The commute is a cycle that many of us are all too familiar with. Five days a week, we spend our precious morning hours trekking to our places of work alongside far too many people running on far too little sleep. It’s valuable time that could be spent doing more productive things like making breakfast, working out - or you know, sleeping. But as experienced commuters know, sitting behind a sea of taillights is only half the battle. You need to dress the part.
Equipping yourself with a solid rotation of versatile essentials is the easiest way to ensure that you’re ready for anything your commute brings. So whether you’re biking, walking, driving, or taking any number of the stuffy public transportation options available in your city, we’ve put together a handy collection of items that should help make your groggy morning decisions easier. So grab yourself some coffee and a comfortable seat on the train and check out our secrets to Conquering the Urban Commute.
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Reigning Champ Stowaway Jacket
If you live in an environment as unpredictable as the Pacific Northwest, you’ll need a handful of all-purpose pieces that keep you comfortable during any of the four seasons a spring Seattle day can bring. Fortunately, Reigning Champ’s new “Sea to Sky” collection is designed with unpredictability in mind. The ultimate spring outerwear piece, the Stowaway Jacket from Reigning Champ is a lightweight nylon jacket made from genuine Polartec fabric. The Polartec material is lightweight and water-resistant, making it perfect for 60+ degree days with a 60% chance of rain. The jacket also comes fitted with a stowaway adjustable hood, and YKK Aquaguard zippers - which are typically reserved for swimwear and used to prevent water from leaking into pockets. Of course, the sleek black color makes it easy to pair with any outfit, saving you precious minutes in the morning that can otherwise be spent on the snooze button.
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Stretch fabrics have long been the of choice of avid cyclists. Beloved for their flexibility, the blend of cotton and polyurethane allows for additional comfort and flexibility when peddling or getting on and off your bicycle. Additionally, stretch fabric can prevent early crotch blowouts resulting from excess friction from peddling, allowing your jeans to last longer and look better with wear. Over the years, Naked & Famous has perfected the stretch fabric denim via a number of critically acclaimed jeans, like the new Sakura Stretch Selvedge. This 12.5oz denim features a beautiful sakura pink weft that creates a slightly rose colored tint from afar, and pairs exceptionally well with indigo. The combination of dyes used on this denim creates the potential for extremely unique fading characteristics, featuring a mixture of indigo, white, and pink hues. It might not take the place of your 3M gear, but it’ll turn heads.
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Canada Goose Hybridge Lite Jacket
Perhaps the most convenient and compact item on this list, the Hybridge Lite jacket from Canada Goose weighs in at less than half a pound yet provides the incredible warmth and protection the brand is known for. Details like the Tensile-Tech inserts, insulated wind guard, and 3M reflective detailing make the Hybridge Lite jacket ideal for early risers or anyone commuting after the sun goes down. The jacket can be easily layered over lightweight pieces, and repurposed underneath heavier jackets in cooler months, making it a functional and versatile item for year round wear. The jacket can also pack itself into its exterior left pocket, making it easy to store in a bag and put on when the weather calls for it.
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A convenient and comfortable bag is one of the essential items for the urban commuter. It’s exactly the type of person Tanner Goods had in mind when they designed their new Voyager Daypack, seen here in Waxed Field Tan color. The conveniently sized backpack features a spacious central compartment that’s large enough to hold a day’s worth of items, including your work computer thanks to the bag’s padded laptop sleeve. As with any Tanner Goods item, the bag is fitted with premium leather detailing along with sturdy and adjustable shoulder straps, and two catch-all pockets large enough to fit a 40oz Hydro Flask water bottle. And because Portland, OR knows a thing or two about unpredictable weather, the bag comes pre-waxed for superior protection against rain.
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For the commuter who doesn’t quite feel comfortable in anything other than workwear. Rogue Territory’s signature Supply Jacket is a sleek canvas jacket that has been pre-waxed for extra protection against rain. The 10oz fabric provides ample warmth over a t-shirt on warmer days, and can be easily layered over a sweatshirt for the evening portion of your commute. The jacket comes fitted with a variety of different pockets, including hand warmer pockets at the waist. The sleek grey color of the Supply Jacket makes it an extremely easy to wear piece perfect against urban landscapes, but can be swapped for any number of the multiple colors the jacket is available in.
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