Results tagged “travel” from Rated Best

I love my Evo pen. I picked mine up several years ago at the MOMA store. I love it. It's the most comfortable pen I've ever used.

Then when I was packing for a long international trip, I stumbled upon the idea of taking one of the Evo cartridges with me in my money belt. It worked brilliantly. At 2.5" long, it's short enough to fit comfortably with my credit cards. But it's long enough to be usable for filling out travel forms and taking brief notes.

They are also very reasonably priced, at only $1 a piece (though you have to get them in sets of 3). I recommend you pick up an Evo pen while you're at it. At only $3, it's a great deal.

Get Evo pen refills from Amazon

Initially I bought into the whole concept of a "toiletry kit" that the accessory industry tries to foist upon us. No longer. These kits fail in a most basic requirement: they don't allow wet items from use in the shower or sink to dry out. Quite to the contrary, they in fact seal in all that moisture, which rapidly becomes slimy and smelly.

No more for me. I bought a set of these nylon mesh bags, and they are by far the best toiletry kit I could want. They are small, light, inexpensive, and they keep everything fresh and dry, no matter how wet it was when I put it away.

Plus with the multiple bags, I can separate items into task-based groups: one for the shower and one for the sink. It makes it easy to grab the right stuff when heading into the shower.

Get Mesh Bags from Amazon

A good pair of sandals are an essential travel accessory. I've made the mistake of not having sandals with me on some trips and regretted it. (But really, who expects it to be 90°+ in England's Lake District, even in the summer?) The qualities Ilook for in a sandal are comfort, ruggedness, low profile (for easy packing), and a conservative look. The last one may seem strange, but I prefer not to stand out with gaudy designs and colors, especially in urban environments abroad.

I've owned several pairs of both Tevas and Nike Air sandals. They are both fine sandals, but the Chacos have several advantages. the binding is actually a single strap that is cleverly woven through the sole of the sandal. This means there is only one buckle to adjust (easy!), and it automatically equalizes the pressure, meaning no hot spots. Since there is no velcro or padding on the straps, the sandals flatten together and are really easy to pack. And they come in a basic black, which as well all know, goes with anything.

Get Chaco Z1 sandals from Amazon

I love this pack. It's everything a pack should be: light, roomy, and especially comfortable. I especially love it when traveling; it's the perfect size for an airplane carry-on, and it makes a great day pack for both urban and outdoor adventures.

I'm a tall guy, and finding a pack that fit my elongated torso wasn't easy. Most packs are short and sit too high up on my back. And shockingly few have any sort of support structure; they put the weight entirely on your shoulders, straining your upper back and neck muscles. The Atmos comes in 3 sizes (S, M & L) so I was able to get a Large that fit me perfectly.

The Atmos was designed for ultra-light backpackers, so the support it provides is phenomenal. I absolutely love the "Airspeed" frame and mesh back that keeps my back cool and sweat-free. It also makes an excellent pillow when you're ready for a rest.

It looks like Osprey has discontinued the 25 (which is what I have), but the slightly larger 35 is still available. If you want something a bit smaller, get the Stratos 24 or the even smaller Stratos 18. They both have a similar suspension system to the Atmos, come in various sizes for different sized torsos, and are widely available.

Get the Osprey Atmos 35 from  Amazon