Posts Tagged double-duty
Time-tested Favorites: Best Gear from the Past Two Years
I’ve been reviewing travel products at Practical Travel Gear since it launched in May 2009. For more than two years, at least once weekly, I’ve detailed my firsthand experiences with everything from travel-sized toiletries and kids’ activity books to high-tech cameras and versatile clothing. That’s at least 120 blog posts about different pieces of gear, just a few of them true flops.
Here are 10 of my favorite items I’ve reviewed since 2009 — gear that I continue to pack on my travels today. By no means is this list exhaustive, just a few things that come to mind as I think about some of the “best” I’ve encountered recently and have stood the test of time.
1. Cate the Great Boots by Sorel: I’m thoroughly enjoying the latest stint of warm autumn weather in Colorado, but I’m equally anticipating winter’s snow, because it means I get to wear these hip (and warm) lace-up boots. They’ll get use not only for evenings out in snowy destinations, but also on the tubing hill or in the lodge for apres ski.
2. Heidi Bottoms stretchy skirts: For two summers I wore one or both of my Heidi skirts at least weekly. I received a complimentary skirt to review here on Practical Travel Gear, but then went out and bought another one because I loved it so much. I’ve paired them with T-shirts for sightseeing, and worn over a bathing suit as a cover-up. Well worth the price, because I’ve gotten so much use out of these skirts!
3. Miles of Smiles travel book for kids: This sits in the back seat of my minivan, and my daughter will pull it out and challenge us to tongue-twisters or some sort of verbal game we can play on our road trips. Really, chock full of entertainment.
4. ZIP-IT Travel Crossword Game: This one we keep in our cupboards of games to play at home, and it comes out regularly when I insist the kids turn off the TV. Though it is just a two-player game, it does help me buy some time when I need to, say, and my two kids need to some screen-less time at home. I also enjoy playing it, as well! It’s portable, and I’ve got to remember to pack it on our next trip — good to pull out during airport waits.
5. NorChill Soft-Sided Cooler: This is our go-to cooler for road trips. It’s the perfect size for placing between the backseats in our minivan. Alas, the zipper broke on our last family adventure. Need to remember to fix that before our next one!
6. Briggs & Riley Large Shopping Tote: I have so many carry-on shoulder bags and rollerboards, that I rotate them around depending on my length of trip or my needs on the plane. But one bag that I continually return to is this huge, quality-made tote — I can fit so much stuff in it!
7. Lowepro CompuDaypack: I wish the main compartment of this backpack were a bit bigger (see above, I like to carry a lot on the plane), but overall I dig this bag for housing my DSLR on my travels. I use it all the time, and in fact, store my camera in it when I’m not traveling.
8. REI Multi-level Protection SPF 30: This is a new find, but it’s a favorite in my house. In fact, when our one bottle’s gone temporarily missing, my kids ask (whine): “Where’s the good stuff?!”
9. USB Charger from Energizer: Okay, this one is relatively new-to-me also, but it hasn’t left my minivan since I got it. The kids use the double-USB charger to power their iPod touches, I use it for my Droid phone. Love.
10. GoPro HD Helmet HERO Waterproof Camera: This camera comes with us on all our travels, and I’ve used it to capture the action (still and video) snow tubing, surfing, water tubing, rope swinging, kayaking and more. The fish-eye lens results in some fun photos!
Posted by Kara in Adventure Gear, General Gear, Kids and Family on October 18th, 2011
New Products Unveiled at Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2010
I’m just home after a whirlwind three days at the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2010 held annually (with a Winter Market in January) in Salt Lake City. More than 1,000 exhibitors show their wares on a massive trade-show floor in some totally tricked-out booths (think ice sculptures, two-level showrooms, lounge-like areas with comfy couches — and plenty of beer at happy hour). The event allows brick-and-mortar, website and catalog retailers to find out what will be on the market in spring 2011, so they can do their planning and merchandise ordering now.
In the coming months I’ll be checking out firsthand some of those products — from apparel to luggage to shoes — that will appear in stores next spring. In the meantime, here’s a sneak peek of what’s to come, as well as some items that you can purchase now:
I’m freakishly excited about all the fabulous women’s clothing items that GoLite will roll out next spring. This brand is best known for its base layers, outer layers and performance apparel for hiking, backpacking and trail running, but it’s certainly going to make its mark next year with a collection of versatile dresses, skirts, pants and tops for sightseeing, restaurant meals and walks on the beach. Some sample pieces I saw are made out off cocona fabric, created from recycled coconuts shells. (How cool is that?)
One item in the Adventure Travel line that is available now is the Cayambe Reversible Travel Dress, which is oh-so soft and feminine, and ultra versatile, too: spill some wine on one side of the dress? Flip it around and wear the other color on the outside the next night! It also packs quite small and is made from Dri-Move Lite fabric, with important moisture-wicking qualities — great for humid climes.
We cover ExOfficio a lot here at Practical Travel Gear, for good reason: this is a clothing brand that understands traveler’s needs. The company makes apparel that is not only stylish, but offers a ton of features that are so important on the road, like quick-drying or wrinkle-free qualities.
My colleague Tim shared his admiration for ExOfficio underwear last year, and now the brand has released a slightly sexier version for women: the Lacy Lu bikinis, thongs and briefs, plus tank tops and camisoles — all with the same great qualities as its original undies, just with slightly more feminine appeal. Right now the Lacy Lu line is only available at REI, but will be for sale on the ExOfficio website, other online retailers and brick and mortar stores next year.
Also coming this spring from ExOfficio: clothing from the Sol Cool line, made from fabrics that include xylitol, the ingredient found in sugar-free gum that has natural cooling properties (I felt the fabric, and indeed it is subtly cool to the touch).
Another brand we sure do like here at Practical Travel Gear is Briggs & Riley, which makes incredibly durable and classy luggage for the business and leisure traveler. (My Large Shopping Tote continues to make frequent appearances on my travels.) The latest release from Briggs & Riley: BRX, the line for “adventure travelers.” This product is made with lightweight materials and they are soft-sided, with a nifty docking system. See at left, where the Excursion Backpack is attached to an upright roller, for wheeling ease through the airport. If you wanted, you could attach the backpack to a larger piece (say, the 28-inch Rolling Duffle), and still only be charged one fee for a checked bag — clever, huh? The entire 7-piece BRX collection is available now.
This is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the products I saw and touched at the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market. I’ve got loads more to share about new Eureka! tents and sleeping pads, Wallaroo hats, GoLite and Ecco shoes, Timbuk2 and Eagle Creek luggage, Polarmax base layers and many more pieces of fabulous travel apparel and gear. Stay tuned!
Posted by Kara in General Gear, Travel Light on August 6th, 2010
Ativa Mobil-IT Ultimate Rolling Overnighter
Next month I’m attending the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market trade show in Salt Lake City. My boss Tim went to the winter show and said it was excellent in terms of meeting with marketing folks for just the travel products we like to cover here at PracticalTravelGear.com — from hiking shoes to camping gadgets to versatile jackets.
He also mentioned that it’s an intense show: that is, in addition to attending pre-scheduled appointments at various product booths all spread throughout a ridiculously humongous trade-show floor (we’re talking miles of walking during an 8-hour day), there are happy-hour beers to drink and late-night industry parties to attend. (Hey, somebody’s got to do it to learn about the fabulous new gear coming out in 2011.)
I wasn’t too concerned about keeping up with the hectic trade-show pace (heck, I”m a mom used to being on the go, juggling lots at once), but what the heck I was going to use to carry a) all of my purse essentials b) my laptop (because there is a media room and I’d like to be able to do some live blogging if possible) and c) all the samples and swag I’m likely to pick up along the way. I was also quite concerned about carrying around an overloaded tote, shoulder bag or backpack. Ouch, the neck and shoulders pain!
Then I remembered I had this bag in the corner of my office, awaiting review: the Ativa Mobil-IT Ultimate Rolling Overnighter. Problem solved! This durable bag has a sporty backpack look without screaming “business travel” or “techy geek” (the dress and vibe at the show is ultra-casual). Best part, it’s got a super-sturdy extended handle for pulling the bag on its wheels. Yep, I’m going to roll this puppy all over the trade-show floor for three days. (My outdoor-industry husband, who has been attending “OR” for years, assures me that many attendees pull bags of stuff/loot/gear/electronics behind them — some, even bigger than carry-on size.)
This one is plenty big for my purposes next month: at 18.5 x 13.5x 6 inches it’s meant to hold a laptop, in a separate padded compartment, enough clothes for a weekend away, and all of your electronics. The generously sized, zippered side pockets are ideal for carrying chargers (or socks and underwear), and the front organizer pocket has cute little symbols on different pouches specifying where you should put your mp3 player, phone, point-and-shoot camera and business cards. The main compartment really is huge, with interior adjustable straps you can pull tight to compress your clothes (or where I’ll be throwing anything I pick up along the way). The interior is a sassy red, which I like since the exterior is devoid of color in basic black.
I am confident that after I use this bag for my road trip to Salt Lake City, and during the event itself, I’ll find many other uses for it on my travels, whether as a plane carry-on bag,for more business meetings or on a weekend getaway.
Office Depot sells the roller-bag on its website and in its stores; the bag retails for $119.99.
Get FREE next business day delivery with your $50 order at OfficeDepot.com!
See more best luggage reviews from Practical Travel Gear.
Posted by Kara in Business Gear on July 23rd, 2010
InsectShield Bandanas and Hats
I typed up this review in advance while looking out at the waves lapping on the beach of Tulum, palm trees swaying in the breeze and tropical birds singing in a morning chorus. But last night I slept under a mosquito net and I have a mosquito coil burning next to the lounge chair I’m in to keep the vampires at bay. At times it’s like getting dive-bombed.
Fortunately, I’m armed with a whole other arsenal of weapons, including some clothing with insect protection built right into the fabric. ExOfficio has for years had a line of Buzz Off products that were treated with built-in Permethrin, but this InsectShield line is even more durable, lasting 70 washings before the 0.52% of repellent wears off. It’s invisible, odorless, and—in my experience quite effective. You still have to spray something on exposed skin though, as this will only protect what it is covering.
Mosquitoes flying around your legs and ankles are annoying enough (a good reason to wear some InsectShield pants), but it’s even more maddening when 
they are flying around your head. That buzzing in the ears is enough to make some people flail around like a dancing lunatic and walking around with bug bites on your face is never fun.
Fortunately, you can protect your head or neck for only $12 with the ExOfficio InsectShield bandannas pictured here. They come in a variety of colors and each has little mozzies on it so you don’t get it mixed up with a plain bandanna. Any long-term traveler learns that the bandanna can be a great double-duty item too, working as a head cover, sweat rag, impromptu napkin, valuables holder, and more.
Then there’s this InsectShield Adventure hat, which I’ve been using for six weeks now. There’s nothing even slightly fashionable about this hat and I’ll admit it’s probably not the kind of thing you want to wear while posing for photos. It’s a floppy hat that will protect you from the sun and from bugs and only weighs two ounces 
though, so function wins out over form. It knows its job and does it well, not really caring if you look cool or not. (Hey, at least the chin strap is detachable.)
If you’re going to be in hot sunny places for a while, you need a wide-brimmed hat anyway, so get this, the bucket hat, or the Cotton Sun Bucket model and keep the mosquitoes at bay at the same time. If you don’t mind being a redneck, you can get a baseball cap one instead—or that with a flap coming off the back to cover that neck.
The Adventure Hat lists for $36 but sometimes you’ll find it on sale for less at the ExOfficio site or at Backcountry.com.
See the full line of InsectShield products.
See the other ExOfficio reviews at Practical Travel Gear.
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, Kids and Family, Travel Light on July 22nd, 2009
Road Test: Kensington Wall/Auto/Air Power Adapter
This travel adapter is not the flashiest piece of gear in my travel bag, but certainly one of the most practical. And, after all, this website is practicaltravelgear.com, right?
Kensington’s Wall/Auto/Air Ultra Portable Notebook Power Adapter (K33197US) is like a quick-change artist, capable of powering and charging a notebook computer, iPod and cell phone on airplanes, in cars or at the hotel.
With changeable tips for different devices, it can replace several power supplies if you’re carrying multiple gadgets on the road, lightening the load and taking up less space.
And it’s lighter than the brick-like power adapter that came with my Dell notebook. When you’re schlepping gear around an airport, every ounce and pound you can leave behind makes a difference.
The Kensington power kit comes with plugs and adapters to use the power ports on planes. This airplane power feature will become even more essential for business travelers as more airlines add in-flight wi-fi access.
One note here—I do just about all of my flying on American Airlines, which is generous with power ports but they are limited to 75 watts. The Kensington adapter will handle up to 120 watts, but your notebook may not work in the air if it draws more than 70 or 75 watts because of the limitations of the plane’s power system. Check the power supply that came with your notebook to see the rated power. Smaller notebooks are the ones most likely to work—some of the larger ones are very power hungry and may not work with airplane ports.
This adapter will also power gear from a 12-volt power supply in a car or from AC plugs—either 120 or 240 volts, an added bonus for international travel.
Kensington makes a wide variety of tips to power different devices, so check for compatibility with your gear.
The Kensington power adapter comes with several built-in safety features, including protection from drawing too much current, short circuits and overheating. In my experience, Kensington is a quality manufacturer and I’ve heard many reports from other users about how strongly they stand behind their products.
The list price for the adapter is $149.99, but refurbished models (Kensington 33197RR) can be found for $25-$30. The new models have a two-year warranty, while the refurbs are covered for one year.
I’ve carried a refurbished model around for way over 100,000 miles and never had a problem. Wait, there was the time the dog chewed up one of the cables, but I can’t blame that on Kensington.
This adapter has been a reliable, solid piece of equipment that meets the most important test of all. It just works.
Posted by JohnG in Business Gear, Travel Light on May 11th, 2009
