The Everyday Travel Clothing

Items that will round you out for every day situations and scenarios.

The Diversion Pant - This is what I like to call a utility travel pant. Or everyday pants. Or just pant. They’re great. They come in all the colors minimalists favor (including a new olive green version that looks very good). They are made of 286gsm fabric but because they are breathable and have 4 way stretch, you’ll never know it. DWR coating helps to keep off stains, light rain, and general dirt. I personally also like them because I think they are Western Rise’s most modern cut. They aren’t a skinny jean cut, but they are their most tapered. I bring these with me often because I can wear the pair of pants for out and about during the day - then rock the same ones at dinner just by changing the shoes and shirt. These are even durable enough to be worn as camp pants or for a hike if you need. Keeping the travel focus here - these come equipped with a great phone-specific pocket, as well as a hidden zippered pocket which is where my wallet or passport lives. Pickpockets would need to get pretty intimate with this old boy to get into that! You can see the “going out” look below with the Limitless Merino shirt. We did a full review of the Diversions here. I’d consider these for 3 seasons but for wicked hot weather consider the Evolutions instead.

The Limitless Merino Shirt - I mentioned this shirt above. But, for a 3 day trip? This could be the only button down you bring. Five day trip? Bring 2, alternate, and you’re done. It’s styled like an oxford but made of mostly merino so comes with the ability to breathe, wick moisture, regulate temp, and most importantly - resist odor. You need that in a multiwear. This shirt is perfectly happy with pants and sneakers around town or in a coffee shop. Or, more dressed up for dinner which is how I use it when I travel. It won’t smell after your first wear like a lot of cotton will. And even if it does a little, it can re-charge over night in most cases. I paired it with the pants from this capsule, the Diversion pants. Full review of the Limitless shirt done here.

The StrongCore Merino T-shirt - Everyone needs a t-shirt, yeah? Here’s one for your travel clothes capsule. If you’ve been around the travel world a while you’re probably familiar with the benefits of merino wool for clothing. I touched on that above, but in short it’s kind of a miracle cloth. For a 3-5 day trip, pack 2 of these and assuming you aren’t using them for running (we’ll get to that don’t worry) and your personal chemistry, there’s a good chance that’s all you need. Remember we talked about packing less? This is how you do it. StrongCore is Western Rise’s branded name for their use of merino fibers with nylon cores. What this does is to help make merino (which is a notoriously delicate fabric) more durable. It’s almost entirely merino at 89% so doesn’t lose much of the benefits, but it’s got those cores to help it last you longer. These make for great travel T’s or to be honest, just everyday T’s. From what I’ve seen a lot of people have transitioned into merino in their every day lives and it makes sense. I usually always wear one for my on-the-move days because with some of the places I go, it can be a long first-wear. No shot of another kind of fabric making it through that without a wash. Merino usually can except in the really long cases. Merino works best when you can wear it for a normal period, then take it off at night or alternate it for a day to let it do its thing (read: refresh itself). Below you can see me rocking it in Navy at the Vatican Gardens (Yes, masks are required there at ALL times, even outside, so please abide by the local rules). With the Diversion pants of course. I mean come on, it’s a travel capsule for a reason folks. You want to be able to mix and match so you bring less.

The Evolution Shorts - The last piece of our everyday main set are the Evolution shorts. I do tend to try and limit my shorts wear these days, but obviously that depends on where I’m going. I think it tends to make you stand out as a tourist, at least considering the country you’re in. That said, you often need a pair. In Italy, some days it was up around 90 degrees F and there was no way I was gonna make it around in pants. So for me, the Evolution shorts were my pick to put in the capsule. These are a do-it-all kind of short and one of the lightest materials Western Rise makes. As the name suggests, it’s the same material as their lightest pants. The fabric itself is Supplex nylon which gives them a soft, cotton-like feel as well as more durability than standard nylon. Something you want when you travel. Beyond that, these also have a DWR coating on them to help resist light spills and dirt (also makes them clean easier in the wash). They look like regular khaki style shorts and can go for a hike due to the durability. The last ace up their sleeves though? They are swim ready as well. Now, these aren’t full-on bathing suits, but hell they could be if you want. They dry quick. Have very small-gauge mesh for the pockets to make sure water passes through, and also have a draw string to tie before you get into the water (which I might add is more comfortable than the competitor’s). So there you go, one pair of shorts for your trip. If you’re going somewhere and will be shorts heavy, bring two. They are light. One final note here is that I’m short, so sometimes fit is an issue for me straight off the rack. These fit great with no altering. One more fact - I’m actually wearing them as I write this. Very comfortable and working well in the “hoody and shorts” weather we’ve just gotten into here in NYC.

The Specialty Items To Round Out The Travel Clothing Capsule

The StrongCore Merino Boxers - While I’ll apologize and say you’re not getting any action shots in these boxer briefs (who am I kidding, I hear silence), be sure to hop on over to the Western Rise site to get your product model fills. I’m here to discuss effectiveness in a travel capsule. And your underwear is something you need to consider carefully. It takes the biggest beating out of pretty much all of your clothing. For me, it’s one of the only items that really I don’t try and skimp out on the number. You never know when you’re gonna need an extra one. But being one of the smallest items too, I’d say that’s OK. These are nearly 50% merino. But merino can be delicate and all-merino underwear is notorious for that. So Western Rise has engineered these to use mostly merino, with some elastane and nylon mixed in to up the durability. That means you’re still going to get good anti-odor performance that the StrongCore line is known for but also get a more durable product that mixes in softness for comfort. The less stink the better right? Not to get too personal here but yes, under normal conditions these can be worn more than once. YMMV though depending on your activity and body chemistry obviously.

The StrongCore Merino Socks - The next piece of your capsule that is an unseen, but necessary item are the socks. Socks can make or break a day, they really can. But, they can also take up space. So if I can, I do actually take less than you think you might need. Merino is the key to that. Yes, merino can truly allow you to wear one pair of socks more than once. I swear to god. I know, it surprised me too. The socks keep up Western Rise’s methods in the StrongCore line to use a similar makeup as the boxer briefs. They come in crew versions and low-rise. I’m wearing them in the shot above in the Evolution shorts for reference in terms of how high up the low-rise versions come. I’m going to say something controversial here - but I wore this one pair for most of the daily stuff the entire trip. I switched to crew-length socks for dress shoes. But you can legit wear these for a standard three to five day trip - every day. Again, taking them off at night and letting them re-charge. These performed on par for me as my usual go-to, Darn Tough. Which is saying something. The Western Rise versions also have heavier padding, so that might be more appealing to you. These do a great job regulating temperature as well, since I didn’t once really think about how hot my feet were. That’s a win when you’re gallivanting around a city by foot. They come in gray, or black.

Session T-Shirt and Movement Shorts - These ones are the true specialists of the group, and I’ll admit they are kind of a luxury item for many hardcore one-baggers. But to me, again, these are versatile items and truth be told they are so light that they really don’t take up much room at all. These are designed to be your workout clothes on your trip. So, if you’re a runner or gym goer when you travel - they have you covered. The shirt is possibly the lightest material in a t-shirt I’ve ever used. It’s a Japanese fabric that is pretty incredible and you’ll barely know you packed it. The shorts are similarly light, and designed as 7” exercise shorts that can also be worn as a swimsuit. So - if you are on a trip that doesn’t need a pair of khaki shorts but might need to go for a swim, you can pack these instead. For me, I use both of these as lounging stuff or with the t-shirt, to sleep in. Excuse the TMI but I’ve got a beard, and I prefer to have a t-shirt on when I sleep to avoid the scratchy feeling on my chest. This shirt is perfect for that. It’s also amazing as an around town shirt in really hot weather. I would definitely use it in SE Asia while out taking photos or what not. But yes, you won’t notice these much in your bag and they’ll come in handy for multiple situations. T-shirt and Shorts review here and here.