After more than 15 years of packing light and going fast, the one thing you will find on my wardrobe is a lot of technical and synthetic fabrics. These fabrics not only are easy to care for while travellig or at home, but provide a better protection from the elements, and remain light and comfortable.
Since I found myself wearing more techwear clothing lately, and since a lot of people asked for examples, here are a few of the things I usually wear while on the go. Either on the road while travelling on projects, or when I'm back in the office on an urban environment.
I recommend you read Ben Brooks' post on the same topic for more ideas.
Urban, travelling and business casual
The key to going from a flight straight to a meeting is having comfortable, wrinkle-free clothing that looks sharp.
- Buffworks Chinos. Stylish, comfortable, adaptable. They look good with dress shoes, Keens or sandals. I have 2 pairs and they fit most of my business needs: dress, casual and recon activities on the move. Couple them with a Bluffworks Blazer and you are set.
- Arc'teryx Skyline LS shirt. Sharp enough to be dressy, moisture wicking fabrics and modern cut. The Skyline can be worn on a business meeting, or while hiking/exploring.
- Patagonia Capilene Daily T. A classic undershirt with the benefits or technical fabrics. Odor-free, easy to wash, dries overnight on the hotel. Perfect for all.
- Olivers Apparel Boxer Briefs. Bring two pairs of this and you can travel the world for months. Comfortable, breathable, easy to wash and odor-free. Like all Olivers Apparel items, engineered for the go.
- Darn Tough Light Hiker socks. With a combo of Merino wool and sinthetic fabrics, these socks remain dry, comfortable and are easy to care for. 2 pairs and you are done.
PT and on the go workouts
I always bring PT gear. The iteams are light, adaptable and easy to care for, so I can always find room to pack them, even when I'm travelling ultra light with a GORUCK Bullet 10.
- Olivers Apparel All Over Shorts. Fitted, comfortable and not too long. Great for the gym, running, for swimming and just hanging around. They pack small. Perfect pair of shorts.
- Olivers Apparel Terminal Tech T. With a combo of Merino wool and other technical fabrics, this shirt wicks moisture, it's naturally oder-free and easy to care for. You can use this with a pair of Bluffworks Chinos for a casual, relaxed look when trying to blend in on your recon.
- Olivers Apparel Boxer Briefs.
- Darn Though Vertex socks.
Blending in and a night at the hotel bar
- Arc'teryx A2B Commuter Pants. When I'm not wearing Bluffworks, I wear Arc'teryx pants. They are stylish while maintaining the technical capabilities that Arc'teryx brings to their climbing and running clothing. They look good with a polo or with a tshirt. When I need to spend hours on my feet, walking, getting into places and generally being physical, these are my go to.
- Arc'teryx Captive Polo. Another example of a piece that was born out of the climbing community. This polo is breathable, easy to care for and fast drying. Toss one of this and you are ready.
- Olivers Apparel Boxer Briefs.
- Darn Tough socks.
Jackets
For jackets I usually bring either a light softshell like the Arc'teryx Incendo Hoody on spring and summer, or an Arc'teryx Atom LT in the winter.
For super rainy trips, I go with my trusty Arc'teryx Beta LT jacket. Light, packable and stops everything.
Shoes
Shoes are tricky. More on this soon.
Final word
Easy to care for, clean lines clothing with tech fabrics is the way to go if you want to remain light and move fast. More and more brands are making clothing with tech fabrics. Some are creating new trends.
Check what works for you and find the right combo.
Remember Rule 7: Simple and light equals freedom, agility and mobility.