Confessions of a Baggage Handler

I'm going to take a break from the travel gear reviews to post thoughts on this excellent Budget Travel piece, Confessions of a Baggage Handler.

I've been traveling a lot the past six weeks and it has become very apparent to me that way too many travelers pack double what they really need. I've seen people struggling with suitcases that look to contain more clothes than my entire dresser. I've seen families with 8 bags between them, all of the suitcases packed to capacity. What's wrong with these people?

Here's a great quote from the article linked above:

A baggage handler can tell when it's spring break or a holiday without looking at a calendar. That's when the bags bulk up because inexperienced travelers overpack (and get slapped with fees for bags over 50 pounds). I'd rather work a flight filled with hard-core bowlers checking their balls en route to Reno than a trip headed to the Caribbean. How much stuff do you need for the beach?

One other piece of advice in there that I agree with completely: forget designer luggage--it's only going to get trashed. But buy quality items that are made well and will hold up to the pressure.

GoPro Hero3 Wrist Camera

If you are the type that likes to combine travel with skateboarding, snowboarding, or bungee jumping, I've got the item for you. While the GoPro Digital Hero3 camera may not fit the credo of "practical travel gear," it certainly is more practical (and sensible) than trying to use a normal camera or digicam for extreme footage. For instance, here's a quick frenetic video I shot while on the crazy Voyage roller coaster at Holiday World in Indiana.




The camera itself takes 3 megapixel photos or shoots 512 X 384 video at 30 frames per second. The little camera then fits into a handy waterproof case that straps around your wrist. So you can snap a photo or shoot video while up in the air or splashing around surfing if you're coordinated enough. The controls are intuitive and easy to use, which is key if you're going to use it in the course of action.

What about the image quality? Alas, this is more of a bragging rights capture device than a serious camera, which can only be expected given the size and the price. In my tests the still photo image quality was just decent--about what you would expect from a cell phone camera image. Lighting has to be good, so bright outdoor shots work best. You can see the video quality in the clip above, which again depends on the lighting conditions. When I tried to just pan across a panorama scene from a hotel balcony, the pixelation of the sky was really distracting, even before the compression it would face uploading it to something like YouTube or Blogger (as above). You can see lots of better still and video examples on the GoPro website.

It uses AAA batteries and the same SD memory cards as most digital cameras, so you can use this pretty much anywhere in the world without having to carry extra proprietary stuff along. It plugs into the USB port on a computer for uploading and an included adapter also lets you watch your rad video right on the TV.

For the price of only $139, it delivers as promised and is a fun toy for the outdoor adventurer who often yells, "Check out this move!" Someone working for Delta's baggage department apparently fits that description: the Hero3 was stolen out of my checked luggage coming back from Mexico. Grrrr...

Get the GoPro Hero3 at Amazon.

A Couple's Round-the-world Gadget Packing

My friend Derek Hughey and his new wife Shanna just began a round-the-world journey. Since they were living a few miles from my house before storing their possessions into storage and hitting the road, I checked in to see what travel gear they were packing.

The contents of these backpacks were a gadget-lover's dream, mostly because our newlyweds were able to register for lots of cool but useful wedding gifts. They registered for gear at REI and Amazon, picked up their packs from Backcountry, and even had relatives give them splurges through TravelersJoy.com. Their big challenge then was not deciding what to spend money on but rather what was worth packing and what was going to provide mostly extra weight.


Here are a few of the useful highlights:
Portable speaker for iPod Nano. Derek checked out a bunch of these and found this JLab one to have the best customer reviews for quality sound.
150-country electrical adapter with surge protection.
Eagle Creek packing cubes. I tend to just roll things and stuff them in my pack, but some travelers swear by these cubes as it helps them keep everything organized.
Convertible travel pants - a must-have to cut down on bulk.
Quick-dry travel towel
Retractable cable lock
Ipevo phone for making Skype calls

The last one only makes sense if you're carrying your own laptop, which Derek is. Carrying a laptop is not my preference when traveling for pleasure only, but he is a digital photography buff and they intend to document their trip through this blog: One Year on Earth.

Here's what's really cool about this couple: they quit real career jobs to go travel the world. Fearful sorts-especially American ones-constantly fret that they are afraid to take off and go traveling because they'll derail their job prospects for the future. For the most part, this is bunk. I know more people who have been out of work for six months just hanging out at home doing a job search after a layoff than I do people who have had a hard time getting a good job after a year of travel.

Derek and Shanna are attorneys. She already has a job waiting for her when she returns--she worked it out in advance. Derek doesn't, but that's the last thing he's thinking about as he goes out and sees what the world has to offer. He knows he'll be fine. They will both return wiser, more educated, and better able to deal with change and adversity. Dream candidates for any organization.

Nikwax Sandal Wash Keeps Things Fresh

I'm heading to Mexico in a few days with a fresh pair of sandals in my pack. I didn't buy new ones, I just cleaned up the old ones very well with some Nikwax sandal wash.

Nikwax is known for their line of waterproofing products, which work very well at turning a pair of hiking boots into water-repellent boots. They also make some spray-on waterproofers that work for jackets and the like.

This sandal wash is meant to combat an entirely different problem though: funky footwear. This stuff kills bacteria, deodorizes, and gets rid of everything that's been stuck to your sandals after months in the outdoors. In my tests it was easy to use (there's a sponge applicator brush) and delivered as promised. One $7 package should last you for years. Besides the obvious use on sandals, you could also use this for Crocs and other rubber or plastic footwear.

Get yours at REI, Backcountry.com, or Sierra Trading Post.

Hoss Funky Ponderosa Biking Shorts

It helps to have some extra padding in your rear when you're going to spend hours cycling on a bicycle. Those spandex ones are not my style, however, and they really scream, "Je suis un cycliste" when you step off the bike and walk into a pub or restaurant.

So before a recent biking trip in the Czech Republic, I picked up a pair of these Hoss baggy biking shorts from my local shop, Eastside Cycles. They look like a regular pair of shorts you would wear around while traveling, with lots of different-sized pockets for beer money, a cell phone, lip balm, or whatever else you need to carry. When you walk around, you may feel like you've taken a dump in your pants because of the padding, but otherwise nobody knows you've got special cycling shorts on.

These Ponderosa shorts are rugged and comfortable, with a lining on the inside that keeps the material off your skin while cruising along on a bike. You might not be as aerodynamic as Mr. Serious whizzing past you, but if you're riding for pleasure rather than trying to win a race, these are just the ticket.

I haven't seen them online at gear stores, so you'll need to check your local bike shop or order them direct from a cycling retailer or the Hoss site. These Ponderosa shorts list for $49.95 and as this specialized gear goes, that's a good value.