What is your go-to travel outfit? Whether you are heading off on a plane to some far flung sunny place, or jumping in the car for a mammoth road trip, being comfortable is the name of the game. I mean, jeans are great and all that, but what I want is a decent looking, stretchy, quick washing and perfectly fitting pair of trousers. I could wear my pyjama bottoms or scruffy joggers all the time, but apparently that’s frowned upon…
Enter Columbia, the outdoor clothing company that has been making gear for people who enjoy the outdoors in the Pacific Northwest and beyond for more than 80 years. They kindly gifted me a pair of trousers and a shirt from their travel collection to help me out with my clothing woes. I chose the Buck Mountain Trousers because they looked like the answer to all my legwear wishes, and the Camp Henry Short Sleeve Shirt because I’m really loving wearing shirts at the moment.
Columbia Buck Mountain Trousers
The women’s Columbia Buck Mountain Trousers are a nice looking tracksuit-bottom-shaped trousers are made from a stretchy flexible material with elastic at the waste and ankles, making them super comfortable for both wandering around sightseeing and sitting in a car or on a plane for hours. The fabric has UPF 50 sun protection and is water repellent, which is a definite bonus. And there are two zipped pockets which are big enough to actually put things in – a must for travel day trousers.
I am a size 10 (ish) with wider than average legs from hip to ankle. Using the size guide I was surprised to spot that I needed the UK size 8, discovering that they fitted just right around my middle and my legs, something which is not always easy to find. The slightly stretchy fabric and elasticated waste certainly helps this, as does the slightly tapered cut.
Columbia Camp Henry Short Sleeve Shirt
The Camp Henry Short Sleeve Shirt is very simply a nicely designed and made 100% cotton shirt good for pretty much any day. Casual in style, it has a feminine fit but isn’t so tightly cut that it is only flattering for the most toned women – my slightly podgy belly is fine inside a size small. The material is soft and has a texture to it (it’s not a harsh or starchy cotton), and I have had this packed in a bag and a case and have found it travels incredibly well without creasing. The tabs at the hips makes this more than just a plain shirt, and the colours available are varied enough that you could have two or three in your travel wardrobe and be happy for a full week away.
As far as travel day outfits go, I’ll admit I wouldn’t normally wear a shirt with a pair of such casual feeling trousers, but this combination does work in my poor-fashion-minded world. If I’m spending hours in the car or on a plane I would choose a baggy tee instead of a button down shirt, but the shirt is good for every other occasion.
So did my new outfit from Columbia help with my travel clothing woes? In a word, yes. A short review, I know, but I’m impressed enough with these to warrant a simple go-for-it recommendation rather than a whole essay on the pros and cons of the gear. The trousers certainly did the job – they fit nicely, feel good on, have the comfort level of a pair of tracksuit bottoms in a material that looks like walking trousers, and have undoubtedly become my go-to travel-day trousers for the moment. And the shirt is just simply a very nicely cut and fitting shirt that works for walking or sightseeing or heading out for dinner – the perfect a-bit-smart top to bung in my travel bag when I’m road tripping. It’s so good to find a brand that makes clothes that both have the technical spec I want in a shape that fits – Columbia you are about to receive a large sum of my money, I hope everything else fits and works as well as these.
If you are also looking for decent clothing good for travel, then check out the Columbia travel clothing collection.
PS: At the time of writing, Columbia have a half-price sale on, with a few pairs of these trousers in the colour “nocturnal” for £30, and some colourways/sizes in the shirt for £22.50, which might be of interest to some of you!
With thanks to Columbia for gifting me the trousers and shirt featured in this post. While the clothing was gifted, the review is genuine, and I have not been asked to say anything specific about the products.
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