Oakley Carry-On
The sturdy Oakley 鈥檚 44 liters hold a week鈥檚 worth of stuff for a light packer. It can take a beating, and the telescoping handle and wheels are supersmooth, so the details won鈥檛 slow you down. One drawback: the mesh lining can snag.
Sockwell Circulator
Sockwell鈥檚 smooth, cashmere-merino-bamboo boosted circulation on long plane rides, preventing the agony of restless legs.
Horny Toad Metamorphose
The ultrasoft Tencel-and-linen Horny Toad can be worn as a skirt, knee-length halter dress, or front- or back-tie strapless dress. Roll it up in a suitcase and it鈥檒l stay wrinkle-free. One gripe: it takes a while to dry.
Birkenstock Gizeh
Birkenstock have all the perks of the original footbed (arch support, deep heel cup, roomy toe box), plus EVA soles make them almost as lightweight as a pair of foam 鈥檉lops.
Helly Hansen Hydro
Packing rule #1: Don鈥檛 forget the swimsuit. (Even Manitoba has hot tubs.) Unlike most halters, the Helly Hansen offers coverage for ladies who wear up to a C cup. The slim bottoms have a flattering but not Brazilian-small cut and won鈥檛 slip during a fierce game of Kadima.
MEC Bon Vivant
The mid-thigh-length MEC isn鈥檛 all-day waterproof, but it鈥檒l handle a soupy spell or bouts of moderate rain. And we liked that the tailored cut, in recycled polyester, doesn鈥檛 look outdoor-geeky on city streets.
Zeal Boundary
The copper-colored polarized lenses on Zeal鈥檚 lightweight knock back glare during road trips, boating, and even spring skiing. Our favorite part? The rubber on the arms didn鈥檛 pull on our hair when we took them off.
Prana Essex
Prana鈥檚 quick-dry,聽nylon-spandex, trouser-style went from the plane to city strolling to the trail聽without a hitch. We even wore them to an impromptu yoga class, where they asana鈥檇 right along with us.
Marmot Sylvie Hoody
Marmot鈥檚 mid-hip-length is cozy and flattering, with a wide neck and generous hood. The base-layer-thick Tencel-and-wool blend is ideal for breezy evenings.