For those of us who obsess over ultralight travel gear, finding the perfect travel pants can feel like a never-ending quest. It’s about more than just packing light; it’s about finding stylish travel clothing that performs on the trail and looks presentable in social situations. While pants have been around for ages, the ideal travel-ready pair remains surprisingly elusive. The gap between everyday clothing and high-performance apparel leaves a void, making the search for truly great men’s travel pants a real challenge.
“Why are you so picky about travel pants? There are tons out there!”
Because many “travel pants” miss the mark. They often lean too heavily into hiking functionality and neglect the style aspect crucial for versatile travel.
The Problem with Most Travel Pants
The core issue is that many outdoor clothing brands seem to focus solely on hiking pants, overlooking the broader needs of travelers. They fail to recognize that when traveling, form is function. Travel isn’t just about wilderness treks; it’s about navigating cities, attending events, and blending in wherever you go. Most travelers aim to pack light, needing outfits suitable for both outdoor adventures and more formal settings. Ideally, your travel pants should bridge this gap.
Royal Robbins Zip
Outdoor brands often over-engineer hiking pants with features like elastic waistbands, integrated belts, zip-off legs, and excessive cargo pockets. While functional for hiking, these elements compromise style, making them unsuitable for many travel scenarios. The key to versatile travel pants is simple: performance fabric combined with understated style. By achieving both, you can pack fewer items and travel lighter, much like going for 9 months with just a 20-liter daypack.
Unfortunately, many outdoor companies seem to disregard style, prioritizing ruggedness over aesthetics. They overload garments with zippers, logos, reflective trims, and racing stripes, rendering them impractical for anything beyond outdoor activities. This forces travelers to pack additional clothing for social events or formal occasions. These companies believe they are maximizing efficiency, but by neglecting style, they actually increase the amount of clothing needed for travel. This highlights a crucial point:
Style is a performance advantage. Pants that look good in various settings reduce the need for extra outfits, streamlining your luggage and simplifying your travel experience.
What Makes the Perfect Travel Pants?
The recipe for perfect men’s travel pants is surprisingly straightforward: use high-performance fabric and maintain a casual, versatile style. Yet, finding this combination can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. Here’s what to look for in the best travel pants:
- Performance Fabric: Prioritize quick-drying, wrinkle-resistant, and breathable fabrics that feel comfortable and look reasonably normal. Avoid cotton if possible. While natural fabrics like hemp or Tencel could be excellent, nylon and polyester are currently the most practical choices due to availability. Stretch fabrics, especially in slimmer cuts, enhance comfort and mobility.
- Casual Styling: Opt for understated designs. Avoid visible zippers, prominent logos, zip-off legs, and built-in belts. Cargo pockets can be acceptable if they are discreet and well-designed, but having at least one pair without them is ideal for versatility. While zip-off cargo hiking pants have their place, travelers also need pants that resemble regular khakis or jeans for everyday wear.
- Hidden Security Pockets: Security is paramount when traveling. Hidden pockets are crucial for protecting valuables. Two hidden zippered pockets are ideal: one back pocket for a wallet and one hand pocket for a phone or passport. This minimizes the need for a money belt, improving comfort and convenience. Jeans-style front pockets, which are deeper and angled to prevent items from falling out when seated, are highly desirable but surprisingly rare in travel pants.
Finding pants that combine all three of these features – performance fabric, casual style, and hidden security pockets – can be surprisingly difficult. Many pants might offer two out of three, but for true travel versatility, all three are essential.
Top Men’s Travel Pants: Combining Style and Performance
Despite the challenges, some companies are creating exceptional men’s travel pants that balance style and performance. These brands understand that travel clothing should be functional and fashionable, offering versatile options for the modern traveler. Here are some of the best men’s travel pants currently available (updated for 2023):
Option 1: Performance Chinos
Performance chinos are arguably the most versatile category for most travelers. They offer the classic khaki style, making them appropriate for a wide range of situations, from casual sightseeing to semi-formal dinners. The best performance chinos incorporate hidden zippered pockets for security and utilize performance fabrics that are quick-drying, durable, lightweight, and wrinkle-resistant.
1) Bluffworks Chinos
Bluffworks Chinos are designed as do-it-all performance travel pants. The brand was founded to solve the problem of high-maintenance office wear. Bluffworks created office-appropriate performance khakis that are wrinkle-free and easy to care for. These chinos are durable, quick-drying, lightweight, and most importantly, they look like normal chinos. This combination of performance and style makes them a top recommendation for men’s travel pants.
Bluffworks offers two main versions: the original fabric (non-stretch) and the Chinos (stretch fabric). The Chinos, with their softer, stretchier fabric, are generally preferred for enhanced comfort and fit. While the original fabric might be slightly more breathable, both are lightweight enough to prevent overheating. The Chinos may have a slight synthetic sheen, typical of polyester, but it is subtle.
Bluffworks Chinos feature a total of seven pockets, including three hidden zippered pockets, offering excellent security for valuables. They blend seamlessly into urban environments while providing the performance needed for travel.
2) Rohan Fusions
Rohan Fusions Trousers
Rohan is a brand known for its comprehensive range of travel clothing, and their pants are particularly noteworthy for their minimalist design and practical features. Many Rohan pants feature hidden zippered pockets and understated styling, making them excellent travel options.
The Rohan Fusions trousers are a prime example, offering a normal-looking design with hidden security pockets and a performance fabric. They are lightweight and non-stretch, similar to standard hiking pants in terms of fabric weight and feel. The back pockets have a unique sewn-down design, which is subtle but adds a touch of distinction. Rohan also offers Grand Tour Chinos with a more classic and upscale appearance, providing another excellent option in their range. It’s advisable to size up in the waist, especially for those accustomed to American sizing.
Rohan provides dedicated websites for both the US and UK markets, making them accessible to a wide range of customers. They have expanded their offerings to include travel-friendly jeans, such as their Jeans Plus, which combine the look of regular jeans with performance features and hidden security pockets.
Option 2: Soft Shell Khakis
Soft shell pants are an excellent alternative to traditional hiking pants, offering enhanced comfort and versatility. They typically feature a double-sided construction with a durable nylon exterior and a soft polyester interior. Soft shells are known for being durable, breathable, quick-drying, and highly stretchy, often providing enough flexibility for activities like yoga or climbing. Many also have a weather-resistant finish, making them adaptable to various climates and conditions.
3) Proof Nomad Pant
The Proof Nomad Pant, reintroduced by Huckberry, is a soft shell pant designed with office-appropriate styling and hidden security features. It stands out for its affordability, especially compared to other soft shell pants, and its ability to transition from travel to office environments seamlessly.
The Proof Nomad Pant features snap closures on the back pockets and waistband, adding an extra layer of security. The hidden zippered pocket, located within one of the front hand pockets, uses an “invisible” on-seam zipper, making it discreet even when the main pocket is slightly open. These pants are exceptionally stretchy and comfortable, yet the reinforced waistband prevents sagging. The lightweight fabric makes them suitable for moderate to warm weather, and their versatility extends to cooler climates as well. Lightweight soft shells are often more adaptable year-round than heavier versions.
4) Seagale Active Stretch Chinos
The Seagale Active Stretch Chinos offer a blend of style and performance from a French brand specializing in travel clothing. These chinos come in versatile casual colors, maintain a normal appearance, and include a security pocket in one of the front hand pockets. A notable detail is the slide button closure, adding a refined touch.
With a mid-range fabric weight of 230 grams per square meter, these chinos are more substantial than lightweight hiking pants, making them suitable for most seasons, excluding extreme temperatures. The fabric weight might be slightly warm for hot weather for those prone to overheating. However, they can function year-round in moderate climates. Seagale utilizes metric sizing and also offers a jean-pocket version of these chinos.
Option 3: High-Tech Jean Styling
Jeans are a favorite for many travelers due to their robust pockets, which securely hold items and are harder for pickpockets to access. Combining jean styling with performance fabrics and hidden security pockets creates an ideal travel pant.
5) Western Rise AT Slim Rivet Pant
The Western Rise AT Slim Rivet Pant is a top choice for those seeking jean-style travel pants. They feature classic jean styling, casual colors, a hidden zippered back pocket, and a durable, stretchy fabric that feels natural. The single-sided fabric construction with thicker yarns enhances breathability and provides a more natural look and feel compared to double-sided soft shells. Despite being the heaviest pants on this list, their breathability prevents overheating, even during physical activity.
The pockets are smaller, which may be a consideration for larger smartphones, and they are not as stretchy as soft shells. However, for everyday wear and light activities, they offer an excellent balance of style, comfort, and performance. Western Rise has also released the Evolution Pant, a lighter version with deeper pockets, addressing some of the minor drawbacks of the AT Slim Rivet Pant.
6) Thunderbolt Jeans Lite
Thunderbolt Jeans Lite are a lightweight soft shell option for year-round use. They utilize a Swiss-made double-sided fabric with a tough nylon exterior and a soft polyester interior. These pants offer classic jean styling and include a zippered back right pocket for security. The waistband is designed to be slightly stretchy without over-stretching, and the rest of the fabric is highly stretchy, making them suitable for athletic activities.
The lighter fabric weight compared to traditional soft shells makes the Jeans Lite more versatile for different climates. While the original, heavier Thunderbolt Jeans are better suited for cold weather, the Lite version is adaptable for year-round travel in moderate climates.
Option 4: Business Travel Pants
For business travelers, dress pants that incorporate travel-friendly features are essential. While heathered slacks typically lack security features, some options combine professional style with practical travel functionality. While brands like Bluffworks and Rohan offer business-appropriate travel pants, the following options provide distinct styles within this category. These pants are designed for durability and travel convenience while maintaining a professional appearance, though they are not intended for heavy-duty outdoor activities.
7) Makers and Riders Wool Trousers
Makers and Riders Wool Trousers combine merino wool with durable, quick-drying polyester and spandex. This blend results in a travel-ready dress pant that is tougher and more flexible than traditional wool pants. The inclusion of a hidden zippered security pocket enhances their travel practicality.
These trousers are available in both dress pant and jean styles, with the dress pant version highlighted here for business travel. The 4-Season line is particularly versatile, especially in warmer weather, compared to their 3-Season counterparts. The fabric is lightweight for a wool blend, suitable for warmer climates, though the wool may feel slightly less soft and the stretch is moderate, making them best suited for business and casual use rather than intense physical activity.
8) Journeyman Suitable Pant
The Journeyman Suitable Pant is the flagship product from Journeyman Clothier, designed specifically as a travel-friendly dress pant. It features a quick-drying fabric blend of polyester, rayon, and spandex, offering a balance of synthetic performance and softer, more absorbent fibers. This fabric blend is common in wool-alternative suit jackets and pants. The key feature of the Journeyman Suitable Pant is the hidden zippered security pocket in a front hand pocket, a rare find in dress pants.
While the fabric composition is similar to affordable wool alternatives, the security pocket sets these pants apart. The polyester-dominant blend ensures quicker drying times than rayon-heavy blends. The fabric may have a slight “swooshy” sound due to the polyester content. The Journeyman Suitable Pant provides a stylish, travel-ready dress pant option with essential security features.
Is That All?
Finding truly great men’s travel pants can be surprisingly limited. Many outdoor brands prioritize overly technical features over versatile style, resulting in pants that are less suitable for everyday travel. While “hiking pants” from brands like Royal Robbins, Ex Officio, Marmot, REI, and Railriders can be more affordable alternatives, they often lack the refined style and features of the options listed above.
Ultimately, investing in quality travel pants that balance performance, style, and security is worthwhile. The options available now are better than ever, allowing you to travel the world comfortably and stylishly, without compromising on practicality. Choosing the right travel pants can significantly enhance your travel experience, making every journey more enjoyable and stress-free.
