The best travel pants for men don’t have it easy. For one, they’re probably competing with your sweats, stiff competition in any context, let alone in the TSA line. So if your first instinct before hightailing it to the airport is to swaddle yourself in your trustiest lazy-Sunday gear, we get it. You want to be comfortable when you travel—but, and this should really go without saying, you also want to look like an adult. And that’s where pants specifically engineered for a long, arduous journey (or a short jaunt upstate) have the advantage.
Luckily for you, there are plenty of excellent, thoughtfully-designed options that check those boxes and more—and to help you narrow it down, we criss-crossed the menswear landscape to find the best travel pants for men on the market right now. Bon voyage
Pros
Designed to match the brand’s carry-on jacket, Buck Mason’s Parachute Poplin Carry-On pants are essentially a classic chino, but offered in a lighter, sweaty-travel-day-friendly fabric. Crafted from crisp 5.5 oz. cotton poplin, they boast a mid-rise, a look that skews more vintage military chino than gym-ready jogger, and plenty of useful pockets, while the natural enzyme rinse gives them a throwback vibe right off the rack.
Best Travel Pants for Summer: Banana Republic Linen-Cotton Traveler Pull-On Pants
These Banana Republic pants tick all the travel pant boxes: comfort, style, functionality. There aren’t many things that feel or look better in summer than linen. The problem with pure linen, though, is that it can rip easily. Banana Republic solved for that by blending its Italian-milled linen with cotton, which gives these pants just enough stretch to last through your travels and beyond, while still keeping things breezy and cool. There’s also some hidden elastic in the waist for heavy eating days, and an interior drawstring to help you get the fit just right every morning of your trip.
Best Budget Travel Pants: Lululemon Poplin Relaxed-Fit Pants
Lululemon is a master of versatile comfort. The brand’s Poplin Relaxed-Fit Pants leave plenty of room for motion, are lightweight and tear-resistant, and—thanks to their cotton-nylon blend—still breathable, removing one of nylon’s downsides and keeping only the best qualities: strength and stretch. Oh, and at $98, they’re the most affordable of our winners.
Best Travel Pants for the Outdoors: Nike ACG Smith Summit Convertible Cargo Trousers
These aren’t your dad’s zip-off cargos. Nike’s ACG (it stands for ‘All Conditions Gear’) line pairs contemporary style with ready-for-anything technical details—in this case, a water-repellent finish, adjustable internal belt, and large zippable cargo pockets for snacks (or phone chargers). Tested at Smith Rock near Nike’s Oregon HQ, they’re made from a blend of nylon and water-resistant Cordura, a synthetic fabric often used in backpacks and military gear. These are some heavy-duty travel pants for the adventure set.
Best Travel Pants for the Daily Commute: Rhone Commuter Straight Fit Pants
These may look like suit trousers to the untrained eye, but the four-way stretch of their Flex-Knit fabric is optimized for movement, meaning they’ll hold up (and keep you comfortable) whether you’re rushing for a meeting or a flight. With a flat front, mid-rise, and slight taper, the Commuter Pants also come in six colors for variety, and have stealthy hidden, secure pockets for your phone and wallet.
Best Travel Pants for the Apocalypse: Outlier Futureyeses Pants
Brooklyn-based Outlier takes pride in the cutting-edge qualities of its designs, but despite their futuristic branding, its products are very much available today. These “Futureyeses” (pronounced Future-yes-es) are made from a lightweight but durable nylon blend, and woven in Sweden with a two-way stretch design that makes them more than prepped for squats and lunges, should you be planning on incorporating workouts into your week away. There’s also an elastic waist, eight color options, five pockets, a handy key loop, and a water-repellent coating for whatever the weather throws at you.