Packing light with my new GORUCK GR1 for a four-day trip to Orlando this past weekend. In the photo:
Eagle Creek Pack-It Folder (two t-shirts, one dress shirt, pair of shorts)
Cinch sack for use as a daypack
Eagle Creek Pack-It Cube (three pairs of socks, three boxer briefs, flip flops, gym shorts for use as PJs, extension cord and a snack from Trader Joe's for a friend)
Bag of sweet potato chips from Trader Joe's for a friend
Kindle Touch
Toiletries in a quart-sized ziploc bag
Eagle Creek travel umbrella
iPad 3 in Zaggfolio case
Pouch for iPad w/ SmartCover and small notebook
Packed in the GORUCK's pockets:
Cables and chargers
Pens and iPad stylus
Snacks (peanuts and M&M's)
Zagg Sparq iPhone battery
On me:
Jeans
T-shirt
Dress shirt
Shoes
iPhone
Pen
Pocket notebook
Wallet
That's it. Total pack weight was 17 pounds. I could have gone lighter. (Normally, I don't carry two bags of chips from Trader Joe's with me.)
On this trip I had some of the easiest experiences I've ever had going through security and never felt any fatigue from carrying my gear. After getting back to Arlington, I immediately went from the airport to the office for several hours, walked around to do some shopping afterward with my pack on my back (with spare room in my GR1 to carry groceries), met a couple friends for dinner, and then went to a friend's apartment before finally walking home -- about 8 hours after geting off the plane. I never would have done any of this if I were using a suitcase instead of a pack (or if I were carrying a less comfortable/bigger pack).
The GR1 also easily fit under the airplane seat so I never had to deal with the overhead bins.
This was my first time traveling by plane using my GR1 but will not be my last. I could easily travel out of this bag for weeks at a time -- especially after learning techniques from my 17-day adventure with no luggage last year. Can't wait to continue my international adventures with this pack.
The GR1 was an expensive bag but worth every penny. The more I use it, the more impressed I am by it. I can see this quickly becoming my all-time favorite piece of travel gear.
After spending so much time and effort trying to win the SCOTTEVEST No Baggage Challenge contest to travel around the world with no luggage (and coming in as a runner-up in the contest), I've decided to go ahead and do my own No Baggage Challenge to raise money for Give Kids the World, a charity for terminally ill kids I volunteered with for 7+ years. I'm asking for friends, family, readers, and anyone else who is interested to sponsor me by donating $1 a day to Give Kids the World for every day I travel without luggage through Florida, Texas, and New York -- up to a maximum of 15 days. My trip will last from December 30th to January 13th.
If I can raise at least $100 in sponsorship, I will commit to traveling without luggage for the entire two week trip. I will also match dollar for dollar up to the first $100 pledged. I already have a friend who has committed to the first $15 (i.e., $1/day). If you'd like to sponsor me you can either send me an email with the amount you'd like to pledge or else leave your name in the comments below. Once I've finished my journey, you can donate money directly online to Give Kids the World here.
While traveling, I will document my journey with frequent photos, videos, and blog posts.
GIVE KIDS THE WORLD
Give Kids the World is a fantastic organization that helps grant the last wish of dying children to see Mickey Mouse. Give Kids the World partners with Disney, American Airlines, and many other organizations in Orlando and around the world to provide terminally ill children and their families a free six-day, all-expenses-paid vacation to Orlando. While there, the families stay at the magical Give Kids the World Village (a very special 70-acre resort in Orlando) and the 'Wish Kids' get special badges the get to wear that gives them special treatment at all the parks in Orlando (no waiting in lines, special attention from all the Disney characters, etc.). At the Village, families continue to receive special treatment with lots of activities for the children and their families -- including giving parents a badly needed night off.
I had the privilege of volunteering at Give Kids the World on a weekly basis for 7 years while I was living in Orlando. I used to dress up like a wizard and do magic tricks for the kids, dance with them at their pool party on Monday nights, and then go around with a giant rabbit (Mayor Clayton) and tuck the children into bed. To this day, I consider my involvement with Give Kids the World to be among the best things I've ever done and I miss it dearly.
If you'd like to read more about more about Give Kids the World, be sure to check out their website. You can also follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
Below is a video for a fundraiser in 2006 that gives a good overview of Give Kids the World Village and a virtual tour of this magical place:
You can also read more about the original No Baggage Challenge with Rolf Potts who traveled for six weeks around the world with no luggage and SCOTTEVEST, the clothing company that sponsored him.
If you're interested in sponsoring me as I travel for two weeks without any luggage, simply e-mail me with the amount you'd like to pledge to donate to Give Kids the World or write it in the comments below.
I returned home from my 5-day experiment traveling with no baggage over Thanksgiving. Overall, I'd call the trip a resounding success and would love to try some form of traveling like this again. Next time I hope for a longer trip involving air travel. I just found out late yesterday that I won a SCOTTEVEST Carry-On Coat in a contest held by Gear Diary. I can't wait to receive that jacket and see how well it works for this kind of a trip.
If you haven't done so yet, read my previous post for a video showing what I brought, thoughts about the experience, and impressions about the gear I used. Below are some final reflections with some tips and tricks for no baggage travel, lessons learned, concerns I had and whether or not they were valid, further impressions of some of my SCOTTEVEST gear, and how I would change my no baggage system.
TIPS AND TRICKS
Two Pairs of Socks and Underwear Are All You Need: This is all I used for five days and really all I'd need for a trip of any length, provided I was washing them in a sink every day. I'd bring one extra pair of each (for a total of three) -- just in case. (Ex Officio Travel Boxers and SmartWool black sock liners.) But that's all I require -- a huge saving in luggage space. I can't emphasize enough how impressed I am with the Ex Officio boxers. I find having different colors for each pair is a good way for keeping track of how often each pair has been worn.
Layering T-Shirts: The best trick I came up with this weekend is, when cool enough, to wear a t-shirt underneath a SCOTTEVEST Q-Zip with another t-shirt worn over the Q-Zip. (See photos in my last post.) This allows you to bring two t-shirts (all you really need) without having to pack any away and adds visual variety to your wardrobe. By alternating the shirts each day, you give the one worn on the outside a chance to air. If need be, you can wash one while wearing the other underneath the Q-Zip. The SCOTTEVEST Performance T-Shirts and Q-Zips match perfectly for this. I'd recommend two of each for this kind of trip with all of them being different colors from one another.
Layering Q-Zips: As I mentioned in my last post, another trick is to wear two Q-Zips -- one on top of the other. This not only adds extra warmth, but also allows you to carry two without packing either of them. Having the inner one zipped up all the way and the outer one unzipped also creates a nice look. (See photos in my last post.) When cool enough outside, there's no reason you couldn't combine this with the previous tip and wear a second t-shirt on top of both Q-Zips.
Wringing Clothes In A Towel: When washing clothes in a sink, a good idea is to wring them out in a towel afterward to remove excess water. This helps them dry much more quickly. If you know you won't have spare towels where you are staying, throwing in a medium-sized MSR PackTowl for this purpose might be worth its size and weight in your no baggage kit.
LESSONS LEARNED
Don't Dunk the Detergent: I washed one pair of socks and one pair of underwear each day in the sink using the Sea to Summit Laundry Detergent leaves. On Sunday (my final day home), I accidentally took out one too many leaves. Unfortunately, in trying to get the errant leaf back in the case, I managed to drop the whole pack in a sink full of water -- fusing the whole thing together. Lesson: keep the detergent away from the sink.
Substitutes: Following up on my detergent incident, I could have easily substituted shampoo or hand soap for detergent for washing my socks and underwear and hand soap for the shaving soap. These substitutes might not be 100% as good, but I'd be willing to bet they'd be good enough.
We Live With a Powerful Safety Net: When traveling in most parts of America (other than hiking in the backwoods), chances are you're no more than 30 minutes away from accessing anything you might need and, between services like FedEx and Amazon.com, you are probably no more than 24-48 hours away from anything you might want (outside of specialty medical or prescription needs). Your safety net gets event stronger when visiting family or friends who can help you out or loan you things in a jam. Getting convinced of this is incredibly liberating and one of the primary benefits of traveling like this. The more you realize how true this is, the less you will feel the need to bring. I'm convinced more than ever than much of what we carry with us when we travel has more to do with psychological comfort than practical necessity.
CONCERNS
Odor: One of my biggest concerns was that my clothes would begin to smell -- particularly my t-shirts and pants. (I only had one pair of pants which I wore consecutively for five days.) I'm happy to report that everything remained odor-free for the entire trip. If the t-shirts had gotten bad, I could have washed them in the sink, but I alternated between the two I had and smell never became an issue. In fact, it was so not an issue, I wore my SCOTTEVEST Performance T-Shirt again yesterday (what would have been my sixth day) on top of an Icebreaker wool shirt. I had several people compliment me on how nice it looked and no concerns whatsoever about odor. Odor ended up being a completely non-issue.
Bulk: Carrying my iPad in my SCOTTEVEST Tropical Jacket/Vest makes the jacket incredibly bulky if I pack anything (clothes, cables, etc.) in the pockets behind or in front of the iPad. The opposite side of the jacket gets bulky if I try to compensate by moving more items over to it. It's manageable to wear, but borders on looking ridiculous. I am exploring some ideas for how to pack and keep things more slim, but carrying the iPad in the "pub pocket" limits my options. I hope the Carry-On Coat I just won will do a better job of holding clothing without looking ridiculous. Bulk was a legitimate and ongoing concern.
Monolithic Wardrobe: One of the disadvantages of traveling so light is that it necessitates wearing the same clothes repeatedly for many days. Besides the odor/cleanliness issue, the other drawback is looking the same -- day in and day out. As I mentioned above and in my last post, layering the shirts in different combinations and mixing them with the jacket and windstopper vest made this a minimal concern. Also, if my future travels are like my former adventures, I tend to stay on the go a lot -- minimizing this concern. Overall, wardrobe variety was a non-issue.
ADDITIONAL IMPRESSIONS OF MY SCOTTEVEST GEAR
SCOTTEVEST Tropical Jacket/Vest: I really like this jacket and it is the core of my current travel kit. However, as I mentioned, the pocket design on it causes it to bulk up if I put my iPad in the largest pocket. The jacket would be far more versatile for this kind of travel if it had a second "pub pocket"/document pocket on the right side of the jacket in lieu of the sunglasses/camera pocket. I would prefer that arrangement much, much more. At a minimum, it seems the camera pocket could be deepened and a mini-pub pocket could be put above/behind it without any more pocket layering than on the left side of the jacket. The current design practically dictates the left side of the jacket will always be overloaded relative to the right side when used for no baggage travel. I'm concerned the Carry-On Coat may share n this design by placing both the iPad pocket and toiletries pocket layered on the same side of the jacket. Adding a second pub pocket on the right-hand side would make SeV jackets far better for carrying an iPad by allowing owners greater versatility for distributing weight more evenly across the jacket.
SCOTTEVEST Hidden Cargo Pants Pockets:These pants far exceeded my expectations for multiple days of wearing. After five days of continuous use, there were no odors whatsoever. The more I used the layered front-pockets, the more I fell in love with that design. Basically, both the right and left side have normal front pockets like you'd see on regular khakis plus an additional deep pocket which is accessed through a magnetic closure at the top. (The placement of the magnets give me minimal concern about them affecting credit cards and electronics.) This combination of two layered pockets on each side make it much easier to organize items and keep your pocket from getting cluttered, the deep pockets are a great place to carry a pocket digital camera, and the magnetic closures should keep pick-pockets at bay allowing the deep pockets to substitute for a money belt. These are quickly becoming my favorite pair of pants. (The only problem is with my recent weight loss, the pants are quickly becoming to large for me.)
CHANGES I WOULD MAKE TO MY TRAVEL SYSTEM
Pants: I love my SCOTTEVEST Hidden Cargo Pants and would certainly travel with them again. However, I think for a trip of any longer duration, a second pair of pants would be preferable -- or at least some lightweight shorts or a bathing suit -- particularly so one pair could be worn while washing and drying the second set (or simply giving the second pair a chance to air).
Leave the Computer at Home: Between my iPad and access to my parent's computer(s), I really had no need to have my laptop with me. (To be fair, the only reason I bought it on this trip was to show it to my brother.) My iPad will do ~ 75% of what I want a computer to do -- an in a pinch, my iPhone will probably do ~ 75% of what I want my iPad to do. My MacBook Pro was the only item I brought that did not fit into my jacket and I could have easily left it home. For anyone traveling without a computer, I strongly recommend using Dropbox and LogMeIn for remote access to your files and your computer respectively. There are apps for both services on the iPad, although you can use either through any standard web browser and any modern computer with Internet access.
OPEN QUESTIONS
Kindle? If I have my iPad do I really need to bring my Kindle too? I'm torn on this issue. I use both on nearly a daily basis. I am an avid reader and find the Kindle much less obtrusive, useful for reading outside, better for one-handed operation, useful for reading while walking, and with far better battery life. It's also single-purpose, limiting the potential distractions which might pull me away from reading. Given the quantity I read, the Kindle is one luxury item that probably justifies bringing it along. Having said that, the iPad works great as an eReader too, making the Kindle somewhat redundant. In a pinch, I can also use my iPhone for reading books.
iPad? I love, love, love my iPad and use it for a myriad of purposes. It's a great eBook and PDF reader, wonderful for looking up maps and information about new locales, allows me to do research, send and receive e-mails, write-up blog posts, etc. However, it's also by far the largest item in my travel kit and the one piece most responsible for the "bulking" of my jacket. It creates the most problems for packing without any luggage which begs the question of whether or not it should stay in my kit. During my last week-long trip to New York City in August, I used my iPhone nearly non-stop but my iPad less than expected. There is also something to be said for going "off grid" from time to time -- something I admittedly struggle to do. For now, I would say my iPad stays, but this experiment and recent experience has me questioning this.
No Baggage or Low Baggage? Finally, the question comes up if "no baggage" is worth the hassle of traveling over "low baggage"? Bringing a small bag -- even something as simple as a cinch sack or small shoulder bag for the iPad -- would help solve the issue of jacket bulk. It would also make it easier to set my gear down if needed, remove (or check) my jackets, etc. Candidates for good bags for low baggage travel might include items from Tom Bihn such as the Synapse, Buzz, or Western Flyer. Or even something more simple like the Tom Bihn Packing Cube Backpack or Eagle Creek Packable Daypack. I've made four recent trips -- including a week in New York City and two trips to Kansas City with only what I could fit into a North Face daypack. Using a SCOTTEVEST jacket and techniques from this No Baggage Challenge, I'm confident I could whittle this down to a significantly smaller pack. I'll give the no baggage vs. low baggage more thought after I receive my SCOTTEVEST Carry-On Coat and get a chance to play around with seeing how well it packs.
WOULD I TRAVEL LIKE THIS AGAIN?
In a heartbeat. I love the simplicity this kind of exercise forces me into. There is little room for excess gear and the size and weight of every small item matters. Whether my next trip is no baggage or low baggage, this experience has helped underscore that I can bring far less than what I am accustomed to and still have an enjoyable journey. In fact, many times bringing less means experiencing more. I'd like to experiment with no baggage on a trip where I'm more mobile for the entire journey to really get a feel for the freedom (and potential headaches) traveling this way would bring. The only way to discover this is to hit the road and give it a try. I can't wait!
I recently entered a SCOTTEVEST contest to travel around the world with no luggage. (Watch my entry video and follow-up video.) This Thanksgiving weekend, I decided to put my gear to the test and travel home for 5+ days with nothing (other than my laptop) but what I could fit into my SCOTTEVEST clothing.
WHY I'M DOING THIS
Scott Jordan, CEO of SCOTTEVEST, is holding a contest this weekend for people using SCOTTEVEST clothing to get through airport security. The winner of the contest wins a free Carry-On Coat. (In order to win, your video has to get the most views.) Since I'm not traveling by air, I decided to the next best thing I could and show how SCOTTEVEST clothing could be used to travel by car for an extended weekend. (My trip is actually more representative of how most Americans are traveling this weekend — out of 40 million traveling, only 1.6 million are doing so by air.) My hope is that Scott Jordan will consider this a good demonstration of his gear and a valid entry for this weekend's contest.
As I mentioned, I recently entered into SCOTTEVEST's No Baggage Challenge contest to travel around the world with no luggage. I thought this weekend would be a great chance to put my proposed travel kit to the test and see how it performs before taking it on an extended journey.
I made it to all 7 continents successfully without checking a bag. My last four journeys, including a week in New York City, have been with nothing other than what I could fit into a North Face daypack. I love the idea of traveling light and am challenged by Rolf Potts' and Matt Hamlin's examples of traveling without any luggage at all. I was intrigued by trying this out myself and seeing how well it works.
As long-time readers will know, I also love the idea of simplicity in general. This has been strongly influenced by my travel experiences. I thought a challenge like this would help remind me of and reinforce these ideals.
WHAT MY SCOTTEVEST TROPICAL JACKET HOLDS
(Click on image to see associated notes.)
Watch the video to see where I packed everything into my clothing. Below is a photo of all the gear I was able to fit into my SCOTTEVEST Tropical Jacket and Hidden Cargo Pants. (Click on the image to see associated notes.) In addition to what is pictured below, I was also able to smuggle in an Apple TV in my jacket — a birthday present my brother and I got for my Dad.
About 30 minutes after I recorded the video above, I received an order I made last week from SCOTTEVEST. It contained two new Q-Zips and a Performance T-Shirt. (I lost 20 pounds in the last 10 weeks as a self-experiment in weight loss and get great compliments every time I wear my Q-Zip. I figured I better get a couple more.) Since these arrived before my departure, I decided to replace one of my SmartWool T-Shirts with the Performance T-Shirt and the Icebreaker wool shirt with a second Q-Zip.
Here's my final gear list (plus cables, chargers, and camera connectors):
Clothing
SCOTTEVEST Tropical Jacket/Vest
SCOTTEVEST Q-Zip * 2
SCOTTEVEST Performance T-Shirt
SmartWool T-Shirt
SCOTTEVEST Hidden Cargo Pants
Ex Officio Boxers * 2
Tilley Travel Briefs
SmartWool Socks * 3
Ecco Shoes
Icebreaker Wool Cap
EMS Waterproof Baseball Cap
Mountain Hardwear Gloves
Toiletries
Sea to Summit Shaving Soap
Sea to Summit Laundry Detergent
Deodorant
Toothpaste
Toothbrush
Razor
Hair Gel
Electronics
iPhone
iPad
Kindle
Canon SD1000 Digital Camera
MacBook Pro (I would normally leave this at home)
HOW IT'S BEEN WORKING SO FAR
I am now in Day 4 of my trip and am tremendously enjoying how this is working so far. Granted, I'm just an hour away from home and staying in a very familiar environment (Mom and Dad's), but there is no reason to think this manner of travel couldn't be extended long-term with little difficulty. Although I am currently close to home, I am not doing anything differently than if I were 1,000 or 10,000 miles away.
Unpacking: One of the coolest things about traveling with no luggage so far is how effortless it was to unpack. When I got here, I simply removed my iPad and Kindle, put my socks and underwear in a drawer, removed my toiletries, and then hung up my jacket and shirts — and I was done. No bags to contend with, no extra junk cluttering up the room, no nothing. In about 60 seconds, I was unpacked, more organized than I usually am when traveling, and my room was just as clean as it was when I arrived. I expect my re-packing to go equally quickly.
Laundry: So far, since I am stationary for a few days, I have washed my socks and underwear each morning in the sink just before getting in the shower. I'm trying out Sea to Summit laundry strips for the first time and they are working brilliantly. They consist of a set of 50 leaves that dissolve in water. I've been using 2 per day, so a pocket-sized pack should get me through close to a month of travel. My socks and underwear are dry by nighttime. I would expect them to be equally good at drying over night. Since I'm only four days out, I haven't had to wash my t-shirts yet.
GEAR IMPRESSIONS
As much as I have been inspired by Rolf Potts and Matt Hamlin, one thing I was hoping to see more of in their travelogues were details about how their SCOTTEVEST products and other travel gear worked — both pros and cons. Here are a few of my thoughts so far:
Tropical Jacket/Vest:This piece is definitely the core of my current travel kit. The jacket is of good quality, although I am a bit concerned about the longevity of the zipper for the iPad pocket. I haven't had any issues with it so far — other than that it often takes two hands to zip and unzipped — but it feels like the zipper pull could twist if I'm not careful and seems to be weakest part of the jacket. I'm also still not a huge fan of the clear-touch fabric for the iPhone pockets — they also feel like they might be a future failure point and are at risk of damage if you run them through a dryer. I also own the SCOTTEVEST Fleece 5.0 jacket and wish the Tropical Jacket also had external chest pockets like the fleece has.
Despite these three minor concerns, this is one of my favorite jackets ever. I like the fact the sleeves zip off, turning it into a light vest in warm weather. As I mention in the video, the back pocket is large enough to hold a spare t-shirt. This has far more pockets in it than any other jacket I've ever owned (other than my Fleece 5.0 jacket) — making it a great alternative to a small backpack or shoulder bag for traveling. The fact it can fold into it's back pocket is an extra-plus for days you don't need it or want to wear it, but still need to be on the go with it packed away.
One of the greatest strengths and weaknesses of the Tropical Jacket is that it is very light-weight warmth-wise — exactly as advertised. It works decently well as a water-resistant/wind-resistant shell over a warmer base layer, but won't provide too much extra warmth on it's own. This makes it usable in a whole host of conditions — IF you layer properly. I've had a chance to wear it in the rain a time or two and it does a decent job keeping light rain off, but it will soak through if you're out in the elements for too long. It dries very quickly and should keep rain off for short-periods of time or if you're in a pinch.
(If you anticipate being in a wet or windy environment, you might want to check out SCOTTEVEST's Revolution Jacket. It's water-proof, has a removable hood, and still converts into a vest. It also has chest pockets (no back pocket, however) and strikes me as a little more stylish and better general-use shell than the Tropical Jacket. I've seen the Revolution Plus at the International Spy Museum in DC and it looks very sharp, although a little too warm for typical DC weather. The Revolution jacket sounds nearly ideal for travel.)
Before heading home for the weekend, I decided to load up my Tropical Jacket to wear while walking around Arlington running some errands. It worked well enough — although carrying the iPad in one pocket caused a very large bulge if I packed anything in the pocket in front of it. While not uncomfortable to carry, I definitely felt a little puffy with all the pockets loaded up. I met two friends for lunch while "packed" — one of them said they couldn't tell I was loaded up while the other thought my jacket did look a little bulky and suggested I get a longer jacket for packing like this. Without realizing it, she was suggesting I get something like the SCOTTEVEST Carry-On Coat to help with the bulging. I agree with her that a longer jacket would probably work better for multi-day trips. (Although you'd lose the versatility of converting it into a vest and folding it away when not in use.) The other option would be to leave the iPad at home and/or try to figure out how to pack a little lighter.
Q-Zips: Next to the Tropical Jacket, my Q-Zips are by far my favorite SCOTTEVEST products that I own. As I mentioned above, I recently lost 20 pounds in the past 10 weeks as part of a self-experiment in weight loss. The Q-Zips have a fairly athletic cut and I get many compliments about how trim I look while wearing them. They dry very quickly when wet, are incredibly wrinkle resistant, and pack relatively small — making them ideal for travel. A good idea for travel is to layer two of these on top of each other — both for extra warmth and as a convenient way to carry them (like I did with the Q-Zip and wool Icebreaker shirt in my video). Layering also has the added benefit of varying the appearance of colors by unzipping the outer layer while keeping the inner layer zipped up. (See below.)
Performance T-Shirt: The Performance T-Shirt is made out of the same material as the Q-Zip and has a similar athletic cut. I've only owned it a few days but my impression is highly positive so far. My main concern about it compared to my SmartWool t-shirt is to see whether or not it has an issue retaining odors if I have to go 2-3 days of wearing it without washing. (SmartWool products are nearly impossible to stink up.). One trick I learned for giving more versatility to my wardrobe (and potentially aid in packing) is to wear the Performance T-Shirt on top of the Q-Zip, with another t-shirt underneath. (See below.) Of course, you can always wear them alone as another way to add visual variety to what you wear.
Hidden Cargo Pants:These pants have several hidden pockets with magnetic closures and could easily substitute for a money belt. The pants have an unusual drawstring inside to help tighten them — but it is not suitable as a substitute for a belt, limiting its usefulness. I have to be careful to make sure this is tucked in or else it will stick out above the waist of the pants when I first put them on. I think the drawstring could easily be removed without affecting the functionality of the pants. (Again, a minor issue.) Of all the items in this wardrobe, these pants are the most wrinkle prone. (No better or worse than "regular" khakis.)
I do like the extra-deep pockets on the pants, but they are no where near as useful as the pockets on the jacket. Still, these are sharp looking khakis and perhaps their best feature is that you can't tell there is anything special about them by looking at them. By the time I get home, I will have worn them for 4-6 days without washing. So far, so good. After four days of constant wear, I am happy to report they are still completely 100% odor free.
For longer-term travel, I would probably prefer something more quick drying and would be less concerned about the number of pockets. I would probably also prefer to bring more than one pair so I could wear one while I wash and dry the other. (Depending on the time of year and locale, shorts might suffice for my second pair.)
Ex Officio Travel Boxers: These Ex Officio Boxers are by far the best travel underwear I've ever owned. They are quick-drying, odor resistant, and (unlike my Tilley briefs) I have never experienced any chaffing while wearing them. At some point, I'd like to try a pair of SmartWool boxers, but would be very comfortable traveling the world with only two pair (maybe three) of Ex Officio Boxers.
SmartWool Socks: Actually, these are SmartWool sock liners but look like black socks — only more durable, odor resistant, and (relatively) quick drying. (My boxers actually dry faster.) These come about as close as anything to the ideal travel socks that I've found, but are not good insulators (as I recently discovered while camping in near-freezing temperatures near Harper's Ferry a couple weekends ago — I finally figured out to wear two socks on each foot). I wish they dried a bit faster, but are otherwise great socks.
Smart Wool T-Shirt: Like the socks, these t-shirts are nearly impervious to odors (something invaluable for a long-term trip with limited clothing) and dries relatively quickly. I am still trying to test out how I think this stacks up against the Performance T-Shirt. I like them both.
Mountain Hardwear Windstopper Vest: This is a thin, but surprisingly warm, fleece vest with windstopper technology which blocks wind from getting through. I have found the vest to be useful in a greater range of temperatures than a traditional fleece jacket and quite stylish as well. It also packs smaller than a full jacket and gives added variety to my wardrobe when worn over another garment. (See below.)
Sea to Summit Laundry Detergent & Shaving Cream: These two products have been one of my more recent discoveries and I am delighted to have found them. Basically they consist of small leaves (similar to Listerine breath strips) that dissolve in water -- either turning into detergent for doing laundry in a sink or else lather up into shaving cream for shaving. Each small container holds 50 leaves and so can last for quite a while. (I find one shaving cream leaf a day is sufficient and two detergent leaves are enough for washing one pair of socks and one pair of underwear in the sink.) Since these are non-liquid, you should be safe keeping them out of your TSA 3-1-1 ziplock bag and are small enough to fit into nearly any pocket or bag. I like the shaving leafs much better than shaving oil I've tried in the past or than carrying a trial-size can of shaving cream. Highly recommended!
CLOSING THOUGHTS
If you can't tell, I'm really enjoying this experience so far. Both from a practical and a more philosophical perspective. Despite having traveled all over the world without checking bags, this experiment makes me feel like I've always been an overpacker. It is experiential proof that we really do need less than we think we need.
I will follow-up with more thoughts after I get home in a few days.
Following up on my video entry for a contest to go around the world with no luggage, I decided to put my gear to the test by traveling home for 4+ days over Thanksgiving with nothing but what I could fit in my jacket. (I'm also hoping this will be considered a valid entry for SCOTTEVEST's Carry-On Coat contest this weekend. While I'm not going through airport security with this ensemble, I easily could with much less hassle than dealing with bags.)
Long-time readers of this blog will know how much I love to travel and that how travel to the developing world played a huge role in getting me interested in economics. I've journeyed to 28 countries and all 50 states so far and successfully made it to each of the 7 continents without checking any luggage (including Antarctica). A natural progression of my travel-light philosophy is traveling with no bags whatsoever -- and I just entered a contest to do exactly that. My proposal? To travel to all seven continents on one journey with zero bags.
Rolf Potts, renowned travel writer and blogger, recently proved this type of trip is possible -- traveling for six weeks to twelve countries on five continents, as part of a No Baggage Challenge. Scott Jordan, founder and CEO of travel clothing company SCOTTEVEST, was one of the sponsors of Potts' journey and has now extended this challenge to others in the form of a contest.
In applying for this contest, I propose emulating much of what Potts did with the added dimension of two extra continents involving more extreme weather conditions. If selected, I intend to share my journey on this blog including photos, videos, and regular journal entries -- using both my iPhone and iPad to document my travels. (To get an idea of what you might expect, here are just a few of my many misadventures over the years.)
Your votes are needed!
In order to make this journey, I need your help. Below are my two video entries for the No Baggage Challenge (you can see entries of other contestants here), describing my proposed itinerary and the gear I intend to bring. To be selected, I have to garner the most votes -- either on this poll on Facebook or else by sending SCOTTEVEST a direct e-mail (nobaggagechallenge@scottevest.com) indicating a vote for me. I sincerely appreciate any support you are able to give.
And if you like my entry, please help spread the word.
Long-time readers of this blog will know that I am a huge fan of carry-on only travel. In that light, here are some excellent packing tips from Lonely Planet:
I was in a camera store in DC a few weeks ago and stumbled on a Tenba camera insert ($30) that fits perfectly inside my medium Timbuk2 Messenger, turning it into the ultimate stealth camera bag. (This is a much better solution than using Domke inserts, which lack bottom padding and structure.) It is big enough to hold at least one camera body, a couple of lenses, small flash, laptop, and still room for a little more. When you don’t need to bring your DSLR with you, simply remove the insert and your messenger bag turns back into a bag that swallows just about anything you throw at it. Or remove your laptop , keep in the insert, and you’ve got a dedicated camera bag. (Might be an argument toward getting a non-laptop messenger bag and a laptop sleeve or Brain Cell instead.) This kind of versatility is handy when traveling.
Since I don’t have enough camera gear to fill this up, I decided not to buy the insert just yet. Instead, I bought a LowePro SlipLock Pouch 60 AW ($30). It’s about half the size of the Tenba, making it just large enough to hold my Nikon D40 with the 18-55mm lens attached, leaving the other half of my bag free for books, netbook, Kindle, etc. This too has better padding and structure than the Domke inserts. The SlipLock has the added advantage of being able to be removed from my messenger bag and used as an independent camera bag, complete with rain cover. (The SlipLock is actually designed to hold just an SLR body rather than body with lens attached.) When in my Timbuk2, I open the flap of the SlipLock and tuck it behind the pouch for easy access to my camera. (Closing the flap when I know I won’t be shooting to hide that I have a camera in the bag.) I also remove the strap and coil it up inside the bottom of the SlipLock.
While I didn’t get the Tenba insert to use with my messenger bag, you can read about a couple people who did here and here.
With the durability, weather-resistance, and incognito looks of a messenger bag – using either the Tenba insert or SlipLock is a really great way to carry your camera gear comfortably and out of sight.
P.S. -- A couple advantages messenger bags have over backpacks when it comes to photography:
1) You don’t have to remove the messenger bag to get your camera out to take a shot or change lenses. Quicker access to your gear means it’s more likely you’ll be able to get the shot you want to take.
2) In DC, backpacks are not allowed in many museums. (You have to check them at the front door.) Messenger bags are no problem to bring inside.
A great name for what looks to be a great product:
Any book-light will work with your e-reader, but a purpose-made one will at least grip properly to the slim top of your Kindle, Sony Reader or Nook without wobbling loose. And if you own an actual Kindle, the Kandle is the perfect aesthetic match.
The clip-on LED Kandle costs $40 (current sale price $25) and folds down into a small, white, pocket-sized pod. A glance a the photos shows that it casts the usual cold light that comes from LEDs, a crying shame when all you want is the warm and cosy 3,000 Kelvin of an incandescent bulb, something easily done with a filter.
Still, as book lights go, this one looks pretty good. I remain a fan of reading in the almost-dark, choosing to believe that this will exercise my eyes (just as exerting any other muscle will improve its tone), and not destroy them as everybody in the world likes to (mistakenly) tell me. And when I’m actually in bed, I read from my iPod Touch so as not to disturb the Lady. One day, though, when I am single an almost blind, I shall buy myself a Kandle.
While I would probably prefer it to use normal AAA batteries, this still looks like a great accessory for your Kindle. I purchased the Mighty Bright clip-on light soon after purchasing my Kindle and reading many positive reviews. Unfortunately, I’ve found the Mighty Bright to be terrible for travel. The switch is too sensitive and it continues to turn on when I have it in my bag. I know I could always take the batteries out, but that’s not a convenient solution. It doesn’t look like the Kandle has this problem and it’s quite a bit smaller than the Mighty Bright too.
When you unpack your suitcase and find you're missing a charger—before you hop to the nearest electronics store or rig an emergency solar charger—head down to the hotel front desk.
Cell phone chargers are the number one most left behind item at hotels and chances are they'll have a box full of every type imaginable. (This will probably also work with rental cars!)
Most will have been abandoned there for months, and chances are you've forgotten yours behind at a hotel before. Think of this as a giant give-a-penny-take-a-penny bin for frequent travelers.
This guy packs lighter than I do. Watch the videos below for some great ideas for traveling light. Follow the link for some great travel ideas, including a detailed list with links of where you can buy the gear.
These videos have given me some great ideas for my next journey (including thinking about what he brings that I would leave at home). For one thing, I could benefit by cutting down on the amount of clothing I pack. I also like the flashlight with the diffuser wand, although I'd probably stick with a headlamp for my adventures. (Headlamps are great for hiking, reading, setting-up camp, and packing/unpacking in the dark.)
And the US version has dropped in price from $299 to $259. The international version will sell for $279 and can be pre-ordered now. Downloads will cost $2 each outside the US, but that's a great feature to have for those who travel overseas frequently. The US and International versions are identical in every respect other than the cellular radio. Instead of using Whispernet over the Sprint network, the International Kindle will use AT&T's global network.
It makes the Kindle a travel guide, too: If you want the lowdown on a Kyoto temple, or are wondering where to get the best fries in Amsterdam, you can download a relevant guide on the spot. And for the first time, the Lonely Planet series will be sold on Kindle, along with the previously available travel books from Frommer, Rick Steves and Michelin. No wonder the Amazon press release has an ecstatic quote from AT&T’s CEO Randall Stephenson and not a word from Sprint honcho (and vanity TV pitchman) Dan Hesse.
I've been puzzled why more travel guides haven't been offered on the Kindle sooner? With the ability to store travel guides on the Kindle (and even better to download them on the fly), that would significantly help reduce what I carry when I travel. (Between my Kindle, iPhone, and netbook, I've been able to shave several pounds off of my typical travel load -- which is already trimmed down to carry-on only.)
To make the international Kindle a reality, Amazon had to negotiate differing royalty payments depending on country of download:
Amazon staved off copyright problems by negotiating an arrangement with English language publishers that pays royalties depending on the territory of purchase. (If you buy a copy of The Perfect Thing in London, for instance, the UK publisher Ebury press gets the sale, instead of US publisher Simon & Schuster.) Still, the rights clearances aren’t yet comprehensive; of the 350,000 books in the Kindle store, only around 200,000 will be available in some countries.
I wonder if this has anything to do with why it's taken so long to get the Kindle overseas? This helps illustrate that some of the biggest hurdles in bringing new technologies to market are often legal/contractual, not technical.
The article also mentions that Amazon is working to make it possible to read Kindle books on other platforms:
Bezos hasn’t missed the buzz about upcoming digital tablets. He says that Amazon is hard at work making software apps (like the one already available for the iPhone) that will extend the Kindle system to other devices. He’s also still open “in principle” to rival e-reader manufacturers who wish to use the Kindle store to provide content. But he feels that while people may read on phones and web-surfing tablets, the dedicated e-reading device will keep improving.
With the slew of recent announcements of new eBook readers and rumors of new tablets coming out, I believe we are about to see eBooks start to really take off. Once the legal issues get hammered out, we may be witnessing the biggest change to books since the invention of the printing press.
Every so often a camera comes out that stands out from the rest.
The Canon S90 is one of those cameras. I've already used a prototype, and it was impressive. No one has seen production samples yet; the S90 is slated to ship starting in September 2009 to those who order it today.
The S90 beats Canon's own flagship G11 at its own game. The S90 has the same oversized sensor as the G11, but adds a faster f/2 lens, direct control rings and a bigger LCD in a smaller, lighter package for less money.
Much more after the link. Pocket sized, manual controls, wide-angle, decent zoom (3.8x), and a fast lens. It looks like it just might be the ultimate travel camera.
I used to have one of its predecessors -- the Canon S45. It was a wonderful camera that got me through New Zealand and Australia, India, and most of the way through Panama... until it fell out of my pocket onto a concrete floor as I was climbing out of a hammock. I was so impressed with the pictures my S45 took, I've bought nothing but Canon point-and-shoots ever since. (With the exception of a waterproof Pentax Optio 33WR I bought for kayaking in Antarctica.) I'm pleased to see Canon re-introduce the S series compact cameras geared towards more advanced users.
This would have come in so handy on so many of my travels:
iPhone/iPod touch only: Not everyone can afford to stay in four star hotels when traveling, which is why hostels are a great lodging option. Hostel Hero helps you find and book hostels in 150 countries straight from your iPhone or iPod touch.
Each hostel comes with its own description (which is available in five different languages) and photos. You can also use the application's built-in Google Maps integration to help pinpoint the location of said hostel. Clicking on a select hostel offers you more details about the facilities including the above-mentioned photos and maps. More practically, the application lets you save and view the details offline, which will no doubt come in handy for more off-the-beaten-path type vacations.
To book a hostel, select the "make a booking" tab, then scroll through and choose your destination country and then city. Once you narrow down a hostel, book your stay using the app. Fair warning: To do so requires a 10 percent deposit and a booking fee to be paid in Euros, U.S. dollars or pounds. The remaining balance is paid at the hostel.
“This bag (Red Oxx Air Boss) allowed me to carry about 50% more than my 22 inch rollaboard bag and to do so at a fraction of the weight. While traveling in Europe, I often had to run up and down stairs, across cobble-stone streets and into and out of trains, planes and automobiles. The bag made each task a breeze. Furthermore it kept my three week supply of clothing wrinkle free.”
I haven't been overseas since I came back to school (it's killing me, but I don't want to borrow money to travel). I hope to take a big trip to celebrate whenever I finish school and would love to try something like this. My fifteen-year-old Eagle Creek bag will probably be in need of replacement by then and I've had my eye on the Tom Bihn Tri-Star. It's slightly smaller, which would increase the challenge all the more. (Another good, slightly larger option would be the Tom Bihn Aeronaut. I've heard nothing but great stuff about both carry-on bags.)
Packing a wrinkle-free suitcase can be quite a challenge, but the real key to keeping your clothes smooth across all your bumpy miles of travel is in the way you fold them.
At the web site The Art of Manliness they've put together a guide to packing a travel bag. Among the gems they share is a step by step guide to packing your clothing so that it unpacks without wrinkles.
The magic comes from artfully nesting folded clothing within other clothing so that the most likely to wrinkle items are on the outer most layer of the bundle. The goal is to minimize the severity of the curve in the fabric so wrinkles are less likely to form and the creasing in the fabric isn't prominent.
Check out the full writeup below to see a step by step photo tutorial. We've highlighted a few tips for packing without wrinkling your duds in the past, too, but if you have a trick or two for keeping clothes packed smoothly, sound off in the comments to share them. If packing speed is something you're more interested in, check out this classic video covering how to fold a t-shirt in two seconds.
ROAD TRIP! It doesn't matter whether the economy is making you pick the car over the plane, or that you just really like driving through this wonderful country - everyone needs some time away from home, and taking the car is a fantastic way to see more than you can from 35,000 feet.
I hadn't seen the Garmin Nuvi 855T before reading this and really like the looks of it's "Junction View". This shows you what road signs will look like where you need to turn. That would have saved me a couple of wrong turns on several trips.
I just took a road trip last weekend through five states (plus DC) and would add one more item to Gadling's list -- the Amazon Kindle 2. With it's text-to-speech feature, I was able to finish "reading" Tolkien's Return of the King on the trip -- alternating between actually reading it and listening to it. It made for a fantastic travel companion. What's also cool is that if you finish reading/listening to a book while you're still traveling, you can purchase and download your next one without worrying about finding an Internet connection.
My dad and I took a 30-day road trip across the country in 2005. Having GPS in particular would have made the trip much easier. (An MP3 player would have been nice too -- that was back in the days before I got my iPod.) Having said that, the important thing is to just get on the road. Technology may add marginal enjoyment/functionality to a road trip, but the biggest gain comes from just going. Gadgets might help make things more convenient and I certainly feel blessed to have the technology I have, but it is completely unnecessary to get out and have some fun.
Is it possible to travel for six weeks with 7 kilograms of luggage in one small bag? I’m a person who takes a bootload of gear for a weekend away but on a recent 40-day trip to nine European countries I achieved the light traveller’s Holy Grail.
It took lots of planning but it was worth it. I was smugly self-congratulatory as my bag measuring 45cm x 30cm x 18cm and I fitted unobtrusively into crowded trains and buses; as I effortlessly tossed it onto luggage racks; as I bypassed taxi queues to stride easily through city streets; as I unpacked and repacked in five minutes flat. Not once did I wish I had brought more stuff…
Travelling light makes you feel independent, liberated and, well, superior. But it takes a stern approach and a willingness to accept strict limitations in your attire. Here are 10 steps to success.
Read the whole thing, including a recommended packing list.
While I can claim to have mastered the art of traveling small (I made it to all 7 continents without checking a bag), I am still working on the art of traveling light. The three things things that killed my weight on this last trip were: 1) bringing two textbooks, 2) two laptops (one of them being my netbook), and 3) my DSLR camera. If I had to do it over again, I would have left one (or both) of the textbooks and my netbook at home. (I was in Santa Fe for summer school studying complex systems at the Santa Fe Institute and needed more computing power than my netbook could provide.) On this trip, however, my dSLR was worth its weight in gold through a combination of quick-shooting, great picture quality, and incredible battery life. I'd be hard pressed to leave it at home for future excursions. (I'd love to get my hands on a Canon G10 at some point and see how well it would work as a dSLR substitute.)
