Sometimes I check a bag, sometimes I don’t, but either way it makes a lot of sense to pack travel clothing that can do double duty and work for multiple situations. There are two apparel brands I pack on every trip now, one of them being Western Rise. I’m loving their pants and shirts for travel.
Western Rise only makes clothing for men, sorry ladies. I suggest you check out prAna (the other brand I pack regularly) or Anatomie, which is mostly for women. Now back to this brand though and what I’ve been wearing on my trips.
Diversion Slim Pants for Travelers
Unless I’m purely on vacation, I usually need travel pants that will work for a hike, a bar, a business meeting, or even being up on stage in the spotlight at a conference. The Diversion Pant Slim checks all the boxes for me. It’s a well-made pair of pants that isn’t baggy, but has enough stretch that I’ve been able to hike with these on.
On one trip I wore these pants on stage as a conference speaker, to some business meetings, then to a rooftop cocktail party. On another trip I took a bike ride with them on.
That versatility is their main draw, but they’re also stain-resistant and water-resistant if anyone got clumsy at that cocktail party. One key travel feature I always look for is in place here too: the Western Rise Diversion pant has a zippered pocket for keeping your valuables safe. The pants come in a regular version if you have big legs and they’re available in six colors. Order direct or from Amazon.
Western Rise Travel Shirts
While those pants are going to be a staple every year, shirts tend to come and go on these apparel sites, so I hate to link to specific styles that will soon be gone. Here are a few travel shirts from the company that have been in heavy rotation for me this year though.
I really like this Outbound Camp Collar shirt that was also on me (with the pants above) for the aforementioned day of speaking, meeting, and partying. It stays wrinkle-free and dries quickly, making it good for travel, and feels like a quality piece of clothing instead of fast fashion. It comes in three colors currently and is antimicrobial and odor-resistant.
The other button-down collared shirt from them I’ve been packing is the Limitless Merino Short Sleeve, also wrinkle-resistant and quick drying. As you’d guess by the name, there’s Merino Wool in the mix, in this case 53%. That helps with the odor-resistance and durability, but the synthetic remainder makes it stretchy. It’s best to keep it out of the dryer though. The Limitless Merino comes in black and light blue.
I’m a big fan of polo shirts for travel, especially if they can be worn multiple times between washings without getting smelly. That’s the case with the Limitless Merino Polo Shirt.
I packed this polo shirt on every trip I took this summer, from Spain to Virginia to Puerto Rico to Punta Mita. It always looked good (no wrinkling in my suitcase) and the 53% merino wool means I can wear it several times before finding a laundry solution.
Like I said, these styles might get replaced by something else next spring, but the key is that every one of these Western Rise clothing items I’ve been wearing feels carefully constructed, durable, and versatile for traveling men on the move.
Other Clothing Items for Your Vacation
I found a swimsuit I really liked on their site that, unlike most others I see these days, wasn’t going to come down to my knees. Unfortunately, I got in too late and they were sold out.
Now we’re approaching autumn as I write this though, so the selection is changing to items that will look good while warding off the cold. There are a couple of hoodies and long-sleeve shirts, with some jackets on the way when we get into winter. Nothing too out there or flamboyant: these are meant to be quality travel staples that use you can use on almost any trip to look put-together no matter what.
Here’s a video I filmed while at the St. Regis Punta Mita by the beach in Mexico if you want to see how Western Rise clothing looks in action. To find your future travel staples, head to WesternRise.com or see their section at Amazon.
Video and all photos by Timothy Scott except top shot showing water resistant qualities courtesy of Western Rise.
Article by Timothy
Timothy Scott is the founder and editor of Luxury Latin America and has been covering the region as a travel journalist since the mid-2000s. He has visited each country we cover multiple times and is based in a UNESCO World Heritage city in central Mexico, where he owns a home. See contact information here.
