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Everyone loves travel hoodies and everyone looks great in them. The best travel hoodies are soft, comfortable, warm, loose-fitting, and most importantly, they have a hood.
It’s really all about the hood, right? In normal situations, it adds extra neck warmth and, when the weather gets too rainy or windy, the hood can be given a chance to shine by giving your head that extra level of loving care and protection it needs.
You can wear a hoodie for travel stylishly on its own, and, when it’s a bit colder, wear an outer layer on top. For that extra layer of warmth and wind- or rain protection, check out my post on the best jackets for traveling.
Actually, when it comes to hoodies, I don’t shy away from combining them with a good long travel skirt. They can look great together too!
With travel hoodies, you can either have zippers or go with the pullover version, but good pockets are always a must.
This article focuses mostly on zippered hoodies because they’re generally more practical and adjustable in outdoor adventures with rapidly changing weather and body temperatures. When your body gets warm from walking uphill, it’s a real luxury to be able to simply unzip, cool off and refresh yourself.
Furthermore, if you’re flying somewhere and discover that the AC on your plane wants to deliver an icy cold blast, there’s nothing better than a packable hoodie to make things right for your flight.
We’ll cover basic but practical best hoodies for travel, as well as the fancier travel hoodies with inside pockets.
My Pick – Best Travel Hoodie: Quikflip
My favorite travel packable hoodie is the Quikflip. It’s a 2-in-1 reversible hoodie that can be conveniently converted into a backpack. At times when you don’t necessarily need it, it can be easily carried and available. What’s not to love about that clever feature?
For this reason, I find the Quikflip to be the best lightweight travel hoodie and my top recommendation. Read more about it below.
Overview of the Best Travel Hoodies
Name | Picture | Colors / Pattern | Price Guide | More Details |
---|---|---|---|---|
Quikflip 2-in-1 Reversible Backpack Hoodie | 4 colors | $$ | Check prices | |
SCOTTeVEST Chloe Glow Hoodie for Women | 4 colors | $$$ | Check prices | |
Doublju Lightweight Thin Zip-Up Hoodie | 37 colors / patterns | $$ | Check prices | |
The North Face Women’s Canyonlands Hoodie | 23 colors | $$$ | Check prices | |
Amazon Essentials Women’s Brushed Tech Stretch Full-Zip Hoodie | 4 colors | $ | Check prices | |
Lululemon Scuba Hoodie | 6 colors | $$$ | Check prices | |
Adidas Women’s Game and Go Big Logo Hoodie | 3 colors | $$ | Check prices | |
Victoria’s Secret PINK Fleece Zip-Up Perfect Hoodie | 7 colors / patterns | $$ | Check prices |
What to Consider When Buying a Travel Hoodie
Material
The material of your best hoodie for travel is an important consideration when choosing so let’s do a quick rundown of the materials used in my recommended list.
Polyester is a plastic-based material that’s soft, water-resistant, and lightweight. It’s often used in windbreakers and in making the best lightweight travel hoodie on the market but it’s thin and not a great insulator by itself.
Cotton is an excellent insulator. It’s a natural fiber that’s soft and fluffy but it’s not waterproof or windproof. Therefore it’s common to blend polyester and cotton together to achieve an ideal balance of insulation and weather protection to make the best travel hoodies.
Nylon is a synthetic material known for its strength and durability. It’s water-resistant and is a great insulator, used in both the outer shells of travel hoodies as well as inner linings of jackets.
Fleece, or Polar Fleece, is made with polyester fibers so it’s weather-resistant. It’s also softer than cotton and highly insulating, combining the best of both worlds and making it the ideal fabric for a women’s travel hoodie. It’s not as breathable, though, so it’s best if a fleece hoodie comes with a zipper.
Spandex a.k.a. Lycra or Elastine, is a soft synthetic fiber known for its elasticity. This material is flexible, holds its shape, and is easy to maintain.
Pockets
A travel hoodie with pockets is a handy item to pack. You can choose a hoodie with a few pockets or a hoodie with lots of pockets. You can go for a hoodie with outside pockets, a hoodie with inside pockets or one that has both.
They come in a range of pocket styles and the hoodies in this post feature the following pocket versions:
Kangaroo Pockets are the classic style with front facing travel hoodie pockets that you can easily slip your hands into. That’s what they’re best for, and not for carrying too much stuff.
Side Pockets provide a more sleek look as they are commonly more designed for a hoodie with hidden pockets.
Inner Pockets provide extra carrying options. A hoodie with inside pockets is very practical. Although this list doesn’t contain many hoodies with inside pockets, the second one on the list actually has 18 (!) of them.
Size and Style
Hoodies can be slim fitting or of the roomy kind like a travel sweatshirt. Color matters too. :)
Washability
Many of the travel hoodies with pockets on the market are hand wash only but all of the ones on this list are machine-washable. I find that super important.
Check out also my other reviews of travel-related products:
- best travel money belt to hide cash, passport, and other valuables
- best luggage tags for international travel so that your luggage always stands out
- best travel irons – a small travel iron to bring anywhere with you
- best travel deodorant – compact, practical, and effective
- best walking shoes for Europe – they can handle cobblestones and still look pretty on you
- best long travel skirts – with pockets!
- best travel jackets for women – lightweight and stylish
- activated charcoal for travel – for whenever the stomach bug bites
- best travel gifts for him – a universal guide to best travel gifts for men
- best travel hoodies for women – all with pockets
Review of Top-Rated Travel Hoodies
Let’s now look at each carefully picked hoodie for travel, one by one:
Quikflip 2-in-1 Reversible Backpack Hoodie
The key feature of this packable hoodie is that it can be easily and quickly converted into a backpack giving you a hands-free way to carry it, making it the best hoodie for air travel. As the weather changes you’ll be ready to change along with it.
Made with 100% fleece this airplane travel hoodie is more weather resistant and even softer than cotton.
The Quikflip features two front pockets for warming your hands and thumb holes in the sleeves for an extra layer of warmth when needed.
It’s perfect for keeping warm without getting too hot and the transition from hoodie to backpack is fun! This innovative feature even won it a place on the popular Shark Tank TV show.
Key Features:
- Converts into an easily carriable backpack
- 100% Fleece
- Zippered closure
- Thumb holes
- X-Small to XX-Large
- Machine-washable
SCOTTeVEST Chloe Glow Hoodie for Women
If you need a travel hoodie with hidden pockets then this hoodie with lots of pockets is for you. It features 18 (!) hidden pockets for maximum carrying power.
All of those pockets (except for the two hand pockets) are inside keeping this hoodie stylish and sleek.
This fashionable inside pocket hoodie has specific pockets to easily accommodate your glasses, travel documents, lip balm, and more. This hoodie with cellphone pocket covers it all. There’s also an RFID-protected pocket!
It also has a large inside pocket that holds all the miscellaneous extras and the two outside pockets are zippered to hold even more items as well as keep your hands toasty.
To accentuate the hand warmth this hoodie also comes with handy thumb holes. The cotton/nylon/spandex blend makes this hoodie weather-resistant, soft, shapely, and machine-washable.
Everything about this women’s zip up hoodie with inside pockets is top-notch. The price reflects that, too.
But then again – this hoodie even has a Pickpocket guarantee! If you are pick-pocketed while wearing your SCOTTeVEST, the company will reimburse you for any losses up to $1,000 USD. Who wouldn’t pay a little extra for that?
So, if you’re looking for an extraordinary hoodie with secret pockets, you cannot go wrong with SCOTTeVEST.
Key Features:
- 18 pockets of various sizes, with 15 of them hidden
- Pickpocket guarantee
- Cotton/Nylon/Spandex with moisture-wicking properties
- Built-in Weight Management System
- Zippered closure
- Thumb holes
- X-Small to 5X-Large
- Machine-washable
It’s hard to list all the features this hoodie has! Click the link below to read more.
Doublju Lightweight Thin Zip-Up Hoodie
This lightweight travel hoodie with style is a great choice that should be an essential closet favorite. It comes with snug-fitting ribbed cuffs and a thick, stylish drawstring that won’t wear out.
Without being too thick or too thin, the material is just right in my opinion. The 60% cotton and 40% Polyester blend make this hoodie soft, lightweight, and comfy on the skin.
It comes in 37 colors and patterns so you’re sure to find one that you’ll love.
PLEASE NOTE: Although my hoodie fits perfectly the manufacturer recommends ordering a size up from your normal size and the reviews seem to confirm that, so keep that in mind if you decide to purchase this travel hoodie.
Key Features:
- 60% Cotton / 40% Polyester
- Zippered closure
- Ribbed Cuffs
- Thumb holes
- X-Small to 3X-Large
- Machine-washable
The North Face Women’s Canyonlands Hoodie
The North Face is a classic brand known for making great outdoorwear and this hoodie is no exception. It’s available in a wide range of stylish colors so you’re sure to find one, or several, that perfectly matches your palette.
This travel packable hoodie has a shapely fit but at the same time it is also perfectly roomy, allowing for freedom of movement with loose fitting and comfortable handcuffs that include thumb holes.
It’s super soft, comfortable, and warm, and it offers great wind resistance. It’s a go-to classic for outdoor activities or getting out and about in the city.
The North Face hoodie is a zip-up one with hoodie zip pockets perfect for hand-warming and securely carrying valuable items. The 100% polyester material makes this hoodie durable and comfy.
Key Features:
- Stylish colors
- 100% Polyester
- Zippered closure
- Zippered pockets
- Thumb holes
- X-Small to 3X-Large
- Machine-washable
Amazon Essentials Women’s Brushed Tech Stretch Full-Zip Hoodie
My favorite part about this travel hoodie women’s is the brushed look of the fabric. It also has a super minimal style with zippered pockets. They are stylishly set a little further back on the sides to keep them concealed, which makes for a sleek look.
The large handcuffs and thumb holes are also great looking and practical. It’s perfect for spring and autumn and is ideal for throwing on to running errands in brisk weather. Overall this hoodie is lightweight, soft, warm, and well-constructed so, for me, it ticks all the important boxes.
Key Features:
- Stylish brushed look
- 88% Polyester / 12% Spandex
- Zippered closure
- Hidden zippered pockets
- Thumb holes
- X-Small to XX-Large
- Machine-washable
Lululemon Scuba Hoodie
Don’t let the name fool you, this hoodie is definitely not for scuba diving. I’m not sure why they call it Scuba but it does sound kinda cool. :)
This warm, thick, windproof packable hoodie has a large hood that gives your head a snug and comfy resting place when the weather starts wildin’.
All yoga girls know the Lululemon brand well. The company makes uniquely styled clothing and that includes travel hoodies. I especially like the dark zebra-striped version.
Key Features:
- Large comfy hood
- Cotton / Fleece
- Zippered closure
- Thumb holes
- Sizes 2 (XS) to 14 (L)
- Machine-washable
Adidas Women’s Game and Go Big Logo Hoodie
This sporty travel hoodie only comes in basic colors which is perfect. It’s got a huge, white Adidas logo on the front, and the black and white combo gives an urban, sporty style with a lot of street cred.
It’s the only travel hoodie on the list which doesn’t have a zipper so it comes with a classic kangaroo pocket, which I personally love. 100% cotton makes this hoodie a super soft, machine-washable choice.
It’s the best bargain on the list and makes a great sporty addition to your hoodie collection.
Key Features:
- Best Bargain
- Basic black
- Huge logo
- 100% Cotton
- Pullover
- Kangaroo pockets
- XX-Small to XX-Large
- Machine-washable
Victoria’s Secret PINK Fleece Zip-Up Perfect Hoodie
The prize for the most stylish hoodie on the list goes to this beauty. What is a lightweight hoodie? Well, this one is!
Victoria Secret has this lifestyle brand, PINK, and it proudly shows in the giant logo on each of the hoodies. They are zippered, yet have a kangaroo pocket, which I find neat!
The cotton/fleece blend makes for a comfortable and relaxed fit and is easily machine-washable.
Key Features:
- PINK lifestyle brand fashion
- Super stylish and cool
- Cotton / Fleece
- Zippered closure
- Thumb holes
- X-Small to XX-Large
- Machine-washable
Travel Hoodie FAQ’s
What are the benefits of travel hoodies with pockets?
Travel hoodies with pockets offer convenience and functionality. The pockets provide storage space for essentials like keys, phone, wallet, or small travel items, allowing you to keep your hands free and organized while on the go. At the same time, a good travel sweatshirt will keep you warm and cozy whenever needed.
Are travel hoodies suitable for different types of travel?
Yes, top travel sweatshirts are versatile and can be suitable for various types of travel. Whether you’re exploring a city, hiking in nature, or embarking on a long journey, a travel hoodie with pockets can be a practical and comfortable choice. There are sporty hoodies that fit outdoor trips better but most of the hoodies for travel on this list can be used on all sorts of trips.
Can I use the pockets in a travel hoodie to carry my passport and other important documents?
The pockets in travel hoodies are typically designed for smaller items like keys, phone, or wallet. While some hoodies may have larger pockets, it’s generally recommended to keep important documents like passports in a secure and dedicated travel pouch or money belt for added protection. With that said, the SCOTTeVEST hoodie mentioned above has a specific RFID-protected pocket even for passport and valuables.
Do travel hoodies provide warmth in colder climates?
Travel hoodies can provide a certain level of warmth, but their insulation may vary. Look for hoodies made from materials like fleece or thermal fabrics that offer better insulation for colder climates. Layering the hoodie with other clothing items can also help regulate body temperature in varying weather conditions. Especially when it gets windy and/or rainy, you need an insulation layer in the form of a good travel jacket.
Are travel hoodies lightweight and easy to pack?
Many travel hoodies are designed to be lightweight and packable. Look for hoodies made from lightweight materials that can be easily folded or rolled into a compact size, making them convenient for packing in your luggage or backpack. The first hoodie on this list is also a simple backpack in one and thus it wins on the packable front!
Are travel hoodies suitable for outdoor activities like hiking or camping?
Definitely, that’s the point of many travel hoodies on this list. For hiking and camping specifically, you may look at hoodies with moisture-wicking properties and breathable fabrics that can keep you comfortable during physical activities. Additionally, hoodies with features like thumbholes, adjustable hoods, or zippered pockets can offer added functionality during outdoor adventures.
Can travel hoodies be worn as a standalone outerwear option?
Yes, but only in milder weather conditions. In colder or more extreme weather, you may need additional layers or specialized outerwear for better insulation and protection such as a jacket or a coat.
Can travel hoodies be stylish as well as functional?
Absolutely. Many brands offer travel hoodies that combine style and functionality. Whether it’s a big Adidas logo in front or a tapered cut, you can find examples in most of the hoodies listed above.
How should I care for and clean my travel sweatshirt?
The care instructions for travel hoodies may vary depending on the material. Still though, all of the hoodies mentioned above are machine-washable and many can be tossed in the dryer too. It’s best to follow specific care instructions provided by the manufacturer to ensure the longevity of your hoodie.
Are travel hoodies available in different sizes and styles?
Yes, travel hoodies are typically available in a range of sizes and styles. I’ve tried to provide the sizing range of each of the listed hoodie. Whenever a sizing runs small/big, I also mentioned that above.
I hope I’ve helped you find your best travel hoodie. Whether you want a travel hoodie with hidden pockets, a travel sweatshirt, a travel packable hoodie or a sweatshirt with cell phone pocket, you can’t go wrong with this list. I wish you happy shopping and lots of warmth not just one road!