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Gear recommendations (12 posts)

Topic tags: clothes, gear, luggage, technology, travel gear

Viewing post 1 to 12 (12 total posts)

Craig and Linda said 7 months, 1 week ago:

We’re getting ready for gear week, where we’ll be sharing the best stuff we’ve found and actually use as we travel around the world. If you’ve got some favourite pieces of kit — technology, clothes, luggage, anything — add your recommendations below.

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dylan said 7 months ago:

Wow, I’m such a gear freak, I really enjoyed the episode. I also can’t live without the ipod touch (easy to carry in pocket wifi access), macbook pro 13″ (only because I do a lot of photo editing, so I can’t get by with a macbook air, or net book), and a kindle for all my books.

A few things I really like:
* All important: A safe travel wallet, with cable attachment! Nobody ever tried to pick-pocket my wallet (that I know of), but realized how valuable my cable attachment was when I got off a cramped mini-bus on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere western China. As the bus took off, and I picked up my pack, I looked down and noticed my wallet dangling from my belt — if not for the cable, it would have been on the floor of that bus disappearing into the distance. Anyways, I used to use a wallet from Civilian Lab: http://amzn.to/q5e057 — very nice wallet, and it comes with the cable attachment. I’ve since moved on to a wallet from Barefoot Wallets (http://www.barefootwallets.com), but I still love the Civilian Lab cable retractor. You can get the retractors separately, and I have 3 that I use for various other stuff I want to keep handy.

* Silk sleeping bag liner for sleeping in ‘questionable’ dorm room beds – it’s light enough to sleep in even in tropical climates.

* IceBreaker wool t-shirts! They are pricy, but really great! They dry fast and do not stink like synthetic material shirts

Those are my top picks. I’ve got a full gear list on my site (though it needs some updating at this point….): https://fantabulousness.com/content/travel-gear-list

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Craig and Linda said 7 months ago:

Great recommendations, @dylane1. We’ve taken to carrying silk sleeping bag liners too — so light and small, and so useful.

I wish we could afford Icebreaker stuff! It’s much cheaper in NZ than in UK/Europe (not sure about other places), but still a bit beyond us. It is fantastic though!

You know, we’ve never thought about wallet safety … but then again, we’ve never been pick-pocketed like that. Stuff has gone missing from bags, but never from pockets. That’s a good recommendation. I guess we get around it by having hiking trousers with zip pockets for wallet/iDevice, then keeping enough cash for expected purchases/snacks accessible — it’s just that other layer of protection.

Off to have a look at your gear list!

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Spencer Q said 7 months ago:

I normally don’t carry a lot of tech when I travel, and perhaps this is old news. However, Google Maps on my ancient blackberry has been awesome. It’s allowed me to get directions, find my location, and look up addresses through out Asia, Europe, and even Johannesburg.

You’ll need a phone that roams on the same standard (GSM or CDMA) and frequency for the country that you’re in. (There are several GSM frequencies, but there are phones that can roam on all of them.) GSM is the most common outside of the US and TMobile uses it with their partners all over the world. Also, my phone doesn’t require a SIM card to make calls, but I rarely do since calling very expensive.

I’m not sure if it works on all phones and carriers and it could cost you a ton of money in charges, so be careful. I have a great deal with my Blackberry on US TMobile, I can add unlimited international email/text/internet for $25/month (the normal Blackberry service costs around $45/month). So, when ever I travel, I just add the service and then remove it when I get home. I could even get emails in Madagascar! If you don’t have a Blackberry, then you may have to pay per use (MB), so again, be careful.

https://www.t-mobile.com/International/InternationalDevices.aspx?tp=Inl_Tab_InternationalDevices

https://www.t-mobile.com/International/RoamingOverview.aspx?tp=Inl_Tab_RoamWorldwide

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Mo said 7 months ago:

So to note, these have been investments that I’ve made over several years and worth every cent for the value provided.

Water-resistant pants – I just bought these pants and I LOVE them. You may not be able to get the same ones unless you are in Canada but patagonia makes a similar one. Basically they are a pair of 4 way stretch, black water-wind-wrinkle resistant pants (Schoeller breathable fabric) that breath really well and repel dirt. Super easy to clean and dries in 2 minutes. These are made for summer but fit allows for winter layers without being too bulky looking. Comes with zipper and covered pockets and smart enough for a dinner out. http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/WomensClothing/PantsTights/PRD~5012-134/mec-kinetic-pants-womens.jsp

- Dr. Bronners liquid soap – multipurpose biodegradable soap that you can use for ANYTHING. Takes so little to go a long way. Not so good for those doing carry-on bag only (lots of recommendations for LUSH soaps in that case).

- SHURE sound-isolating headphones – I live in a super noisy apartment and needed something that no only cancelled sound when listening to music but also something I could fall asleep with. Shure foam headphones act as earplugs, perfect for a noisy bus ride, airplane or hostel. Great sound quality too! http://www.shure.com/americas/products/earphones-headphones/se-models/se215-sound-isolating-earphones

- Down sleeping bag and Event compression sack – ditto silk liners but for those bringing a sleeping bag, I recommend down. I have the sub-kilo REI bag for women which I love. I also bought an Sea-to-sky EVENT compression bag for a couple dollars more than the regular ones which compresses it down to nothing. The air permeable fabric (similar to Schoeller) allows you to push air completely out and compress it even more than normal. You get a super compact sleeping bag to take with on the road. http://www.rei.com/product/780921/rei-sub-kilo-15-sleeping-bag-womens-regular-09-special-buy

- my last gear nerd buy is Chacos – tried-and-true the best hiking/trekking sandal I’ve tried with a custom fit system. Some people hate the strap system but it makes for a super secure fit (i.e. no rocks in your sandals!) It’s the best arch support I’ve found in a sandal and super sturdy with the vibram sole.

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Craig and Linda said 6 months, 4 weeks ago:

Hi @squong, @matsuma – good additions.

@matsuma, do you find those pants ‘breath’ enough? Are they comfy in hot/tropical conditions?

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Mo said 6 months, 4 weeks ago:

They breathe like a dream! Made of Schoeller fabric technology http://www.schoeller-textiles.com/ which means that they are engineered for breathability, but still repel water from the outside membrane. These ones are MADE for hot/tropical weather but as mentioned you can layer them for use while in colder conditions like snowshoeing.

Truly wonder pants! Also check out eVent technology for awesome breathability

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Doug said 6 months, 3 weeks ago:

Two other things I have not seen mentioned that I take are 1) a golf ball to use as a drain plug and 2) a rubber door stop to use to make sure my sleep is not interrupted in the middle of the night if there is not a lock inside the door when in a private room. As for wallet security I carry a throw away aka old wallet with a couple local currency bills and an expired drivers license. I keep my actual cash in a zipped pocket or money belt.

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Craig and Linda said 6 months, 3 weeks ago:

Thanks @doug.seattle and @matsuma

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Ana Laura said 6 months, 1 week ago:

I haven’t heard the episode yet, so forgive me if they’ve recommended this.

I would suggest making a photocopy of your passport and carrying it in your wallet since the airport, as you never know when you’ll have access to a photocopying machine when you arrive (although if you’re in a country that requires a visa you might want to get a copy of that one too once it’s stamped).

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Craig and Linda said 6 months, 1 week ago:

^ A great safety precaution – good advice.

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kglenn said 5 months, 3 weeks ago:

Hi all!

As for gear, just wanted to spread the word about a new travel clothing line for women. Right now, we’ve only got the first piece out – the Versalette – and it’s a piece that can be worn over 15 ways (as a shirt, scarf, hood, purse, skirt, poncho, etc.). It won’t be available for shipping until March, but pre-ordering is available through December 22 via Kickstarter.

Hopefully the Versalette (and the rest of the line) makes packing infinitely easier for those of us who hate carrying tons of stuff. So, Linda, hope this helps!

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/revolutionapparel/the-versalette-by-r-evolution-apparel

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