What is the best travel clothesline?

I took a braided-rubber clothesline on a few long trips and used it only once that I can recall. For me it didn't come close to justifying the space and weight in the suitcase.

I stay in budget-level lodgings and have made something of a study of the clothes-hanger situation. The most common number of hangers in my (single) hotel rooms has been three (3). How many people have only three garments in their suitcase they'd like to hang up? When I find as many as 5 or 6 hangers in my room, I feel as if I am in paradise; sadly, that rarely happens. Thus I travel with two inflatable hangers. They do three things: provide a way to hang up clothes; allow clothes to dry faster by separating the front and back of the garment as it hangs; allow clothes to dry with fewer wrinkles for the same reason.

Traveling solo, I've always managed to find a place to hang wet laundry, though it is sometimes quite challenging. With two people in a budget-level room, it would be considerably more difficult, and I think taking some sort of clothesline might be well worthwhile.

The Flexo-Line Clothesline has been helping minimalist travelers pack light since 1945. Backpacking across Europe with one pair of pants and need to wash and dry them as you go? Flexo-Line Clothesline. Living the van life and don’t have access to a washer and dryer? Flexo-Line Clothesline. Camping and your clothes back in the tent get stolen by a hungry bear? Well, it won’t help you there, but if you need to dry some clothes in the wild, it’s got you covered. You don’t even need clothespins to use it.

Flexo-Line is actually the name of the brand, not just the product. This clothesline is all they have sold for over 75 years. They’re basically clothesline masters, and the founder is from Flint, Michigan—shoutout to our fellow Michiganders! We tested the Flexo-Line for two weeks and found it quite useful, although it is bulkier than other travel clotheslines like the Sea to Summit Lite Line Clothesline. If you’re going on a road trip or cruise and you’ve got more space in your bag it’s an overall solid option.

Don’t think you need to travel with a clothesline? Maybe you should reconsider. Have you ever heard the Erykah Badu song “Bag Lady”? In it, she tells the listener to “pack light” and leave behind unnecessary baggage that’s weighing them down. In reality, it’s a metaphor for life and relationships, but it definitely applies to traveling too! Especially the catchy part that goes, “pack liiight.” Cut down weight in your bag by downsizing your clothing, washing as you go, and drying them with the Flexo-Line Clothesline. If you’re not convinced, just keep on reading to see whether it’s for you or not.

Materials, Features & Usage

This clothesline is made of three thick, stretchy strips of latex braided into a rope. It’s got nylon loops on both ends, so you can put one end through the other and tie it around a tree or balcony railing. Or just hook it around a doorknob. It’s important to note that you’ll probably want to bring a carabiner to secure it, depending on where you’re planning to use it.

For drying in your hostel bathtub, just loop one end around the towel rack and hook the other side over the showerhead. No problemo. But let’s say you’re out camping. You can loop one end around a tree, but what will you attach the other side to? With a carabiner, you can just clip it onto the trunk of your car or RV. Same with balcony drying. A carabiner just makes the Flexo-Line easier to use. Otherwise, there’s no way to really attach both ends.

Now for the burning question, we know you’re wondering about—how do you use this freaking thing without clothespins? We’re glad you asked. All you have to do is stick the ends of your clothes in a gap in the braid. The latex is thick and grippy, so your clothes stay tightly in place in between two of the strands. And it’s much gentler on delicate fabrics than a clothespin.

The line is supposed to hold up to 12 pounds and stretch to seven feet. While it can definitely handle a decent load, we don’t recommend putting 12 pounds on here. Especially if your clothes are sopping wet. The line tends to sag down a bit low to the ground, and unless you’re really tall or willing to climb a tree to hang it up higher, this can be a bit problematic.

We set the Flexo-Line up in the shower with three absolutely drenched towels on it, and they were inching pretty close to the tub. So, at the very least, make sure you wring your clothes out really well, so they don’t get too heavy. Especially if you’ve got a lot to dry.

We didn’t have any issues with durability or clothes slipping off the line during the two weeks we tested it. We have seen other reviews that say the latex falls apart after a while, however. Apparently, direct sunlight and heat can degrade natural rubber (because science) so make sure to store it in a cool, dark place. And don’t hang it up over a campfire or anything.

So, next time you get ready to pack for a long-term trip, queue up Ms. Badu’s words of wisdom. Especially the part that says, “Bag lady, you gone miss your bus. You can’t hurry up ’cause you got too much stuff.” Don’t let that be you. Pack light with fewer clothes, wash them as you go, and dry them on the fly. Because missing the only bus going to that remote town you want to visit for the day is no fun. Trust us, we’ve been there.