What to pack for a summer road trip - 5 ways to stay fashionable and functional
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This weekend, I was trying out some Tevas for our upcoming RV trip when my husband mocked me. “Do you think these will be OK for our walk in the woods?” I asked. “They’ll be OK for the walk,” he replied, “but I’m not sure about your self-respect.” It took a call to a friend for him to accept that Tevas were in - and his views were out!
The convergence of form and function has made packing for outdoor adventures a whole lot easier. And just in time too. AAA tells the Washington Post, “about a third of Americans say they plan to take a road trip this summer.” Will you be one of them? If so, do pack along with me using the tips below! If not, you can apply these for any sort of outdoor adventure – even those close to home. Happy trails!
1. Choose technical clothing to keep you comfy, fragrant, and dry
Camping trips pose a packing conundrum: we need to pack everything we’ll want for every activity and every temperature we might encounter – and we need to do so with minimal clothes. Checking the weather forecast is a smart first step. As I write, it’s 42°F at our final destination of Yellowstone and 92 at our campsite in the Badlands. If your trip promises such a spread, you can be prepared and compact with the right fabrics. Light puffer jackets pack big warmth in a wee package. Merino wool, the DNA of brands like Icebreaker and Smartwool, keeps you warm / cool, resists odors and wicks away sweat. Pack a pair of merino joggers, tee, and half zip, and you can travel, sleep and hike without changing your clothes!
2. Protect yourself come rain or shine with an anorak and sun hat
Although weather can be unpredictable, it’s worth packing a rain jacket if there’s even a hint of storms. A lightweight anorak takes up next to no space in our luggage and save a whole lot of heartache in a downpour. The one I’m wearing from Old Navy packs into a pouch the size of a baking potato – only much lighter! Plus, waterproof wear can cut the wind to keep us warm when layered. Hats are similarly helpful. A sun hat or baseball cap will protect us from the sun, shield us from the rain and cover up a bad hair day. Not that any of us have any of those while we’re social distancing 😉.
3. Curate coordinating layers for all-day hiking comfort
In Minnesota right now, the coldest part of the night and warmest part of the day are only about 20°F apart. Not so in the mountains we’ll soon hike, where there’s a more than 30°F spread. To avoid freezing in the early morning or melting in the late afternoon, it can help to plan hiking outfits in layers. The base layer should be cool enough to cope in the hottest part of the day. Again, merino wool – or other activewear fabrics – will wick sweat better than cotton, which some refer to as “death cloth” for its water absorbing properties. Yikes! A mid layer can take the chill off mornings, especially when accompanied by a scarf. These travel MVPs don’t just keep your neck warm. They can also serve a cover-up or blanket. Lots of use from one wee square.
4. Research your destinations to dress for the occasion
sweatshirt - aviator nation, knee pants - columbia, tank - icebreaker
Wearing the wrong clothes for the occasion is usually, at most, embarrassing (ah, Bridget Jones and the bunny girl suit!). But at some tourist sites, it can be prohibitive. The Jewel Cave National Monument in South Dakota, for example, explicitly bans “flip flops, crocs, slides…” It also explains that the temperature is always 49 degrees - even when it’s 90 outside. Such requirements prove why it’s good to read the “plan your visit” section of websites before choosing what to bring. Even if you wouldn’t wear crocs to go on a cave tour or…well…ever if your life, it can help to know what you’re getting into, so you stay safe, warm and comfy.
5. Get the most wear out of the fewest things with multi-purpose pieces
linen shirt - solid & striped, pants - athleta
Multitasking is something we busy gals get rather good at, right? So why not expect the same from our clothes? We already talked about the lounge pants that double as PJs and chilly morning hiking bottoms, but we needn’t stop there. A linen button up can be a modest outer layer, bikini cover-up or pajama top. The skort we might run in can also be used to sightsee in. I recommend avoiding packing anything that will only be worn once. Yoga pants for one class on one day? Nope. Travel pants and a longline bra that works for hiking will have to do. This is one case where being six feet away from everyone might work to our advantage!
I hope these tips are helpful. Do let me know – or share your own – with a comment! And wherever life takes you this summer, may you have a wonderful, safe, happy time 😊
