My husband has a thing about changing clothes.v Actually, our whole family does. Much like myself—and especially my youngest (my oldest LOVES to change clothes at the moment)—we are not big on transitions. Once we get dressed in the morning, there is a pretty good chance we are going to attempt to do everything in those same clothes.
Bike ride? Same clothes.
Run? Same clothes.
Hike? Same clothes.
Errands? Yep.
Dinner? Probably.
And if we are really lucky, those clothes will remain on until it’s sauna and bath time. This is where my husband’s love of button-down shirts comes in. They are his “loophole”. He can put on a button-up in the morning, wear it while hanging around the house, head out for an adventure, and somehow still look like he made an effort when we ends up at dinner party afterward.
And not just any button down shirt. These shirts need to be under cover. Sure, they look classy (that’s the whole point) but they are made out of breathable, lightweight material and are cut in a way that lets him move and sweat freely.
Because when you live an active, outdoorsy life, the best clothing isn’t necessarily the stuff that has one specific job. It’s the gear that can cross over from trail to town, bike ride to meeting, and adventure to dinner without requiring a full wardrobe change.
So, after watching my husband put this theory to the test, here are some of our favorite button-up shirts for active dads, and, perhaps more importantly, which dad each one is actually for.
Outdoor Research Astroman Air Short Sleeve Sun Shirt
Which dad is this? The Dad Who Is Actually Going on an Adventure
If your idea of a Saturday (or a Sunday-Friday) is a long bike ride, a trail run, a hike or some combination of all three, this is your shirt.
The Outdoor Research Astroman Air is the most technical shirt of the bunch—and it feels like it. Lightweight, stretchy, breathable and quick-drying, this is the one he’d choose when he’s expecting to get sweaty and work hard.
It is essentially the ultimate adventure shirt that happens to have buttons. That makes it fantastic for hot-weather rides and runs, especially when you want some sun protection without wearing a traditional athletic shirt. It moves well, dries quickly and breathes well enough that you don’t feel like you’ve wrapped yourself in a button-up halfway through your workout.
Now, does it make the transition from sweaty trail adventure to dinner quite as seamlessly as some of the others? Not quite, at least in my book as it definitely leans technical outdoor shirt. But for me, it definitely passes.
And sometimes “passes” is all we’re asking for. Because if the alternative is my husband changing clothes four times throughout the day, I’ll take the technical button-up every time.
Best for: Sweaty bike rides, trail runs, hiking, travel and hot-weather adventures.
Technical level: ★★★★★
Trail-to-town: ★★★☆☆
Patagonia Go To Shirt
Which dad is this? The Dad Who Wants to Look Good Downtown
This is the classic button down shirt with some active perks. The Go To Shirt is the shirt that fits right into the downtown Bend scene. It looks polished enough for grabbing coffee, meeting friends for lunch or heading out to dinner, but it still feels at home in an outdoor family.
It isn’t nearly as technical as the Astroman Air, and that’s actually part of its appeal. This is less about crushing a 20-mile trail run and more about being able to wear the same shirt for the entire day.
Think: chill kid hike in the morning, bike ride for ice cream in the afternoon, working from your laptop for a few hours, and dinner downtown that evening. That’s where this shirt shines.
It’s comfortable enough that you don’t feel like you’re dressed up for the kids’ activities, but nice enough that you don’t feel like you accidentally showed up to dinner in your hiking clothes.
For our family, that is a very useful middle ground for my husband as believe it or not, he does need to get dressed up from time to time and this for sure passes.
Best for: All-day wear, kid adventures, casual bike rides, working, travel and dinner in town.
Technical level: ★★☆☆☆
Trail-to-town: ★★★★★
Patagonia Go-To Western Shirt
Which dad is this? The Active Dad Who Doesn’t Want to Look Like an Active Dad
This might be my favorite category.
The Patagonia Go-To Western has that classic western-shirt look. It feels like something your dad—or maybe your grandfather—could have worn. But Patagonia sneaks in a few details that make it much more useful for an active lifestyle.
The snaps are a big one. They’re easy to open when you need to cool off, easy to close back up when the temperature drops, and generally much easier to deal with when you’re layering than buttons.
And that’s where this shirt really works for the active dad who doesn’t necessarily want to advertise the fact that he’s an active dad.
He’s not looking for something that screams TECHNICAL OUTDOOR ATHLETE.
He wants to look good, a little rugged and maybe have a little fun with the western look. And maybe he just naturally looks this good, even though 5 minutes ago he was riding his bike and chasing the kids around.
This is the shirt I’d choose for dads who want their outdoor lifestyle to be subtle. It’s a classic button-up with enough functionality to keep up with an active day, but without looking like you are headed straight to the trailhead.
Best for: Active dads, travel, casual nights out, ranch vibes, layering and looking put together without looking overly technical.
Technical level: ★★★☆☆
Trail-to-town: ★★★★★
Stio Eddy Shirt SS
Which dad is this? The River-Loving Dad
If your family spends more time around water than they do on dry land, this is your shirt.
Rafting, packrafting, floating. fishing, paddling -basically, if your idea of a good day involves getting wet, the Stio Eddy belongs in the rotation.
The Eddy is designed to dry quickly and help keep you cool, which makes it particularly well suited for those hot summer days when you’re going on a river trip, headed down to the local river to float or fish or just find yourself by a lake for the day.
And that is exactly why I love the concept of this shirt for adventurous rive Dads.
Because river days are notorious for turning into whole days. and you aren’t necessarily going to put on a different outfit every time you get out of the water.
You want something that can get wet, dry out, keep you comfortable and still look good enough that you can head out to eat afterwards. The Eddy does that beautifully.
It’s the shirt for the dad who considers a day successful if there is water involved.
Best for: Rafting, packrafting, floating, fishing, paddling, hot summer days and river-town adventures.
Technical level: ★★★★☆
River-to-town: ★★★★★
Not all Button-ups are Created Equal
| Shirt | Which Dad? | Best Use | Technical Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outdoor Research Astroman Air | The Dad Who Is Actually Going on an Adventure | Running, biking, hiking, hot weather | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Patagonia Sunrise Stream | The Dad Who Wants to Look Good Downtown | Kid adventures, work, travel, dinner | ⭐⭐ |
| Patagonia Go-To Western | The Active Dad Who Doesn’t Want to Look Like an Active Dad | Everyday adventure + town | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Stio Eddy | The River-Loving Dad | Rafting, packrafting, fishing, floating | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
The Bottom Line: Dad Doesn’t Need More Clothes. He Needs Better Clothes.
I’ve realized that when it comes to clothing for our family, the goal isn’t necessarily to have something different for every activity.
It’s to have clothing that can handle whatever the day turns into. And for my husband, a good button-up is basically the ultimate hack.
He can wear it from breakfast to a bike ride, from the bike ride to hanging out with the kids, from there to a brewery or restaurant—and somehow still look like a functioning adult who intentionally got dressed that morning.
Meanwhile, I’m over here wondering if the shirt has actually been washed since the last adventure. But that’s beside the point.
For active dads, especially the ones who hate changing clothes as much as my husband does, a good button-up might just be one of the most versatile pieces of gear in the closet.
And psst.. many of these shirts are on SALE right now!!!