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I just want to chime in and say those MEI bags in the OP are pretty much the greatest bag ever made. My fiancée and I did an around europe trip in one of those, my backpack, and a wheelie bag for almost three months of travel. We're doing India this summer and I just picked up one of those for me as well.
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Apr 11, 2012 14:52
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Yeah West coast, sorry fellas. I'm all packed anyway. Seems reasonably light and still have a little room spare.
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Apr 11, 2012 23:20
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I will be traveling to Dubai from LA tomorrow and it is a 15 hour plane ride. I will only be in Dubai for a few days so I was wondering on what would be the best way to deal with jet lag. I leave at 5:30 PM from LA and arrive in Dubai at 7 PM the next day. I go to bed at around 2 - 4 AM every night and wake up around noon so I am thinking I will try and stay up the whole plane ride and crash once I arrive in Dubai. Does anyone here have any suggestions?
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Apr 12, 2012 04:53
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Busy Bee posted:I will be traveling to Dubai from LA tomorrow and it is a 15 hour plane ride. I will only be in Dubai for a few days so I was wondering on what would be the best way to deal with jet lag. I leave at 5:30 PM from LA and arrive in Dubai at 7 PM the next day. That really depends on your travel history with jet lag, your age, and your health. I use to think adults were silly weak people who had to nap in the afternoon when I could just play a round of video games. Nowadays, I have to be careful. In my experience dealing with guests and traveling myself, avoid alcohol, and caffeine. Stimulants just crash your body harder and makes you need more time to recover. Airplane sleep is never really quality sleep so feel free to take naps and drink lots of water and eat lots of fruit, quality snacks. Your idea of staying up the whole time and then sleeping at 10pm works perfectly for me but not my friends who don't get on the plane often enough. Going outside and getting exposure to the sun/lack of sun also helps too. jetlag is awesome, it's an automatic 6am alarm clock
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Apr 12, 2012 07:10
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Try to go to sleep at your normal time in local time. If you're not sleepy, take a melatonin pill.
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Apr 12, 2012 09:02
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There's some evidence that fasting/undereating can help jetlag and some people I know who travel a ton do it.
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Apr 12, 2012 16:34
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Pompous Rhombus posted:Just want to reiterate after a few months using the toiletries kit I recommended earlier, it does indeed continue to own. I picked three more up as Christmas gifts for my parents/sister who all travel a lot (sister for work, parents now that they're retired) and they all really like it as well. A ziplock bag or whatever is perfectly serviceable, but stuff is easier to find in the Lapoché, and the padding has helped keep things from getting uncapped and messy, or poking/tearing a hole in the bag. The hook for hanging it up is also really useful, on the whole the kit is really well-made and feels like it'll last me years. Is it an absolute necessity? No, but it makes life easier, and I'd buy one again in a heartbeat. I took out the Rick Steves pack thing and put this one in instead in the OP.
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Apr 12, 2012 20:31
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WAFFLEHOUND posted:I just want to chime in and say those MEI bags in the OP are pretty much the greatest bag ever made. My fiancée and I did an around europe trip in one of those, my backpack, and a wheelie bag for almost three months of travel. We're doing India this summer and I just picked up one of those for me as well. Good to hear. My wife and I leave for a 3 week Europe trip next month and we bought a couple MEI Executive Overnighters. They seem like great bags.
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Apr 16, 2012 05:17
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My fiancée and I are heading off to Ladakh and Nepal for our honeymoon. We're fairly experienced travelers (Averaged, I'm incredibly experienced as a traveller, she is less so) but I'm just wondering if anyone has any small "DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT" tips since while I've traveled to developing areas before it's usually in a different capacity then just loving around.
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Apr 19, 2012 18:34
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Can anyone recommend some good running + hiking shoes that do well in muddy, hilly terrain? I'll be running in the 'Run For Your Life' 5K obstacle course, and I don't think my running shoes will hold up well on such terrain!
melon cat fucked around with this message at 19:12 on Apr 19, 2012 |
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Apr 19, 2012 19:05
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WAFFLEHOUND posted:My fiancée and I are heading off to Ladakh and Nepal for our honeymoon. We're fairly experienced travelers (Averaged, I'm incredibly experienced as a traveller, she is less so) but I'm just wondering if anyone has any small "DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT" tips since while I've traveled to developing areas before it's usually in a different capacity then just loving around. Immodium AD, earplugs and cash money. Should have made that the subtitle for the thread, really.
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Apr 19, 2012 19:09
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Another light shoe recommendation: New Balance Minimus Zero. Super comfortable if you are into "barefoot" shoes, they take almost no space and weight nothing (something between 120 and 180 grams depending on the model). The only problem is that even the Life models aren't exactly the most fashionable shoes around, but if you don't find them pretty enough the trail version is a nice second shoe for hikes or runs.
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Apr 19, 2012 20:11
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A couple companies have tried to make "lifestlye" versions of barefoot shoes and somehow they end up looking even worse than the "sporty" ones.
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Apr 19, 2012 21:14
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I swear by vivo shoes. They have quite a few models for every need. Some look great some are ugly and they're all really well made. I'm gonna buy my third pair soon, even though my first pair is still holding strong. http://www.vivobarefoot.com/eu/mens.html
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Apr 19, 2012 22:00
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These should be mentioned in the O.P. as the single most loving useful little bit of travel gear ever: Nite Ize S-Binders I keep a few of these on me everywhere I go, it's gotten to the point that I wear one on my pants at all times and keep one around the handle on my backpack. They're really useful if you need an extra hand to carry groceries, more room for some small carryon, etc. They're dirt cheap and probably the single best travel investment I've ever made.
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Apr 19, 2012 23:44
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WAFFLEHOUND posted:These should be mentioned in the O.P. as the single most loving useful little bit of travel gear ever: Just bought 3 of these, never know when you might need them. Plus there's a new version out that has bottle-openers on both sides, so quite handy.
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Apr 20, 2012 01:01
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MA-Horus posted:there's a new version out that has bottle-openers on both sides, so quite handy. Oh my god now I need to add more of these to my travel kit. 
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Apr 20, 2012 01:03
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I use those things when I'm working on the ambulance so I have a place to put the keys when I'm on a call. My only gripe is the wire gate can slip past the tooth thing and just hang open if it gets sideways force on it (one the metal ones, on the plastic version the problem is this is prevented by a little barb and then this barb makes sliding keys off of it smoothly an issue...). My travel pack has a big black carabiner attached to the outside all the time -- its main use is for hanging my flip flops from if they're not dry yet, but I've used it to hang the bag up off of the ground before (this is easy to do with a bag anyway but whatever) and to attach a plastic sack to my normal bag mostly so I wouldn't forget it as if I carried it that way it'd bang around a lot. Anyway, I like those carabiners but I wish they'd make a slightly beefier version with a more traditional spring gate. Oh and the size you want to order is #4.
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Apr 20, 2012 03:30
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I'm partial to size fives.
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Apr 20, 2012 04:07
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Sheep-Goats posted:Immodium AD, earplugs and cash money. Or the travel gear thread : it's cool to look like a travel dad
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Apr 20, 2012 10:20
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I'll be travelling to brazil (winter) in june-july for about month and looking for ideas how to best make use of the gear i already have so i don't need to make unnecessary purchases. I'm looking for a bag(s) solution that meets the strictest of airline carryon restrictions so i can leave at the hostel or hotel room AND allowing for some type of daypack. The daypack should be able to carry a 13inch laptop, +2L water, a fleece jacket/rain jacket. This solution will be used for future 1-2month backpacking style of travel. I have a wheeled carryon (eagle creek tarmac 22 http://www.rei.com/product/810510/eagle-creek-tarmac-22-wheeled-luggage-22. While it's a fantastic carry-on, i only used it once to store the excess stuff i bought at REI before heading back to Australia. Little did i anticipate that this may have not been a good idea for future ultralight and flexible one-bag travel. These are the options i'm weighing in so far 1) Take the EC Tarmac with me and buy a Eagle Creek packable daypack http://www.rei.com/product/828841/eagle-creek-packable-daypack Pros: 11 ounces / 0.3 kg Cons: Definitely can't fit laptop and unlikely to store a jacket (with water or camera inside) 2) Buy Osprey Meridian Wheeled Convertible Luggage - 22'' http://www.rei.com/product/788560/osprey-meridian-wheeled-convertible-luggage-22 PROS: * Solves solution of leaving most stuff in my room and taking the essentials when going out to town. * Wheels (Great taking strain of back for longer periods of hauling gear) * AND Comfortable Backpack straps on main back(Great for flight of stairs or uneven/rough surfaces) CONS: * $350AUD - not necessarily an issue for me but it is when i'm basically buying another carryon with a daypack attachment which makes my existing carryon useless and thus waste of $$$ * 8 lb 14 oz / 4kg * 22" = Only meets american airline carryon standards; however unlikely with a lot of other airlines. In hindsight i should have just bought the Osprey but since i wasn't even aware of it there's not much i could do. I did buy an REI card membership with the eagle creek tarmac bag so i could return it within 3 years but i'm really uncertain i'll be in the states within that time period. Unless any Aussies would like to buy the eagle creek tarmac of me? Despite all this the Meridan would only work on american flights anyway so i would still have problems in south america/europe etc. Which means the perfect bag would be like the Osprey Meridian but in a 19 or 20" version. Am i overlooking other options? Can i have some critical analysis on my objectives and gear requirements. I would like to hear input of those who travel with one bag and how they get around leaving stuff at their room while going out for the day. Many thanks Movendi fucked around with this message at 02:18 on Apr 26, 2012 |
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Apr 26, 2012 02:13
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So you want two bags, one normal one and one daypack? I think you're planning to put way too much stuff in your daypack if that's the case. Why would you hump your laptop, two jackets and two liters of water around with you everywhere in Brazil? The water and the jackets I could see if you were in the mountains but then you wouldn't need the laptop. In fact, there's no situation where you should be carrying a laptop 24/7. By daypack do you just mean one-bag kind of travel option? This part makes me think you're looking for just a daypack: quote:* $350AUD - not necessarily an issue for me but it is when i'm basically buying another carryon with a daypack attachment which makes my existing carryon useless and thus waste of $$$ If that's the case here's what I suggest you do. Forget the fleece. Bring one undershirt and a cheap poncho in your daypack (unless it's raining or you know it'll be raining that day -- no "just in case" style packing please), one 750mL bottle of water (or none if you're in the city, you'll be able to buy a bottle of water anywhere you go in that case) plus your camera and maybe a magazine or map or something. For your daypack just get a normal old backpack from whatever you have in Australia that's the same as Target. Leave the laptop in your bag back at the hotel. If it's too precious to you to take the tiny rear end risk of it getting stolen then don't bring it and just find internet cafes now and then instead. raton fucked around with this message at 02:30 on Apr 26, 2012 |
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Apr 26, 2012 02:25
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RE: Daypack. While i like the idea of your recommended travel packs on the first page, i don't like the idea of hauling all my clothes, toiletries, etc. with me everywhere i'm going. That's why i need a daypack, enough to carry essentials, bottle/camelbak, camera, jacket, and then occassionaly a souvenir. The problem that most daypacks are pretty bulky and not so compressible (enough to fit in my EC Tarmac). But yes this daypack should be integrated into the onebag solution; in that i will not be provoked by airport personnel to check in either of my bags. That's why i was thinking that EC compressible daypack in option (1) which just might do the trick (for this trip). I guess for future proofing i like the look of the patagonia or the red oxx bag and then use the EC compressible daypack for water/jacket etc. I just would like to know how you handle your daily outings without some sort of bag at all??? RE: laptop or ipad - to be used for researching hostels/hotels, eateries, ebooks for downtimes and especially something that will backup my sdhc memory card (ipad doesn't). A compressible rainjacket like the Marmot Precip was what i was thinking, has pockets and looks good and easy to blend in. http://www.rei.com/product/718330/marmot-precip-rain-jacket-mens. I'm anticipating a LOT of torrential rain since it'll be the wet season so i think it's a given that i will need a rainjacket. I wrote rainjacket/fleece meaning either or so most likely i won't be stashing both in at the same time but with the Precep it looks very compressable to just fit wherever it can. Given that Brazilian winters go as low as 12c at night 53f and that i have really low body fat which makes me really cold at even subwarm temperatures i think it's absolutely necessary to bring a fleece. As for water, yes i could buy wherever i go but that would make me hold a bottle for an extended amount of time which is just clumsy and inconvenient. Movendi fucked around with this message at 03:34 on Apr 26, 2012 |
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Apr 26, 2012 03:29
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I never use a daypack any more. My pants have two extra thigh pockets (they're in the OP) and my setup goes like this: Left front top: cellphone Left lower: keys and change Right front top: point and shoot camera Right lower: wallet and passport My back pockets are empty apart from sometimes a page torn out of a travel guide with a map on it, so if you're willing to use your back pockets you don't need the pants I'm suggesting (or if you're willing to go without a phone or camera). Souvenirs always come with a plastic bag and I just carry that in my hand. For water my philosophy is to have a glass before I leave the house and buy a bottle if I'm really that thirsty later, which I finish and toss, I don't carry water around unless I'm hiking because I'm not a camel. For a jacket if I need it I wear it and if wearing it isn't necessary I leave it at home -- taking a risk of being cold or wet is often (usually? always?) better than guaranteeing you'll be carrying around a jacket all drat day. When you've tried something like the above you'll realize that your daypack did more to limit your freedom than it did to enable it. For 53f a rainjacket and a long sleeved shirt is plenty for me. I'm not fat either, I just take the attitude that it's fine to be cold at nigjt and hot at noon and just try to enjoy/tolerate the differences. raton fucked around with this message at 14:42 on Apr 26, 2012 |
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Apr 26, 2012 14:35
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I guess that's where our personal preferences differ. I can't stand to hold anything in my hand while walking and hence why i'm insistent on a daypack. I will be doing some hiking trails with a small lunch pack and water (i am a camel) so it would make practical sense to have it on my back, which means i would need a rucksack regardless. So if you're hiking with your one bag setup, you're telling me you would just hold a bottle in your hand or hold a shopping bag? Maybe there's a camelbak that's small but with a big enough pocket for lunch/jacket. I haven't seen a suitable sized one in my local shops because their either too big/bulky or just the camelback with a small pocket for a little camera. On the gadget topic i've come to my senses that my laptop isn't the right tool for this trip. I'm just a fanatic researcher that goes online seeking all possible eateries, trails, things to do which i simply can't do on a puny small iphone screen. I could make do with ipad barely but navigating around sites and forums is a cumbersome activity but a compromise i can put up with. I'm just wondering would it be better to buy a smallish netbook for my photobackup/travel research/ebook reader? I'm not sure if kindle can handle webbrowsing/email/pdf's as well as an ipad but if it does i would consider getting that for its portability. If i try find a gadget that does colour PDF's, SDHC memory backups, web surfing with relative navigational ease then that's what i'll buy. So i think it's a tossup between a 10-12" netbook, kindle-type device, or bring my ipad. I know you recommend an iphone over ipad but i absolutely won't do internet cafes (i won't be convinced otherwise), so i need a device that can handle interneting as well as good for reading ebook/pdf support (portrait screen mode). Thoughts? P.S I forgot to thank you for your comprehensive guide on the first page. Movendi fucked around with this message at 00:43 on Apr 27, 2012 |
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Apr 27, 2012 00:37
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If I'm hiking, as in, away from a store for more than 8 hours at a time in the woods or something then yeah, I bring a backpack with a bottle of water and some kind of food in it. Six or less I only really use what fits in my pockets. If I'm traveling, yeah. I don't carry a water bottle ever, and if I buy something I just carry it in its shopping bag until I get back to the hotel. Between those electronic devices you mentioned I think a iPad kind of thing would be the way to go.
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Apr 27, 2012 00:59
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Sheep-Goats posted:If I'm hiking, as in, away from a store for more than 8 hours at a time in the woods or something then yeah, I bring a backpack with a bottle of water and some kind of food in it. Six or less I only really use what fits in my pockets. So this is what i'd like to know more about under the one-bag carryon only style of travel. Do you fit the day pack in your travel pack before you depart home? Do you check in your travel pack and carryon your daypack?
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Apr 27, 2012 01:18
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Movendi posted:So this is what i'd like to know more about under the one-bag carryon only style of travel. Do you fit the day pack in your travel pack before you depart home? Do you check in your travel pack and carryon your daypack? Not sure whether I'm doing it right or wrong, but I'm going to be storing my messenger bag inside my carry-on when boarding the flight.
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Apr 27, 2012 01:27
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Movendi posted:So this is what i'd like to know more about under the one-bag carryon only style of travel. Do you fit the day pack in your travel pack before you depart home? Do you check in your travel pack and carryon your daypack? You're allowed one bag and one "personal item." The personal item allows for a laptop bag or briefcase of a purse -- but your daypack qualifies so long as it isn't too much larger than a laptop bag / briefcase. So one bag travel is really two if needed, but I genuinely do just one.
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Apr 27, 2012 01:54
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Yeah, I have my carry-on and my "personal item" but I make sure I can cram my personal item into my big bag if necessary. For insulation a light track jacket might be versatile enough.
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Apr 27, 2012 02:38
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Those binders a few posts aggo are really awesome and you can hook all sorts things like a water a 500ml Nalgene bottle and extra sandals to dry off. Or rolled up posters and what not. Are airlines really stringent when it comes to carry on limits? I fly mostly trans pacific, regional south east asia, most of the time so not sure about South American or European airlines. When I buy extra bags of duty free poo poo after security, flight staff just don't give a care or find some way to accommodate me. God knows I always surpass the carry on weight limits too with my photo gear and tech gadgets. Reading from the internet, it's always "oh no, weight beware~~". My biggest problem seems to be my wallet. I'm buying poo poo up like a middle aged man in an identity crisis. Movendi posted:I guess that's where our personal preferences differ. So if you're hiking with your one bag setup, you're telling me you would just hold a bottle in your hand or hold a shopping bag? Brazil sounds really fun! I'm sure laundry service would be relatively cheap! Maybe he has travel buddies, tour guides cars/buses/camels or whatever to hold space/supplies? It's ok to bring an extra bag or even two bags. They are all guidelines and don't worry being a "travel scrub" if you want to carry extra stuff/bags. It's just a travel trip to another part of human civilization, not a nasa space mission. Be comfortable with your final packing list. If something is too cumbersome you can always give it away to your hostel or buy stuff when you don't have it. Except Peanut Butter Cups. It's as good as crack, surfer hippies worshiped me like a God when I shared a few. You can get Happy Pizza in Cambodia but not so sure about them peanut butter cups.  Just have something like that and you are probably set. Get a timbuktu or one of those messenger bags with an extra harness so that you can chase down flights, buses, run away from touts or whatever without having your bag wobble along your shoulders. Heck sometimes I just leave my bag at random hotels when I tip the bell boy or retail stores after some shopping frenzy without worrying about finding a locker storage. Screw you Madison Square Garden AmTrak Luggage Storage. Your services are only valid for over priced train ticket passengers and cost more than tipping a bell boy from the opposite hotel. For me after day 20 I stop trying to plan my itinerary out. I just chill out, have a do nothing day and maybe decide to plan for my second leg. The cut off point is really subjective and depends on how familiar you are with the destination. If I was in Tokyo I would be an expert of animu Akihabara, obscure quieter tourist sights and eating at michelin restaurants but if I was in Turkey I would probably settle for any shwarma joint. So consider that point as well, how much research and how much of the "original plan" you are going to stick to. quote:Maybe there's a camelbak that's small but with a big enough pocket for lunch/jacket. I haven't seen a suitable sized one in my local shops because their either too big/bulky or just the camelback with a small pocket for a little camera. If you are going to do alot of hiking and worry about water have you tried looking at the Osprey Manta 25, camel back with back pack http://www.ospreypacks.com/en/product/hydration_packs__osprey_hydraulics/manta_25 My only gripe with backpacks is that you tend to get a sweaty back in no times if it has some sort of load. quote:On the gadget topic :I'm a goooooooon It's fun to be a gadgetphile! I would highly recommend getting a MacBook Air 13". SDHC It's super fast, light, nice screen and nice keyboard. And for storage space get a small 2.5" external for your movies/porn/photo backups/etc. Too bad the 11" has no SHDC support. Fast enough for light room! And the ipad for reading/carrying all your photo portfolio, easy sharing/quick web browsing. Sorry if this is a de-rail. Since you mentioned internet cafes as a no-no, I will assume that you will use wifi for your internet stuff. For convenience sake and piece of mind, I think it's wise to have a basic excel spread sheet of your travel itinerary if you are the research data type before you board the plane. 3G and google sercives can be unreliable at different parts of the world or really really pricey. Have a folder of all the maps, sights, eats, and places you want to check out and just have a feel of what you like to do. Anyways，the first trip packing light and being mobile is always kinda daunting but afterwards it gets easier. But yeah, I don't care, if I'm traveling solo to some beautiful landmarks, I'm going to bring a tripod and intervalometer and super dork room out making time lapse videos.
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May 1, 2012 22:32
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Thanks for the tips. After reading this thread i did a little impulse shopping for some nice dress clothes. All of them were 100% cotton and no pockets but i'm not convinced they would be wrinkle free nor dry quick. When moving every other day will be the norm i'm finding it hard to find something stylish and light/quickdry/non-wrinkle. I'm surfing all over trying to find something classy and stylish but meets the ultralight onebag criteria but doesn't scream travel shirt. So i think i'll just pack one dress shirts and buy about 3-4 merino tshirts since Brazil seems to be very casual. As for pants ill keep an eye out for coolmax jeans and order a rei adventure pants. As for gadgets i think i might get a samsung galaxy 7.7 unless asus eee pad transformer mini comes out before august (mini detachable keyboard tabet> netbook). Or just make do with a 7" tablet and bear with awkward navigation and research/book places. I know the idea of planning beforehand would greatly help in this department but my experiences in travel is that i find it easier to plan on the road or just a day or so before that way i'm flexible to stay longer at a place i like or bail when it sucks. You raise a good point about dodgy internet connection so i'll print out a rough itinerary or maybe have it all saved on my gadget. Just bummed that these small form tablets don't have sdhc slots, only microsd which is bearably i guess. Not interested in anything over 9" since i'll be away for a month and compact is key. Bags i'm eyeing: Golite Convertible 2 lbs. 21 x 14 x 7 Black Wolf Skedaddle (MLC improved clone) 2.9lb 52 x 35 x 27 cm (Aus./NZ only) Caribee Sky Master 2 lbs 10oz 21.25 x 13 x 7 Ebags Motherlode TLS 3 lbs 11oz. 22 x 14 x 9 MEI Executive overniter - presentable but heavy at 4lb Laptop pocket not important, rather something for a 7" tablet preferably outside pocket and with bottle/hydration storage. Trying to think if i should compromise on a little more weight for extra benefit of organised storage like in the ebags TLS or MEI EO? Or go for something light like the first 3 but without much extra pockets for phone/tablet/camera. hmm papa Movendi fucked around with this message at 08:24 on May 2, 2012 |
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May 2, 2012 08:18
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If I was going to buy a new bag now I'd probably get either the GoLite or the Timbuk2 Wingman, I've looked at both in stores. As far as dressy-ish shirts surf clothing companies like Quiksilver, Hurley and O'Neil make collared poly blend shirts that you couldn't wear to the opera but still look better than t-shirts and don't wrinkle as much as cotton dress shirts. For pants I have a pair of Nike golf pants that can pass for slacks and dry really fast.
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May 2, 2012 15:28
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qirex posted:If I was going to buy a new bag now I'd probably get either the GoLite or the Timbuk2 Wingman, I've looked at both in stores. As far as dressy-ish shirts surf clothing companies like Quiksilver, Hurley and O'Neil make collared poly blend shirts that you couldn't wear to the opera but still look better than t-shirts and don't wrinkle as much as cotton dress shirts. For pants I have a pair of Nike golf pants that can pass for slacks and dry really fast. These look good. Which would you go for? The GoLite is cheaper. Do you think the Timbuk2 is worth the premium. Other bags I've heard mentioned were the Osprey Porter 46 and the Patagonia MLC. Do you have any experience with those? Price is fairly comparable throughout.
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May 2, 2012 23:14
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The Osprey is basically a giant duffel, I like more organization and a more rectangular shape since I don't use the backpack straps 90% of the time plus I'd feel weird doing business travel with it. The GoLite is more like my bag now in that it opens like a suitcase with compartments on 2 sides. On the other hand packing extra shoes would be easier in the Timbuk2, fewer compartments = less "organization" but simpler to just throw stuff into and flat sides are generally easier to deal with than the humps on the outside of the golite. The GoLite has padded handles which can be a big deal on a long walk. If I really liked either one more than the other I'd probably buy it, after a couple dozen trips my old Jansport is showing its age. They're both good bags though and you'll probably he happy with either. There's a lot of people who have done perfectly well with the eBags one too, it's hard to beat the price. In conclusion, convertible carry-ons are a land of contrasts.
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May 3, 2012 00:24
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Let's say we take convertibles out of the picture and just focus on backpacks that optimizes the rectilinear design and some organization for easy + hidden access to passport/tablet etc. I don't think i'll use the convertible shoulder strap that much since i'm not working in a formal or corporate environment but i'm just trying to evaluate if there are any other practicalities to a convertible? I guess not looking like a backpacker might come in handy for some occassions but i don't think appearance matters in most circumstances. In this case i'm thinking the Arcteryx Blade 30 (http://www.amazon.com/Blade-30-Backpack-by-ARCTERYX/dp/B001QU43II) looks to fit the bill in terms of professional looking and backpack with a side carryon strap for those important vain moments. Otherwise if a convertible is more beneficial, the timbuk2 looks better purely for the open design as opposed to the segregated compartments on the golite. However it appears slightly rugged.
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May 3, 2012 04:21
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qirex posted:The Osprey is basically a giant duffel, I like more organization and a more rectangular shape since I don't use the backpack straps 90% of the time plus I'd feel weird doing business travel with it. I really wanted to get the red ox sky boss or tombinh but shipping international is expensive. Using the Osprey porter 40 right now because local stores don't have MEI or the other brands. The back pack straps are not the most comfortable but does get the job down. Since it's a giant duffel, 1 side pocket to fit smaller toiletries and electronic cables, and 1 top slot that just fits a covered ipad and nothing else. Your stuff will probably slosh to the bottom and can be slightly unwieldy when it's heavily packed. But with the wide room, packing cubes solve the problem For a more business or formal setting, I do want to get my hands on some hand crafted leather duffel without springing on a hermes. Samsonite has a classy version with a shoe bag and ipad holder, the closest one I found is this http://www.amazon.com/Samsonite-Valiance-26-Rolling-Duffel/dp/B000PAWXHS/ref=sr_1_13?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1336041890&sr=1-13 Next time I'm going to USA, I'm definitely going to order a red oxx. And a tom binh laptop bag. Funny how I use to make fun of girls and their obsession over hand bags but now I understand the need for different bags for different occasions. Plus it's fun to collect them and see how you can pack your things in them.
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May 3, 2012 11:52
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http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3482778 I'm selling my Granite Gear pack if anyone is interested. It's more of a hiking pack, however, it's ultralight and panel loading which makes it better for travel. The hip harness and support is extremely comfortable so if you're doing some sort of more trekking-type travel, this is ideal.
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May 3, 2012 17:33
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Im flying into San Francisco in July and then renting a car (Ford Focus in size) and heading out for 5 weeks around the western states. Im planning on doing a mix of camping, couchsurfing and sleeping in my car as a last resort. Im not planning on bringing any camping and living gear over with the exception of a sleeping bag as I'll be staying in other places for a month before that and dont want to carry a whole heap of poo poo around. Also the prices in the states are much cheaper than Australia. However how feasible is it to buy a bunch of that stuff at a Walmart? Like tent, sleeping mat, cutlery and stuff to eat from, whatever else I need. Im looking for the cheapest stuff as I will probably not take it back with me. A $30 tent is pretty drat cheap so Im hoping thats liveable as long as its not pouring rain or really windy. If not what are the outdoor stores in the SF area? I'll head east through Oakland and then towards Stockton/Modesto from SF first up and will probably be stopping somewhere along the way to stock up on all I need for 5 weeks I looked at the Patagonia stuff but that is way too expensive and would be even more if I wanted to ship it all back to Australia at the end of it (gently caress giving away a $200 tent).
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May 4, 2012 03:24
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Uncle Ivan posted:These look good. Which would you go for? The GoLite is cheaper. Do you think the Timbuk2 is worth the premium. Other bags I've heard mentioned were the Osprey Porter 46 and the Patagonia MLC. Do you have any experience with those? Price is fairly comparable throughout. The Porter 46 is a decent bag but a few things turned me off from it: 1) Too many loose straps to get caught on things. 2) The shape is a bit awkward and doesn't maximize use of space compared to the MLC style bags. 3) There's basically only one giant compartment which makes organization more challenging. 4) The zipper for the main compartment is around top of the bag rather than around the circumference, I personally find that the types of bags that open up flat like books are easier to pack with. On the other hand, I *love* the Patagonia MLC. I've been traveling full time with it for just about a year now and it's held up incredibly well. There's been essentially no wear on the seams/zippers/straps and I expect to be able to use it for many more years. Plus, Patagonia is known for having an awesome warranty policy (e.g if it breaks, take it into a Patagonia store and walk out with a new one). A tip if you end up getting the MLC: the rear pocket perfectly fits an 18" packing folder (which you can put all of your shirts in), leaving room in the main compartment for your other stuff. When you go to pack, you can pack the main compartment first (which will be easier to fit things into without the rear pocket), and then once the main compartment is zipped up, the folder will still slide easily into the rear pocket. I haven't tried out the higher end bags (e.g. Tom Bihn or Red Oxx) so I can't compare against them, but then again at this point I don't really see any reason to switch.
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May 4, 2012 18:16
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