The latest in adventure wear: hip clothes that happen to be good for gallivanting

By Robert Earle Howells

Physical discomfort and dilatory airline service make long-haul traveling difficult enough. I don't want any extra trouble along the way, which is the sole reason I made the conversion to "travel clothing" a number of years back. You know, strictly synthetic garb whose value lies more in function than in style. I decided that soggy cotton was the greater of two evils, and soon I was clad in multipocketed, button-up-sleeved synthetic shirts, megapocketed vests, board-stiff cargo trousers, snap-brim hats—the works. The one problem, as you might imagine, was that I looked like John J. Birdwatcher or some priggish urbanite's caricature of a safari guide. Tally ho!

Happily, though, we who ramble about no longer have to rely exclusively on purveyors of plastic khaki for attire that does the job. Some of our most trusted manufacturers have created styles that can be worn anywhere but also come equipped with the sort of right-thinking details that make travel clothing an unassailable necessity: soft, I-can't-believe-it's-not-cotton fabrics that dry overnight after a quick bath in the basin; gusseted crotch seams that don't chafe (Hallelujah!); and low-bulk, lightweight garments that reduce the size and heft of your luggage. Here's the update, then, on adventuring threads that won't embarrass the wearer, plus a look at luggage and accessories that do everything but make your flight depart on time.

TOPS

One of the sharper shirts I've come across for my travels is Zoic's Transit short-sleeve number ($45). It's cool, in a toned-down bowling-shirt sort of way, but its polyester yarn is spun soft and airy, and subtle mesh vents in the back evacuate excess body heat. A tiny sleeve pocket adds a groovy fifties touch—I use it for stashing packs of airline peanuts. Nike ACG's Dri-Fit Club Polo ($32) is silky polyester and has a snug cut evocative of Saturday Night Fever, but the sensuous material also functions neatly on the trail as a quick-drying base layer. The long-sleeve Royal Robbins Ultralight Expedition Shirt ($78) is made of nylon and has features similar to the Transit's—ventilation in back, chest and sleeve pockets—but with a blousy cut. For your all-purpose sweatshirt, consider Patagonia's Micro D-Luxe Pullover ($90), which fits nicely over any of the aforementioned options. It feels (and compresses) like cotton candy, looks sharp, and provides just enough insulation to beat back a nasty chill on, say, a fall hike up Mount Glory, just above Teton Pass.

Women have had it doubly bad in the travel-clothing department: Not only have they been forced into stodgy fashions, but the garments themselves have been men's birderwear. Fortunately, the Ultralight Expedition Shirt and the Micro D-Luxe Pullover both come in women's cuts. And a reliable source I know very well tells me that The North Face's Women's Performance Tank ($35) is a must. Made of lightweight polyester with mesh lining, it's a quick-wicking piece that's perfect for mountain biking or wearing as a base layer.

Photo: Clay Ellis