Posts Tagged travel bag
Lowepro Passport Sling II
When you’re hauling around a big DSLR, your choice for carrying it usually amounts to an obvious-looking camera bag or a camera backpack. While both do the job (and some, quite nicely, like the Lowepro Photo Sport 200 AW), sometimes you just want something different. That’s when you need to take a look at the Lowepro Passport Sling II.
The sling bag is a convenient way to carry your camera and gear together, without looking like a typical photo bag. Adjust the shoulder strap to carry it on one shoulder or diagonally across your body for a more secure fit (plus, the shoulder pad is detachable). The adjustable strap has a cam lock, so it’ll stay however you set it.
The removable padded camera box is also customizable, allowing you to shift the Velcro interior walls to fit your camera and lenses. Leaving your camera behind? All you have to do is pull the box out, and the sling becomes a full day bag.
Even if you’re carrying your DSLR and a couple of lenses, the bag is roomy enough to fit some gear, such as: wallet, keys, pens, notebook, sunglasses, smart phone, water bottle, and a light jacket. At least, that’s what I got into mine while traveling in New Zealand. Need a little extra room? Unzip the front compartment, and get 30 percent more space.
The Lowepro Passport Sling II lists for $79.99 on the Lowepro website and comes in black/red and gray/green color combinations. It’s also available on Amazon for $64.95.
Posted by Jill in General Gear on April 26th, 2013
Mountainsmith K-9 Cube
Why leave Fido at home when more than a handful of hotels are pet friendly? If your best friend is also your vacation buddy, why not make sure you pack all your pup’s gear in a handy carrying case, like the Mountainsmith K-9 Cube? After all, you know you’ll end up being your dog’s valet.
The K-9 Cube has 26 liters of space for all your pet’s needs. The ripstop poly fabric is enough to get you through rough packing conditions without destroying the contents, and a PEVA waterproof liner is included for food and water storage.
The main compartment has an interior divider, so you can organize your buddy’s necessities in a variety of ways. Also included is a separate food container, so kibble stays dry and crunchy. Collapsible dishes for food and water can be packed separately, or placed on the drop-down food tray for more formal dining. The food tray has Velcro stays, so the bowls don’t go for a walk when your pal decides to do some mealtime rearranging. My chocolate Labrador, Marley, especially likes the food features of the cube.
There are two side mesh pockets that fit tennis balls (for ball-obsessed canines), two more zippered pockets for snacks or anything else your pooch needs, and a top pocket just for plastic baggies. Last but not least, a soft-sided Frisbee is included for maximum fun.
Are you jealous yet? Your dog’s travel bag may end up being more fancy than yours.
The Mountainsmith K-9 Cube lists for $60 on the Mountainsmith website. It’s priced $36.79 at Amazon (plus a shipping fee of $8.99).
Posted by Jill in General Gear on November 9th, 2012
Hummingbird Carry-On Zip Travel Bag
Save your clothes from getting soaked on your next water-based vacation. Whether you’re cruising, paddling, or lounging by a river, your black wheelie just can’t do the job when it comes to keeping the water out. Keep your gear waterproof with the Hummingbird Carry-On Zip travel bag.
The 40-liter capacity duffel is rugged enough to join you on extreme adventures, but it’s also convenient to use on a coastal vacation. The 1-pound, 9-ounce bag is lightweight—more than many waterproof bags of the same size. Most importantly, it’ll save your clothes from getting soaked.
The welded seams and waterproof zipper make the bag perfectly functional in wet conditions. And let’s face it, when you’re on vacation, dry clothes are a key to happiness—unless you’re swimming.
The diagonal zipper allows easy access to all your clothes, and the soft sides make it easy to fit the bag into a kayak hatch or an overhead bin. The strap is attached on three sides—so you can carry it by hand or on your shoulders. For those who are actively around water on trips, whether it’s just a weekend or even longer, this is more than just your standard dry bag. Those aren’t the easiest to carry, and the straps on this bag make it much more convenient to carry and use as a travel bag.
I’ve taken it on a trip to Kauai, where I spent a lot of time on the water (on a catamaran and SUP). I’ve also used it on shorter, coastal trips in California–where I needed something waterproof for kayaking.
It’s not black, but the bright yellow color will help you identify it on the baggage carousel, if you do happen to check it. There is a larger, 75-liter version for those who have a lot of gear and don’t mind checking it.
The Hummingbird Carry-On Zip Travel Bag lists for $149.95 on the Cascade Designs website or check prices at Amazon.
Posted by Jill in Adventure Gear, General Gear on May 4th, 2012
Haiku Hobo 2 Bag
This review of Haiku’s Hobo 2 bag finds me mid-quest in my pursuit of the best travel tote. A few weeks ago, Overland Equipment’s Radcliffe Bag came close, but failed to meet three of my criteria to graduate from around-town tote to travel tote: a cross-body strap, exterior cell phone pocket, and laptop sleeve.
How does the Hobo 2 score? A solid two out of three (more on that below). First, some general impressions: I love the Hobo’s shape and look. It’s roomy without being bulky, and stylish without being cutesy (if you’ve been reading my reviews for long, you know I have no use for cuteness in my travel gear). It measures at 10″h x 14″w x 4″d and has just enough pockets and sections without having too many. It’s also extremely durable (and fully lined). I’ve used it daily for over two months, and it shows virtually no sign of wear. Best of all, unlike the Hobo bag Kara reviewed last year, the Hobo 2 is made from renewable cyclePET fabric, recycled poly from 100% post consumer beverage bottles. Put more simply: each Hobo 2 saves 18.9 plastic bottles from the landfill. So you can look good and feel good, too!
The Hobo 2 uses a comfortable shoulder strap, and does have that detachable cross-body strap I covet (score one point of three!). I love the two exterior (zippered) cell phone pockets on either end (point two!) and the additional side pocket. The Hobo zips completely closed, which is a huge plus, and all zippers have nice pulls to make it easier to reach for things and be on the go at the same time. Inside, the Hobo has two water bottle pockets, but I can’t use them for their intended purpose because while wide, they’re not deep enough to fit my standard-sized Kleen Kanteen bottles. This is a bummer, as I carry a water bottle everywhere. Instead, I use the water bottle pouches to store my detachable strap when not in use, my phone charger, and the like. In addition, the Hobo 2 does have another interior zippered pocket, perfect for chap stick, hand wipes, or business cards.
While the Hobo 2 is not quite big enough to tote my 13″ Macbook (another bummer), it is sized to fit an iPad, which tempts me to grant it half credit toward that third point as a travel tote.
Bottom line: for $84, you get a high-quality, multi-purpose, day-to-day bag that will last for the long haul (and is great for the planet). Will it travel with me? On weekend trips during which I’ll do doing a lot of city walking and touring, yes. For air travel during which I need to bring my laptop, no. If you travel with an iPad however, the Hobo 2 could absolutely see you from gate to hotel and back again. Pick one up (in your choice of four colors/patterns) at Haiku, or spend a tad less at either Amazon, Zappos, or Backcountry.
Posted by Amy in General Gear on April 24th, 2012
Lowepro Photo Sport 200 AW
Camera bags aren’t always easy to bring along on outdoor adventures. If they’re sturdy enough to protect your DSLR and lenses, they’re often also heavy, or they lack the space necessary to combine your gear into one, convenient bag. But the Lowepro Photo Sport 200 AW is a backpack and camera bag, in one convenient package.
The pack is lightweight but sturdy, and its padded shoulder and hip straps are enough to keep it securely attached to you. Even more straps are included for additional gear. There’s also a built-in rain cover, to keep the pack protected from the weather.
The padded camera pocket protects your camera gear with an extra cinched section to keep it from bouncing around while you’re out being active. A side-access pocket allows you to rotate the pack to the front, unzip, un-cinch and get to your camera quickly. Much better than having to take the bag off and dig around for your camera, only to have the perfect photo moment pass you by.
You can see a slick HD video with eye candy scenery of all this in action at this link, the narrator alternately trail running along the ocean with this pack and whipping out his camera to get some good shots.
The upper compartment of the pack provides up to 13.9 liters of volume for you other items—whether you’re out for a multi-day hike, or a day of mountain biking. There’s also a hydration pocket for a 2-liter hydration reservoir, however the reservoir is not included.
The Lowepro Photo Sport 200 AW comes in orange or black and lists for $199.99 on the Lowepro website. It’s also available at Amazon and Summit Hut.
Posted by Jill in Adventure Gear on April 20th, 2012
