Supremely comfortable travel gear with thousands of five-star reviews
Looking cool is one thing, but feeling comfortable? That’s the real game-changer. From bags to shoes to jackets and beyond, our travel gear guru Tamara Hinson reveals the most-comfortable travel essentials, as rated by fellow globetrotters
22/05/2025
Blisters, wedgies and chafing – oh no! Is there anything worse than feeling as if your gear is out to get you while you’re trying to relax? The hunt for the comfiest travel paraphernalia can be a real time-sink, with hours lost in the depths of online reviews. But, before you resign yourself to a week of scrolling, take a breath. We’ve done the legwork for you and rounded up the top-rated stuff that travel enthusiasts swear by. Each item on our list boasts thousands of five-star reviews, making them the crème de la crème of tried-and-tested travel companions.
MOST COMFORTABLE BACKPACK FOR CITY BREAKS
North Face Jester backpack
Best: for all day comfort
This lightweight 28l backpack, £80, is perfect for urban explorations, and its USP is its storage capacity. Alongside a laptop pouch, it has an exterior pocket for smaller items such as pens, an additional zippered pocket, two external pockets for water bottles and a bungee system to secure items such as helmets. Some 84 per cent of its 2,892 reviewers on Amazon gave it an impressive five stars, with satisfied customers showering praise on its plentiful storage (“so practical with lots of pockets,” commented one) and its comfortable design. One happy customer stated that “it feels like a backpack you'd take up Everest.”
MOST COMFORTABLE TRAINERS FOR WALKING 10,000 STEPS DAILY
Merrell Moab 3 GORE-TEX trainers
Best for: great stability in a wide range of scenarios
These lightweight shoes, available in men’s and women’s versions, can cope with a wide range of scenarios, from alpine hikes to extended pavement pounding sessions. Designed with all-day comfort in mind, the shoes have Merrell’s Super Rebound Compound midsole for unbeatable shock absorption, while the patented Vibram outsole ensures superior grip. They’re incredibly light, too – each shoe weighs just 360g.
The £140 Moab 3s have racked up thousands of five-star reviews on Amazon, with users praising their stability as well as their sturdiness – one reviewer (a repeat customer) is a postman who points out he’d covered thousands of kilometres in his previous pair of Moab 3s before needing to replace them.
MOST COMFORTABLE SANDALS THAT STILL LOOK NICE
Women: Keen Women’s Hyperport H2 sandals
Best for: blister-free comfort
Keen’s ultra-comfortable sandals, £95, combine the stability of a hiking shoe with the lightweight comfort typical of open-sided shoes. The injected foam midsole ramps up this comfort without adding weight, and we love the quick-cinch bungee lacing that allows them to be tightened or loosened in a nano-second.
The sandals have earned thousands of five-star reviews on Amazon, where customers praise their versatility (“perfect for canoeing, kayaking and sailing,” says one) and lightweight design - one customer observes that she “felt almost barefoot” when wearing them.
MOST COMFORTABLE SANDALS THAT STILL LOOK NICE
Men: Skechers Tresmen Garo sandals
Best for: great support and freedom of movement
A relaxed sandal which is both breathable and tough, the Tresmen is a fantastic option for anyone seeking footwear designed to cope with a wide range of terrains and the generous fit minimises the chance of blisters. There’s an abundance of cushioning, including Skechers’ Luxe Foam insole and an ergonomic shock-absorbing midsole.
These sandals bagged a huge number of five-star reviews on the Skechers’ website (comments ranged from praise for the “roomier comfort fit at the toe” to observations that they offered “great support without heaviness”) while most of the thousands of five-star reviewers on Amazon (76 per cent awarded five stars) highlighted the easy adjustability and wallet-friendly £55 price tag.
MOST COMFORTABLE SWIMWEAR
Women: Speedo Endurance+ Medallist swimsuit
Best for: brilliant value
A chlorine-resistant and quick-drying swimsuit that, at £31, doesn’t cost the earth – what’s not to love? And, speaking of the earth, it’s one of the more sustainable swimming costumes, too – it comprises 50 per cent recycled materials, and the Endurance+ fabric has been chosen for its toughness and longevity. But don’t take our word for it – out of 3,000 reviewers on Amazon, 82 per cent awarded this four stars and above, and many comments relate to the top-quality fabric’s resistance to chlorine-related fading. The racer back-style straps were also a hit, with countless customers noting the resulting unrestricted shoulder movement.
MOST COMFORTABLE SWIMWEAR
Men: Speedo essential swim shorts
Best for: everyday swimwear without quality-related compromises
A wallet-friendly pair of swimming shorts with a timeless profile and lightweight feel, Speedo’s £23 Essential 16'' swim shorts have racked up 2,929 five-star reviews on Amazon. The features that appear to be the biggest success stories include the true-to-size fit and the quick-dry material, as well as the shorts’ overall durability (several users commented that they were especially impressed at the lack of colour fade). We’re also awarding bonus points to Speedo for the use of nylon yarns made from 100 per cent pre-consumer waste.
MOST COMFORTABLE SUNHAT
Columbia Bora Bora II Booney hat
Best for: portable perfection
A wide-brimmed sunhat available in men’s, women’s and children’s sizes, Columbia’s Bora Bora II hat, £30, is packed with innovative features, and the brand is one of the few to apply patented sweat-wicking technology (in this case Columbia’s Omni-Wick material) to headwear. Mesh side vents and an internal sweatband provide unbeatable temperature regulation, and it’s perfect for travellers with limited space – it can be stashed into the smallest of spaces yet always retains its shape.
It’s bagged a staggering 14,469 five-star reviews on Amazon, with high praise being consistently given for the ease with which it could be adjusted – one happy customer commented, after returning from a 50km hike, that “the chin strap kept it in place even during pretty strong gusts.”
MOST COMFORTABLE SOCKS
Falke Walkie Ergo unisex boot socks
Best for: temperature regulation
What sets Falke’s socks apart is the generous use of temperature-regulating Merino wool, which has allowed Falke to add a thicker sole without the risk of trapped heat. Ribbed sections on the upper sections prevent unwanted rolling, while the sole’s smooth-knit design ensures maximum comfort.
When it comes to the £26 socks’ 1,001 five-star reviewers on Amazon, the majority highlight the carefully considered mix of materials. “Lightweight but still thick enough to protect your feet,” reads one, while another reviewer, recently back from a trek across the Swiss Alps, declared them “the best socks I’ve had. Perfect fit, no rubbing, good sweat absorption and breathability.”
MOST COMFORTABLE JACKET FOR EVERY STAGE OF THE JOURNEY
For women: North Face Aconcagua III hooded jacket
Best for: the perfect balance of stashability and warmth
If you’re looking for a jacket you can stash in your bag prior to long flights that will also protect you from the (potentially freezing) elements upon arrival, this jacket does it all. Its USP is the 50/50 blend of 600-fill recycled waterfowl down and recycled polyester – a combo which, somewhat surprisingly, doesn’t add unnecessary bulk.
We’re also big fans of the tailored fit – and we’re not alone. The £200 jacket has bagged hundreds of five-star reviews on Amazon and its compact design is one of the most popular aspects. “My daughter hates wearing coats, which she feels are constricting. But once she put this on, she quickly realised it’s comfortable, soft and easily manoeuvrable,” commented one customer.
MOST COMFORTABLE JACKET FOR EVERY STAGE OF THE JOURNEY
For men: Rab Microlight down jacket
Best for: unbeatable warmth
A lightweight down jacket packed with features (Including three pockets and multiple toggles), Rab’s £190 bestselling jacket will keep you warm and dry in the harshest of conditions, but it also stashes easily into your carry-on. It’s another jacket that has been precision engineered, proof of which is the micro baffles (small pockets that ensure insulation stays put in key areas) at the back, and a compressible design for travellers short on space.
It’s amassed hundreds of five-star reviews on Amazon, with the majority expressing shock that such a lightweight jacket can offer such fantastic heat retention. “The fit is amazing, not boxy but enough to wear over a fleece, although it’s very warm by itself,” says one reviewer.
Now you’ve got the gear, where are you going to go? Search British Airways flights
