GEAR: GoLite Paparoa Travel Shirt

GoLite Paparoa Short Sleeve Travel Shirt

Comfortable clothing is a key element to traveling well, but it’s also one of the more difficult aspects to get right. When GoLite sent me one of their travel shirts to test out, I was, understandably, a bit skeptical. I especially don’t like getting clothing through the mail because it never fits the way the manufacturer says it will. And it never performs, or feels, or looks the way they say it will. So when I slipped on the GoLite Paparoa Travel Shirt right out of the box, I was, for lack of a better phrase, pleasantly surprised.

The Look

The Paparoa shirt I received from GoLite is a sleek, short sleeve, button down shirt, with snaps for buttons down the front and on the two breast pockets. The one I received is a muted shale blue color with rust brown trim under the button row and lining the collar. The shirt is also available in shades of green (moss), light blue (slate),  brown (dark walnut), and tan (cement). It has a modern cut that will look equally good sitting down to dinner with friends as it will casting a fly fishing rod in some remote river in the mountains.

The Feel

The GoLite Paparoa shirt is advertised as a “travel shirt.” To me, that says comfortable. And to me, that means big enough to fit around my less than six-pack gut. When GoLite asked for my shirt size, I checked out their website for a sizing chart, which happily was easy to find. The chart was pretty accurate, so when I slipped on the shirt and buttoned it down, the shirt fit nearly perfectly. I did notice that because it was so big, the tails were a bit long, so the last button on the shirt snaps closed a little low on my body. Not a huge deal.

The Paparoa shirt is made of a lightweight polyester with built in UPF 50, meaning you can wear it in the sun and not worry about looking like a boiled lobster at the end of the day. The lightweight material is very breathable, keeping you cool in the most uncomfortable of situations. The shirt is supposedly wrinkle-free, though I did notice that’s not entirely accurate. Hanging it for a few days and maybe giving it a steam bath might help that situation.

The Price

The GoLite Paparoa short sleeve travel shirt retails for $55, which to me isn’t necessarily a great price point for a price conscientious Part Time Vagabonder like myself. Knock it down $10-$15 and we can talk. However, if you’ve got a few extra bucks laying around and you want a pretty rugged but lightweight and breathable travel shirt, the GoLite Paparoa travel shirt may be for you.

The Philosophy

GoLite’s core values are pretty admirable, which makes them a company worthy of your time. Focusing on innovation, sustainability, and inspiration, GoLite strives to simplify, a philosophy that we at Part Time Vagabond can get behind.

The Lowdown

Make: GoLite

Model: Paparoa Short Sleeve Travel Shirt

Price: $55

Details: Despite a somewhat hefty pricetag, the Paparoa Travel Shirt from GoLite is a worthy addition to the Vagabonder’s travel wardrobe. Lightweight, breathable, and stylish, I definitely recommend picking one up if you have the means. It remains to be seen how it holds up to years of rigorous washings and packings, but for now, this will stay in regular travel rotation.

Chris Cavallari

About Chris Cavallari

Chris is a longtime digital content producer based in Maine. Since 1999, he has been an early adopter and active participant in blogging, podcasting, and social media, and has been guiding small and mid-sized businesses in leveraging video, social media, and digital publishing to the fullest. With an avid love of travel and the outdoors, Chris started PartTimeVagabond.com in 2009 to give him a platform to showcase his outdoors and travel adventures, and to help educate others in doing the same.