Converse All-Stars: You can still walk miles almost 100 years later

by Jamie Rhein on

When I went on trek in Ladakh, India, most people who went along were outfitted to the gills in the latest, greatest, newest hiking clothes and shoes for such an occasion. One person, however, wore a pair of Converse All-Stars–the basic low cut version. Nothing fancy and he didn’t even lace them. I can’t remember if he wore socks. Probably not.

He walked unhurriedly for nine days along the trail that lead up the mountains through the Markha Valley. As he walked, he chewed tobacco and cheerfully shot the breeze. His shirts, by the way, were very nice cotton, pin-stripped button down Oxford cloth. His pants– blue jeans. He tied a red bandana, pirate-style around his head and was never without his Ray Bans. I was proud he was in my group that lolly-gagged behind the rest. We took in the scenery and each others company, while the over-achievers sped ahead for who knows what reason except for wanting to be first. (It was hard not to delight in the gasping heaves and moans when altitude sickness kicked in for some of them.)

The Converse All-Stars said, “Kick back. Don’t worry.” I was happy to follow their pace. None of the five of us in the pack that brought up the rear suffered from altitude sickness. We were walking too slow for that, and my friend never got a blister that I can recall.

Converse All-Stars, also called Chuck Taylors or “Chucks,” first made their appearance as basketball shoes in 1917. The company, though, is celebrating its 100th year. It was founded in 1908.

The X-Prize for reducing airport headaches

by Jerry Guo on

Clear Registered Traveler Program, which we wrote about in February and September, just announced a $500,000 prize for anyone who can help them reduce time spent waiting in their dedicated security lines by 15 percent. It’s also gotta be cheaper than 25 cents per passenger and win approval by the government.

This isn’t a contest to laugh about. We’ve seen how much of an impact these large-sum cash prizes (popularized by the X-Prize challenge to send a private plane into space) have had on innovation. Plus, it could give a boost to Clear’s reputation. So far, only 65,000 frequent fliers have signed up for their $100 per year program, which speeds up your visit through security checkpoint.

Top priorities for this contest seem to be finding a way to avoid making passengers take off their shoes and taking their laptops out of their bags. There’s also the whole 3 oz fluid thing. Come to think of it, I can rattle off … Well, never mind.

Lacing your shoes for the best performance

by Neil Woodburn on

I never really thought about it before, but properly lacing your shoes is one of the most important, yet often neglected preparations one can make for travel.

Sure, you can laugh at the idea of a post telling you how to tie your shoe, but did you have any idea that there are 2 trillion ways to do so? And, that there is specific lacing technique to maximize performance for various activities?

I had no idea either, but thankfully there is someone on this planet who can teach us all about it. Ian Fieggen is a man with a serious lacing fetish that runs a site dedicated entirely to the different ways one can lace up their shoes and boots.

Take, for example, the Bushwalking Lace (above). This majestic design “distributes pressure evenly” and keeps “the knots and ends to the side… away from snagging undergrowth.”

Such an intricate lace is typical of what one can find on Fieggen’s site–although I was equally impressed with some of the vanity, checkerboard lacing that serves no purpose other than simply being fashionable.

(Via Wired.com)

GADLING’S TAKE FIVE: Week of May 27

by Adrienne Wilson on

The Take Five feature is one I have had a love hate relationship since the day we kicked it off here on Gadling. To go through each week and select ONLY five that should once more win your affection is a real tough duty. This week after reading through every post here I sort of covered my eyes and threw a dart at each one. Enjoy!

5. Avoiding the Side Effects of Bad Street Food:
If only we could place anything and everything on our palates without dealing with what Neil calls the “nasties” later on… Sigh. Well according to Budget Travel you can have your cake and eat it too! Find out now or go later. Know what I mean?

4. BioToi: For Conveniently Pooping in the Woods:
Don’t like squatting in the woods with your rear in the wind? Here’s a handy piece of gear to place a little comfort for those bodily deeds done out in Mother Nature.

3. NYC Shoe Store Gets Its Own Zip Code:
For those who really love shoes place this one on your travel wish list. And I mean it is for those that REALLY love shoes.

2. Carrying Children:
I’ve never traveled with kids and the thought makes groan on the inside a bit, but this gallery on carrying children as you go makes it look like it can done and fun at the same time. Beautiful!

1. Talking Travel with Seal Press Founder Barbara Sjoholm:
Kelly sits down with the author of Incognito Street to talk about travel, of course, but an abundance of other great information is shared. Don’t miss your chance to win a copy of the book for your summer reading by the poolside.

NYC Shoe Store Gets Its Own ZIP Code

by Justin Glow on

Sounds like a marketing ploy to me, but here it is: Saks Fifth Avenue is claiming its new shoe store in Manhattan is so large it will have its own ZIP code. Just how large will the store be? It’ll be 8,500 square-feet, or roughly one-and-a-half one-seventh the size of an American football field worth of pumps, sandals and sneakers.

Could it be the world’s largest shoe store? Not quite. Reyers — the Sharon, Pennsylvania shoe store that comes up in Google for “world’s largest shoe store” — calls an old grocery store its home, clocking in at 36,000 square feet. Sharon, PA has another “world’s largest”: Daffin’s is apparently the world’s largest candy shop, and they’ve got a quarter-ton chocolate rhino to prove it.

The Saks shoe store isn’t the only store to have its own ZIP code either. It’s rumored that Springfield, Missouri’s Bass Pro headquarters is so large that it also has its own postal code.

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