Gadling Gear Review: REI Kimtah Rain Jacket And Pants

by Kraig Becker on

Whether you’re hiking a local trail or trekking through the Andes, nothing can ruin your day more quickly than a sudden and unexpected rainstorm. Worse yet, being wet and cold on a trail, hours from shelter can be a recipe for disaster. That’s why it is so important to have a good set of rain gear in your pack at all times. The Kimtah jacket and pants from REI make a near-perfect combo for travelers facing the possibility of inclement weather where ever they go. Both offer great performance in a highly packable and lightweight package, although their price tags may be a deterrent to some.

In the world of outdoor gear, clothing that is both waterproof and breathable is somewhat akin to the Holy Grail. For years companies have tried to create fabrics that can keep the foul weather out while allowing moisture from within to easily escape as well. By their very nature waterproof fabrics tend to be on the warm side, which can cause the wearer to sweat underneath. Early attempts at waterproof fabrics managed to keep the rain out, but the person wearing them would get so hot and sweaty that it almost didn’t matter.

With that in mind, REI has employed a relatively new fabric known as eVent, which was designed to overcome the previous problems with non-breathable fabrics such as older versions of Gore-Tex. After putting the Kimtah jacket and pants through their paces in the warm Texas spring, I can say that the company has honestly made great strides in creating clothing that is comfortable to wear in a variety of weather conditions. I wore both of these pieces of gear in temperatures that ranged from around 50 degrees Fahrenheit all the way up to the upper 80’s, and while there was a noticeable difference in warmth inside, particularly when hiking a more physically demanding trail, I didn’t become nearly as hot and sweaty as I did with other rain gear in the past. That can make all the difference in your level of comfort and enjoyment while traveling.As impressed as I was initially with this rain gear, I really had the opportunity to put it to the test last week when a series of thunderstorms rolled across the Austin area on successive days. One evening it was raining so hard that some parts of town were getting as much as six inches an hour and marble sized hail was reported throughout the area. While most of my friends and neighbors smartly stayed huddled inside their homes, I donned my Kimtah jacket and pants and wandered out into the darkness to see how they would really perform. Amidst 50+ mile winds and horizontal rain, I was happy to find that I was comfortably warm and dry inside my gear. If this rain suit can manage to fend off those conditions, I had little doubt that it would perform well just about anywhere.

REI put a lot of thought into the design of the Kimtah jacket and pants. Both are generously cut, which helps to accommodate layers underneath without bulking up. They feature large, zipped pockets for keeping small items dry and close at hand, and the jacket even has an interior pocket with an earphone port, making it a great place to store a cell phone or iPod. Both are rated as windproof for up to 60 mph and both allow for unrestricted movement while on the go. The fact that these pants and jacket are also thin, lightweight and highly packable is just icing on the cake for backpackers and travelers.

All of these features and functions put the Kimtah jacket and pants squarely in the high performance outdoor gear category and as such they are priced accordingly. The jacket costs $239 while the pants will set you back an additional $189. Backpackers and other outdoor enthusiasts are likely to find that to be a reasonable price to pay for gear that can take a beating and keep on performing at a very high level, but many travelers will find the price tag a bit high for their tastes.

Personally, I feel that REI’s offerings are worth every penny, as you not only get top of the line performance, but a durable product that will last for years. Yes, there are less expensive options on the market, but you’re likely to have to replace them sooner and they probably won’t offer the same level of performance. Those cheaper options may be suitable for day hiking or organized tours that aren’t particularly demanding, but for the traveler or outdoor enthusiasts who requires something more reliable, the Kimtah jacket and pants are a fantastic option that won’t let you down.

‘Scratcher’ Travel Map For Visual Boasting

by Pam Mandel on

“A map of the world begins with all the land masses having a brassy sheen, but that metallic surface scratches off like a lottery ticket to keep track of your travel destinations.“

Like you don’t want one. I want one and I’m neither a compulsive list maker nor one of those “I’ve been everywhere, man” people.

The “Where I’ve Been” Scratch Map Travel Edition is $25.00 on Fredflare.

Gadling Gear Review: Western Digital My Book Live

by Kraig Becker on

The biggest buzz word in technology over the past year or two has been “cloud services” with a number of companies, including Apple, Microsoft and Google, all announcing options that allow us to store files onto a virtual drive that is available whenever and where ever we have an Internet connection. We even told you how cloud services will change the way that you travel in our recent “Travel Smarter” series, in which we took a look at some of the best cloud storage options available today. But if you don’t like the idea of your personal files being hosed on a server owned by a corporate tech giant or you simply need more storage than those companies are currently offering, you may be interested in Western Digital’s line of My Book Live hard drives. These nifty pieces of technology connect to your home network and provide personal cloud services while you’re at home and on the road.

Available in capacities ranging from 1 to 6 Terabytes, Western Digital has a My Book Live for all budgets and storage needs. These drives look like most others on the market although they do include an Ethernet port which allows you to connect it to your home network via a router. Configuration is a breeze, and Western Digital provides software for both Windows and Mac computers to walk you through the process. The only hiccup I experienced during the initial set-up was that in order to complete the installation I first needed to connect my laptop to the network via Ethernet as well. That allowed the two devices to more easily locate one another for the first time. After that, the full functionality of the My Drive Live was available whether I was connected by cable or wirelessly.

Once successfully configured, the drive will appear on your network and will be available for any computer to access. An easy-to-use suite of administrative tools allows you to control just who can gain access to the drive however and it is even possible to create unique folders for each individual. Western Digital has streamlined the whole process and within minutes you’ll have a fully functional network storage solution for backing up and storing your most important files.Of course, network storage isn’t really a new concept and what really sets the My Drive Live series apart from competitors is its ability to exist “in the cloud” as well. That means that even when you’re not at home you’ll still be able to access your files over the Internet. This is a great option for business travelers looking for a way to get to their important documents while on the road, but it can also be a lifesaver for other travelers as well. For instance, I’d recommend keeping a copy of your passport on the drive while traveling abroad and should something happen to your physical passport, you can get to the digital version quickly and easily. That same approach holds true for other travel documents, such as itineraries, invoices, airline tickets, insurance and so on.

As you would expect from a drive built by Western Digital, the hardware is solid, fast and responsive. But it is the software that comes with the drive that makes the “personal cloud” work so effectively. The included WD Quick View utility facilitates access from any computer and the WD 2go apps give you limited access to your files on an iPhone, iPad or Android device. Once installed, those free apps do allow you to browse photos, documents and music from your My Book Live, but you aren’t able to edit those files in any way, which can be a bit frustrating at times. At the very least I would have appreciated the ability to email those files to someone in a pinch, but in its current state the mobile apps are simply glorified file viewers.

I tested the 1 Terabyte version of the My Book Live, which provided more than enough storage for my needs. Multi-computer families may want to consider one of the larger versions of the of the device however, as multimedia files such as music, photos and video can eat up a lot of space very quickly. Additionally, the My Book can serve as a back-up drive for Windows PC’s and a Time Machine drive for Macs. When the computer and drive are on the same network, the back-up process is seamless and transparent, taking place in the background while you work.

I’ve had the opportunity to test the My Drive Live on multiple occasions while traveling lately and it has never failed to deliver. Whether accessing files from my laptop or iPad, it has worked as expected and advertised every time. Internet speed plays a big part in performance however, so be warned. If you try to connect to the drive over a slow connection, it may take awhile for it to respond.

As a traveler who happens to love his technology and gadgets, I’ve found the My Book Live drive to be a fantastic edition to my home network. Not only does it provide plenty of great benefits while I’m at home, it also gives full access to my files while traveling. It provides great piece of mind knowing that not only are my files securely backed-up, but that they’re also available to me anytime and anywhere. If Western Digital puts some more time and effort in developing their mobile apps, that functionality will be extended even further.

Prices vary depending on the amount of storage on the drive. The 1 TB My Book Live that I tested carries an MSRP of $159, but it can be found online at substantially lower prices than that, making it a bargain for those looking to launch their own cloud.

It’s That Time Of Year: Neova Sunscreen

by Pam Mandel on

We had a run of spectacular weather recently, and some of it even fell on the weekend. I hung the hammock in the backyard for the first time in over a year and then, fell asleep in the blazing sunshine. My face wasn’t completely tomato red, but I was pinked up. I had forgotten the sunscreen.

I’m much better about sun protection than I was when I was a younger, California based, tan pursuing lass. Some of it’s a byproduct of moving north to Seattle, other parts of it are just that I’m considerably more aware of the damage sun can do to my skin. I got a brutal sunburn on the tops of my ears last year while on safari in Tanzania due to neglect – at least I’d been wearing a cap and didn’t burn the top of my melon or my nose.

On day two of the best weekend since last summer, I remembered to cover my face, neck and the tops of my ears with SPF 45 with some sunscreen that’s been kicking around waiting for a reason to exist. It worked, and though I fell asleep in the hammock again, I woke up half an hour later no more reddened for the, uh, effort.

NEOVA’s DNA SPF 45 damage control sunscreen is expensive stuff. It’s about $46 for a TSA approved serving (that’s three ounces). The main ingredient is zinc, but it’s transparent so you don’t get that white smeary look when you’re wearing it. It feels just a little sticky when it goes on, but that doesn’t last, and it has almost no scent, so it’s easy to forget you’ve got it on. It’s waterproof, though it never hurts to reapply every few hours if you’ve been swimming or especially active.

There’s a lot of marketing language with this product around anti-aging and DNA repair and the kind of stuff that makes us think we can reverse the effects of 20-plus years of forgetting to apply sunscreen when we go to the beach. I’d like to tell you that it made me look like I was 20 again, but no dice. I will tell you that it’s not rocket science that you should wear sunscreen and that if you spend a little more money, you get sunscreen that feels a bit nicer and doesn’t smell like plastic.

Gadling Gear Review: Keen Turia Sandals

by Kraig Becker on

Shoe manufacturer Keen is well known for making comfortable and sturdy footwear for travelers and outdoor enthusiasts alike. Their catalog includes shoes for hiking, trail running and even cycling, all of which manage to remain both durable and stylish at the same time. Perhaps their most iconic offering is their line of sandals which continues to evolve and improve while retaining the core elements that have made them a favorite with many for years. This legacy continues with the new Turia Sandals which are a great travel shoe for warm weather destinations.

Lightweight and breathable, the Turia Sandal provides plenty of coverage for the foot while remaining comfortably cool even in the warmest of environments. A synthetic mesh wraps the top of the foot while a closed-toe design proves to be both protective and pragmatic for travelers visiting demanding locations. The shoes use a zip lacing system that holds them snugly in place for hours on end and an aggressive sole manages to provide solid traction on a variety of surfaces including those that are both slick and wet.

Sporting anti-bacterial fabrics, Keen has designed these sandals to be worn for days while still resisting odors, fungi and and stains. On top of that, they’re easy to keep clean and quick to dry, which is greatly appreciated on short summer escapes and extended journeys alike.

All of these features make the Turia an excellent choice for travelers who are looking for a versatile and comfortable shoe to take with them nearly anywhere. Their compact and flexible design make them easy to pack and their stylish good looks keep them appropriate for light hiking, visits to the beach or just kicking around town. In fact, that versatility is perhaps my favorite feature of these sandals, which were one of just two pairs of shoes that I took with me on a recent visit to the country of Jordan, where they proved to be equally adept at both trekking in the desert and visiting the beaches of the Red Sea.

As with all sandals, the open design of the shoe does allow for dirt, sand and small rocks to collect inside at times. This issue is further exacerbated by the closed toe on the Turia, which can prevent that debris from escaping, causing irritation on the foot and toes. While this is more of an issue with these type of shoes in general, and not a design flaw of the Turia itself, I did feel it was worth noting. While wearing these shoes, there were times when I needed to stop on the trail, pull them off and empty out the offending materials before continuing.

Available in four different colors, the Keen Turia is an excellent choice for travelers looking for a lightweight and versatile shoe to take with them on their next adventure. They are comfortable, durable and packable, which makes them a great option for just about any escape and with a price tag of $100 they remain affordable as well.