Posts Tagged gift ideas
Comfort Eye Shade from Eagle Creek
Just in the past month I’ve had two overnight bus rides and a nine-hour overnight flight, so I’ve had plenty of opportunities to try out this Comfort Eye Shade from Eagle Creek.With this on I was oblivious to flickering screens and neighbors’ reading lights and I snoozed as well as can be expected while not lying in a flat position.
This Eagle Creek version is basically a soft microfleece upgrade on the scratchy cheap eye masks some airlines still hand out. Unlike an upgrade on a plane though, this one won’t cost you much: it retails for a mere 10 bucks. It comes in gray or blue and weighs less than an ounce.
In another improvement on the scratchy kind, this eye mask is molded to block out more light around your eyes and it has a thick adjustable elastic strap instead of some flimsy thin strap that won’t hold up to multiple uses.
Let’s imagine though that Business Class is just not good enough and you want to upgrade further. Well there’s a Comfort Plus Eye Shade that is a little softer and more feminine, with a quilted fabric and Primaloft filling on the inside. It wouldn’t look good on me, but if this look and cooler surface appeals to you more, it’s $15.
Like most Eagle Creek products, both versions are widely available and easy to find. I even saw the first version in the Santiago, Chile airport as I was browsing the shops before heading home. (There it was $12, in case you were wondering…) You can buy the Comfort Eye Shade or Comfort Plus at many travel retail stores or online at just about any of the travel gear outlets. Follow the link of your choice below if you want to snooze better on your next flight, overnight bus trip, or long train ride.
Comfort Eye Shade at REI, at Campmor, or Amazon
Comfort Plus Eye Shade at Backcountry or Magellan’s Travel Supplies.
Posted by Tim in Business Gear, General Gear, Travel Light on August 25th, 2010
Adventure Medical Kits for Travelers
So, what happens when you’re traveling around and you get blisters? Or have a bike wreck? Or get bit by some nasty critter while camping?
The Adventure Medical Kit company has your remedy. I’ve been checking out two of their medical kits, one a simple Travel Medic weekender, one a major World Travel kit for a group or family that will have you ready for a hike through the Amazon.
The first picture here is of the latter, a packed 1.8 pound, $70 sack of insurance that is right for someone who wants to be prepared for any situation. I’m not sure I would want to carry this around the world, but I sure hope my guide is carrying something like it when I’m on an adventure tour, a trekking trip, or a river rafting excursion. I also wouldn’t mind having a doctor along to use it all, but in case I don’t there’s a handy little book that tells you how to do a proper bandaging job and which medicines to use in which situations.
So what’s in it? Well here’s a small sampling: bandage scissors, thermometers, wound closure strips, 10 yards of tape, bandages, dressing, rehydration salts, topical antibiotic, moleskin, sterile gloves, tick remover forceps, syringe, painkillers, and “wound closure strips.” Overkill for a trip to Paris, sure, but good to have if you’ll be in the wilderness for a while, hours away from a pharmacy.
The kit is impressively designed and has an amazing amount of stuff packed into its small package. Plus there are a few empty bottles you can fill with whatever else you need, in small enough sizes that the whole thing can go in your carry-on.
If you are just traveling through populated areas and just need a few basics, you can pick up the tiny Travel Medic kit for ten bucks or less. It has enough to get you through minor scrapes and cuts, a bout of the runs, hiking blisters, or a wicked hangover. It folds flat and takes up almost no space in your bag, so this is a good thing to pack for yourself or to give as a gift to an about-to-depart traveler.
Travel Medic First-Aid Kit at REI.
Get the full-blown Adventure World Travel First-Aid Kit
See other options at AdventureMedicalKits.com
Related post: Women’s Edition Travel Medical Kit
Posted by Tim in Adventure Gear, Kids and Family on June 30th, 2010
Unique and Artsy Kindle Cases
When you buy a Kindle from Amazon, all that comes in the box is the unit and a charger. If you feel more than a little trepidation over putting this $279 investment into a bag where it can get jostled and scratched, you will find yourself scrambling to get some kind of case or pouch right away.
Most of the Kindle covers sold at Amazon are meant to look professional, business-like, or unobtrusive. They’re fine, but if you want something with more pizazz, check out the collection from FernFiddlehead at the Etsy.com store. Etsy is a place where individual craftspeople show off their work and sell directly to people like you and me. This way they get the word out and have a nice display space without building hundreds of individual stores. There’s a lot of cool stuff on there for people who want products with personality.
I’ve been trying out the two FernFiddlehead Kindle cases pictured here. I’m using the version at the top as I move around with my Kindle, but this summer I’ll be moving to Mexico and my daughter will become the Kindle holder since we can’t lug 20 kids’ books down with us. So we’ll switch to the second cover pictured here when it’s in her hands.
Technically these are called “e-reader pouches” since you could also use them for a Nook, the Sony Reader John reviewed before, or some of the other e-book readers he checked out at the CES show this year. There’s basically just padded pouches (using polyfill) with a zipper, so they can hold any device that will fit the dimensions of 6 inches X 9 inches.
The only problem I’ve run into with these cases is that the length ends up being a shade less than 9 inches where the zipper closes, so you can’t just slide the Kindle in and out. You have to put it in at a slight angle and adjust, and pull it out at an angle when removing it from the case. No biggie, but a zipper that extends further than the case would make extraction easier.
These e-book reader pouches come in a variety of rotating designs according to what fabric the artist is currently working with, so what you see at the shop now will probably be different a few months from now. If you see a style you really like, in other words, snag it. These are not mass-produced cases that you’ll see other people using in the airport. These cases can show your own personal style.
Most can be washed in cold water and put in a dryer on low. They sell for $12 to $15 and shipping is a bargain: $2 in the U.S., $3.50 for Europe, $4 elsewhere, or free if you buy two or more items. See the whole line here.
My colleague Kara reviewed a line of padded laptop covers from FernFiddlehead a while back and liked the uniqueness of those as well. The shop also sells iPad covers, netbook covers, and iPod pouches. See it all at the Etsy FernFiddlehead store.
Posted by Tim in General Gear, Kids and Family on May 9th, 2010
Cheap Travel and Camping Gear From Coghlan’s
There’s a lot to love about the Coghlan’s company and I’ve been a fan for a long time. Their items are a great value, they make useful stuff that does what it’s supposed to do, and they don’t make you cut through a bunch of blister packs and plastic to unwrap the goods. Practical gear with environmentally conscious packaging—right up our alley!
Coghlan’s makes all kinds of cool gadgets and accessories and if you’ve browsed through the camping section at your local independent retailer or REI store, you’ve doubtless seen at least a dozen things of theirs that made you think, “Hmmm, I could really use one of those…” I’ve been trying out a few of these items lately to see if they are worth packing.
Cooler Light
The first is a simple object that solves a simple problem. When you’re campsite camping and you’ve got a cooler full of drinks and food, how do you grab what you need in the dark? You can carry a flashlight or, better yet, use this cooler light. You secure this to the lid of any cooler with the double-sized tape, then whenever you open the cooler it comes on to light up the contents. Basically when the light is parallel to the ground it’s closed, when it’s perpendicular it lights up. If you don’t close the lid completely, no worries—the cooler light shuts off after 20 seconds. See a video demo here.
At a list price of $10, it’s cheaper than a 12-pack. The only drawback is it uses three little LR44 batteries. At your local Wal-mart or target, the replacement batteries cost nearly as much as this light does. But if you’re not getting a beer every five minutes they should last a while. Get the Cooler Light at Campmor.com
5-in-1 Survival Aid
This is something I’ve been carrying around on hikes in the woods, one of those “just in case” things that’s light enough to not be dead weight. It’s got a compass in case you get lost, a whistle to call for help, a tiny mirror that in theory could allow you to signal for help, a waterproof compartment for carrying matches, and a flint bar to start a fire (you’ll need steel or a knife) in case that doesn’t work.
It all fits together and hangs around your neck with a lanyard. And it’s four bucks—really! Too bad it’s not stocking stuffer season. Get the 5-in-1 Survival Aid
LED Micro Lantern
I reviewed this cool little LED micro lantern a year and a half ago, but I’ve used it on a couple camping trips since then and like it a lot. As you can see from the photo of me holding it, the thing is so small it fits between two fingers. It gives off a surprising amount of light though—enough to light up a tent. It’s water-resistant, weighs less than an ounce (24 grams), and retails between $7 and $10 usually, including at Amazon.
Supposedly the two CR2032 coin-style batteries keep it going for 25 hours before they need to be replaced or if you’re lost in the woods, they’ll flash for 50 hours. That’s assuming there’s no leakage of energy during periods of inactivity though: I had to replace the batteries after having it lit about half that time. Removing the batteries when it’s not in use would probably help.
We’re going to give away some of these Coghlan’s LED micro lanterns in May, right before prime summer camping season, so subscribe to our RSS feed or follow us on Twitter to be sure you don’t miss it.
This is just a sampling of the gear and gadgets this company puts out and a huge number of them retail for $10 or less. If you go crazy with impulse purchases at the store, you won’t be out much money afterwards and you’ll be a safer and more comfortable traveler, hiker, or camper. See the whole line at Coghlans.com.
See all Coghlan’s products at Campmor or search at REI.com.
Posted by Tim in Adventure Gear, General Gear, Travel Light on April 7th, 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 in Adventure Gear, Travel Light on March 18th, 2010
