Super-thin Wallets from All Ett
Who wants wallet butt when they travel? If you want to carry a wallet on the move (instead of say, some kind of under-clothing money pouch), “the world’s thinnest wallet” will work well in all kinds of pockets. With its slim profile, it’s also less noticeable for would-be thieves.
I’ve been trying out the nylon sport wallet pictured at the top and to the right. This thing weighs so little you can blow it across a table and it’s thinner than a credit card. It also retails for a mere $15, so it won’t set you back much either. The design is minimalist cool and uncomplicated: bills go lengthwise in the main pocket, cards go lengthwise in two half-pockets on the top.
I’ve only been using this off and on for a few months, so I’m not sure how well it will hold up as your daily wallet, but the nylon is ripstop tough and the stitching looks solid. This photo to the left below shows how one of these—in leather even—stacks up to a normal stuffed wallet. My results weren’t quite that dramatic, but it did reduce the bulk by more than half.
This sport version will only work with U.S. dollars or other currencies where all bills are the same size. (Why are we so mean to blind people?) For international travel it would be best to get one of the larger international wallet, which sells for $20 nylon, $35 leather.
That’s also the price for the travel wallet, which holds your passport and everything else in a package just a tad larger than the passport itself.
In some places I’d still recommend using an Eagle Creek money pouch when you travel, but in places where you don’t have to worry so much about pickpockets—like the NAFTA countries—these thin wallets are convenient and they cut out a lot of bulk. You don’t have to decide between a butt bulge and a man purse if you’re carrying lots of bills and cards.
You can get these and others direct at ThinnestWallet.com or go to Amazon for the sport wallet, international wallet, or travel wallet.
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Posted by Tim L. in Business Gear, General Gear, Travel Light on March 21st, 2012
IDAPT i1 Eco Dual Charging Device
This unique dual charger from Idapt provides the ability to charge more than one device simultaneously, which for this time-strapped traveler is extremely important. Yes, it is feasible to charge an iPad, iPhone, and laptop all at once overnight in my hotel room, but sometimes they run out of juice in the middle of the day. I can charge more than one thing from the same outlet in the airline lounge or airport gate area while on a short connection.
The brand’s main focal point is the reduction in environmental impact this can have by only using one charger for all of your devices. When it has reached 100% charging for your devices, it automatically powers down reducing usage of electricity. This is, of course, important to me too, but so is the ease of use and increase in productivity that it provides.
Plus, when you are the one paying the electric bill (like when using its wall plug while at home), it saves you on energy use. I am sure you have heard that even when an outlet is not in use, if something is plugged in, it is using energy and electricity. In addition, the device is created from recyclable materials. There is also a car plug to use with your car lighter port that makes it a cinch to use while driving to the airport.
There are dual inputs on the device: one USB charging port perfect for my iPhone or iPad and one regular charging port for my laptop. The combination cuts down on the number of cords needed on my desk or near my seating area if space is limited.
The $25 price tag is extremely affordable especially with a tradeoff of having fewer cables to travel with (think about those otherwise overweight bag fees!) and increased productivity on a short connection. It is available on IDAPT’s website and at Amazon and makes a great gift for business travelers.
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Posted by Ramsey in Business Gear, Travel Light on March 19th, 2012
Spenco Insoles for When the Ones in Your Shoes Are Crap
Replacement insoles are a lot like their neighbor, socks. You don’t often hear people gushing on about their new insole purchase and you probably won’t see these Spenco products pinned on anyone’s wish list collection on Pinterest anytime soon. As with quality socks, however, a relatively small amount of money spent on an unglamorous item can make a huge difference in your comfort level. Especially after a full day of walking.
I care about insoles so much that I have three pairs of custom orthodics. I frequently pull out whatever came with the shoes and put those in instead. These came about from having a father-in-law who was a podiatrist, however. Not everyone can be so lucky. After wearing around two versions of Spenco insoles though I think you can get pretty close to the same experience with these—for a whole lot less money.
See, for every pair of travel shoes we review here that comes with a great padded, supportive insole, there are even more than come with insoles that are an afterthought at best. They’re thin, cheaply made, and prone to falling apart or compressing over time. If you shoes are not so comfortable anymore, this may be your main problem. The best way to get a lot more life out of them is to change the insole. Suddenly they’ll feel new again.
Sometimes I toss the insoles immediately because I can tell they’re crappy. The list price of the shoe has little correlation to the quality of the insole. I’ve been trying these two from Spenco out in shoes that were either old or came with lousy insoles of their own.
Polysorb Total Support
These serious insoles pictured at the top are meant to hold up to the punishment athletes dish out. With five layers of support molded together, they’re super-supportive and have cushioning that varies to shield high-impact areas more. Part of that is an EVA layer that extends the length of the foot, plus a low-friction top cloth with anti-microbial odor protection. I’ve been wearing these between two pairs of shoes I’ve had for over a year and there’s a huge difference in the comfort, especially after miles of walking. They need to be hand washed, but at least they can be washed—unlike ones of mine that got wet a few months ago and disintegrated.
These retail for $35, which is as much as a pair of shoes in a Payless store, but of course you can use these for multiple pairs of shoes. Whether you’re a runner, a tennis player, a trade show warrior, or just a traveler who’s going to be hitting a lot of museums, your feet will thank you for this purchase. See the dealer locator at Spenco or order them from REI.
Spenco Polysorb Flow
Most of the technology that goes into shoe inserts is not very apparent except by feel. No so with these Flow Cool performance insoles. They look a bit different because they are: they’re meant to allow air to flow through and heat to dissipate so your feet stay cooler.
This sounds like some kind of infomercial gimmick, but the claim isn’t based on one single solution. There are holes in the insole to allow air to move, channels on the top and bottom to keep air from getting cut off under a squashed foot, and an EVA/magnesium oxide blended material that helps the heat dissipate. On top of that, the moisture-wicking top part is also treated with anti-odor properties.
In my tests, it worked surprisingly well. It’s not going to bring the temperature inside the shoe from 110F to 95, like there’s a miniature fan in there or something, but it did make a noticeable difference when I replaced regular insoles with these on a hot day’s walk or puttering around the house. My feet didn’t seem to sweat as much and I felt cooler. Naturally that hot air needs somewhere to go too, so these will work better in athletic shoes with a mesh upper or at least something utilizing a membrane from Gore-tex or a competitor.
If you have the reverse problem—your feet are always cold—Spenco has you covered there too. Check out this Flow Warm version.
These list for $35 too, but order the Flow Cool insoles from Zappos or Amazon and you might shave a bit off the price.
Related review: Spenco TotalSupport Sandals
Posted by Tim L. in Business Gear, General Gear on March 15th, 2012
Lat56 Red Eye Suit Packing System
Business travelers know that many carry-on bags often leave suits wrinkled even if they do have a special folding compartment for jackets and dress shirts. For me, traveling with a garment bag is not an option as I typically bring a rollaboard suitcase and briefcase with me. There is not an option to take a third carry-on without having to check something else.
Plus, when traveling with a garment bag, it is the luck of the draw if the flight attendant is willing to hang your garment bag in the closet (that is if there is one). Otherwise, you are stuck placing it into the overhead bin and running the risk of someone slamming their own bag on top of your suit.
The Lat56 Red Eye bag is the most durable garment bag that I have ever seen. Clearly, its outer shell composed of semi-rigid rubber-like material protects whatever is inside it while making it malleable enough to squeeze into an overhead bin. Even if someone does slam their bag on top of this rubber shell, it is impact resistant keeping the contents safe.
It is also possible to check this bag with no worries thanks to its solid exterior shell keeping suits safe and wrinkle-free. That’s something that no garment bag could ever do. The rubber resists water protecting clothing from rain and the elements.
Lat56 has patented what it calls the Torso Protecting System that keeps interior contents free of wrinkles. Inside the bag are separate compartments for ties, shirts, and other accessories, which keeps everything organized.
A shoulder strap makes it easy to carry this bag through an airport or hotel lobby. It is a bit awkward to balance this bag on top of some rollaboard suitcases, but the shoulder strap and lightweight nature of the bag make it easy to carry separately.
If you do decide to check the bag, a built-in TSA lock allows you to protect your garments from tampering while also allowing security to access the bag if needed. The iTRAK system provides a global tracking service on the bag so that you can keep tabs on it if you do decide to check the bag.
This bag is available at www.Lat56.com and fits a surprisingly large amount of clothing. While not cheap at $295, it is a durable, high-quality bag that will last a long time.
Posted by Ramsey in Business Gear, Travel Light on March 5th, 2012
Tom Bihn Ristretto for iPad
Unless you absolutely have to, why lug your laptop around every time you travel? When you’re toting around your iPad or netbook, it’s so much better to bring a smaller bag—one that isn’t built to fit a laptop and the kitchen sink. The Tom Bihn Ristretto for iPad (and iPad2) is a great option.
While the size requires you to pare down, there’s plenty of room for your iPad or netbook, cell phone, wallet, notebook, pens, keys and even a water bottle. The padded compartment protects your iPad, while an easy-reach pocket allows you to grab your phone or pen on the fly. A zippered secure pocket is included, for items you want to hide away. The small bag is roomier than it looks. I was easily able to get a camera, book and sweater for the plane trip in with all the other gear.
Use the shoulder strap or a removable waist strap—perfect for securing your bag while you’re biking around any city. The Ristretto comes with the Tom Bihn “standard” shoulder strap, which has a 1 1/2-inch-wide nylon webbing strap and a wide foam pad for your shoulder.
For a little bit extra ($20), you can upgrade to the “absolute” shoulder strap, which has a soft, durable neoprene pad with comfortable stretch backing. I picked the upgrade strap, and it’s made a big difference when I’m hauling a lot of stuff around. It may not make the best sense for the Ristretto, since it’s a smaller bag, but I also use my shoulder strap on other bags—any that have hooks for D-ring attachments will do.
Tom Bihn makes other Ristretto bags that fit larger technology, so if you just can’t part with that 11-inch or 13-inch MacBook Air, there’s a Ristretto for them as well.
The Tom Bihn Ristretto for iPad lists for $125 and the one place to get it besides their store is on the Tom Bihn website. (Their bags are made in the USA and to enable them to keep doing that, they’re only sold direct from the company.)
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Posted by Jill in Business Gear, General Gear on February 24th, 2012
