6 Best Travel Clothes to Wear on the Road

A Jacket With Plenty Of Pockets

Here's another garment that helps conquer baggage fees: SCOTTEVEST travel jackets, which basically double as carry-on bags. The SeV Revolution jacket, which sells for $175, has a whopping 26 pockets, as well as a removable hood and removable sleeves (it turns into a vest). And it's not a bad-looking coat, either. We're a little bummed, however, that the 26-pocket jacket isn't available for women. The maximum amount of pockets on offer for women is 18, available on the Classic Vest for Women ($135).

A Wrap That Blocks the Sun

Running out of sunscreen on the road can be a serious crisis, especially for those who just about burn under florescent lights. A great back-up product—or, alternately, a product that adds additional armor to your sun-care regime—is the Sun Wrap ($79) from Magellan's. It has a 40-plus ultraviolet protection factor (UVP), as well as long sleeves and a flowy front (drape the front around your head to create an elegant head wrap). This wrap is sized for women. But for men we recommend Magellan's Tilley Outback Hat ($79), which has a 50-plus UVP.

Pants That Turn Into Shorts

Unpredictable temperatures are routine on the road, especially during shoulder seasons like spring or fall. You could take a pair of scissors to your jeans when the weather turns warmer than you had planned, or you could go the convertible-pant route.

Pants that turn into shorts are sold by most major travel-supply stores. We like the Monarch Convertible pant from Prana ($85), which comes in three colors and is made of quick-drying, wrinkle-free fabric. Zip off the bottom and the pants are instantly transformed into knee-length knickers. Prana also offers a similar pair of convertible pants for men ($80).

A Shirt That Repels Bugs

It's never fashionable to be obsessively swatting at insects. ExOfficio offers an entire line of BugsAway clothing products, including shirts, pants, hats, socks, and even a bandana. We like the shirts, available for men and women, which range from $35 for a women's tee to $99 for a men's or women's long-sleeve button-down. The fabric is treated with permethrin , a chemical approved by the Environmental Protection Agency that repels mosquitoes, ticks, ants, and other creepy crawlers. The catch? The mosquito-busting chemicals only last through about 70 washes, so you might want to save this shirt for trips to especially buggy locales (the products are particularly useful in destinations where malaria is prevalent).

Undergarments That Keep Your Stuff Safe

SmarterTravel editor Caroline Morse recently wrote a product review about Clever Travel Companion, undergarments that have small zippered pockets in which you can stash your passport, ID, and other valuables. These undershirts and pants, which start at $24.90, trump a money belt because they're comfortable and fit smoothly under clothes. It's highly unlikely that a pickpocket will manage to get his hand into the diminutive pocket hidden in the tee underneath your shirt, so the product gets our thumbs-up for safety, too. One caveat: Don't put anything to which you'll need quick access—such as your wallet—in the underwear's built-in pockets. It could lead to an awkward situation at the cash register.

A Jacket That Turns Into A Travel Pillow

This is one of two Exofficio products that made it onto our list: an ingenious travel jacket with a split personality—it doubles as a travel neck pillow. The Storm Logic jacket is a decent piece of apparel to begin with. It's quick-drying and windproof, and it has plenty of pockets. But roll the puffy garment into its special built-in sac and—presto! —it's now a neck pillow. The vest is available for men or women, and, at time of publication, is selling for $79.91 on the Exofficio website.

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