Posts Tagged Sea-to-Summit
Citronella Wilderness Wash from Sea to Summit
We love to review double-duty travel gear here on Practical Travel Gear, especially when it’s cheap and light as well. So how about hand-washing laundry detergent than also helps keep the bugs away?
That’s the idea behind Sea to Summit’s Citronella Wilderness Wash. You squirt some of this in the sink and wash your sweaty clothes. Then instead of your shirts smelling like flowers or perfume (which insects and bees will just love), you smell like citronella—a scent that the critters hate—and sandalwood.
Even better, this concentrated washing liquid comes in two sizes that are easy to carry on and airplane. The 1.3-ounce one goes for $3.50 and the 3-ounce one is a buck more. (If you’re going on a long overland or camping trip, however, you can buy an 8-ounce version.)
I tried this citronella laundry soap out on two recent trips and it did the job as well as any other liquid detergent I would use. I kind of liked the smell too—it’s not overpowering. If I were in a sensitive area I would rather have this along than one with harsh chemicals: it’s biodegradable and paraben-free.
It lives up to the “super concentrated” label as well. I’ve done five hotel bathroom sink loads with the smallest size and still have nearly half of it left. Whether you’re hiking through the mountains or backpacking around the tropics, this bug-unfriendly washing liquid is easy to pack and well worth the minimal cost.
And hey, this is multi-use soap meant for camping, so in a pinch you can use it for dishes, your body, or your hair. Double duty indeed.
See more details at the Sea to Summit site and follow the link below to order it from REI.
Sea To Summit Citronella Wilderness Wash Soap – 1.3 fl. oz. at REI
Posted by Tim in General Gear, Travel Light on August 12th, 2010
Traveling Light Small Toiletry Kit from Sea to Summit
I’ve traveled with a lot of different toiletry kits over the years and I’m a big fan of the ones with multiple compartments and the ability to hang from a hook or towel rack. If you’re in cheap hotels, counter space tends to be at a premium—or non-existent. This compact Sea to Summit small toiletry kit is great for times when you only need a few items and packing space is limited.
I’ve now used this toiletries kits on two trips of less than two weeks and for that period of time it’s been fine. It has three mesh flap compartments that are about the width of a good toothbrush. Then at the bottom there are two compartments separated by a flap that can fit bigger items like deodorant and shaving cream. After about a dozen items it starts to get kind of tight, so this is not the right kit for a round-the-world journey (or a woman who uses lots of creams and make-up), but for a short jaunt it’s enough for the basics.
This Sea to Summit version is the lightest kit I’ve ever tried though, so if you’re trying to pack light it would be hard to do better. It’s a mere 2.8 ounces (80 grams), so it’s barely more than a few Ziploc bags. Plus you get a hook to hang it with, well-placed snaps, YKK zippers, and super-strong, water-resistant Cordura fabric on the outside. It comes in three different colors.
If there’s one drawback, it’s the price. At a list of $35, this kit is significantly higher than the price of others holding twice as much. Even from the same company, the one with twice the capacity but only 1.2 ounces more weight is only $5 more in price. When you ball this thing up into your fist, it seems like a lot of money for not much fabric. If you’re packing for a trip where every ounce counts, however, you’d be hard-pressed to find a lighter and more durable place to put your cosmetics.
Sea to Summit is an Australian company, so if you’re searching for this online, put an extra “L” into “traveling.” Or follow these links:
Get the Sea to Summit Travelling Light Hanging Toiletry Bags at RockCreek.com.
Sea To Summit small Toiletry Bag at Backcountry.com
Posted by Tim in General Gear, Travel Light on July 28th, 2010
Sleep Sacks with Coolmax and InsectShield
Besides a backpack, there’s one specific item separating the long-term shoestring traveler from the vacationing tourist: a sleep sack. Sometimes called a sleep sheet or travel sheet, it’s a staple of travelers who won’t be finding 600-thread-count Egyptian cotton draping the next bed where they will spend the night. When the place you bed down costs less than the guests at the luxury hotel tip their bellman, you need a sheet of your own that will come between you and the mattress you can’t fully trust.
I’ve been checking out two just-introduced sleep sacks that are leaps and bounds beyond what I carried with me on three trips around the world, however, Modern technology has transformed the lowly travel sheet into something as comfortable as it is functional. Here’s the rundown on ones from Cocoon and Sea to Summit. Either one is a great choice. You get something lightweight and easy to carry that is also comfortable. The big bonus though? Both have built-in InsectShield protection, so you can doze off in a cheap guesthouse without first slathering yourself in DEET.
Lightweight and Compact
The Sea to Summit Coolmax Adaptor with InsectShield weighs in at 8.6 ounces (244 grams) and stuffs into a slightly smaller pouch than the Cocoon InsectShield Safari sheet, which is 10.8 ounces 
(305 grams). The Cocoon one has slightly thicker fabric, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Each stuffs into its own little sack. After stuffing, the sack is like a Nerf football without the tapered parts at the end. The Sea to Summit sack has a little carrying or hanging handle, while the Cocoon one is vented on one side to allow moisture to escape. Both have a cinch strap at the top.
Coolmax Fabric
The fabric of these sheets is 100% CoolMax, the wonder stuff that wicks away moisture and stays cool against your body. You can sink wash it and know it will dry in a few hours. It feels like your favorite t-shirt or nightgown, but it won’t get soaked with sweat and stay that way. My daughter liked the Cocoon one so much she curled up on the couch with it and then took it to bed to sleep in as well for several nights. A good sign.
InsectShield Treatment
You can find a lot of sleep sheets and sleeping bag liners with those first two attributes. The real kicker with these new models, however, is the introduction of InsectShield. That’s the permethrin-based repellent that’s built right into the fabric. No smell, no fumes, no effect on your skin. But you can wash the fabric at least 35 times without it losing its effectiveness. I’ve used ExOfficio clothing with this stuff in it and have significantly reduced the amount of DEET I had to apply. Sleeping in this product would give you an added layer of protection in areas with lots of mosquitoes. There’s even a little hoodie flap you can pull over your head.
This is great all-around for long-term travelers and those staying in hostels, but naturally you could use it for camping trips too, either as the only thing you’re sleeping in or as a sleeping bag liner for an additional layer.
See more on the Sea to Summit Adaptor page and the Cocoon USA website. The first company’s model is easier to find than the latter, but both seem to still be in roll-out mode at retail. Expect to pay somewhere between $45 and $55 for these InsectShield versions, a bit less for a straight Coolmax one.
Search for the Sea to Summit sleep sack or REI.com or RockCreek.com
Posted by Tim in Adventure Gear, General Gear, Travel Light on June 17th, 2010
Compact Ultra Sil Shopping Bag
The company Sea to Summit is known for making all kinds of camping and outdoor adventure gear, from travel towels to sleep sacks to dry sacks to keep things from getting wet on a rafting trip.
This Ultra Sil shopping bag is meets a simpler need: carrying all the stuff you’re bringing back from the store. This tiny little pouch with a cinch strap is so small it can fit into a clenched fist, but then it unfolds like one of those GoLite travel jackets that are so handy. It only weighs 1.7 ounces—as in almost nothing.
This is no wimpy little sack though. It holds an amazing 285 pounds (130 kg) of stuff, with a capacity of 25 liters. Try that with a paper or plastic grocery bag!
I’ve given it a few trial runs walking to my neighborhood grocery store and plan to take this with me on a long trip this summer. It’ll be handy for shopping in the mercados of Mexico and then if I’ve got too many souvenirs at the end, this could pull double-duty as a carry-on bag.
The Ultra Sil Shopping Bag comes in four colors. Get more information about it at the Sea-to-Summit site. It is still a bit hard to find online, but is in stock at many independent retail gear stores and you can order it now at RockCreek.com.
Posted by Tim in Kids and Family, Travel Light on April 17th, 2009
