Patagonia Vitaliti Travel Skirt
The case this review made is the reason travel clothing exists at all: one garment that packs small, dries fast, does not need ironing and is not obviously technical. The Vitaliti did that well.
The model has been discontinued, as most specific garments in this category eventually are. Patagonia still makes travel skirts and dresses to the same brief.
What to look for, which is what this review was actually describing:
- A fabric that dries overnight. Recycled polyester or a nylon blend will; cotton and linen will not, and that is the whole difference between a garment you can wash in a sink and one you carry dirty.
- Pockets that close. Rare on skirts and the single most useful feature for travel.
- A cut that covers the knee, which makes it usable at religious sites and in more conservative places without carrying anything extra.
- A colour that hides a day's wear. Mid-tones and patterns; not white, not black in hot dusty places.
One thing worth adding that the original did not mention: the most sustainable version of this garment is the one you already own, because manufacturing dominates the footprint of any piece of clothing. Patagonia's own Worn Wear repair and resale programme exists for that reason, and either beats buying the newer recycled-fabric version of a thing you have.
Part of the guide to clothing and layers.