Posts Tagged Eagle Creek
Eagle Creek Swift 22 Carry-on Suitcase
The Swift 22-inch rolling bag is another winner from Eagle Creek—if you prefer an open compartment over multiple pockets.
With most airlines sticking it to you for checking a bag on domestic flights, but only one in the U.S. charging you for a carry-on, most frequent fliers have gravitated to a 22-inch bag. These generally fit into the overhead bin okay and if you’re just moving around airports and hotels, you’ve got wheels to make it easy. If you pack well, you can get by for four or five days with one this size, or longer if you do some laundry. This Swift one from Eagle Creek has a capacity of 45 liters or 2,750 cubic inches.
There’s nothing fancy about the organization of this bag. Apart from a mesh section on the flap, it’s just one big compartment inside. This is because it’s meant to be used with Eagle Creek’s Pack-it cube system. (Watch for a detailed review of those cubes next week.) There’s a little diagram in the instructions tag telling you the most efficient way to pack using these. As I’ve posted before, I’ve got mixed feelings about packing cubes, so most of the time I don’t use them; I can stuff more into my bag without them. If you’re going to be moving from hotel to hotel though, they can help you keep organized. Here’s a quick rule of thumb: if your favorite retail outlet is The Container Store, you’ll love packing cubes. If you have a messy jumbled sock drawer, maybe not.
A set of compression straps will keep everything in place inside, then on the outside you’ve got one large pocket running the length of the bag and one small zippered pocket. This suitcase weighs in at 5 pounds 11 ounces (3kg), despite having a good handle system, heavy-duty large wheels, and rugged material with trademarked names like Stratus, Helix, Cordura, and “900D Bi-Tech.” It’s not advertised as waterproof, but the material did repel water in a drizzle and all the zippers are either covered or sealed.
There are two cushioned handles, which always makes me happy: one on the top and one on the side. One odd omission though: there’s no built-in luggage tag holder. It’s been a while since I saw a quality suitcase without one of those.
Overall this bag performed admirably on my trips, with smooth rolling action, a good handle mechanism, and a surface that can easily be wiped clean. As with all Eagle Creek luggage, it comes with a “no matter what” lifetime warranty—not something you see very often with wheeled suitcases.
This bag only comes in a black/gray combo but it’s different enough looking from the other sea of black bags that you can easily pick it out on the airport carousel. You can’t easily see it in this photo, but the surface has an attractive subtle striped pattern. It lists for $200, but goes for $130 or less at most online retailers. That’s a good value for something that will last a lifetime.
Find the Eagle Creek Swift 22 at Sierra Trading Post or buy the Swift 22 at Campmor.
See more Eagle Creek travel gear reviews
Posted by Tim L. in Business Gear, General Gear, Travel Light on January 18th, 2012
Eagle Creek Accessories to Keep Your Money Safe
Many types of urchins would love to get hold of your money or credit cards when you travel. Keep it all safe with these under-clothing accessories.
There are a few practical travel gear items I’ve been using since I first set off on my first trip around the world many years ago. One of them is the venerable under-pants money pouch from Eagle Creek. Officially it’s the Undercover Hidden Pocket. I’ve had one of these under my pants in a few dozen countries and as a result, the total amount I’ve been pick-pocketed in all time is…30 rupees in India. (And that really was in my pocket—I’d just gotten change at a movie theater.)
Sure, you can buy things that hang around your neck and go under your shirt, but I don’t like the feel of that—especially in sticky tropical countries—and it’s too easy for someone to do a cut and pull in a crowd. To get this thing out of my pants would be tough though, especially since it’s usually attached to my belt. (You can pin it with a giant safety pin if not wearing a belt.) Then when you need your money or credit card, it’s easy to pull this out and get to them.
There are three places to put things: a main compartment good for a passport and bank notes, two equal smaller ones for credit cards or another currency folded. Speaking of choices, there are also two different belt loops. One is brown, one is black, to match whatever belt you’re wearing. The other just folds out of the way.
It’s all made from ripstop nylon and I can attest that these things hold up through years of daily use on the road. If you’re carrying a passport though you should put that inside a Ziploc bag to be safe. If you get caught in a total deluge, this thing is not completely waterproof.
The Undercover Hidden Pocket comes in black or khaki and lists for $12, which is not a bad investment for something that will help you hold onto the rest of your money. It would make a nice gift for a person about to go on a long international journey. You can find this money pouch at most any outdoor gear or luggage shop, but you can also order it online from Backcountry, Altrec, or Moosejaw.
Undercover Leg Wallet
Another option, if you’re going to be somewhere that involves having pants on every day, is this Undercover Leg Wallet. Instead of going between your underwear and your pants/skirt, this attaches snugly to your leg. 
It kind of feels like you’re packing heat, so if you want to pretend you’re a detective with a concealed weapon, this will do it.
I’ve used this a couple times, but it’s not something that would be my first choice. It’s harder to get to this when you’re pulling out money to pay a bar tab or buy something in a market. Plus it doesn’t work with shorts or a skirt. It has to go on your calf unless you have really skinny legs.
On the plus side, it’s larger and doesn’t hinder movement in any way. This seems to me to be a great choice for people who spend a lot of time in dicey situations: third-world journalists and NGO field workers, for instance. If someone gives you a good once-over, they’ll see a money pouch attached to your belt or hanging around your neck. They won’t see this.
As with the first item above it’s made with wicking ripstop nylon and has a soft surface for the part that goes next to your skin. Ample pockets keep your goods separated and the straps close with adjustable Velcro.
You’ll find this Undercover Leg Wallet at many physical retailers and it lists for $18. Get it online at Backcountry, eBags, or Altrec.
See more Eagle Creek gear reviews
Posted by Tim L. in Business Gear, General Gear, Travel Light on December 8th, 2011
Eagle Creek Conor Flashpoint Waterproof Daypack
Most daypacks are designed to withstand a little mist or drizzle, but that may not be sufficient if you’re a flashpacker with a couple thousand dollars worth of gear on your back. In this digital age, that’s not an unusual premise: add up the value of a camera, smart phone, and netbook or iPad alone—all items that do not take kindly to getting wet.
Eagle Creek has a whole line of rugged backpacks meant for being your weatherproof bag for laptops and more. They’ve got the Checkpoint Friendly fold-out laptop section for airport security scans, plus lots of gadget pockets for all the little gear items you have along. With this Conor Flashpoint one I was able to stuff in everything I needed for the day, including my super-zoom camera in its case, plus a water bottle on the side in the carrier.
I left my laptop in the van for this hike to a waterfall in Chiapas, Mexico a couple weeks ago, but I did have a camera, a phone, and a notebook in there when this photo was taken. It was drizzling rain there already, but then when we got close to the Cascada El Chiflón falls, we went from being a little wet to absolutely drenched, just from the spray coming off the falls. (They were so powerful, after days of rain, that a one-ton or so boulder was swirling around in the surf below us.)
This backpack came through that daunting test just fine. The inside stayed dry. The Conor Flashpoint is billed as “weather resistant,” not waterproof, but it’s got the kind of treated material you see in packs from North Face and Brooks-Range that are meant to keep out the elements in climbing expeditions. The seams and zippers are sealed, so the water stays on the outside until you open the bag up. I can’t testify that it’ll keep your things dry forever, but in my hour in the elements it was fine. Under normal conditions, you would probably find shelter or an umbrella by then.
This daypack has all the features you would expect in terms of ample pockets for gadgets and pens, several compartments, and side pockets. The mesh backing will keep you from getting an overly sweaty back and there’s a sternum strap if you’re carrying a lot of weight. I found it to be quite comfortable without that thanks to the ergonomically curved shoulder straps. This bag isn’t all that large—28 liters/1700 cubic inches—but it holds a laptop up to 17 inches. It weighs in at just over two pounds.
Other nice touches include zippers that can lock and a handle on the top for picking it up without slinging it over your shoulder. There’s also a flap on the back that allows you to hook it onto a rolling suitcase handle as you move through airports.
See more at the Eagle Creek laptop solutions page, where you will also find their waterproof Cicada packs that have an extra flap of protection, zipping out like wings. The Eagle Creek Conor Flashpoint pack lists for $145 and comes with a lifetime warranty. It’s only available in black. Check prices online at Magellan’s, Altrec, or Amazon.
See more Eagle Creek gear reviews and other daypack reviews.
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, Business Gear, General Gear on November 2nd, 2011
Outdoor Retailer Show Takeaways
On the first weekend in August, the Salt Lake City convention center is over run with gear heads. The new stuff for spring of the following year (in this case, 2012) is on display. New shoes, clothes, tents, camping gear, paddle boards, luggage, backpacks, gadgets… it’s all out for preview. The big brands are there, folks like North Face and Columbia, and new little guys, too. If you can make your way out of the main pavilion, you’ll find scrappy new manufacturers trying to get their gear to market. It’s a crazy, fun, scene and the amount of gear on display is staggering, overwhelming to even a gear head like me. I did notice a few repeated themes and/or styles… here’s what stuck. A caveat: I’m a rookie to the OR Show, so what I observed may be old news to you.
Vintage styling on day packs. Kelty’s remake of a classic khaki pack with red metal zippers might have been the most popular discounted item at the show — lots of folks were carrying this thing around. Others bringing it back old school? North Face, Fjallraven, Kakadu (I liked their army surplus versions best), too many to remember. They’re cute, I liked them.
Color. Bergen of Norway had fleece in beautiful melon-y colors, that’s where I spotted it first. But oh, the mutli-sport shoes from Vasque, oh, I totally wanted a pair of those. And color isn’t just for socks anymore, though I did find myself pawing through the Darn Tough Vermont stripey samples thinking “I want that one and that one and that one…”It’s nice to see that we’re moving away from the military palette again. I like color, I like wearing it, and it’s fun to see. In Spring 2011, we’ll have color that isn’t just for kids.
Daypack/roller bag/backpack combinations. Down in the basement I’ve got an ancient duffel pack with a zip off day pack from REI. I saw several different versions of this re-imagined as a roller bag. I like the idea in theory, I can’t speak to the validity in practice, yet. Pack straps on a roller bag make sense to me, I’m not so keen on wearing a pack and if I can wheel it behind me, I’d prefer to do so. But sometimes, you’ve got to heft the thing and walk. The zip off day pack is another great idea in theory, but is the day pack the right one for you? I need it to hold my gadgets, so if the zip off day pack has a camera bucket and laptop sleeve, oh, that’s when I’m paying full attention. Eagle Creek has a new line of these and yes, they’re in nice colors. I’ll be interested to find out if they’re all that.
Gadgets: There were a few solar chargers — I spent some time checking out Goal Zero‘s line, but it remains to be seen if they can truly charge my phone in cloud flocked Seattle. I brought home a light, super bright clip on LED flashlight from Icon. There were lots of performance based watches with heart rate monitors for athletes, but I liked the less feature packed step counter watch with GPS from Timex. It amuses me to think of documenting just how far I walked at the Outdoor Retailer show; I can see the appeal of using this on a trip. I also saw several cool camping lanterns, though I liked Kelty‘s best. Wenger had some crazy functional jewelry – “Swiss army knife meets minimalism you can sneak past the TSA” style constructions. That was really interesting but doesn’t compensate for the fact that I have to check my bag to carry a classic multi-tool with knife on a plane.
Greenwashing everything. I lost count of the number of times I heard the term “post-consumer.” We’ll make new polar fleece out of your old polar fleece that was made from plastic water bottles. Our production chain is carbon neutral. We give a percentage of our profits to programs that get kids outside, protect wilderness, etc. etc. etc. I’m happy to see this, don’t get me wrong, but it requires genuine research to validate the veracity of these claims. Those cool camping lanterns I mention are still powered by standard batteries, after all.
The wrap. I’m still noodling on my weekend of gear spotting for items that were truly groundbreaking. I saw plenty of cute, clever, or remixed, but the only thing I recall that made me think “Wow, that’s new; does that REALLY work?” was the fly-less tent from North Face. All that aside, the show was full of travelers, people like you and me who love to be out in the world. It was fun to talk with people who lived in outdoor meccas like Aspen and Boulder, and to talk with New York PR reps who’d recently returned from Kenya or Costa Rica.
Watch for color, and a few new gadgets, vintage styling. If you’re looking to upgrade your kit, you’ll see some nice tweaks — better zippers and pulls, lighter materials — but I’m not convinced there’s a lot life-changing new stuff for spring.
Posted by Pam in General Gear on August 12th, 2011
A Year of Travel Gear
For the past year I’ve been living at 6,500 feet in central Mexico, in a historic colonial city that involves lots of climbing up hills, stairs, and cobblestone streets. In that time I’ve also traveled to a dozen other places in Mexico, and to Sedona, Salt Lake City, Chile, Costa Rica, Panama, and Peru. I’ve used and abused a lot of gear during that time, so here’s a look at what was really useful and what held up well.
I’ve been wearing travel pants at least half the time, whether I was traveling or not, because they’re lightweight and were easy to carry down in a suitcase. The Titanium Expedition ones from Colombia Sportswear I reviewed a while back held up well except around the back pocket, where the ironed-on pocket glue gave out after a while. The ExOfficio Altyn ones did better and if I hadn’t spilled chili-laced food on them now and then, they would still look practically new—even though I’ve had them since spring of 2009. Their FlexCord corduroy pants I wore all winter still do look new.
I’ve worn my North Face Gore-tex hooded coat through two rainy seasons now and it has never let me down. Through drizzles and downpours, it keeps me dry without making me bake inside.
I’ve plowed through a lot of shoes in the past year, some I’ve stuck with long after I was reviewing them, others I’ve loved less as time went on. The hiking shoes I like enough to take home with me are my Hi-tec Viper Trail Ultra ones. Besides those, the footwear that’s gotten the best workout is probably the pair of Keen Rockaway sandals I wore 9 months out of 12 and took on a few trips. They’re comfy, even after walking around all day, my feet stay cool, and they look good.
Every bag and piece of luggage I brought with me and used repeatedly has held up well and all of it’s going back with me, so no complaints there. High marks for Eagle Creek, Tom Bihn, Kelty, and Osprey. All the Sea to Summit accessories are still going strong too, like this little toiletry kit I take with me every time I’m going carry-on only.
Somebody stole my Victorinox Swiss Army knife out of a checked back somewhere in the Mexico City airport, but I can’t really complain since my mom got it for me before my first round-the-world journey in, oh, 1993? Not bad for something that retails for $22 at Backcountry.com.
There’s a rattan crushable hat from Tilley that I’ve worn all year in the high altitude Mexican sun, but the company ended up killing off the product before I even got to review it. It’s a testament to the quality of their goods though that this one has kept its shape that whole time and still looks great. It’s hard to go wrong with Tilley hats.
And of course no gear round-up would be complete without three items I take on almost every single trip: my SteriPen Opti water purifier, my Callpod Chargepod for keeping the gadgets going, and my Kangaroom pouch for keeping all those gadgets and cords in once place.
Got wanderlust? Check out our sister pub Perceptive Travel for the best travel stories from wandering book authors.
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, General Gear, Travel Light on July 13th, 2011
