Posts Tagged Eagle Creek
9 Road-tested Travel Gear Winners
I am still unpacking my stuff from a two-month trip through Mexico and Belize. I was carrying plenty of travel gear I was trying out for the first time—and have reviewed on this blog—but also some “oldies but goodies” that proved their worth once again. Here are nine items that have stood up to the rigors of the road and have performed well time after time.
Pac-safe Laptop Backpack and Daybag
I have used a Pac-safe B100 laptop backpack on a whole series of trips and I used it again on this one. It still looks almost new though and has retained its shape perfectly. I felt confident nobody was going to slash my bag in a crowded market and it doubled as an in-room safe where I could lock up my laptop and camera (with a cable lock) when I was wandering the town without it. My wife used the smaller Metrosafe 200 bag to carry all the essentials when we were sightseeing. This company makes great stuff and it’s worth the premium, especially if you’re carrying anything valuable you’re worried about. You can get most of their product line at Magellan’s.
Eagle Creek Toiletry Kits
When I’m checking a bag, I travel with an Eagle Creek Wallaby I got a few years back. My wife is still using an older version she got more than 10 years ago. Filled with compartments and pockets and a hook to hang it from wherever you can in the bathroom. When counter space is limited, this is very helpful, plus when packing up to go you just zip it up and you’re done.
Clothing from ExOfficio
I talk up ExOfficio travel clothes on a regular basis because time after time they meet or beat my expectations. I wore something of theirs pretty much every day for two months solid, yet the shirts and pants look just as good as they did the day I took them out of their packaging. From travel underwear to Insect Shield items to quick-dry shirts, this is great stuff. My one complaint is that every bead of sweat shows up way too easily in some of the darker shirts—a problem that’s not as obvious with some of my cheaper patterned shirts (also synthetic) straight off the local clearance rack.
Steripen Water Purifier
I’ve raved about this SteriPEN Traveler so many times since I got it three years ago that I ought to be doing TV commercials for them. I got the runs exactly one half of one day on this trip—out of 61 days total in Mexico and Belize. By using this I also saved at least a hundred plastic water bottles from the landfills or sides of the road. The one drawback I’ve found is the optional solar battery charger takes a good 6-8 hours of direct sunlight, which is not always plentiful during rainy season or while hiking in the mountains.
Skype
OK, this is technically software, not gear, but it’s a wonderful thing for travelers. I got a Skype unlimited calling subscription and online phone number with my own area code before I left so relatives could call us with their regular phone and it was a domestic call for them. It rang anytime we were online or they could leave a voice mail if we weren’t. It’s so cheap I’m keeping it going permanently just for when I travel. I took along a Philips Skype USB phoneon as well so I didn’t need a headset.
Convertible Travel Pants
Yeah, they’re kind of dorky, but all three of us had a pair or two and they got a lot of use. Pants when you need pants, shorts when you don’t. The definitive double-duty travel gear item. You can get nice versions from Columbia, ExOfficio, North Face, etc. at Sierra Trading Post or a slightly cheaper store brand version at REI. Right about now at least one brand is probably going on sale…
Chargepod Callpod
This is another product I absolutely love. Between two of us we were carrying two iPods, two home cell phones, and two Mexican cell phones this summer. With this cool Callpod gadget we could leave all the proprietary cords behind and have just one charger. (See photo at the top of post.)
Timex Rugged Field Expedition Watch
I’ve got eight watches on my dresser at home, but this is the one I take with me on trips. My Rugged Field Expedition watch has taken a licking and kept on ticking in six countries so far, through all kinds of weather. I think this one pictured is not available anymore, but I’ve had good experiences with the whole line. (And I like the light-up Indiglo feature.)
Teva Omnium Shoes
I just reviewed these awesome
Teva Omnium sandal shoes last week, so click the link above for the lowdown.
Also, from a working digital nomad standpoint, I was quite happy with the performance of some items I reviewed here recently, like the HP DV3 13-inch laptop and my Kodak Easyshare Z1012 IS camera with 12X zoom.
Stay tuned for more!
Posted by Tim in Adventure Gear, General Gear, Travel Light on August 12th, 2009
The Pros and Cons of Packing Cubes
On the first version of this Practical Travel Gear blog I reviewed a bunch of different packing cubes, some from Eagle Creek and some from Tom Bihn. Magellan’s also has their own brand of packing cubes and if that’s not enough to choose from you can check out a Rick Steves version too.
So obviously these little rectangular pouches are pretty popular. But just because something is popular doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone (witness Twitter, reality TV shows, or the new Fast and Furious movie.)
I’ve used packing cubes on some trips and have left them behind on others, so I guess I’m on the fence overall. The people that love them really love them though, the same way people who love the book Getting Things Done see its teachings as something almost spiritual. Sometimes they’re the same people: those clean-desk types who love it when everything is in its place. The key thing is, with these packing aids you can group similar items together and keep the dirty clothes separated, making it much easier to find what you’re looking for.
The anti-cube crowd has a point too though. If you are a one-bag carry-on packer who is trying to make the most of every inch of available space, packing cubes can be a hindrance rather than a help. It’s a lot easier to stuff rolled t-shirts, socks, and underwear in the remaining cracks after you’ve packed everything else than it is to confine them to a blocky cube, leaving wasted space on the sides. The exception is an integrated bag like the Tom Bihn Aeronaut one I reviewed earlier, where a packed long pouch fits perfectly into a paired side pocket—nothing wasted.
The way I see it, the cubes’ main benefits are in the unpacking rather than the packing. When you get to a hotel room, you pop the cubes out and you can unpack in a minute flat. If you are moving from hotel to hotel (or hostel to hostel) this can be a great time saver. You’re not as likely to lose a stray pair of undies or a single sock either, plus some cubes are designed with two sections, for dirty clothes and clean. Most have mesh on one side so nothing gets mildewed by being confined.
To decide whether packing cubes would be useful for you or not, see how many of the following questions you can answer with a “yes.”
1) Will you be moving around a lot on your trip?
2) Are you carrying a rectangular suitcase or bag?
3) Do you have room to spare in your bag?
4) Do you have trouble keeping track of your clothes while traveling?
5) Will you need to pack up quickly to catch a flight or train?
6) Do you have an inordinately large Tupperware collection at home and a credit account at The Container Store?
If you scored a three or above, go shopping for some packing cubes:
Magellan’s
REI
Backcountry.com
Tom Bihn cubes
Rick Steves cubes at Amazon
Posted by Tim in Business Gear, Travel Light on April 22nd, 2009
