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The Men’s Travel Clothes I Pack No Matter Where I’m Going: Reviews by Wirecutter

Your guide Michael Zhao

In my travels spanning 10 countries across four continents over the past five years, I’ve found that any comfortable
clothes can get the job done. But having the best travel clothing lets me pack less and do more. This wardrobe of
basics fits into a single medium-size packing cube yet works in climates ranging from the humid jungles of Brazil to
the snowy craters of Mount Etna. I’ll add a blazer and a button-down to pass the dress code at a nice restaurant, or
an extra coat for colder places, but these are the clothes I pack regardless of my destination.

One T-shirt for all climates

Icebreaker Sphere Short Sleeve Crewe ($70)

Merino T-shirts are great for travel because they wick sweat and resist odor naturally. I can easily wear the same tee
for two or three days between washes. However, compared with synthetic fabric, pure merino dries slowly and can
feel a bit itchy against bare skin. Icebreaker’s Sphere Short Sleeve Crewe tee combines the best of both worlds by
blending 52 percent merino fiber with 48 percent synthetics (a mix of Tencel for smoothness and nylon for strength).
The resulting shirt is softer to the touch, faster to dry, and more durable than pure-merino tops of comparable
weight. I bought my first Sphere in 2014, and it still looks nearly new today—aside from a faded neck tag—whereas
pure-merino shirts I’d bought from Icebreaker and Smartwool before discovering the Sphere developed small holes
within a year or two.

Desert-island jeans

Outlier Slim Dungarees ($200)

If I found myself stranded on a desert island with only the clothes on my back, I would count myself lucky if I
happened to be wearing Outlier’s Slim Dungarees. Rather than cotton denim, these dungarees are made from
Workcloth: a nylon blend that combines the soft feel and durability of stonewashed denim with the stretchiness,
breathability, and water and odor resistance of a technical fabric. The resulting garment performs like a hiking pant
yet can be dressed up easily with a blazer. And the jeans go from damp to dry in just a few hours. The only
downside is that they feel uncomfortably tight when you first try them on—even in the correct size. But they break
in for a comfortable, slim fit after just a few wearings. If you prefer a roomier cut, go one size up.

Shorts that go beyond the gym

Olivers All Over Short ($70)

The Olivers All Over Short ranks among the few athleisure pieces I’ve tried that actually look good enough to wear
outside of the gym. A slight taper to the leg gives these shorts a flattering fit—more of a chino-like silhouette.
Further supporting that effect is the false fly, which adds style without chafe. The 7½-inch inseam is short enough to
enable free movement in the gym but long enough to keep things modest around town. This pair is also water
resistant, which helps it dry faster if called upon for an impromptu swim. One thing I’ve noticed, though: These
shorts are not abrasion resistant enough to bike in regularly without pilling.

A jacket for all seasons

Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody ($250)

You can find warmer and lighter jackets than the Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody—which is why it’s not a pick in our
guide to the best insulated jackets—but its design makes it all the more versatile when you’re on the move. Its
combination of a polyester exterior (made of 100 percent recycled materials) with a DWR (durable water resistant)
coating and breathable PrimaLoft Gold insulation (now made of 55 percent post-consumer recycled materials) feels
silky smooth, like the inside of a sleeping bag after a long day of hiking. And the hood helps keep me warm on the
coldest fall and spring nights. It’ll even get through winter so long as you wear a shell over it and a warm undershirt.

A travel-underwear bargain

Uniqlo Airism Boxer Briefs ($10)

I’ve worn more comfortable boxer briefs, and I’ve tried faster-drying ones as well, but dollar for dollar, none can
beat Uniqlo’s Airism Boxer Briefs—which is why they’re the budget pick in our guide to the best travel underwear.
For the price of one pair of our best men’s boxer briefs, you can get two pairs of Airism briefs. This underwear
resists odors and dries quickly, so you can comfortably wear a single pair for a few days in a row. If you’re willing
to wash and swap nightly, you can travel indefinitely with just two pairs—although I always pack a third just in
case.

Socks for life

Darn Tough Light Hiker Micro Crew Light Cushion ($20)

I bought my first pair of Darn Tough Light Hiker Micro Crew Light Cushion socks in 2013, and in the time since
I’ve worn through dozens of other socks, but that original pair looks just as good as the day I bought it. These socks
feel a bit stiffer than other merino socks at the outset but break in nicely over time. You don’t have to take my word
for it: Check out our full review of the best hiking socks, which came to the same conclusion after our tests of 18
different pairs.

Bonus: Always bring a towel

Outlier Grid Linen Towel, size L ($60)

It doesn’t take much space to throw the large-size Outlier Grid Linen Towel into my bag—considering it’s about the
size of a rolled up T-shirt, I barely notice it’s there. But it makes all the difference on those odd occasions when I
arrive at my accommodations only to be confronted with mildewed or threadbare towels. Linen isn’t as fast-drying
as the synthetic cloth of most pack towels, but it dries quicker than cotton without sacrificing the superior feel of
natural fibers. The Grid Linen is also great as a beach towel, and it can even serve as a blanket on trains and red-eye
flights.

A fast-drying towel is also useful for drying clothes after hand-washing them in the sink. Rolling damp garments
into it and wringing the whole thing out cuts drying times by hours. Using this method, I’ve traveled for weeks on
end without having to visit a laundromat.