The Cliff Dwell shirt from Columbia Sportswear belongs to the class of shirts I keep throwing into my travel bag by instinct these days: lightweight, functional, and durable, but not too far off from what I would wear if I weren’t traveling. I can pack smart and look smart in multiple situations.
In the photo this looks like a typical plaid short-sleeve shirt, something you would throw on before traipsing out to the local coffee shop. But up close it’s more. There’s Columbia’s Omni-Shield treatment, first of all, which makes the shirt water-resistant and breathable. So you stay relatively dry when you’ve spilled a drink on your shirt or you start sweating from embarrassment afterwards. I poured a whole glass of water on my shoulder while wearing this and it flowed right off the side. In a misty drizzle the precipitation just beaded up on the surface.
There’s 30 SPF sun protection and this shirt is from the “Titanium” line, meant to be extra-tough for travelers or adventurers. Still, the fabric is soft to the touch and feels good on the skin.
There are a few other subtle touches putting this on a level above the sea of similar shirts in most any store for men. The left chest pocket is mesh on the inside, zippered on the outside. The arm cuffs are a nice touch and there’s a mesh lining along the shoulder. A fabric loop inside the collar aids hanging on a hook—handy after a sink washing on the road.
Travel shirts like this aren’t flashy or loaded with features, and it’s hard to differentiate a particular one when most are made in Asia from some mix of polyester and nylon. Usually the ones from a dependable brand go a bit beyond the norm though, with a good fit and some extra treatments to the fabric. That’s the case with this Cliff Dwell shirt, which I’ll keep grabbing without thinking about it as I’m picking out clothes for a trip.
The Cliff Dwell shirt lists for $55 at Columbia Sportswear’s site, where you can see more specs and the four available colors.
Or follow these links to get it at REI, or at RockCreek.com.
Browse all travel clothing from Columbia.com
