Gear review: Hydros water bottle

by Amy Chen on

A Gadling reader responded to my earlier 3 Innovative Reusable Water Bottles round-up by suggesting that I check out the Hydros water bottle. Here’s how this reusable bottle measures up.

Hydros
This hefty water bottle is no lightweight. When comparing empty containers, the Hydros easily feels twice as heavy as the Bobble that I tested. That said, this BPA-free bottle is something that I could see keeping around much longer because it feels more like a mini Brita than a typical water bottle. In fact, unlike the Bobble’s built-in filter that cleans as you drink, the Hydros design resembles a Brita filter — you pour water directly through the filtering device first. To drink, the Hydros resembles a Sigg or Nalgene bottle in that you have to unscrew the lid and sip from the mouth of the bottle. When screwed tightly, flipped upside down, and shaken vigorously, not a single drop escaped.

Due to its bulkiness, however, the 24 oz. Hydros seems better suited to road trips or vacations that don’t stray from more than one location (a weeklong vacation rental could be ideal). For times when you’re on the go, there are better reusable water bottles on the market. But for trips where you can leave the water bottle in the car or in the fridge, the Hydros is worth considering.

Price: $29.99; replacement filters are $6.99 each. Add $4.99 for shipping.

Where to Buy: The Hydros, which debuted in February, is currently only available from www.hydrosbottle.com.

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Travel green on Earth Day with these eco-friendly gear outfitters

by Grant Martin on

Though every day should be eco-conscious, Earth Day brings us a special reminder of what we can do to help the environment in our day-to-day lives. And for many of the Gadling readers, this means greener travel.

Most acts of travel come with an inherent negative impact on the environment, whether this is from the carbon dumped into the atmosphere during transit or the plastic used in disposable water bottles and packaging. One way that we can travel greener, however, is in how we pack and in what we wear. And to help us, a wide host of green outfitters are here to help the cause.

  • The elephant in the room, of course, is Patagonia, the environmentally conscious adventure outfitter named after the region in the dramatic southern tip of South America.. We haven’t got enough great things to say about their environment goals and accomplishments over the years, and a large part of patagonia.com is devoted to educating the public on these topics. Further, if you’re ever short on ideas for your next trip, a quick flip through their online or hard-copy brochure should provide enough inspiration for a lifetime.
  • Owned by the same group, Nau and Horny Toad both provide clothing in a similar eco-friendly vein. Both brands lean towards more of casual wear instead of the above tech gear, and with classy picks like the waterproof, packable riding jacket that’s 100% recycled, it’s easy to see both brands catching on.
  • Luggage is another key element that can easily be made greener. Bag companies from Freitag to Terracycle manufacture bags made out of 100% recycled goods, and some of them are pretty darn stylin’ to boot. One can even go so far as to purchase luggage completely made out of cardboard.
  • To keep your notebook safe on the road, Hello Rewind will actually transform one of your old t-shirts into a nifty laptop sleeve. Best of all, with the $49 purchase price comes a healthy donation to Hello Rewind’s charitable effort to fight sex trafficking.

Of course if you want to be eco-friendly, it’s always possible to follow the sage advice from senior-eco blogger Sean McLachlan, who proffers the following wise words:

The best way to reduce your impact on the environment is not to wash, since soap can be harmful to streams. My suggestion is to simply turn your underwear inside out after you’ve worn it for a day. Presto, you have clean underwear! At least the part touching your nether regions, which is all that matters. The following day you can turn them back again and repeat as many days as you’re hiking.

However you choose to celebrate Earth Day in your travels, keep in mind that the lessons we learn on this day are the ones that we should carry through the year. Travel safe and green!

3 Earth Day travel discounts

by Amy Chen on

With all the pressure to be green these days, travelers can benefit from Earth Day-themed discounts. Here’s a trio of deals that will help you save a little dough — and perhaps help save the planet as well.

Ride the Rails with Kimpton Hotels
Save 15 percent off the best available rate at more than 30 participating Kimpton properties if you show your Amtrak ticket stub at check-in.
Details: To qualify for the Ride the Rails discount, enter the promo code RAILS when booking. You then must ride Amtrak to your destination and show your ticket as proof that you ditched your car for the trip. Participating hotels are in New York, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Portland, San Diego, Seattle, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Dallas, Alexandria, Arlington, and Cambridge. Starting prices vary by property.

Car-free discounts in Santa Barbara, Calif.
Save 20 percent off an adult Amtrak ticket to or from Santa Barbara County on Amtrak Pacific Surfliner or San Joaquin trains. With both the beach and a burgeoning wine country nearby, Santa Barbara is often overlooked as a travel destination. For example, the Pacific Surfliner train can take you from Los Angeles (Union Station) to Santa Barbara in about 2.5 hours; a regularly-priced coach ticket starts at $24 each way. And for anyone who has seen the movie Sideways, yes, you can sample all the pinot noir you can handle — you may end up being grateful that you didn’t drive.
Details: After registering at www.santabarbaracarfree.org, you will receive a link to the Amtrak site, where you can then redeem the 20 percent discount. A three-day advance purchase is required; this deal isn’t valid for tickets purchased by phone or at any Amtrak stations. The discount is good for travel to and from the nine participating Amtrak stations in Santa Barbara County: Santa Barbara proper, Goleta, Carpinteria, Solvang (the charming Danish village), Buellton, Lompoc (not far from wineries on the edge of Santa Ynez Valley), Surf, Guadalupe, and Santa Maria.
Other Perks: If you show your Amtrak ticket stub with the current date stamp, many businesses in Santa Barbara will give you additional discounts. Examples include 20 percent off the regular rates at many hotels and inns, as well as 10 percent off several walking, kayaking, whale-watching, and wine tours. Downtown itself is very walkable, so you won’t need to rent a car.
When: Travel by Dec. 16, 2010. Some blackout dates apply.

D.I.Y. housekeeping in New York City
At the Marmara Manhattan hotel on the Upper East Side, the Green Rate discount knocks $20 off your nightly bill if you request housekeeping every three days instead of every night. A minimum stay of three nights is required to qualify for this discount.
Details: You must book directly through the hotel reservations desk. Studio suites typically start at $169 per night, or $507 for three nights. With the discount, starting rates drop to $149 per night, or a total of $447 for the required three-night stay. Every suite at the Marmara Manhattan hotel comes with a fully-equipped kitchen, which can help you save even more if you prepare simple meals.
When: Valid until the end of the year.
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A rooftop bar in New York without the pricey pretension

by Amy Chen on

In New York, a rooftop lounge is one of the more coveted pieces of real estate. Combined with incomparable city views, the price of a cocktail in many rooftop bars can actually be less than admission to the Empire State Building or Top of the Rock. Unfortunately, most of the city’s rooftop bars require VIP connections or are uncomfortably jam-packed.

One alternative to the madness is mad46, the Roosevelt Hotel’s rooftop bar, which is kicking off its third summer season with a newly renovated interior space that opens right onto the terrace. Best of all, there’s no cover or minimum charge — a refreshing change when compared to other pricey skyscraper lounges in the neighborhood. If space is available, reservations are accepted for groups of any size, and there’s no requirement to order bottle service. All of this helps to make the 19th-floor lounge an unexpected (and overlooked) treat amid all the office buildings in midtown Manhattan.

Cocktails range from $12 to $16, but look out for fun promotions, such as “When it rains, we pour” — a clever name for when mad46 bartenders hand out half-priced drink specials as long as the rain lasts. This could be a real money-saver in the summer, when thunderstorms can be brief but thoroughly drenching. Plus, the rooftop bar has retractable awnings and a cozy interior lounge, so you won’t have to cancel your plans if the forecast calls for some sprinkles.

Check www.mad46.com for other promotions, which may include Martini Mondays (possibly with manicures), Tequila Tuesdays, and sunset movie nights on Wednesdays.

Details: mad46 is on the 19th floor of the Roosevelt Hotel; enter on W. 46th Street at Madison Avenue. The rooftop bar is open in April from 5 p.m.-10 p.m. Wednesdays to Fridays; the full summer season begins in May with hours extended until midnight on Mondays to Fridays and until 2 a.m. on Saturdays. Hotel guests generally will receive priority if there’s a line, though reservations are the best way to nab a spot. Right now, www.theroosevelthotel.com is showing packages starting at $169 per night.

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Do you buy too much junk in third world countries?

by Grant Martin on

One of the biggest problems that I have when I’m traveling overseas is “strong dollar syndrome.” With a rough approximation of the exchange rate in my head and the smell of foreign commerce, everything looks cheap and I buy trinkets and souvenirs with reckless abandon.

This has happened all over the place, from the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul to the artisan market in Ubud, Indonesia to the Old City in Shanghai, China. That amazing tea set — the one with the intricate detailing, matching coasters and sterling spoons is only 20 Turkish Lira? Oh, the hand carved chess board with tiny stone robot pawns is a mere 100,000 Rupiahs? Heck yeah I’ll shell out for that!

All too often I’ve over committed to a cheap, cultural travel trinket, tossed it into my bag and carried it across an entire continent — just to bring it home and set it lovingly under my living room coffee table. As I sit typing this from my dining room in Chicago, I look left at a twice-opened chess set from Turkey and the rarely used cracked-glass ice cream dish from Vietnam. Did I really need to bring those back with me?

In part, yes. The memories that come back from my travels run strong every time I see an artifact that I’ve collected from the road. And whether or not I put things I’ve collect to regular use, it’s still nice having a reminder of the good times.

But in today’s globalized economy where it’s almost cheaper to have bulk items sold shipped and resold across an entire ocean it’s easy to see how the line between cultural and kitsch can blur.

Here’s an example: one game I now like to play in foreign markets is “Could I find this at the dollar store at home?” Completely out of context, without the smells, tastes and experiences of the road, might this item be in a heap of discounted refuse at the local supermarket? In the case of the teacup that I bought in Shanghai three years ago, most definitely.

As a result, I now keep my overseas purchases confined to a tightly defined window. Yes, I still want the experience of buying a unique, cultural object from an exotic destination, and I definitely want these memories tied to the object. But unless it has significant cultural or functional value or can be purchased in no other place in the planet, I’ll check the local Target. The rest of my souvenirs I’ll bring back in my camera.

[Photo : Flickr | *Zoha.n]