Day 7: Choose Your Technical Travel Clothing

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Welcome to Day 7 of 30 Days to Packing a Better Bag.

At Her Packing List, we highly recommend packing a bit of technical travel clothing into your bag (as part of your layering technique) in order to be more efficient.

Technical clothing, a term you might have heard tossed around at your local outdoor and travel gear shop, is clothing that has been designed to do more for travel.

This can be through specialty technical fabrics that have been invented or improved by science. These fabrics tend to stay warmer, dry quicker, or block wetness better than normal fabrics (among many other benefits).

Or, it can be clothing that offers a bit more than your standard item of clothing, whether that be through extra hidden pockets (perfect for storing your cash, cards, and passport), being convertible, or other features.

Technical clothing is not only for roughing it in the wild, it makes casual city travel so much easier (and helps you pack lighter) so don’t let your eyes glaze over before finishing this article!

Technical Clothing Benefits

Whether it’s because of the material fibers or a special coating, some technical travel clothing can repel water, dry quicker, block UV rays, insulate better, or repel bugs. 

Depending on the type and style of trip you plan to take, there is sure to be a type of technical clothing that can make it better.

➡️ Wicks Wetness: Moisture-wicking material helps draw moisture away from our skin and out into the outer layer of the material where it can evaporate easily, helping us to maintain our proper body temperature and feel more comfortable.

In extreme conditions, staying dry can protect you from getting sick but even in everyday travel, moisture-wicking clothing can stop you from feeling gross at the end of a long day (especially in more humid conditions).

➡️ Blocks Sun: While you can get a certain level of sun protection from normal clothing, there are fabrics nowadays that have been given UPF ratings. 

By purchasing this type of clothing, you can be even more protected, especially in destinations where the sun is rather harsh. Think Australia’s Outback or Southeast Asia.

➡️ Repels Bugs: Some travel companies have started using fabrics treated with permethrin repellent to make their travel clothing. This is especially great to have when traveling to destinations where bug-borne illnesses (malaria, dengue fever, etc.) are an issue. Every little bit helps!

➡️ Wrinkles Less: Some technical clothing fabrics are designed to wrinkle less. This means you can easily pull something out of your bag and put it on without looking too much like a slob. 

It’s a great perk for investing in quality gear. Take a look at the Wool& Audrey Maxi Dress for an example of this type of fabric.

➡️ Smells Less: Most clothing that smells less is antibacterial which means they are resistant to bacteria growth, making them odor-resistant.

There are so many benefits to clothing that smells less. You can spend a day out and about adventuring without worrying about becoming smelly, long travel days feel so much easier when you still smell fresh towards the end. 

And you can re-wear your clothes on your trip without having to wash them. 

➡️ Better Design: Design can have a huge impact on your travel clothing. Always look for items that have features that are useful to travelers.

Whether that be pockets – hidden pockets, more pockets, and pockets with zippers – that help to give us more places to store our belongings on ourselves, as well as keep them better protected from pickpockets. SCOTTeVEST is a great brand for this. 

Or items that convert into other articles of clothing. Multiple looks for the space of one item, yes please! There are so many convertible travel clothing options nowadays that look like normal clothes and while those zip-off pants aren’t always the most stylish, they serve a purpose for many travelers.

Plus, a lot of technical clothing packs up lighter and smaller than everyday clothing.

Technical Clothing Fabrics

These are just some examples of technical clothing fabrics. Different travel brands often have their own technical fabrics (like Patagonia or Columbia) and new technical fabrics are being developed all the time.

Insect-Repellent Fabric: Permethrin repellent is the only insect repellent currently used for the factory treatment of clothing. It repels mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, flies, ants, chiggers, and midges. 

Some examples are the Insect Shield Women’s Tech Quarter Zip and the Hadley Wren Women’s Lightweight Summer Insect Shield Scarf. 

You can also buy your own Permethrin Spray to apply to your clothing. However, it only repels insects for up to 60 days before you have to reapply. 

Waterproof Fabric with a DWR Coating: Moat waterproof fabric these days comes with a DWR (durable water repellent) coating. One example is the North Face Women’s Alta Vista Jacket. 

This coating may wear off over time and you may need to retreat your item to keep it water-repellent. DWR only makes your garment water-repellent, not waterproof. It is often used in conjunction with other treatments or technical features to make a truly waterproof garment. 

Capilene Fabric by Patagonia: Capilene is a polyester fabric that is chemically treated to make it more moisture-wicking. 

The hollow-core yarns and diamond-grid pattern of the fabric help to increase breathability and make the fabric quick-drying. HeiQ Pure, a silver-salt-based odor-control additive, keeps things fresh. 

Most of Patagonia’s baselayers and tops are made from this fabric.

Omni-Tech Fabric by Columbia: Omni-Tech Fabric has a unique membrane laminated to the inside of the fabric that lets moisture vapor escape while blocking liquid water from getting in. This makes your items both waterproof and breathable keeping you from getting sticky, damp, and uncomfortable. 

The Columbia Women’s Weekend Adventure Long Rain Shell and the Newton Ridge Plus Waterproof Hiking Boots are both examples of Omni-Tech Fabric technology.

Filium Activated Fabric: According to their website, Filium turns cotton, modal, wool, linen, and other natural fabrics into water-repelling, stain-resisting, and odor-free fabric without losing softness or breathability. 

Some examples are the Ably Apparel Daffodil Shirt and the Zenkai Sports Aurora Joggers.

Silver-Infused Fabric: Infusing fabric with silver particles makes the fabric anti-microbial and gives it odor-eliminating properties. 

Take a look at the Alpine Fit Rendezvous Ridge Long Sleeve or the Patagonia Women’s Capilene Midweight Crew (with HeiQ Pure, a silver-salt-based odor-control additive). 

GORE-TEX: GORE-TEX is a highly durable, waterproof, windproof, and breathable fabric membrane that blocks rain but allows water vapor (from your sweat) to pass through. 

The Arc’teryx Norvan Shell Pants are an example of GORE-TEX fabric and are perfect for colder weather.

While these specialty technical fabrics are amazing and will make your travels easier, they often come with a higher price tag. Some more everyday fabrics also have some of the same features (although this may not be to the same extent).

Nylon and Polyesters: These fabrics are great for wicking moisture away from the body. You will see these fabrics in gear like travel underwear and tops. 

Popular travel brand ExOfficio makes their travel underwear from nylon and elastane. And Wrightsock uses polyester for many of their socks.

Rayon: Rayon has great wrinkle-resistant features. Although it doesn’t tend to wick away moisture that well. A blend of rayon and another fabric can serve as a great travel fabric. 

The Toad&Co Women’s Taj Hemp Pants are made of a blend of lyocell (a type of rayon) and hemp).

Natural Fibers

While you can choose a specially developed technical fiber, there are natural fibers that have a lot of the same qualities. 

Merino Wool is a natural fiber that is thinner and softer than traditional wool. Combined with just the smallest amount of elastane (Lycra), this fabric proves to be a perfect fitting piece of travel gear that is great for wicking moisture, drying quickly, and smelling less. 

Companies like Icebreaker and Wool& claim that their merino wool clothing can be worn several times (or several weeks) without washing!

Bamboo has many of the same great properties as merino wool. It is temperature-regulating, moisture-wicking, odor-resistant, breathable, has a natural UPF, and a luxurious feel and drape. It’s a great staple for any traveler’s wardrobe. 

Unfortunately, bamboo is not quick drying but since it is odor-resistant, you may not even need to worry about washing it while on your travels.

Bamboo Body and Cozy Earth are some brands that specialize in bamboo clothing.

Silkspun (a silk, merino, and cotton blend) created by Silkbody in New Zealand wears beautifully, feels great on your skin, helps to wick moisture away, and regulates your body temperature in all temperatures.

But Technical Clothing is Expensive

Yes, technical clothing can come with a high price tag. However, these companies often provide limited or lifetime warranties on their products, and the products tend to really last. 

When packing with a minimalist wardrobe, you will end up wearing each item in your luggage to the max. Wear and tear becomes more likely, which is when you will be happy that you invested in a few pieces that won’t need to be replaced on your adventures.

If cost is an issue, think about the cost per wear of the article you are investing in, not the total price. 

It is possible to get comparable fabric combinations for cheaper, such as in the athletic department at Walmart or Target, but you have to consider the construction and additional benefits you might get when purchasing from a company created with the traveler and outdoor lover in mind. These often come with extra treatments and storage options that can make your travels easier.

But Technical Travel Clothing Looks Bad

Does it? 

There are ranges of “technical travel clothing” today that actually look quite feminine.

No, you don’t have to go on your adventures looking as if you’re on a safari expedition (see the options above and below). Dresses, skirts, and form-fitting tops are all on offer. Go with pieces that can be dressed up or down.

Along the same line, it is important to remember the following: style is important to many females, but too much style in some countries can make you stand out more. When choosing your travel clothing, it is wise to never go too tight or too skimpy.

Always Have One Quick Dry Outfit

Sure, you may not need to have the latest GORE-TEX coated jacket or a sun-protective pair of pants, but there is one tip we like to give to any female traveling longer than a weekend away:

Pack one full outfit made of quick-drying fabric.

Why? You never know when you might need to wash some clothing at the last minute, and at least this one outfit can be more reliably dry and ready to go when you need it most. Don’t stop at just the tops and bottoms. Quick-drying travel underwear and bras are also a must!

Do you have any technical travel clothing items that you can’t travel without?