How to Choose Travel Clothing

• Key Considerations
• Choosing the Basics
• The Details

If you're like many adventure travelers, your itinerary could include everything from hiking in national parks to visiting museums in cities. Travel light by packing clothing that works for both urban and wilderness adventures.

Key Considerations

The trick is finding a few key pieces that will be appropriate in the outdoors and the city. Above all else, travel clothing should be comfortable. In addition, you'll appreciate travel clothing that is:

High-performance

Materials that breathe well, wick moisture and dry quickly will make your outdoor activities more comfortable. Synthetics such as Supplex®, REI MTS® polyester, Capilene® or nylon are good choices. Cotton can become a liability when it gets wet.

Versatile

The pants and shirts you pack should function technically for your outdoor activities but look casual for the city. For example, a black high-performance shirt you wear running can also work for an evening on the town. Choose neutral colors such as shades of black, navy and brown that are easy to mix and match.

Inconspicuous

Most of the time, standing out from the local culture simply can't be helped, but the clothing you wear can make you feel less conspicuous. In general, avoid tight clothing or very short shorts and skirts (for women) which aren't acceptable in some cultures. To help avoid looking like a tourist, don't bring clothing with prominent logos.

Low maintenance

Some items feature special coatings like Teflon® to help resist stains and wrinkles. Also look for materials that will dry quickly, so if you need to do laundry in the hotel sink your clothes will hang-dry by the next morning. Fabrics such as Tencel®, Supplex®, nylon or other synthetics are good choices. Unless you'll have access to a clothes dryer on extended trips, avoid 100% cotton, which takes a long time to hang-dry.

Choosing the Basics

Here are the basics any traveler should bring, no matter what adventure is on the itinerary.

Select one of the links below to skip directly to that section:

• Outerwear
• Pants/Shorts
• Skirts/Dresses
• Shirts
• Hats
• Other

Outerwear

To stay dry, you have two options: waterproof/breathable or water-resistant/breathable rainwear.

• Waterproof/breathable shells such as Gore-Tex® and REI Elements® are the best choice for a wide range of weather conditions and activities. Their combination of breathability and moisture protection means you can buy a single shell for everything from summer showers to winter storms. However, these fabrics are more expensive than other types of rainwear, and they do have limits.
• Water-resistant/breathable shells repel light wind and precipitation while providing excellent breathability to keep you cool when your body heats up. They tend to be less bulky and less expensive than other shells. However, they are not waterproof enough for protection in harsh weather conditions or extended periods of rain.
  
  

To stay warm, choose between fleece tops and wool sweaters.

• Fleece tops and vests are hard to beat. The polyester fibers trap air for warmth and wick moisture. However, heavier-weight fleece is bulky and doesn't condense well.
• Wool sweaters are a natural-fiber alternative. Wool insulates to keep you warm even when it gets wet. Also, wool doesn't retain odors like synthetic materials. Heavier-weight wool sweaters can be bulky and take up a lot of packing space.

Pants/Shorts

Even if you're traveling to a warm or tropical destination, you'll want to bring pants to protect you from the sun and insects. In addition, some worthwhile side trips (such as churches and cathedrals) require visitors to wear pants, not shorts. For pants and shorts, your options are nylon or cotton canvas.

• Nylon is breathable, wicks moisture and dries quickly. However, it isn't as sturdy as canvas. It's better for those who will be traveling for an extended period of time in remote areas and want lightweight and versatile legwear.
• Canvas is very durable, but doesn't wick moisture or dry very quickly. It's a good choice for less strenuous activities in drier climates.

Convertible pants have legs that zip off to turn into shorts. These are a great space-saving option and they're versatile enough for nearly any situation or climate. Convertible pants are also available in nylon or canvas.

Skirts/Dresses

In some cultures, women are expected to wear long skirts. Other times, especially when it's hot, it can be more comfortable to wear a simple dress for sightseeing or travel. Travel skirts and dresses are typically made from four different materials.

• Nylon is a versatile, lightweight, wicking fabric that is suited to outdoor adventures as well as urban explorations. However, it doesn't feel as soft as cotton.
• Tencel® has a cotton-like feel, as well as some technical properties. It resists wrinkles and dries more quickly than cotton, but doesn't wick as well as nylon.
• Silk offers lightweight, breathable comfort in warm climates. It's better suited for travel and sightseeing in urban environments rather than the wilderness as it's less durable than other materials.
• Cotton/polyester blend fabrics feel comfortable next to the skin. Because these materials don't wick moisture or dry very quickly, they're better suited for an urban environment rather than the wilderness.

Shirts

You should always pack a long-sleeve shirt. Besides keeping you warm when it's cold, a long-sleeve shirt will protect you from intense sun or insects in a tropical environment.

• Knit shirts are typically crewneck styles. They come in both cotton and high-performance fabrics. Cotton shirts are better for urban environments because they lack the technical features to keep you comfortable during outdoor activities.
• Woven shirts are typically button-downs. They also come in cotton and high-performance fabrics. Some long-sleeve woven shirts have features such as mesh vents and roll-up tabs for short sleeves. These shirts lack the stretchy freedom of movement found in knit fabrics.
• Cross-training tops include short-sleeve shirts and tank tops in high-performance fabrics. Designed for aerobic activities, these shirts also work well for travel, especially in warm climates because they wick moisture to keep you cool.
• Thermal underwear includes long-sleeve, high-performance polyester crewneck and zip shirts. They make an excellent base layer for cold climates and are good for warm climates when it cools down at night.

Hats

Hats take up a small amount of space and do a lot to protect you from the elements. Depending on where you're traveling, bring a waterproof hat to shield you from rain, a lightweight hat to protect you from the sun or a warm hat to retain body heat when it's cold.

• Rain hats also provide good sun protection. They feature a wide brim, waterproof/breathable construction and a chin strap.
• Sun hats are usually constructed with cotton for breathability and feature grommets or mesh for ventilation. Some styles feature a skirt to keep sun off your neck, ears and temples.
• Casual hats include ball caps and trekking hats. Trekking hats have a wider brim and provide better protection from sun and rain.
• Cold-weather hats typically are made from wool, fleece or Gore® Windstopper fleece and come in a variety of styles. Hats are important to wear in cold weather because the majority of body heat is lost through your head.

Other Basics

The same rule about fabrics applies for underwear and socks. A synthetic fabric will be easier to care for than cotton. It's best to choose socks made from CoolMax® or wool, which can help prevent blisters.

The Details

The details make the difference, especially when you're packing just a couple shirts and pants for a trip.

• Look for features like extra pockets in shirts to hold tickets, sunglasses or other small items.
• Some pants and skirts have incorporated hidden passport or money pockets, which can be more comfortable than wearing a separate money belt under your clothing.
• Pockets that zip close (rather than button) are convenient for securing items against loss or theft.