Gear Reviews

Review: My New Favorite Clothes for Travel and Everyday Use

bluffworks review
Written by Charlie

Are you looking for the best travel clothes for men? Check out my Bluffworks review of the clothes that have quickly become my everyday clothing as well as what I always wear for travel!

Disclaimer: Bluffworks sent me some of their clothing line to evaluate and keep. They did not review my comments and thoughts before publishing them and they did not try to influence me. I did go ahead and buy more clothes from them on my own so I have purchased from them as well.

I know everyone is different when it comes to preference of clothing and brands, etc. I am the kind of shopper that when I find what works for me in clothes, I stick with it – for years! With running shoes, I started running 11 years ago and used ASICS Kayanos. My first pair was the Kayano 12. Today, my shoe of choice for everyday runs and races is – the Kayano 24. I have stayed with them now for 12 model upgrades because I love how they work.

Bluffworks Review: My New Favorite Clothes for Travel and Everyday Use

Link: Bluffworks Clothes 

My Usual Clothes for Everyday and Travel

The same goes for me in my everyday apparel and for travel clothes. For both, I like to feel comfortable but also in a somewhat business-casual appearance (not just like to at times, I need to). For the last many years, that means I rotate through a closet full of Under Armour clothes. I have gotten them with some great deals, they look good, they help keep me cool in heat, and they last a long time!

My New Favorite Clothes – Bluffworks Review

I never had really even planned on looking elsewhere due to how happy I was with Under Armour clothes. However, I saw my friend Andy from Andy’s Travel Blog when he did a review on a new brand called BluffworksThey had started on Kickstarter with a pair of pants and they looked very functional and also comfortable.

They have built on the success of the original Bluffworks pants and now offer (with prices):

  • The Original pants ($98)
  • Chinos ($125)
  • Gramercy Suit pants (to go with their blazer or solo) ($140)
  • The Gramercy Blazer ($295)
  • Dress shirts ($125)

Bluffworks sent me some things to try (and keep) and I loved them so much, I went ahead and bought more to start replacing my Under Armour gear. Yes, they are that good! Here are some of the things I learned about them and what I like.

Why Bluffworks Are Great for Travel

Lightweight and Breathable

bluffworks review

The Bluffworks Chinos and Meridian Shirt

Those are two of the claims that Bluffworks makes for their clothes and two of the things that caught my eye. I hate wearing clothes that are bulky or do not breathe.

When I first started wearing the Chinos, I was surprised at how lightweight they really were but also very mobile. I could move around freely without any binding in the pants yet it also felt like they were barely on.

I flew with them a lot over the last couple of months, as well as using them for everyday use. On the plane – in coach or business – and in the airports, they were fantastic and very comfortable.

The Original pants were just as good. My personal preference is more of the Chinos for everyday, but either pair of pants could be perfect for your travel needs.

Moisture Wicking and Wrinkle Resistant

Again, these two claims of Bluffworks were something that excited me as well. Most of my trips have me in a single location for maybe 24 hours or so. As a result, I travel really light and try to only take clothes that take up a little room (which usually means they will be wrinkled!) and can easily be cleaned.

Bluffworks’ clothes were excellent in this. The pants and the shirts are completely wrinkle resistant. I balled them up – for test purposes – many times and threw them in a backpack or suitcase and they always came out looking good. The blazer was good as well but sometimes would have some crease lines in the sleeves.

I washed the clothes a couple of times while on the road and did it in the sink. I would hang them to dry and they were completely dry just a few hours later. That is a huge plus for travel clothes, in my opinion!

Odor-Free?

Another aspect of the Bluffworks clothes that I loved was that they had made these with antibacterial properties. I really put this part to the test. 🙂 I wore the pants and the shirt for 5 – 7 days without washing and then had some family check to see if the test worked. 🙂 Fortunately, they were ok with doing that and they could not believe that I had worn them for that long without any odor on the material. I love this about these clothes!

When I am traveling, I move fast. I often am running through airports (not because I am late but because that may be the only time I get to run that day!), I’m running between locations in cities, I am running to and from stores – I move fast pretty much all the time. I also sweat quite a bit. These clothes performed like champs! There was never an odor and the sweat really did wick away.

My running clothes are made by Under Armour and they also have the moisture wicking technology. Unfortunately, it always seems like that technology keeps the moisture on the outside of the clothes, or at least the bacteria, because they tend to have a sweat smell even after being cleaned. Not so with Bluffworks!

Pockets!

When I am traveling, I like to have access to multiple pockets. Not only does it help me when I am carrying my gear and such but it also helps me to keep things separated.

bluffworks review

Two inside zippered pockets inside each front pocket are great for cash or passports

Bluffworks has loaded up their pants and blazer with a lot of pockets that do not add heft or bulkiness to the design. For the pants, there is a zippered interior pocket within each side pocket. The zippers did not scuff up things like phones, which is great.

In the back of the pants, there is a cell phone pocket just above the back right pocket. That is fantastic! I have never been the type of person who put their cell phone in the back pocket because I knew I would sit on it the wrong way and break it. Well, now I keep my phone back there almost all of the time! Not only is it a great fit (I have the iPhone X and Google Pixel 2), but it keeps it up high enough that you will not break it when sitting.

Bluffworks review

A phone pocket that really works

The Blazer is also loaded up with pockets! There are pockets on both front panels in the interior as well as a well-designed pocket on the back for keeping anything special back there that you want to have extra security.

Bluffworks review

Inside pocket on the blazer – one pocket of many!

Bluffworks Review

A back pocket in the blazer – perfect for keeping special items or papers safe

The Bad?

I put all of these clothes through the ringer for the past two months. I wore them for travel, for meetings, for everyday, for pretty much everything. I really wanted to find something that wasn’t perfectly to my liking. In the end, I couldn’t find anything.

However, depending on what you are used to spending on your clothes, the price may be off-putting. It is definitely more than I spend on my clothes normally. But, I found that they replaced a lot of my clothes and they are wearing a lot better. For example, I have probably worn the Chinos for a total of 30-40 days so far. They have been washed a fair amount as well and they still look brand new. For me, that makes the price worth it.

To be honest, my only negative is that Bluffworks does not have polo shirts yet! I wear polo shirts probably 200 days out of the year so I would absolutely love having a Bluffworks polo! But, their current shirt is really not that bad in hotter weather either (I put it through some 80 degree temperatures in Arizona) either!

They are definitely the best clothing company I have ever worked with and their customer service is top notch. To get you started, make sure you check out their Fit Guide to ensure you select the right size and fit. Also, if you want to know for sure about the colors, you can ask them to send you a color swatch so that you will be happy with your purchase.

If you do pick the wrong size/color, they will swap them out for you quickly and easily!

I have been very happy with my Bluffworks clothes and they continue to work great for anything I throw at them. Hopefully, you will enjoy them as much as I do.

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About the author

Charlie

Charlie has been an avid traveler and runner for many years. He has run in marathons around the world for less than it would cost to travel to the next town - all as a result of collecting and using miles and points. Over the years, he has flown hundreds of thousands of miles and collected millions of miles and points.
Now he uses this experience and knowledge to help others through Running with Miles.

3 Comments

  • Nice review. I didn’t see it in your review but did the clothes you picked run true to size. You can look at fit charts all day but if they really don’t fit like the size they say or are too fitted it doesn’t matter. Just wondering. The look good. The other negative is that I don’t see them listed on any shopping portals which isn’t a deal breaker but…well…it’s what we all mostly do 🙂

    • That’s an excellent question. I was going to include that but decided that I wouldn’t. The reason is that my clothes are kind of all over the place with sizes. Some brands I am 32, some 34. I had ordered the 34 from them and found that 36 was actually better. Had I checked the measurements on their website first, I would have found that out the first time. I think it is because I am normally not a chino guy. As for the shirts, I was a slim fit when I thought I would have been regular. So, definitely do the measurements.
      And yes, no portal does hurt! 🙂

  • I travel with Exofficio underwear and North Face convertible pants. Those pants have multiple pockets. A cheap black puffer jacket from Uniqlo or AliExpress combined with old long and short sleeve technical race shirts completes the outfit. Take one long sleeve sports shirt and a sweater. A single pair of black running shoes can be used for workouts and daily wear. Add some socks and travel for a week with a tiny backpack.