Posts Tagged Mountain Khakis
Travel Shirts for All Looks From Mountain Khakis
The latest line of shirts from Mountain Khakis is out now, with an array of good-looking and practical choices for travelers.
We’re big fans of the look and the attitude of Mountain Khakis products, and it’s not just because they hand out shots of whiskey and have mechanical bull riding contests at the Outdoor Retailer show. They make shirts and pants built to stand up to repeated use in the real outdoors—not just look outdoorsy for a fashion spread.
I’ve been trying out a range of different shirts from their new spring and summer line and realized on one trip they were about all I’d brought along. It’s a versatile bunch!
This Fairway Polo shirt looks and feels like a regular cotton polo shirt you’d buy at any department store, but you can’t always trust your senses. It’s soft and supple, but is actually made from recycled PET bottles. As in the kind travelers keep drinking water out of and chucking into the trash. (Not you of course, those other people.) Depending on size, each of this polo shirts has kept up to 14 bottles out of a landfill.
I’ve worn and washed mine about 20 times now and it still looks new. It’s comfortable, has snaps instead of buttons in the front, and the way the shoulders are stitched this is a good shirt to wear when you’re carrying a backpack. When you shed the pack though, you’re looking good.
Get the Fairway Polo direct from Mountain Khakis in three color combos or check prices at Backcountry and Altrec.
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With a name like Equatorial, this long-sleeve but lightweight blended fabric shirt has to be ready to travel. It’s especially ready to travel to Portland or Brooklyn as all the bearded hipsters seem to be wearing this retro style now. (Oh, if only I’d held onto my shirts from high school…)
This is a bit modernized though, with softer color patterns that have some depth. It’s also somewhat ec0-friendly, with 70% cotton and 30% of a material derived from cellulose fiber, using an organic process. It’s not as wrinkle-resistant as your average synthetic travel shirt, but not too shabby the times I’ve had it in a suitcase for days The fabric is thin enough that the shirt dries overnight when sink washed. The two front pockets are secured with a button, but also have a side stash pocket behind that for sticking in your sunglasses or something else you need to get to.
You can get this Equatorial long sleeve shirt for a kind of pricey $95 direct, or check prices at Moosejaw. I’m betting it’ll get marked down come autumn.
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The Granite Creek model isn’t new. That name is to Mountain Khakis what Air Strip Lite is to ExOfficio – the foundation for the travel line. Amy has reviewed some Granite Creek women’s wear in the past and I checked out the short sleeve shirt last year.
I’ve been wearing a long sleeve version for the first time however and have mostly been happy with it. There’s DWR baked in to make it stain resistant. It wicks moisture, dries fast, and is vented in the back. I like the 2-section pockets (one zippered each side) and the loop on the collar for hanging it on a hook.
What I don’t like is that my seamstress making this shirt seemed to have downed a few too many Tsing Taos the night before: I had to get out a sewing kit to secure two of the buttons that were coming loose the first time I wore it. Not something you expect to do with a shirt listing for $90. Hopefully mine was an anomaly, but if you ever experience something like this after buying a Mountain Khakis product, you’ve got a one-year warranty against defects.
Order it from the Mountain Khakis site or get it online at Backcountry or Moosejaw.
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Posted by Tim Leffel in Adventure Gear, Travel Light on May 16th, 2013
Mountain Khakis Oxbow Long-Sleeved Shirt and Skirt
I’m back with more Mountain Khakis offerings. Their Oxbow line features comfortable, practical cotton wear that’s easily paired for fall travel. The women’s Oxbow long-sleeved shirt is made of 100% cotton yarn dye, and is substantial enough to work well on cool mornings or layered for after the sun goes down. I wore it for a full day in foggy-then-sunny-then-rainy San Francisco, and it worked in all weather contingencies. The Oxbow isn’t as lightweight (or does it move as easily) as the Mountain Khaki Granite Creek long-sleeved shirt I reviewed, nor is it water resistant or SPF-protectant, so if you’re looking for a shirt for active wear, I’d go with the Granite Creek. The Oxbow looks great, however, doesn’t wrinkle (much), and is nicely tailored, so it’s a great pick for city touring, lunch out, or airport and train station delays. (Not that I wish those on anyone!)
The shirt has a nice princess seam and a drop tail back hem, and you can toss it in the regular wash cycle. It’s garment-washed, and comes in six understated colors (three of which are checked ‘gingham’ patterned, which is much cuter than it looks online…I was pleasantly surprised). It retails for $79.95.
The matching Oxbow skirt is a new favorite in my closet. More versatile than the shirt, I find myself reaching for the Oxbow skirt all the time…it’s stylish but still very comfortable (with an elastic 4 inch waistband), and looks equally good with flip-flops, Chacos, or ballet flats. (On the top, pair it equally well with a t-shirt or a blouse.) It’s fun and flirty, but still ideal for a day of serious walking or even hiking. I’ve received many compliments on the skirt (the shirt, too!) and love how lightweight and soft it is.
The skirt is made of the same cotton yarn, and there are belt loops at the waist (though I’ve never used them). One of my favorite features are the deep side pockets. From the outside, they look small and decorational, but when you put your hand inside, you’re surprised: they go down twice as far. The Oxbow skirt comes in a muted blue or gray, and retails for $59.95…definitely a good buy for summer and fall wear.
Find both the Oxbow shirt and skirt at Mountain Khakis, Amazon and Altrec. They’re also available at GearX.com.
See more reviews of Mountain Khakis clothing here at Practical Travel Gear.
Posted by Amy in General Gear on October 23rd, 2012
Mountain Khakis Granite Creek Short Sleeve Travel Shirt
After using this Granite Creek travel shirt for three weeks in Europe and three weeks in Asia, I’m ready to make it a wardrobe staple.
When most people think of the Mountain Khakis brand, they think of heavy-duty clothing for cold weather, the kind of shirts and pants that cowboys and cowgirls might wear as they gallop along in the Rocky Mountains.
There’s that, yes, but the company has been warming up as fast as our planet, putting out respectable summer travel clothing that’s lightweight and well designed. This short-sleeve Granite Creek shirt is a great example. It is quick-drying, wicking, lightweight, and wrinkle free, ticking off all the important boxes for packing light. It’s also got two chest pockets that are handy and secure, with an additional hidden zipper compartment underneath them—a great place to stash cash or a credit card.
I felt cooler in this shirt than I with most pure synthetics, partly because of the venting in the back and under the armpits. What I really like about this shirt though is it doesn’t completely change colors when you start sweating as so many do when you hit the tropics. When it was 100 degrees and super-humid on a regular basis on my recent trip to Southeast Asia, this is the shirt I would wear when I didn’t want to advertise the fact I’d sweat out a gallon of water in 30 minutes. As soon as I’d hit a good fan or air conditioning, it would dry faster than most of the others as well. Then the couple times I sink-washed it, a few hours later it would be dry.
The touted 50+ sun protection seemed to be on the mark as I had a bonafide farmer’s tan after wearing this around Ankor Wat all day. It also weighs in at just 3.7 ounces, which sure made packing it a pleasure.
This Mountain Khakis Granite Creek short-sleeve shirt just came out this year, so you probably won’t yet find it discounted much off the hefty $85 list price. It comes in three colors and five sizes. It’s designed to be “casual fit” – loose enough to breathe in the heat. For women, there’s a long-sleeve version of this shirt that Amy reviewed recently. There’s also a men’s version for $10 more than the short-sleeve one.
Order direct from Mountain Khakis or shop online for it at Altrec or Amazon.
Posted by Tim Leffel in Adventure Gear, General Gear, Travel Light on August 1st, 2012
Mountain Khakis Granite Creek Shirt, Shorts, and Capris
If the name Mountain Khakis sounds familiar, it’s because I’ve reviewed several women’s wear items from their travel and organic offerings already, and Tim’s reviewed the innovative organic men’s polo. Now I’m back with three versatile and hard-working pieces for summer and fall travel from the Granite Creek line.
Mountain Khakis’ Granite Creek long sleeve shirt is both stylish and practical. It’s a bit spendy (details below), but what you get for the price is a shirt that pulls triple duty: it’s multi-seasonal, multi-functional (you can dress it up or down), and, as with all Mountain Khaki wear, it’s tough as nails.
This lightweight long-sleeved collared shirt is tailored with a women’s fit (a medium fit me nicely, but it is a bit narrow in the arms and shoulders). It features an over-sized collar that looks almost elegant when paired with a light jacket or blazer, or can be buttoned up for wind or sun protection. The material is peached Taslan, and while I’m not sure what that is, exactly, it’s buttery soft and UVA-UVB-resistant (50+). The shirt does wrinkle a bit with wear (mostly along the arms) but the wrinkles come out pretty effortlessly with a little wrinkle remover or steam. It’s also very quick to dry and wicks away moisture…it’s also water resistant, and water beads off of it (think light rain or water splashes). The sleeves roll up and can be secured with a button catch, but since the arms are a bit narrow, I found that when rolled up, they became too tight. You also get two chest pockets and a very generous zippered pocket along the bottom side, which is amost invisible to the eye.
The shirt is totally machine washable, and comes in Pool Blue, Linen, or Truffle (light brown). It retails for $89.95 at Mountain Khakis, or can be found at Amazon for the same price.
The Granite Creek short is made from quick-dry, lightweight nylon and offers the same UVA-UVB 50+ protection of the shirt. I love how easy it is to move in these shorts, partly due to the lightweight material (that’s Scotchgard treated) and partly due to the feminine but practical cut (with seven inch inseam). You get a ton of pockets: two flat cargo pockets in the back, two angled pockets in the front, and a zippered change pocket.
The shorts come in a nice range of five colors, and at $62, you’ll want to pick up a couple pairs to keep you going all summer long. Find them at Amazon for less.
Lastly, the Granite Creek Capri is a cooler weather wear version of the short; made of the same brushed nylon with the same sun and stain protection, the capri is a cute option for mornings or evenings or cooler climates, such as northern beaches or foggy cities. The only difference between the capri and the short are some darts at the cuff (the capris have a bit more ‘flare’), but you can move in them just as easily as in the shorts. I did find the capris and shorts to run a bit big…size down if you’re on the cusp.
The capri comes in five (slightly different) colors and retail for $79.95. As with the short, Amazon offers it at a slightly lower price. Both the shorts and capris are machine washable, just like the shirt.
You can also find these items and others at Sierra Trading Post.
Posted by Amy in General Gear on July 24th, 2012
Summer Organic Tees from Mountain Khakis
Before reviewing a selection of their spring and summer offerings, I had never heard of Mountain Khakis. I can see now that I’ve been missing out. This clothing company has tough, durable, no-nonsense outdoor and travel wear for men and women, and I love that they specialize in organic wear, often made with recycled materials. This past spring, I reviewed their Americana jacket and now I’m back with two organic tee options for summer travel.
The Meadowlark Organic Tee is fitted without being tight, and made of 100% certified organic cotton jersey. It’s soft and lightweight while still feeling substantial (in other words, it does not feel like a ‘cheap’ t-shirt), and to date, has survived many washings without losing shape or color. It’s enzyme washed and made with water-based inks, and has very nice, earthy look to it. The meadowlark design on the front is hand-drawn by artist Cheryle Humphries, and makes a statement without being ‘loud’. This is a great tee to pair with a light jacket (like the Americana) or over an underlayer. It stands alone just fine for summer wear as well. The color is a rich charcoal, but the same tee is also available in an ‘acorn’ design in ‘wasabi’ (a nice light green).
The Carabiner Organic Tee is made of similar materials (it’s also 100% certified organic cotton and enzyme washed), and is similiarly fitted, but with a slightly longer length. The design is fun: a flower drawn with carabiners for pedals. It has strong double-needle cover-stitched construction (as does the Meadowlark) and comes in wasabi, charcoal, or white. The same style tee is also available with a pinion tree design or a mountain design.
The Meadowlark tee is $29.95 on the MK site, and the Carabiner tee is on sale for $19. The Meadowlark can also be found at Amazon or Altrec for the same price and the Carabiner is also at Altrec.
Posted by Amy in General Gear on June 12th, 2012
