When selecting clothing for adventure travel trips, there are two considerations I go to right away: Is it lightweight and multi-use?
This matters because if you’re traveling well, you’re traveling light. Nobody wants to lug a bunch of unnecessary stuff around airports, and in some cases, you’re actually restricted by weight limits imposed by regional airlines. (For example, when hiking to Everest Base Camp, the internal flight to Lukla requires that your duffel must weigh no more than 22 pounds and your backpack, less than 11.) There are also often weight restrictions related to porters and livestock.
Recently, I was given a wonderful opportunity by the Adventure Travel Trade Association to visit both the Amazon basin and Galapagos Islands of Ecuador in a single trip. Packing for two distinctly different ecosystems can pose quite a challenge, so I had to give this some serious thought. I was also told that I would have to deal with weight restrictions for flights to both regions. Yikes!
Then, almost miraculously, I was contacted by my friends at Kuhl® about possibly reviewing some of their new adventure clothing. (And no, I’m not affiliated with Kuhl® other than to occasionally review their stuff.) The timing was perfect. After quite a lot of research and gnashing of teeth, I settled on two items — the Upriser Short and the Eclipser Hoody.
First, the Upriser. Why did I choose this? It’s simple. I just looked at my itinerary and weather conditions. I knew that I would be wearing shorts for at least a third of my time, that I would be snorkeling and swimming, and that I wanted convenience. The Upriser is a hybrid short that operates as both quick-drying shorts and swim trunks. Perfect! I could condense at least two or three items into one. I also figured that I could wash them out in the hotel sink, hang them up, and they would dry over a few hours. (This was more difficult than expected in the Amazon because it was SO humid, practically a sauna.) My plan worked exactly like I wanted it to — I never even used the second pair of shorts I brought. My only critique is that I would’ve liked the shorts to have a built-in liner, but that’s just a personal preference thing and not a big deal.
Second, the hoody. My reasoning for using the Eclipser was the same as why I’ve used other Kuhl® hoodies in the past: I wanted sun protection, warmth, and to be kept cool. These hoodies are kind of like thermoses that keeps warm things warm and cool things cool. It’s practically black magic — how do they know?!
The Eclipser is super lightweight and packs down to almost nothing. In the rainforest, it protected me from mosquitoes and UV rays. (I also sprayed it with permethrin before leaving, which I’m sure helped with the bugs.) In the Galapagos, the hoody kept me warm on early morning speed-boat rides and after snorkeling while also keeping me safe from the aforementioned UV rays. I wore it for multiple consecutive days and it never began to stink, which I’ve since learned is because it’s infused with something called graphene, which is an odor inhibitor. It’s also the thing that kept me both warm and cool, depending on the situation.
Let me add one more thing. I’m not a huge fashion guy; I’m just not from that generation, I guess. But both the shorts and the hoody look great, in my estimation. (I know you can’t make a silk purse from a sow’s ear (me), but these items tried their best.) The desert sage color scheme of the Eclipser, in particular, is very cool. Here I am wearing the hoody at the El Chato Tortoise Reserve on Santa Cruz island.
That’s it. I hope this review is helpful for you, not only in regard to the particular products, but in the overall philosophy of packing light. Just know that if you do your due diligence, you can find ways to cut weight, be more efficient, and look good — all at the same time!
P.S. Book your Ecuadorian Odyssey adventure today!
Recent Comments