It's that time of year when we all want to squeeze in a last sun vacation before autumn arrives. The temperatures throughout Europe hover around the 30C and it's a good time to go exploring in Europe.
But what to wear? What's in and what's out? When you travel the roads in Europe you surely want to look your best, although you might have a backback slung over your shoulder or wearing slippers as you saunter down cobblestone paths.
Europe Zig Zag turned to Anywhere Apparel to find out what to wear for the late summer vacation. We talked with the co-founders Nick Hansen and Kelly Koster from Anywhere Apparel.
We are curious to know where they choose to go to during a road trip in Europe? Nick shares some insight “Well, they're not nearby each other, but if I were to pick a few locations to roadtrip, I'd probably name the Jungfrau region, the interior of Norway near Åndalsnes, and the Ring Road (Rt 1) in Iceland. I grew up in the American Midwest, so mountains always impress me. I know the destinations are more “discovered”, but that doesn't make them any less spectacular, and the mental release of getting out of the city is lovely.”
“Longer road trips and backpacking require everything you bring to be smart and versatile so you don't feel weighed down. This is exactly how we design our items.”
Don't bring too much stuff
Those are some quite impressive destinations to get closer to nature. Before we look into what Anywhere Apparel offers for the road trippers, we ponder on some general advice for a longer road trip in Europe. It's not the same to explore your way through Europe as to go to a holiday resort, as you surely know from experience. Nick has this to say “Don't take too much stuff. Maybe bring a tent to give you options on overnights, but resist the temptation to load your car to the brim just because you can. Having less stuff forces you to go live in the world you're exploring, as opposed to driving your own personal bubble around the continent.”
So on the note of compact but stylish travel, what does Anywhere Apparel have in store for us travellers? Three items make the cut, as Nick puts when selecting three items “Longer road trips and backpacking require everything you bring to be smart and versatile so you don't feel weighed down. This is exactly how we design our items.”
The Stowaway Jacket
This jacket has 10 pockets and sports a classic look. You want to blend in but look savvy as you make your way around the continent. The jacket converts into a messenger style bag that allows you to carry valuables, documents, phone and passport. You will still have room for extra clothes after having shoved all the necessary items into the messenger bag. As Nick puts it “Wear the jacket when it's cool, convert it into a bag when the day warms up. Replaces your daypack. Unique road trip feature: clip your car/motorcycle keys to the D-ring in the liner. Store your train tickets in the hidden cuff pocket.”
As an avid traveller I'm surprised it doesn't have retractable wheels and a small coffee machine attached to it! And I thought I had seen a wide range of clothing..
The Antipodes Reversible Coat
These two coats in one take you from rugged to chic. They come with 12 pockets that are sized for passports, train tickets and electronics. There is even room for an iPad which makes this water-resistant coat very useful for the traveller that wants to Netflix anywhere at any given time!
Odor-resistant Bamboo Travel Tees
Finally we touch upon an item that we all long for during long and sweaty days on the road. The tee that is odor-resistant. You read it right. No more Mr Stinky comments from your loved one as you snuggle up for a kiss when you are trekking up a mountain. No more checking if your tee is soaked through, time and time again. This odor-resistant Bamboo Travel Tee is for the traveller that wears the same clothing for several days without access to laundry facilities. Nick knows it well, as he comments “These tees are naturally odor-resistant. Wear them more. Wash them less. Get away with it.”
“As an avid traveller I'm surprised it doesn't have retractable wheels and a small coffee machine attached to it! And I thought I had seen a wide range of clothing..”
With such useful apparel for us road trippers we are naturally keen on learning of Nick's own travel adventures. He decides to share an anecdote from around the Alps with us. “One of my most memorable roadtrips in Europe came when I was so hung over, I boarded a train in Zurich for Venice without my passport, and managed to cross the Italian border and spend a few days in Venice with two of my friends. We then decided we wanted a change of pace and rented a car to drive back to Zurich to retrieve the passport. We couldn't figure out the Italian toll system, and so we ignored them the whole way (which was an awful bill afterwards), and managed to get waylaid in Interlachen for several days. I recall the experience as very embarrassing because of how incompetent we (especially myself) were the entire time in actually traveling from point A to B to A again, but I also remember what an amazing time and series of people, places, and experiences we encountered as a result of the misadventure. It was freeing because I realized being competent at taking a roadtrip is very different from being competent at simply going to a destination.”
That is a good one! Maybe it was not so fun at the time but it is well worth keeping in mind as a cautionary joke and well, for a laugh. Don't loose your passport, dear reader. But if you do, please share a story with us that is as fun as Nick's!
We say thank you to Nick Hansen and Kelly Koster from Anywhere Apparel for sharing their advice with us, along with some really useful apparel for all travellers out there.
Read more about the featured products of Anywhere Apparel.
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