Register a SA Forums Account here!
JOINING THE SA FORUMS WILL REMOVE THIS BIG AD, THE ANNOYING UNDERLINED ADS, AND STUPID INTERSTITIAL ADS!!!

You can: log in, read the tech support FAQ, or request your lost password. This dumb message (and those ads) will appear on every screen until you register! Get rid of this crap by registering your own SA Forums Account and joining roughly 150,000 Goons, for the one-time price of $9.95! We charge money because it costs us money per month for bills, and since we don't believe in showing ads to our users, we try to make the money back through forum registrations.
 
  • Locked thread
raton
Jul 28, 2003

by FactsAreUseless
Personally I don't use a day pack. If I lost my mind and bought a DSLR and needed one my day pack would be not much larger than the camera and easy to stow. I do bring a cloth shopping bag thing for getting around weight sticklers at airports and have used it to cart laundry to a laundry lady before. So maybe that's my solution?

a depressed kitten posted:

just want to say that i picked up the luganos after all, and the soles are awful - they will wear forever, but the high percentage of PVC in them mean that they are super slick on water. even smooth concrete and water are a dangerous proposition with a pack on.

Okay thanks for mentioning that. I guess I'll take them out of the OP.

raton fucked around with this message at 02:56 on Jul 1, 2012

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Rapsey
Sep 29, 2005

FYAD KNIGHT posted:

Just curious, and this is probably a stupid question, but how do people get around the travel bag + day bag shuffle?
I have a backpack that has a detachable day pack on it.

Movendi
Aug 20, 2008
RE: Daypack, i'm going to try out my timbuk2 wingman + pocketable sea-to-summit backpack.

Also got my ecco track 2 shoes in black and they look nicer in person than they do in pictures, although i still wouldn't classify them as dressy, they should pass though. The two tone sole/upper is subtle than it appears in the pics too. It's pretty snug because of the removable inner sole but the goretex and rugged sole should be able to keep up with some trails. However i did notice some slippage on wet concrete. All in all comfort is most important and so far these feel great but i will report back once i wear these hard day in day out.

As for travel gadget i've gone ahead and bought the samsung galaxy 7.7. Weighing at 300 odd grams it's a pretty slick ereader and photo backup drive. I'm reluctant about using this for research or booking hotels especially using credit card forms. I don't think this or any tablet would be good if you're planning on doing couchsurfing which usually requires lengthy tailor made messages to your hosts if you want to increase your chance getting accepted, and even then it can be pita.

Anyone have tips on apps or accessories for tablet travelling? What should you do in advance? What apps to get? What about credit cards/banking? Security and prevention of fraud and wireless phishing?

Movendi fucked around with this message at 10:41 on Jul 1, 2012

Pompous Rhombus
Mar 11, 2007

Movendi posted:

As for travel gadget i've gone ahead and bought the samsung galaxy 7.7. Weighing at 300 odd grams it's a pretty slick ereader and photo backup drive. I'm reluctant about using this for research or booking hotels especially using credit card forms. I don't think this or any tablet would be good if you're planning on doing couchsurfing which usually requires lengthy tailor made messages to your hosts if you want to increase your chance getting accepted, and even then it can be pita.

Anyone have tips on apps or accessories for tablet travelling? What should you do in advance? What apps to get? What about credit cards/banking? Security and prevention of fraud and wireless phishing?

From what you've just written, a small bluetooth keyboard sounds like a good idea.

Acid Jerk
Nov 7, 2009
Anyone know Asian Air's policy on carry on luggage? I am using Alaska to fly to LA, then flying to Seoul and then to Shanghai using AsianA. The website states dimensions but does not mention if you also can bring a "personal item" (I have a suitcase type bag for my notebook, books, and other small items) Anyone have experience with that airline?

Xenixx
Dec 1, 2007

by T. Mascis
For those that have flown with RyanAir, it's a bag charge if you check but they've got normal sized overhead bins right?

bronin
Oct 15, 2009

use it or throw it away

Xenixx posted:

For those that have flown with RyanAir, it's a bag charge if you check but they've got normal sized overhead bins right?

Yep

MA-Horus
Dec 3, 2006

I'm sorry, I can't hear you over the sound of how awesome I am.

Acid Jerk posted:

Anyone know Asian Air's policy on carry on luggage? I am using Alaska to fly to LA, then flying to Seoul and then to Shanghai using AsianA. The website states dimensions but does not mention if you also can bring a "personal item" (I have a suitcase type bag for my notebook, books, and other small items) Anyone have experience with that airline?

Do you mean Asiana? Normal baggage rules apply, probably more lenient than a lot of other carriers.

LaserWash
Jun 28, 2006
I bought the tls weekender from ebags a few months ago and ended up not using it for the family trip to Europe. I like the bag, used it one weekend to see my folks, but otherwise haven't used it. This is due generally to the fact that I'm too old to carry a backpack. If anyone is interested in it, let me know.

transient
Apr 7, 2005

LaserWash posted:

This is due generally to the fact that I'm too old to carry a backpack.

You are unable physically to carry a backpack due to advanced age or is there some sort of patch on the bag that designates age limits?

LaserWash
Jun 28, 2006

transient posted:

You are unable physically to carry a backpack due to advanced age or is there some sort of patch on the bag that designates age limits?

Just kidding about the age. I Iike the bag A LOT, but found myself more interested in using a rolling duffel instead.

Cheesemaster200
Feb 11, 2004

Guard of the Citadel
Anyone have any recommendations for travel insurance? Specifically I want something that covers at least $1000 of stolen baggage.

Rapsey
Sep 29, 2005
I usually get worldnomads
http://www.worldnomads.com/travel-insurance/prices-and-benefits.aspx

Light Fields
May 8, 2008
Having downsized from a 65 to a 40 litre backpack for travelling, and realized how much more I enjoy not carry everything I own around, I want to invest in a similar bag that's going to work as carry-on.

Quite a few of the recommended ones in the thread so far don't seem to have very sturdy hip straps, which is something that's pretty important to me. Carrying weight around just on my shoulders for extended periods doesn't work for me, so I want a pack with good weight distribution.

Has anyone tried the 'Travelproof Worldwide 40' at all? I suspect it must appear elsewhere under another name than the Nomad Travel brand, but I've found it here...
http://www.nomadtravel.co.uk/p-119-travelproof-worldwide-40.aspx and with £15 off on Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/Travelproof-Worldwide-40/dp/B006BW192O/ref=cm_rdp_product

It looks pretty solid, and has that all important padded hip strap for me. Does anyone own this / recognize it as a bag under a different brand?

raton
Jul 28, 2003

by FactsAreUseless
I didn't put many hip support bags in the OP because I don't like them, but many companies certainly have them. REIs in house bags usually have a lot of hip strap/pad action going on.

Light Fields
May 8, 2008

Sheep-Goats posted:

I didn't put many hip support bags in the OP because I don't like them, but many companies certainly have them. REIs in house bags usually have a lot of hip strap/pad action going on.

I'm seeing a few interesting ones by the manufacturers you linked to, but can't find anywhere I can get them, especially to just try them on and see how they fit, in the UK unfortunately. Thanks for writing such a good OP by the way, it has been a fantastic reference for me!

qirex
Feb 15, 2001

Carry-on backpacks tend to leave out the padded belt because a proper one would occupy about 20% of the bag. For those to work they need some sort of structure like metal stays. The MEI Voyageur has one but those are hard enough to get in the US so I have no clue about getting one in the UK.

I just pack so light I don't need one. Hell, most of the time I don't even bother with the backpack straps any more.

lostleaf
Jul 12, 2009
Does anyone have any recommendations for proxy services? I would like to be able to buy barnes and noble nook books on the road and occasionally listen to pandora.

Mradyfist
Sep 3, 2007

People that can eat people are the luckiest people in the world

lostleaf posted:

Does anyone have any recommendations for proxy services? I would like to be able to buy barnes and noble nook books on the road and occasionally listen to pandora.

After looking at a few proxy services that seemed awfully sketchy and required a lot of information to sign up with, I just ended up getting a cloud server instance with Rackspace instead. It's a little more work on your end because you need to set up an SSH session with PuTTY and then proxy over that, but it works for my purposes.

if wishes were knishes
Mar 5, 2006

Hi I'm Buddy-dot-gif
Going to Italy (Venice, Tuscany, Rome) on a two-week honeymoon, and I want to be able to bring one bag for the both of us. I can pack light'ish and have the ability to not pack the poo poo I don't need. She is worried about the lack of space that a single bag is going to provide.

So, I just bought one of these big shits: Deuter Traveller 70 + 10. I plan on humping this around from hotel to hotel only, and using the day pack or a lovely looking man purse when we go out to do things.

Am I a loving idiot for buying a stupid huge bag?

Also, apologies in advance if this has been asked a bajillion times, what's the best way to lug a DSLR around? Should I try to take only the camera body and one lens? Wear it around my neck like a drat tourist?

How do the three cities we're hitting rank as far as pickpockets/thieves/rapscallions? I'm trying to be cautious, but am concerned I might be over paranoid about it.

raton
Jul 28, 2003

by FactsAreUseless
My advice for traveling with girls is to convince them they will have to carry whatever they bring. Either way you will end up carrying it (or else missing connections) and letting them know in advance that there will be no personal consequences for her natural hoarding / indecisive tendencies will result in your own discomfort.

Also buying one big bag kills one of the primary benefits of carry-on only: you will have to check it and will have to wait by the carousel fur it to come around.

But oh well, you already bought it. The trip isn't that long anyway. It'll be alright.

I've never been to Italy so I can't comment on your cities really, but I feel like someone told me once upon a time that at least one of those places was pretty bad regarding pickpockets and bag rummaging thefts.

LosMein
Feb 15, 2006

slipfish posted:

Going to Italy (Venice, Tuscany, Rome) on a two-week honeymoon, and I want to be able to bring one bag for the both of us. I can pack light'ish and have the ability to not pack the poo poo I don't need. She is worried about the lack of space that a single bag is going to provide.

So, I just bought one of these big shits: Deuter Traveller 70 + 10. I plan on humping this around from hotel to hotel only, and using the day pack or a lovely looking man purse when we go out to do things.

Am I a loving idiot for buying a stupid huge bag?

Also, apologies in advance if this has been asked a bajillion times, what's the best way to lug a DSLR around? Should I try to take only the camera body and one lens? Wear it around my neck like a drat tourist?

How do the three cities we're hitting rank as far as pickpockets/thieves/rapscallions? I'm trying to be cautious, but am concerned I might be over paranoid about it.

If you can return it to get two smaller backpacks without daypacks for each of you, that's what I would do. It's big and it'll get annoying having your things mixed with hers. Plus, in Venice it'll be easier to lug around two smaller backpacks than one big one, especially with all those little bridges over the canals. And like Sheep Goats said, you can just bring them as your carry-on.

No clue about the camera question, but you should be fine with regards to the pickpockets/thieves as long as you guys look out for each other. Maybe keep your wallet in your front pocket and get one of those undergarment things to keep your passport in. Be extra vigilant in train stations and the crowded tourist areas, but I was pretty lax and never had any trouble.

facey fred
Sep 17, 2007
quite facey

Sheep-Goats posted:

My advice for traveling with girls is to convince them they will have to carry whatever they bring. Either way you will end up carrying it (or else missing connections) and letting them know in advance that there will be no personal consequences for her natural hoarding / indecisive tendencies will result in your own discomfort.

:rolleyes:

Anyway, I agree with those saying take two bags. My husband and I usually take a couple 30 liter bags on trips, and it works out really well. Sundresses are my key to packing light. Comfy to walk around in, and an entire outfit takes up very little room in my bag.

caberham
Mar 18, 2009

by Smythe
Grimey Drawer
What's the weather? If it's sunny summer then packing light is great. I'm in hot eastern China now but I'm dressed like I'm going for a run with quick dry clothes. Carrying a back pack all day gives you a sweaty back anyways. So pack a smaller day bag shoulder bag like a crumpler 5million dollar home. Yes I do have a cotton shirt. But unused :-( plus it's China. People poo poo and pee on the streets.

I use to be super photo snappy and carry camera gear like a mule but if it's honey moon trip, packing light and then with a girl the chances for photography and photo time gets massively reduced. But it's Italy and it will be beautiful.ugh the decisions. Best light weight compromise is to bring a gazillion memory cards and skip the laptop for storing media. If it's short hops between Towns, a all day lenses and a small 30 sigma 1.4 or flash is perfect. gently caress my laptop, wish I had a Mac air. Actually it's mostly cell phone pics for me. I actually prefer a Sim card to stay online and whatsapp or Google maps or use sa on the road.

Or skip photo gear and use a s100 and mini tripod. Clothes you guys can always buy extra if you are in the cities. It's souvenirs and Italian fashion which takes up tonne of space.

raton
Jul 28, 2003

by FactsAreUseless
I had an S100 on a recent trip to Curaçao. Phone in my left, camera on my right (it's not appreciably larger than a phone) wallet in a thigh pocket, keys to my rental car (rental cars are a must in Curaçao) in my left thigh pocket. Took great photos. Disgustingly huge upgrade from my previous camera.

Pompous Rhombus
Mar 11, 2007

Sheep-Goats posted:

I had an S100 on a recent trip to Curaçao. Phone in my left, camera on my right (it's not appreciably larger than a phone) wallet in a thigh pocket, keys to my rental car (rental cars are a must in Curaçao) in my left thigh pocket. Took great photos. Disgustingly huge upgrade from my previous camera.

Yeah, they're great little cameras. The mirrorless cameras will give you a big bump up in image quality and handling, but they're all just a bit too big to pocket, which understandably kills it for a lot of people.

Don't cheap out on a strap though. I was taking a picture of my friend at the Grand Canyon with his S95 and the lovely 20 baht wrist strap he got at Pantip Plaza broke and the camera fell about 8 feet onto some rocks, cracking the LCD and making much of it unusable. Still worked the rest of the trip and it's like a $60 part to replace, but still... drat.

Light Fields
May 8, 2008
More endless bag chat :downswords:

So having had a look around at the UK (also OZ and NZ I think) options for people who want a hand luggage backpack I settled on the Kathmandu Litehaul. http://www.kathmandu.co.uk/Packs_&_Luggage/Travel_Packs_&_Luggage/40430/Litehaul_Pack_v2.html



I picked mine up second hand, but I'd say it is actually worth the full retail price. It's incredibly well built, feels absolutely solid. I think I'm going to wear my way through the actual fabric of the bag long before any of the stitching or attachments give up.

Straps wise it has the level of adjustment I wanted on something I'm going to be carrying for long periods of time, so as well as the full hip belt, it's got the 'load lifter' straps on top of the shoulder straps, and 'load stabilizer' straps on the hip belt. For people considering going back packing where they expect to carry their bag for reasonable amount of time, these are things you should really consider, as I've found the alternative is often adjusting your plans because you don't want to carry your bag around.

Azzip
Oct 22, 2006
Something really profound
Seconding that, I have a litehaul and love it. For my next long trip (as in several months at least) it's going to be my main bag. I like the way that the waist belt can also double as an over the shoulder strap, though since I can live without both I will probably detach that and leave it behind. I have a deuter raincover that I found somewhere which fits it perfectly and stuffs handily in the pocket/sleeve thing in the base.

With kathmandu though, I heartily recommend waiting for the frequent sales wherever possible.

cyberbully
Feb 10, 2003

Just got back from a month in Costa Rica, had the similar but lower quality Rick Steves Convertible Carry-On Bag and it worked out great. I'm in the camp that wouldn't buy a large travel bag without some form of kidney straps, even though they're weaker than on a hiking bag they were completely necessary when I was wandering around an indigenous town for a few hours without any place to keep my bag. At 6'1" I'm just a little bit too tall to get them on as comfortably as they should be with the shoulder straps, but it's still not too much of a problem.

For my daypack I just used the cheap drawstring gym type bag-backpack that my university gave me during orientation and it worked fine. A lot of Costa Ricans wore similar drawstring gym bags, they look cheap enough to not be so prominent a target for stealing, it's not so easy to open from behind without the wearer noticing, still carried everything light that I needed, rolls up really small, and I didn't have to buy a backpack advertised to fit onto a keychain. I did usually need some sort of flat surface to keep things from digging into my back, so I brought a spiral notebook around with me pretty much everywhere.

Thanks for recommending smartwool socks, they've been lasting much better than the coolmax ones. I've worn the smartwool socks for more than 5 days straight and still they won't smell, even after I was covered in sweat I think they even still smelled a little bit good. For me, the coolmax socks were pretty rank after only 2 days of heavy use.

Movendi
Aug 20, 2008
What are people's thoughts about leaving passport, creditcards or other valuables (tablet) when travelling around?

I'm mainly concerned about passport. I just don't feel safe to just leave it in my backpack in some couchsurfer's place or some hostel or even some hotels. I was told not to trust cheap hotels in Brazil because the maids might clean you out.

If i'm hitting the beach would it make sense to leave my camera, phone, wallet+cards and passport in the bag at my lodging? What are you experiences with this?

I'd like to hear how people go about security and how you store your valuables in various situations.

Pompous Rhombus
Mar 11, 2007

Movendi posted:

What are people's thoughts about leaving passport, creditcards or other valuables (tablet) when travelling around?

I'm mainly concerned about passport. I just don't feel safe to just leave it in my backpack in some couchsurfer's place or some hostel or even some hotels. I was told not to trust cheap hotels in Brazil because the maids might clean you out.

If i'm hitting the beach would it make sense to leave my camera, phone, wallet+cards and passport in the bag at my lodging? What are you experiences with this?

I'd like to hear how people go about security and how you store your valuables in various situations.

Despite what movies/your government might tell you, passports are generally not a target in most places. I volunteered with one of the busiest (in terms of crimes involving foreigners) police stations in Bangkok for a few months, and the only times passports were stolen was when they were in a bag that was already being stolen. It's not that there isn't a market for them, but the average thief isn't going to have the contacts to fence one, and stealing a passport guarantees that a police report is going to be filed (required by the embassy before they issue you a new one).

Personally I don't sweat my passport too much. If you really want to minimize the chances of it being stolen, you can leave it for safekeeping with the hotel/guesthouse in most cases. Unlike valuables there's not going to be as much of a motivation to knick it and claim someone snuck in and took it, and again, if someone does, it guarantees the police are going to show up and start asking questions.

Normally what I did was keep my electronics and stuff in a bag which I then put inside my dirty clothes bag, which was inside my large military surplus dufflebag, which was locked at the top. If they were really dedicated they could cut the bag open and rifle through it, but just walking off with it would have been too hard given the size.

Midjack
Dec 24, 2007



Movendi posted:

What are people's thoughts about leaving passport, creditcards or other valuables (tablet) when travelling around?

I'm mainly concerned about passport. I just don't feel safe to just leave it in my backpack in some couchsurfer's place or some hostel or even some hotels. I was told not to trust cheap hotels in Brazil because the maids might clean you out.

If i'm hitting the beach would it make sense to leave my camera, phone, wallet+cards and passport in the bag at my lodging? What are you experiences with this?

I'd like to hear how people go about security and how you store your valuables in various situations.

The generic answer: depends on what the relative risk of loss on the street is versus being ripped off at the hotel. Keeping stuff on your person prevents theft but may invite robbery. Keep in mind too that if someone really wants what's in your room they can just take your bag and tear through it at their leisure.

I wouldn't leave anything nicer than clothes and toiletries at a couchsurf, hostel, or other place that lots of regular people might have access to. If you're in a hotel it's a little different since it's probably staff only who access your room; if there's a room safe USE IT, only 10% of people do and while a lot of times they're kind of lovely, they discourage casual pilferage. If you don't have a room safe and it's like the US where the hotel is liable for things left at the front desk safe, use the front desk safe. If it's a smaller place, and the staff seems trustworthy, you might consider leaving passport and money in a sealed envelope at the front desk even if they don't have a safe, though get the name of the person you left it with if you do that.

If you have neither, take your travel docs and emergency money and put it in a ziplock bag in the bottom of your dirty clothes; leave a tempting amount of money poorly hidden as distraction. Some people padlock their bags; I have yet to see a bag that can stand up to a few minutes' work with a blade. If you have a trunk or some other heavy rear end hard side luggage you could bike chain it to the wall or something but again, hacksaw.

You can do some crazy spy poo poo like taping money and ID to the underside of dresser drawers; how paranoid do you want to be?

Movendi
Aug 20, 2008
Well stolen passports are an easy way to be a victim of identify fraud and have a criminal fingerprint in all over the world. Crimes can be commited under your name, credits and loans taken out, and other evil stuff. I'm not sure in other countries but all you need here is a passport + some utility bills with your name and address + birth certificate or some other document that wouldn't take much effort to fake. The hard one would be the passport so that's why i think it does demand our attention.

You don't leave anything nicer than clothes at your budget lodgings? So are you saying you carry your tablet/netbook, camera etc. everywhere you go? Let's say you're going to the beach for the day, do you just leave everything including your wallet, passport, tablet, smartphone, camera in your bag at the hostel? If you take anything valuable at the beach you're just as screwed. I just wanted to hear what you guys do because all i'm planning to do was stash everything in some clothes. Especially from the solo traveller perspective because they face a harder challenge when they don't have anyone else to mind their stuff temporarily. I'm trying to weigh the risks of which items to take in instances where you'll be away from your bag temporarily (the beach). It'll be nice to take photos at the beach so either an iphone or a nice P&S would do.

Pompous Rhombus
Mar 11, 2007

Movendi posted:

Well stolen passports are an easy way to be a victim of identify fraud and have a criminal fingerprint in all over the world. Crimes can be commited under your name, credits and loans taken out, and other evil stuff. I'm not sure in other countries but all you need here is a passport + some utility bills with your name and address + birth certificate or some other document that wouldn't take much effort to fake. The hard one would be the passport so that's why i think it does demand our attention.

You don't leave anything nicer than clothes at your budget lodgings? So are you saying you carry your tablet/netbook, camera etc. everywhere you go? Let's say you're going to the beach for the day, do you just leave everything including your wallet, passport, tablet, smartphone, camera in your bag at the hostel? If you take anything valuable at the beach you're just as screwed. I just wanted to hear what you guys do because all i'm planning to do was stash everything in some clothes. Especially from the solo traveller perspective because they face a harder challenge when they don't have anyone else to mind their stuff temporarily. I'm trying to weigh the risks of which items to take in instances where you'll be away from your bag temporarily (the beach). It'll be nice to take photos at the beach so either an iphone or a nice P&S would do.

Unlike rifling through someone's garbage for an SSN or skimming a PIN number, a missing passport is immediately obvious to the victim. It will be immediately reported, and subsequently cancelled and flagged by the issuing government electronically. Let alone how secure modern passports are; go ahead and try to add a photo to one, let me know how that goes. I'm not saying it can't happen, but you're vastly overestimating how useful a stolen passport is to a thief. Yeah, take steps to protect it, but it's not the end of the world if it goes missing.

I recommend a waterproof P&S for that kind of travel; you take a bit of a hit on image quality and don't get RAW shooting, but can bring it anywhere. I don't think of it so much as an advantage from a theft standpoint as I do a photo-taking opportunity, but I suppose that's another upside.

Leaving a bag alone on the beach is pretty much inviting someone to steal your poo poo. Buy a drink/snack from a vendor who looks trustworthy and ask to leave it with them, if you must. Personally, I normally just bring a towel, a bit of money, sunglasses, sunscreen, etc and leave the camera at home, even though I'm an avid photographer. Part of that is not wanting to get sand in a nice camera though.

On that, if you're in a cafe, put the leg of your chair through the straps of your backpack, so it can't be snatched or stealthily pulled away from you. Keep it on the inside (not the street side) if it's outdoors. If you're riding a scooter or motorbike, don't put it in the front basket, as other thieves on bikes are known to snatch them out and ride off. Be aware on a bus (especially a night bus) that leaving a bag under your seat allows the person behind you to slide it back and go through it at their leisure.

Pompous Rhombus fucked around with this message at 15:17 on Aug 20, 2012

Fists Up
Apr 9, 2007

Pompous Rhombus posted:


Leaving a bag alone on the beach is pretty much inviting someone to steal your poo poo. Buy a drink/snack from a vendor who looks trustworthy and ask to leave it with them, if you must. Personally, I normally just bring a towel, a bit of money, sunglasses, sunscreen, etc and leave the camera at home, even though I'm an avid photographer. Part of that is not wanting to get sand in a nice camera though.


Obviously totally depends on the country though. There a few countries you would think are very dodgy for that kind of stuff and yet the culture of leaving poo poo on a beach is 99% of the time respected and vice versa with some nicer countries.

Also I have never felt to hide my stuff when couchsurfing. All of the people I've done it with have been 100% legit and its pretty loving obvious if you are the only person staying there who stole your poo poo unlike a hostel where there are people coming and going all the time. Again this would change if the person I was staying with just really had a bad vibe but Ive never had that couchsurfing.

Hostels I would definitely lock my stuff up. For motels/hotels I tend to just leave my passport and poo poo in my suitcase, not out in the open or anything (except I do leave small change and poo poo out but I know how much is there and would laugh if they were that brazen). If its a 2 day or less stay then I often put the DND sign up anyway because I dont need new towels or linen or anything. If they really want to rummage through my stuff then thats just a fact of travelling.

Midjack
Dec 24, 2007



Movendi posted:

You don't leave anything nicer than clothes at your budget lodgings? So are you saying you carry your tablet/netbook, camera etc. everywhere you go? Let's say you're going to the beach for the day, do you just leave everything including your wallet, passport, tablet, smartphone, camera in your bag at the hostel? If you take anything valuable at the beach you're just as screwed. I just wanted to hear what you guys do because all i'm planning to do was stash everything in some clothes. Especially from the solo traveller perspective because they face a harder challenge when they don't have anyone else to mind their stuff temporarily. I'm trying to weigh the risks of which items to take in instances where you'll be away from your bag temporarily (the beach). It'll be nice to take photos at the beach so either an iphone or a nice P&S would do.

I don't vacation with thief bait like cameras and computers; it's bad enough being from out of town most places I go that I don't need any extra attention. I also don't let my passport out of my control, full stop. I can't give you a concrete answer as to when you should take stuff to the beach vs. leave in your room because as the guy above points out, each place is different. If I don't feel the security is adequate, I don't go in the water and abandon my passport. If it seems cool, I may go splash around a bit while keeping an eye on my towel. If I do have something with me that I want to retain through the end of the trip, I don't stay in lodging where I can't establish some measure of control over who has access to my stuff (no hostels or couchsurfing). Due to some hard-learned lessons from work travel I pretty much assume there's a million dollar reward to the first person to steal something from me and/or send me to the hospital while overseas, but I'm on the high cynical side of the spectrum.

Rapsey
Sep 29, 2005
Generally if I'm at the beach I buy a seat and asume whoever is selling them is going to keep away thieves. I've even obviously used an ipod on the beach and left it in the bag when swimming. Maybe I'm just an optimist :)

Fists Up
Apr 9, 2007

Rapsey posted:

Generally if I'm at the beach I buy a seat and asume whoever is selling them is going to keep away thieves. I've even obviously used an ipod on the beach and left it in the bag when swimming. Maybe I'm just an optimist :)

What beaches sell seats? Ive never seen that....

Another option is to go to a beach NO ONE is at. One guy would have to run 400m to your stuff to get to it :D

Acid Jerk
Nov 7, 2009
Anyone use LL Bean shoes for travel? I want to get some slip ons that look nice but that I can also do short hikes in as well.

Looking on the website...i'm torn between

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/74761?feat=629-CL1&page=men-s-rangeley-slip-on&attrValue_0=Dark%20Brown&productId=1245600


or these

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/70649?feat=629-CL1&page=men-s-rugged-comfort-casual-shoe-slip-on&attrValue_0=Coffee%20Bean&productId=1175690

Adbot
ADBOT LOVES YOU

Rapsey
Sep 29, 2005
Where would you go in these? They don't look good for tropical weather or anywhere during summer really.

  • Locked thread