Sexy titanium travel accessories from Snow Peak

by Pam Mandel on

The spork is one of those things you really shouldn’t leave home without. Yeah, it’s dorky and has funny name, but it’s your friend when you want a yogurt from the corner market and all you have to eat it with are those stir sticks in the hotel coffee condiment package.

And the refillable coffee or other beverage canister, well, are you really still taking your coffee to go in a throw away paper cup? It’s not like you can’t find those refillable things as swag at every other conference you attend, right?

Say you’re not too uptight to reuse your own coffee container, but you don’t want one that says “large software company” or “weird beverage with additives” on the side. Say you want something that’s mad stylish, sexy even. Say you want your spork to express the fact that you are traveling light, practical, and know your metallic elements. Snow Peak has the gear for you and it’s dead sexy stuff, too.

Here’s what hot about the spork: The colors, for starters, those yummy brushed metal colors. They’re not painted, the color is bonded to the metal through some kind of crazy magic, so while yeah, they’ll fade over time, they’ll still hold that shiny blue, that that glowing purple, that sparkly green.There’s a punchhole on the handle so you can put it on your key ring. And really, it’s pretty. Also, for now, there’s no mention of the mighty spork on the TSA’s prohibited items list — I checked.As for Snow Peak’s Kanpai bottle/canister, it’s super sharp too, and super light weight. It’s got three lids for it — one for hot, one for cold, and one with a sliding valve for drinking. You can store the cold lid in the freezer, making your canister the perfect tiny icebox for one can of soda (or, uh, adult beverage). The drinking lid has a tight enough valve on it that it’s not going to leak when it’s in the water bottle pocket on the outside of your daypack. It comes in silver white, or red, and it’s also a very sharp looking piece of gear.

Snow Peak makes a lot of other smokin’ hot gear — their Hozuki camping lantern won a Travel+Leisure design award. The gear in the Snow Peak lines isn’t cheap (the spork comes in at a modest $9.95, but the canister retails for $69.95.) but it’s well designed. It’s the kind of stuff an outdoorsy person like me wants someone to give them as a gift, or that you’d want to give to someone that’s got everything but might appreciate a really good one that’s meant to last forever. (See also: Cafe latte set. Want.) Super lightweight. Serious style. Yeah, I like pretty much all of this stuff. It’s the truth.

Gadling Gear Review: Brooks-Range Cirro Hoody

by Kraig Becker on

I’m the kind of person who really prefers to travel light. In fact, I’m constantly on the lookout for ways that I can shave ounces off my pack weight, while still being able to carry all the items I need for my journey. The trick is to be able to adopt this minimalist approach without compromising on the performance of your gear. That’s not always an easy thing to do, which is why I truly appreciate a great piece of travel apparel when I find one. I recently came across just such an item in the form of a new jacket from Brooks-Range, that is a perfect cool weather companion for the traveler who needs versatile and lightweight outdoor gear.

Brooks-Range is not a particularly well known brand with the mainstream, as they tend to focus on a few very high quality products for specific, sometimes niche, markets. Their customers tend to be mountaineers, adventure racers, and long distance trekkers, who have come to appreciate the company’s no-nonsense approach to making equipment that offers everything they need, with very few unnecessary frills. The company has earned itself a reputation for having an eye for detail and producing high quality products, which has earned it a loyal following amongst adventure travel junkies.

I was lucky enough to test out the new Cirro Hoody, a very lightweight jacket that is perfect as a stand alone outer layer on spring and fall hikes at altitude, or as an insulating layer under a winter shell in the colder months. When I first pulled on the jacket, I was immediately struck by how warm it was, even though it felt like I really wasn’t wearing much of anything at all. The jacket weighs in at a mere 12.4 ounces and it packs down to an incredibly small size, which means it is a great piece of gear to keep in your pack at all times, even when you don’t think you’ll need it. The Cirro makes for a perfect emergency jacket for those days in the mountains that start with excellent weather, but end with an unexpected storm. It’s on one of those days that you’ll appreciate the jacket that you forgot you had even put in your backpack.
The Cirro fits snugly without impeding your ability to move, which is a much appreciated design element when you’re out on the trail. It also features a well designed hood that helps to keep you warm and dry in bad weather, but can also be detached and stashed into the collar when not needed. A pair of zippered pockets, one on the outside and one on the inside, keep small gear items, such as a multi-tool or iPod, close at hand for when you need them. Form fitting elastic cuffs are a simple addition that you’ll appreciate on colder days as well.

The jacket gets high marks for keeping even heavy winds at bay, and it has an uncanny knack for staying warm, even while wet. But some may be put off by its simplistic, minimalist design that lacks zippered pit-vents or an internal pocked for a water bottle – features found on more expensive jackets from other manufacturers. Also, as mentioned, this is a cool weather jacket, not a cold weather one. While I personally think it’ll keep me warm well below freezing, you’ll want to make sure you have a proper outer shell for any sub-zero adventures.

With those few caveats in mind however, this is a fantastic piece of gear to include in your outdoor excursions. It is warm, lightweight, and very comfortable. All perfect ingredients for the adventure traveler who is looking to travel light, without sacrificing any kind of performance. (MSRP: $189)

EcoSmart Bedbug Killer: A better bedbug repellent

by Pam Mandel on
Let’s face it, bedbugs are disgusting. If you’ve ever had the misfortune of staying in a bedbug ridden hostel, you know of what I speak. I woke up in a hill town guest house covered in red welts, the place was crawling with the little monsters, but there was a certain “back country off the grid isn’t this picturesque” aspect to my newly textured skin. There’s no way I’d bring that kind of amusement to an overnight stay at an international chain — or any situation — again. Manhattan topped the list for bedbugs, they’re still a big problem.

There are ways to protect yourself from bedbugs — for starters, don’t stay at the hotel that has the “bedbug infested” box checked on the review sites. There’s nasty chemical stuff you can take with you to fumigate your room upon arrival. It’s not very appealing. In addition to the toxic avenger kind of treatments, there’s also a product called EcoSmart Organic Bedbug Repellent. According to the EcoSmart site:

It kills bugs fast and repels for hours without any synthetic toxins or harmful residues.

Reading the instructions on how to stay bedbug free when traveling made me feel a weird combination of paranoid, obsessive, and grossed out. Also from the EcoSmart site:

Upon entering your hotel room, do NOT put your suitcase on the bed or the floor. Bed bugs can and will jump to your suitcase without your knowledge. Instead, set your luggage on the luggage rack and barricade them from entering by spraying repellent around the legs of the luggage carrier and the perimeter of your suitcase.

Look for bed bugs – or signs of them – in the seams of the mattress. Pull back the bedding and look at the mattress. Check the seams (looks like a ribbon or cord around the perimeter of the mattress). Check in and around any buttons or ribbing. You may not be able to see the bed bugs (they’re the size of an apple seed), but you may see reddish spots (blood smears) or brownish spots (bed bug poop).

Seriously? Ick.

You might to have to give up your sunscreen — or something — to make space for it in your carry-on, but EcoSmart does come in a TSA friendly 2.75 ounce spray bottle. The primary ingredients listed are peppermint and rosemary oil, it smells kind of like toothpaste or mouthwash. It’s pleasant enough, not so strong that it’s irritating when you spray it in your sleeping area. I made my lab assistant take a blind nose full too — the verdict? “Is that Tiger Balm?”

As for if it truly works… I can’t say for sure. My test lab is blissfully free of bedbugs.

Gadling gear review: SteriPEN Sidewinder

by Kraig Becker on

SteriPEN is a company that has built its reputation on providing products that ensure hikers, backpackers, and travelers safe drinking water no matter where they go. Their products, including the SteriPEN Traveler, which we reviewed here, use ultraviolet (UV) light to kill off 99.9% of all bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and other harmful elements that can find their way into our water. But most of their purifiers are powered by batteries, which can be difficult to come by when traveling through remote areas, and have a penchant for going dead when you need them the most. The company has found a way around that however, in the form of the Sidewinder, a purification system that is powered by a hand crank, and never requires batteries of any kind.

The first thing you’ll notice when you remove the Sidewinder from its box is that it is large, especially when compared to SteriPEN’s other products. That is due in part to the fact that it comes with a 32 oz (1 liter) BPA-free bottle, but the hand crank system is not especially small either. Prior to beginning the purification process, the bottle is filled with water. and then clicked into position on the Sidewinder itself, with the UV light completely immersed in the water. The entire unit is then flipped over, and you’re all set to begin making clean drinking water.

From there, you simply begin turning the crank to generate the power necessary to illuminate the ultraviolet light, and in theory, 90 seconds later you have water that can be safely consumed. I say in theory because it takes a bit of practice before you get the hang of the process, as you must turn the crank at the proper speed in order to get the UV lights working properly. Fortunately, SteriPEN included a pair of red LED’s on the Sidewinder which illuminate when you’re turning the crank too slowly. When the lights are off, you’re doing just fine, and you’ll know you’re finished when the UV lights turn green as well. It is a simple process, but one that requires some practice before putting the device to use in the field.

Once you get the hang of it, the Sidewinder has the potential to provide plenty of drinking water for an indefinite backpacking trip through just about any part of the world. But just because the water is free from harmful bacteria doesn’t mean that it necessarily tastes any better. SteriPEN has helped to address that issue as well by including a pre-filter to help remove particulates from the water prior to purification. The filter fits on to the top of the bottle and is a much appreciated addition to the package and further indicates that SteriPEN has a good understanding of their customers needs.

While the Sidewinder is a well designed and built products, it does come with a few caveats for anyone considering it for their next adventure. For starters, as I mentioned above, it is quite large, which makes it a less than ideal option for those looking to travel light. I personally found it a bit too bulky for my pack, much preferring the smaller Journey LCD, which I carried with me through Nepal last year. It also requires a good deal of physical work to actually purify the water, asking its user to turn the crank for 90 seconds, at a rather brisk pace, for each liter of water cleaned. Considering you’ll need several liters of water per day, possibly more depending on your destination, you may end up getting quite a workout while you’re on the go.

So just how good are the SteriPEN purification systems? In my personal use of their devices, I have yet to contract any kind of water borne illness or suffer any ill effects, even while traveling through locations where several of my companions fell victim to a variety of maladies. The UV light seems to work as advertised, although it is impossible to prove a negative, and perhaps I’ve simply been fortunate. I highly doubt that however, and a SteriPEN purifier of some type will be mandatory gear for all future travels to remote areas across the globe.

Which SteriPEN I take with me is a bit open for discussion however. While I appreciate the eco-friendly nature of the battery-free Sidewinder, its larger size poses a bit of a problem when lugging it around on longer treks. But if you’re going to be camped in one place for an extended period of time, it is a fantastic option for sure. For those requiring a more compact and lighter weight purification system, I’d give the nod to the aforementioned Journey LCD or Traveler however. Either way, you can bet you’ll have safe drinking water no matter which device you use.

The Sidewinder comes with a $99.95 MSRP, which is more expensive than iodine tablets or other similar purification options. But on the other hand, SteriPEN’s approach is also much more reliable and safe as well. Having used both options, I’ll stick with the UV solution for my future water purification needs.

National Geographic reveals spring/summer gear of the year

by Kraig Becker on

In what has become an annual rite of spring, National Geographic Adventure has released their list of picks for their Gear of the Year for the 2011 spring/summer seasons. The list arrives just ahead of the warmer months, when outdoor enthusiasts are looking for durable, dependable, yet lightweight, gear to accompany them on their summertime adventures.

The Gear of the Year list is a diverse one, offering up all kinds of suggestions on how to spend your hard-earned cash. Whether you’re in the market for a new backpack, tent or sleeping bag, you’ll find excellent options here. You’ll also find cameras, watches, and other high tech travel gear as well, not to mention footwear for just about any outdoor activity you can think of.

Some of the gear that earned a spot on the list include the Hornet 46 backpack from Osprey, which is lightweight, comfortable, and versatile. Basically everything you could want in weekend pack. If you’re in the market for a tent, Nat Geo recommends the Big Agnes Fly Creek UL3, which is the perfect summer shelter for two people plus their gear. Want to hit the trail on a mountain bike? The Yeti 575 Enduro gets the nod, while the Giant Defy Advanced 3 takes home the honors for those who prefer to stay on the road.

This is just a sample of some of the gear that made Nat Geo’s list, but there are plenty more suggestions where these came from. If you’re in the market for some new gear for your outdoor adventures this summer, then you’ll definitely want to give this article a look. You may even find an item or two you didn’t even know you needed!