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Can anyone recommend some thinner gloves that still offer warmth/wind protection without looking like I'm going skiing? I have a pair of Black Diamond "liners" but they're not terribly effective.
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Nov 20, 2012 04:37
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| # ? May 12, 2024 17:18 |
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Leather?
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Nov 20, 2012 06:02
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ghableska posted:Can anyone recommend some thinner gloves that still offer warmth/wind protection without looking like I'm going skiing? I have these and have always found them adequate, however they're quite close to a liner glove so if your current gloves aren't doing it for you maybe these won't either. They're just wool too so if you want a lot of wind protection they probably won't cut it. Still, good gloves, I like them a lot. http://www.filson.com/products/merino-wool-full-fingered-gloves.30002.html
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Nov 20, 2012 08:52
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Anyone know of some durable, good-fitting, water-resistant pants that are something like these Fjallraven Sten Trousers? Went looking all around for pants yesterday and today keeping the fjallravens as my back-up, but once again found that most high-end American outdoorsy clothes are still a terrible fit, and then I came back to find out that fjallraven is sold out of my size. I like this style because they'd be good for camping or hiking as well as travel, plus I'm needing something that can handle the wetness of moderate snow/light rain this winter. Might just wait until I get to Brussels in a few weeks to buy something.
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Nov 22, 2012 02:01
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eBags has updated their Weekender: http://www.ebags.com/product/ebags/mother-lode-tls-weekender-convertible/143101?productid=1370034 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy12s2vEwg8 Looks like an improvement. Wish they had been about two inches more conservative on the depth, it looks too fat when full. Best additions are the head pocket and the hidden laptop sleeve down the back which, if not used, just compresses out of thew way for the main compartment. If you prefer the older style you should probably buy one soon as I would expect stock on it will run out. I think they only have black available as of now, but maybe there are some other colors kicking around online still. raton fucked around with this message at 03:28 on Nov 24, 2012 |
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Nov 24, 2012 00:11
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Am I missing something or are you talking about the update they did a few years back?
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Nov 24, 2012 19:50
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Bump!
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Dec 30, 2012 21:36
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This is a general rant and not directed at you Cyberbully. Unless you know for a fact you're going to encounter snow and heavy rain on a near daily basis who actually travels with rainproof pants? After almost a year in south america, including patagonia in the autumn/winter, and hiking/camping at least once a month I'd used them never, and given to a girl to use once for wind resistance on a mountain climb. After ditching them I had one occasion I think when they would have been useful in a hailstorm but we survived without them (and it was well below zero that night). If you're going snow places or hiking in places infamous for holy poo poo yer totally gonna get some cold rear end rain and wind sure bring them. But if your going for more then a few weeks I'd leave em out, theres better things to weigh down your pack (Chocolate/alcohol/weed/another hikers head).
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Dec 31, 2012 02:12
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Want to say that those Exofficio briefs are the loving poo poo. Two pairs of those and I reckon I'm good to go. I saw people talking poo poo about the newer Smartwool socks on Amazon, confirm/deny? I think I posted about them before but I used to have this pair of really thin-material socks I won at some hipster bicycle race... they were pretty awesome about not holding in odor and dried out super-fast. Can anything think of something similar? Any recommendations for a slim-fit dress shirt that's well-suited for traveling? And maybe a pair of slacks too. I'm trying to piece together a more pared-down travel wardrobe for a big (well, 30-day) motorcycle trip I'm planning for either this summer or next, hopefully will be camping/couchsurfing for the most part. Will also be doing a number of weekend trips in the interim, but those should be easy enough to pack for. Underwear: two pairs of Exofficios, gently caress yeah Socks: Smartwool? Something similar to those hipster socks? 2-3 pairs enough? I did a motorcycle trip through Southeast Asia during the rainy season in college and remember getting by fine basically using two pairs of lovely Walmart socks: wash the day's pair in the sink and hang it up to dry, wear the day before's the next day. I imagine this would be better with better socks, although the caveat about Japan is that shoes come off a lot more often here, so they have to look nice/normal and stand up well against holes, odor etc. Pants: one swimsuit, one pair of regular shorts, one pair of nice-ish jeans, maybe another pair of slacks if I can find something non-dorky and well suited to travel? Plus motorcycle pants and rain pants. Tops: ? + motorcycle jacket and rain jacket. Shoes: motorcycle boots, one pair of street shoes, one pair of flip-flops. The rainproof stuff is a lot less optional on a motorcycle 
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Dec 31, 2012 02:34
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I bought one pair of Exofficio boxers about six years ago. I liked them. I bought six more pairs. It's all I've ever worn since and they show absolutely zero signs of wear. Not only are they excellently comfortable and quick drying they're also incredibly durable. The last time I bought Smartwool socks was about six or seven months ago (my first ever ones that were maybe six or seven years old were finally wearing through the heels) and they're as good as they ever were. REI makes knockoff smartwool socks now, which I haven't tried.
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Dec 31, 2012 02:41
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Pompous Rhombus posted:I saw people talking poo poo about the newer Smartwool socks on Amazon, confirm/deny? I bought a few pair of those ultralight Smartwool socks for a couple of months in Southeast Asia in 2010, and they came back looking like new after daily wear. I think they were for cycling. Bought a pair for my upcoming trip and just went "Ultralight, micro, whatever". They turned out to be the "outdoor" variety and not for cycling. They have way less padding, and probably won't last nowhere near as long as the cycling pair from 2010. So really, it could just boil down to whether they are "outdoor", "PHD Cycling", or "Hiking" socks. I do hear hear a lot of poo poo-talk about Smartwool socks in general though  I like them. +1 on the Bought a pair of Exofficio for travel, then ended up buying a bunch more so I could wear them all the time.
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Dec 31, 2012 06:41
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Pompous Rhombus posted:I saw people talking poo poo about the newer Smartwool socks on Amazon, confirm/deny? Personally, I've just replaced mine with Icebreaker socks which are supposedly much more durable.
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Dec 31, 2012 15:27
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NoDamage posted:I've owned two pairs of Smartwool running socks for about a year now, and they've completely worn through the heel. For thicker socks like hiking socks where there's more material it's probably fine, but if you prefer thinner socks I hesitate to recommend them.
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Dec 31, 2012 16:44
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I've worn a few pair of Smartwools out at the heels, they don't seem any more or less durable than other socks. If you're looking for cheaper alternatives Wigwam is made in the USA and uses a lot of merino and performance materials.
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Dec 31, 2012 17:26
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qirex posted:I've worn a few pair of Smartwools out at the heels, they don't seem any more or less durable than other socks. If you're looking for cheaper alternatives Wigwam is made in the USA and uses a lot of merino and performance materials. I have been buying "Darn Tough" brand smartwool socks lately. They are lifetime guaranteed but I haven't worn a pair out yet. If you wear them out they will replace them. They are made in Vermont.
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Jan 3, 2013 01:35
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I like the idea of those expensive and durable socks, but does anyone know if there are socks available that are ankle-high and at least a darker solid color? They all seem close to knee-high and/or have all kinds of wild colors. To contribute for the Australian goons here, I absolutely love these bags: http://www.aussiedisposals.com.au/haversack-wh1-black I have one of the smaller ones and I use it for everything. It comes with me every day to work and fits my kindle, small umbrella, and whatever I managed to pack for lunch that day. When I go traveling, I put my netbook in it along with whatever small electronics I bring with me. It's pretty durable too. I've had mine for 5 years using it constantly and one side of the shoulder strap has worn a little bit, but I just switched the strap around and I'm sure I could get another few years out of it. For $5AUD it's a great deal. The negatives are that they're pretty minimalistic (no pockets or zippers) and if you stuff it full you might have a bit of a problem closing it. But they look really plain and simple and don't look like a target. My girlfriend uses an identical one as a purse. Plus they come in bigger sizes and make (uncomfortable looking) backpack types. I just wish they sold these here in the US. The only similar ones I saw had more zippers and buckles than I wanted and cost $25 or so.
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Jan 8, 2013 20:35
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Shnicker posted:I like the idea of those expensive and durable socks, but does anyone know if there are socks available that are ankle-high and at least a darker solid color? They all seem close to knee-high and/or have all kinds of wild colors. I've never found completely solid-color ones but REI has socks that look like these in various heights.
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Jan 10, 2013 01:56
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Will probably go to China for a week in the spring. What do you think about these boots in black leather to do everything. I will be doing the typically amount of walking and going out at night and these seem durable, comfortable and night club friendly enough to do the job. http://www.amazon.com/Clarks-Mens-Desert-Black-Leather/dp/B0040FQP5U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358497565&sr=8-1&keywords=black+clarks+desert
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Jan 18, 2013 09:30
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Carbon Copy posted:Will probably go to China for a week in the spring. What do you think about these boots in black leather to do everything. I will be doing the typically amount of walking and going out at night and these seem durable, comfortable and night club friendly enough to do the job. http://www.amazon.com/Clarks-Mens-Desert-Black-Leather/dp/B0040FQP5U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358497565&sr=8-1&keywords=black+clarks+desert If you have a place to try on Clarks, I would recommend their un.structured brand. I walked around South Korea for a week in November in a pair of these: http://www.amazon.com/Clarks-Unstructured-Un-Coil-Casual-Oxford/dp/B001REAW9W and my feet were fine. The un.structured are lighter in weight and feel a lot better on the feet.
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Jan 18, 2013 14:17
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calandryll posted:If you have a place to try on Clarks, I would recommend their un.structured brand. I walked around South Korea for a week in November in a pair of these: http://www.amazon.com/Clarks-Unstructured-Un-Coil-Casual-Oxford/dp/B001REAW9W and my feet were fine. The un.structured are lighter in weight and feel a lot better on the feet. I'm not one to give fashion advice, but I can vouch for the Unstructured shoes for moving around. I took that same pair on my trip to Europe a few months ago and walked a lot of miles in them with no discomfort. They were even tolerable for an afternoon hike in the Alps.
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Jan 22, 2013 06:12
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Great OP, Sheep-Goats! I need to bring some liquor in my large backpack as my carry-on will be full. Any tips on how to wrap them so they get home in one piece? I'm thinking getting a sturdy box and pad it with bubble wrap.
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Feb 19, 2013 14:36
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The best way to do it is a box within a box. Find a tight fitting box and pad the bottle inside of that so it doesn't slide around in that box. Then put that box inside another box with an inch between the inner and outer box on each dimension and fill that circumferential space with padding. The square shape of the boxes prevents the liquor from shifting through clothes and banging neck first on some outer edge of the bag. When you pack it try to put clothes or weed all the way around it, don't make the error of packing it touching the top or front of your bag thinking for some reason your bags orientation will be preserved during transit. It's also not a bad idea to put the inner box inside a bag (do it up like Thai people do the little fish sauce bags to go, with the top twisted and then bent back on itself and secured with a super tight rubber band to make a waterproof seal) in case it does break, so everything else doesn't get liquor on it. I prefer tightly wadded paper to packing peanuts as it doesn't shift out of the way like peanuts can. Bubble wrap is a good space filler too but more expensive. Be aware that bottle size limits make it impossible now to bring liter bottles of liquor home on your carry on, meaning double boxing and checking your booze is now the best you can do. Liquor is a serious pain in the rear end to bring home -- I went to Curaçao and only brought back one tiny 50mL bottle of their famous blue liqueur due to these kinds of considerations. If you go this route bring two though, one to drink and one to keep. raton fucked around with this message at 14:56 on Feb 19, 2013 |
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Feb 19, 2013 14:48
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Ringo R posted:Great OP, Sheep-Goats! I need to bring some liquor in my large backpack as my carry-on will be full. Any tips on how to wrap them so they get home in one piece? I'm thinking getting a sturdy box and pad it with bubble wrap. Bottles of spirits tend to have pretty thick glass so its really unlikely that anything will happen if you just pack it in the middle of all your clothing. I have done this multiple times. I just wrap my towel, thickest jumpers, pants around them and then make sure they sit in the very middle and won't shift. If its beer or wine then a box with bubble wrap is a better idea.
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Feb 20, 2013 01:19
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I brought 2 bottles of wine and 4 bottles of olive oil home from Italy by just wrapping them in my clothes. While I don't necessarily suggest that, all of them made it home to the States intact.
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Feb 20, 2013 02:37
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I brought back some beer bottles in a pair of shoes inside my checked bag, also padded with various small things. Worked fine and protected the caps enough. It's a million times easier to just buy alcohol in the airport if possible, though.Outrail posted:This is a general rant and not directed at you Cyberbully. I do agree though, rainproof pants are overdoing it, unless again you're biking in intense rain or planning some intense outdoors trip.
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Feb 21, 2013 21:36
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http://www.amazon.com/Kelty-Redtail-30-COLOR-Daypack/dp/B004CXAN1C/ref=pd_sim_sg_2 I'm thinking about getting one of these for weekend/few days trips into NYC. I bring with me: 3 pairs of underwear, 3 pairs of socks, 3 tshirts, a sweater or two, a flannel or a buttondown or two, a pair of jeans, and some pajamas. Plus I would like some extra room for additional poo poo like books or a box of drugs.
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Mar 6, 2013 22:42
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Will it spoil me posted:http://www.amazon.com/Kelty-Redtail-30-COLOR-Daypack/dp/B004CXAN1C/ref=pd_sim_sg_2 A year ago I travel around Asia for 3 weeks with only that pack and now I still use it daily for school. There are barely any signs up wear - it's a really solid pack and I highly recommend it.
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Mar 16, 2013 06:11
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I made a highly frivolous purchase: It's a Knirps X1 umbrella but in would-have-been-really-cool-four-years-ago camouflage!
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Apr 1, 2013 22:51
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qirex posted:Might as well post about shoes. Just bought these on zappos. Going to Thailand in two weeks and planning on just taking these and a pair of flip flops. They even look decent with shorts, and they are surprisingly light. I have my fingers crossed. Edit: Oh, picked up the plain toe version in brown.
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Apr 5, 2013 06:04
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stingray1381 posted:Just bought these on zappos. Going to Thailand in two weeks and planning on just taking these and a pair of flip flops. They even look decent with shorts, and they are surprisingly light. I have my fingers crossed.
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Apr 5, 2013 16:25
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Will do. I have a short weekend trip starting today, so that will be my first break in attempt.
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Apr 5, 2013 17:42
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Sheep-goats, why do you no longer use a money belt, and what do you use as an alternative? Any other money belt alternatives are also welcome.
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Apr 6, 2013 15:01
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They're uncomfortable and I've never had any money taken from me so I just stopped. The neck pouch ones are more comfortable and a better option. When I travel I carry quite a bit of cash too, but it's distributed around my person -- a good day's worth in my wallet, a secondary larger stash in another pocket of just folded bills, a third stash in my bag. The goal isn't to avoid all loss because probably you won't lose anything and therefore any effort you make along those lines is mostly a waste. The goal is just to not have it be a disaster if it does happen. Travel is expensive. Look at possibly losing a third of your cash on hand at any given time as an unfortunate possible cost to not being at home in your comfort zone and if it happens oh well, you have enough to tide you over until your new card gets there in the mail. You paid what, maybe a couple hundo at max for a cool story to tell for the rest of your life? No biggie. Likewise, your cash card should not be in the same pocket as your passport. Watch some videos on YouTube for how pickpockets do their jobs. The first step is always seeing where the money is kept. Usually they figure this out when you're at an ATM or a store and then follow you away, but sometimes they can just see where your wallet is through your clothes too of course. They don't just reach into pockets blind. The same goes for other opportunity thieves -- step one is finding the money. So when you buy something either get money from your secondary stash OR your wallet, not a little from each, that way they only steal that portion. When you go to the ATM either put your money in your wallet or in your secondary spot, not both. You can redistribute in a bathroom stall or back at the guesthouse. Also just keep your head up after you buy something or otherwise handle your cash, I can almost guarantee you if you look right at a pickpocket they won't steal a drat thing from you afterward because you're no longer the easiest mark on the street. You don't have to ID them for what they are in order for them to have a fear that maybe that's exactly what you did, they just have to see that you're observant and noticed them and they'll go to someone else. Most people who get something stolen in retrospect realize they were seriously asking for it in one way or another. Oh, also, I usually have a hundred dollar bill under my left insole and a local largest-denomination bill under the right. This isn't a secret or anything but if they get your wallet they aren't going to ask for your shoes too. This ain't Compton. If I'm in an area I feel is truly risky (known tourist spot, have already seen signs of locals working the crowd in other semi-aggressive ways) I'll walk with my hands in my pockets, right over the wallet (I keep it in the front anyway), left over my phone. Buttons and zippers aren't Fort Knox but they do make things harder for thieves, as do tighter pockets. raton fucked around with this message at 19:10 on Apr 6, 2013 |
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Apr 6, 2013 18:48
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Beautiful, thank you. I am thinking of ditching mine for my Thailand trip. I have used one for years, bit it is incredibly uncomfortable in warm climates and really a pain to access (which I realize is also a benefit).
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Apr 6, 2013 21:43
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It's one of those things that really doesn't add safety, it just adds a feeling of safety. So if you need that feeling it's worth it and if you don't it's probably not (except maybe in some pickpocket capitol like Naples or whatever)
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Apr 6, 2013 21:52
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Just wanted to bump this to mention that you can get good, dressy used shoes on Ebay for cheap. Put in your shoe size and whatever type of shoe you want, so like "men's 11 leather shoe" and go through the listings. Some of the premium brands have Vibram soles which are ideal for travel but are mounted on the bottom of a dress shoe. It's not unusual to get a pair of 300 dollar shoes in good shape for 60 bucks.
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Apr 11, 2013 01:26
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stingray1381 posted:Sheep-goats, why do you no longer use a money belt, and what do you use as an alternative? Any other money belt alternatives are also welcome. Im not sheep-goats, but nope stay away, IMO they are going the way of travelers checks. The first problem is that they are a sure sign of someone who is not sure of his surroundings. The second problem is that getting local currency is very easy in most places, all you need is an ATM so you really shouldn't be carrying large sums of money on you, which was a major reason behind them existing in the first place. Third, credit cards exist and are used in most countries. You would be better off splitting up your assets(cash, bank card, credit card) on your person and murse than wearing one. Also learn you credit card's pin number(s) and hope never to use it, its not cheap but its a lot better than being stranded. Sheep-Goats posted:Just wanted to bump this to mention that you can get good, dressy used shoes on Ebay for cheap. Put in your shoe size and whatever type of shoe you want, so like "men's 11 leather shoe" and go through the listings. Some of the premium brands have Vibram soles which are ideal for travel but are mounted on the bottom of a dress shoe. It's not unusual to get a pair of 300 dollar shoes in good shape for 60 bucks. From experience I love shopping for shoes in Asia, mostly because they seem to stop right at my size(10 1/2) and there aren't that many buyers so I get them on clearance. Though this really is a YMMV sort of thing.
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Apr 11, 2013 19:02
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I decided to do a money clip in my front pocket and a fake wallet in my back pocket when I was in Europe last spring. It provided me with enough peace of mind without being too annoying to use that I think I will do it again when I'm in Mexico this year.
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Apr 11, 2013 19:14
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I know a guy who gets Mephistos on eBay for like $150 and they're around $400 new.
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Apr 11, 2013 20:20
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| # ? May 12, 2024 17:18 |
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I have a question for all you non-US travelers. Where do you buy your travel stuff from? I run http://www.thesavvybackpacker.com and I'm wanting to write up some travel gear articles to people from the UK, Australia and Canada.
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Apr 16, 2013 03:20
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