-shirt from waaaayyy back. I could get a reproduction but it wouln\’t be the same. My newest don\’t leave hame without it is my Bearing Sea Fisherman hoodie from when I was on the the Bearing Sea for crab season.