Travel pants

Hey all,

Will be doing some travelling soon and really wondering about pants.

I'm specifically not after the ultra-touristy look eg convertible pants with a thousand pockets, zip offs, etc.

The other thing is there's some really excellent options from overseas, eg Bluff Works and Outlier, but adding postage to USD and they're beyond me, plus I think I'll leave before they ship.

I do love a good pair of jeans, but they don't dry quick and there's more comfortable options for long flights I'd guess.

Any thoughts appreciated.

Comments

  • +6
    • +6

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      • +1

        Yes well Sometimes even the best-laid pants of mice and men oft go astray

    • Not enough ball room for me and my boys!

  • +8

    Go the easy way.

    No pants at all.

    • Welp

    • +2

      Good in theory - but be careful of attracting police attention - you dont want to spend the night in lock up without any pants on

    • I agree. Pants offer too much wind resistance. They will only slow you down.

    • just make sure you shave them legs, for extra aerodynamics

  • +11

    When I was in my 20's I travelled around Europe in a pair of suit pants. They were from an op shop and cost $10. They didnt look touristy. They were good enough to wear to the opera. Easy to wash and quick to dry. Extremely comfortable. would roll up small for easy packing.

    • lol suit pants. massively unconventional, but could be true!

    • +1

      Dude if this was in the 90s I think I met you in Austria or Switzerland

      • +1

        Austria in 98.

        • Nah this was about four years earlier… I am willing to concede the possibility that more than one person may have been wearing suit pants to travel in. +1 for the rolling up small, that's a massive plus

    • This man for the win. Also travelled around Japan in a pair of washable microfibre suit pants. Light, portable, comfortable, extremely quick to wash and dry, looked decent enough. Also permanent creases, no ironing necessary. Something like this could easily take off if travelers weren't such conceited hippy types.

    • +1

      You didn't spend any time in the tropics i would assume!

  • +2

    Have you looked at the Patagonia Quandary?
    http://www.patagonia.com.au/m-s-quandary-pants-reg

    They're stretchy, light weight, water resistant and fast drying.

    • Thanks, checking out now. Look good.

      • Maybe look into the levis commuter range too since they wouldn't be too costly locally.

    • If you can find the model 'Tenpenny' these are far superior, they wear better and are less stretchy. They're also articulated through the knees so they're wonderful to wear.
      I've got a pair of quandry though and they're nice, just a bit too lightweight sometimes.

  • Are you going anywhere cool-cold? If so, I'd wear something a bit heavier such as pair of jeans. Plus, if you are going for 2 weeks or less, they won't require washing if you don't drop anything much on them. Then, you can pack a lighter pair. You don't mention if you are doing hand luggage only.

    • Hey there, no, planning to go for 6 months or more which makes it a mix of warm to a little hot, to cool/cold later. I'm happy enough not to plan for really cold as I can do that when abroad better.

      So, all in all, yes, will be washing. And will be taking luggage, and plenty of it to dump at a friends and then travel from there initially before doing day trips / short trips.

  • +1

    Depending on where you are going, if you go to a place where they will have outlet stores - those are the shops to find good bargains.

  • I purchased some craghoppers brand pants from anaconda and they were fantastic!

    • Odd, no mens on Anaconda atm.

  • +2

    I'd go for a pair of black chinos such as these from Rivers http://www.rivers.com.au/catalogdb/item.asp?SP=49902&PS=210&… They are $40 but if you join Rivers loyalty program they are $28.

    Chinos are more lightweight than jeans - you can get them in cargo pants style or trouser style. We travelled for 6 weeks recently - husband took trackie pants and Two pairs of Chinos. One he wore much of the time the other he kept to wear in situations where he needed to look a bit more formal - with a bit of a press they looked perfect, and were even fine just having a bit of a steam in a hot room before we went out.

    • Nice tip! Checking out now. Appreciate it.

      • +1
        My chinos have abit of a stretch to them, so they are ultra comfy.

      • +2

        Beware the cursed slim-fit Chino if you are a well-calved man; they can be a bit of a sweat trap if you are prone to sweating and on holidays, in constant transit and often humid circumstances, you will walk around like you just pissed yourself… :D

        *I remember walking off the plane and onto a shuttle bus at Dubai airport; it was a sultry 38 degrees and I was wearing slim-fit chinos… The bus was full, so I had to stand, and the aircon was faulty; here open the floodgates of sweat! The more I sweated, the more I sweated; tried to not make it obvious, or move too much, lest the sweat saturate the clothes.. Long story short, by the time we got off at the terminal, I was fully wet, so it was an even tone all over; didn't look too bad…

  • +2

    outlier slim dungarees if you can afford $270.

    • If they shipped to Australia ASAP I'd consider it. Quality is quality. But don't think so.

      • They use USPS priority, I've have stuff shipped on Thursday, received on Monday.

    • +2

      Some nice looking pants but holy shit - dat wanky marketing.

      • +6

        I thought you were joking until I scrolled down and saw this photo… Jesus..

        Edit: it gets even worse as you scroll further, they even have GIFs of the tips of 2 pyramids touching and exploding. WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH PANTS?

        • Haha I loved that one. Not a single pair of pants to be seen!

    • Can attest to this awesomeness that our these chinos. +1

      • Wow.. these have really piqued my interest. Any particular reason as to why they're so awesome. I don't mind spending a decent bit on pants as long as they're worthwhile.

        PS: Nudie jeans are so not worth it. Spent $200 on a pair that shrunk after the first wash (in abt 3 months). Staying away from raw denim like the plague.

        • The comment below about them being good versus water but not much else has me worried. Reviews also suggest that the thread catches easily. Keen to hear more experiences from travelers.

    • +1

      I own 4 Outlier pants and can vouch it's worth every penny.

      • Hi Omayga. I want to get some Outliers for my husband. Mainly so I don't have to hear him complain about how tight his jeans are anymore :D Do they ever go on sale?

        • +1

          They rarely do, you can look on grailed.com for some used / new pairs sold by users.

          Get him the SD pants, he will no longer complain.

        • @Omayga: Thanks. Have you tried the Lululemon ABC pants yet? Wondering they're comparable or just a poor imitation.

    • Anyone compared the Outliers SD with BluffWorks Chino? Interested in getting a pair of one of these for my travels.

      • It's definitely a good comparison. Can someone sort this out pls! ;)

  • I had a pair of Country Road pants that I used for travelling, they where made from 100% cotton and I wore them from 5-35 degrees Celsius without discomfort.

  • +1

    As someone who owns a few pairs from Outlier, they're not the best travel pants and you tend to baby them (they're great vs water, not so much anything else). If you're outdoorsy, I suggest Fjallraven (stereotypical hiker pants), otherwise Levi's Commuter are safe bet. If you're into less technical fabric and something that looks more 'normal,' then Uniqlo has good quality and relatively cheap stretch chinos + down cargo pants (crazy warm). Or just go to a surplus store.

    • Appreciate that

  • it also depends on where you're going, you really dont need travel pants if you're going to an urbanised developed country.

    • +1

      it's more like, if i walk and sit on trains and buses and planes a lot for two weeks, which pants are still going to feel comfy and will dry quick when on the hop.

      • shorts are fine if you're going to mostly hot places like in asia.

        which countries are you going to?

        • Europe from May

  • +1

    Try these
    http://www.kathmandu.com.au/mens/trousers/delter-pant-men-bl…

    you can buy them from Kathmandu's outlet for cheaper. I saw a pair going for about $50 or so.
    However, they are made from polyester which is generally quick dry but not breathable.

    Anything made from cotton is good for hot weather but they don't dry easily.

    • +2

      I have a few pairs of Kathmandu pants and they're reasonable for comfort/all day wearing. Kathmandu aren't great value unless they're on sale. Happily, they're always having a sale :)

  • Can't go wrong with Jeans with a bit of stretch in them

  • If you're going to London, Primark in Oxford Street is huge and has pretty much everything covered clotheswise. I take very little and buy what I need there.

  • When I went to Sri Lanka last year I mostly wore big w track pants. They were loose and long, so I didn't get too hot and they kept the bugs off. Quite comfortable too. However they might not be suitable depending on where you go. I normally just pack a couple of pairs of regular trousers, but I haven't tried travelling for 6m. Someone above said commuters, which are really sturdy, but might be a bit bulky of you're trying to travel light.

  • Nike Tech Fleece track pants. Super comfy for flights etc

  • Invest in the Outlier's and don't look back. Mine still look new after weeks of travel and trekking. Another brand I used was Proof NY but they've just gone under :( Outerboro is also in the same league and I like thier fit.

    Oh, for ligther fabrics you can check out Lululemon ABC pants or Uniqlos versions (but Uniqlo is cheap and tends to pill after a few washes).

  • Try these, I'm currently on a tour round the pacific and bought some and the trousers once tailored to the right length (remembering to leave stuff in your pockets when you are getting them measured so they aren't slightly to short) are really good for travelling and look smart (if slightly loose) also they have the added advantage of all the anti pickpocket zip products. https://www.clothingarts.com/collections/pickpocket_proof_bu…

  • +1

    Rohan (UK & US) have some great travel pants.

    I purchased some 'Fusions' a couple of years ago for travel. Seem to be really good quality and design. From memory, they didn't take too long to arrive.

    Some older reviews of travel pants:
    http://snarkynomad.com/in-search-of-the-best-travel-pants-fo…

  • +5

    Kmart trackies hanging off your arse and thongs. You are Aussie are you not?

    • m8

  • +1

    I miss shopping at my favourite store throughout Europe.
    Decathlon
    My supply of Tribord and Quechua brand I'm holding onto for as long as possible.
    Decathlon are huge sports stores with their own home brands such as above listed and more.
    Quality, cheap and warranty throughout.

    I miss shopping at Decathlon.

  • I just wore jeans when I was backpacking UK. That and layers eg top jumper jacket and comfy shoes I had hiking ones was awesome

  • A pair of jeans or two would do great

    Went Europe for two weeks with a pair

    • I did 6 weeks of semi-backpacking in Europe in winter with just two pairs of jeans. When it's cold you put some thermals under them.

  • +2

    having travelled A LOT, the best way is to pack as light as possible. one pair of light jeans packed and some black linen trousers for the flight and for wearing out and about - can be rolled up for casual or ironed to look semi smart. its just so much easier to have to lug lighter and nimble luggage rather than a huge backpack. and you never need as many pants as you think you will while travelling.

    otherwise, just buy clothes as you need them. clothes are generally cheaper, easier and have more variety to buy overseas. treat them as a disposable commodity and enjoy having to lug less around and buy items that are suitable for your climate cheaper.

    i note some people mention Primark from the UK - i assume you are heading there. i ended buying items for $2-$8 each with the intention of disposing of them. but alas, they ended up being quite well wearing and i still have them! lol

  • Can't agree more

    I wish I went with a back pack

    It's always cheaper to buy on your way than over prepare

  • +4

    I think you're best placed to ask The Sisterhood about this.

  • Craghoppers.

    Amazingly comfortable. Quick drying.

    Bought on ebay, from UK.

    • +3

      Requirement was that they don't look "ultra-touristy". Any pants that unzip above the knee to turn into shorts falls into this category, I'm pretty sure.

      • You've got my back. Still, they're right for people who just want super practical (to hell with fashion and touristy look!) (not me)

      • They also have full pants (no zip)

  • trackies!

  • +1

    Try the Lululemon ABC pants

    http://www.lululemon.com.au/products/clothes-accessories/men…

    They dry fast, and are slim fitting so they look smart. They're also stretchy so you can move around well.

    I wear them to work with a shirt and I can still ride my bike comfortably.

    • I immediate associate that brand with gym and women. Perfect for the mrs ;)

    • Do these ever go on sale?

  • I'm in the same situation going away in a few weeks and I usually like a light pair of pants for comfort on the plane. I bought a pair of "Perizzi Cotton Stretch Trousers" yesterday from Lowes for $55, they have a the concealed stretch waist band and the fabric is cotton/spandex blend. Not bought these before as I usually get the Farah brand but seemed very comfy and machine washable.
    https://lowes.com.au/productdetail.aspx?pid=1801

    • AT LOWES! Taking a look :)

  • Hahaha…ozbargainers recommending $300 pants.

    • +2

      Ozbargainers know the difference between cheap nasty and good value ;D

      • -2

        $300 for any pants is a joke, not value.

        • You don't understand value. Most technical pants are around $200. You're not going to find these technical fabrics in your $50 pants.

      • I agree that some things are worth spending more on, but there comes a point where you have to question if it's really worth it at $300 for some pants. I really have to question if my $100-150 pants are going to be half as comfy/useful/nice as a pair of $300 pants..

        Personally I don't see the point in spending 2-3x more for something which will probably not be THAT much better. Especially when you see how much money these $300 pants seem to waste on marketing, they're probably not really worth $300 ;)

  • My favourite pair of pants are Levi Commuters. Link Here

    Super comfortable and very durable. I got them for an insanely low price in the US (US$20 from Ross) but having owned them for 12 months would happily spend a lot more on them.

    • Sound great

  • If you want quick dry, you'll probably have to buy polyester pants. Handwashed mine in my hostel room the other night, and hung up soaking wet. They dried overnight in a cold, air-conditioned room! My travel pants are The North Face convertibles.
    Some good advice I came across once on a travel blog: "No matter how much you try to not look like a tourist, you will still look like a tourist".
    So either wear jeans/chinos and deal with cotton, buy dress pants and deal with the heat, or go to a outdoor clothes store, find a pair of pants you could wear every second day, and buy them.

    • Haha, it's all that vaguely confused look rather than determined commuting look. Thanks!

  • Target have a good range of pants and jeans with stretch materials, used some on my trip last week. Very comfortable plus casual or dressy enough for most situations and with all respect, without looking like a geeky hiker.

  • +1

    This thread has heaps of excellent suggestions. Thanks to the OP and commenters.

    • I agree. This thread is awesome! Thank you OP and all commenters. I'm glad this thread is as popular as it is.

  • Kit and Ace! Love their pants, commuter trouser and jogger especially worth looking into.
    http://shop.kitandace.com/men-pants

  • @pyro please let us know what you went with and how they were. I think many people on this site would enjoy travel pants that look like normal pants. I'm seriously considering the Bluffworks Navy blue pants. To me they look like simple chinos, which is what I love about them.
    I like this thread :)

    • There's around 1000 options from everyone being super helpful but here's my approach:

      If I had more time to try: Bluff, Outlier

      I love: Levi's Commuters (tried some on, really good, just the $)

      With conditions*: Decathlon (find out more when they open in AU), Kathmandu (when on sale), Zanerobe (not mentioned here yet but I got shown a pair of their chino pants and they're good although not 'tech')

      For a surprising bargain: A comfy pair of suit pants from an Op Shop!!

      • Oops, forgot to say I grabbed a pair of Levi's Commuters as I can definitely use them when cycling back home and when abroad.

        (Sorry I didn't say I was off to Europe too people)

  • where r u going and what kind of holiday? ie if going to se asia can probably just bring shorts.

    if you are going to NZ or an adventure holiday inc hiking etc then invest in a good technology pants from outdoor clothing specialist i.e thenorthface, columbia etc

    I think with the amount of ppl taking pics for social media nowadays looking touristy is not that unless you are holding a map. nothing wrong with looking touristy.

    what annoys me are those pack of tour groups with a tour leading holding a flag, loud, pushy, heaps of selfie sticks..omg. and yes asians/chinese/mainlanders.

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