When we think about intrepid travel, more often than not we imagine trips to the pointy and sandy parts of the globe. But there are a whole lot of adventures going on in the cities too.
Urban exploits demand urban style, and your garish board shorts and technical mountain shells aren't quite going to cut it among the timbered alleyways of old Bryggen or the gleaming skyscrapers of Kyoto.
Fortunately, we've got your back. Whether you're exploring the hidden depths of your own city or getting to grips with a whole new one, read on for our picks of the best urban adventure gear on WildBounds.
Beer gardens, street food markets, café terraces and outdoor cinema screenings… it’s remarkable how much city life plays out in the open air. You might be watching the New Year fireworks from the town square or commuting into the centre on the deck of a water taxi, but chances are you’re going to need a nice warm jacket to keep the cold out of your bones.
Sure, everyone else will probably be in a Michelin Man-style down parka, but why not keep yours for base camp wear and opt for a more stylish alternative instead?
The Amundsen Breguet Jacket (available for both men and women) looks like a cross between a sporty performance shell and a vintage bomber jacket. With a smart synthetic outer and 120 grams of real Norwegian wool insulation, they field-tested it way down in Antarctica – so it ought to cut the mustard on a winter city break. Alternatively, the men’s Sörmland Padded Jacket from Fjällräven combines toasty PrimaLoft insulation with versatile field jacket looks.
Prefer something a bit lighter? Patagonia reckons their Micro Puff Hoody offers the best warmth-to-weight ratio of any jacket they’ve ever made – which is quite an accolade if you’re Patagonia. With its understated styling and an unusual quilted construction that minimises stitching, the whole thing packs down into its own pocket – making it ideal for those transitions between hot and cold that characterise urban life.
The thing about technical waterproof jackets is that they tend to come in bright colours. After all, if you’re a mountaineer, being ultra-visible might just save your life in an emergency.
It's a bit different in the city, where apparel is more about stylish understatement. Sure, you want to keep the wind and rain off, but you also don’t want to look like you’ve just stepped off Skiddaw.
Living up to its name in more ways than one, the Smart Jacket from Unfeigned has a minimalist, boxy aesthetic that’s bang-on for urban exploits. It’s also remarkably waterproof for such a light garment, with a stretch nylon fabric and advanced water-repellent treatment. Packable, lightweight and cut for layering, it’s a ready-made companion for spontaneous city travel.
The Fogg’s Rain Parka from Amundsen is named for fictional globe-trotter, Phileas Fogg from Around the World in Eighty Days – but looks-wise we reckon it owes more to 1960s mod styling than it does to Victorian gentlemen’s clubs. Just check out that fishtail back and the duffel coat-style button-and-loop closure on the front flap. Not only does it look sharp, but the three-layer shell is wind and waterproof with a very creditable 10,000mm hydrostatic head.
For slimmer budgets, the Patagonia Torrentshell is one of the best value waterproofs we stock. Engineered for full-on hillwalking, the minimalist design and understated colourways also mean it looks great around town.
Cast your eye down the street ahead of you and what do you see? Jeans and joggers, right? And sure, the common or garden variety look decent and do the job, but we’ve got brands that are taking strides to the next level.
Everyone loves denim, but we'll admit it’s got its downsides. It takes ages to dry if it gets wet, it’s not very breathable in hot weather, and it could do with a bit more flex – especially if you like to zip around town on two wheels.
Enter DUER with their Performance Denim. Even their most basic jeans have five times the stretch of regular denim, with gussets for extra flexibility and anti-odour treatments that mean you can wash them less often. They also do great chino-style No Sweat Pants that combine tailored looks with the stretch and comfort of trackie bottoms.
If you’re more of a purist, we’ve also got classic raw denim jeans from &Sons, offering a couple of different fabric weights along with refinements like stretch material, turn-up loops for cyclists and anti-bac treatments. Time to get working on that fade.
For baggier street styles, you can’t go wrong with a pair of the ever-popular Gramicci G-Pants, or the even more relaxed silhouette of their Gadget Pants – also featuring extra-deep pockets for your tech.
Casual, practical and warm, the humble hooded sweatshirt is as inextricably linked with city life as Deliveroo bikes and Orwellian CCTV.
But they also come in many shapes and sizes, and a lot of hoodies shout salty surf style or after-work jogger rather than stylish urban adventurer.
Some of our favourite everyday hoodies come courtesy of Deus ex Machina – a brand that started out as a custom motorcycle workshop in Sydney. With boxy fits and heavyweight fabrics, these are functional, hard-wearing sweaters for work or play.
If you want your hoodie to do double duty as a light jacket while you’re dashing between gigs and galleries, check out the R1 Air Full-Zip Hoody from Patagonia. Available in both men’s and women’s versions, the hollow-core yarns offer impressive breathability, while the muted colours and unconventional zig-zag knit lend a dash of city style to what’s actually a pretty technical outdoor fleece. Don’t miss their Uprisal hoodies made from recycled plastic bottles either.
Chore jackets are rapidly becoming the metropolitan garment of choice. Originally workmen’s duds, these days you’re much more likely to see a chore jacket on a barista or a graphic designer than on a car mechanic. It helps that they’re practical as well as stylish – the thickness usually hits somewhere between a heavy shirt and a light jacket, and there are plenty of useful pockets for your gadgets and other bits and bobs.
The chore jackets from &Sons are always a big hit, offering a more upmarket take on your average French workman’s bleu de travail. Their Carver Jacket in heavy cotton twill features a button-down collar and natty slanted pockets, while their shawl-collar indigo Crafter Jacket feels like something that might have come from a culty Japanese workwear brand rather than a company based in Gloucestershire.
If you can’t be doing with all these extra frills and just want the classic workwear version, go for the &Sons Blue Bolt jacket or the mechanic-style Speedshop Chore from Deus Ex Machina, complete with printed back.
Funny, isn’t it, what headwear seems to be acceptable in a city setting? For example, even in the height of summer you don’t tend to see floppy boonie hats or those eminently practical legionnaire caps with the sort of tea towel that covers your neck. Ditto ear-flapped trapper caps in winter.
What you do see are baseball caps and beanies, and we’ve got plenty to choose from.
You can’t go wrong with a classic trucker cap, and some of the most popular ones at the moment come courtesy of Goorin Bros. Sported by celebrities from Luis Suárez to Tom Hardy, their ‘Animal Farm’ line of lids feature animal patches with cheeky captions.
As for beanies, it’s all about BARTS. Hailing from Amsterdam, their winter warmers come in a huge range of styles, colours and textures – from minimalist watch caps to chunky-knit bobble hats that look like they should be warming a teapot.
And let’s not forget one of the biggest names in headwear, Stetson. Best known for their fur felt cowboy hats, they also do a solid line in baseball caps, and we’re a big fan of their peakless docker caps.
Urban travel puts a unique set of demands on your bag. It’s going to get squished and scuffed, and any trailing straps will be a liability on escalators and crowded public transport. You’re more likely to be carrying tech like laptops or tablets, and you might need attachments for bike accessories like D-locks or helmets. You’re also not tied to backpacks in the same way you might be in other environments – slings, messengers and totes are all fair game in the city.
For the sake of both style and function, you’ll want something nice and streamlined – with bonus points for a pack that’s smart enough to bridge the gap between work and play.
Backpacks don't come much sleeker than the ones from Australian brand, Bellroy. Their Venture range features minimalist aesthetics with hiker-level carrying comfort, and also includes a nifty line of mini-sling bags. Elsewhere on WildBounds, check out the Hugger packs from Db Journey for striking space age styling.
For streamlined Scandi design that’s smart enough to take to the office, Sandqvist has you covered, while Osprey’s fully waterproof Metron range is aimed squarely at the urban cyclist.
And you can’t go wrong with a design classic, can you? The instantly recognisable Little America Backpack from Herschel Supply Co. feels like it’s been around a lot longer than its 15 years, while the legendary Fjällräven Kånken has become one of the most famous knapsacks in the world since it was first designed for Swedish schoolkids in the 1970s.
Your accessories and essentials might look a bit different in the city. Pocket knives and multi-tools, for example, are a big no-no in a world where every bar, theatre or museum is going to do a bag check.
An everyday carry load-out is more likely to include umbrellas, notebooks and pens – plus of course a reusable coffee mug for your daily grind.
Truly, what is a commute without a giant hit of weapons-grade caffeine? Skip the terrible plastic-lined takeaway cup, and opt for a handsome To Go Tumbler from Kinto – or a Travel Tumbler that’ll keep your morning joe hot for up to 6 hours.
And from putting liquids in to keeping them out, there are times of year when an umbrella is a prudent investment. You could grab a high-street cheapie that’ll collapse like a bag of old bones in a stiff breeze, or you could invest in a next-gen one from Blunt. Their umbrellas can withstand wind speeds of up to 70mph, offer serious coverage and durability, and even feature rounded tips to stop you spearing eyeballs as you scuttle down the street.
And with that, you’re just about done. Slip a notebook and James Brand pen in your jacket pocket, pick up a slimline Bellroy wallet, and charge up your travel card for the next urban adventure…
