April showers don’t mean you have to wait for May flowers to explore new places. Rainy seasons vary all over the world anyway, and some places deal with unpredictable wet weather year-round—like Sweden for example.
“In Sweden, we’re not exactly spoiled with warm and sunny weather even during spring and summer,” says Alexander Stutterheim, founder of blogger-favorite Swedish rainwear brand Stutterheim. “The weather is ever-changing—shifting from sunny to rainy, cold to warm, windy to still.”
Stutterheim knows how to prepare for unpredictable weather, so if you’re traveling to a rainy destination or want to be ready for any kind of climate, follow these tips to help you travel better in case of rain.
Get a packable raincoat.
“If you want to bring your rainwear with you on your trip, it needs to be a lightweight one,” says Stutterheim. “Our classic rubberized cotton doesn’t need to take up half the space in a weekend bag, and that’s why we decided to add them in a lighter material as an alternative to the classics.” Being a thinner option, the lightweight styles are packable and travel friendly, while still offering 100% rain protection with their waterproof fabric and welded seams.
Keep the umbrella at home.
“I wish I was a foreseeable person who would think as far as packing an umbrella but no, I stick to raincoats,” says Stutterheim. “The thing about umbrellas is that you never remember to have them on hand when you need them.” However, there are a few brands that make it slightly easier to travel. This one is the most compact umbrella on the market, and Herschel Supply Co. also makes a travel-friendly option. You can also fit most compact umbrellas in the Away Everywhere Bag umbrella pocket.
Dress in layers.
As the weather warms up, it can be difficult to stay dry and cool. Stutterheim reccommends wearing layers to help you “adjust accordingly to the temperature.” A tank top under a button-up shirt under a sweater with your (packable) raincoat is a good place to start.
Use your rain shoes for storage.
It’s good to have weatherproof footwear for rainy destinations, but if you’re wary of suitcase space, stuff your shoes with smaller soft items like socks and underwear. Stutterheim offers a sleek rain boot in the Chelsea silhouette, “a pair of handmade, natural rubber rain boots that the first pair I’ve ever been able to walk all day in,” says Stutterheim.
Stay in accommodations with dryers.
If you know you’re going to be getting wet, and by association your clothing too, be sure to stay somewhere that has a washer/dryer handy. Some hotels offer laundry service, and you can also filter for this kind of amenity on Airbnb.
Pack a waterproof laundry bag just in case.
If you get caught in the rain, it can be harrowing to have to re-pack your clothes before they fully dry. But you can get waterproof laundry bags that separate the wet from the dry.
Use technology.
Download Dark Sky, which has up to the minute weather reports and can even tell you just how much precipitation you can expect wherever there’s a doppler radar. You can even set it to send you alerts for inclement weather.