Grand Trunk Travel Comfort

Going anywhere for Spring Break this year?  Grand Trunk Goods can offer you some extra comfort on the plane (train, car, etc).  This Hooded Travel Pillow is made with memory foam and soft fleece.  Though it works just fine without the hood, it's a really nice option to have it there, and I've never seen a travel pillow with a hood, what a great idea.  It's perfect for airplanes, for shutting everyone out and creating your own little oasis.

If you're trying to watch an in-flight movie during the day and you have glare coming in--it can get pretty bright up there with open windows--you can pull the hood over and block a lot of that out so you can focus on what's in front of you.  Or you can pull it completely over your eyes for a nap.  It's instant privacy and wouldn't something like this be awesome on a crowded flight or the dreaded middle seat?

There's a little pocket on the side for your mp3 player, or ear buds/plugs.  It also makes for some cozy warmth on a cold plane, and when you doze off, the toggle closure keeps the pillow from shifting or falling off.  I think this would work great in the car and camping too.  The cover is removable for washing and it comes in a handy stuff sack with a grab handle and pull cord so you can easily attach it to one of your bags. You can watch a video HERE. 

For the rest of your body, I love their Travel Blanket.  It's made from eco friendly bamboo and is naturally anti bacterial and wicks away moisture.  It's a renewable, sustainable fabric and it's butter soft.  There's a pocket at the bottom to keep your feet cozy, which is great for the plane and it's a generous 70x40.  It weighs in at 16oz, and it's so worth this minimal weight on a freezing cold flight.

Like the pillow, it comes in a stuff sack with a grab handle at one end and a pull cord at the other and stuffs down to about the size of a Nalgene bottle.  You can easily clip it to your backpack or carry-on with a caribiner.

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Black Diamond Mini Lanterns

Need a lantern for inside the tent?  Black Diamond has two brilliant small lantern options, the Apollo Lantern and the Orbit Lantern.  Both utilize energy efficient long lasting LEDs.  Both lanterns are perfect for backpacking, using inside your tent, hammock camping, picnic tables, camp stove, and anywhere you want light.  It's not that blinding LED light you might be familiar with, but a diffused, more pleasing light due to the frosted globe.  At the same time they are both bright enough to be used for task lighting.  They don't take the place of a larger lantern for lighting up the whole camp, but they do what they were designed to do wonderfully. 

The foldaway legs allow you to adjust the height and the loops are great for hanging in the tent or a tree branch.  The loops are split so you don't need a carabiner to hang them, but you could also turn it upside down and hang it by the legs with a carabiner.  I love that you can dim the lantern, adjusting the light output and saving battery power for when you need it most.   It's about the size of a soda can, and a little lighter. The legs are super handy, allowing you to place the lantern on uneven surfaces and to help disperse light the way you need it.

Black Diamond offers a rechargeable battery system for both lanterns which comes with international adapters.  They can even be rigged for use with solar power, I've read about people taking these on research trips to remote locations and using them daily for months on end this way. 

Not long ago, BD sponsored a project to use solar power to recharge lanterns in a small village in Nepal.  To reduce the cost and risk of kerosene lighting, Apollo lanterns were given out to locals who then able to power them with solar panels.  This was life changing for the people in this village who used their savings to improve their water source.

You can utilize solar power with your own lantern by charging reusable batteries with a portable solar charger.  Burn life is up to 60 hours, depending on whether you have the lantern set on low or high.

For backpacking, if you are super mindful of weight, the Apollo's little brother, the Orbit is ideal.  It's about half the size of the Apollo and has a 1 watt output as opposed to the Apollos 3 watts.  It doesn't have legs like the Apollo, so it's not as stable, but it does have the split loops for hanging.  It would work great for a one or two person tent, or for hammock camping.  The globe, like the Apollo's globe, slides over the on/off button so it won't switch on accidentally in your pack and eat up all your battery life.  They come in different colors, so you could give one to each child if you are camping with kids, it's great for reading in the tent.  My son went bananas for these small lanterns, confiscating the Orbit immediately. 

Both lanterns would be great for travel or to keep in your emergency kit for power outages and emergencies.  Black Diamond has excellent environmental and fair labor programs, they also reach out in support of many environmental organizations--it's a company you can feel good about purchasing your gear from.  Find both lanterns HERE on their website.

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Overland Equipment Shasta: Great Summer Sling

Overland Equipment's Shasta bag is a great pick for Summer adventures.  Whether you're traveling, hiking, or just tooling around town, this is a nice minimalist comfortable pack.  The sling style makes it very easy to get to your stuff while still wearing the bag.

At first I thought this bag would be too big.  I liked that it was half of a backpack and wanted it to be compact.  Well, it is.  After you use it a few times, it breaks in, and feels just right.  It can be adjusted to fit your frame, which is great for me since bags are often too long for me.

Small, medium, and large zippered compartments make for just the right amount of organization.  The first is ideal for the cellphone and lip balm, the other two are plenty big enough for a lunch, a jacket, magazines, flip flops, other electronics, etc., and there's a loop that you can put a carabiner through for keys. The bag holds a lot of stuff.   I love the open water bottle at the top, probably my favorite feature.  It will hold a pretty big bottle, making it great for Summer treks around town.  The mesh backing wicks away moisture helping to keep you cool.  Find it Here.

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Gear Up for Summer Travel Part 1: Luggage

Did you know there is an eco friendly luggage option that is made from 100% recycled fabrics?  Eagle Creek has come out with the perfect green wheelie bag suitcase for Summer travel, the TARMAC.  It comes in different sizes, but for flying, I like the 22" so you can carry it on and avoid fees and inconveniences.  This suitcase holds so much stuff, you won't believe it's a carry on, and if you are bringing treasures back from your trip (and who doesn't), the main compartment expands to hold your new loot.

Eagle Creek is known for organization, and they are masters.  Organization abounds in this bag and it really helps to simplify packing which can be somewhat stressful at times.  I'd use this bag for a two week or a two month trip. 

The Tarmac comes in different colors, I always prefer black for my gear but I was pleasantly surprised to find a sienna orange interior which I thought was a very pleasing design touch.  It's a great looking piece of luggage.

There are two mesh zipper pockets inside, and behind those, a large zippered pocket.  There are compression straps with panels to help keep stuff down while avoiding wrinkles straps can cause.  The carry handle is comfortable and heavy duty and I love the beefy zipper pulls--they're over sized and coated with rubber to make access a breeze. 

There are two outer pockets for easy access.  The smaller one would be appropriate for your zip lock baggie of 3oz liquids which you have to remove for TSA inspection, and the larger pocket would work great for magazines, electronics, a shawl or sweater for the plane, etc.  The bag has a handy toggle to attach another bag or purse.  There are multiple grab handles and reinforcement at the critical spots to help decrease wear and protect your bag.

Eagle Creek offers a No Matter What guarantee and will fix or replace your bag anytime anywhere. I appreciate their commitment to quality products eliminating the need continually repurchase luggage thus adding to landfills.  The Tarmac is a practical, good looking, organized and eco friendly to boot.  I highly recommend it for Summer (or any season) travel.  Find it HERE.

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