Unless you are heading to one of those “natural” destinations like Sunny Sands Resort in Florida, you probably need to pack some clothes for your trip. What does this have to do with staying safe and healthy during your travels? It may be a stretch (no, I won’t be mentioning Lycra®* here), but there are some points to consider.
First of all, as a follow up to our last post in this series about packing sunscreens and sunglasses, if you are heading to a sunny destination, one closer to the equator or one at high altitudes and planning to be outside, you should consider clothes that are specifically designed to block those dangerous UV rays. Originally popularized in Australia (remember Crocodile Dundee’s crocodile-like skin? He must not have heard about this concept), sun protective clothing can now be found from many sources. Think of any brand of outdoor clothing, and they will undoubtedly carry sun protective clothing – REI, L.L.Bean (they don’t put a space between the second “L.” and the “Bean – don’t ask me why), Eddie Bauer and more. Or you could shop directly at a company focused in this area – Coolibar. The rating now most commonly used is UPF, or ultraviolet protection factor, which, unlike the SPF, measures both UVA and UVB rays. Obviously, these clothes don’t protect skin that is uncovered, so think about long-sleeved shirts, long pants and hats. Most products are designed to be lightweight and good for warmer climates.
This leads directly to the next topic – bringing clothing that is well-suited to the climate of your destination and to the activities you will be doing. If you are headed to Alaska in the middle of the summer, don’t forget that the nights get cold and a trip to a glacier means you are standing on a huge block of ice. Bring appropriate clothes. Layering makes a lot of sense for flexibility and whites and light colors also help on bright, sunny days.
Finally, there is a whole new world of wrinkle-free clothing out there, even some that are 100% cotton which helps in the heat. The right packing gear can also help to keep clothes free of wrinkles. Eagle Creek has a great line of Pack-It® folders designed specifically to prevent wrinkles. How does this keep me safe? Irons can be deadly, and who wants to iron when traveling. On the other hand, one may be less susceptible to crime while wearing wrinkled, shabby clothes.
As always, we would love to hear your travel clothing tips.
* Lycra is a registered trademark of Invista (formerly part of DuPont) and is the most common brand name of spandex. Of course, everyone knows that spandex is an anagram of the word “expands,” but did you know that outside of North America it is known as elastane and was invented in Germany in 1937, the same year that Hitler was planning to expand into Austria. Coincidence? I think not.
