My Travel Gear Wish List

We’ve talked in the past about our top travel gear list. For anyone who travels, either full-time or is just a weekend getaway warrior, there are always those few items that you long for on the road. For the last month, as Tawny and I have worked our way back and forth across the continental US, we’ve discussed which travel supplies to take. After all, that’s the hard part. When you’ve only got 45 liters of space for a month of travel and you don’t want to spend the $50 to check a bag, what travel gear makes your list?

Here’s a few items I’ve come to long for in the last few months.

#1 – The Kenu Airframe

The Kenu Airframe is about to come out at the end of March and I’m dying to get my hands on one. This Handy (or no-handy…) item is perfect for those of us who navigate by our smart phones. When I’m driving somewhere and I want to use my iPhone as a GPS, I don’t want to make Tawny hold it the whole time. The only thing worse than an angry fiancée is one that’s also a double black belt. With the Kenu Airframe I can stick my phone on the dash to use as a GPS, to play Pandora, or to hold the phone when I take a call. No more searching for the headphones with the microphone or asking Tawny to hold the phone to my ear. For an affordable way to make your smart phone a GPS in the car, this rocks.

#2 – A Herschel Backpack

What’s that? There’s a backpack that conjures romantic images of vintage travel and it’s comfortable? Sold. As a travel blogger we have the fun task of needing to carry our laptops and cameras around the world like survey equipment of the 1700’s. To do so, I want something that looks classic but still offers more lumbar support than the Swiss Army backpacks you see at the Army Surplus stores. The Herschel backpack line offers just that. They are not only made of sturdy canvass, but they also look really, really good. To top it all off they have modern padding on the back and a padded laptop sleeve inside. They allow you to truly be a modern cartographer, with all the flash and style of the 1950’s but the function and form of the day.

Captain wants.

 

#3 – A Pelican Hardcase

Sometimes a padded backpack isn’t enough. For those of us who like to get off the beaten path but don’t want to worry about destroying their laptop in the process, there is a piece of travel gear that fits the bill. Pelican cases offer waterproof, crush proof protection for a wide array of electronics. You can throw your laptop in one of these bad boys and not have to worry about dropping your MacBook when you slip in the rain forests of Brazil or when TSA is being a little rough with your bag in the airport security line. Pelican has been protecting the military’s electronics for years. Why not protect your laptop while traveling and give your self some affordable piece of mind?

#4 – Sanuk Shoes/Sandals

I’m a boot man with white feet that hate the sun. The only thing I love more than a sturdy pair of UV resistant hiking boots is being in the water.

I am a man conflicted.

In short, I’ve been waiting my whole life for Sanuk sandals. Made from recycled yoga mats, these shoes are comfy and water proof. Wear them into the ocean, and then wear them right back out again into the hotel lobby for your board meeting. As you might have guessed, I love to blend style with function. Sanuk delivers on both accounts. Here you have a piece of footwear perfect for travel: comfortable, sustainable, environmentally friendly, and fashionable enough to make a man proud. Even cooler, they have pockets on top to stash things like keys or cash when you’re in the water! Boo yah. No more trying to decide weather to pack sandals or shoes with your last liter of space.

Tawny’s had her eye on the Sanuk trippy toes.  Light, airy, and perfect for the perpetual traveler and fashionista.

 

#5 – The Ego Submarine

No, I don’t have any idea where I would put it. No, I don’t care. Almost as cool as the SeaBreacher dolphin submersible I lusted after not too long ago, the Ego Submarine offers the modern seafarer a luxurious way to see the denizens of the deep. Not only would it be the ultimate date mobile, but it would make an awesome rental item at any water sports hot spot. The Ego reaches a max speed of 3 knots and is easy enough to pilot for even the most amateur of navigators. It’s also entirely electric, so you can get up to 8 hours of environmentally friendly fun. One part party boat, one part “The Hunt for Red October.” This semi submersible has three panoramic windows that drop into the water and give you an incredible way to see the ocean. If I could only figure out a way to attach laser tag torpedoes to one, I would be pulling out the credit card tonight.