Posts Tagged travel accessories
Travel Umbrella From Eagle Creek
Packing an umbrella often seems like an extravagance your packing light ethos can’t bear, but if it’s April showers time or you’re heading to Seattle, chances are you’re going to need one. This Rain Away Travel Umbrella from Eagle Creek makes taking one along less of a hassle. It’s lightweight and small, but is made to actually last a while.
This travel umbrella weighs in at seven ounces, so it’s not much of a burden to take along. As you can see from the photo above, it’s smaller than your typical street vendor one, to the point it can easily fit into a purse or daypack. It comes with its own cover to protect it and when you open it up, it’s decent enough size to keep your head and shoulders dry. Not big enough for sharing though, so your partner will need his/her own. 
The amazing thing is, it comes with a lifetime warranty. That’s kind of a blip resulting from the fact that all Eagle Creek items come with that. But for something that wears out as easily as an umbrella, you could really make out like a bandit if they honor it for this $30 item. (Though it’ll cost you for the shipping…)
I’ve packed this on two trips where I’ve gone with nothing but a carry-on bag and it’s been easy to fit into a corner or outside pouch. The compactness has made the difference in whether I will bother to take an umbrella or just risk it. So for me, this version solves a problem and enables me to leave the rain jacket at home sometimes.
The Rain Away travel umbrella sells for around $30 and you can pick it up at Altrec.
There’s a cheaper (and probably less sturdy) version called the Nimbus SL that has disappeared from the Eagle Creek site, so apparently it’s discontinued. You can still get it though—at a clearance sale price—at Altrec.
See more reviews of Eagle Creek travel items.
Posted by Tim L. in General Gear, Travel Light on April 4th, 2012
The JIMI compact wallet
JIMI wallets
As bright as the flavors in an ice cream store, the colors on these durable, water-resistant wallets are mood-lifting for those looking for something a little whimsical. The company calls these wallets, “the wallet for people who hate wallets,” indicating the attention to detail in the simple design of the JIMI.
These wallets are crafted from recycled US-made materials giving them an eco-friendly edge (the company even donates a portion of wallet sales to green charities), and they come at an affordable price point of under $16.
There are a variety of wallets from the simple versions to carry credit cards, licenses, or money to the more tech-savvy version with a pouch for a memory stick.
Slim-fitting, they don’t bulge out of your pocket like some wallets tend to do, but that is also because you cannot over stuff these compact wallets either. The shell is translucent allowing you to see what cards you have in your wallet without having to fiddle around for them while in line at the check out counter. Since they are water-resistant, they are perfect for frequent travelers (no need to worry about leather or suede getting ruined in the rain or on a boat) or busy moms who can just throw them into a diaper bag.
Another benefit of the translucent skin is that your identification card can be seen without removing it. True, the persnickety TSA people will still make you take it out, but a simple ID check at the grocery store, a restaurant, hotel, or at work is now one step easier. An optional lanyard can easily string through the wallet for those who prefer to wear it around their neck.
These wallets are available at a variety of retailers, at Amazon, and also on the company’s website www.TheJimi.com. Stand out from the crowd and spice up your wardrobe with these clever, colorful accessories. Some people may choose to buy several to color coordinate with their wardrobe, and at these cheap prices…why not?
Posted by Ramsey in Kids and Family, Travel Light on February 27th, 2012
TravelRest Neck and Body Pillow
This travel pillow is like no other. Its ergonomic design literally hugs your body. Many travelers choose window seats so they have something to lean on when napping, but this pillow solves that problem. It also turns a few heads from passengers walking by due to its unusual shape.
Unlike other travel pillows that wrap around your neck and provide limited support, this unique design wraps around the neck at the top, but continues down the side to your waist to simulate the feeling of sleeping on your side. A special strap at the top allows the pillow to attach to the seat back firmly keeping it in place while you nap. This seems to be the most enjoyable way to use the pillow especially if you are seated in the middle seat. You are assured of support for your neck, and you don’t have to worry about embarrassingly falling over onto your neighbor.
Even without a seat back, it can easily nestle under your neck and provide support for your side by tying the tether strap to the bottom of the pillow. It’s like holding a briefcase on your shoulder as you use your own weight to support yourself.
It is inflated by blowing into the opening although in the dry plane air it can be a tad harder. Use it to rest your side or strap it to the front of your body so that you can sleep with your head leaning forward. Some people may prefer to only partially inflate it to give it a softer more malleable design.
This has to be the most affordable and easy to carry body and neck pillow around making it a great gift for long-haul flyers. It is available on Amazon, on Beltoutlet.com or on TravelRest’s website where other accessories like soft travel blankets and snuggly micro-fleece covers for the pillow can also be found.
The pillow can be hand-washed with regular soap and is made of a soft PVC vinyl material.
If you don’t trust my endorsement, our former reviewer Kara liked this travel pillow as well and our editor Tim has been packing one for trips across the ocean since he reviewed it on the old version of this blog way back in 2008.
Posted by Ramsey in General Gear, Travel Light on February 13th, 2012
Fold-up Travel Hanger from Grand Trunk
Sure, if you’re staying in swanky hotels all the time, you may have a selection of hangers and a nice closet to hang them in. If you’re backpacking through Central America though or staying in tents as you climb over mountains, you can forget all that. So if you want to hang up something so it will dry out or get a bit less wrinkled, you might be out of luck.
If you’ve got a little wedge of space in your bag though, you can still carry your own hanger along, thanks to this folding travel design from Grand Trunk. We like this brand because they make a lot of cool little gadgets that are simple but brilliant, like the travel chopsticks and travel towels we reviewed earlier, plus nice packable hammocks.
This hanger weighs only 2.5 ounces and it folds up into its own little pouch you can easily jam into a suitcase or backpack that already seems full. Check out this helpful diagram for the dimensions.
It took me a few tries before I could open and close this hanger without looking like a fumbling idiot and I still don’t appear to have the agility of a ninja, so I’m not doing a demo video. But the basic idea is that this is five hollow metal tubes connected by thin chains. The largest red tube sits on the bottom and two of the smaller ones go into that, making up the longer bottom part. The other two tubes stay where they are and then you’ve got a hook mechanism at the top.
Something like this is only going to be as strong as its weakest links—the wire loops at the top—so it’s not meant for holding a giant layered parka in Antarctica. But for normal use with clothing and lightweight travel jackets, it’s fine.
Under normal travel circumstances, this item may not be at the top of your need list. But on some journeys, like a multi-night river kayaking trip I’m taking in the spring, having this along would make the trip more civilized and comfortable. Those hardy British jungle explorers of the 19th century would surely put this right up there with a flask on their priorities list.
Get the collapsible travel hanger direct from Grand Trunk for $15 including the travel case, or check prices at Amazon.
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Posted by Tim L. in General Gear on November 23rd, 2011
Smartfish Mouse Pad Travel Pouch
Travel accessories can often be numerous and cumbersome especially as we balance multiple mobile devices, iPads, chargers, and their accoutrements. Smartfish has developed a simple way to keep some of your devices neatly bundled, at those for your laptop at least.
I recently tested our their Smartfish Whirl Mini Mouse, which I found to be lightweight and easy to use when on the road. But, if you don’t have a protective pocket in your laptop bag to keep the mouse in, it could easily get dirty or broken.
This convenient travel pouch zips open to create a mouse pad on which you can use the whirl mini mouse. Once you are finished, you simply zip up the mouse inside the pouch and shove it into your bag without worrying about any damage to it. It has enough space to store other small devices as well like a charger or mouse cord.
The pouch zips up into a semicircle shape and features a convenient handle that snaps open allowing you to hang it on the side of your briefcase or laptop bag if you like.
It comes in black or blue and weighs about two ounces adding little extra weight to your carryon bag. I am all for anything that keeps me better organized while protective my expensive electronic devices. But, the added benefit of this mouse is that it is ergonomically designed to ease stress on your wrists when using it.
The mouse pad features a padded neoprene surface that allows the mouse to glide easily. I find it especially helpful when I am using it on an airplane traytable that may be crooked or have a ridge or fold in the center. Some traytables have cut-outs for a beverage glass, but I can simply place this mouse pad on top of it to glide smoothly as I point and click.
It retails for a very affordable $14.95 and is available at www.GetSmartfish.com or at Amazon. This is one travel accessory that actually reduces the complexity of the chaos that is inside my briefcase!
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Posted by Ramsey in Business Gear on September 26th, 2011
