The Best Travel Clothing – Amazon Shopping List
Up front, here’s the shopping list for the best travel clothing. I wear and love all of these products.
- Craghoppers Nat Geo Nosilife Adventure Long-Sleeved Shirt – Dark Khaki and Parchment Colors
- Columbia Roc II Pants – Flax and Delta Colors
- Columbia Roc II Shorts – Flax and Delta Colors in 8″ Length
The World Travel Shirts I Wear and Recommend – By Craghoppers
Not too long ago, I fell in love with Craghoppers Nat Geo Adventure Shirts. Here are the four main reasons why:
#1. I was initially drawn to the shirts because they look good. Indiana Jones is jealous because he wasn’t wearing a Craghoppers shirt. The shirts say travel, adventure, explore, yet I could wear them to an office job. If you add a tie and a jacket, you’re ready for a wedding or your kid’s graduation ceremony. This does not look like a typical fly-fishing shirt that has 18 pockets, 5 loops for hanging gear, and a built-in refrigerator. This shirt is what I call rugged elegance. You can wear it backpacking in the jungles of Central America or while checking in at the Waldorf Astoria in New York.
#2. The zippered interior security pocket is functional and barely recognizable. It’s a perfect place to keep your passport and boarding pass while at the airport. When going through immigration & customs, your passport is easily accessible from the hidden pocket. It’s a great place to keep your cash while haggling at the night markets of Southeast Asia.
#3. The shirt is insect repellent. The technology behind this property is embedded in the fabric. The shirt does not have any type of odor or greasy feel to it like the permethrin-treated clothes I’ve owned. If you’re traveling to areas with a Malaria threat, the shirt is an additional layer of protection against mosquitos. The collar folds out to provide coverage for your neck against those pesky critters.
#4. They are comfortable to wear! The fabric is unique and reminds me of the rip-stop material my summer-weight BDU’s (army battle dress uniform) were made of twenty-five years ago. It’s durable and light. The cross pattern makes it look like the fabric is composed of tiny squares. This prevents the material from tearing if the fabric gets a hole in it. The material is not the same as the nylon shirts I’ve owned in the past. It’s softer and breathable. In my opinion, it doesn’t need to be ironed. Just wash and wear. The vents on the back keep you cool but are not overly visible.
The Pants & Shorts I Wear and Recommend – By Columbia
I’ve been wearing Columbia Roc II Pants and Columbia Roc II Shorts (8 inch) for over six years now. I can’t recommend these two products enough. They’re basically identical in features so I’ve only shown the shorts. They are not insect repellent by design, but the granite cloth material is thick enough that I’ve never had an issue. They do have a pickpocket-proof feature with the hidden zippered security pocket.
Now, the fit and fabric has changed a bit over the years. You’ll read reviews where people aren’t happy because they’re not exactly the same as they were six years ago. Things change. Times change. Roll with it. Regardless, these pants are the best for world travel. Here’s why:
#1. The zippered security pocket that is hidden behind the front right pocket. If you’re casually looking at the pants, you won’t realize there is a zippered pocket there. The average pickpocket won’t notice it either. Trust me. When I’m wearing these pants/shorts, this pocket is where I keep my wallet and passport. It’s a deep pocket, which makes it difficult for me to get the items out. That’s good because it makes it almost impossible for a thief to get them out. When you sit down, nothing is accidentally going to fall out of this pocket as long as that zipper is closed. During my travels, I’ve been drunk in the shadiest of bars and nightclubs, fallen asleep on buses packed like sardines, and had to run from trouble. I survived a flash mob pickpocket gang in Cebu City, Philippines. NOT ONE ITEM has ever been stolen or fell out of this zippered pocket. It’s like a vault.
#2. They look good. The Roc II Pants and Shorts can be worn to the office, the bank, or taken out on the adventure trail. You’ll blend in with any setting. Aside from the additional cell phone pocket, they’re basically dress-casual clothing.
#3. They are comfortable to wear. Right out of the box they are good to go and aren’t too stiff. After wearing them for about six months the fabric starts to get real soft.
#4. Value for the money. Some of my Roc II Pants lasted for five years before they started to come apart. My shorts didn’t last as long because I used them as swim trunks at the beach. Daily doses of salt water and sun took a quicker toll on them. They lasted about two years. For the money, these pants are a bargain.
You Need Both Function and Fashion
Whatever travel clothing you decide to go with, it should be both functional and fashionable. If it’s merely functional, your travel photos will end up looking like junk. The clothing I wear serves both purposes.
Wear a Craghoppers shirt tucked into a pair of Columbia Roc II pants or ROC II shorts. You’ll have the best travel photos for Facebook after an exhausting day of fighting the crowds at Angkor Wat.
*Be sure to check out my article on the sunglasses I’m wearing in the video.