The 11 Best Travel Pants, Tested and Reviewed

The Lululemon ABC Classic-fit Pant Warpstreme checks all the boxes for the optimal men’s travel pants. Whether you’re looking for comfort, quality, durability, design, or value, these pants fit the bill. Their comfortable build means you can stretch your legs when sprinting to catch the bus, and they’ll get you through long, 16-hour travel days with ease. After weekly wear for commuting over a five-month period, they still look good as new with no signs of shrinkage or fading.

The pants come in a classic style with five pockets deep enough to fit the biggest phones and thickest wallets. You can wear them in almost any setting, including pair with a workout shirt for exercise, work, travel, nights at home, brunch, and dinner dates. On top of that, they don’t stretch or shrink after multiple runs through the wash, and the material doesn’t pill.

All in all, the Lululemon ABC Classic-fit Pant Warpstremes are the travel pants to beat. While the price is a bit higher than others on the list, we wouldn’t be surprised if you headed back to the store and picked up a few more pairs in different colors. Luckily, there are 16 options to choose from.

The Details: Sizes 28-46 | 53 percent elastomultiester, 47 percent recycled polyester

The Everlane The Performance Traveler Chinos might seem a bit tight at first, but after giving them a couple wears and washes throughout five months of tests, we found them to have a perfect fit. They’re known for being supercomfortable, even while walking through terminals or spending hours waiting for a flight.

Everlane uses high-quality material for its pants, so the stretch waistband and jogger cut around the ankles won’t fall apart after a couple washes. We don’t recommend throwing them in the dryer, but if they somehow end up there, just give the pants a wear, and they should stretch out after a couple minutes.

When it comes to design, the jogger cut gives them a different feel than some of the other pants on this list. The pockets are also deep, while the side zipper pocket allows for additional security. Even with the zip pockets, these are pants you could wear at the office or out with a white T-shirt.

The Details: 28- to 40-inch waist, 30- or 32-inch length | 94 percent cotton, 6 percent elastane

The Mack Weldon Radius Pant manages to be comfortable and breathable, while also bringing a touch of sophistication to your wardrobe. The material is not as thin as other travel pants, which helps the fit stay true through multiple wears. While we didn’t find them to be as comfortable as some of the other pairs on this list, we didn’t struggle when wearing them throughout an entire day.

The pants come in a classic four-pocket style — two in front, two in back. We noted the high-quality feel of the pants and think they’d be a good fit for formal events. They look like a nicer pair of chinos that you can easily dress up, and they come with tiny extra compartments for smaller items like coins or AirPods. Additionally, the fabric wicks moisture and is lightweight without being too thin. Better yet, the fabric is not impacted by washing or drying, and there’s no pilling, either.

The Details: S to XXL | 91 percent polyester, 9 percent spandex

Breathable, stylish, and oh-so-comfortable, these pants from Mack Weldon are our favorite joggers for men. They are cozy but still look nice, so they’re ideal for wearing on long travel days when you want to prioritize comfort but still feel put together. The French terry material held up well during testing and showed no signs of pilling or wear after several washes. These also have the perfect balance of warmth and breathability, keeping up warm in cool temps without overheating. Plus, the waistband is snug without feeling too tight.

Two side pockets, plus two secure zippered pockets, make these great for holding small travel items like phones, passports, and keys without worry. Our only concern is that we aren’t sure these would stand up well to snags, so we’d be careful about wearing them in more rugged environments with the potential to brush up against branches or thorns. We’d also love to see a few more color options, but otherwise think these are an excellent pick for versatile travel joggers.

The Details: S-XXL, regular and tall | Cotton and lycra

If you plan on hiking or spending time outdoors, the Eddie Bauer Guide Pro pants are a great option. We found that they’ll keep you warm while hiking in cold or warmer temperatures (though anything cooler than 30 degrees would require another layer), but are just as fitting at home. They’re comfortable for both walking and sitting, thanks to two-way stretch fabric, while the athletic fit means they hug closer to the body without restricting mobility. We wore them on hikes and walks and never felt hot, even when our upper layer of clothing got sweaty, the pants remained breathable.

As anyone who spends long stretches on the road knows, it’s important not to overpack and to get extra wear out of your travel wardrobe when necessary. The pants are made of lightweight spandex, so they’re easy to fold up and don’t take up too much space in your bag. The odor-control waistband, meanwhile, makes it so they stay fresher longer. 

The Details: 30- to 44-inch waist, 30- to 36-inch inseam | Nylon, spandex | Water-resistant

Lululemon managed to make it on our list of the best men’s travel pants twice, and if you get the opportunity to try these on, you’ll know exactly why. Frankly, these are some of the most comfortable pants we’ve ever worn. They have a drawstring for a perfect fit, the tapered leg is slimming, and they find the perfect balance between a relaxed and put-together look. After five months of use on planes, trains, and during daily commutes, we found these to be incredibly comfortable.

These are high-quality pants as well (typical for Lululemon as a brand), and they have an almost satin-like texture. Even after several washes, the pants retained their form and fit perfectly. They have four pockets, including two zippered back pockets. 

The Details: XS-XXL | 52 percent polyester, 42 percent cotton, 6 percent Lycra elastane

Everything about the Vuori Cascade Tech Chino Pant feels high quality. From the buttons to the zippers to the pockets, we gave these pants high marks across the board. Unlike the usual chino, these are made of 100 percent polyester, but they didn’t lose their shape like some other pairs we’ve tried and come in a stylish slim fit. We wore them to work and dressed them up with a nice shirt, but also wore them with a T-shirt for a more casual feel.

While these travel pants certainly look and feel the part, it’s how comfortable they are that sets them apart from the pack. Thanks to their performance stretch twill and high-quality elastic waistband, they look like classic chinos but feel like sweatpants or joggers. They have a water-resistant finish, and they’re breathable, so you won’t get too hot, but they’ll also keep you cozy on a brisk day — we do, however, recommend layering up for colder temperatures.

The Details: 28- to 38-inch waist | 100 percent polyester | Water-resistant

Patagonia is known for its high-quality, dependable garments and that’s exactly what the Daily Sweatpants are. Made from organic-certified French terry, they feature everything you’d expect from a classic pair of travel pants: they’re breathable, allow for mobility, and are extremely comfortable. We could wear them for hours on end, and they’re not restrictive, perfect for a long-haul flight. 

During testing, we also found that they got better after washing, somehow getting even softer without pilling. And they don’t look cheap, which means you can wear them at home, while wandering around a new city, and even to work — if it’s a more casual environment, of course. One thing to note is while we liked the drawstring for adjusting how snug a fit we wanted at the waist, we did find that the pants sagged a bit with our phone, wallet, and keys inside the pockets. The waistband also stretched out a bit after five months of regular use, but the quality of the pants has stayed the same otherwise.

The Details: XS-3XL | 98 percent regenerative organic cotton, 2 percent spandex

We wore these pants to do basically everything — from wearing them at the office to mowing the lawn to hitting the trail. What sets the Kühl Radikl pant apart is its quick-drying, abrasion-resistant material, which means they’ll last you through thick and thin and should hold their shape, even after several cycles through the wash. We actually wore these pants to the office three days in a row, and they fit and looked virtually the same every time. (The waist got a little wrinkled from sitting at a desk for a while, but a quick tumble in the dryer had these pants looking right as rain.) After five months of frequent wear, these still look and feel brand-new.

The nonadjustable waist gives the pants more of a dress-slack appearance, but they still provide full freedom of movement thanks to stretchy material running along the inseam, thighs, and waist — like you could even do yoga in these pants. We even put these pants through some extreme stretch tests and they survived beautifully. Unlike many travel pants, they aren’t formfitting, offering plenty of room in the trunk and thighs, but they taper a bit after the calves. The material is lightweight, breathable, and flexible without overstretching.

The Details: 28- to 42-inch waist, 28- to 36-inch inseam | 68 percent cotton, 29 percent nylon, 3 percent spandex | Quick-drying

When you’re tall, it can be a challenge to find a comfortable pair of pants. L.L.Bean, however, seems to have solved the problem with the Men’s Venture Stretch Five-pocket Pants. These pants are breathable and light and aren’t super stretchy. They have a trim fit and look more like slightly relaxed slacks than joggers.

Offering a wide range of motion, these pants seemed more athletic compared to dress pants, but we noted that they aren’t casual-looking like men’s sweatpants or shorts. The pants are a step above casual, making them versatile enough to work in a variety of settings. The material is comfortable, the pockets are deep enough to fit your phone, wallet, and keys, and they still looks good after five months of wearing, aside from some loose stitching and minor fraying. While we wouldn’t consider the pants to be luxury, they certainly are not “fast fashion,” either, so you can feel good about buying them in multiple colors.

The Details: 30- to 44-inch waist, 29- to 34-inch inseam | 96 percent nylon, 4 percent spandex

The Du/er No Sweat pants look and fit similar to a jean, but that’s about where the comparison stops. You can wear these almost anywhere, from the airport to the climbing gym. During testing, we found they provided enough warmth on cool days, but think they’re lightweight and breathable enough to wear during warmer weather, too. They’re everything you’d expect from a well-made pair of jeans, except way more comfortable. Our only complaint after five months of regular use is that they wrinkle easily, which is something you’ll want to keep in mind when traveling.

The stitching is high-quality, while the double-stitched pockets and waistband are a nice touch. The waistband features a zipper and a button closure, so there is no mistaking them for frumpy sweatpants. And thanks to the fabric’s cotton, lyocell, polyester, and spandex blend, the plants offer plenty of stretch while still keeping their shape. It’s important to note that if you typically run between sizes, you may want to size up for a slightly roomier fit. Regardless, these versatile pants can be dressed up or down and comfortably worn all day.

The Details: 28- to 40-inch waist, 30- to 34-inch length | 62 percent cotton, 34 percent lyocell, 3 percent polyester, 1 percent spandex