Posts Tagged travel shirts
Friends of the Reef Beach Clothing for Men
We review a lot of double-duty travel gear for multiple conditions and climates, but hey, sometimes you just need to pack some beach clothes and that’s it. Next time you’re heading to the Caribbean Coast of Mexico, check into a store carrying the Mexican-made Friends of the Reef line. You’ll find some excellent travel clothing for warm climates. Lightweight, comfy, and good-looking—what else do you need for toes-in-the-sand time?
I’ve been wearing around two items of theirs that will be staples when I’m packing for hot weather. The first one is this pair of Basic Nylon Beach Pants. They’re unisex, with a drawstring at the top and ample pockets, available in four colors. The pants have two nifty features I like. First, that little button you see on the side is for when it’s time to take a walk in the surf without changing into a bathing suit. You just roll them up, button them in place with the tab, and you’re all set for a romantic stroll on the beach. You’ll look like you hopped straight out of a resort brochure.
The other nice touch is that these come with their own little pouch for packing. Despite all the travel pants I’ve reviewed, this was a first for me and I liked it. It make these easier to pack and easier to locate in my bag. Since the pants are made out of wrinkle-resistant nylon, they still looked fine when I took them out and put them on. These Basic Nylon Pants have a retail price of $35.
Going with these perfectly well is the Basic Nylon Beach Shirt, which is equally lightweight. It has venting like you see on the back shot, with mesh underneath for extra circulation. Two pockets are secured with Velcro. Be advised this shirt is sized really large though: the “small” is for a 46-inch chest, so I went with that and it’s still more than roomy. Apart from that, my only beef is that whoever sewed the buttonholes had a few too many Coronas the night before. They weren’t finished well and have frayed from the start. Not worth getting too bothered about as they still open and close fine, but check the buttonholes first if buying one of these in person. Hopefully my seamstress was just having a bad day.
Otherwise, this shirt feels more expensive than its $37 list price and it’s great for travel: fast-drying, wicking, and weighing next to nothing. It comes in five colors, including white.
Follow this link for where to find Friends of the Reef wear in Cancun and the Riviera Maya, or order online at their website. Stay tuned for a review of some of their items for women in a few weeks.
Posted by Tim L. in General Gear, Travel Light on June 1st, 2011
ExO Dri Long-sleeve Travel Shirt is a Keeper
We’re big fans of packing light here at Practical Travel Gear, which means taking clothing that can work in multiple situations and climates. I’ve taken this ExO Dri 1/4-zip shirt from ExOfficio pretty much every time I’ve packed a bag in the last four months, so it’s definitely a keeper.
This is one of those do-it-all travel shirts that more than pulls its weight—and it only weighs a few ounces. First, the features: quick-drying, odor resistant, wicking, sun-protecting, and very wrinkle-resistant. So it doesn’t get stinky when you’ve worn it for three days, but when you finally get around to washing it in a sink it’ll be dry in a few hours. When I work up a sweat in this ExO Dri shirt, it’s gone in jiffy after I cool off. (If you care about the specs, it’s treated with dri release and FreshGuard.)
None of that matters if it’s not comfortable, but fortunately this shirt feels great. It’s not clingy and it feels as soft as cotton. After about 30 washings, it feels the same as it did when I got it and hasn’t lost any color.
There are three colors of this on the ExOfficio site, but oddly enough not the one I have in Jade Green. That color is on sale at Backcountry though. This long-sleeve shirt lists for $48, but it’s on sale right now for almost a third less as we head into warmer weather.
Get this great ExO Dri 1/4 Zip Shirt direct from ExOfficio or check prices at Backcountry.com
Posted by Tim L. in Travel Light on April 27th, 2011
ExOfficio Therma-Wise Henley: Winter Wear for Layering
Yesterday I posted about warm pants I’ve been wearing for close to a month solid, and here’s the shirt that has been accompanying them more often than not: the ExOfficio Therma-Wise Henley.
Basically this looks like the kind of thermal long underwear that’s been around for decades, but in dark colors and with lots of technology built in. It’s got that “waffle weave” look, but is not just plain cotton. In this case it’s 68% cotton and 32% polyester blended into a “CoolPlus” fiber weave that dries faster and is more durable.
It’s also a tad lighter, making it good for travel. More importantly for travel, it incorporates Aegis Microbe Shield technology to keep you from getting stinky. So you can wear this for quite a while without washing it before your hostel-mates will start complaining. (I wore this four days straight at one point, in the interest of research, and my family didn’t start avoiding me. Yes, I work from home and seldom have to dress up…)
There’s also a tricot-lined back neck facing and shoulder panel, plus the flat lock stitched, forward placed shoulder seams that are meant to make this more comfortable when you are carrying a backpack.
In theory there’s wicking ability built in as well, but in my tests this was nothing to write home about. You need to get pretty hot and bothered to feel this start working: it’ll dry faster than straight cotton, but not dramatically faster. Instead think of this as a higher-tech version of a thermal base layer that will keep you warm when you’re cold, not as something to wear in high-performance situations like ice climbing or cross-country skiing. Outdoor cocktails and snuggling by the fire, not activities that would be featured in a Mountain Dew commercial.
Like most ExOfficio clothing, this Therma-Wise Henley is a core staple worth packing. It does the job over and over again and you find yourself gravitating to it more times than not when you open your backpack or suitcase.
It comes in three colors and five sizes. Mine is black, but I put the red picture up here so you can see it better. The other choice is dark green. The list price is $55, but right now you can pick up the Therma-Wise Henley for $40 at the ExOfficio site.
Posted by Tim L. in General Gear, Travel Light on February 17th, 2011
Fjallraven Karbulle Shirt for the Serious Outdoors
I’ll admit I put this Fjallraven Karbulle shirt review up as my first post after Christmas because this item makes me kind of nostalgic about my holiday times growing up in rural Virginia. This is the kind of shirt I would likely find under the tree in my teen years. I’m sure they’re still showing up under trees from Maine to Indiana to Washington State—basically any place where you can get an excused absense from school if it’s the first day of hunting season.
This company’s name is really spelled “Fjällräven,” which apparently means “arctic fox” in Swedish. So as you may expect, their gear tends to be the kind of heavy-duty, no-nonsense stuff you can picture hanging on a wooden hook in a cabin 50 miles from the nearest city.
This Karbulle shirt is no exception. At a Scandinavian price of $185, this is no Wal-mart special you’ll give to Goodwill in a couple years. It’s meant to be something you’ll wear to ward off the elements and stay warm with your boots drying by the fireplace for a decade or more to come.
Think of this as an engineered version of the ole reliable flannel shirt. It’s made up of 25% wool, 45% acrylic, and 30% polyester for the shirt part, then the top reinforcement yoke is waxed G-1000 poly/cotton. That top part therefore provides a little light rain protection, but comes in handy for backpackers moving around Europe in the winter time: your rubbing backpack straps are not going to wear it out.
Other features include a much quicker drying time than wool or cotton, two button pockets on the front, and reinforced cuffs.
It comes in three colors—all plaid—and fair warning that the yoke is not as dark as it appears in this picture. For the review version I got it was closer to tan. This may not be travel gear for bopping around the globe, but if you’re an outdoorsy type whose tastes run more to Sweden than the South Pacific, this will keep you warm while cross country skiing or ice fishing. (And you will fit right in when you visit the local pub afterwards.)
You can get it online at the Fjallraven site, or at a variety of retail stores.
Related post: Fjallraven shorts for when it warms back up.
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, General Gear on December 29th, 2010
Woolrich: Not Just Your Grandpa’s Lumberjack Shirt
Yes, the 180-year-old clothing manufacturer Woolrich still turns out its well-known, comfy and rugged red-and-black-plaid wool shirts, but these days “The Original Outdoor Clothing Company” is so much more. Right now, I’m learning all about Woolrich’s history and its versatile pieces while riding the rails in Canada with some other gear writers. We’re aboard the Rocky Mountaineer, traversing the Canadian Rockies from Vancouver to Kamloops to Banff, and I can’t imagine a more appropriate mountain setting to be talking about clothing that’s built for playing and working in the outdoors.
What’s the connection between Woolrich and trains? Way back in the 1800s, Woolrich developed a vest with deep pockets for railroad men to carry their watches, tickets and other gear as they worked the rails. Woolrich continues to sell the men’s Railroad Vest (pictured left, $69), with some modern modifications, of course, namely its washable wool/nylon material and hidden zipper.
Another contemporary piece that’s stylish and functional: the Women’s Lahar Zip Neck (pictured right, $95) a “breathable thermal layer” for outdoor, active pursuits. The machine-wash, 100% merino wool jersey is great for travel since it packs down compactly; the material is thin, but warm and soft. The long sleeves with thumbholes keeps the layer from riding up under an outer coat (and keeps wrists warm in the process). Front darts allow for a figure-flattering fit, and I love how the back drops down an extra inch and a half — who wants to bend over to tie a shoe mid-hike and have your lower back exposed to the elements!
Woolrich even makes outdoor lifestyle apparel that’s not (gasp) made from its trademark woolen fabrics. Prior to leaving home for this current trip, I wore the women’s Mineral Springs Jacket (pictured right, $70) on day hikes and outdoor boot-camp workouts on crisp Colorado mornings. I dig this jacket for its sleek, feminine fit, stow-away hood and UPF 50+ sun protection. It’s super light (2.5 oz) and made from easily packable, thin microfiber polyester. Though I haven’t worn it in extreme weather conditions, I also appreciate its wind resistance and wind-blocking features. I wish it had side pockets for storing thin gloves I often wear on morning walks (peeling them off as I get warm); the zippered chest security pocket is okay, but I like more storage for little things like lip balm, keys and tissues.
Stay tuned for another dispatch from Canada on Friday!
See a full line of Woolrich gear at Sierra Trading Post.
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Posted by Kara in General Gear, Travel Light on October 5th, 2010
