I've seen mentions of this bug in several locations, but no real way to fix it. I've heard there is a console command in which you can see the original gear and remove it, but I can't find it.

I've had Argis as a follower and spouse for a while. He used to be able to help me haul stuff. Now I can't even give him a healing potion. He is currently using a set of epic Orcish armor with a shield that my character made for him. He goes back to his original kit when I release him and he wanders the Markarth house. But always puts the good stuff back on when we leave.

From what I've read elsewhere, this has to do with him getting more original armor/weapons each time I dismiss him and then ask him to follow me again. I can't see these items, even with the openactorcontainer 1 console command. I have no way of taking them away from him. I have done the setclass 13176 command to reset him and bring him up to my character's level. Don't know if this has had any effect yet, as we haven't been involved in a skirmish so far. But it does not seem to have affected his carrying capacity problem.

I would like to be able to release him from service when we are in the house so he doesn't clank around after me incessantly. Also, it's nice for my husband to be able to spend time tinkering in the alchemy lab or making meals like a normal person. I also want to be able to go out without him now and then, and not have this affect his encumbrance.

Is there a way to remedy this situation?? I'm afraid he won't even be able to wear his good armor soon.

Empty everything you can from him, then open the console and select him, then type in shoinventory. It should list the default armor and their IDs so you can remove them.

If your not on pc (like me), you can use the wabbajack respawning method which should reset their inventory, removing all the hidden armor they accumulate. It also resets their stats to your level.

My sig has a link explaining the wabbajack method.

Thanks for the responses! I am on PC. Sorry, should have specified. I will try the shoinventory approach. From what I have heard, even if you take everything away, their kit comes back the next time you enter the house or something? In other words, they will always have at least one of everything they started with? It would be nice to give him something else to wear in the house instead of him clanking around with that shield and weapon all the time. But if I can at least get rid of the excess, he should be able to carry things again.

Out of curiosity, if the setclass command does not reset their inventory, why would the wabbajack method do so?

Attempted the showinventory fix. I did note that he was carrying 22 bows, which is probably the main issue. Those I can remove. However, there were a bunch of "bad editor ID" items as well. Example ID's were 000179AF 000170EE 000179AD 00022964 0010C5FF. When I try to remove them, it says that it's an invalid item for this character, and will not allow the move. Any idea what that's about?

If you are on PC, the fix is easy. Remove anything you gave them, disable, then enable. That's it. They will have their starting inventory. You can then console that off - I hear that as long as you leave one piece of their original equipment, it won't respawn.

Thanks to all who posted assistance. I took the 22 bows, the iron arrows, the shield, and the gauntlets off Argis. He now walks around the house in his original armor and boots. He can carry stuff again! Yay console commands!