Middlewear

Tie/scarf/bandana

A wool scarf can be very effective in cold weather but can be bulky. You can always buy one wherever you are if it gets too cold.

A good substitute is something like a bandana or a sarong, or maybe a towel or just buy a thin locally bought scarf. This can also help vary your outfits as it makes a good accessory.

A cotton bandana is probably the most versatile for not only can it serve as a neck or head scarf, you can use it for a cravat/tie, a hat or headband, sun shade or sleep mask, a mini-curtain in a bus or car, napkin, handkerchief, dust mask, tablecloth, mat for sitting on, towel, washcloth, bandage, tourniquet, cold compress, short cord, pot scrubber, or a small carrying sack.

Shirts

Counter-intuitively, the more covered up you are in hot weather the cooler you can be. Loose, light, long-sleeved shirts will keep you cooler than wearing t-shirts (or bikinis). They will also protect your arms from sun and mosquitoes.

Not only this, in some countries bare arms are considered immodest for both men and women. You will also look more presentable at border-crossing and other formal occasions.

Two or three long-sleeved shirts (or blouses for women) and a couple of short-sleeved shirts should suffice (and remember, you can always roll up the sleeves on a long-sleeved shirt). They should be comfortable, washable, and look good even when dirty.

A cotton-polyester mixture is best. You won’t have to iron them and they can be washed and dried easily. Collars can be pulled up to protect your neck from the sun, and buttons can be undone for when it is hot or buttoned up when it gets colder.

Any colour other than white should be fine as these will show less dirt. Also, the more robust they are the more they will stand up to the sort of vigorous washing you may sometimes do (or have done) down at the river.

A great shirt that you can wear in any climate is the Craghoppers Nosquito Long Sleeved Shirt (shown right). This has mosquito repellent and an anti-bacterial treatment built in, as well as protection from the sun (SPF 40+).

It can be washed in the sink or a machine and is quick drying (and there’s no need for ironing). It also has a secret, zipped security pocket. I have two of these shirts, in Stone and Khaki colors and I am very pleased with them.

I also have a shirt from Coolibar. This is an American company that brings Australia’s approach to sun protection to the US market. Their sun protection products block 98 percent of the sun’s ultraviolet rays.

Another good idea is to take a heavier, long-sleeved shirt in flannel or heavy rip-stop cotton which can be used instead of a sweater, especially when it gets cold, almost like a thin jacket. These are more durable and protect against the sun and insects better than thinner fabrics.

T-shirts

Very useful and fashionable at home, maybe not so much when travelling. They can sometimes be hot and, if too tight, can be constricting, so if you must take them make sure they are loose-fitting and light-coloured.

Sweater/jumper/cardigan/hoodie

A warm sweater is essential travel equipment. Even in the hottest climates you will probably need one when it gets cooler in the evenings. Choose a fine-woven wool over a bulky-knit.

A cardigan (or a thin hoodie) is good for layering, and can be used as a substitute jacket at a pinch.

Jacket

Can be useful if you anticipate more formal occasions and some companies make special travel jackets (Tilley and TravelSmith, for example).

Trousers/pants

Two pairs of trousers should be enough. Take one pair for general, everyday use that is tough enough for hard, dirty travel, and a second (just as tough) pair that can be used for walking in cities, at border-crossings and customs, public offices, and more formal occasions.

Try to buy a lightweight cotton or cotton-polyester mix and choose a fit that is not too tight. They should weigh under one pound (454g) each, and should be easy to wash and dry quickly.

One of the best pairs of travel trousers you can buy (and one which I own) is Craghoppers Kiwi Trousers (show left). Like the Craghopper’s shirt above, they have UV protection, as well as a water repellent finish. They are easy to wash and dry and don’t need ironing. As worn by Michael Palin on his world travels.

I also have a pair of Rohan Expedition Cargos (non-convertible). These are anti-bacterial treated, are windproof, protect against the sun, and have zippered security pockets.

Travelling with jeans, however, is not such a good idea. They may look good but they are heavy (about 1.5 pounds (680g) a pair), bulky, are hard to wash, and take forever to dry. They are also pretty hot to wear in the tropics. If they are tight against your skin then you will also be vulnerable to insect bites.

Shorts

Very popular these days with travellers are trousers with zip-off legs which convert them to shorts or capris (sometimes both). They are probably quite useful, and can certainly cut down the number of items you have to carry by one, but anything with extra zips will mean more things to break or go wrong.

You also have to find somewhere to stash the extra bits when not in use (and make sure they don’t get lost). And, when used as trousers, they just look like shorts with bits zipped onto the bottoms, so they may not be suitable for the fashion-conscious. Better to take separate trousers and shorts (and anyway, swim trunks can be used as shorts if necessary and are a lot lighter).

Craghoppers make Kiwi Double Zip Off Trousers in which the legs zip off in two places making them into either walking shorts or cropped trousers.

Be aware that shorts that show lots of bare leg (on men and women) can be seen as indecent in some places (or even effeminate for men in some countries!) and for women can invite unwanted attention.

Long trousers protect your (lower) legs from the sun, poison plants and thorns, cuts and scrapes, bugs and insects, and hot (and cold) metal bus parts, things that shorts don’t often do.

If you must wear them, find shorts that are as tough as your trousers and loose-fitting. Mid-length (just around the knee) are a good compromise, not too short, not too long.

Skirts

Worth considering for female travellers as they are good around town in hot climates and for areas where trousers on women are considered inappropriate (in some Muslim countries, for example). They are also cool, comfortable, compact, and easy to wash and dry. They should fall far below the knees to be acceptable in most places.

Belt

Nylon or canvas are best as they dry quickly and don’t rot in humid conditions like leather. Don’t use a cheap plastic belt, and try to make sure the buckle is of reasonable quality.

I wear an Eagle Creek all terrain money belt (shown right), which is good quality and has the added advantage of a hidden money compartment on the inside.

Sarong

Worn all over Asia and the Pacific, this is a length of thin cotton cloth a few yards/metres square. Like the bandana, it is another multipurpose item. You can use it as a temporary wrap on the beach or hotel corridor, a shawl, hat, sheet, towel, bag, curtain, pillowcase, tablecloth, blanket, shorts, trousers, skirt, and a mosquito defence.