Posts Tagged packing aids
Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Packable Duffle Bag
Here at Practical Travel Gear we’re suckers for anything that packs up small but carries a big punch. This strong but lightweight duffle bag from Sea to Summit packs down into a little pouch that’s about the size of a two golf balls. As you can see in the photo here, it’s not exactly a space hog.
When you need it though, it pops out to be a 23.6-inch long piece of luggage that can hold up to 40 liters of your stuff (2420 cubic inches). Now granted it’s not going to compete with a suitcase you’d buy to use as real luggage, but you probably wouldn’t expect that out of something that weighs a mere 2.82 ounces (80 grams), right?
The main use for this is the vacation phenomenon whereby you almost always come back with more than you left with. Souvenirs, gifts, booze, and trade show swag have a way of forcing some tough decisions. You either toss something you brought to make room, or you buy and fill up another bag.
With this expanding duffle, you can take that extra bag along just in case. I’ve now used it for two trade shows where I needed to pack light to avoid baggage fees but had a sneaky feeling I’d need to bring some extras back. Both times I’ve gotten away with carrying it on as an extra “personal item” that will fit under my seat.
Technically though, if you packed this to the gills it would be over the regulation size for a carry-on. It is 23.6 + 11.8 + 11 inches, which is a tad over the limit. You probably don’t want to jam this full anyway though since there’s no shoulder strap and you’ll need to carry it like a suitcase. Leave some room so you can smash it into those “your bag must fit in this bin” displays that American Airlines is so fond of making you submit to before even getting to the security line.
The Sea to Summit packable tough Duffle Bag with zipper comes in three color combinations and lists for around 40 bucks. You can order it from Summit Hut or Amazon.
See more reviews of Sea to Summit products.
Posted by Tim L. in General Gear, Travel Light on April 18th, 2012
Eagle Creek Packable Daypack
Here at the Practical Travel Gear Blog, we’re big fans of anything that packs down to a little pouch and can then pop out Transformers style when you need it in your travels. So I was pretty darn excited when Eagle Creek gave out samples of this Packable Daypack at an adventure travel conference I attended in the fall.
Apparently I wasn’t the only one who gave this a thumbs up because for the next few days, the host city of San Cristobal de Las Casas was awash in tour operators with this Eagle Creek daypack slung over their shoulders. Many of them surely packed something else for carrying around their daily essentials, but they liked this better.
The photo at the top is what this daypack looks like when you stuff it in its sack for packing. A little smaller and thinner than a paperback book (and obviously more squishable). Then the photo on the right shows what it looks like in use: a nice backpack-style daypack that will hold 11 liters of your stuff. On the two trips where I’ve used it this thing has been stuffed with a super-zoom hybrid camera, tripod, guidebook, notebook, a phone or music player, pens, a windbreaker, and assorted papers. I’ve still had plenty of room to spare.
There aren’t a whole lot of bells and whistles to this, but the zippered front pocket does have a key clip on a loop and there’s a fabric loop on the top for hanging or grabbing. The backpack straps are made of a mesh, which surely helps with the weight and packing compression, but they’re also quite comfortable and they keep your shoulder from getting sweaty.
The fabric is strong, water-resistant ripstop nylon. Here’s the amazing part though: it comes with a lifetime warranty. When’s the last time you saw that for a product retailing for under 30 bucks?
This packable daypack comes in three colors: black, Pacific blue, and “Morocco.” You can buy direct from Eagle Creek for $27.50 or follow these links to order from Zappos, Amazon, or REI.
See more Eagle Creek reviews or snag the RSS feed to keep up with new postings.
Posted by Tim L. in General Gear, Travel Light on March 14th, 2012
Innate Mentor Organizer Dry Sacks
Dry sacks that keep the water off your valuables haven’t typically been a travel item; they’ve been an excursion item. Something the guides bring along for the river rafting trip, or something bulky that sits in a storage compartment on a Zodiac boat in the Galapagos. That’s because they’ve typically been rugged and bulky.
Those of us who aren’t using a dry sack every day though can fare quite well with these thin, easy-to-pack dry storage bags from Innate.
These lightweight urethane pouches are billed as “organizer sacks,” probably because they don’t want you to take them out whitewater rafting on a regular basis. They’re meant more for keeping your valuables dry in wet or damp situations, like when you’d get caught in the rain or hiking through the jungle. Or just when your backpack gets thrown on top of a bus for travel to the next town in India or Africa.
They’re about the thickness of a super-lightweight nylon raincoat. But they have a great roll-and-clip closure at the top and the fabric itself isn’t going to let in any moisture. The seams are heat-welded closed, not secured with less permanent seam tape. There are two layers of protection: a laminate on the inside and a coating on the outside.
A one-way compression valve is a nice touch as this lets you squeeze out all the excess air when putting these inside your luggage. (And to keep them from floating/blowing away as easily.) That two-tone effect you see in the image is from a see-through window on the front. You can see what’s inside without opening it up.
I packed one of these on a recent trip but never got wet. So I’ve mainly been using them when taking my inflatable kayak out on the water near where I live. With one of these I can toss in my phone and wallet without worrying that I’ll ruin them if, oh, I get bumped over by a manatee or something. I was a little afraid of testing them hard with those things inside though, so I stuffed each of the three pouches with rags, cotton balls, and socks then held them under water for five minutes. Everything was bone dry when I opened the bags, so I think these will do fine in a drizzle for sure.
The price is right on these Innate Organizer Sacks: $4o list for a pack of three and even less if you get them online. You get a 2-liter, 3-liter, and 5-liter version.
Unfortunately these are easier to find in the company’s native Canada than in the U.S. But some independent retailers have them—see the dealer locator on their product page. Or you can order from Amazon Canada or Amazon USA.
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, General Gear, Travel Light on March 8th, 2012
Travel Shoe Bags
Designed to use in conjunction with their luggage cube line, Great Useful Stuff’s shoe bags are such a simple concept, I’m kind of kicking myself for not thinking of it myself. Made from a washable, durable polyester with a wide zipper opening, these packing cubes for shoes keep dirty soles away from your clean clothes (while protecting the shoes themselves).
Admittedly, the first time I tried these out, I didn’t use them to store shoes of any kind: I used them as additional packing cubes for a short family getaway. They’re the perfect size for storing kids’ socks, underwear, and swimsuits (especially useful if two children share a larger suitcase). After spending a lovely holiday not digging around in luggage looking for tiny undergarments, I was sold.
Of course, with Oregon’s mud season (I mean, winter) in full swing, I know I’ll use the shoe bags for actual shoes soon as well. They’re large enough to store even a pair of my husband’s size 12 sneakers, and water-resistant enough to keep my child’s mud, snow, or sand-caked boots from ruining everything else in the bag. I’m thinking they’ll be essential for camping and road trips.
Great Useful Stuff’s shoe bags can be purchased alone ($14.99 for a set of two), or as part of the complete, four-piece packing cube set ($40).
See other Practical Travel Gear reviews of packing aids in general or other types of packing cubes.
Posted by Amy in General Gear, Kids and Family on February 7th, 2012
eBags Packing Cubes Set
Packing for a long trip can be frustrating for a number of reasons. First, if you are traveling to destinations with different climates, it feels like you are double packing. Second, it is hard to keep things organized in your bag so that you can easily reach the things you need at each destination. It often seems that the thing you need most is always at the bottom of the bag and you end up wrinkling or shifting everything else to get to it.
These packing cubes from eBags are the perfect way to keep your luggage contents organized and your clothing neatly pressed and organized. It is also perfect for separating electronic devices and shoes from delicate clothes or for storing a sweater or charging cable that you might need to access in a jiffy on the plane.
Each durable, nylon pouch has a zippered top with mesh covers to keep the contents visible and well-ventilated. There is also a handle on each pouch making them easy to carry individually. A variety of colors are perfect for families who share a bag and want to color code their packing cubes. They are lightweight and add virtually no additional poundage to your suitcase.
The packing cubes keep clothing from wrinkling and moving around in your bag during transit. They are sold in sets with small, medium, and large cases making them great for both smaller, carryon bags or larger suitcases.
If packing for more than one person in the same bag, these cubes also help to separate things without splitting the bag into two sides. This allows for the most efficient use of space in your suitcase. It also serves a dual purpose because they can be used for laundry to keep your dirty clothes separated from clean clothes.
These make a great gift for busy travelers and are available on the eBags website or on Amazon. They run from $20 to $28 for a set of three, depending on size. They are always in my suitcase now making me feel more organized and keeping my clothes looking spiffy no matter how long my trip.
Posted by Ramsey in Business Gear, General Gear, Kids and Family on January 23rd, 2012
