Sisterhood of the Traveler’s Pants – What Makes a Great Pair?

July 13, 2012 / 5 Comments

Wearing my favorite travel pants in Mauritania.

Adam Rapp, fellow traveler,  I like the way you think!

I refer to the article about your P^cubed pick-pocket-proof travel pants, featured in Thursday’s New York Times. From what I read, these are capacious enough to store travel essentials, smart phones, iPods, guidebooks, passport and money, in zipped and snapped compartments that are also resistant to the larcenous who, unfortunately, can be found everywhere in the world.

What I like Adam, is your decision to wait on producing a woman’s version of the P^cubed until you could get it exactly right.  Or, as you explained to reporter Jennifer Conlin, “Women don’t want a lot of pockets around the hips.” Uh huh, that be right.

Utility is all well and good but speaking for the sisterhood of travelers, those go-anywhere, stash-anything pants better look good on, or they’re not going in the suitcase. Period.

And so, before you start stitching up the final version of the P^cubed for the ladies, will you take some suggestions from this one?

Birdwatching in Florida, note the knee-pocket.

Pockets:

The lower you place the pockets, the less vulnerable they are to sticky fingers. Anyone trying to get into pockets placed on the knee or below is going to be pretty, dern’d obvious.

Additionally, it is uncomfortable to sit with things stuffed in back or front pockets, but I’m oblivious to even large or bulky items in a knee pocket.

Making the pockets expandable sounds like a great idea. May I suggest those also contract when not needed, like on zip-expandable suitcases? I’m thinking about the lines.

Size:

I know just the right amount of fitted is fashionable, but this can be an iffy proposition at the waistline. Too high is old-lady-like and too low gets uncomfortable when adding the weight of travel gear to the aforementioned pockets. (Wardrobe emergency alert!) How about a bit of elastic, velcro or adjustable tabs to keep pants secure even with the inevitable travel weight loss/gains.

As for seat and thigh, consider the activities, hiking, biking, a little tai chi perhaps, and remember, if we wanted snug, we’d have brought our jeans.

Wearing my favorite travel pants in Chile.

Fabric:

Lightweight is all well and good, and sometimes in a nod to preventing that wrinkled, been-in-a-suitcase-for-weeks look, travel garments are constructed of a cotton/polyester blend. In hot climates, however, the fabric doesn’t breathe. In Singapore, I found myself having to peel my pants away from my skin on getting up from the plastic seats on the bus. Classy? No so much.

Dirt is the other challenge. My suitcase bangs against my legs, dust billows up from around my feet, food, gosh-darn-it, gets spilled in my lap. We send people into outer space, can you find something to make the fabric stain resistant?

Color:

Yes, khaki goes with practically every color, but once you’ve worked out all the other kinks, Adam, and the product is perfect, take my advice and offer the P^cubed product in navy, black, seersucker and white. I’m imagining going from day hikes to dinner out with a quick change of top.

Adam, you are on to something. When you’ve really got it right, you just may make all other touring pants unnecessary.

Sisterhood of travel, what are your suggestions for Adam?

 

Tai chi in China wearing my favorite travel pants

 

 

 

 

 

 

Categories: Go How Know How, Travel Products


5 responses to “Sisterhood of the Traveler’s Pants – What Makes a Great Pair?”

  1. negroni says:

    some excellent suggestions for adam, dear sister of the traveling pants! i must beg to differ on one thing. i like high waist slacks since i never tuck in shirts anyway. fabric… definitely something natural and breathable. oh, and since i never carry a purse and rarely a wallet, some zipper slots within pockets (for loose change, a credit card or metro pass) might be just the crowning touch! oh, and a clip for securing that key chain so keys won’t fall out… happened to me once when horseback riding.

  2. Judy Wells says:

    Loose-fitting but not baggy, a fabric thick enough to block the wind but light enough to be bearable in summer with a good hand, soil resistant, deep enough pockets that a point and shoot won’t fall out, a bit of loose elastic on the waistband’s sides. No low-riders, please, and a dark taupe or khaki green are nice alternatives to tan.

    My faves, a pair of ecru-toned Ralph Lauren’s, about 1/2-size too large in a manmade fabric never found before or since that shed water and soil until after about 9 years of travel the hem of one leg encountered a greasy bike chain. Refusing to discard them, I tried black dye. They are now a strange purplish shade unknown to man but they’ll be in my suitcase when I hit the road for a month in August. May have to change my name when wearing but until I find a pair as good….

  3. Judy Wells says:

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    Here they are

  4. Andrea lee says:

    Make them versatile enough for flat shoes or heels by including a snap up (or snap under, or Velcro) hem adjustment! This way, when I’m wearing them with sneakers during the day, I snap down the hem and they’re the right length for mid-heels in the evening! And PLEASE don’t put any visible logos on the outside-we may buy and wear your pants but we’re not billboards.

  5. Moo Bishop says:

    TOTALLY need some stretch in the fabric. When you are worn out it just helps to not feel squashed and pulled by the fabric of your pants.

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