travel underwear where to buy

TRAVEL UNDERWEAR

Looking for the best travel underwear for women? From long johns to the top underwear brands to the exact bras you need, we have dozens of articles featuring the best womens travel underwear. Plan the perfect travel wardrobe with our packing tips. And don’t forget to  download your free printable packing checklist!

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Looking for recommendations on travel underwear for women? Read these top picks:   best travel underwear , best thermal underwear , best travel bras . Struggling with the perfect travel wardrobe? Download our free ebook: Travel Wardrobe Essentials !

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12 Brands That Do Travel Underwear Best

Ashley Rossi

Ashley Rossi is always ready for her next trip. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram for travel tips, destination ideas, and off the beaten path spots.

After interning at SmarterTravel, Ashley joined the team full time in 2015. She's lived on three continents, but still never knows where her next adventure will take her. She's always searching for upcoming destination hotspots, secluded retreats, and hidden gems to share with the world.

Ashley's stories have been featured online on USA Today, Business Insider, TripAdvisor, Huffington Post, Jetsetter, and Yahoo! Travel, as well as other publications.

The Handy Item I Always Pack : "A reusable filtered water bottle—it saves you money, keeps you hydrated, and eliminates waste—win-win."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience : "A week in a bamboo beach hut on India's Andaman Islands."

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You have no problem asking someone where they bought their suitcase, coat, bag, jeans, you name it … but you’ve probably never thought twice to ask for underwear advice. But when it comes to travel, a good pair of underwear can make a big difference. Imagine extra-long days on planes, sprinting through the airport, and walking tours, and it’s easy to see why you want all parts of your outfit to be comfortable.

The Best Travel Underwear

Read on to learn more about these 12 brands that make superior travel underwear styles.

SAXX Underwear

SAXX Underwear is a fan-favorite for men’s travel underwear. The non-chafing styles also have moisture and odor control, are super soft, and come in numerous fits . SAXX also makes comfortable sleepwear and t-shirt options. Our go-to men’s travel style expert, Tyler Schoeber, says “This is by far my favorite underwear brand; they’re SO soft.”

This underwear brand offers dozens of patterns and styles for all genders (yes, you can even get matching sets ), and prides itself on using sustainably sourced materials. It’s rare to find a brand that perfects women’s and men’s travel underwear so well, but MeUndies does this with all-day comfort. We promise there’s no bunching and no wedgies, so you can sit comfortably on that long-haul flight. The customizable packs are ideal for travelers (options range from three to 10 styles in a pack).

10 Best Belts for Travelers

Pro tip: If an athletic company sells underwear, it’s probably ideal travel underwear, as they’ll be designed for high-performance activities (running to your connecting flight counts) and comfort. Activewear brand Lululemon makes styles for both men and women and has some of the best quick-drying underwear on the market.

9 Cozy Sweatpants You Won’t Be Ashamed to Wear in Public

Bare Necessities

Online retailer Bare Necessities is a one-stop-shop for all things related to travel underwear, sleepwear, lingerie, and even swimwear. Search for your favorite travel underwear brand or use the filtered menus to find seamless or athletic underwear styles .

For ultra-affordable travel underwear styles for both men and women, look to UNIQLO ’s dozens of options. Most styles, including boy shorts for women and traditional boxer briefs for men, are under $10. Look for the patented Soft Supima cotton material which is stretchy, antimicrobial, and odor-controlling.

TomboyX’s styles are made for literally every body type and come in sizes from XS to 4X. The brand has a range of fabric collections including cotton , MicroModal , traveler , and first-line leakproof . All of these collections work for travelers, but the quick-drying, travel underwear line, in particular, boasts features like an ultralight fabric and is both anti-bacterial and anti-microbial. 

Negative Underwear

Negative Underwear produces no-frills, minimalist undergarments. With fabric options in mesh, cotton, and silk and brief, thong, and high-waisted styles, there’s a perfect pair for everyone. While you’re there, check-out some of the brand’s best-selling bra styles, which are free from wires.

Hanky Panky

Hanky Panky’s line of BARE underwear are my go-tos for long plane rides. The lightweight and moisture-wicking microfiber material is seamless and super comfortable. The brand also makes another line that is great for travel, TENCEL modal jersey styles paired with its signature lace waistband.

The 15 Best Sustainable Brands for Travelers

WAMA Underwear

This underwear brand is optimal for travelers thanks to its use of hemp fabric. Hemp is a hero travel fabric for its natural anti-bacterial and anti-odor properties. And of course, it’s a sustainable and eco-friendly option. Shop the brand’s range of styles, from boxer briefs to thongs, here .

At SmarterTravel we love merino wool as a fabric for travelers because it’s temperature-regulating and super soft. That’s why Smartwool’s underwear styles are a no-brainer when you need to rely on a pair of underwear for travel. Smartwool underwear is available in both male and female styles with options ranging from seamless hipsters to wind-shielding boxer briefs.

Athleta’s line of athletic underwear doubles as travel underwear with high-performance materials and comfort. Choose from the Incognita line which offers anti-chafing qualities and a lightweight fabric, or opt for the Performa line for a quick-dry, moisture-wicking, and breathable material.

Disposable Underwear

For some trips, disposable underwear might just be the best type of travel underwear for you. Whether you’ll be changing in a communal bathroom or need to pack light for a beach vacation, mountain summit, or camping trip, these are the most comfortable and natural-feeling (made from cotton) disposable underwear we could find.

More from SmarterTravel:

• The 10 Best Weekend Travel Bags for Men
• 6 Tips for Packing Toiletries Like a Pro
• Does the Hotel Maid Look Through Your Stuff?

Ashley Rossi is always ready for her next trip. Follow her on  Twitter   and  Instagram   for travel tips, destination ideas, and off the beaten path spots.

Editor’s note: Tyler Schoeber contributed to this story.

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Best Travel Underwear for Men

Posted by Keith Langston December 31, 2023 Updated March 06, 2024

We research, test and evaluate outdoor gear based on a number of factors, including our writers’ experience and expertise, trusted user reviews and more. We may earn a commission when you make a purchase through our links. See our editorial policy to learn more.

Whether you like briefs or trunks, a man needs a solid pair of underwear when traveling, and these six pairs offer everything a good adventurer needs. 

That pack of whitey-tighties you bought at Target was probably a good bargain, but they’re not exactly ideal if you have travel plans in your future. Standard cotton traps moisture (and odor), and the fit of standard underwear doesn’t exactly help with mobility or flexibility. 

What we need when we’re traveling (whether it’s on a plane or along a trail) is underwear that can wick away moisture while being super comfortable and flexible. In some scenarios, you’ll want heavier, warmer underwear, and in others, you’ll want something light and breezy. 

Read on to find the six best pairs of travel underwear for men – I also recently reviewed the best travel shorts for men if you’re interested in completing the outfit. 

Best Men’s Underwear for Travel

• Best all-around men’s travel underwear: Mack Weldon AIRKNIT Boxer Briefs
• Best men’s travel underwear for staying warm: Smartwool Intraknit Boxer Brief
• Best budget men’s travel underwear: Wirarpa Ultra-Soft Briefs
• Best athletic men’s travel underwear: BN3TH Pro Boxer Brief
• Best boxers for men’s travel: REI Co-Op Everyday Boxers
• Best natural and sustainable men’s travel underwear: Free Fly Bamboo Motion Boxer Briefs

Best all-around men’s travel underwear

Mack weldon airknit boxer briefs.

A lot of underwear, especially athletic underwear, are sold as being “lightweight”, but trust me, you’ve never worn a lighter pair of underwear than Mack Weldon’s AIRKNIT boxer briefs (they also come in briefs). Made with a waffle-like knit fabric, these underwear are unbelievably stretchy and soft. They move with your body, don’t bunch up, and don’t feel constricting. 

Plus, the brand’s AIRKNIT fabric is made from nylon microfibers that are both moisture-wicking and odor-fighting, so they don’t just feel good, but they’re also built for performance. These certainly aren’t the cheapest pair of underwear out there, but they are absolutely worth the price. 

Buy at Mack Weldon

Best men’s travel underwear for cold weather

Smartwool intraknit boxer brief.

Smartwool is known for their high-quality merino products and has long been a favorite for outdoors enthusiasts. Their Intraknit boxer briefs are also perfect for anyone who will be spending time outdoors during their travels – especially in cooler weather. The TENCEL fabric combines a blend of materials like merino and lyocell to create a very stretchy yet relatively thick pair of underwear. They form to your body and have minimal seams to reduce chafing (another great addition if wearing under layers during cold weather).

What makes them so great is that they’re both breathable thanks to the fabric, while also being snug and thick. They’re warm yet ventilated, which is exactly what you want. These are the most expensive pair on the list coming in at $50, but remember that these are performance underwear designed with a purpose and aren’t just any old pair of Hanes. 

Buy at Smartwool

Buy at Amazon

Best budget men’s travel underwear

Wirarpa ultra-soft briefs.

If you are looking for a cheaper option, Wirarpa is a brand you should check out. I originally had no idea what these underwear were, but I kept noticing guys in the locker room wearing them and they looked super soft and lightweight. After searching on Amazon, I saw that they have a 4.5-star rating based on almost 19,000 reviews…which is pretty damn impressive. 

That was a little over a year ago and since then these have become my go-to for daily wear. I’ve worn these while hiking in Wisconsin, at the gym, on airplanes, during long drives, and pretty much everywhere in between. They’re soft, stretchy, comfy, breathable, and have held up really well in the year I’ve owned them. Plus, they’re super cheap. Does it get any better than that? These are also available as a trunk.

Best athletic men’s travel underwear

Bn3th pro boxer brief.

For starters, we need to talk about what made BN3TH famous – their ball pouch. It sounds like a gimmick at first, but BN3TH makes their underwear differently, having specially-made ball pouches that don’t smoosh your banana and walnuts up against your body, and instead give them a dedicated space to have room to breathe, while also being secure and kept in place. 

On top of that, the pro boxer briefs have an anti-friction finish to avoid static and bunching and are made with a breathable mesh fabric that’s comprised of 89% recycled polyester. For the guy who loves being active (or just wants their goodies to feel comfy on a long journey), these are an excellent choice. 

Buy at BN3TH

Best boxers for men’s travel

Rei co-op everyday boxer briefs.

Personally, I really like briefs, but not everyone does. Some guys still love old-school boxers, and if you’re one of them then you’ll want one of REI’s co-op boxer briefs. Yes, these are boxer briefs and not boxers. But trust me, traditional boxers aren’t fun when traveling. When you’re on-the-go, when you’re sweating, when you’re constantly moving (and often wearing the same outfit for the entire day), you don’t want loose cotton boxers underneath your pants getting all sweaty and bunched up. 

But if you like the loose feel of boxers, REI’s boxer briefs are a great choice. They’re more relaxed than other boxer briefs and they even have a functional fly. Plus, being made of polyester, they’re much softer and smoother than traditional boxers, meaning you’ll be way more comfy. 

Best natural and sustainable men’s travel underwear

Free fly bamboo motion boxer briefs.

Lightweight, flat-seamed, and complete with a four-way stretch design. Already these are a great pair of underwear. But these boxer briefs are even better because they’re made using sustainable organic bamboo. Bamboo literally grows like a weed…worse than a weed actually, able to grow 3-feet in a single day. It doesn’t need fertilizer or pesticides, it doesn’t even need much water – it’s an excellent sustainable alternative to cotton. 

But the Motion Boxer Brief isn’t your standard bamboo underwear either. They’re not barky, rough, or fibrous. They’re soft…very, very soft. Some of the softest underwear I own. These are also true boxer briefs, not trunks, so they’re a bit longer than the other pairs on this list, making them perfect for guys who like the longer fit. 

Buy at Free Fly

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Posted by Keith Langston

Keith Langston is a travel and entertainment writer who is constantly torn between having adventures and playing video games. He’s written for publications like Insider, Lonely Planet, and Entertainment Weekly, among others. You can find him hiking the tea fields of Longjing, swimming beneath waterfalls in New Zealand, or eating cookies while playing Xbox.

Stay in touch with him on Instagram @KeithFromOhio .

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Best Disposable Travel Underwear: Men's and Women's Top Picks

A few weeks ago, during a trek through the stunning landscapes of Dominican Republic, I ran into an unexpected scenario: finding laundry facilities turned out to be way more challenging than I'd expected . As each day passed, my excitement of waking up to new tropical vistas was spoiled by my shrinking supply of clean underwear.

It was during one of my searches for laundry facilities that I met another traveler. To my shock, she informed me that laundry facilities were literally nonexistent in the area. So I shared my laundry predicament, asking how she was dealing with the situation. That's when she recommended something unconventional yet practical: disposable underwear.

You read that right. We're talking about undies designed to be worn once and tossed , perfect for those trips where laundry access is off the radar . And while my problem wasn't solved on that trip, you can bet I made sure I had them on my next adventurous trek.

In this guide, we'll spill the beans on the top disposable underwear for both women and men , along with some useful tips on using and packing them like a pro . You won't be caught off-guard like I was, instead, you'll be in the know like that savvy traveler who handed me this invaluable advice.

Top Women's Disposable Underwear for Travel

• Image: /content/images/2024/03/underworks-disposable-underwear-1.webp
• Title: Underworks Disposable Underwear
• Description: Best Overall
• Target: 1-underworks-disposable-underwear-best-overall-for-women
• Price: 29.88
• Link: https://amzn.to/3Ty5GCb
• Image: /content/images/2024/04/starly-disposable-underwear-best-briefs.webp
• Title: Starly Disposable Underwear
• Description: Best Briefs
• Target: 2-starly-disposable-underwear-best-briefs
• Price: 14.99
• Link: https://amzn.to/3TBzeP9
• Image: /content/images/2024/03/nudies-disposable-underwear.webp
• Title: Nudies Disposable Underwear
• Description: Most Stylish
• Target: 3-nudies-disposable-underwear-most-stylish
• Price: 29.99
• Link: https://amzn.to/3x9PJdU

1. Underworks Disposable Underwear : Best Overall for Women

Let me introduce you to the new MVP of my travel essentials : Underworks Disposable Underwear . Now, I know what you might be thinking – disposable underwear sounds like a compromise on comfort. But hear me out.

Underworks doesn’t cut corners when it comes to quality . These undies are so comfortable, that you'll forget they're designed for one-time use . They feel just like your trusty cotton favorites, minus the hassle of washing. And no, these aren’t the kind you worry will fall apart at the slightest stretch. Each pair is individually wrapped , which means slipping a few extra into your bag will be a walk in the park.

In terms of price, they're a tad pricier than your average disposable option, but the blend of comfort and convenience they offer? Worth it, we promise.

Key Features

• Size: Small to 2X-Large
• Color: Black and White
• Material: 100% Cotton

Pros and cons:

Price: $29.88, 2. starly disposable underwear : best briefs.

We all have that one pair of not-so-glamorous period undies tucked away, right? It's just a part of life. Think of Starly Disposable Underwear as the travel-savvy cousin of those not-so-cute but oh-so-necessary period cotton panties. They're the travel accessories you pack when you know your period plans to join your travel itinerary, especially at the most inconvenient times. So, as you're packing your disposable travel undies in your bag, pack a few of these, trust us.

They may not be the choice for a hot date (definitely not), but on that long haul when comfort and reliability trump everything else (think of that 10-hour-long bus ride through Southeast Asia), you'll be thanking your lucky stars for these disposables.

• Size: Small to 3X-Large
• Color: White, Black, Multicolor

Price: $14.99 - $19.99

3. nudies disposable underwear : most stylish.

If you want to keep your travel light and eco-friendly (but also not compromise on looking and feeling good), Nudies Disposable Underwear is your best pick. Unlike other disposable undies options that pretty much announce their one-time-use status, Nudies has a cute bikini cut that you’d actually want to be seen in. They come with another bonus: you can wash and wear them a few times (so extra points for eco-friendliness) .

Not only will they save you from the dreaded laundry day more than once, but thanks to their 100% biodegradability , you can feel good about your environmental footprint. Just a friendly tip: the Nudies tend to run a bit small, so if you’re hovering between sizes, go a size up .

• Size: X-Small to 2X-Large
• Color: White, Black, Nude

Price: $29.99

Top men's disposable underwear for travel.

• Image: /content/images/2024/04/underworks-disposable-underwear-for-men.webp
• Target: 1-underworks-disposable-underwear-best-overall-for-men
• Link: https://amzn.to/3TSY7Hv
• Image: /content/images/2024/03/husviuxin-disposable-underwear.webp
• Title: Husviuxin Disposable Underwear
• Description: Best Fit
• Target: 2-husviuxin-disposable-underwear-best-fit
• Price: 18.99
• Link: https://amzn.to/3VI1gLw
• Image: /content/images/2024/03/noverlife-disposable-underwear.webp
• Title: Noverlife Disposable Underwear
• Description: Best Boxer Shorts
• Target: 3-noverlife-disposable-underwear-best-boxer-shorts
• Price: 17.99
• Link: https://amzn.to/3x9U80p

1. Underworks Disposable Underwear : Best Overall for Men

Yes, disposable underwear is also for men. And when it comes to the best overall underwear for men, Underworks not only delivers for women, they make the best disposable underwear for men, too!

With a fly opening and a cozy waistband that keeps everything in place, you won't have to deal with uncomfortable bunching like with other options. The cotton material is another bonus, making Underworks a surprisingly breathable option , perfect for those long days on the road. They may cost a bit more , but the quality is totally worth the investment!

2. Husviuxin Disposable Underwear : Best Fit

For those days when your itinerary is as unpredictable as the weather, Husviuxin Disposable Underwear is a real find. The standout feature is the elastic waistband , which stretches comfortably and is exactly what you'll need while you’re navigating through crowded city streets or heading for a hike. They come with a double-layered design too, offering that extra bit of reassurance when you're far from your home comforts.

A word of advice on the sizing: they seem to tend to run small, so we recommend checking their sizing chart closely before purchasing.

• Size: Small to Large
• Color: Whiter

Price: $18.99

3. noverlife disposable underwear : best boxer shorts.

For those who prefer a bit more freedom and comfort, especially on those endless flights or days when you're constantly on the move, Noverlife's disposable boxer shorts are the best. Unlike the usual briefs that can feel a bit restrictive, these boxers offer plenty of room , guaranteeing comfort no matter how long you're seated or how active you are.

The design includes a practical fly opening and an elastic waistband that ensures a snug, but not tight, fit around the waist. It's a good mix of features that really makes a difference in wearability and convenience.

Something to keep in mind: if you find yourself hesitating between sizes, opting for the larger one can be a wise choice . A little extra space goes a long way in comfort!

• Size: One size
• Color: Black
• Material: Non-woven fabric

Price: $17.99

Other travel gear you might be interested in:.

How to Use Disposable Underwear

Navigating the world of disposable underwear might seem straightforward, and for the most part, it is. But you can agree that even the simplest of things can be optimized with a few pro tips, right? Now that we've shared out best picks, let us share with you our pro guide on how to actually use this innovative underwear and ensure you are as comfortable as possible .

1. Get the right fit

Just like searching for the perfect pair of jeans, the search for the right fit in disposable underwear is crucial. You don't want something too tight or too loose. So, instead of going for the size you think will fit, pay attention to those size charts ! We've generally seen that sizing up is always a good idea, especially if you're in between sizes.

2. Slip them on, just like always

This part's easy: wear them as you would wear any other underwear. Even though we're talking about disposable underwear, many come with the same features like fly openings for men, so you won't even feel the difference.

3. Toss them when they're done

Disposable underwear is mostly intended for a one-and-done use , although some brands do offer options sturdy enough for multiple wears and even washes . The best part of it is that when it's time to toss them, you're also saying goodbye to laundry day hassles!

You may also be interested in:

How to Pack Disposable Underwear

Packing for a trip can feel a bit like playing Tetris with your belongings, doesn't it? Every square inch counts, especially when you're trying to keep things light, so packing smart can really make a difference in how your trip goes. That's where disposable underwear comes in handy.

Here's a simple guide to packing them like a pro :

Individual wrapping for the win

There's something incredibly satisfying about those individually wrapped pairs of disposable underwear. You know how it usually goes: you're trying to find something in your suitcase and end up having to unpack half of it in the process. But with these, everything stays neat and organized . Just reach in, grab a pair, and you're good to go.

Stash them where you need them

Since they don't take up space and you never know when you're going to need a new pair, make sure you scatter a few pairs across all your bags — your carry-on and even your daily backpack or purse. It's one of those tips you might not think about until your luggage takes a different flight than you.

It's not just for travel

If you're thinking disposable undies are just good for travelers, think again. Take a weekend camping in the wilderness , where laundry options are as rare as cell service. Or those long hikes , where a fresh change can feel as refreshing as the view from the summit. Even during hospital stays , where comfort is key but laundry is a logistical nightmare. As you can see, they're quite handy in way more scenarios than just traveling!

FAQ: Your Disposable Underwear Questions Answered

Why would i use disposable underwear for travel.

Disposable underwear is perfect for when you want to ditch the stress of laundry while traveling. No more cramming undies into your suitcase or hunting for a laundromat! It gives you more space, and it's always good to have a backup for those travel surprises, like unexpected spills or a delayed flight. Plus, if you're headed for a camping trip or trek where laundry is out of the question, disposables are a lifesaver.

What materials are used for disposable underwear?

Most disposable underwear is made from breathable materials like cotton or non-woven fabrics. Some brands like Nudies Disposable Underwear even offer biodegradable options for a more eco-friendly choice!

Are disposable underwear as comfortable as regular underwear?

While it depends on the brand, many disposable options like Underworks Disposable Underwear for Women and Underworks Disposable Underwear for Men are surprisingly comfy (sometimes even comfier than regular undies!) Look for soft, breathable fabrics and choose the right size for a good fit.

How absorbent is disposable underwear?

The absorbency level varies. Some are designed for light leaks or everyday use, while others offer heavier protection (these are great for periods!). Always check the product description to find the right level for your needs.

Are disposable underwear environmentally friendly?

Traditionally, not so much. But there's good news! More brands like Nudies Disposable Underwear are popping up with biodegradable and compostable options.

Is there a difference between disposable underwear for men and women?

Absolutely! The cuts and designs are tailored specifically. Men's options often include a fly opening, while women's might offer different styles like briefs, bikinis, or high-waisted options.

Ready to Switch to Disposable Underwear?

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• Mens Underwear
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• Kids Underwear
• How To’s
• Underwear Size Chart

10 Best Underwear For Traveling (Men & Women)

If you’re like most people, you probably don’t put that much thought into which pair of underwear you choose for a plane ride. But maybe you should. After all, travelling is uncomfortable enough to begin with, so make your life easier by choosing a comfortable and breathable pair of underwear.

When travelling, you should focus on more than just comfort in a pair of underwear. Also consider breathability, as well as how well the underwear will fight off odors and wick moisture when you start to sweat.

This guide will walk you through some of the best travel underwear out there. Everyone has their own shape and size, so we tried to include underwear that reflect this. Also keep in mind that not every trip is the same, so you should have a mix of different pairs depending on what you plan on doing as you travel.

We also know that there are quite a few good pairs of underwear out there not on this list. Although we love all of the pairs reviewed here, you can also use this guide to go out and find great travel underwear on your own.

Best Travel Underwear for Men

1. smartwool men’s base layer bottom - merino 150 wool pattern active boxer briefs.

Private Luxury: Smartwool are known for making some of the best performance underwear. Although these briefs are great for just about any occasion, the snug, cozy fit and anti odor properties make them an excellent pair for travelling.

The briefs are 87% merino wool and 13% nylon, giving them a soft, natural feel on your skin. These briefs become a second skin, fitting comfortably when worn for long periods. They have a tight but forgiving build that won’t ride up when you sit or move around.

What really makes the Smartwool a great choice for travellers is the anti odor properties of the wool. You’ll only smell a bit worse when you get off the plane than went you got on. And since they fight off bacteria, they can be worn a second time if you run out of clean pairs.

Although they don’t dry quite as quickly as all synthetic underwear, the Smartwool briefs should dry fairly much faster than cotton underwear. You can wash them at night and expect them to be ready to go in the morning.

The main downside to using the Smartwool briefs for travelling is that they aren’t the best choice for hot climates. The wool does a great job of wicking moisture, but it may struggle to keep up if you’re trekking through a hot and humid area. They’re also a bit more expensive than other pairs, so you may only want to buy a pair or two.

2. Woolly Merino Wool Boxer Brief

The Wool Package: Simple underwear are often the best when it comes to travel. And simplicity is what Woolly does best. These underwear, with options for both men and women, are great staples for any trip. They’re a no frills pair that’s comfortable and lightweight, and they do an excellent job of fighting odors.

Made entirely of merino wool, with the exception of an elastane band, the Woolly underwear have great natural anti odor and anti bacterial properties. You won’t be turning any heads as you pass down the aisle, and you’ll still smell fresh- or at least fresher- after a day of moving around and exploring.

The main downside to the Woolly underwear is that the durability leaves a bit to be desired. These aren’t underwear that are going to last as long as some expensive pairs. But for the price, you’re still getting a good deal, and they’re a great affordable pair that you can buy a lot of before you travel.

The Woolly, although lightweight, are a bit heavier than some of the synthetic pairs reviewed here. If you’re mainly just sitting on a plane or travelling during the winter, then they’re a great option . But if you’re travelling around a hot and humid city, they may get a bit too hot.

3. Lapasa Quick Dry Travel Underwear

Let Those Bad Boys Breathe: People always tell you to travel light. With the Lapasa, that’s easier than ever. This is a no frills synthetic pair of underwear that won’t hold you back on the road.

Made almost entirely of nylon, the Lapasa briefs are thin and breathable, giving you plenty of ventilation as you travel. They’re also quite lightweight, so they won’t get in your way or scrunch up when you sit down.

The Lapasa have a nice fit that accommodates your nether regions, stretching and moving along with you. They don’t ride up or bunch, so you won’t have to awkwardly reach down to unscrunch your underwear while the person in the seat next to you tries to look away.

What really makes the Lapasa underwear stand out is the quick drying material. If you’re moving around the city on a hot day, they do a great job of wicking moisture and quickly drying out. When you’re on the road, you can wash them, hang them up, and have them ready to go in the morning.

The Lapasa are also one of the best values you’ll find for travel underwear. They’re more affordable than wool pairs, so you can buy a few before your trip and be set. The one downside of this is that they wear out fairly quickly, so don’t expect these to last you as long as high end pairs.

4. ExOfficio Give-N-Go Boxer

This Time, That Smell Isn’t You: These underwear are a favorite of budget travellers, with a lightweight build that does a great job of wicking moisture. There’s not much to get excited about with the ExOfficio, and that’s not a bad thing. They’re a simple pair that you won’t have to think much about. Just throw them in your bag and go.

Made mostly of light nylon fabric, these briefs do a great job of airing out the basement. They wick moisture about as well as any of the pairs reviewed here, so they’re a great option if you’re travelling in hot and sweaty areas. Since they dry quickly, you can wash and hang dry them and have them ready for the next day’s adventure.

They also use antimicrobial fabrics to prevent bacteria from building up. We’re not exactly sure how this works, but we do know that it’s effective. You probably still won’t smell great after a long day of travelling, but you’ll smell much fresher than if you were wearing a pair of cotton briefs. If you need to, you can rewear a pair without too much shame, although we still recommend a quick wash.

Just don’t expect luxury with the ExOfficio underwear. They’re meant for travellers, not for kings, so you won’t feel like you’re sitting on a velvet cushion. They also wear out a bit faster than we would like. Fortunately, they’re affordable, so grab as many pairs as you need for your trip.

5. Saxx Ultra Boxer Brief

Saxx Me Up: Saxx is one of the most successful in a new wave of companies offering high end performance briefs. They’re a bit pricey, which puts some buyers off. But if you’re willing to splurge a little, you’ll get one of the most comfortable pairs of underwear out there.

What sets Saxx underwear apart is the fit. They hold tight to your skin, which helps them wick moisture and keep you dry. But despite this tight fit, they don’t constrict, and they give you plenty of room for your carry on. They also don’t roll up, keeping everything just where it should be.

The Saxx aren’t designed as travel briefs per se, although they do meet just about all the criteria you’d want in a pair built for the road. They’re lightweight and comfortable, while still offering plenty of breathability. They don’t do quite as well with odor as some of the other pairs reviewed here, although they’re much better than cotton briefs.

Saxx underwear aren’t quick dry either, although they should dry faster than your standard cotton briefs. If you wash them at night, you might need around 12 hours for them to fully dry.

If you’re looking for a great all around pair of briefs, then the Saxx are a great option. They’re a versatile pair that you can wear while doing just about anything. And if colors and patterns are your thing, you’ll find dozens of different briefs so that you can mix it up.

Best Travel Underwear for Women

1. exofficio give-n-go bikini briefs.

Like the ExOfficio briefs for men, these underwear offer a great mix of value and comfort. They’re not exactly a luxury good, but that shouldn’t worry you when you’re out on the road.

The bikini briefs are built mainly from nylon, giving them great ventilation. You won’t get sweaty during long days of exploration or while sitting on the plane. The light build also keeps them from rubbing and chaffing against your skin, so you won’t have any unseamly rashes at the end of the day.

Like any good pair of travel underwear, these do an excellent job of controlling odor. They have built in anti bacterial properties, keeping you smelling fresh even on hot and sweaty days. Plus, you can wear them on consecutive days if your underwear stocks are running low.

The ExOfficio bikini briefs dry quickly, so they are great for summer travelling. You can clean them at night and have a dry pair of underwear in the morning as well, so you’ll be able to pack lighter than usual.

The only real downside to these briefs is the build quality. They feel great, but they don’t always last long. To be fair, that’s to be expected given the price point, so you’re still getting your money’s worth. Just make sure to buy a few extra pairs in case they start to wear out.

2. Icebreaker Siren Thong

Ice Ice Lady: The Icebreaker siren thong has a fitted feel to them, so they map the contours of your body as you move. The wool feels great on your skin, and you’ll still get enough air to prevent moisture and odors from building up. They are a bit tight, so if you like a looser pair, then you may want to choose a size up.

Like other great pairs of travel underwear, these dry quickly, making them perfect for long trips. They can be worn in humid climates, and you can wash them out at the end of the day to have them ready to go the next morning. Although we don’t recommend packing just one pair for your trip, you could probably get away with it with these.

The merino construction gives the underwear natural antibacterial properties, helping them fight off odors. No, you’re not going to smell like a fresh spring at the end of the day. But you’ll still be fit for human company, which is a lot better than you’d get with most pairs of cotton underwear.

Do note that this is a thong, so don’t expect the same level of comfort that you’ll get from some of the other pairs reviewed here. You might experience some riding up too, although the material does a good job of staying in place most of the time.

This is one of the best values you’ll find for a quality travel thong, and you can expect a full day of comfort without too much sweat or bunching. Plus, you’ll save a lot of space in your bag on your next trip.

3. Under Armour Pure Stretch Hipster

Breathe Easy: Under Armour is known for making some of the best performance underwear out there. Although designed with athletes in mind, this pair is great for travellers as well. They breathe easily, helping air out your nethers. And they feature soft nylon material that won’t leave marks after long days.

Since these underwear for built to handle sweat, you won’t have to worry about swamp ass on the plane or while moving around. The nylon feels great on your skin, and you won’t notice that you’re wearing anything most of the time.

Plus, you get three pairs in the basic pack, so you’ll have enough to tide you over for short trips. This makes them one of the best deals you can find for a pair of quality underwear.

The biggest drawback is that some people have fit issues with the Under Armour. It’s a bit hit and miss, with some people reporting that the underwear fit them like a glove, whereas others complain that the fabric bunches up. They also don’t have an elastic waistband, so you should make sure you order the right size, otherwise they will sag.

4. Smartwool PhD Seamless Mid Rise Bikini

The Smart Choice: Smartwool make some of the best performance undergarments you can find. Although known mainly for their men’s briefs, they also make a range of excellent bikini briefs, including this pair. You’ll get hours of soft, wool covered comfort, as well as great breathability and anti odor protection.

The merino wool construction uses varied knit textures, which increases the amount of air that reaches your crotch. Although this doesn’t sound pretty, it means that you won’t have as much sweat buildup, and you also won’t heat up throughout the day.

They feature a fairly wide elastic band that gives your a comfortable, tight fit without too much squeeze. Everything stays where it should, so you shouldn’t have to worry about the underwear riding up your ass.

The wool also dries quickly, which makes the pair great for wicking moisture as you move around. If you need to wash them, just hang them up and they’ll be dry in a few hours.

The only real downside to the Smartwool bikini briefs is the price. The pair will cost you a fair penny, so you may want to mix in some lower cost underwear to round out your travel collection. But given the quality and comfort, you’ll be happy that you bought at least one pair.

5. Underworks Disposable Cotton Underwear

A Brief Stay: Carrying around a bag of dirty underwear isn’t anyone’s idea of fun. So why worry about washing your underwear ? With the Underworks, just wear, take off, and throw away. This pair of underwear isn’t going to win any awards for its comfort, but it’s a great option for travelers who want to pack lightly.

The briefs are made entirely out of cotton. Although we don’t usually recommend cotton for travel, these are pretty thin, helping circulate air and prevent overheating. They do a decent job of wicking moisture as well, although you might start to get a bit swampy by the end of the day.

The fit on the underwear is much better than you would expect from a disposable pair. They won’t ride up much, and they feel soft throughout the day. You won’t want to write home about it, but overall wearing the underwear is a pleasant experience.

The biggest draw to this pair of underwear is the convenience. Worried about carrying around a week’s worth of dirty underwear? Then just throw each pair away when you’re done. It’s not a great long term solution, but it works well when you’re on short, active trips where doing laundry isn’t an option.

Best Travel Underwear: Buying Guide

The right pair of travel underwear is all about going the distance. Your favorite pair of soft briefs may be great for work, but can turn into an itchy, swampy mess on a plane. You’ll also be moving around a lot more when you travel, so you need underwear that won’t put your nether regions in a vice grip.

Breathable Travel Underwear

Nothing taints a plane ride more than an itchy taint. Look for underwear that are built to breathe, allowing air to circulate.

Cotton underwear, while soft, tends to trap moisture. They may be comfortable for an hour or two, but then they turn into a sweaty mess.

Wool and synthetic materials will do a better job with ventilation, which will prevent moisture buildup and keep you at a comfortable temperature. More air also means less odor, keeping you fresher for longer.

Moisture Wicking Travel Underwear

There’s nothing worse than running out of underwear on the road. You never know when you’ll need to wash a pair to wear the next day, so try to find underwear that will dry quickly.

In general, synthetic materials will dry much faster than cotton, which can take a full day to dry out. This will make it easier to pack light, as you can wash your underwear on the go without having to wait for them to dry.

Odor Eliminating Travel Underwear

You won’t want to be the smelly person on the plane or bus. Choose a pair of underwear that has anti odor properties so that you’ll still smell civilized when you get off the plane.

There are a number of pairs of travel underwear that have built in anti bacterial layers, so that you can wear them for long periods without a noticeable stench. You may also be able to wear them a few times, allowing you to pack light.

Lightweight Travel Underwear

When your travelling, you want to carry as little weight as possible. Thin underwear is best for long flights and days moving around. You can also stuff more pairs into your bag, so you won’t run out of fresh underwear during your trip.

Most Comfortable Travel Underwear

You don’t want to sit on the plane with a pair of underwear riding up your ass. A good pair of travel underwear provides a nice cushion as you sit, but is still thin and light enough to let you move around freely.

If you’re planning an active trip, make sure you bring pairs of underwear that make it easy to move around. Breathability and a good fit are key here, as you don’t want your underwear to start bunching

Undywear.com may receive a small percentage of the purchase price for items bought through our links from Amazon.com and other sites.

About the author

Kelsey Summers

Kelsey is the lead editor of Undywear.com. She's a fashionista who's written for Glamour, GQ and others. She enjoys breaking the stigma and taboo around underwear and writing about all things fashion.

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The Best Gear for Travel

By Wirecutter Staff

Traveling well can be one of life’s great pleasures, whether you’re alone or with family and friends.

But what does it mean to travel well? We’d say that along with traveling safely (of course), traveling well involves avoiding hassle, carrying a single bag (if possible), and bringing only the necessities.

“Traveling well is a fine balance between finding inspiration in the unknown while being grounded in something,” said Wirecutter founder Brian Lam. “Sometimes that is a memory of home, a family, a significant other, friends, etc. Sometimes it’s just the familiar, reliable stuff in your bag.”

Over the past 10 years, we’ve spent hundreds of hours researching and testing dozens of products to find the most dependable items that will help you travel well. On top of that, we sought the advice and wisdom of Doug Dyment, author and creator of OneBag—a traveling businessman and public speaker, he has logged millions of miles over the past few decades—as well as travel-gear reviewer Eytan Levy, the Snarky Nomad.

And we relied heavily on the experiences of Wirecutter staff, an especially mobile group of individuals. Our staffers have worked remotely from every continent except Antarctica—the five most frequent flyers among us travel about half a million miles in any given (normal) year.

The research

Flying/riding, just in case, travel tips.

A well-packed bag is one that contains less than you think you need but everything you actually need. If possible, fitting everything into one carry-on and personal item will give you more freedom compared to checking a bag or two. You’ll be glad you did if (and when) things don’t go according to plan. While carry-on-only isn’t feasible (or advisable) for every trip—especially extended business trips or weddings where you need multiple outfits to maintain appearances—if in doubt, it’s better to cut.

Carry-on backpack (non-roller)

Cotopaxi Allpa 35L

A versatile small pack for a week or a weekend.

The Allpa’s clamshell design makes organizing your things simple. The strap design lets you easily wear this durable bag on your back or carry it in your hand while you’re on the move.

Buying Options

Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L

An easily customizable large bag for long trips and expensive gear.

This bag was built with photographers in mind, but most travelers will appreciate its easy accessibility and clever tuck-away straps, and the elegant way the bag expands and contracts depending on how much you’ve packed. The accessory cubes cost extra, though.

We spent six months testing 22 bags, and in the end we chose two as our top picks for travelers determined to never check luggage again: the Cotopaxi Allpa 35L (for most trips) and the larger Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L . Both bags are exemplary carry-on travel backpacks that are designed for comfort, durability, and organization.

The Cotopaxi Allpa 35L features an easy-to-pack clamshell design and highly adjustable straps that make it a great all-around bag for any traveler who’s dedicated to packing light, or for a smaller person who wants less to carry. Handles on all four sides of this bag make it easy to grab no matter where you’ve stowed it, and the Allpa’s straps are contoured to comfortably fit people who have large or small chests. It’s not a specifically gendered design, but our female tester noticed the improvement right away.

The bag is protected by a full lifetime warranty and has the build quality to back that up. Its front panel is made of a waterproof, TPU-coated 1,000-denier polyester (a strong fabric covered in a flexible plastic coating), which means you can lay it on its back in a wet field or in gravel without worrying about moisture soaking through or jagged edges ripping the fabric. The rest of the paneling is made with 1,680-denier ballistic nylon, which feels similar to a strong canvas but with a more prominent weave. After four years of testing, this single backpack (plus a personal item to store under the seat) has replaced nearly every travel bag or piece of luggage that Kit Dillon, Wirecutter’s senior staff writer who covers luggage, uses.

One caveat: The Allpa has a minimal amount of administrative organization—places to keep pens and papers, spaces to hold tickets, and so forth—which is where the personal item comes in handy. As the name suggests, “personal items” are very, well, personal, and no one bag will work for all travelers; we offer a range of recommendations in our full guide to them .

The larger Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L is the Swiss Army knife of backpacks: adjustable, customizable, and (if you spring for the extra cubes and organizers) an almost perfect system for a photographer or gearhead on the move. Most bags’ expanding mechanisms aren’t worth the extra zipper they’re built on, and they look about as attractive as a boiled ham splitting out of its plastic packaging. Not so with the Peak Design: It looks just as good fully packed at 45 liters as it does compressed to a 30-liter daypack. You can access the bag through a back panel, which doubles as a computer and tablet pouch, as well as through a front one, if you unzip the pass-through divider. You can also get into the main compartment via two wing-like trapezoidal flaps that run along each side of the pack. In its natural shape, the Travel Backpack holds 35 liters, but an expansion zipper lets the bag swell to 45 liters.

If you want to use the bag as a daypack, you fold in the top corners and snap them down, reducing the bag’s volume to a slim 30 liters. It still feels larger than a normal daypack, but we think that’s a small compromise for the ability to use one backpack as both your travel bag and your daily explorer. The bag itself consists of 400D nylon and polyester fabrics—it feels tough, but not as tough as the Cotopaxi Allpa. As for flaws, it is expensive, especially if you commit to the entire system of packing cubes and camera cubes . The adjustable design and multiple zippers do add complexity, and complexity adds potential weaknesses, though Peak Design covers all of its bags with a lifetime warranty.

Finding the right bag is a personal choice, and no single bag will appeal to everyone. That’s why we have picks in our full review of carry-on travel bags that can double as traveling offices , bags that are easy to carry while you’re walking long distances , and budget options for travelers who want to give the one-bag strategy a try.

Carry-on bag (rolling)

Travelpro Platinum Elite 21″ Carry-On Spinner

Great features, great value.

This spinner carry-on offers the best balance of size, value, reliability, and durability, with high-end details. It’s backed by a lifetime warranty.

Since 2015, we’ve researched several dozen suitcases and gone hands-on with the 67 most promising candidates in a variety of tests—including having active flight attendants test bags for us in a fake plane fuselage in their training facility. We determined that for most people the  Travelpro Platinum Elite 21″ Expandable Spinner  offers the best balance of features, durability, and price for most flyers who log less than 25,000 miles annually.

It features smooth-rolling, user-replaceable wheels; solid and comfortable, telescoping handles; and a hard-wearing nylon exterior propped up by a solid internal chassis. The Elite only improves on past iterations in the Platinum line by reducing the size of the stowed handle (which used to jut out about an inch) and adding a second zippered, exterior pocket for easy access on the go and a USB pass-through extension that lets you insert your own battery pack for charging your phone. And at 7.8 pounds when empty, this carry-on bag is about half a pound lighter than its predecessor. Compared with other bags in this price range, you also get surprisingly high-end components and a warranty that covers anything, even airline damage, for the life of the bag (as long as you register the suitcase within 120 days of purchase, which is easy to do on any smartphone).

Upgrade pick

Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential 22″ Carry-On Expandable Spinner

For frequent flyers.

If you fly more than 25,000 miles a year, invest in a bag with unique features, superior details, and plenty of expandable room. This manufacturer guarantees your satisfaction.

If you fly more than 25,000 miles annually and you’re willing to invest in a higher-quality product, we recommend the Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential 22-Inch Carry-On Expandable Spinner. It can fit more clothing than any bag we tested, thanks to a cavernous interior and clever expansion and compression system that can adjust to variable levels beyond open and shut. Over a five-year period before the pandemic, Wirecutter’s founder, Brian Lam, put more than 150,000 miles on his. His only complaint was that longer pants will need an extra fold, or to be rolled. In taller bags, pants will only need to be folded over once.

Checked luggage

If you need to pack more stuff than a carry-on and a personal item can hold, our first piece of advice would be to reconsider whether you need that extra outfit “just in case.” But you’ll have times when you need to travel with several pairs of shoes, formalwear, a winter coat, special equipment (like diving or camping gear), or all of the above. In these cases, there’s no way to avoid checking a bag.

Osprey Farpoint 55 Men’s Travel Pack

The best travel backpack for those with taller torsos.

Comfortable, adjustable, and carry-on capable, the Farpoint has everything we needed for a week, or even months, of travel.

Osprey Fairview 55 Women’s Travel Pack

The best travel backpack for those with shorter torsos.

Comfortable, adjustable, and carry-on capable, the Fairview has everything we needed for a week, or even months, of travel.

If you’re going somewhere where you’ll need to walk a lot (particularly if there’s dirt or cobblestone roads), we recommend a travel backpack. We like the Farpoint 55 and the sized-for-smaller-torsos Fairview 55 because they’re comfortable and have plenty of room to store, and separate, our essentials. The front of the main pack unzips like a suitcase, so you can easily fit and access a week’s worth of clothes and toiletries. The daypack, which attaches to the front of the larger pack, has room for camera gear, daily essentials, and a small laptop (via a built-in sleeve). It’s also easy to stow. The main pack’s straps can tuck behind a zippered flap, so they won’t catch on anything if you check your luggage.

These bags are made of a heavy-duty recycled polyester that stands up even to long trips–one of our testers has traveled with a Farpoint 55 for years, across dozens of countries for months at a time, without damaging it. If something does happen, though, Osprey has a lifetime warranty.

Travelpro Platinum Elite 25″ Expandable Spinner

The best checked bag for most travelers.

The bag provides a luxury feel at a reasonable price, with a capacity, warranty, and reliability that should suit most travelers. The 25-inch model should offer plenty of room for most people without going over airline weight limits.

If you don’t plan on walking around while carrying all your stuff, the  25-inch Travelpro Platinum Elite Expandable Spinner Suiter is our favorite piece of checked luggage for all of the same reasons we loved the carry-on size: It has excellent organizational features, it’s especially durable, and it has a better warranty than anything in its price range.

Luggage tags

Ovener Silicone Luggage Tag

Strong and easy to see.

Rugged silicone and a metal cable mean this tag (which comes two to a pack) may well outlive your luggage. The brightly colored case displays its owner’s name but keeps other personal information out of sight.

A good luggage tag should be durable, simple to use, and discreet. Ultimately, a tag should allow someone to get your luggage back to you quickly and easily, and it should withstand the wear and tear of being thrown onto conveyor belts time and again. After researching the top-rated and best-selling models, reading existing luggage-tag reviews, and comparing fourteen tags , we recommend the Ovener Silicone Luggage Tag for most travelers because it’s the only one we’d trust to survive being smashed by other bags, jammed into walls, and generally abused by baggage handlers. It’s the most durable tag we tested, and it comes in a wide selection of colors to help any bag stand out from the rest.

The Ovener tag’s silicone body seems nearly indestructible and is available in a rotating selection of colors (you get two tags per pack). Whereas other tags also feature metal cables, this tag has a metal grommet to keep the cable from eventually wearing through the silicone case.

Should you lose your bag, the Ovener makes it easy for a Good Samaritan to find your contact information. To fully access the info card, you have to unscrew and remove the metal strap; this lets the card slide out of the case. Most luggage tags we tested secure their info card in this way. It isn’t a difficult or time-consuming process, but it is an extra step compared with using a tag that displays all of your information openly. Still, for anyone who wants to keep their contact information out of view, the extra step is worth it.

Another approach to increasing privacy is to hide information in a QR code, as the Dynotag Smart Deluxe Steel Luggage Tag  does, or to provide a user ID number, as the Okoban UID Luggage Tags do. But these seem like overly complex solutions to a problem that doesn’t really exist.

Compression sacks

Originally designed for reducing the bulk of lofty sleeping bags, compression sacks are stuff sacks modified with additional nylon end caps that can be pulled together by strings or straps to remove air and create a smaller, denser package that’s easier to pack. Most travelers use compression sacks to condense socks, underwear, and other stuff you don’t mind getting wrinkled into a package with half as much overall volume. For example, an 8- to 12-liter sack can compress a fleece jacket and a long-weekend’s worth of socks and underwear into something that fits in one hand. They also make a decent pillow in a pinch.

Osprey StraightJacket (8L)

Easier access, less compression.

It has a full-length zipper on its side that allows access to the bag’s entire contents. However, it doesn’t compress as tightly as traditional designs.

Most compression sacks require you to empty out the stuff at the top to get to the stuff below it, but the side-zipper design on the Osprey StraightJacket allows access to the entire contents of the bag at once. The compression straps attach sideways, and are less likely to get tangled and twisted like on most compression sacks with lengthwise straps. It can also sit up on its own, and the handle design lets you break it out as a last minute carry-on to avoid an overweight-baggage fee. However, it doesn’t compress down as compactly as the traditional designs we tested so it’s not the best option if compression is your top priority.

GobiGear’s SegSac takes a different approach to solving the same access issue: It has four inner dividers that run the length of the sack in order to keep your socks separate from your underwear, winter accessories, towel, what have you. This means you don’t have to take out your T-shirts to get to your socks. Unlike the Osprey, it compresses just as much as a normal compression sack, but it loses points for versatility because the segmentation prevents it from handling large items like a down jacket or sleeping bag.

Packing cubes

Packing cubes could change your life. (Okay, maybe just your traveling life.) Packing cubes are basically bags to hold your clothes that you organize within your luggage. Though seemingly superfluous, they’re brilliant in action. If you imagine your suitcase as a dresser, you can think of these cubes as individual drawers: Put all your underwear and socks in one container, all your shirts in another, and your workout clothes in yet another. Then pull out only the cube you want. They make packing and repacking wonderfully simple.

Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Cube Set

Well built with easy access.

Simple and solidly constructed, these packing cubes keep your bag organized while you’re traveling.

The three-piece Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Cube Set keeps a week’s worth of clothes organized and moves easily from suitcase to hotel dresser. We’ve been recommending the previous version of these cubes for years, and after testing this updated set, we now recommend this version.

The full-size cube is great for shirts, shorts, and insulating layers. The half-cube and quarter-cube are perfect for underwear, socks, and other thin fabrics such as stockings or sleepwear. These cubes are made of 300-denier polyester (a strong fabric) and stay upright when empty, so they’re easy to pack. The Pack-It cubes’ windows are made of the tightest mesh link we tested—better for resisting snags—and the smooth zippers close easily around all corners, even when a cube is overstuffed.

The Eagle Creek cubes have the ability to unzip fully to allow full access to their contents while sitting in a dresser drawer. That means your clean clothes stay protected against some potentially dicey motel dressers. In 2022, Eagle Creek updated the design of these cubes, and now the company no longer uses YKK zippers, which are widely accepted as the best around . That said, we couldn’t tell any difference between Eagle Creek’s zippers and other brands’ YKK zippers, even with a magnifying glass, and their performance was indistinguishable. (For what it’s worth, an Eagle Creek product manager assured us that the proportion of zipper-related warranty claims hasn’t changed since the company made the switch from YKK.)

Most travelers are likely to be well served by the Reveal set. But if you value lightness above all, the more expensive Eagle Creek Pack-It Isolate Cube Set is about 50% lighter than similar-size competitors (just over 1 ounce for a medium cube, whereas the Eagle Creek classic style weighs about 4 ounces). Unlike the Reveal set, this set is water resistant. However, the Isolate design’s thin sides—which don’t allow the cubes to stand up on their own—make those cubes a bit more challenging to pack than the Reveal cubes.

Buying the right gear can help organize your existing travel kit, but it’s a red herring if your goal is better portability. “It’s mostly the clothing that allows you to reduce what you need to carry,” explains veteran traveller Eytan Levy, better known as the Snarky Nomad . That’s because clothing, which is very voluminous, makes up the bulk of what’s in your bag. He recommends traveling with basic-looking clothes because you can always buy or rent something nice in a pinch, whereas lugging around formalwear just in case will always be a pain. It also helps if you can avoid cotton and stick to merino and synthetic fabrics, which dry faster. This allows you to do laundry by hand in the sink as needed to reduce the amount of clothes you need to carry.

Travel underwear

Good travel underwear keeps you feeling fresh and clean, even when your destination is gritty.  To find the best , we researched an array of underwear designed for men and women to find 37 pairs meeting our criteria: moisture-wicking and breathable, quick-drying, odor-resistant, stretchy, stylish, and cut to fit a variety of body types.

We then conducted rigorous pretesting (wearing the underwear for two days at a time, machine-washing them repeatedly, and tracking their drying speed when hung on a clothesline) before taking them out into the real world. Our testers went backpacking 215 miles throughout Portland, Oregon; hiking in the Canadian Rockies, including walking from the lowest point in the Continental US to the highest; and road-tripping to the national parks of the West. Testers who flew to their destinations wore the underwear on the plane, too.

Afterward, we checked for signs of wear, such as seam breakage and pilling on the fabric. As we continued to test the finalists, we repeatedly checked for durability problems. In addition to comfort and fit, we noted whether each pair seemed lightweight and packable.

ExOfficio Men’s Give-N-Go 2.0 Sport Mesh 6″ Boxer Brief

Best for most men.

Durable, quick-drying, and relatively inexpensive, this soft-fabric version of ExOfficio’s time-tested Give-N-Go undies will get the job done for years.

The ExOfficio Give-N-Go 2.0 Sport Mesh 6″ Boxer Brief is the best men’s underwear for travel because it balances fit, comfort, odor-proofing, and value better than anything else we’ve tested. The Sport Mesh fabric excels at breathing and wicking and has better odor-resistance than other fabrics. It feels soft on the inside and smooth on the outside so it slides against your pants instead of creating friction, reducing potential for chafing. It also features a sculpted crotch area that gives wearers some much-appreciated support, without feeling stifling. These boxer briefs dry quickly, pack compactly, and weigh less than almost all the other boxer briefs we tried—basically they’re everything you’d want from a pair of excellent travel underwear.

Patagonia Women's Active Hipster

Best for most women.

These light, stylish, quick-drying hipsters stay in place whether you’re walking, flying, or hanging upside down.

The Patagonia Active Hipster doesn’t appear special upon first glance. Only after trying everything else and living through their failures to stay put did we remember what “special” really means in a pair of underwear: Feeling as if you’re wearing nothing at all. The Patagonias have the best fit, comfort, and style out of all the panties we tested. The nylon material is fast-wicking and better than most synthetics for odor-proofing, making it well suited for athletic activities. The Active Hipster is lightweight and packable, and is the fastest-drying underwear we tested—making them perfect for minimalist travelers who go weeks at a time with just one or two pairs. But these same characteristics make them great for any traveler looking for comfortable, packable panties, regardless of where you’re going or what you’re doing.

Budget pick

Uniqlo Men Airism Boxer Brief

Comfortable, compact, and fast-drying, these are a great value but don’t fit quite as nicely and aren’t as supportive in the crotch.

Uniqlo Women Airism Ultra Seamless HipHugger

Similar fabric to the Men’s Airism, with a no-ride cut for women, these underwear are the least expensive of any we tested and among the best performing.

May be out of stock

If you want to spend as little as possible without sacrificing performance, the Uniqlo Airism line has long been a great choice for men and women who can wear sizes small and medium. In recent years, both lines have expanded their size range somewhat (men to 3XL, and women to XL). If these fit, you can replace an entire underwear drawer on a tight budget, as long as you can deal with the slightly odd cut and less-effective odor-control treatment.

If you’ve never traveled with merino wool socks, you’re missing out. These aren’t the scratchy wool socks your grandpa wore in the army; they are soft and stretchy ones that have natural sweat-wicking and odor-resisting properties that keep your toes comfortable under all conditions—even when wet. This combination of odor, moisture, and temperature regulations makes them ideal for traveling. "Because of its natural anti-bacterial properties, washing merino wool on a daily basis isn’t absolutely necessary,” explains Snarky Nomad , "after letting it air dry overnight while you sleep, it’ll seem brand new.” The only major downside is that merino tends to be a bit pricier than synthetic counterparts. But it’s a worthy trade-off, since you can go for longer with fewer pairs.

Darn Tough Light Hiker Micro Crew Lightweight Hiking Sock (Women’s)

The best quality for women.

The best mix of comfort, durability, and cushioning in a versatile height.

Darn Tough Light Hiker Micro Crew Lightweight Hiking Sock (Men’s)

For the best quality.

The same great versatile sock as the women’s model, but in different color options and more sizes.

Darn Tough’s Light Hiker Micro Crew socks (both the men’s and women’s versions) have been our favorite hiking socks for years. Darn Tough made its name through its quality guarantee : “Our socks are guaranteed to be the most comfortable, durable, and best fitting socks you can buy. In a nutshell, if you wear a hole in them, we will replace them free of charge, for life.” Pacific Crest Trail thru-hikers (hardcore backpackers who walk from Mexico to Canada in one continuous trip) praise them for their durability, comfort, and blister resistance. When you hold a pair of Darn Toughs next to a pair of Smartwools (which only have a two-year guarantee ), the difference is clear. The Darn Toughs are more tightly knit, the yarns are finer and feel sturdier, and the stitching is tighter.

Darn Tough Women's Coolmax Hiker Micro Crew Midweight Hiking Sock

The best non-wool women’s hiking sock.

This midlevel cushioned sock for women is the best synthetic option for most climates and terrains.

Darn Tough Men's Coolmax Hiker Micro Crew Midweight Hiking Sock

The best non-wool men’s hiking sock.

This synthetic men’s sock is perfect for day hiking in most weather.

If you are sensitive to wool, prefer a vegan product, or want a cooler option for the summer, we also like the Darn Tough Coolmax Hiker Micro Crew Midweight Hiking Sock, which comes in women's and men’s sizes.

We appreciated how breathable this sock felt. While wearing the Coolmax Micro Crew in hot summer weather, our testers’ feet stayed dry and sweat-free. The shorter micro-crew height makes the Coolmax Micro Crew suitable for both boots and shoes, too. And like all Darn Tough socks, this model comes with a lifetime warranty.

Indosole Flip Flops (women’s)

A quality flip flop in women’s sizes.

These stylish beach sandals come in a wide range of colors. Be careful, though: Indosole sizes tend to run a little small.

Indosole Flip Flops (men’s)

A quality flip flop in men’s sizes.

These beach sandals are the same as the women’s version but cut a bit wider; we still think they run a little smaller than regular shoe sizes.

A good pair of travel flip-flops should be lightweight, comfortable, and waterproof. The men’s and women’s Indosole Flip Flops offer the best combination of quality, comfort, and easy packability. Unlike many flip flops, which slap against the ground with every step, the subtle arch support of this flip flop kept it secure against our feet. Plus they’re made from waterproof, recycled materials. Keep in mind, though, that our testers found these shoes to run a bit small, so we suggest sizing up for the best fit.

Clothesline

While doing laundry at home can be a large weekly event, OneBag author Doug Dyment recommends approaching travel laundry as a part of your daily routine, especially if you’re trying to pack as little as possible: “The laundry should be more like cleaning your teeth—something you do everyday. It only takes about five minutes to do it. Every night, do your socks and underwear and you’ll have clean socks and underwear everyday.”

A secure, hassle-free option

The Flexo-Line attaches easily to a door handle or faucet and grips garments securely between its loops.

Check out OneBag’s laundry packing list if you want specific tips on how to do it and what you’ll need, but it’s a pretty simple setup: All you need is a toiletry bottle of powdered detergent, a towel to help expedite drying, and a travel clothesline to finish the drying process while you sleep at night.

Specifically, you want a braided—not twisted—surgical latex clothesline with looped ends, which means you want a Flexo-Line . The Flexo-Line can stretch up to 7 feet long, which is enough to span most hotel bathtubs, and it has loops that you can attach easily to a door handle, bath spigot, or faucet. The braided construction is superior to twisted designs made from other materials because the latex does a better job of gripping garments securely between the loops, which means you don’t need any additional clothespins.

Dyment has tried them all, but the Flexo-Line is the one he comes back to. As he explained to me in an interview, “There are others that are fine, but there are far more that are not fine.” More specifically, Dyment says to avoid anything that’s not made of latex , because clothes will inevitably slip out of them. He also says to never, ever trust a suction cup: “They don’t work, period.” If the Flexo-Line is unavailable, Dyment says that the Rick Steves collection from Kiva Designs also makes a nice braided line that is a bit more expensive. If you have a latex allergy, Dyment recommends going with a length of cord ( paracord is nice because it’s durable and you can use it for other things as well) and stainless steel safety pins meant for cloth diapers , because they take up far less space than a clothespin and won’t rust. In fact, it’s worthwhile to get these items even if you can use a latex line because they’re great for making luggage repairs and performing other MacGyver-ish tasks in a pinch. To hang up the clothesline, we recommend using a bowline knot on one end and a taut line hitch on the other. These knots work well together because the bowline creates a simple, slip-proof loop to anchor one end while the taut line hitch allows you to adjust for tension and locks tightly in place. If you could commit any two knots to memory forever, these are the ones to learn.

Laundry detergent

Minisoak Travel Packs

A travel size version of the best delicates detergent.

Perfect for traveling because you don’t even need to rinse it out.

When you’re washing your underwear in a hotel sink, you want a fast and easy experience. For this, we recommend the no-rinse detergent Soak . That’s right, we said no rinse . You just add a drop to the sink, fill with water, and leave your garments to soak. Then press out the water and hang. Done.

In our tests of delicates detergents , Soak cleaned almost as well as our top laundry detergent, Tide; plus, it comes in individual packets of powder  that are great for traveling, as well as in  travel-size bottles of the liquid version . In addition to unscented, it's available in a variety of scents, although Lacey and Celebration are not the most descriptive of scent names. They all smell nice, not overpowering. Soak also comes in an assorted travel pack with two single-use packets of each scent, if you want to test-drive one or two before you buy. In that mini size, you get eight packets for $11 currently, but you really need only a squeeze, not the the whole packet, to wash a couple of pairs of socks and underwear.

One downside to Soak is that you won’t find it in a grocery store or big-box store. But it is available online at Soak’s site . And if you really want to walk into a store and put your mitts on a bottle, you can find it at most local yarn stores.

Don’t feel like buying Soak or bringing along a bit of your own detergent? Shampoo also works pretty well for cleaning garments in a pinch, so make use of that free bottle from the hotel. But a caveat: Neither Soak nor shampoo contains enzymes , which are biological molecules in laundry detergent that break down certain stains. If you have especially stinky or stained clothes, you might need to break out the Tide .

When we first published this guide, this section addressed only toiletry kits and bottles, razors, and packable towels. The times, and traveling, became more complicated. One thing we've learned in the past few years is that face masks can be useful whenever you’re sick and don’t want to share your misery. Fortunately, compared with early 2020, medical-style N95s and KN95s (which many experts recommend as the best protection) are widely available. They’re easy to tuck into a bag, which we do now whenever we travel. 

Toiletry kit

We’ve researched dozens of travel toiletry bags and dopp kits over the past several years, and we tested 23 of the top-rated contenders in our most recent round of tests. After packing and unpacking a week’s worth of travel-size toiletries, conducting spill tests, and living out of the top performers on the road, we have a few different picks that stand out thanks to their style, packability, and quality of construction.

Sea to Summit Hanging Toiletry Bag (small)

A space-saving hanging bag.

This lightweight, well-organized bag fits a week’s worth of travel-size toiletries into a compact package. It’s meant to be hung, which makes it good for tight spaces, but it doesn’t have much in the way of internal structure.

The Sea to Summit Hanging Toiletry Bag (small) is compact and durable. It’s small enough to stash in a backpack or laptop bag, but it holds enough travel-size toiletries to keep us supplied for a week. You can open it and hang it from a shower curtain or towel rod to easily see and grab your items. It comes with a shatterproof mirror, two micro-mesh zip pockets and an open pocket for toothbrushes, lip balm, and tweezers, and a large compartment for bulky lotions and hair-care items.

L.L.Bean Personal Organizer Toiletry Bag

For more stuff and longer trips.

With a 6.4-liter capacity and over a dozen compartments, this toiletry bag has a place for everything—and everything will stay put during transit, too. It can also accommodate non-travel-size bottles.

The L.L.Bean Personal Organizer (medium) is a great option for longer trips and people who travel with full-size bottles. Its 6.4 liters of storage spread across a dozen compartments means there’s a dedicated place for pretty much everything you could want to bring on a trip—it even has a removable mesh shower caddy for shampoo and body wash. This level of organization is crucial for larger toiletry bags because, as we discovered after years of traveling with our picks, contents that aren’t securely fastened can shift around in transit, which increases the chance of spilling. The downside of all this organization is that the L.L.Bean weighs 14 ounces when empty, so it’s not ideal for carry-on travel.

If neither of these bags seems right for you, read our full review of the best toiletry bags and dopp kits to learn more about our picks and everything we tested.

Toiletry bottles

Sea to Summit TPU Clear Zip Pouch with Bottles

These six TSA-friendly bottles are sturdy and smartly designed, dispensing liquids more precisely than any of the other bottles we tested.

For traveling with liquids in your carry-on, the Sea to Summit set is your best bet. All six bottles conform to TSA size limitations; three of them can hold 3 ounces of liquid each, and three can hold 1.5 ounces each, for a total of 13.5 ounces. Despite the set’s name, the bottles themselves are made not of thermoplastic polyurethane—“TPU" refers to the zip pouch—but a high-density polyethylene material, much like what you’d see used in most plastic milk jugs. It has an almost-smooth, semi-transparent surface just textured enough that it’s not slippery when wet. The plastic is also flexible enough that you don’t have to squeeze very hard to get your shampoo or liquid soap or whatever going. An insert at the mouth of each bottle helps regulate the flow, and the screw tops prevent liquids from leaking in transit.

Razor (faces)

Gillette Mach3

The best manual razor for most faces.

This classic razor’s three widely spaced blades provide the best balance of speed, smoothness, and safety. Its handle is comfortable and well designed, and replacement blades can be had for a fair price.

We researched more than 100 and tested 11 manual razors for our full razor guide , concluding that the Gillette Mach3 is our top pick for manual razors. Although the three blades require a little extra time for a closer shave, it performs comparably to the latest and greatest offerings for as little as half the price.

The Gillette Mach3 provides the best balance of speed, smoothness, and safety. The Mach3’s simple, round handle is easy to grip and maneuver, and its three blades offer a close shave without over-irritating the skin or getting clogged with hair. And the price of Mach3 blades—$2 per cartridge or less, whether you buy them online or in a store—came close to, or even beat, the pricing of shave-club rivals, and the Mach3 shaved better than those competitors.

Razor (legs/body)

Gillette Venus Smooth

The best body razor.

This classic Venus is one of the easiest razors to grip and maneuver and its three-blade design keeps the blades remarkably free of hair.

Disposable razors (both the completely disposable and replaceable-cartridge variety) are fine to take through airport security , and among them we like the Gillette Venus Original best for traveling. Although it’s now the runner-up pick in our guide to body razors —it was formerly the top pick—we believe that its simple aloe lubricating strips, which don’t become tacky when wet, make the Venus more travel friendly than our new top pick . Plus, as with any Venus, the Original’s body is compatible with any other Venus head and many heads from Gillette’s facial razors, making replacement heads easier to find when you’re on the road.

The Original’s head has three blades separated by considerable slats of space, making it far easier to clean the head between strokes. The Original is intuitive to hold and secure to maneuver, thanks to a contoured handle with corrugated chevrons of rubber. Though our testers have a wide range of hand sizes, no one found the Original difficult to grasp. Despite the significant ribbing, it doesn’t feel too bulky. Gillette claims its razors have lasted for five weeks; we think one razor for a weeklong trip should be fine.

(Know that, confusingly, the Venus appears for sale on some retail sites under the name Venus Close and Clean or Venus Smooth. It’s the same razor. If you’re unsure which Venus model you’re looking at, check for the Original’s three blades and trademark sea-foam blue color.)

Towel (packable)

PackTowl Personal

The best all-around packable towel.

The PackTowl Personal Towel is lightweight, soft, absorbent, quick to dry, and odor-resistant.

We put 20 top-rated towels through a battery of tests including regular shower use, a trip to the beach, camping, and a 48-hour stay in a ziplock bag under the hot Hawaiian sun. After all was said and done, the Packtowl Personal Towel is still the best all-around travel towel for most people. In addition to being the softest lightweight towel we tested, it was more absorbent than competitors made of similar materials. It had the best odor-resisting abilities and comes with a convenient mesh carrying pouch. We also have alternate picks for ultralight and all-natural towels below.

The Personal Towel’s suede-like material was the softest of the thinner towels. The Personal Towel also had superior absorption when compared with other similarly constructed towels such as the Sea to Summit DryLite —in our tests, it absorbed 2.8 times its weight in water, while the others absorbed between 2.3 times and 2.7 times.

One of just two we tested that featured an added antimicrobial treatment, the Personal Towel was only a little musty smelling after 24 hours in a sealed ziplock bag, and remained unchanged at 48 hours.

If you’re looking for a budget option, consider the Rainleaf Microfiber Towel , which is a tad smaller than our other picks and is made from a seemingly lighter-feeling fabric. Unlike most budget options, it has an antibacterial coating and still managed to carry a pleasant smell after being testing in different environments.

Regardless of how you get to your final destination, it’s likely you’ll be stuck in a seat that’s less than ideal. Travel gadgets that claim to reduce this misery, such as compression socks, are popular. But when they take up precious luggage space for the duration of your trip—not just the flight or train ride–they need to be worth every cubic inch of space. The less you can make do with, the better off you’ll be.

Neck pillow

Travelrest Nest Ultimate Memory Foam Travel Pillow

More support for most necks.

Its tall memory-foam walls let it offer more support than any other pillow we tested. It’s also shaped to sit flush against a headrest, and it compresses to a manageable size.

The uniquely angled back on the Travelrest Ultimate sets it apart from other travel pillows we tested because it can lay flat against the seat back. Most other pillows have a rounded back, which pushes your head away from the headrest. The Travelrest also has rubber grip dots to prevent slipping while sleeping. This pillow’s spongy memory foam cushions the entire circumference of your neck, preventing your head from leaning far in any direction, and its adjustable Velcro strap ensures it can fit most necks. The pillow’s cozy velour exterior is removable and machine-washable. Although it doesn’t pack flat, the Travelrest weighs less than a pound and compresses to a quarter of its size when rolled into its Velcro-strapped carrying case. Our only complaint is that the Travelrest’s high walls, though supportive, can push over-ear headphones off of the ears of people with shorter necks.

Noise-cancelling headphones

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700

The best over-ear noise-cancelling headphones.

The Bose 700 headphones deliver excellent noise cancellation in a comfortable, lightweight design that’s traveler friendly—but they carry a high price.

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 over-ear set has the most versatile active noise cancellation we’ve ever tested. With 10 levels of noise reduction to choose from, everyone should be able to find a setting that meets their needs. We also enjoyed the lightweight and comfortable design and the easy-to-use controls. What distinguishes the Bose 700’s ANC is the amount of adjustability it gives you: Most noise-cancelling headphones offer controls for only on/off or maybe high/low/off, but with the Bose 700 pair you can set the ANC level from 0 to 10, so you have more flexibility to dial in the ideal setting for your comfort. The 20-hour battery life, while not the best we’ve seen, is more than sufficient to get you to most destinations. We have additional options—including earbuds and surprisingly good budget options for  over-ear headphones and earbuds —in our full guide to noise-cancelling headphones .

Mack’s Slim Fit Soft Foam Earplugs

For blocking out the most noise.

These blocked the most noise in our controlled testing and got the most votes from our subjective sleep panel.

When you’re traveling, it can be difficult to fall asleep to unfamiliar noises. That’s why we spent several hours researching new contenders and tested four top-rated models while sleeping in a house that was next to an airport in order to determine that Mack’s Ultra Soft Foam earplugs are the best earplugs  for sleeping.

The Mack’s 37.1 dB noise reduction rating was the highest among the models we tested. According to Cooper Safety , that’s enough to reduce the volume of a gas lawnmower to that of a normal conversation. What made the Mack’s earplugs so effective is the fact that we could insert them and rest assured that they would stay in the whole night. Meanwhile, the Howard Leight MAX1 might be a favorite from crowdsourced sleep-aid review site Sleep Like the Dead , but the earplugs would inevitably fall out in the middle of the night. Thus, they failed to block out the noise of planes landing and taking off throughout the night, despite the MAX1’s 33 dB noise reduction rating. The Howard Leights also made our ears ache on occasion, whereas the Mack’s has a tapered shape that was consistently comfortable night after night.

The Mack’s Slim Fit Soft Foam Earplugs cost about 20¢-35¢ per pair when purchased in a 50-pair pack. They come in a plastic case is about the size of a large coffee mug, which is small enough to toss in a large bag or suitcase. Many other ear plugs like our runner-up, the 3M’s E-A-Rsoft OCS1135 , can only be ordered in industrial-size lots that, while perhaps appealing to those who travel constantly (or run a hostel), are annoying to store and often lack a reusable container of any sort.

Nidra Deep Rest Eye Mask

For air travelers and back-sleepers.

The lightweight and contoured Nidra mask is a light-blocking win for most face shapes, with deep eye cups that allow the wearer to blink freely and arrive feeling refreshed.

When bright lights hamper peaceful shut-eye, we recommend the light-blocking, contoured Nidra Deep Rest sleep mask. Of the 14 masks we tested , the Nidra blocked the most light on the most faces. It’s contoured to rest on your face like a pair of soft goggles, with fabric lenses that sit around your eyes (instead of directly over them). This design provides more space for your eyes to flutter during REM sleep, ensuring that you come through red-eye flights with less redness in your eyes. Makeup wearers will also appreciate that, with the Nidra’s elevated eye cups, there’s a smaller chance of smudging.

Alaska Bear Natural Silk Sleep Mask

A flat, silk mask.

A silken exterior material, a flat design, and an adjustable strap make this mask a fit for almost any face, but it puts pressure on the eyes.

Mzoo Sleep Mask

A smooth, contoured eye mask.

Soft, structured, and contoured, this mask stays on all night and prevents any light from seeping through

If the Nidra Deep Rest doesn’t fit your face quite right, we also recommend the Alaska Bear Natural Silk Sleep Mask and the Mzoo Sleep Mask . The Alaska Bear mask lacks contoured eyecups and thus applies some pressure to the eyes overnight like any regular eye mask does. But its flat design easily conforms to fit your face, and its silk exterior feels smooth and soft against skin (the padding is made of cotton). Its relative lack of structure makes it more difficult to knock off when you’re tossing and turning.

The Mzoo mask’s eyecups have a convex gap so your eyes can open and close. That gap is surrounded by a memory foam padding that rests on the perimeter of your eye sockets. The effect is such that you don’t feel like your eyes are being forced closed, but there is a bit of compression near your temples, eyebrows, and cheekbones. Most—though not all—of our testers found this sensation soothing. One liked how the contour of the eyecup kept the mask from brushing against their eyelashes, which makes it a good choice for people who wear eyelash extensions.

Few things are better than landing at an airport, turning on your phone, and having it just work. No hassles, no stress, no worries about brutal roaming fees. You can check in with loved ones, scope out the route to your lodgings, and maybe post an Instagram story or two—because your phone works just like it does at home. This is especially freeing, and it makes travel so much easier. (Of course, phones aren’t the only useful tech to bring: Check out our accessories reviews for guides to the best cables ( USB-C , Lightning , and Micro-USB ), Wi-Fi hotspots , Bluetooth speakers , and more.)

Unlocked mobile phone

One of the most useful gadgets for international travel is an unlocked smartphone that’s compatible with cheap, prepaid phone plans you can sign up for at your destination. Unless your carrier offers plans including high-speed data that you can access internationally (i.e., you’re with T-Mobile or Google Fi), traveling with a phone under contract with a major carrier means paying an arm and a leg for data. Being able to access data-guzzling apps like Google Maps or Google Translate on the fly is worth the hassle to unlock a phone. Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp are free, easy ways to communicate with people you meet on your trip and people from home. Plus there’s checking email, TripAdvisor, banking, social media, and so on.

An “unlocked” phone means you can buy prepaid SIM cards in the country you’re visiting, letting you access their local network for significantly less money than the roaming fees incurred by your home carrier. With a prepaid SIM, your phone effectively becomes a new phone with a new (now local) phone number. Instead of seeing “Verizon,” “AT&T,” or “Sprint” at the top of your phone, you might see “Vodafone,” “Yes Optus,” “M1,” or whatever provider you choose in the country you’re visiting. The first thing to check is if your phone will work where you’re going. If you’re unsure if your phone will work where you’re going, check the Wikipedia page for your phone or contact your provider.

Your phone will also require a removable SIM. (If your phone has an eSIM, as all new iPhones do, check out our blog post about those.) Most countries require a passport or other ID to buy a prepaid SIM without a contract, but switching the SIMs is easy. Most stores will do it for you while you’re there. Depending on the country/provider, this could take as long as 10 minutes but is often faster. The next question is easily the most complicated: Can you unlock your phone? Each carrier has different rules and criteria. Generally, if you have a brand new, expensive phone, they may not let you unlock it (there’s usually a waiting period after the purchase date). But if it’s a little older, or if you’ve paid it off, they probably will. The thing to remember is that a provider can deny an unlock request without giving a reason. You might be lucky, though; certain phones on certain providers are unlocked by default. Here are Verizon and AT&T’s pages on unlocking. Alternately, you can buy a pre-unlocked phone just for travel. Amazon and Best Buy, for example, sell unlocked phones. This is also a good option if you think you might lose your expensive phone and a cheaper one will suffice while you travel.

Plug adapter

Epicka Universal Travel Adapter

Best universal travel adapter.

With four plugs that will work in most countries, plus faster-charging USB ports (and more of them) than its competitors, this adapter is the best all-around choice.

You save $4 (17%)

In a sea of almost-identical travel adapters, the Epicka Universal Travel Adapter stands out, combining the best of the features we look for. It contains the three most common international plugs and a US-style plug, which should cover you in the majority of countries around the world. It has the most USB ports—four of the standard USB-A and one USB-C—of any universal adapter we tested, and it charged more of our devices faster. A replaceable fuse and an included spare should take the brunt of any accidental, unfortunate, or shockingly bad connections. The Epicka is fairly compact and well built, and it even comes with an extra USB cable and a nylon case.

However, no universal travel adapter is truly universal, and they’re all a lot bulkier and more expensive than simple plug adapters. If you want the smallest adapter possible, or if you’re going someplace where a universal adapter won’t work (more on that in a minute), a plug adapter could be what you need.

Ceptics International Worldwide Travel Plug Adapter 5 Piece Set

The best plug adapter.

Individually, these tiny plug adapters are smaller, lighter, and cheaper than any universal travel adapter. To juice up multiple devices, though, you’d need a separate multiport charger too.

The tiny plug adapters from Ceptics are barely larger than the prongs they convert. Small, simple, and cheap, they’re perfect for someone who wants to carry only the adapter they’ll need and who already has a multiport USB wall charger they like. Like our universal adapter picks, this set contains the three most common international plugs and the US plug. However, it also includes a somewhat rarer plug used in some European countries that has two thick, cylindrical prongs. This means that the Ceptics set will likely cover you in even more places—as long as you pack the appropriate plug adapter. These charts should help you find the shape you need before you order.

However, getting your gear to work in different countries isn’t quite as simple as it should be, and there’s no single solution that’s guaranteed to work for everyone. Our picks should work for you, but you may have some random piece of equipment, or be traveling to some country, for which our “good for most” picks just won’t work. (Case in point: One Wirecutter editor visited Iceland a few years back. The house she stayed in had outlets unlike anything on those charts, and the plug adapters she had used elsewhere in Reykjavik didn’t fit at all. It turns out the mystery sockets belonged to an obscure Italian system from the 1960s that was popular in Iceland for a time. Luckily, the hosts had power strips in the house that her adapters fit into.) The world is a big place, and when it comes to electricity and wall outlets, there’s a lot of variation. That’s important to keep in mind.

Whether two-prong or three-prong, an adapter just changes the shape of your plug, not anything about the electricity coming through the wires. However, this usually isn’t a problem because almost every power brick that comes with modern electronic gear is capable of accepting both the 110-volt standard used in the US and the 240-volt commonly used abroad. If your device has a power block on the cord, it likely says something like  “100-240 V ~ 50/60 Hz”—that’s the all-clear to use it without a voltage converter so long as the range covers the voltage of the country you’re visiting . This includes the vast majority of modern laptop and USB chargers.

Products without some sort of power block at the end or with a non-detachable cord—in particular, things with heating elements like hair dryers and curling irons—are more likely to need a voltage converter. Putting 220 V through a US 110 V device would be like attaching a firehose to a drinking fountain—you’re likely to blow your face off. But voltage converters are tricky devices, and most of the inexpensive ones have awful (or dishonest) reviews. Since hotels and hostels will often have hair dryers and most newer gear can do the full range of voltages, we strongly recommend that, whenever possible, you only bring items that work with a much simpler (and more reliable) adapter.

Wire/gadget organization system

Now that every device has a battery, every battery has a charger, and every charger has a cable—never mind power-plug adapters if you’re traveling abroad—the sheer quantity of accessories needed just to keep your gadgets running can take up more space than the devices themselves. And unless you organize them, you can bet on having to blindly fish them out of the least convenient spot at the bottom of your bag. Recently, our pick for carrying tech necessities, the Incase Nylon Accessory Organizer, which had been out of stock for a few years, returned to the Incase website and appears to be in stock. If you prefer mesh to easily see your contents, , we also like the Container Store Micro Mesh Pouches .

The Incase cable organizer is a poly-nylon blend, so it’s durable. It is a soft-shell bag, however, so its contents can distort the bag’s shape when it’s full. But the bag’s edges remain rigid—so the seams don’t pucker—its contents don’t fall out, and zipping and unzipping the bag is still easy. We have other picks in our full guide to bag and cable organizers , including a roll-up bag and a stylish duo of cosmetics travel pouches ; we’ll also start testing other options to replace this one.

USB battery packs

A USB battery pack (also called a power bank) can keep your small electronics—from phones and cameras to tablets and more—going while you’re on the road. Although the length of your trip will determine exactly how much extra juice you’ll need to have on hand, whatever your requirements, we have a great USB battery recommendation for you. The Belkin Boost Charge Plus 10K weighs about half a pound, and its rounded edges make it easy to hold or slip into a pocket. Its USB-C Power Delivery (PD) port can charge most handheld devices and recharge itself at top speed (with the right USB-C cable and wall charger), and it can pass power to another device while being recharged from a wall outlet. It only comes in one color, but it has enough capacity to fully charge most smartphones up to three times, as well as built-in USB-C and Lightning cables that are easy to slide in and out of their holsters.

If you’re traveling for leisure, try not to get too wrapped up in technology because you might miss what you’re actually there to do: experience a new place. OneBag’s Doug Dyment said in an interview, “Wearing headphones and staring at a screen is like putting a digital wall around yourself when you’re traveling. It makes you seem unapproachable and uninterested in what’s around you.” That may be a good thing if you do truly want to be left alone, but Dyment went on to say that some of his most memorable traveling experiences were the result of just looking lost and getting help from the locals. “One minute, you’re a lost foreigner in an unfamiliar village, then someone asks if you need directions. Before you know it, you’re eating dinner with his family.”

Travel binoculars

Athlon Optics Midas ED

The overall best binoculars.

Amazingly affordable with great optics, these binoculars have performance comparable with that of many models that cost thousands more.

Our top pick for binoculars is durable and great for near-home hikes. In hot or dusty environments that may call for a clearer optical boost, the Athlon Optics Midas ED 8×42 binoculars deliver top quality. Its focus dial offers a wide range of depths that makes it easier to see whatever it is you desire—birds, grass or darkened areas of the forest. Our recommendation comes with the assistance of a professional ornithologist who spent over 100 hours putting 17 pairs of binoculars to the test in the mountains of Southern California and the rain forests of southern Mexico.

Although the Celestron TrailSeeker ED binoculars don’t offer a clear edge-to-edge view to the same degree of the Athlon Optics Midas EDs , they’re a comparable runner-up model that’ll be lighter on your wallet if having binoculars while traveling is a must. The TrailSeekers are equipped with great light-gathering qualities, close focus, and impressive optical resolution. Or, if you’re concerned about saving space, we liked the Pentax AD 8x25 WP binoculars. While not quite as powerful as our other picks, this compact pair of binoculars is well made and easy to fit into a carry-on while traveling via plane.

Ebook reader

Amazon Kindle (2022)

The best e-reader for most people.

Amazon’s most affordable Kindle is also its most portable, and it’s finally been upgraded with sharper text on its 6-inch screen and support for USB-C charging. Those features bring it in line with much-pricier e-readers.

The entry-level Amazon Kindle finally got an upgrade and is now our favorite e-reader , with the same crisp display and USB-C charging as the pricier Kindle Paperwhite has (and with double the storage space of the previous entry-level model). Amazon’s well-stocked ebooks store remains its biggest selling point, along with the ease of checking out library books via Libby and sending them directly to a Kindle.

Even if you don’t have time for pleasure reading on your trip, it’s worth investing in a Kindle because many major travel guides are available in fully searchable ebook formats now. Furthermore, e-texts will also work on your phone, tablet, and computer, thanks to the Kindle ecosystem.

Packable daypack

Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Travel Day Pack

A pack that fits in your palm.

Toss this lightweight, phone-sized packable bag into your luggage or coat pocket, and you’ll never get caught without a spare bag again. If you need something to carry every day, though, we think you’ll prefer one of our more-structured picks.

Packing a stowable daypack, one that stuffs down to fit in your luggage when not in use, is a relatively small investment of space in exchange for a high return of function and flexibility. After researching dozens of packable daypacks across a spectrum of portability, features, and prices, and then packing, unpacking, loading, wearing, and drenching the top-rated finalists during multiple rounds of testing, the Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Travel Day Pack is the smallest and lightest packable backpack we recommend. Packed up, it is very discreet: nearly the size of a keychain accessory.

The bag itself is a no-frills sack made from a paper-thin siliconized Cordura nylon, which means it’s very light and water-resistant. It has reinforced stitching at stress points, allowing the Ultra-Sil to carry more weight than you would expect. That said, since this pack is made of such thin, light material, carrying large or awkwardly shaped loads is somewhat uncomfortable, especially when compared with our more structured picks.

If comfort or waterproofing is important to you, check out the alternative picks in our review of packable daypacks for travel .

Field Notes 3-Pack Original Kraft Memo Books

For ultimate portability.

Field Notes are cheap but contain high-quality paper that earns praise from pen and stationery geeks across the web.

For writing your adventures as you travel, you can’t beat the portability, practicality, and romanticism of a pocket notebook. There’s nothing better in that category than Field Notes (three-packs available in a variety of styles and types ). These pocket-sized notebooks are widely praised for their excellent paper quality, and the Pen Addict’s Brad Dowdy tells me “Field Notes is pretty much the runaway pocket notebook champ.” Dowdy has praised it for the lack of feathering or bleedthrough with almost any pen, as well as for the light brown ruled lines, which are easier to write over than solid black. Austin Smith of Art Supply Critic told us in an email that his recommendation is “Field Notes has it, no question.” The Well-Appointed Desk has reviewed a slew of different Field Notes variants for those looking for something a bit more interesting.

Field Notes Expedition

A weather-resistant option.

Weather-resistant Expedition Field Notes are great if you’re writing in wet conditions, but don’t get them if you don’t need them. The synthetic paper feels weird and can cause some inks to smear.

If you think you’re going to be writing in foul weather, Field Notes also has the waterproof Expedition version with pages made from a synthetic water-and-tear resistant paper. You should only get these if you really need them, because otherwise, they just feel unnaturally slick and are more prone to smearing ink. At least one user has said that the paper shows less soaking through when wet than the similar Rite in the Rain books . The one caveat is that the synthetic paper will only work with pencils and certain inks ; thankfully, the Uni-ball Jetstream RT , our pick for best pen , definitely makes the grade.

Things can go wrong while you’re traveling, both where you are and where you’re not. Though you can’t prepare for every worst-case scenario, the peace of mind that a little bit of preparation grants will allow you to focus on what’s in front of you, instead of having to worry about what could go wrong. But preparation doesn’t simply mean buying more stuff just in case; it also means making efficient use of what you already have.

Merchant & Mills for Purl Soho Rapid Repair Kit

For the best combination of sewing tools.

The Merchant & Mills Rapid Repair Kit is the only travel kit we found that had objectively high-quality thread and scissors.

There’s nothing quite like a wardrobe malfunction to put a damper on vacation, especially when traveling with limited clothing. A good travel-size sewing kit allows you to mend a popped button or ripped seam on the fly—or even tackle more pressing issues like fixing a tent, sleeping bag, or backpack. After 15 hours of research, interviews with sewing teachers and avid home sewers, and tests of six travel and full-size kits, we found the Merchant & Mills for Purl Soho Rapid Repair Kit had by far the best tools and was the easiest to keep organized. Standard travel sewing kits usually contain mediocre thread and plastic-handled scissors that break easily. They can also be hard to keep organized (a truth we confirmed when testing six top-rated travel and full-sized kits). The Merchant & Mills set was the only one that had high-quality thread, all-metal mini scissors (don’t worry, the TSA shouldn’t stop you ), and a durable tin case (about the size of a deck of cards) to keep everything well organized.

Because the sewing pins are neatly stuck into paper inside a slim envelope and the three needles are housed in a mini glass vial, this kit also limits the risk of losing a sharp object in your bags. We found the Merchant & Mills needles easier to thread than others (no need for a fussy needle threader!) and we also like the vintage-looking safety pins that come clipped together along with two small white buttons. Although this kit only comes with black and white thread, the thread is strong and there’s more of it than you’d get in a flimsier set with shorter strands of multiple colors. We do think it would be nice if the kit included a more durable measuring tape than the paper one included, but overall everything about this kit is leagues ahead of anything else we considered. We didn’t find editorial reviews for any of the kits we tested, but the Merchant & Mills rapid repair kit was recommended by several sewing bloggers and is sold in many reputable indie fabric shops.

Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella

The best umbrella for most people.

This is a solidly built, easy-to-find umbrella that holds up in high winds. It also comes in a variety of colors.

price may vary by color or style

An umbrella you take traveling should be small, light, sturdy, and affordable. After putting in 66 hours of research and evaluating a total of 48 umbrellas across five rounds of testing (including one thunder-snowstorm), we found that the Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella is the best umbrella for most people. Its durable, nine-rib construction held up admirably against gale-force winds, and it’s as sturdy as umbrellas that sell for more than twice as much.

The Repel folds up to an 11½-inch long, 14-ounce package that fits easily into most bags and glove boxes. And it forcefully expands at a touch of a button to reveal an ample 37-inch-diameter canopy that protects your head and torso from precipitation in all but the windiest of conditions. Its lengthy, textured handle is easy to grip for hands of all sizes. We also appreciate that the Repel comes in a wide variety of colors, so it’s easier to pick yours out of a crowded umbrella bucket. Finally, despite its affordable price, it’s backed by a lifetime replacement guarantee, but only if you purchase directly from Repel and register the item under the company’s warranty.

Packing method for clothes

While packing cubes and other organization tools are helpful for maximizing your bag’s usable space, efficient packing is also achievable without the aid of tools and compartments. One Bag’s Doug Dyment tried all manners of folding aids and compression products but was unsatisfied with their claims of compression and wrinkle prevention. Frustrated, he developed his own method of packing clothes compactly called the Bundle Method, which he’s used and perfected over several decades of traveling.

The Bundle Method involves layering your shirts and pants at opposing angles on a flat surface, then wrapping them around a small “core” parcel (e.g. a packing cube full of underwear and socks). We won’t get into details, but Dyment does on his website ; you can watch this easy-to-follow video from NBC . The resulting bundle is compact and has no sharp creases that will require ironing out later on. Additionally, Dyment explains that “the slight tension created in the fabric by the wrapping process, along with the anchoring of the resulting bundle, greatly reduces the chances of wrinkling.” You then put it in your bag and use the tie-down straps to provide just enough pressure to keep it together.

While simple to perform, this packing method isn’t something you can master in one go. It takes a bit of practice, but once you get it, it’s like riding a bike. The downside is that you can’t just leave your clothing packed and expect to be able to access your underwear without fully unpacking your clothes first. But unpacking is a good habit to get into anyway, as it allows your clothes to breathe and avoid wrinkles or mildew. Wirecutter founder and frequent traveler Brian Lam says that unpacking the moment he enters a room has a grounding effect that allows him to feel a bit more at home in a new environment.

If this sounds like too much of a hassle for you, you can do what we did before we found out about bundling: roll up your socks and underwear tightly and place them in packing cubes, then put your wrinkle-prone items (shirts, pants, skirts, dresses, jackets) in a garment folder—we used the Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Garment Folder . This is also travel guru Rob King’s preferred method of packing. Though the garment folder is not quite as space-efficient as the bundle method due to the added bulk of the folder and folding board, the plastic backboard does go a long way towards preventing wrinkles. Just be aware that if you leave your clothes in there for longer than a day, they’ll begin to develop unsightly creases that require an iron to get rid of.

A big thank-you to the Hotel Lucia in downtown Portland, Oregon, for lending us a suite to use for the photos in this guide.

This article was edited by Ria Misra and Christine Ryan.

Meet your guide

Wirecutter Staff

Mentioned above

• There’s more to a great in-flight personal item than being small enough to stuff under a plane seat. Here’s how to choose the right one for your travel needs. The Best Underseat Luggage and Personal-Item Bags  
• The Cotopaxi Allpa 35L is our backpack pick for most travelers. We also have picks for other travelers, including those who want to carry a bit more. The Best Carry-On Travel Backpacks  
• After 10 years of airport dashes and overhead-compartment stashes, the Travelpro Platinum Elite is still the suitcase we want to carry. The Best Carry-On Luggage  
• After researching 30 models, we found that Travelpro Platinum Elite 25″ Expandable Spinner is the best suitcase for most travelers who check bags. The Best Suitcases for Checking  
• We chose five luggage tags that will help you identify your belongings in a sea of similar suitcases. The Best Luggage Tags  
• After researching and traveling with packing cubes for more than five years, the Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Cube Set is what we keep in our luggage. The Best Packing Cubes  

Further reading

How to Sleep Well (or at Least Better) While Traveling

by Christine Ryan

Our sleep and travel editors recommend gear for coping with travel-induced insomnia, vetted through hours of testing and years of personal experience.

The Gadgets We Bring on Every Trip

by Haley Perry

You don't have to be a digital nomad to travel like one. Here are a few gadgets and accessories to make travel as painless as possible.

Road-Trip Essentials

by Eve O'Neill

We spend a lot of time driving each year, and this is our list of essential road-trip gear to include in your packing list.

Tools and Emergency Supplies to Keep in the Car for Winter Driving

by Rik Paul

Here are the essential—and nonessential—items to carry in your car during winter driving to ensure you get to your destination.

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• Travel Products

The Best Thermal Underwear of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

Keep comfortable and warm no matter how cold the weather gets thanks to thermal underwear.

In This Article

• Our Top Picks
• Others We Liked

Our Testing Process

• Tips for Buying

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why Trust T+L

Travel + Leisure / Anna Popp

When temperatures drop, many of us tend to head indoors until spring. But for those of us who enjoy outdoor activities like skiing, snowboarding, hiking, and even just walking, some bundling up is in order. The perfect cold-weather outfit is all about proper layering, so starting off with a solid base in the form of great thermal underwear (or long underwear) is a must.

Thermal underwear is the comfy, breathable, and usually form-fitting two-piece set you wear under heavier apparel like ski pants, parkas, and jeans to stay extra warm. They can even be worn on their own for neighborhood jogs or walks with the dog before the mercury has fully plummeted. To find the very best thermal underwear options on the market, we personally tested dozens of sets. Check out the best lightweight base layers, budget picks, and the best thermal underwear for everyday wear to find the perfect long underwear for your needs.

Best Overall

Kari traa rose half zip base layer top.

• Comfort 4.5 /5
• Warmth 5 /5
• Moisture-Wicking 5 /5
• Durability 5 /5

In addition to the top-tier athletic performance, it's sleek, figure-flattering, and comes in fun wintry prints.

It's only available in women’s sizes.

This half-zip turtleneck top and curve-enhancing bottoms will never fail to make you look good, and, more importantly, you’ll always feel good wearing them. Skiers, mountaineers, and snowshoers have long adored merino wool for its natural temperature-regulating, moisture-wicking, and odor-resistant properties, so it comes as no surprise that Olympic gold-medalist Kari Traa’s signature garments are made entirely from the material. Four-way stretch ensures they won’t hinder mobility, and the soft feel makes them a great wardrobe choice for cozying up next to the fireplace. 

We get it — patterned thermals aren’t for everyone. But the snowflake design inspired by Traa’s native Norway is so cute yet subtle it’s hard to resist dropping them in your cart. The set comes in alpine-chic colors ranging from taupe to royal blue, all accented by stitching and flattering side panels that help it achieve a close-to-the-body fit for easy layering. The half-zip neckline adds another polished touch, and it allows you to increase airflow after working up a sweat in the slightly compressing set.

The Details: S to XL | Merino wool

Travel + Leisure / Lydia Price

Best Size Range

Wild rye hailey half-zip.

• Comfort 5 /5
• Durability 4 /5

It hugs curves, muscles, and everything in between just right.

We think the cuffs feel a bit baggy.

Available for women in sizes 0 to 18, these thermals were designed for every female athlete — amateur and otherwise — to find the perfect fit. The 100 percent merino wool top and matching bottoms feel soft and cozy, moving with the body during winter sports without digging in anywhere, and they handle sweat like champs. We found the fabric warm enough to wear as a standalone on milder days, which gave us a chance to show off the vibrant print, and a zipped neckline is at the ready when you need to cool off.

The Details: 0 to 18 | Merino wool

Best Lightweight, Women's

Outdoor research women's alpine onset merino 150 crew.

Outdoor Research

The wool and synthetic blend is both stretchy and breathable.

Our legs were a bit cold while skiing with shell bibs in below-freezing temperatures.

Outdoor Research's Women's Alpine Onset Merino 150 Crew top and bottoms are our favorite pair of breathable and lightweight base layers. The material is on the thinner side but the set still proved to be warm underneath ski gear and comfortable to wear while out about running errands. When we got sweaty while skiing, the top dried quickly without losing warmth (shoutout to the merino wool fibers) and the light material made it easy to layer a jacket or two over the top. Our legs got a little chilly while skiing with shell bibs on, so if you're planning to use these for skiing, you may want to layer the pants as well. Men's size options and styles are also available.

The Details: XS to 4XL | Merino wool, recycled polyester, elastane

Travel + Leisure / Anna Popp

Best Lightweight, Men's

Helly hansen men's lifa stripe crew baselayer top.

• Warmth 4 /5
• Moisture-Wicking 4 /5

It's waterproof — and it just look really cool.

It's not the warmest option on our list.

There’s something about a clean, crisp side stripe that makes you look and feel uber athletic — and that’s only one of the many reasons we’re obsessed with this pick from Helly Hansen. The matching top and bottom are also comfy, waterproof, breathable, and extremely lightweight. Choose a top in one of 11 colors and seven sizes, then pick a bottom in one of three colors and five sizes. Women’s sizes are also up for grabs. The Lifa material feels more durable compared to merino and typical base layers, but these are not quite as warm as other options, so we think these would be best for spring weather. 

The Details: XS to 3XL for top, XS to XXL for bottom | Polypropylene

Best Budget, Women's

Pisiqi thermal underwear women ultra-soft long johns set.

• Warmth 4.5 /5
• Durability 4.5 /5

They’re extremely soft and cozy.

They’re made of cotton, which isn’t good at managing moisture, so you shouldn't wear them for active pursuits.

Are you all about simplicity? Opt for this Pisiqi set. Unlike many of the picks on our list, this one features a top and bottom that come together and are available in nine colors. They’re crafted with 100 percent cotton and offer a roomy fit, which makes them perfect for casual wear. You’re sure to stay warm and toasty whether you wear them as a base layer or alone. Keep in mind that because these are made of cotton, they shouldn't be worn for occasions that'll involve sweat or other moisture. But if you want a budget-friendly way to stay cozy day-to-day, these are perfect.

The Details: XS to XXL | Polyester, spandex

Best for Skiing

Smartwool intraknit thermal merino base layer crew.

The material is thick and warm without feeling constricting.

The base layers are designed for temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

We're big fans of Smartwool's Intraknit crew neck top and bottoms for extra chilly days on the mountain skiing. Made with a thick blend of merino wool and synthetic fibers, this set of thermal underwear kept us perfectly warm on the slopes of Vermont . With the perfect balance of compression and stretchiness, the top and bottoms are both warm and breathable, and the wool fibers naturally wick away moisture and odor, which is ideal for rigorous activities. One thing to consider is that the thermal underwear is designed for 50-degree weather or colder, so you may want to wear this set without any other layers if you're doing some spring skiing.

The Details: XS to XL | Merino wool, polyester, elastane

Best Budget, Men's

Carhartt force midweight micro-grid base layer.

• Comfort 4 /5

It's available in regular, tall, and big sizes.

It's not very compressive.

There’s plenty to love about these reasonably priced thermals from workwear brand Carhartt: they’re lightweight, sweat-wicking, and warm enough to wear without much else overtop. We’re also impressed by added features like thumb loops on the sleeves, odor-fighting properties, anti-chafing seams, and even tagless labels on the pants for added comfort. Their most redeeming quality, though? They’ll keep you from freezing or overheating in all types of weather, activities, and regions.

The Details: S to 4XL, including regular, tall, and big sizes | Polyester

Best Sweat-wicking

Under armour women's ua base 3.0 crew.

Under Armour

It's super sleek, yet toasty as can be.

The neck and arm holes are pretty tight.

If you want warm, Under Armour’s ColdGear 3.0 set has warm. The thermals trap body heat to warm your skin quickly and thoroughly, but you don’t have to worry about overheating or sweating, since temperature-regulating technology wicks moisture and provides breathability. Happen to wipe out in the snow or get caught in the rain? No worries — both the top and matching leggings dry quickly and eliminate odors. On top of all that, they’re super comfy.

The Details: XS to XXL for top, XS to XL for bottom | Polyester, elasterell

Most Comfortable

Arc'teryx rho base layer.

• Moisture-Wicking 4.5 /5

It's soft, warm, and made with several barely-noticeable pockets.

The fit is boxy.

Equipped with a lightweight construction, breathable feel, and a fun, futuristic vibe, these layers from Arc’teryx take comfort to a whole new level. The quarter-zip top is equally lightweight and cozy as the bottoms and the inside fleece lining is incredibly soft and warm. There’s virtually nothing you can’t do in these thermals thanks to their temperature-regulating capabilities and durable weave, so you can feel confident about packing them on all types of trips. We especially love that the top’s subtle turtleneck and half-zip lock in warmth, while the bottom’s thigh pocket efficiently holds and protects your smartphone. Arc'teryx also makes a men's version .

The Details: XS to XL | Nylon, polyester, elastane

Best for Everyday Wear

Smartwool classic thermal merino base layer crew.

It's quite stylish and available in plenty of colors.

The top is long and boxy.

Our favorite thing about this base layer is it doesn't look like a base layer. That means you can feel free to go anywhere and do anything without looking like you just got off a ski lift or rolled out of bed. We also love that it's soft, odor-resistant, thermoregulating, and designed with anti-chafing technology. Shoppers can also mix and match colors, as the top comes in 14 hues ranging from neutrals to pastels, and the figure-flattering bottoms come in eight colors.

The Details: XS to XL | Merino wool

Travel + Leisure / Julia Sayers_Gokhale

Travel + Leisure / Julia Sayers Gokhale

Other Thermal Underwear We Liked

L.L.Bean Midweight Base Layer Top & Bottom: While we did like this crew neck and pants set, we felt it bunched around the ankles and had too loose of a fit for it to be practical. It also had to be aired out when it arrived, as it had a strange smell.

REI Co-op Midweight Base Layer Crew Top and Bottoms: We found this high-value crew top and bottom set comfy for casual use, but it did not sufficiently keep us warm or wick away sweat on colder days or while partaking in snow sports.

Ridge Merino Women’s Aspect Midweight Wool Base Layers: This thermal top and bottom did keep us warm, but we found them to be a bit too thick, tight, and scratchy. They also didn’t have much stretch, so they failed to make our top picks.

We tested 24 sets of thermal underwear while skiing, snowboarding, running outside, and conducting everyday activities. We first closely examined each sets’ quality and features and performed a stretch test by pulling them in every direction. We then wore the base layers for at least three separate wears. For the first wear, we spent at least 30 minutes wearing the thermals at home to judge comfort, fit, and warmth. For the last two wears, we spent at least an hour wearing the thermals outside while performing an activity like hiking, skiing, or running. To get a feel of the thermals’ durability levels, we also washed the garments at least once in the testing period and determined if doing so caused any shrinking, stretching, pilling, or other damage. 

After all of the testing steps were completed, we rated the thermals in six categories: comfort, fit, warmth, moisture-wicking, durability, and value. To receive a high score in comfort and fit, they had to be incredibly comfortable to wear for long periods of time during a range of activities and have a perfect level of stretch and compression that made us forget they were even there. The best thermals for warmth and moisture-wicking exceeded expectations by keeping us warm and dry throughout every test. Durability was based on the quality of materials, whether any signs of wear and tear were present after all uses and washes, and whether we were confident they would last for a long time if frequently worn. Finally, we evaluated the thermals' cost. High-priced items that scored well for value had incredibly high ratings in all other categories and we could defend the price. For lower-priced items with a high value score, we felt the quality was much higher than expected given the cost. This test continued over a period of two-months.

Travel + Leisure / Karen Chen

Tips for Buying Thermal Underwear

Consider the materials.

Material type is probably the most crucial aspect of base layers. Since they’re intended to be worn direct-to-skin and are often used for winter sports, moisture-wicking materials like merino wool, polyester, and elastane are usually your best bets. Wool in particular is also great for providing insulation while maintaining breathability, making it an excellent option when choosing layers for travel . You’ll generally want to avoid cotton if you plan to wear your thermals for high-activity occasions, as it absorbs moisture and pulls heat away from the body, leaving you a soggy and shivering mess. 

Prioritize comfort

It may be tempting to choose thermals that are stylish, low in cost, or made by a name brand, but comfort should really be your first priority (especially considering your thermals will likely be covered by other garments). Sure, saving money or showing off your ‘fit is fun at first, but after a few hours of skiing, hiking, or camping, you’ll likely wish you opted for something that feels good on your body. Luckily, many of our picks above manage to be incredibly cozy without sacrificing style.

Thermal underwear or “long underwear” are base layers that can be worn alone or under heavier winter clothing like coats, ski pants, and jeans. They’re typically somewhat form-fitting to prevent bulkiness and overheating. The main function of thermal underwear is to add extra warmth during the colder months.

Most thermal underwear is form-fitting, but there are options that come in a more relaxed fit for those who prefer loose clothing. Thermals shouldn’t be too loose, though, or else heat may escape and layering may be a challenge.

While it’s technically up to you, most thermals are designed to be worn with underwear. If your base layers are on the looser side, it is especially important to wear underwear to prevent rashes, blisters, and discomfort.

Why Trust Travel + Leisure

For this article, T+L's outdoor enthusiasts personally tested dozens of thermals and gave feedback on their performance in comfort, warmth, fit, durability, moisture-wicking, and value. Editor Hillary Maglin consulted with T+L outdoor gear editor  Lydia Price  to determine which thermals are the best for every need and preference and completed additional research to help shoppers pick their perfect pair.

Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we'll send you our favorite travel products each week.

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Highly-rated men's travel pants for commuters, vacationers and beyond

Shop comfortable men's travel pants from brands like Vuori and lululemon.

From work trips to road trips and destination vacations , finding both highly-functioning and stylish pants can make your travel wardrobe more efficient.

When shopping for men's travel pants, we're searching for top-rated options that boast comfortability and performance.

Our picks include casual work styles, outdoor pants, and athleisure for all travel occasions. We've highlighted options from brands like Vuori, lululemon, L.L.Bean, and Patagonia, among others.

MORE: Khloé Kardashian and Fabletics launch collection of compression swimwear and athleisure

What fabrics to consider in travel pants.

When preparing for travel, consider fabrics that can withstand various weather conditions and have features to support your daily activities. Look for pants that are water-resistant or water-repellent and are quick-drying and breathable. Avoid pants that require dry cleaning and opt for machine-washable styles so you can maintain their cleanliness while away from home.

Search for pants with stretch to stay comfortable and unrestricted while walking or sitting for long periods, like while on a plane. Wrinkle-resistant fabrics can also help with the pant's overall appearance.

What features to consider in travel pants

Waistbands and front closures are important for both practicality and comfort. Elastic waistbands may be preferred for long trips whereas a zipper or button fly may be better suited for a more formal occasion, like a work meeting.

If you plan to carry valuables, opt for a pair of pants with hidden or zippered pockets. Zippered pockets are also beneficial to avoid losing items during increased activity, like hiking.

Styling travel pants

Choose pants that will work well styled with your current wardrobe to avoid overbuying and over-packing. Opt for a color that matches multiple tops and shoes to style day to night.

By clicking on these shopping links, visitors will leave ABC.com. These e-commerce sites are operated under different terms and privacy policies than ABC.com. ABC will receive a commission for purchases made through these links. Prices may change from the date of publication.

Casual travel pants

ABC Classic-Fit 5 Pocket Pant 30"L Warpstreme

These 4.4-star lululemon pants have many of the key elements we'd like in a travel pant: They are wrinkle-resistant, made with mid-weight fabric for year-round wear and are machine washable. They are designed with four-way stretch and even have a hidden zip pocket for valuables. These pants currently come in 11 colors and five lengths. Wear them from the plane to a work lunch or dinner at your destination. 

rhone Commuter Straight Fit Pants

Rhone's Commuter Straight Fit Pants boast comfortable four-way-stretch with secure hidden pockets. They have a zip fly with snap closer and are available to shop in five colors on Nordstrom.

Peter Millar Regular Fit Performance Pants

These Peter Millar pants have a 4.7-star rating and over 900 reviews. They are made with a moisture-wicking, quick-drying fabric so you can comfortably wear them this season. 

Daymaker Pants

The Public Rec Daymaker Pants have a 4.5-star rating and more than 14,000 reviews. Reviewers note that they are multi-functional, comfortable, soft and stylish among other positive qualities. Public Rec notes that the pants have a "generous fit" for the glutes and thighs "while tapering slightly at the ankle for a smart finish. These are machine washable and feature an elastic waistband, two front zipper pockets and two back pockets. 

Men's VentureStretch Five-Pocket Pants, Standard Fit, Straight Leg

"We designed our most versatile performance pants to wear seven days a week and from desk to day hike, with unbeatable comfort and durability," L.L.Bean's website reads. These fit straight through the hip and thigh as well as the leg. They ar made with a water-repellent, abrasion-resistant stretch fabric with UPF 50+. They are machine washable and available in multiple colors and lengths. 

Cascade Tech Chino Pant

Reviewers have given Vuori's Cascade Tech Chino Pants a 4.6-star rating. This "modern, athletic fit pant" can be worn for golf, travel and beyond. They are made from performance stretch twill fabric and are water-resistant. Vuori boasts that the pants are lightweight, breathable, and fashionable, too -- so you won't miss a beat on your trip.

Amazon Essentials Men's Classic-Fit Wrinkle-Resistant Flat-Front Chino Pant (Available in Big & Tall)

These Amazon Essentials pants are Amazon's No. 1 bestselling style in their Men's Casual Pants category. They have a 4.2-star rating and more than 50,000 reviews. They feature a classic fit with a straight leg and are made from wrinkle-resistant cotton-blend chino fabric. They have front slant pockets and button-through back pockets and are machine washable. 

Jogger travel pants

Hanes mens Ecosmart Jogger Sweatpants, Men's Midweight Fleece Lounge Pants, 30.5

These Hanes Ecosmart Joggers are undr $20 and have a 4.4-star rating with more than 37,000 reviews. They are available in four colors on Amazon. These "year-round fleece sweats" feature a relaxed silhouette, side seam pockets and a drawcord waist.

• $14.37 to $16

Under Armour UA Sportstyle Jogger Pants - Men's

These 4.7-star Under Armour joggers have over 700 reviews. They are made from a durable knit fabric that "wicks sweat and dries fast." There are hand pockets and a back left pocket. 

Fleece Lounge Men's Tapered Jogger

A comfortable jogger is key to long travel days. This tapered style from SKIMS' recently launched men's collection has a 4.6-star rating. They are made from 54% cotton, 14% recycled cotton and 32% recycled polyester. They feature an elastic waistband with a drawcord and side pockets. The joggers are available in XS to 5X. 

Patagonia Terrebonne Jogger Pants - Men's

Go from the car to a hike in these Patagonia Terrebonne Joggers. They "feature a recycled polyester ripstop that breathes well and dries in a flash," according to REI's website, and have a durable water-repellent. They are lightweight and compressible for easy packing. Reviewers have given these a 4.6-star rating on REI.

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Travelfornoobs

The Complete Packing List for Moscow

Moscow packing list – what you need to bring, how to pack for moscow.

You’ve booked your plane ticket and the time of departure is fast approaching? After the joys of such a decision, comes the question of knowing what to put in your suitcase to go to Moscow. No need to panic, we have prepared a very complete list of the essential things to bring to make sure you don’t miss anything once you are there.

In order to leave no room for unforeseen events, it’s of course preferable to go through this list a few days before leaving rather than the day before departure, as you might miss some items.

Take the time to read and download it in order to identify the things that you absolutely must pack and that you might miss and that could make you lose time and money if you forget them.

You will also need to think about packing according to the type of accommodation you will be staying in, the different modes of transportation you will use during your trip, the climate and the season, as well as the activities you plan to do.

In order to help you prepare your suitcase, this checklist of the essential things to bring in Moscow gathers several categories: clothes, accessories, various objects… It will allow you to have a concrete vision of a typical suitcase for Moscow.

An advice, think of keeping some space in your luggage if you wish to bring back souvenirs or to make some clothing shopping on the spot.

Thanks to this travel list, preparing your bag for Moscow will be a real child’s play and you will just have to enjoy your adventure!

Note : This article contains affiliate links to Amazon.

• Important hings to do before you go
• Essential documents
• Transport essentials
• Backpack & luggage
• Clothing and shoes
• Hygiene & Toiletries
• Photo, Video & High Tech
• Useful accessories
• Medication and first aid kit
• Activities and Useful Links (+ Printable checklist PDF)

1/ Important things to do before you go

 Prepare your travel itinerary  Apply for a visa (if necessary)  Make your vaccinations (if necessary)  Check-up at the doctor / dentist  Take out a travel insurance  Photocopy or scan important documents (passport)  Write down e-mail and useful phone numbers in your address book  Warn your bank about your trip abroad (if necessary)  Book accomodation for your first night ( Do it now before everything is fully booked! Check the best hotels on Booking )  Download offline applications and maps for Maps.me  Download movies offline   Prepare your favorite music playlist  Turn off or turn down the heat of your house  Empty garbage cans  Water the plants   Give a copy of your house/car keys to a family member or friend  Close doors and windows

2/ Essential documents

Even before you buy your plane ticket, remember to check the validity of your passport : it must be valid for at least six months after your return date (for some countries) and have a blank page. Another tip: send your important documents to a secondary email in case you lose them.

   Passport   ID card    Plane or train ticket (have a paper copy just in case)   Reservation documents (e-ticket, train ticket, hotel reservation)   Visa (if necessary)   International driver’s license, if you wish to rent a car   Health insurance card   Travel insurance   Credit card   Cash   Useful numbers in case of emergency   Itinerary and address of your accommodation (hotel / AirBnB / camping)   Vaccination certificate   Diving license, sailing license, etc.   Some business cards with your contact information, email, blog, website

3/ Transport essentials

The little things to have with you at all times during the flight or the trip by train or bus:

 Phone and charger  Book / Magazine / Kindle / Travel Guide  MP3 player   Chewing gum   Pen + notepad  Travel pillow ( my favorite )  Sleep mask ( my favorite )   Earplugs   Snacks / sandwich   Small water bottle  Nasal ointment for dry nose  Sunglasses   Glasses case   Watch   Hand sanitizer   Disposable face mask   Tissues   Motion sickness medication

4/ Backpack & luggage

 Waterproof dry bag ( my favorite )  Handbag   Travel laundry bag ( my favorite )  Carry-on suitcase ( my favorite )  Travel bag ( my favorite )   Luggage tag ( my favorite )   Travel Packing Organizers ( my favorite )   Rain cover for backpack ( my favorite )   Zippered carry-on bag   Shoe bag ( my favorite )   Fanny pack   Lightweight foldable backpack ( my favorite )

5/ Clothing and shoes

  Socks  Underwear (panties, thongs, bras, briefs, boxers…)  Tank tops  Skirt ♀  Dress ♀  Pajamas  T-shirts  Long sleeve shirt ( for her , for him )  Short sleeve shirt ( for her , for him )  Polo shirt ( for her , for him )   Sweatshirt / pullover ( for her , for him )   Jeans   Lightweight pants ( for her , for him )   Money belt ( my favorite )   Shorts   Jogging suit   Jacket / coat   K-way ( for her , for him )   Windbreaker ( for her , for him )  Hat / cap / beanie   Scarf / bandana   Swimsuit   Buff scarf ( my favorite )

For shoes, you will have to choose according to the activities you plan to do:

 Comfortable walking shoes   Shoes for going out (restaurants, bars, clubs…)  Flip-flops (for the beach, showers…) ( for her , for him )  Hiking shoes ( for her , for him )  Sandals ( for her , for him )   Water shoes for walking in water (beaches, waterfalls, rivers…) ( for her , for him )  Light trekking shoes ( for her , for him )  Crocs

6/ Hygiene & Toiletries

 Microfiber towel ( my favorite )   Toilet bag   Portable Travel Bottles ( my favorite )  Toothbrush & toothpaste  Dental floss  Soap   Shampoo   Facial cleanser   Nail clippers   Cotton buds (biodegradable)   Tweezers   Make-up   Deodorant   Comb / Hairbrush   Razor & shaving foam ♂   Biodegradable wipes ( my favorite )   Toilet paper roll   Perfume   Makeup ♀   Contact Lenses   Contact lens product   Pocket mirror

7/ Photo, Video & High Tech

For photographers and videographers:

 Camera  Lens  Memory card  Polarizing filters   ND filter   Extra battery   Charger + cable + plug adapter   Cleaning kit   External hard drive   USB key   Stabilizer   Drone ( my favorite )    Waterproof phone case   Flash   Solar charger ( my favorite )    Gopro ( my favorite )   Waterproof case   Selfie Pole  External battery / Powerbank ( my favorite ) 

Don’t forget:

 Portable speaker  Ipad / Tablet  Laptop PC  External battery  Headphones or noise cancelling headphones ( my favorite )

Useful apps to download before you go to Moscow:

 AirBnB  Booking  Couchsurfing  Flush – Public Toilet Finder (Useful for finding toilets!)  Google Maps  Google Translator  Google Trips  Lonely Planet Guide  LoungeBuddy  Maps.me  Meetup  Tripadvisor  Uber  Whatsapp  XE Currency

8/ Useful accessories

The accessories you will take in your bag for Moscow will depend on your travel style:

  TSA lock ( my favorite )  Headlamp ( my favorite )  Sleeping bag ( my favorite )  Sheets ( my favorite )  Swiss Army knife (not in the hand luggage!) ( my favorite )  Travel clothesline ( my favorite )  Powdered or liquid detergent  Clothes pegs  Spork ( my favorite )  Ziploc bags  Lighter  Folding umbrella ( my favorite )  Toilet paper  Mosquito repellent ( my favorite )   Mosquito net ( my favorite )   Sunscreen cream  Aloe vera gel   Waterproof pouch for smartphone    For hikers : GPS, map, compass, water bottle   Walking stick ( my favorite )   Anti-sweat talcum powder ( my favorite )   Beach towel ( my favorite )   Sawyer water filter ( must-have !)  Pills to purify non-drinking water   Mask, snorkel, fins   Diving accessories (gloves, dive computer, lamp, knife…)

9/ Medication and first aid kit

I suggest that you consult your doctor and dentist before leaving. Beware of unauthorized medication and remember to keep your vaccinations up to date!

If you have a treatment don’t forget to take your personal medication and your prescription if necessary (or medical certificate).

You can buy a first aid kit already prepared ( my favorite ).

  Cotton buds   Tweezers   Round-tipped scissors   Pairs of single-use latex gloves  Bandages   Paracetamol or ibuprofen for pain   Sterile compresses   Disinfectant spray for wounds   Physiological saline solution in pods (wound cleaning)   Condoms and other contraceptives

For longer trips and higher risk locations, we can also add:

  Sterile adhesive skin sutures (steristrips)   Rehydration solutions (in case of dehydration)   Water purification tablets   Water decontamination tablets (Aquatabs or Micropur)   Medication for altitude   Medication for sore throat    Anti-malarial medication   Survival blanket   Tick tweezers   Ointment against itching (antihistamine)   Probiotics for the stomach   Corticosteroid pills and cream   Analgesics (painkillers)   Survival blanket   Cold medicine (decongestant)   Biafine (in case of burns or sunburns)   Broad-spectrum antibiotics without a prescription   Anti-diarrhea tablets (immodium, smecta)

10/ Activities and Useful Links + Printable checklist

You can download the complete travel list in PDF format and print it by clicking here.

Book your hotel in Moscow now on Booking.com

AirBnb : Get a discount for your first booking!

Book now your activities in Moscow on Getyourguide:

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Kuznetski Most area in Moscow

Kuznetski Most is a small area between Tverskaya street, Kremlin, and Kitai Gorod (Lubyanka) and it's a downtown of Moscow. First of all, 'Kuznya' is a great place to walk: it is a real Moscow area, not a postcard at all, hectic busy streets neighbour tranquil lanes and courtyards with traditional architecture. There are also many very nice cafes, restaurants, clubs, and shops. If you want a cool place to meet people, go for a walk and to get the real feeling of the city, check out this area.

Long time ago there were only half-broken low wooden houses in Kuznetski Most area, and it was the place where poor blacksmithes lived. Blacksmith is 'Kuznets' in Russia, hence the name. In the beginning of the street (on top) there was a bridge over a small river, later this river was put underground, so there's no bridge anymore. About 200 years ago there was a rich Moscovitan noble buying this area. He immediately put away all the blacksmiths' houses and started to build a fancy new district. Just in few years he built up beautiful houses, with impressive ornaments, rich decoration, pools in the courtyards. Also, he opened some French boutiques in the area. That's when Kuznetski Most started to become fashionable. In a short time all the elite moved to this  area, and those who wasn't so fast were coming here to make some shopping and to sit in many of the restaurants and cafes around.  In the 20th century, when the communist times arrived, most of the buildings were given to government offices, some were given to soviet shops. The area became boring, the architecture was slowly deteriorating , but nobody seemed to care. In the beginning of the 90s  the area was revived again: the buildings were  restored , there was many new cafes being opened, boutiques, and shops. One important landmark of Kuznetsky Most is that it's home to FSB (Federal Security Bureau - former KGB) offices, and if you walk along Kuznetsky Most street you can get to the FSB reception, which is open 24 hours (in case you have something to report).  

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How to use a Troika card on Moscow’s Metro, and other ways to buy tickets

Passengers pass turnstiles at the Serpukhovskaya station of the Serpukhovsko-Timiryazevskaya Moscow metro line.

Moscow residents can now top up their Troika transport cards with the official Moscow Metro app, subway representatives announced on Oct. 31. To put money on the card, passengers simply need to download the app and transfer money via NFC connection. What other ways can you pay for riding on Moscow’s public transport?

Troika card

It’s by far the most convenient option for using public transport in the Russian capital. This plastic card is valid for five years, so you don’t need to throw it away after your trip to Russia. You can ride with a Troika on the Moscow metro, as well as Moscow’s Central Ring, buses, trams, and trolley buses.

One ride costs 35 rubles ($0.6), but if you change transport within 90 minutes you will only pay 19 rubles ($0.33) for the next journey. Further changes within those 90 minutes are free.

You can top up your card with the subway attendants who sit behind the glass panels, automated terminals, or via the special Moscow Metro app . Kiosks accept both cash and cards. According to the Moscow Metropolitan official site, you can only keep 3,000 rubles ($51) on your Troika. If you don’t use up all your credit before you leave Moscow, you can cash in the card and get your money back - but this is only possible to do at Metro Service Centers (Ulitsa 1905 Goda street, 25 or  Staraya Basmanaya Street, 20 bld 1; 8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily).

Your Troika’s balance can be checked on the app or on the small yellow terminals inside the metro stations.

Important point – one card should only be used by one person (the subway’s rules state that every person should have their own ticket). You can also be hit with a fine of 1,000 ($17) if caught riding the underground without a ticket.

How to get a Troika: Get the card in any metro kiosk or automated ticket office. The card is free, but you need to leave 50 rubles ($0.85) as a deposit. You can return it after.   

United (Yediny) ticket

This red paper card can have 1, 2, 20, 40, or 60 rides on any kind of Moscow public transport, and the price depends on the number of rides (more rides you buy the less you pay for a ride), from 55 rubles ($0.95) to 28 rubles ($0.48). If you plan to use transport a lot, you can buy a ticket for 60 rides for 1,700 rubles ($30). A ticket for one or two rides is only valid for five days, while other kind of tickets can be used for 90 days.

If you don’t plan to use metro, you can order a card for ground transport only (it will be dark blue with TAT letters on the cover). This card costs 1,150 rubles ($19) for 60 rides.

How to get it: You can buy this card in any metro kiosk. Cards for one or two rides can be also purchased in automated ticket offices.

Daily tickets

Muscovites often buy tickets without ride limits for specific periods – 30 days, 60 days, or one year. But Moscow Metro suggest special tickets for tourists – for one day (210 rubles, or $3.6), three days (400 rubles, $6.9) or seven days (800 rubles, $13.8). They also can be used on any kind of public transport. Tourists’ tickets also have no limit for rides.

How to get it: You can buy this card in any metro kiosk.

90 minute ticket

Another kind of ticket allows one ride on the metro and any number of rides on other Moscow public transport within 90 minutes. The card can be for one (65 rubles, or $1.1), two ($130 rubles, or $2.2), and 60 rides (2,650 rubles, or $46). This card is useful if you have to catch different kinds of transport for a short time.

It’s helpful to add this card to your Troika. Moreover, it will save the paper.

Payment via smartphones

Smartphone owners can  pay  travel fares via Samsung Pay and Apple Pay, linked with MasterCard credit card and the Wallet app. Apple Pay can also be installed on iWatch. The price for one fare costs 40 rubles ($0.7). You can also use these apps for buying usual tickets in kiosks.

Since late 2016, this system has been available at all ring railway stations and 80 metro stations across the city.

In the future, smartphone-enabled ticket turnstiles will be installed at all Moscow metro stations.

How to get it: Download the Samsung Pay and Apple Pay and start riding!

Unique tickets have recently appeared in Moscow. Bracelets, rings, and keychains with transport microchips are not only a souvenir from the Russian capital, but also a serious way to use metropolitan. The deposit price for a bracelet is 450 rubles ($8), for a keychain – 350 rubles ($6). One ring costs 2,200 rubles ($38). The price for a fare is the same as for the Troika card.

How to get it: Only at the Pushkinskaya metro station souvenir kiosk and souvenir shops in the Mayakovskaya and Trubnaya metro stations.

Actually there are other options to inserts transport microchip – for example, in 2015 Moscow engineer Vlad Zaitsev implanted a chip in his hand, so all he has to do is wave at the turnstile and he’s away - but we recommend enjoying Moscow’s transport in a more conventional way. 

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