Tag: backpacks

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How to Easily Pack Clothes in Your Backpack

Packing your clothes in your backpack may not sound like the most challenging thing in the world to do, but ask anyone who’s done it and undoubtedly they’ll admit it’s one of those things that’s harder than you would think.

For the last couple of years I followed the methods on the OneBag site which worked OK, but not perfectly. The bundle method promoted over there is certainly effective, but I found that in a backpack, your bundle of clothes shifted around and made a mess of things.

I’m getting ready for another trip to Morocco and during a trip to my local REI I came across the Eagle Creek Pack-It Folder.  I had walked by them before and passed them as nothing more than a gimmick, but after one too many trips with my clothes stretching out because I packed them too tight, I decided to give it a shot.  It had great reviews online and was on sale for about $20. Score an REI coupon code for further savings on this pack and other great finds.

I’m hooked.

Continue reading “How to Easily Pack Clothes in Your Backpack”

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Protecting Your Belongings and Valuables While Traveling

With the subject of hostels last week I started thinking more about protecting your belongings while traveling.  There are very few real dangers around the world that you actually have to be worried about.  People love to exaggerate claims of violence and terrorism around the world (thanks media) but the truth is that your biggest concern is petty theft.  Here are a few ways you can fight back.

Money belt

moneybeltThese have become pretty popular over the last few years.  If you’re going to crowded places where pick pocketing might be a problem, a money belt is a good answer.  They’re made of soft fabric that won’t irritate your skin.  You were it around your waist and under your clothes and it’s nearly impossible to know you’re wearing it.

Here’s a tip though: I once traveled with a girl who wore one every day but she held all of her money in it.  So every time she had to pay for something, she had to open it up in public.  Not a wise idea.  Instead, keep a little bit of cash in a separate pocket so that you don’t have to reach into your money belt every time.  It is supposed to be hidden, right?

Pacsafe

pacsafetravelsafe100Pacsafe has a few great solutions for securing your valuables or luggage in your room while you’re away.  It’s difficult to enjoy your traveling if you can’t leave things back in your room.  While many hostels are offering lockers, some leave you without a way to secure your valuables.  Hostels are, for the most part, very safe, but it doesn’t hurt to make sure your things are secure.  Here’s where Pacsafe comes in.

The Travelsafe 100 is essentially, a portable safe.  It’s a small pouch that is virtually indestructible.  Just put your money, passport, or even small camera inside and lock it to a bedpost or other secure place.

pacsafe55The other popular product by Pacsafe is Pacsafe55.  A small bag contains an expandable eXomesh cover that will wrap around your backpack and make it nearly impossible to get anything in or out of it.  Same as before, you lock it up to a bed post and it’s not going anywhere.  I don’t believe your clothes are in very much danger in a hostel, but this is a good option for people traveling with cameras or other expensive equipment that has its own bag.  These come in various sizes for different types and styles of backpacks.

If you have any other tips or recommendations on protecting your valuables while traveling please feel free to share them in the comments below.

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article photo by squacco

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And the Kelty Redwing Contest Winner Is…

We have a winner in our first contest here at Have Pack, Will Travel!

@NomadChelsea will be the proud new owner of a Kelty Redwing backpack! I’m glad to hear that it will go to good use as Chelsea is planning a round the world trip beginning in September!

Special thanks goes out to the great folks at Kelty for sponsoring the giveaway.

Didn’t win? Sorry, but there could be only one. I urge you to check out the review on the Kelty Redwing 3100 and consider it for your future travel backpack needs. I’m a satisfied user of it for all of my travels and said all these glorious things about it long before Kelty offered to give one away to a lucky reader.

If you’re a Twitter user, be sure to check out all the great folks that entered the contest.  Many of them are great travel people to follow on twitter and are goldmines of great travel information.

Chelsea – I’ll be in contact with you and expect a classy acceptance speech in the comments here ASAP! :)

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Win a Free Kelty Redwing Backpack!

One lucky winner will receive a Kelty Redwing!
One lucky winner will receive a free Kelty Redwing backpack!

5/18/2009 – Contest has Officially Ended – Winner can be found here

I am very excited to announce the first contest here at Have Pack, Will Travel! Thanks to the great folks over at Kelty, one lucky winner will receive a Kelty Redwing backpack.

As you may have read here before, the Kelty Redwing is my favorite backpack and trust me, I’ve owned plenty of them over the years. You can read my full review here.

How to enter

You have to do three things to enter:

1) Follow @HavePack on Twitter

2) ReTweet this message:

I entered to win a FREE Kelty Redwing Backpack from @HavePack – enter here: http://twurl.nl/ny8g4g

3) Leave a comment on this post that states why you want to win this Kelty Redwing backpack and how you’ll use it. Responses will not be judged but your opinion is important to us. Be sure to include your Twitter username in your comment.

Bonus!) Want to double your chances? If you have a travel-related blog, make a post linking to the contest and you’ll have TWO entries to the contest!

Optional) The winner will be published here on Have Pack, Will Travel, therefore it is suggested you subscribe to our RSS feeds to find out right away.

Rules

All entries must be received by 11:59pm PST, Sunday May 17th. Winner will be selected Monday, May 18th.

Winner will be selected randomly.

Contest is limited to North American residents only.

Winner may select from the three Redwing models: 2500(women’s), 2650, or 3100. Color selection will be based off of availability.

Good luck!

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18 Easy Ways to Save Money Traveling

Saving money is an important thing to consider when traveling.  I think of myself as a budget traveler, but I try to balance my spending.  I’m not extremely cheap about everything, but I do my best to not waste money when it doesn’t need to be wasted.  Do that, and you can have extra money to splurge on other things.

Here are 18 ways you can save money while traveling.  I don’t recommend doing every one of them, but practicing a few can greatly decrease your spending and help make your trip more affordable.

1. Stay in a hostel

This is a no brainer.  Hostels are usually only a fraction of price of a hotel room.  If you don’t mind sharing dorm style accommodation, you can save a bunch of money every night and also meet other like-minded travelers.

2. Share hotel rooms

Traveling with a group?  Squeeze as many people as you can in a hotel room.  Some smaller hotels will charge you per person though so you’ll have to decide what the best deal is for your situation.

3. Use public transport

Do your best to steer clear of car rentals.  They’re usually pretty expensive and driving in a foreign country can be a nightmare.  Best to leave it to the professionals and help the environment by taking trains and buses.

4. Share rides

Trying to hail a taxi in front of your hostel or hotel? Ask other travelers where they are going and maybe you’ll be heading in the same direction.  If so, split the fare!

5. Walk

Burn some calories and walk around town.  Enjoy the area and do some sightseeing.

6. Camp

If you enjoy the great outdoors why not pack your tent and sleeping bag and make camp somewhere.  Campsites are cheap and common all over the world if you aren’t able to make camp somewhere in nature itself.

7. Enjoy outdoor activities

Not everything you do has to cost money.  Go hiking, lay on the beach, go for a swim, or just spend an evening looking up at the stars.

8. Cook your own meals

This is one tip that you won’t find me practicing very often.  I love to eat out and enjoy the local cuisine.  But if spending money on food isn’t on your agenda, most hostels have a kitchen and everything you need to make your own dinner.  Just head out to the grocery store or local market and pick up something to cook up.  Cooking is even better if you have a group of people that can chip in to buy more food and split everything.

9. Eat on the street

Street vendors and small food stalls have some of the tastiest food as well as the most authentic.  It’s usually pretty cheap too!  No comment on how healthy it may be though.

10. Explore

Getting out and exploring the area can not only be a fun way to spend an afternoon, it can also lead to bargains.  You’ll likely find plenty of restaurants and shops that the locals use and are out of the touristy areas.

11. CouchSurf

CouchSurfing is not only about saving money but also about making friends and experiencing the area from a different point of view.  I highly recommend it, as I’ve written before, but for the sake of the community, do not use it solely as a way to sleep for free.

11. People watch

Another great, and free, way to spend some time is to just sit and watch the people go by.  This is a favorite past time of Moroccan men by the way.

12. Share tours

I’m not a huge fan of taking organized tours but sometimes it is the best way to explore an area that you otherwise might not be able to navigate on your own.  In that case, check with others who are staying at your hostel and consider splitting the tour among multiple people.  The tour guide might charge a bit more, but it should still be cheaper than doing it solo.

13. Bring a guidebook

I don’t always recommend following every word the guidebook says, but they will often warn of possible tourist traps and will recommend cheaper places to eat, sleep, and shop.  The only problem is that once a place is listed in a guidebook, they tend to raise their prices in response to their new popularity.  So be sure to continue to shop around.

14. Bring a water bottle, refill it

Bring a BPA-free water bottle with you and refill it with tap water if it is safe to drink.  Not only will you save money over buying bottled water, you’re helping the environment and probably encouraging yourself to drink more water as well.

15. Pack common medications

It’s a wise idea to pack some common medications with you if there is a chance you might need them.  I always bring ibuprofen for headaches or other aches, and loperamide in case you get a little bout of food sickness.  Sure, you can find these everywhere, but they’ll likely cost a lot more.

16. Bring enough batteries and film

I know, who still uses regular batteries or film? I certainly don’t.  But if you do, pack extras because they’ll cost a lot more when traveling.

17. Barter

Shopping in bazaars or other open air markets? Bartering is a common practice in many places around the world.  Don’t be insulting though and understand that (depending on where you are) you might make more money in a week than the person on the other end of the transaction makes in a year.

18. Just bring a backpack

Don’t over pack! Figure out a way to stuff your things in a backpack and avoid the checked bag fees that nearly every airline is charging now.  I’m convinced that everybody can fit their life into a Kelty Redwing 3100 or similar backpack.

If you have any other tips on saving money while traveling please feel free to share them in the comments below.

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What to Pack For Morocco

This is the first in a series of posts about what to pack for specific destinations.  I noticed an unbelievable amount of Google traffic searching for information on what to pack for Morocco, one of my favorite previous trips.  Since I never touched  on what I packed for Morocco, I decided to write a post about it.  Occasionally I’ll revisit this topic for other destinations that require certain types of clothing or gear.

Morocco is a very unique destination.  Located in North Africa but still carrying the vibe of the Middle East.  Morocco is full of culture, languages, sights, great food, amazing landscapes, and best of all, relatively safe.  This makes it a popular destination for independent travelers and backpackers flock to the various areas around the country.

Morocco is not your every day tourist destination though.  Being a conservative Islamic republic, you should be mindful of Moroccan’s customs and be respectful in your dress.  This means that, despite the often warm temperatures, you should not plan on walking around in shorts and short-sleeved t-shirts.  This goes for both men and women.

For men, jeans, khaki’s and cargo pants are acceptable and long sleeved t-shirts, thin jackets, or lightweight casual button-down shirts are recommended.

Women can generally follow the above recommendations but just be mindful to not wear tops that expose cleavage or have short sleeves.  It may not be considered risque in western culture, but these items are generally unacceptable in Moroccan culture.

Recommended Packing List:

  • 4-5 shirts (or blouses) – preferably long sleeved
  • 1 jacket or sweater
  • 2 pairs of comfortable pants
  • swim suit – if you’re visiting the beach
  • hat – especially if you’re visiting the desert
  • enough socks and underwear
  • comfortable sneakers or hiking shoes
  • toiletries – don’t go overboard, but shopping for your typical toiletries in Morocco might be difficult
  • digital camera – smaller is better

Morocco isn’t particularly dangerous, but places like Tangiers do suffer from slightly more than normal amounts of petty theft.  If you are spending time in any medina areas and want to take photographs, a small camera is a better idea.  Remember, this is where Moroccan’s live and work and aren’t necessarily tourist areas, despite the popularity of them.

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Staying Connected Abroad Without Going Overboard

Year after year more gadgets come out that help us stay connected.  Blackberries, iPhones, laptops, netbooks, etc.  There are an absurd amount of gizmos that we carry around.

Traveling independently, usually with nothing more than a backpack, limits what you can carry, and something is going to have to go.

I used to be guilty of carrying too much with me when I traveled for work.  Not only did I pack a suitcase for one week in a fancy hotel, but I also carried my Apple Powerbook, iPod, digital camera (often a large digital SLR in addition to a pocket digital camera), and my old Sidekick cellphone.  Once you include all the power adapters and other miscellaneous required junk, that’s 15-20 pounds of gear in a daypack!

I’ve learned to live a more simple life, even when traveling for work.  For instance, I no longer need to travel with a laptop.  In fact, the only reason I carried it was to watch movies on airplanes and in my hotel room.

I’ve also consolidated my iPod and cell phone with an iPhone. This lovely gadget never leaves my side and also does most of the work my laptop used to do.  I can easily check my email, surf the web, watch movies, listen to music, and even update my website!

When I travel abroad I turn the cellular data off as I don’t need or want to pay for expensive calls, text messages, or data charges.  I find that most hostels and hotels now have free wireless internet and I’m able to keep up on my email, send messages to my family, and of course, TWITTER!

I’ve also ditched the digital SLRcamera for most trips.  As much as I loved it, it was just too much to carry and in some places, a security liability.  I have a Nikon Coolpix S610pocket digital camera that fits in my pocket and takes great photos.  It’s not the same, but it’s all I need.  Er, want.  Plus, it shoots pretty good quality movies so there’s no need for a video camera either.

In addition to my iPhone and digital camera, the only thing I would consider or recommend carrying would be a Netbook.  These small portable laptops are less than 10″ and usually weigh only 2 or 3 pounds!  To me, they’re not a necessity unless you I was going to be traveling for an extended period of time.  They can come in handy for storing your photographs, writing emails and blog posts, or even using Skype to call back home.

ASUS is arguably the most popular maker of Netbooks today and their latest, the ASUS Eee PC 1000HE is quite appealing.

Consolidating is your friend.  You don’t need every gadget and gizmo out there!  Many people have iPhones and Blackberries that can connect to the internet via WiFi now and that can substitute a laptop for the majority of budget travelers.  Don’t forget that many hostels and hotels now provide computers and if not, internet cafes are always around the corner!

OK now, be honest. What are you guilty of carrying? Share  your good (or bad) habits in the comments section!

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Kelty Redwing 3100 Review – Or: The best backpack I have ever purchased

If you read my post on 10 must-have items for independent travelers you know that the most important item you need is a good backpack.  This may sound obvious to most people but if you have ever shopped for a backpack you know how difficult it can be.  Head over to your local outdoors shop and you will be overwhelmed with the selection.

Then the questions arise:  How much space do I need? How heavy is it going to be? How much should I spend?

I previously recommended the Kelty Coyote 4750 which I still own and enjoy, but with more trips under my belt, I now realize it was more pack than I needed.  For my recent trip to Costa Rica I loaned it to my two friends who managed to squeeze enough clothes and other items for both of them, with a bit of room to spare!  The only problems were that it was excruciatingly heavy at 37 pounds, and needed to be checked on the airplane (which was a $25 fee).

The reason I was able to loan it to them was because I purchased a Kelty Redwing 3100 before this trip.  It holds 50 liters of clothes and gear compared to the Coyote 4750’s 80 liters.  Since I only packed my Coyote to about 60% capacity for my trip to Hungary last fall, I decided 50 liters should be more than enough.

Not only was it enough, it was more than enough.  After folding up my clothes and stuffing them into the bottom of the main compartment, I had at least 50% of the room still left!  This worked out well as I was able to put my Teva full strap hiking sandals into a plastic grocery bag and put them in there as well.  They are bigger than you would expect and awkward to pack, but still fit with room to spare for my toiletries and snacks.

This weighed in at 15 pounds before I left home.  I was able to carry it comfortably without the padded hip belt, but when attached and tightened, it hardly feels like you are carrying anything at all.

Here’s a rough idea of what I squeezed in it:

  • 1 pair of jeans
  • 2 pairs of shorts
  • 1 pair of board shorts
  • 7 pairs of socks
  • 5 pairs of underwear (I recommend synthetic materials for easy washing)
  • 7 t-shirts
  • 1 polo shirt
  • 1 light rain jacket
  • 1 pair of Teva outdoors sandals
  • Toiletries and snacks

And there was still some breathing room.  There would have been a lot had I skipped those sandals or clipped them to the outside of the bag.  In the small outer compartment I had my passport, digital camera, charger, phone, two books, and medicines.

Needless to say, this is my new main traveling backpack.  It can be carried on an airplane, has more room than you realize and it comfortable to boot.  Buy something bigger, and you’ll only bring more stuff that you don’t need.  In fact, I could have done with less on this trip.  Thanks to days at the beach and the river, I wore some of my synthetic blend shirts that were easily washable multiple times.  I never put on my jeans, jacket, polo shirt, or three of my nicer t-shirts.  What to, and not to pack is a post for another day though.

Overall, the Kelty Redwing 3100 is an amazing pack for around $99.  They also make a 2650 version (44 liters) and a 2500 version (41 liters) which is specifically designed for women.

I couldn’t help but giggle to myself every time I saw another backpacker walking down the street with their back hunched in pain from carrying an 80 liter pack filled to the brim.

Give this pack a shot.  I doubt you’ll have any complaints.

The MSRP is $109 but you can purchase the Kelty Redwing 3100 for around $85 on Amazon.  The price fluctuates and varies by color.

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Off the Beaten Path Destinations – How to find the highlight of your trip

Ask anybody who has backpacked for any amount of time what the highlight of their trip was and they’ll likely tell you about a place that you’ve never even heard of.

That’s right, I’ve never met anybody who said the Eiffel Tower was their favorite part of their trip to Europe.  Nothing against the Eiffel tower, it’s wonderful, but often the small, out of the way places that you never planned on visiting are what really make your trip.

For me, it was Cinque Terre, Italy in 2004.  It was my first backpacking trip and I was all by myself.  Made my way from Paris to Venice and met three Americans who were studying in England.  They were in my hostel and we decided to go out for dinner.  We ended up spending the next day together exploring the neighboring islands before heading to Florence which so happened to be both of our plans.

After a couple of days in Florence they invited me to Cinque Terre.   “Where?” I asked.

I looked it up in my Lonely Planet.  At the time, there was just one paragraph that said that the olive farming villages of Cinque Terre had no hotels and you had to find a local to rent you a room.

It sounded interesting, but the last thing I wanted to do was be stuck in some place I didn’t know with nowhere to sleep.  I was also convinced I needed five days to explore Rome.

Somehow they talked me into it, and after a brief obligatory stop in Pisa, we ended up in Vernazza, one of the villages of Cinque Terre.  It was there that an old lady met us at the train station and offered us a room.  Thanks to my Pimsleur Italian level I audio tracks and a lot of body language, we secured a room for the night.

The village was beautiful, located right on the water and offered the most beautiful sunset I had ever seen (keep in mind I live at the beach in Southern California and it’s hard to beat our sunsets).  We had an amazing and affordable dinner at a restaurant up on a cliff that overlooked the ocean.  The sky was lit with nothing but bright stars.  No lights from any nearby metropolis polluted the sky.

View from above of Vernazza, Cineque Terre, Italy
View from above of Vernazza, Cineque Terre, Italy

The following day we hiked between the villages along a path that had previously been used by the olive and grape farmers.  Some of the hillside had been carved specifically for the harvesting and that way of life hadn’t changed for many of the residents of Cinque Terre.

These days many Cinque Terre has become quite the hot spot.  Located on the Italian Riveria, it’s surprising that it took this long for it to become such a great spot for tourism.  Now, nearly every body I speak to who has backpacked Italy has told me they stopped in Cinque Terre.  I haven’t looked at the latest Lonely Planet guidebook for Italy but I would bet that there is MUCH more than the same short paragraph that I took a leap on five years ago.

I had a similar experience in Morocco when I visited Chefchaouen.  While I had read a bit about it in the guidebook, it certainly wasn’t the destination that bigger cities like Casablanca, Fez, and Tangiers were made out to be, but it ended up being the highlight of my trip for both its beauty, and the wonderful locals who invited me into their home for a great meal.

My point is that you never know what is out there when you are traveling.  Your guidebook is a necessity but you can never expect that the author visited every square mile of the country.

There are still many of places that have yet to be bombarded with tourists and in the case of Cinque Terre, they soon might be, so go see them while you have the chance!

Chefchaouen, Morocco
Chefchaouen, Morocco

Talk to other backpackers at hostels or ask a local their opinion on places you can visit to get a real feel for the culture.  You’ll be surprised with what you may find.  Just because a guidebook doesn’t listen a place, or doesn’t provide you with a lot of information, doesn’t mean it won’t be the highlight of your trip!

Have you found a great off the beaten path destination in your travels?  If so, post a comment and let us know where and how you came across it!