Craghoppers have a range of easy wearing practical shirts and trousers ideal for both travel and more general use, writes Mike Gormley.
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Earlier this summer when I was heading off to somewhere warm but travelling light, it was a case of taking gear that was as multi-use as possible. Trousers needed to be practical, convertible (saves also taking shorts) and generally comfortable for both travel and doing the tourist bit.
The NosiLife Convertible Cargo Trouser III Trousers from Craghoppers fitted the task well indeed. Easy to swap from long to short in minutes, these are great. Leaving chilly UK in longs and arriving in Greece where it was hot, in minutes I was in much more comfy shorts. Perfect. Also, these have NosiLife treated material so you have some protection if there are flying biting insects about.
These trousers have no less than ten pockets to keep items secure when travelling or when out and about. As is mostly the case with clothing from Craghoppers, thy are made from a high proportion of recycled plastic bottles. They are also manufactured to control moisture and odour, so work well in hotter climates and when you will be wearing them for long periods when not able to wash them frequently. My pair are in Pebble but there are various other colour options available.
Craghoppers have a very pleasing habit of adding in little details that you tend to come across as you use their garments such as: a clip-up zip to keep the security pocket closed; heel tape to reduce wear as footwear rubs on them; and a nifty dry bag for keys or phone with its own attachment loop. I am not sure if this is the specific purpose but on each side one of the belt loops is poppered; this is really handy if wearing the likes of a Leatherman on your belt as you can slide it back and forth along your belt to better suit what you are doing. All very worthy features that make Craghoppers gear just that bit more useful and wearable. These days one often hears that the UK doesn’t design and make things any more. Well,Craghoppers are UK designed!
To accompany the Convertible Cargo Trousers I took two of Craghoppers extensive range of shirts; the NosiLife Adventure Long Sleeve Shirt III in Niagara Blue and the Kiwi Short Sleeve Shirt in Pebble.
I like a proper shirt opposed to a T-shirt in hot places and when active and also like looking a bit smarter. A bit more airy if in hot conditions, which it certainly was on Kos. Although not out on more formal occasions, we did spend a couple of evenings out in let’s say smarter places and on a posh evening boat trip. So a long sleeve shirt was better. Some also like a long sleeve when it’s hot to protect from the sun and insects.
The Adventure is a well-featured shirt with sun and insect protection as well as a ventilated back, which is great. Five very useful pockets include a cavernous, zipped chest pocket well able to take travel documents and all sorts keeping them handy when travelling. One of the smaller chest pockets has one of Craghoppers ‘clip and zip’ inner security pockets. Great these and a very good idea. The collar has a double fold so can be extended to protect the neck if the sun really hot. The sleeves can be worn long or neatly rolled up with button-up keepers to keep things tidy.
My second Craghoppers shirt for the Dodecanese trip was the Kiwi Short Sleeve Shirt in Pebble (above and below) which is precisely what it says it is. Not as high spec as the Long Sleeve, but nonetheless a very good and wearable everyday shirt in all sorts of situations. This garment also has Nosi Defence and SolarShield 50+ UPF sun protection; Nosi Defence is where the fabric is so constructed to prevent biting insect being able to penetrate it.
In summary, all these items for Craghoppers make for excellent travel companions, wherever that may be, or when just out and about back home.
[images © Jean Gormley]
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