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Cheap guesthouses are de rigueur for budget-conscious vagabonds. Unfortunately cheap often means suffering lumpy, rock-hard mattresses, grungy sheets and suspect bedding.
While there’s not much you can do about mattresses that feel like plywood, when it comes to sheets and bedding, many vagabonds opt for some sort of travel sheet — a layer between you and whatever might be lurking on the “clean” sheets.
Cocoon recently sent us one of its Coolmax Travel Sheet to test out and I’m happy to report that — provided you’re the sort of traveler who worries about these things — it’s a very nice, affordable option.
The Coolmax material has two chief advantages over traditional cotton: it’s much lighter (ans stuff smaller) and it’s breathable — a godsend if you’re headed to equatorial regions.
One thing I really liked is how stretchable this sheet is — if you’re restless sleeper the Cocoon Coolmax sheet allows a pretty decent range of movement. That said, it is essentially a mummy bag (though not tapered toward the feet). You slip into the sheet and all three sides are sealed — there’s no kicking your leg out in the middle of the night, and getting up to use the bathroom involves a bit more effort.
Having traveled with a couple of people that used roughly the same sheet I can also say that it dries much faster than cotton — especially in relatively humid climes — so washing it shouldn’t be a problem.
My only gripe with the Coolmax is that it’s awfully thin. Because Coolmax is porous, it’s questionable how much dirt and grime this sheet will actually keep at bay. Still, unless you’re in a particularly sketchy hostel, it should be sufficient to put your mind at ease.
If you’re looking for a travel sheet that’s lightweight, doesn’t take up much room and will make you feel better in those less-than-stellar accommodations you managed to score for $1 a night, the Cocoon fits the bill.
The list price for the Cocoon is $40, though a quick Internet search turned up several on sale for well under that price.
As with all our gear testing, we’re giving away our sample copy. Just post a comment below telling us about your worst dirty hostel experience and we’ll randomly select a winner.
Finally, if you’d like to creep yourself out, check out this video, which takes an ultraviolet light to some hotel sheets with discouraging results. It’s worth pointing out that, while travel sheets like the Coolmax offer some psychological comfort and it will keep you from sleeping in anyone else’s, ahem, bodily fluids, it isn’t going to stop bedbugs or any other creepy crawlies from getting to you.
Before we get into the review, let’s be honest, no, you don’t need the GoLite TraveLite bag. In fact, the old backpack gathering dust in your closet will do just fine. Buy less stuff, travel more.
Now that that’s out of way, GoLite’s TraveLite convertible bag is actually a pretty nice pack for those that want to, well, travel light.
The secret to traveling light is physics — bring a smaller bag. If there’s no room in your bag, you won’t be able to bring too much stuff. In that sense the TraveLite is ideal, it holds about 2200 cu in of gear, enough for a round the world trip, but not enough to tempt you into bringing too much stuff.
My only gripe about the size of the TraveLite is that the pack becomes somewhat awkward to carry if you really max it out. Any sharp corners or lumpy objects tend to dig into your back if you’re carrying it as a backpack.
Also, bear in mind that the TraveLite is technically a carry-on bag. It does have padded shoulder straps (which tuck away when you don’t need them), but it definitely isn’t as comfortable as a traditional backpack.
That said, in my experience, barring real backpacking and trekking, most of us don’t really lug our packs around all that much; between taxis, tuktuks, subways and porters you never really need to carry your pack for long. That said, if you are planning to strike out in the wilds or want a pack that’s comfortable on your back for days on end, look elsewhere.
The TraveLite is made of 50 percent recycled ripstop nylon and seems reasonably tough. However I didn’t have the opportunity to fully test it in the real world where bus drivers sometimes secure your bag by throwing a rope over it and then hang their entire body weight to cinch it down, effectively turning the rope into a cheese cutter that does your pack no favors.
Of course because the TraveLite is small, you can probably avoid that all-too-common scenario by just keeping it by your side you when you’re traveling.
The TraveLite's shoulder straps
One potential problem with the TraveLite is the D-ring system which holds the bottom of the shoulder straps to the bag — the D-rings are stitched into the pack, which means if you break the pastic d-ring you’re going to need a seamstress to fix it. It would be nice if the D-Ring threaded into the strap so you could easily slide on another if it breaks.
Where the TraveLite excels is organizing and accessing your stuff. The full zip-around design means you can open the bag and lay it flat — nothing is buried at the bottom because there effectively is no bottom.
The inside is divided into a number of compartments so you can organize your gear and even, if you’re into such things, keep your clothes flat and relatively wrinkle free.
The inside of the TraveLite
There are also three quick-access front pockets for smaller items like passports, small water bottles or even a pair of sandals.
To be fair to GoLite, the TraveLite is not specifically intended for the use case I’ve outlined — your only pack on a round the world trip — it’s really intended to be a carry-on bag. However, it can certainly work as your main bag.
The biggest problem with the TraveLite is the price. At $125 it’s too expensive to be a second, around-town bag and there are other options for a main bag within that price range that offer a lot more than the TraveLite (like a real suspension system with hip belts).
However, if price is the only thing holding you back, I have good news for one lucky soul among you — we’re giving away our testing TraveLite.
Just leave a comment below telling us a little bit about your travel plans and I will randomly pick a winner. [note: this review was written some time ago, I'm currently on the road. I will contact the winner, but I won't be able to send it to you until mid-August, so keep that in mind if you're leaving soon.]
Clean water is one of the major issues facing the developing world. As outsiders, vagabonds typically rely on bottled water in such areas, but plastic water bottles are a major contributor to disturbing things such as the Pacific’s trash island, to say nothing of the strain they put on local landfills.
The far better option — from an environmental point of view — is filtering tap water. But filtering water has its own set of drawbacks for travelers. Filters can clog over time and they’re heavy and bulky — most of them you wouldn’t want to lug around with you all day, which means you need to filter enough water ahead of time.
The alternative to filters are water purifiers, some of which are quite small and lightweight. SteriPEN, makers of a number of water purifiers were kind enough to send us the SteriPEN Adventurer Opti, a lightweight, compact UV filter, for testing.
The first thing to realize about the Adventurer is that it’s not designed to handle muddy or otherwise cloudy water. Because it doesn’t have a filter there’s no way to remove sediment or other impurities. However, it does zap microorganisms, destroying their DNA and making them unable to reproduce or cause illness.
The SteriPEN kills microbes, viruses, and bacteria — including the well-known likes of giardia and cryptosporidium — meaning that tap water from a faucet just about anywhere becomes drinkable. According to the company, the SteriPEN protects against diarrhea, dysentery, hepatitis, botulism, cholera, smallpox, typhoid fever and other common traveler ailments.
But the best part about the SteriPEN for vagabonds is that it’s lightweight and compact. At 3.6 oz. (with batteries) and little more than 5 inches long, the SteriPEN won’t weight you down and is even small enough to drop in your pocket for a day out and about. There’s a nice hard plastic cover that protects the UV light source and is secure enough that it’s unlikely to pop off in your pack.
Even better the SteriPEN is dead simple to use. You just stick the pen in water (I used a Nalgene water bottle — the wide mouth variety works much better); push the button to activate the UV light and stir the water until the indicator light turns green. Once the SteriPEN light is green your water is drinkable.
Filtering 1 liter of water takes about a minute and a half; a half liter takes just under a minute. There’s also a handy flashlight mode that turns the SteriPEN into a usable torch.
It’s a little disconcerting to use the SteriPEN if you’re accustomed to filtration systems since there’s really nothing to see here — all the santizing action happens in the UV spectrum. The SteriPEN does output visible light so you can tell that it’s working, but as with any filtration system there is some degree of faith. If you’re worried about the effectiveness you can relax, the EPA has endorsed UV light as an “effective disinfectant.”
On the whole, the SteriPEN is best option I’ve seen for filtering water on the road.
That said, there are a few drawbacks to the SteriPEN Adventurer. The first and most significant is price. At roughly $100 (at REI and other outdoor equipment dealers) the SteriPEN isn’t cheap. However, if you’re traveling for a year or more it’s definitely cheaper than buying bottled water the whole time. The UV light element will last for 8,000 Liters. Disposable batteries will get you 100 1-liter treatments, but curiously the rechargeable variety will only do 50-60 liters.
The other significant downside for vagabonds are the battery requirements. The SteriPEN uses two CR123 batteries, which are common in the west, but less so in other parts of the world. On the plus side there are rechargeable CR123 batteries and there’s even a solar charger (note that that link is for the Adventurer, not the Adventurer Opti which has a few extra features) available though it’ll set you back another $50.
The final shortcoming of the SteriPEN is that its not a water filter. If you’re planning on doing any trekking or hiking you might be better off with a filter to remove any impurities from stream water and the like. There are pre-filters available if you’re planning on using your SteriPEN for trekking.
Despite a few shortcomings the SteriPEN is a very capable, lightweight and easy to use way to avoid plastic water bottles on the road. If price isn’t an issue, I’d definitely recommend picking one up for your next trip.
The idea of packing light is nothing new. Henry David Thoreau famously explored simple living. Rick Steves advocates one 20-pound bag. Many airlines now penalize travelers with even one checked bag by imposing a baggage fee. And in this BootsnAll interview, Rolf suggests that a small pack keeps the traveler from being tempted to cram unnecessary stuff in there.
Every time I pack for a trip, even if it’s a short one, I ask myself if I really need everything I put in my bag. Over the years, that’s gotten me to pack lighter, but there’s something that still bugs me. Things like my iPod, books (or a Kindle, if you’re into e-books) and my laptop don’t take up too much room, and they certainly make long plane rides more tolerable. But once in my destination, my relying on them for entertainment gets in the way of being in the moment and seeing (and hearing) new things.
It’s not so much a problem with my laptop. I’ve never been a big Web surfer, and while I usually need it to work, I can easily turn it off and walk away. Books and music are harder for me to put down. I can’t count how many times I’ve relaxed in a café with a book. If I hadn’t had one, what would I do? People watch, listen to snippets of conversation, take in the scenery? Perhaps I would have met someone and learned something new about the destination and its people.
I’m not saying reading materials and music can’t be part of a positive travel experience—they just shouldn’t be a crutch to keep us in our at-home comfort zone. In my trips this year, I’m going to experiment with leaving more and more distractions at home (or leaving them in my bag once I arrive in my destination) and see how that changes my experience. How about you? Am I late to the game and everyone’s already ahead of me? Are there things you’re still packing that you can start leaving at home?
One of the biggest obstacles to traveling is the language barrier. Simple tasks like asking where the bathroom is, telling a taxi driver to take you to your hotel, and others can seem like impossible missions.
Can technology bridge the gap? Some new applications being developed for smartphones offer potentially exciting possibilities for vagabonders. Read about them in this MSNBC article, Have smartphones licked the language barrier?
It would be much more efficient than asking the front-desk staff to always write notes for you in the local language. I’ve used this method many times in the past, mostly for taxi directions to places I wanted to go.
However, our very own Rolf Potts appears in the article, to warn against over-reliance on technology. It can be downright rude to shove a piece of electronics into someone’s face as if they should communicate with it, not with you.
Some things can’t replace human-to-human contact. Knowing a few key phrases like “please” and “thank you” will go a long way in any country. You’ll garner much more respect from locals if you say things yourself, without the aid of an electronic translator.
Do you already use smartphones and other tools to break down the language barrier? Please share your stories and any resources in the comments.
You’re about to head off to travel around southeast Asia for six months, and you want to bring along a camera to record the experience. You’ve been using the same cheap point-and-shoot for years. Is that going to meet your needs? You decide that it might be a great excuse to get a new camera, but what to get? There are so many options! Fully automatic, or manual? Able to take different lenses, or just the lens that is included? Compact Flash or SD? AA or proprietary batteries? Resolution? Pixels? Zoom?
Obviously, choosing a camera is a very subjective thing. Various factors matter differently to different people. Some long-term backpackers just care about size and weight. Others want more features, or the ability to change lenses. It pays to do some research into the options available. Gliffy has an interesting flowchart for recommending several camera options. For DSLRs specifically, Bob Atkins at photo.net has a great breakdown of the factors to consider when choosing a Digital SLR Camera.
Once you have an idea of what you might be looking for in terms of features, it’s time to compare models against each other. Hands down, the best site for camera research is Digital Photography Review. Their Buying Guide has both a features search and a side-by-side comparison, both of which allow you to look at multiple models to evaluate them against each other in terms of features, price, and owner opinions.
As a semi-professional photographer, I tend to take my beloved Canon 20D along with a couple of additional lenses, but I always carry my smaller, compact, Canon A610, which offers zoom, manual mode, a flip screen, and runs on AA batteries.
Headphones are often criticized as one of the fastest ways to close yourself off to a culture. The bell of the rickshaw about to run you over is no match for speakers in your ear blasting, well, anything. However, if you’re going to trade local sounds for an MP3, why not expand your knowledge of a place with a few tracks from the audio tour underground?
This ain’t your daddy’s cassette-in-the-stationwagon-stereo Lombard Street cruise. Forget the image of shuffling through the Louvre with hearing-test headphones and a grimy tape deck. The new breed of audio tour understands the traveler’s goal of truly understanding a place.
By listening to these tours on your MP3 player, you can audiotour not only discreetly, but with as much ambient noise as you wish–just drop the second earbud.
Here are a few to check out: (more…)
Everyone brings something truly useless on their first long trip. For me it was a water filter. Great idea in theory, avoid plastic bottles, save the planet etc, etc. Then reality set in and the water filter stayed at the bottom of my bag for months until I finally sent it home with a friend.
There are a million guides and lists of stuff you ought to bring with you in your travels, but there aren’t as many covering what not to bring, which is why I loved the anti-list over at TravelBlogs.com. 18 Things You Don’t Need on Your Packing List is a great guide to what you should to leave at home.
The two standout items in the list that don’t get mentioned enough are books and the money belt.
I’m a huge fan of Erik Gauger’s (of Notes from the Road) suggestion that you just take the pages you need from guidebooks (clipping them into a Moleskine or similar) and leave the rest of the (heavy) book at home. Of course I’d be lost without someing to read, so the weight and space I save on guidebooks just means I throw an extra novel in the bag, but hey, we all have our weaknesses.
I was also happy to see that Gary Arndt shares my dislike of the money belt — just get a pair of pants with a zippered front pocket and stop pulling sweaty bills out of your crotch every time you want to buy a bit of street food. Every criminal in the world can work out who’s wearing a money belt and who isn’t, and if I were them, I’d suspect that the folks with the money belt have more cash on them and make a better target.
And yes, my water filter disaster is also on the list courtesy of Craig Martin from the Indie Travel Podcast who says very few of us need it: “People who are hiking or mountaineering. People who might need a jungle survival kit. But, let’s face it, you are probably not that traveller: keep your money in your wallet for now and spend it somewhere useful.”
Ouch.
[Photo credit]
A friend of mine recently told me about Duffel, an online visual trip planner. Since I’ll be going on a 2-month trip soon, I thought I’d try Duffel out during the planning stages.
About Duffel
Duffel allows you to collect and organize information that is relevant to your trip. You can share this information publicly, collaborate with a friend, or keep it private. Even if you’re not necessarily planning a trip, you can still collect information about a place and save it onto Duffel, so that when the time comes that you’re ready to visit, all you have to do is pull up your research and incorporate it into your itinerary.
Right now, Duffel is still in Private Beta mode – meaning it’s fully functional, but there might still be some software bugs present.
What I like about it
The most useful thing about Duffel is that the interface is straightforward and uncluttered. You can just drag and drop items with your mouse. Even if you’re not a computer whiz, it’s fairly easy to learn how to use it. You can categorize your research under several categories, including activity, food and drink, lodging, transportation, and generic notes. You can also add comments on specific items, an important feature if you’re planning a trip with a friend.
Areas that need improvement
Even after testing Duffel and liking it, there are still some features I’d like to see as they develop this tool further. I hope that they’d eventually allow users to have multiple calendar views. More importantly, I hope the tool can automatically compute the cost of the trip based on the data we enter.
This tool may still be in beta mode, but I think I’ll use it again when I’m planning future trips. I haven’t encountered any problems so far, and while there’s still room for improvement, Duffel is off to an impressive start.
