Archive for March, 2010
Columbia Titanium Expedition Travel Pants
What weighs 1/3 the amount of a pair of jeans, is twice as strong, and also repels water? These Titanium Expedition travel pants, that’s what.
It used to be that the only way to reduce the amount of weight you were carrying when you traveled was to pack less, buy smaller sizes of cosmetics, and get a light bag. Now the clothes that you pack can make a huge impact as well. Considering you could pack three pairs of these Columbia Sportswear pants for the same weight as a pair of denim jeans, multiplying decisions like that across your wardrobe can make a huge difference.
You get a whole lot more performance out of these as well. They’re not called Titanium just for marketing spin. In my tests on the road they repelled a spilled glass of wine, beaded up in a drizzle, and also stayed looking good for a week: a damp rag cleaned off a bit of dirt that was showing one day.
They’ve got four pockets—always a good thing—but three are mesh inside to keep things cool while the back one is zippered for security. It’s hard to find pants with any innovative “features,” but these do have something cool I haven’t seen before: the leg pocket has a removable pouch inside with a drawstring. You could use this to fly through security at the airport by putting all the metal inside and then just tossing the pouch in a bin. On the other side, stick it back in with the Velcro. Or you can remove it and toss it on a dresser at your hotel to keep keys and the like in one place.
The pants have 50 SPF sun protection in case you’re so pale you can get burned through your pants and there is a fleece lining around the waistband to keep it comfortable. What I like most about these pants is the double-duty aspect. They look good enough to wear into a “no jeans” restaurant or club but can hold up to what you throw at them in the outdoors. You can put these Columbia Titanium Expedition travel pants on in the morning and know they’ll work for whatever you’re doing until bedtime. They come in colors meant for matching: khaki and gray. OK, so they don’t convert to shorts when it gets hot on the trail like some travel pants, but they don’t say, “I’m a tourist” either when you walk into a bar.
They’ll run you 70 bucks if not on sale, which puts them in designer jeans territory, but you’ll probably still be using these in five years, no matter what is happening in the fashion world. I would take these on a year-long round-the-world journey knowing they’d still be in great shape when I returned—even if I wore them every day or two.
Get more details at the Columbia Sportswear page for these travel pants. This particular model is for men, but Columbia makes plenty of great pants for women.
Columbia Titanium Expedition Pant – Men’s at Backcountry.com
Related post: Columbia’s Fashion and Function for the “It Girl”
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, Travel Light on March 24th, 2010
Savings and Scores from Gogo Inflight Internet
Your favorite team is playing in March Madness—but you’re jetting across the country at 35,000 feet. Pure agony.
Unless, of course, you’re flying on a plane equipped with Gogo Inflight Internet. And the folks at Gogo are offering a special deal to Practical Travel Gear readers who want to keep up with the NCAA tournament.
Gogo is offering $5 off a 30-day pass on either American Airlines or Delta now through April 5, 2010. That brings the price of the pass down to $24.95 for 30 days of access on a single airline.
Just enter this promotion code to receive the discount: 27805864fbm
Other single-use and 24-hour options are also available for as low as $4.95, depending on the length of the flight.
I thought this tidbit from Gogo was very interesting. The service is fairly new. But last year, Gogo saw its usage spike by as much as 39 percent during NCAA games.
So this is a way to save while keeping up with the latest scores, tracking brackets and even gloating about your upset picks by e-mail or on Facebook.
I’ve been a fan of Gogo since it was first introduced on American. The service is speedy and dependable and makes long flights seem to go by much more quickly. Gogo is now available on 760 commercial aircraft and growing.
So basketball fans, take heart. You won’t have to postpone that trip—or fly in suspense—as long as Gogo is on board.
Posted by JohnG in Business Gear, General Gear on March 23rd, 2010
Keep Your iPhone, iPod Charged: RichardSolo 1800 Smart Battery Backup
It’s always a pleasure to find a piece of gear that not only performs well, but does it with style. And that’s the case with the RichardSolo 1800 Smart Backup Battery for the iPhone and iPod.
It’s made for those times when you might be away from a power plug for awhile—on a long international flight or out camping. Or, with the unusual weather we’ve seen in the U.S. recently, it could also come in very handy if you’re stranded at an airport all day.
The RichardSolo 1800 is a rechargeable battery that can be used to charge or top off an iPhone (2G, 3G or 3GS) or any model of iPod, except the Shuffle. The 1800 mAh is enough to provide a full charge for an iPhone with power left over. A full charge takes about 90 minutes.
The backup battery can be charged from an AC outlet, car plug, or from your computer with a USB cable. LED lights show the charging status.
The RichardSolo 1800 includes all the cables and plugs you’ll need for charging—an AC wall charger that will accept 120V or 240V, making it ideal for international travel; an auto plug with two USB ports; and a retractable (nice touch) USB cable.
But here’s another trick. The RichardSolo 1800 can replace your standard iPhone or iPod charger to free up some room in the bag. You can even connect the battery and the iPod or iPhone, plug them in overnight and, in the morning, both will be fully charged.
And, as they say on the shopping channels, “Wait! There’s more!” The backup battery also includes an LED flashlight—always handy for travelers—and a laser pointer for presentations.
I also appreciate the snug connection to my iPod and the included support brace. For my use, the RichardSolo unit it provides a much more secure connection than the iGo PowerXtender I reviewed earlier.
The RichardSolo Smart Backup Battery retails for $69.95 and is available direct from the manufacturer or at Amazon. RichardSolo also offers a similar model for the BlackBerry and other smartphones that use mini- or micro-USB ports for charging.
I’ve carried a different brand of backup battery for years on just about every trip. But after checking out the RichardSolo 1800, it’s my new preference because of the flexible design, included cables and plugs and the extra features, such as the flashlight and laser pointer.
If you depend on a smartphone or iPod when traveling, the RichardSolo 1800 Smart Backup Battery will keep you talking (or listening) longer.
Posted by JohnG in Business Gear, General Gear, Travel Light on March 22nd, 2010
Aspen Fashion Week: Juice Beauty “Organics to Go” Kit with Hydrating Mist
When I picked up my swag bag for Aspen Fashion Week on Sunday, I was delighted to find a Juice Beauty “Organics to Go” kit of five facial products perfectly sized for travel. Even better, the kit is not a specially made package just for this event or other gift bags: you can actually by the combination of products from the Juice Beauty website for $29.
Inside the “Organics to Go” recycled-fiber box is Cleansing Milk, Green Apple Peel, Antioxidant Serum, Hydrating Mist and Nutrient Moisturizer, plus a thin but incredibly soft organic bamboo washcloth. Each of the products comes in a 2-oz. or less container, so tossing it all into a carry-on for plane travel is no problem; there is plenty of each product to use as part of your morning and evening beauty routine for a week’s trip.
I’ve now played with all of these products (except for the Green Apple Peel, only because I haven’t had time to deal with doing a behind-the-ear patch test to make sure the hydroxy acid didn’t irritate my skin), and the item that really stands out is the fabulous Hydrating Mist.
Its top ingredients are organic, antioxidant-rich white and red grape juices, aloe vera and grapeseed oil, and the idea is to spray the concoction on your face as needed throughout the day for “exhilarating refreshment.” I can testify that it works. This week, when I’ve needed a pick-me-up after lunch (and before heading to the bus stop to pick up my kids), I spray a little organic goodness on my face and it makes me feel more awake and energized.
The scent is divine: fresh and clean, like an aroma you’d find in a top-notch spa. I’m absolutely packing my small container of Hydrating Mist on my next plane trip to help hydrate and balance my skin before, during and after flight. If long security lines or grumpy ticket agents get me down, one shot of the Hydrating Mist and I’ll be transported to a massage table (in my mind anyway).
All of Juice Beauty’s skincare products are made with 100 percent organic juice, and they are free of petroleum, pesticides, paraben preservatives, artificial colors, synthetic fragrances.
If you fall in love with the trial-size version of this nifty product like I did, purchase a 6.75-oz container of Hydrating Mist to keep on your desk or on your kitchen counter (or wherever you spend most of your day) for $22.
Posted by Kara in Travel Light on March 19th, 2010
For the Badass Traveler: Swiss Army Soldier Knife from Victorinox
Want to carry what the Swiss Army is really using these days? Then check out this Victorinox Soldier Knife. It has a locking blade that opens with one hand, a few key tools, and grips on the side that keep it from sliding in your hand.
Carry-on bag rules and airline gotcha fees have put a dent in the use of Swiss Army knives by travelers, but I still carry one on any trip where I’m going by car or when I know I will be checking a bag. For more than 100 years, these knives have been the ultimate double-duty travel gear items. They open bottles, open cans, punch holes, saw wood, drive in screws, and—on the one I’ve had for ages—even open wine bottles and trim a beard.
I got a Victorinox Swiss Army knife as a birthday gift from Mom right before my very first trip around the world. This was in the early 1990′s. I used it on that trip, then on a second one around the world. Then a third. At this point the knife has probably seen action in more countries than Jason Bourne and it’s still working fine. Victorinox can confidently provide a lifetime warranty and know that very few people will ever need to cash in. These knives hang in there for the long haul.
This Soldier Knife is an update on the usual red knife with a white cross, with several refinements. It’s less slippery, is an army green color, and looks more like something a real army person of any kind would use. It feels more serious and hefty than the one I’m used to using, but is only slightly heavier, at close to five ounces. It lists for $60, but goes for less at retailers and online shops like Amazon.
The key difference in this model is a main blade that can be opened with one hand. This could be quite helpful when rock climbing, spelunking, or mountaineering, but I also used the function a few times while doing home repairs and gardening around the house. Sometimes you just don’t feel like putting down the stuff in your other hand.
The blade then locks after you open it, which can be good or bad. The good thing is it won’t suddenly close on, say, your finger. When you are sawing something with the serrated part, there’s no movement in the blade—it’s locked in place.
The bad thing is, you then need two hands to close the blade. So let’s say you’ve flipped out the blade with one hand, done your task, then need to move on, with one hand still occupied. Now what? Since you opened it with one hand, how do you now have two free to close it with? Should I hold it in my teeth, Rambo-style?
Maybe I’m just clueless and this is why I’ve never pictured myself in an army, even one like Switzerland’s that eats chocolate more often than it tells enemies to eat lead. It’s probably also why the fact it has been “Field Tested and approved by the North American Hunting Club” doesn’t do much for me either. But for those with better training (or coordination maybe), this is a great knife.
See the full Victorinox knife line at Swissarmy.com. Buy the Swiss Army Soldier Knife at the links below.
Get it at Buy.com
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, Travel Light on March 18th, 2010
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