Review of the HYmini Wind-powered Charger

A lot of these travel gear reviews are variations on a theme, slight improvements on a standard item. The HYmini charger is a different story. This thing is a real breakthrough.

If you've been whining about how our various governments don't do enough to promote solar power and wind power, here's your chance to put your money where your mouth is. (And not a whole lot of money at that.) This innovative item is a personal charger powered up by wind. If you get the attachments you can even clip it onto your bike when you go out cycling or to your arm when you're out running. It only takes a breeze of 9 miles per hour to keep it humming.

After 20 to 40 minutes, you've got enough juice to charge up your iPod, your mobile phone, or any gadget with a USB or USB mini input. If you're in a place with unreliable wind but plenty of sun, you can supplement with the optional solar panel. To add to the eco-cred, the solar panel is housed in cardboard and the packaging it all comes in uses mostly renewable materials--no plastic clamshells from hell.

All nice in theory, but how well does it work? Extremely well, I'm happy to report. I simply stuck the thing in my office window on a nice spring day and then fully charged up my iPod. I put it back in the window again for an hour, went back to my work, and it was ready to go again. On my bike handlebars the turbine was charging up the whole time I was pedaling. Granted, the HYmini will not keep your Treo fully changed all day and night all week, but it's a nice supplement when you are between outlets or when you just need to get a near-dead phone going for another few conversations.

The only drawback is one created by the least environmentally friendly companies around: the cellphone manufacturers. As with the Chargepod I reviewed earlier, the HYmini comes with five attachments, but that only covers a fraction of the annoyingly unstandardized handsets out there. The Nokia adapter didn't work on my wife's Nokia and since I have a Sanyo phone I'm S.O.L. As best as I can tell, they don't sell any additional adapters on their site beyond LG2 and Samsung2. (Like Nokia, these guys can't even make their OWN phones work with the same chargers.) Someday the electronics industry will wake up and realize they need to become part of the solution instead of making us buy new accessories every time we get a new gadget, but they haven't gotten the memo yet.

The charger comes in black, white, or green, along with a wall plug, five connectors, and a USB cord for $50. The solar panel is another 25 bucks, the armband $15, and the bike handlebars connector is $9. So if you went for the whole shebang it would be about $100 plus shipping. Hey, there are probably cheaper ways to save the world, but how many of them can charge up your gadgets in the Sahara or Seattle? Not many retailers seem to be stocking this yet, online or physical, so order direct from HYmini.

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Gordini Lavawool Hiking Socks

Last weekend I spent a couple blissful hours in the great outdoors. It's spring hiking time again--yay! Though my feet are pasty white and soft from being cold and in shoes or slippers much of the past few months, they are feeling fine thanks to some Lavawool socks I was trying out from Gordini.

It is painful for most of us to lay out $15 to $20 for a pair of socks. It's especially hard when you see plain old cotton ones selling for a buck. But hey, your feet get far more pressure than the parts of your body covered by a fancy t-shirt or shorts, so it can pay off to equip them well. Quality socks do keep your feet in blister-free shape when you're subjecting them to punishment and the good socks outlast the cheapies, staying in working order for years if you treat them right. (A few pairs I bought for hiking the Inca Trail three years ago are still going strong.)

So what's special about these?

The official line is that these merino wool socks give you "the warmth and benefit of wool, but with the comfort of fleece. " The truth is they do feel quite good, with no wool scratchiness to deal with. Plus they're cushioned where they need to be and aren't where they don't need to be. So you don't have bulky socks bunching up in your shoes. They've got the wicking thing down too and in my short test they kept things dry and odor-free. Definitely going in the pack for my next trip.

There's a bit of synthetic material in the mix here though to make them stretchy and durable, so don't go thinking you're going to get an extra helping of eco-cred. (The socks say "Made in the USA," but the wasteful cardboard and metal packaging the retailers insist on for hanging is made in China.)

These midweight hiking socks are part of a whole big line of socks that cover the gamut from ultralight to heavyweight hiking socks, two versions of running socks, and ski/snowboard socks. Most come in six colors and four sizes. Go to the Gordini sock section to see the whole shebang, but you'll pay $8.90 of shipping even if you only buy one pair. So you might want to get your Lavawool socks at a physical store or combined with another order here:

REI Footwear

Pen-sized Hand Sanitizer

I'm as game as the next guy for making fun of those travelers who load up on hand sanitizer for a trip, as if there are somehow 10 times more germs abroad than at home. (The germophobe gets a starring role in the new Nim's Island movie, with an ongoing Purell product placement via Jodie Foster.)

As a parent though, I know there are times when your kid is carrying a whole petri dish of stuff on his/her hands. But then it's time to eat the airplane or food stall snack, with no sink and soap in sight.

This cool little hand sanitizing spray device from CVS lets you kill all the germs without loading up your bag or worrying about the 3-ounce carry on rules. It's the size of a large ink pen and has all of 0.17 ounces (5ml) in it. The protective top even has a clip for hooking it to a pocket. Pull the top off and there's a little spray nozzle. No mess before or after.

This mini hand sanitizing spray fits into a purse or pocket easily so you can keep it handy in flight or while on the move. It retails for a mere $1.79 at their stores, so this is one gadget impulse buy that you won't regret later.

Transit Sun Hat from Outdoor Research

While it certainly looks more fashionable to walk around in a Panama hat or some other stylish bit of headgear, something that holds its shape doesn't usually react very well to being jammed in a suitcase or backpack. So when jetting off to sunny places, my hat of choice now is this Transit Sun Hat from Outdoor Research.

It's the typical floppy cloth affair, complete with an under-the-chin strap guaranteed to make you look like a tourist, but oh so useful when the wind picks up or you're on a moving boat. This one is a step up from the norm in two ways though. First it has ventilation. Since "sun hat" and "hot sun" go hand in hand, having a breeze blowing through makes it a lot more comfortable. Second, it floats! I inadvertently tried this feature out when the hat blew into a swimming pool. Float it did.

I get annoyed with these hats that make a big deal about having "UPF 50+" sun protection though. Stick any piece of thick canvas on top your head and of course you're going to have sun protection. Duh. My blue jeans are probably "UPF 50+" too, but Levi's doesn't need to put it on the label.

But the important thing is, this hat has been smashed into my bag multiple times and looks like it'll keep taking a lot of licks. If you're going to a hot sunny place, taking one of these along is a good step in avoiding the pruneface look when you get older. The Transit Sun Hat lists for $28 on the Outdoor Research site, or check out other options here:

Check prices at Shopzilla

Flip Video Ultra: a Nice Digicam for the Price

I have, in a sense, been reviewing the Flip Video Ultra for months now. I had an issue with the first one's record button having a mind of its own, but after an exchange the second one I tried has been fine in that department. Before I get into the interface and the workings of it, the important question is, what does the video look like?

Well, I've uploaded a few different shots to YouTube and Revver, so judge for yourself. The thumbnail at the top goes to a Revver video that is a panorama of the Guanajuato skyline in Mexico. Down below you will find a video showing the ride down from that point on the funicular (incline railway) in the same city. Not awe-inspiring video, but probably better than your phone or digital camera will ever manage.

The videos actually look far better when you hook the camera up to a TV with the provided cord--better than watching them on your own computer. So if you want to save some good footage of you rafting down a raging river or ziplining through the forest, you might want to burn it onto a CD or take it to one of the outlets that does this (including CVS stores) and pay them to do it.

Overall, the Flip Ultra delivers as promised if you have the latest and greatest computer technology. If you have a PC or Mac that is even slightly old, or are using a USB port that is not 2.0, then look out. You will probably not get the software on it to work (it's on the player itself, not a CD). You will need to just pull the videos off the player in Windows Explorer unless you're willing to spend an afternoon downloading firmware updates. That's not necessarily a deal-killer at this price, but just be advised that if you want the device to do all it's supposed to do, have a new computer. This is based on my tests on three computers and reading lots of online message boards to see what other new users were experiencing.

All that aside, this is a nifty little digicam for the price. It's smaller than your average digital still camera, with a felt carrying case and a built-in USB plug. You just flip a switch, plug it into your USB port, and you're ready to pull off your videos. (There's a cable to use if the hook-up would be too awkward physically.) The interface is as simple as can be. All you really have to figure out is how to turn it on, how to use the 2X zoom, and how to delete. Nothing fancy, just the means to turn it on and start filming.



The 2GB Flip Ultra holds an hour of footage and the 1GB one holds 30 minutes, so the fact that it doesn't support a memory card doesn't really matter for most circumstances. You're not going to go all Spielberg on us with this little thing anyway. It's meant for the kid's soccer game, quick interviews, and travel shots.


Sure, the quality is not all that great, especially when you're panning, but good enough for the super-compressed videos you see on the sites mentioned above, especially if the subject isn't moving around much. People are obviously used to watching bad video on their PC or mobile device. If you're into specs, go see them all here, but the key one is the resolution is 640 X 280. Overall, this is an affordable, portable video device that does a better job than your regular camera, holds a lot more footage, and easily links up to a computer for transfers. For $149 to $179, what else can you reasonably expect? This is a cool piece of gadgetry at a good price, especially if you just went computer shopping recently and you can use all the included editing and upload software. It even uses plain ole AA batteries, so buy rechargeable ones and you're set for non-stop filming.

Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder at Amazon

Search Flip Ultra prices at Shopzilla

The Rugged but Feminine Hybrid Bag from Keen

Sorry the reviews on this travel gear blog haven't been so frequent lately but I've been, well, traveling. I took a week of vacation recently where my other half brought along this very cool Keen Hybrid Transport bag.

Keen is known for its hiking boots and stylish active footwear, but the company is also putting out some innovative and eco-friendly bags. This one is built to be a laptop bag that doesn't look like a laptop bag, but it also works well as your carry-on and sightseeing daypack if you're not traveling on business. The section where your laptop would go is padded on the bottom and side, plus there's a mostly hidden rubber part on the bottom of the bag to protect it more and offer some shock absorption.

According to my tester, this fantastic bag looks great and performs like a champ. She shoved everything short of the kitchen sink into it and walked around airports without any strain on her shoulder from the nicely padded strap. A series of zippered pockets and flaps are set up to keep your pens, phone, music player, camera, and loose change all separate, while the spacious main compartment holds plenty of books or other items. There's a waterproofed pocket on the inside that would also provide insulation and a hidden zipper pocket on the outside for whatever you need to keep handy.

As a bonus, it's made from recycled polyester, plastic, and aluminum. I've never seen garbage look so good.

Apart from regular solo biz trips, this could also be a good bag for a working mother, with the laptop in its flap and all the sippy cup/snack gear at the ready.

It's made in China, but in this case that doesn't mean it's cheaply made. The design, construction, and stitching all say, "This bag will last." The Keen Hybrid Twenty-Six bag comes in four color combinations and lists for $80.


Search for Keen Twenty-Six at Shopzilla

Comfy Puppies for Your Feet

The big travel gear issue for most people when packing is shoes. They take up a lot of room. Some of them are heavy. If you're working, sightseeing, going out at night, and visiting the gym too, how do you pack for that?

I've reviewed a few items that help now and then, like lightweight sandals and light multi-sneakers, but there's always some kind of trade-off you're going to have to deal with. The best method I've found is to do your best to find shoes that can work with multiple outfits and situations. These fashionable Hush Puppies I've tried out over the course of a few travel weeks have fit the bill.

The uppers on this Shift style are made from what the company calls Worry-Free Suede and for the most part it performs as advertised. Water did indeed bead up and roll away and though the dirt showed up pretty easily on my pair of tan ones, a quick brushing got most of it back off. The shoes also have an anti-bacterial lining to keep odors at bay (especially important if you're going to Japan or Korea--where nobody wears shoes inside a house.)

The ladies seemed to love them and they fit like a glove. The glove part can be a bit of a problem if you wear them too much though: they're better for lounging around and padding over to a club or restaurant than they are for pounding the pavement or the cobblestones. They feel more like slippers than a shoe with proper support.

But as a result they squash down to nothing in your pack and don't weigh much at all. Good traveling shoes.