Posts Tagged travel shirts
Two Polo Shirts Worth Packing for Your Travels
A polo shirt is a versatile piece of clothing to be packing when you travel. It’s nicer than a t-shirt, hits the “collared shirts only” requirement, can be used for a game of golf or tennis, yet doesn’t take up much extra room in your bag. Most polo shirts are made to be wrinkle-resistant as well, so they’ll look better coming straight out of your bag than a dress shirt.
I’ve been testing two that take it a step further though for travelers, building in odor protection, temperature control, sun blocking, and moisture wicking. They’re the kind of super-polos you won’t find on the clearance rack at Marshall’s.
Woolrich MNS Territory Polo
The Woolrich MNS Territory Polo has been in my wardrobe for a couple months now, on several trips, and has performed well. It’s made of a merino wool blend (half synthetic) that is odor resistant, wicking, and wrinkle-free. It dries quickly after a sink washing on the road. The Agion Active treatment adds another layer of stink-proofing and it worked surprisingly well: I wore it three days between washings in Bulgaria, one of those a day of heavy hiking in the mountains.
There’s a hidden zipper security pocket on the side, giving you another pickpocket-proof place to store some cash. It’s cut well to fit on the shoulders in a flattering way and keep seams out of the way of your pack or shoulder bag.
On the downside, I did notice a slight itchiness each time when I first put it on, something that happens with a lot of merino wool products that aren’t priced like luxury goods. After I had it on a while, I didn’t notice. It also suffers from the other merino problem of the fibers bunching up all around, so it doesn’t look as smooth anymore as when it was new. Not a biggie for me, but it could be for some people. (This is probably partly because I ignored the instructions that said to hand-wash it. Nothing I own is getting that kind of pampering when I’m home and it’s not practical for people who will use hotel/guesthouse laundry services.)
Overall though, this is a good quick-drying workhorse piece of clothing to pack for a vacation or extended jaunt. It comes in four colors, fits to size, and lists for $69. Check your local store that stocks Woolrich products or get it at Amazon. Or you can order direct. A message popped up my laptop saying they would ship direct to Bulgaria when I did a search from there to grab the link, so you can probably get it where you are…
Mountain Khakis M’s Approach Shirt
When I got the info about this M’s Approach polo shirt from Mountain Khakis that incorporated recycled coffee grounds, I was more than a little skeptical. It sounded like a silly gimmick, Bluesign certified or not.
This is a shirt I would have picked up off the rack at a store though, it looks so good, so I was willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. I took it with me on the same three-week trip to Europe as the one above and have been thrilled with it.
As with the Woolrich one, after trying it out at home for a wash cycle first, I wore it on the road for three days without washing, one of them doing some hiking. Since I was with other people in a van, I wouldn’t do this if it was getting at all smelly. No worries though: it did a great job holding out until I could wash it. When I did, it dried by the next morning, despite being half cotton.
It has a YKK zipper instead of buttons, which I like, a breast pocket, and is cut to look good without being too clingy. I’m not as skinny as the guy pictured here, but it fits true to size with room to move. It comes in three colors and lists for $69.
Like other Mountain Khakis products, it’s well-made and comfortable, so this one has fast become one of my favorite shirts for warm weather. Get it from Mountain Khakis via Amazon or check prices at Altrec.com.
Posted by Tim L. in Business Gear, General Gear, Travel Light on May 10th, 2012
Ibex OD Heather Merino Wool Button Shirt
For a wonder shirt that looks as good as it works, this Ibex OD Heather long-sleeve top is great for multiple seasons.
There are several eternal challenges when packing light for your travels, one being balancing the need for multiple uses with the desire to look good in multiple situations. You probably want to pack clothing that can be used for days without washing, but you don’t want to look like a bum just because you’re away from your home closet.
There are a few companies out there making wrinkle-resistant, multi-functional clothing that is odor resistant and fits well—perfect stuff for travelers. Ibex is one of the best, a company that has built up a devoted following of real fans, people who will gladly pay double the price of cheaper imitations to get the real thing. I’ve always admired their branding and their following, but I’m happy to say this Ibex top I’ve been wearing regularly for the past month is the real deal. It’s one of those clothing pieces that, before you know it, you find yourself reaching for automatically when you start packing a suitcase—and when you’re going out for the night as well.
Merino wool from New Zealand is the foundation of the Ibex line, so let’s start there. Unlike that wool in that bulky sweater some well-meaning friend brought you from Bolivia, this finely spun fabric is almost thin enough to see through if you hold it up close and is not itchy on your body. It’s a great insulator that will keep you cozy, plus it has the great travel benefit of being odor-resistant. It’s also naturally good at moisture management, meaning it will wick away sweat without the use of some lab-made membrane. In other words, it’ll keep your body at a steady temperature, whether you’re walking in the snow or sitting by the fire.
And here’s the key thing: it looks great. It’s one thing to put on an Ibex base layer to keep warm on the slopes, but this OD Heather long-sleeve button-up is something that looks as good as it feels. It comes in three colors and has enough natural stretch that it gives where it needs to.
The only fault I’ve found with this item so far is that one button is coming off already, but that can happen with any shirt that doesn’t have the kind of heavy-duty stitching you’d get from adventure travel wear. Otherwise, this is a gorgeous piece of clothing that I’ll be packing for practically any journey that doesn’t involve 100-degree days and tropical humidity.
The Ibex OD Heather comes in three colors and multiple sizes. It lists for $120, which I’ll be the first to admit is a serious chunk of change for us normal wage-earning mortals. But if you follow the What Not to Wear credo of buying some quality items you can match with different pieces instead of cheap clothes that don’t make you look great, this is a prime example of a worthy purchase. Especially true if you’re traveling for business and can’t switch into slob mode when the suit comes for cocktails after.
Get it direct from Ibex or follow this link to order through Altrec.com.
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Posted by Tim L. in Business Gear, General Gear, Travel Light on February 15th, 2012
Craghoppers NosiLife Travel Shirt
Can any company put out a long-sleeve buttoned travel shirt at this point that’s any different from all the others already on the racks? Well this NosiLife one from Craghoppers is a noticeable improvement in some respects.
Like the Craghoppers travel pants I reviewed a while back, this shirt’s most-touted feature is its permanent insect repellent built into the fabric. Most clothing like this is guaranteed for 70 washes or so, which let’s face it is plenty for most people, but if you plan on wearing one around the world for a couple years, you could pass that point. With this shirt you don’t have to keep track or guess whether you’ve still got the extra protection against mosquitoes.
The “like the others, but more” attitude extends through all the other features as well. It’s got five pockets, including one with a zipper that you can see that goes from above the left chest pocket to below it, opening up a pocket big enough for a map or just giving you some extra venting through the mesh. Inside one of the flap pockets is a hidden zipper pocket that’s the right size for a passport. It has quality buttons, yes, but they’re also secured by a strong strip of nylon running the length of the shirt—not individual threads that will unravel. There’s mesh around the neck—a nice touch—and a reinforcement flap under the collar that keeps it looking better.
Otherwise it has everything you would expect in high-end adventure travel clothing: strong wicking fabric, loops for rolling up and securing the sleeves, quick-dry properties for sink washing, a hook on the back to hang it, and venting mesh around the shoulders. This shirt is as tough as any I’ve tried, but is still incredibly lightweight.
This Craghoppers travel shirt comes in six colors and as I write this it’s available for half the list price ($32 instead of $64) at the Craghoppers website, which is a screaming bargain. It holds its own against any of the competitors out there and has all the features you’ll need.
As with the pants I reviewed before, you’ll have a tough time finding this shirt elsewhere online in the U.S., so buy direct unless you’re in Europe and can get it from Amazon UK.
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, Travel Light on December 28th, 2011
ExOfficio DryFly Flex Travel Shirt
This DryFly Flex shirt from ExOfficio is a great all-around travel shirt that converts from long sleeve to short and will deliver years of use for a good value price. It looks good too.
Anybody that’s been following this blog (or just following me around) knows I’m a big fan of ExOfficio clothing. There’s always at least two or three of their items in my bag no matter where I’m going. Despite that, most of those items still look brand new—even the ones I wore every week or two when I was living in Mexico for a year.
This DryFly one is another winner for travelers: lightweight, quick-drying, wrinkle-resistant, ventilated, and made well to hold up for the long term. For a bonus you get sun protection and wicking properties. This is one of those shirts you can cram into your bag and pull it out ready to go on the other end.
It looks dressy enough to be your “nice shirt” if you’re backpacking but need to look respectable for a restaurant splurge or border crossing. It uses snaps instead of buttons and I especially like how these snapa are hidden on the front of this one—it gives it cleaner lines. There are still the qualities you expect in an ExOfficio shirt though, like mesh shoulders inside, a zippered security pocket, and a snap/tab system for rolling up the sleeves.
The “flex” part of the name refers to the stretchy qualities this shirt has. There’s some give to it so you can use it on real adventure activities and feel comfortable when you’re moving around. And okay, if you’re not all that slender it will cut you a break.
This DryFly Flex shirt lists for $80 but is currently priced at around 40 dollars, which puts it in line with other brands’ shirts that aren’t as well-made. Usually when the price drops to this level it means they’re cleaning out inventory, so go grab one now if you like the look of this shirt.
There’s also a short-sleeve version of this and a women’s version with a curvier cut. Follow this link below to check out all the options and see what else is discounted:
Free Shipping On Orders Over $75
See other reviews of ExOfficio travel clothing.
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, General Gear, Travel Light on October 20th, 2011
Insect Blocker Shirts From Columbia Sportswear
Whether you’re camping in a national park, on safari in Africa, or backpacking around Southeast Asia, the common denominator nuisance is probably going to be mosquitoes. In some places they’ll just leave itchy welts and annoy the crap out of you at dusk. In some parts of the world, however, they can turn your vacation into your first experience with malaria or dengue fever. Not fun.
It’s like a war on terror though trying to prevent these bites, with multiple levels of defense and no margin of error. One good weapon to have in that arsenal is treated clothing that repels mozzies. You can buy a can of what you need to spray on whatever clothing you have, but I’m a big fan of travel clothing that has the stuff baked in already, like this Bug Shield shirt from Columbia with Insect Blocker.
Insect Blocker is something the mosquitoes can smell and they don’t like it one bit. (For good measure, it also keeps away gnats, ticks, ants, flies, chiggers, and midges.) For us humans, however, the shirt just smells like a shirt. Or like smelly you after a few days in it.
This feels, smells, and wears just like your standard hi-tech travel shirt, but with added protection when you need it. It’s got the wicking nylon that dries quickly, a bit a stretch so you can move around easily, and UPF 40 sunblock protection. It’s got that feature that can be useful during the day when there’s no mosquito threat: sleeves that roll up and button. There’s a mesh panel behind the shoulder and some venting under each arm to let the air circulate. The Velcro pocket has another secret zipper pocket inside where you can covertly stash some cash.
But won’t the treatment wear out? Well, as with other insect-blocking items we’ve reviewed here, it will eventually. But we’re talking 70 washings before that happens. So unless you’re a tour guide naturalist or you make it a habit to go hiking at dusk each day, there’s a good chance you’ll never get to that point.
Like I said, this is a weapon, not a total solution, so remember the whole system: cover your skin (especially ankles), avoid black, use a net or coils when needed, and—the most important thing—use good insect repellent. Here’s Pam’s review of the Ultrathon version.
There’s nothing really groundbreaking or unusual about this Columbia Bug Shield shirt—it’s a follower rather than a leader. But it comes in five sizes and six colors. They also make a women’s version, a crew version, toddler crew, and pants. You can get it online at Columbia.com for the $80 list price or sit tight and wait until it goes on sale after the mosquitoes go into hiding. Or check prices at these online retailers:
Columbia Bug Shield Shirt at Backcountry.com
Columbia Men’s Bug Shield Shirt at Altrec
* Get Free Shipping No Minimum at Columbia.com with promo code F11FREESHIP!
See more of our travel clothing reviews
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, General Gear, Travel Light on September 8th, 2011
