PACKING FOR COSTA RICA – HI-TECH TRAVEL CLOTHES TO BEAT THE HEAT
Costa Rica offers gorgeous weather with a year-round tropical climate. Defined by wet and dry seasons, the warm weather is often part of the attraction to visitors. Picking the right clothing, however, can become troublesome. Trying to find clothing that will work equally as well for a hike into the Cangrejo Falls as a day at Playa Tamarindo beach (not to mention those cocktails in the evening), can prove a challenge for even the most seasoned traveler. That’s where a few innovative companies have stepped in to create a range of versatile, high-tech travel clothes that are suitable for every occasion.
People often favor high quality linens or 100% cotton clothing, but these luxurious fabrics will just not do for the modern day traveler. For somebody adventuring into the tropics, jungles and mountain ranges of Costa Rica, a more flexible and durable fabric is required. Linen is notoriously difficult to keep wrinkle free (really, who wants to spend their entire holiday ironing?) and cotton dries slowly in these humid climates, leading to dampness and even mould. When packing for a visit to a tropical, central american climate like Costa Rica, you need to take a different approach to your clothing options and opt for something more suited to the varying climate.
Modern, hi-tech travel clothes are made of fabrics that provide,
at a bare minimum, something that wont wrinkle and is easy to care for. Other specialist
fabrics offer even more benefits. Superfine merino is famed for keeping you warm in the
cold and cool in the warm as well as fresh and odour free. TENCEL® is crafted from eucalyptus
pulp and provides durability, perfect if you’re planning a Arenal volcano hike. Capilene® polyester
is used by Patagonia, and is hailed for its antimicrobial qualities. Other travel fabrics offer UV protection,
quick drying, insect protection and moisture wicking.
The market for specialist travel clothing is in high demand, and producers are following suit with more and
more travel specialised clothing brands popping up each day. Features such as hidden pockets for your
emergency colón stash,
convertible items (such as shorts-to-pants) and RFID blocking pockets to protect your credit cards,
are becoming more common place in travel, hiking and adventure stores. Some popular stockists of
speciality travel clothing include Icebreaker, Kathmandu, Exofficio and TravelSmith.
A quick visit to Amazon, eBay or Google will quickly turn up a whole host of travel focused garments,
and other items you can buy online, that are sure to provide you with more time exploring the delights
of Costa Rica, and much less time washing, ironing and caring for your clothing. If online shopping isn’t
your thing, stop by your nearest adventure travel, outdoors or hiking store to see what they have in stock.