— Thomas Kyangu
Combers are people who live wandering in the Long Earth without a home. They do not farm to get food, instead live off the land, taking "the lowest-hanging fruit".[1] Bill Chambers and Thomas Kyangu were examples of combers.
The name 'comber' is derived from 'beachcomber'.[2]
In Australia, they are called 'bushwhackers' while in Great Britain they are called 'travellers'. Some people call them 'ridge runners', 'jackpine savages', 'mountain men', 'hoboes', 'okies' or 'wanderers'.[3]
The city of Valhalla, on Earth West 1,400,013, is an example of city that has all the attributes of a Datum community but is sustained by combers.[1]
In 2040, there is even a comber's subculture, underground knowledge about survivable refuges in Jokers or cache of provisions left by combers for combers.[4]