Travel Skirts
Left: Royal Robbins Green Skirt Right: Exofficio Gray Skirt
Both skirts are comfortable, pack well, are wrinkle free, dry quickly and have pockets.
Front Royal Robbins Travel Skirt Back
Royal Robbins Skirt:
96% Nylon 4% Spandex – Made in Vietnam
Fabric – The fabric is a little stiffer, heavier and noisier than the fabric of the Exofficio skirt.
Pockets – I am in the habit of carrying my phone, which I use as my camera, in my left pocket. The left side pocket is a bit too shallow and the snap pocket is more difficult to access than a zipped pocket. The zip pocket on the right side is excellent and roomy enough for my phone. Below the zip pocket is another snap pocket that is somewhat secure, buy very awkward to access in an urban environment. I like to carry my phone in one pocket, my Credit Card and or ID in another pocket and my money in a third pocket. A fourth pocket is great for notes, directions, tickets, transport cards (Clipper Card in San Francisco, Orca in Seattle, Navigo in Paris). It’s too easy for a credit card or transport card to slip between bills and drop when fumbling for money while attempting to make a transaction in an unfamiliar place. I pull my phone out often to snap photos and I don’t want to worry about pulling out money and cards along with it, especially if I’m on a bridge or in a tree.
Style – The skirt is very comfortable as far as fit. I’m not crazy about the flare at the bottom that is a bit too much like a ruffle. Maybe if I were younger it would make me feel feminine rather than frumpy. Maybe if it were gray, black or tan rather than olive green, the ruffle wouldn’t bother me as much. That being said, I was perfectly happy with it until I found the Exofficio skirt.
Front Exofficio Skirt Back
Exofficio Skirt:
100% Nylon – Made in China
Fabric – Soft and almost weightless. It feels like silk against bare legs. I love it.
Pockets – Open pockets on either side near the waistband and zip pockets half-way down on each side, a perfect arrangement for me. All four are easily accessible. Because of the fit of the skirt, the two open pockets are secure enough for my credit card and transport card or a few bills. I can keep a small sketch pad and small fountain pen; or extra bills, notes, tickets and key in the second zip pocket. My phone lives alone in the zip pocket on my left.
Style – Totally comfortable. Though a straight skirt, I have full range of motion when I walk. It looks great and feels great. Works in the mountains and in a nice restaurant when worn with a dressier top a scarf and sandals rather than walking shoes.
Mountain Hard Wear Better Butter Skirts
Mountain Hard Wear:
Better Butter Skirt (Black) Knee length UPF 50 – 90% Polyester 10% Elastane – Made in Sri Lanka
Better Butter Skirt (Graphite) Below the Knee Length – UPS 50 – 90% Polyester 10% Elastane – Made in Sri Lanka
Both skirts are super comfortable and travel well. The longer version can be gathered higher on the left side for riding a bike. It also has a hidden pocket on the inside of the waistband that will hold a key, credit card or money. Since neither style has outer pockets, I wear them at home and I pack them when I travel by car and I don’t have to worry about weight, bulk or drying time.
I’ve been working on a design for a Pocket Sash that I could use with these skirts as well as any other skirts or pants without pockets. Rather than front or back pouches, it will have side pockets that fit a small sketchbook, pen, waterbrush, mini palette, credit card, transport card, key, money and phone.