Gear Review: Ultra Light, Quick-Drying Pants

My criteria  for clothing that almost always makes it into my small carry-on bag -- I never check luggage -- is that it has to be light, relatively wrinkle resistant and perform well. My new favorite item that I packed in my backpack this morning for my trip to Portugal is Ex Officio’s Dig’r Capri. I had tested it out in the Caribbean recently where I got caught in a downpour or two. And it dried so quickly that, by the time the taxi picked me up at the trailhead to drop me off at my B&B, it was completely dry. On another day, after trekking along a muddy path, I washed it in cold water in the sink that night and it was ready to wear in no time. The mostly nylon fabric is lightweight and breathable with a high Sun  Guard factor. Plus it’s capri-length, which is perfect for sweltering weather. There’s a small “secret” zippered pocket that’s useful for stashing cash or credit cards. And the pants legs roll up in case I decide to hang out at the beach. 

Dig'r Capri

Sun Guard 50+

Water resistant

Quick Drying

Light

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What Not To Wear On The Plane

When you're trapped in a plane for anywhere from a few hours to having to cross multiple time zones, you're a captive, in a sense. And the clothes you chose for the flight had better keep you warm and comfortable and, sometimes more importantly, not attract unwanted attention.

That means no beach wear: no low-cut revealing tops, no shorts (it's often cold in the cabin and don't assume the flight attendants will provide a blanket). No shirts with offensive words or phrases that could stimulate an air rage incident. No sky-high heels that are uncomfortable and impractical in the cabin. (And no shoes that require untying/unbuckling anything.) No tight pants. Not only is this uncomfortable as you try to curl up in your seat over the next many hours, but even young people wearing tight pants could be at an increased risk of blood clots in the legs (deep vein thrombosis).

This is an example of what I'll be wearing on my next flight -- I'm heading to Paris: 

 Notice, my slip-on shoes are cute but flat. These are Chaco Mary Janes.

My socks are made of Merino wool by SmartWool. (No chance of getting blisters once I land and hit the road. And, on the plane, the socks are breathable, wickable and comfortable.)

The loose-fitting pants are made of a synthetic that's light, breathable and doesn't wrinkle. When I'm not wearing this sort of pants, I opt for black leggings and a comfortable, simple black dress, made, of course, of Merino wool by SmartWool.

The long-sleeve shirt is Merino wool by SmartWool, so it adapts to different temperatures, wicks away sweat, and is ultra comfortable.

Under my shirt I wear a stretchy tank top that's also breathable.

I'm wearing a part synthetic/part light cotton infinity scarf that can do double or triple duty also as a head or shoulder covering. (It works in lieu of a hoody, so I can pull it over my head when I go to sleep on the plane.)

The long cardigan is by ExOfficio and is made of a comfy polar fleece-type synthetic that, like with the shirt, keeps me warm in frigid cabin. As a worst case scenario, I can take it off and roll it up as a neck or back rest. (It doesn't wrinkle either.)

Since, as you probably already know, I never check luggage, these items of clothing allow me to dress up or down once I've reached my destination. I can wear the tank top at the beach or under a sundress that needs some extra coverage. The black long-sleeve Merino wool shirt pairs well with a skirt or a sleeveless dress (if it's chilly). The scarf is especially useful if I'll be visiting religious sites but also if it's breezy.

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Gear Review: Pick-Pocket Proof Pants For Women

I must admit that I was plenty skeptical about the new women's Pick-Pocket Proof Pants (manufactured by Clothing Arts) that I anticipated reviewing. It's not that I was worried the pants wouldn't thwart thieves. I'm sure they would. After all, my friend tried the men's version last year and he had difficulty getting into the pockets himself. (There's definitely a learning curve.) But he loved the pants and wears them constantly. You can read my review here.

But I'm all about form and function. So, great that thieves won't be able to nab my passport, money, credit cards and cell phone. But aesthetics can't be sacrificed. And the idea of a pants with a multitude of pockets, including the cargo kind, just didn't seem to fit in with a pleasing aesthetic. Would my butt look droopy, my thighs bulgy and my hips like I'm carrying an extra 10 pounds? I'm pretty petite (5'2" and 104 pounds) so anything that detracted from my slim appearance would be a no go, even if it was pick-pocket proof.

Was I pleasantly surprised! These pants look great and perform well. The pockets -- there are six of them: two rear, two side and two cargo -- are all low profile.. The cargo pockets don't hang in a floppy way. Two of these pockets contain double security features: a zipper and a button flap. I defy a thief to get past that. The two side pockets are zippered and contain an inner pocket, perfect for my cell phone. Like with the men's pants, it does take awhile to get accustomed to all the buttons and zippers. But that's the trade off if you want to keep other hands out of your pockets.

The pants are lightweight and soft as cotton, but constructed of a nylon that's wicks away moisture, doesn't wrinkle, and dries quickly. Oftentimes, I have found that pants never fit me perfectly around the waist, often requiring a belt. No belt is needed with these, thanks to additional buttons to cinch in the waist, making for a perfect fit.

I was surprised to find that the pants convert to capris, my favorite pants style. So that's how I intend on wearing them on most of my trips to warm climes.

The fit is relaxed, without a hint of bagginess, and the comfort factor is high, including when I'm curled up for an hour on my commuter bus. The pants arrived four days ago and I've been wearing them every day since. In a few days, I'm heading out of the country on assignment to a tropical country and my Pick-Pocket Proof Pants are coming along with me, whether I expect pickpockets or not. And now you can get a 20% discount on these or the men's pants if you purchase my travel first-aid kit organizer.

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Gear Reviews: Keeping Valuables Safe While Traveling

Even though I'm a very savvy traveler, skillful pickpockets -- they're pretty much all skillful if they want to survive on the streets -- managed to get into my backpack when I visited Madrid several years ago. Within seconds, while I was engaged in conversation with a stranger, the second member of what was a team took all my valuables: passport, driver's license, all my credit and bank cards, and my money (luckily there was only about 50 Euros). Since then, I altered the way I carry my gear but a number of theft-proof items are also now available.

Below are my reviews of two of these products: Adam Rapp of http://clothingarts.com/ offered me a pair of his Pick-Pocket Proof Pants (the Adventure Traveler Pants model), and Alex Ivory, the founder of Dovetail Travel in Peace, sent me a small zippered black pouch containing two of her body bands. While the latter is a women's product, the Adventure Traveler Pants are currently only available for men -- though Clothing Arts will soon be manufacturing women's pants. (My friend tested out the pants and provided detailed feedback while I also tried them on to check out the multitude of features.)


1. Clothing Arts - Pick-Pocket Proof Pants - Adventure Traveler Pants

Sure, these cargo-type pants are expensive at $110, but they're absolutely worth it. After all, if a pair of pants could positively protect you from theft of your passport, money, credit cards, cell phone and more, how much would you be willing to pay? My friend at first was shocked at the price. But he found these pants to be nicely tailored with a perfect fit. He noted the high quality production, whether the zippers, stain-resistant material, and thick, slash-resistant pockets. Though he doesn't travel anywhere near the amount I do, he admitted that he'd definitely wear these if pickpockets were a threat. Sometimes he has to do business in some not great neighborhoods here in New York City and these pants would come in handy. He'd put his most valuable items (such as a wallet) in one of the zippered pockets that are covered by buttoned flaps. (There are also flaps over the vertical zippered pockets.) The flaps on the rear pockets, he added, were so hard for him to unbutton that he thought it would definitely stymie a thief who, after fiddling with buttons would then have to also undo the zipper. (It took my friend 10 to 15 seconds to undo the buttons and the zipper on a pocket.) Plus, one pocket has a hidden -- so hidden that we both had difficulty finding it -- inner zippered pocket that fits your most valuable item: your passport. It's hard to imagine how a pickpocket would navigate inside that pocket. In my opinion, you'd have to be unconscious for a thief to get into these pants pockets.

These pants have so many pockets, including one that's attachable to hold a small water bottle, that you could skip carrying a tote bag. (The pants can easily accommodate a guidebook, small camera, cell phone, note book and more.) You don't even have to wear a belt since there is a buttoned waist cinch system.

My friend said he'd wear these pants if theft were an issue, which it is in many cities around the world. If you are placing valuables in the rear zippered and buttoned down pockets, choose items that you won't need to access frequently during the day. (It'll just take too long with the buttons.) He decided that around town here in New York City, he'll just forgo the double layer of security and use just the zippers. That's an option here, of course. But it's nice to know that so much thought went into the construction of these pants. I can't wait until the woman's version is available.


2. Dovetail Travel in Peace

I've been in plenty of situations, such as an overnight train to Sicily and the souks in Morocco, where I wished I could really hide valuables so no prying hands can get to them for the entire day or night. These two super slim body bands -- the Travel Band and the Travel Wing -- to the rescue.  When I opened the petite zippered bag, I found two black items that resemble lingerie of sorts. Both items (and they can be worn separately over your underwear: the wing goes over your bra and the band slips over your panties and sits on your hips) are mostly black nylon with a little spandex. The idea is that the stretchy pocket in each band is supposed to accommodate a plastic portfolio where you can slip your passport, money and credit cards.

 I found that the portfolio (stuffed with my passport and credit cards) was a snug but good fit in the Wing, which you wear with the pocket along your upper back. However, I just didn't like what appeared to be the plastic odor off-gassing from the portfolio so I dumped it in favor of simply placing my passport in the Wing. That worked out fine. Then I donned my ExOfficio shirt and my Horny Toad jacket or I wore the Wing under one of my Icebreaker dresses, and I felt perfectly comfortable and secure. (The Wing has a very low profile so it was not visible under my clothing.)

I also tried out the Band which has a stretchable inner pocket that's also supposed to accommodate the portfolio with your passport and valuables. However, no matter how much I stretched and tugged, I couldn't get the portfolio or the passport by itself into the narrow pocket. The portfolio just is too wide to fit into this pocket. No worries, though, because I simply put my rolled up bills and credit cards in a small zip lock and easily folded it into the pocket of the Body Band, which you wear with the pocket towards the back of your hips. It was plenty comfortable with its one-size fits all, up to size 10 for both bands. (At this time, these only comes in black but other colors probably will be available down the road.)

Of course, both the Band and the Wing are meant to hold items that you won't have to access during the day. They're for close-to-the-body safe keeping. It's not like you're going to peel back your shirt to access your passport at customs, or lift up your skirt every time you need money to make a purchase.

I think Dovetail Travel in Peace is a great idea for female travelers who need to keep valuables secure no matter what. And, at the price of $48 for the set, it's definitely worth it.

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