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Compression Packing Cubes Set - Luggage Organizers/Pouches by TRIPPED Travel Gear

Compression Cubes - Your new favorite accessory

Packing cubes= Everyone's favorite travel accessory. Except not really, right?

Before we left for the trip Finney showed up with two sets of compression packing cubes. I quickly and gently explained that I thought they were the most pointless things in the world.

Clothes go in a backpack- why make it more complicated?

Compression Cubes changed my life

Ok, not really... but at least the way we travel!

Once we started living out of our Osprey Backpacks, Compression cubes kept things organized and the situation more manageable.  Think of them as dresser drawers for your backpack. You can separate shirts and pants and they get less wrinkled when they aren’t just thrown haphazardly in the backpack.

Finally, the compression feature on these bags actually does help.  We first brought vacuum plastic packing bags with us on the trip but those died after a month and weren’t usable.   They were awesome while they lasted but the airtight seal has defined lifetime.  On the other hand, the zippered compression cubes kept on trucking.

Which compression cubes to buy?

In our minds, compression cubes were needlessly expensive... heck, they're just a bag with a zipper, right?  So - we made our own!  Same size and quality as the big names, but since we're not a big retailer or famous we can sell them for less...yay!

I introduce you to TRIPPED Travel Gear on our new Amazon store.  Enjoy!

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Compression Cubes - TRIPPED Travel Gear

EASY TO USE! Durable double zipper compression system removes air, compresses clothing, and helps you save space in your luggage so you can always hit carryon size.

TOUGHER THAN THE OTHER GUYS! Smooth rip-stop nylon is ultra lightweight and extra strong. Nylon is water resistant and translucent so that contents are semi-visible and easily identifiable. Zippers work smoothly and snag free.

ARRIVE ORGANIZED AND KEEP YOUR LUGGAGE CARRYON SIZE- This two piece set will help you compress your clothing into less space than you thought possible! Clothes no longer shift in transit. Great way to stay organized for round the world travel, backpacking, camping, hiking, rv, cruise, and holidays.

HOW MUCH DOES THIS SET HOLD? Large bag holds a week worth of shirts/ medium holds a week worth of underwear/socks. Example: Large holds rainjacket, zip hoodie, Longsleeve tshirt, and a cardigan. Medium will hold 5 womens size medium tshirts. Quick Grab Handle for easy carry or to pull out of a packed backpack! Two bag set of Large and Medium. Large Dimensions Zipped/Compressed size: 14x10x1in Expanded Size : 14x10x4in Medium Dimensions Zipped/Compressed size 10x7x1in Expanded Size: 10x7x4in

SATISFACTION GUARANTEED. Never heard of TRIPPED Travel Gear? We’re here to put out the best travel accessories possible at a fraction the cost of the competition. Give us a shot- we stand behind everything we make and guarantee you’ll love it.

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Vietnam Motorcycle Trip: Gear Essentials | Motorbike Vietnam Blog

If you want to boil it down, all you really need for a Vietnam motorcycle trip is a bike, Dong for gas and then some extra Dong for repairs. On the flippy flop, if you want to make the most out this adventure of a lifetime, here are a few items you’re going to want to pick up to make the trek a bit more comfortable.

1. Good Helmet with Visor

Many rental agencies or motorcycle sales will toss in a free helmet to sweeten whatever deal you’re negotiating.  Unless you really don’t value your noggin, you’re best off buying your own brand new.  With a used helmet, you don’t really know how many times it’s been dropped, used as a chair, or where it was picked up to begin with.  

Unless you hit a dealer show room in Vietnam, most of the motorcycle helmets you find are going to be glorified bike helmets.  The good news is that you’ll be going at a slower speeds, but you should still pick up something new from a reputable store.  You can get a pretty decent helmet between 20-30 bucks US, and if you’re really sweating it you can likely sell the helmet to whoever when you’re done using it.

You’d be well-to-do to purchase a helmet with a visor- it’s going to rain sometime during you’re trip and that rain sure does sting.  The rest of the time, the visor will protect you from dust and rocks to the face.

A final note on Vietnamese helmets- the bigger your head, the harder it is going to be for you to find a helmet.  I had to go to a few different stores to find a helmet that would fit my ridiculously sized head.  If I was simply flying into Vietnam just for a motorcycle trip (instead of in the middle of 10 months of travel) I would have brought my own helmet from home.

2. Goggles/Sunglasses

They’ll also be days where you’ll find yourself on nice remote roads or dashing through the mountains, and you won’t need a your helmet visor down.  Make sure you have a decent set of sunglasses for when you need some wind on your face but the Vietnam sun is still high in the sky.  

I included goggles in this entry as well.  My helmet didn’t have an option for a visor, so I just bought a knock off pair of Oakley goggles to wear for those days when sunglasses didn’t cut it.  In retrospect, I should have bought a helmet with a visor...

3. Buff/Facemask

Remember those dusty roads I mentioned earlier?  There is a reason that you’ll see a lot of locals in facemasks-exhaust, dust and rocks from trucks.  Pick up a $1 dollar facemask.  You don’t need to wear it all the time, but when you need it, you’ll have it.

4. Gloves

As unbelievable as this may seem, parts of Vietnam are cold.  Add altitude and rain, and you’re going to find yourself with freezing hands.  There is a little old lady near Hanoi who made the sale of her life when two 6’ tall Americans walked into her shop shivering and looking for gloves.  She knew she had the upper-hand on the negotiation and she took them for every penny.  Good for you little old lady.  (In the winter in SaPa it even snows!)

5. Fake Wallet with Bribe Money

Especially if you’re passing through Mui Ne, but prevalent in other touristy cities as well.  The reality of travel through Asia is that bribes are a part of life.  Cops are crooked, but it’s almost charming really- I wish we could bribe police back home and not have to deal with tickets and insurance premiums.

Keep a fake wallet with about 10 USD worth of Dong in it.  When you inevitably get pulled over, you can go through the song and dance with the police that you only have that much money.  Stick to your guns and you’ll be fine.

6. International Drivers License

We’ve seen conflicting information online on whether having an Internationl Drivers Permit allows you to ride in Vietnam.  Technically, I don’t think foreigners are supposed to drive at all and Vietnam doesn’t recognize the international drivers permit. In reality, it doesn’t hurt to have and it costs less than $15 at AAA near you.  (Maybe not even available in your home country).

7. Weather Protection

Sunscreen- Yes.  Listen to your mother. Sunscreen is always a good idea. Rainjacket- Yes. It’s Vietnam.  It rains.  You already knew this.  But did you know about VIETNAM PONCHO?! All the locals have them!  They go over the entire scooter and will keep you (mostly) toasty and dry. They even have little clear plastic areas so that your front headlight can shine through. Being on the taller side however, meant that the clear part ended up over my instrument gauge but still awesome nonetheless. These should cost no more than $3USD at any roadside shop. (Don’t worry, the poncho is not going to get sucked into the back tire, it may just flap a bit making you feel like Batman speeding through Gotham City).

Waterproof cover or thick plastic bags are also essential.  You'll likely not want to deal with a soaked bag of clothes/electronics.  Most motorcycle shops/rentals will be able to point you to the right place to get a thick plastic bag if you're in-country or, as always most things are easier to order online at if you're still at home!

8. Shoes

So the locals may all drive around wearing sandals, but you weren’t born on a motorbike.  Wear full shoes for your full riding days. You’ll inevitably have a time where you need to put a foot down during a quick stop or turn, and you’ll be glad you have real shoes on.

9. Bungie Straps

Way better than having to tie down your luggage every time with a rope.  Bungie straps are cheap.  Buy more than you think you need because that’s actually how many you’ll end up using the first time your stuff falls off the back of your motorcycle.

10. Unlocked Phone

Bring your unlocked smartphone from home and pick up a cheap sim card with data.  It can be intimidating at first to walking into a shop and have someone help you, but the cell phone stores around backpacker areas all know how to help English speaking tourists set up new SIM cards on their phones.  You’ll be overjoyed to have access to google maps and Agoda when it’s getting dark and you have no idea how far away from the closest town you are.  "Follow the moving blue dot" is essentially how we spent 98% of our day.

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(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvyQwH4a_zw)

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A post shared by Allison Diemer (@timandfin)

SWAN OR CHICKEN?? #thedress #whichone #dalat #travelvlog (at Dalat, Viet Nam)

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(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJcAG72EIYY)

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How to Make a Better Travel Vlog | Tips for 2017

Picture it:  You're standing at the top of Roy's Peak.  The sun is just rising over Lake Wanaka.  You have your trusty GoPro in hand.  Turn it on and point it at the sun?  How do you capture this moment: your feelings, the sounds, the air; so you can share feeling with the world?  Here's a few little things to keep in mind that will make a HUGE difference.

Talk to Yourself

The most difficult thing when we started shooting videos was to sit down and talk to the camera. The best way to get over that initial awkwardness is to have someone asking you questions about what you're doing today, how you felt about the experience, etc. Make sure that when you answer those questions (even if you're prompting yourself) that you answer in complete sentences. Then you can simply cut the audio of the question being posed. Sounds quite simple but a quick “talk in” to what the video or subject of the video is about is a great way to hook your audience.

Capture B Roll

Mark it down- 2017 is the year that the classic version of vlogging starts to die its already overdue death. Yapping heads droning on and on about what they did or what they want to do, or worse: what they're about to do during their trip is played out. To create a truly dynamic video, focus on trying to capture all that great background footage of your trip-sunsets on the beach, snorkeling reefs, footage of sled dogs, close ups of flowers blowing in the wind, etc…..all this footage can go over verbal talk ins, personal reflections, or a rocking soundtrack.

Go out there and get some awesome B Roll footage.

Don't Be Serious

Unless you're Richard Attenborough, you should really limit the amount of facts that you're throwing at the camera. The most cringe worthy and unfortunately boring travel videos usually are the ones were some teenager yaps on endlessly about the details of some complex subject they have zero grasp of, like theology in Indonesia.

A few fun facts can be, well, fun, but overall, the Youtube audience is watching travel vlogs to have a good time. If you want to throw in a little learning, think hydrogen peroxide volcano, not organic chemistry textbook. Stick with what you know and take the viewer along on the fun part of the trip. Leave the educational stuff to the pros at BBC.

For damn sake, hold the camera steady

Just hold the camera steady. If you can't hold the camera steady, set it on a table. Or a chair. Or press it against the wall, or buy a gimbal.

Shooting with a GoPro and have nothing to set the camera on? Hold it against your chin or forehead. Yes-seriously. Turns out the human body is a great steadicam. Or buy a gimbal.

Use Interesting Angles

If you're lazy and shoot everything eye height the audience is going to get bored quick. Lay down and shoot up so that everything has a taller, more epic appearance. Shoot scenes with items really close in the foreground to give the scene depth. Get creative with where you place the camera and what the focus is. Alternate establishing shots with close ups in your final edit for visual variety.

Cut out the everything not necessary, and then cut even more

The worst sin of creating video is to be boring. It's really easy to get attached to footage you may have shot but attention spans are at an all time low. Chop your footage, chop out even more, and then have a friend give feedback on where they feel your video drags and where it rocks. Learning to be brutal with what you don't show is one of the hardest skills to learn.

Stop NARRATING and do

"Today we'll be doing this".  "We're about to get on the plane". "We're at the bus stop".  Yes.  We're watching VIDEO. That is our visual aid and using context clues we have figured out you are at the airport.  Now, film your conversation with someone, talk about how you're feeling or better yet, get out and start doing something (in your video) and cut out the majority of that "dead" time.

If nothing else, throw money at the problem

Like all problems in life, there is no problem that money can't solve.

Does the audio you capture suck? Buy an external Mic

Is your footage still shaky? Buy a gimbal to smooth things out

Don't know the nuts and bolts of actually editing a video? Let us walk you through it

Need a royalty free soundtrack to use? This is the music service you wish you'd known about years ago.

So those are true beginner tips for how to improve your travel footage starting right now. What are your best tips for travel videos? Drop something in the comments! We'll use the best tips in an upcoming video.

You might also like

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(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RrDkH97aqc)

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Traveling with Significant Other

What is long term travel like with a significant other? Like some facebook relationships- it’s complicated.

The Bad

Lack of Space

Getting out there and seeing what a big world it is doesn’t mean that you won’t find yourself in tight quarters, especially when traveling on a budget.  Often times we found ourselves with small, uncomfortable sleeping arrangements. This type of accommodation normally wouldn’t cause you to blink an eye if you were at them for a week, but after a few months spent doing it, the novelty starts to wear thin.  When you’re constantly within arms reach of your travel buddy and already agitated, fights will start themselves.

Just Getting Food Can Be a Struggle  

Being completely out of your element is my single favorite thing about traveling. I’ve never felt as strangely free as being in places where I’m completely this fish out of water.  This does mean however, that even getting things like a meal can cause friction between a couple. When you’re constantly traveling to the next destination, food choices tend to fall into three options:

Convenience store/shack store food/local market

Street Food

Expensive Restaurant

Eating gas station type food from #1 becomes something reserved for situations where we’d be starving.  #2 can be difficult if you have no grasp of the language or even a place to put the food you’re purchasing.  That left us with solution #3- which I understand sounds awesome if you think you’re eating out at a restaurant three times a day. However, in practice, going out to eat 3 times a day can be a major pain in the ass (waiting, ordering, etc) and time and money suck.

Different Interests

It’s only natural that you and your partner don’t share every interest. When it comes time to pick destinations, it’s a little like picking a movie to watch on Netflix.  If one of you chooses, it’s likely that the other one will be completely unhappy with whatever they are watching.  If you decided together, you more likely than not end up with a flick neither one wants to really watch.  It’s a little like that with travel.  

When picking both destinations and activities, you’re better off with truly picking something the other person wants to do rather than always meeting up at a mediocre agreement.  Some destinations are easy to agree on of course, like anything with nice weather.

The Good

With so many challenges, it's a wonder people travel together at all.  There are some pretty awesome benefits though:

Never Feel Like an An Outsider

You have someone to share the trip with that get’s it. -The saddest part about any trip is that when people ask about, the story becomes a list of county names with little meaning.  It can truly be depressing.  (Or don't ask at all and just say "so, where will you be settling down?")

Traveling with someone means that they know that mentioning your week in Croatia means “Hey-nude beaches but watch out for those sea urchins!” and time spent in Vietnam means "remember when we almost accidentally drove to China?".

You’ll learn everything there is to Know

Think you know your spouse/girlfriend/boyfriend/partner?  You’ll really get to know them after a month spent sleeping in a minivan.  Allison and I truly learned the other person's hidden weaknesses and strengths while abroad.

Over the course of the trip I learned that Allison:

CAN negotiate face to face with people and be an absolute hardass when needed.

CAN Ride a motorbike.

NEEDS 8 (9) hours of sleep.

And prefers time on a beach to almost anything else.

In addition to just seeing the other person in every conceivable situation possible, you’re also going to have time to tell each other every story you’ve ever been part of.  That’s okay though-you’ll be making a new story with the adventure you’re on.

Don't however, take this connection lightly.  We constantly had enlightened moments where we kept saying "I'm so glad we're married" because... imagine doing something like this with a boyfriend/girlfriend and having to explain to your future spouse that your honeymoon is going to have to be in your backyard because you already went everywhere else with your ex.

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(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdYm1ds1r6Y)

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(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDcvMgFn53c)

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(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYBxbCLGSJE)

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How to Come Home After Long Term Travel

It takes a while to come to terms with the idea of quitting your job and leaving on a trip. Once I knew I HAD to take this trip, the very next thought I had was “Great-I can leave.  How do I come back?” What follows is what I’ve learned from both Allison and my own experiences. These are all the things to consider and tips we learned on how to come home from a year living and traveling abroad.

BEFORE YOU LEAVE

If you love your job, don’t underestimate how much your job loves you back.

It’s incredibly expensive, time consuming, and exhausting process for employers to find good employees. Even if they do find a good potential candidate, that person could very likely turn out to be a complete degenerate when they get into the role. If you’re a good employee, you can use this to your advantage.

If you have a nagging feeling your employer doesn't like you, in reality, they are probably dreaming of a day when you’ll quit. For either of the strategies below, it’s best to start the conversation 2-3 months before you want to leave. If you plan on just quitting your job, two weeks minimum is necessary but if you start the conversation early you never know what you'll end up working out (an unpaid 3 month sabbatical with guaranteed job return perhaps?)

Or - negotiate with your employer to work remote. On the plus side you’ll be generating income while you’re abroad.  On the negative side your travel schedule will likely be severely impeded by the fact you’ll likely be tied to places with reliable internet. Not the biggest issue, but even in well wired places like Bali and Thailand, internet outages are more common than you would think.  Video conferencing can be extremely challenging even in the best of situations.  But hey, a CoWorking space on the beach is a hellofa lot better than your current work condition and there are more and more spaces or world-wide programs to participate now more than ever.

The hardest part though is if you’re expected to be working remote during the same hours as back at home.  This means you’d be essentially working second or third shift- not a great way to see the world. 

There is - however - something to be said about the experience of being completely free from the burden of time.  From the time we enter our school years, we truly never get to take off the yoke of responsibility for more than a day or two at a time (in the US at least). It’s a big world that is begging you to get lost in it- who are you to deny that? (And the second you're abroad you'll realize HOW MANY people are doing this too.)

WHILE YOU’RE GONE

Leave and Never Look Back

This isn’t as unreasonable as it seems. We met many people abroad who left on one way tickets with a dream in their hearts and have no intent of going back to their home and normal life anytime soon.  

Let’s stop here and differentiate what this looks like though.  If you are pursuing this option, the primary goal is not travel; it’s to become independent of the typical career lifestyle.  If you really want to leave the country indefinitely your focus will first be on creating financial independence.  It’s actually not as scary as it sounds- many people do this.  We just hadn’t met them yet because they aren’t hanging out in Wisconsin.  They’re hanging out in Chiang Mai, Canggu, or wherever the hell they want.

How have they accomplished this?  Many different ways. Many people are working as freelancers, participating in micro transactions “gigs”, have learned new skills abroad, or are just simply working in their normal job role for companies abroad.  There are also many ways to work abroad such as woofing or under 30yr/old work visas for countries like Australia and New Zealand.

Use your Time abroad to Change Careers upon Return

If you’ve been on a single career path for a few years, extended travel abroad might be one of the few moments where you really have the time and clarity to focus on changing careers.  You’ll have the free time to plan exactly what your new career path will look like, the time to network (even remotely) with contacts back home put things in motion, and the time to interview to line up the best possible positioning for yourself when you come home.

In my personal experience, potential employers that I interviewed with were intensely interested in my year abroad.  I was able to speak on goal setting, drive to succeed, and my newfound passion for my changing career path.  Despite what you might think, a gap of employment for a year of travel is not going to make you unhirable.  Instead, you will listen to countless stories in interviews of people wishing they had done the same thing. 

Allison took the last few months on our trip and built her own HR Consulting business and has clients around the country and is able not only to work for herself but also from anywhere.  Building your own business is something that's hard to do when you're working for someone else.  Maybe your trip is also about building something yourself.

Location

When we acknowledged the fact that it was time to start our reentry plan, we knew that we’d need to be in the right spot to pull it off.  Sure, one could always travel back home and look for jobs there.  However, if you plan ahead, then you can stay abroad while you job hunt for less money than sitting at home.

For example, we chose to go to Bali for a month as our last place to visit before returning home.  We would be able to stay and live for cheap (especially booking accommodation for a month at a time). We would have access to reliable power and internet through a CoWorking space located close to our rental apartment as well. Added bonus? We got to be in Bali! One month quickly turned into two at a minimum of added cost. Additionally, when “work” was done at the end of the day, there would still be plenty of island to explore and waves to catch. 

Tools

If you’re looking for any sort of professional job while abroad, you’re going to need access to a computer.  Luckily, even if you don’t bring  laptop with, it’s easy enough to find an internet cafe where you can use a PC for cheap.  One thing you’ll likely want taken care of before you leave home though is having a copy of your updated resume and references on Google Drive.

Money

We love ourselves some personal finance. Boring Excel spreadsheets, tedious budgeting apps, retirement planning, and conscious spending are passions of ours (that's how we made the trip possible - read more here!). One fundamental of any personal finance guru is that you always keep a liquid nest egg that can sustain your living costs for six months.  This 6 Month Emergency Fund should be ON TOP OF the money you’ve saved for your trip    Of course, if you’re a student or you have an awesome mom and dad you plan on living with upon your return, your emergency fund need not be for 6 months. If you’re a grown ass adult planning on leaving for extended travel, you should already have a 6 month fund- it shouldn’t be something you have to save for on top of the trip money (if not -- start now - change your lifestyle because you are spending too much of your take-home pay! Read more here.)

Costs Upon Returning Home

First off, think of the obvious- return flight, transportation, food, etc. Do a daily budget for your home country just like you're doing for your trip.  Multiply by the length of time until you anticipate to be working again.

Now here are a few costs that aren’t as obvious:

Vehicle Insurance-  Expect a small hike on cost if you haven’t had insurance in a year.

Health Insurance and the penalty of not having health insurance- (thanks Obama) your travel health insurance is only valid out of the country, so even though we weren't in the country and had health insurance we still had to pay a penalty for every month.

Interview Costs- gas, clothing, haircuts

Moving Cost- If your job is in a new location, you may need to be for movers or a moving trailer, in addition to having deposit and first month's rent for a new apartment.

Hope some of that information helps ease your fears about leaving your current job and pursuing your dream.  Before we left, know that we shared all the same fears and anxiety as you.  But just remember, time passes in days, not all at once.  If you feel like you're account is looking a little too close to zero you can always just come home early.  Not 100% the plan, but if you're responsible its doubtful the trip is going to put you out on the streets.

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Men's RTW Clothing Packing Checklist - After 1 Year, 20 Countries

HUGE DISCLAIMER: None of this stuff is necessary for travel.  It is after all, just stuff.  You can always pick up what you need along the way.  Hell, we spontaneously added a 2 month Vietnam motorbike adventure to our itinerary and Allison picked up all her protective wear the day before we left in HoChi Minh.  We're completely assured that we avoided a few headaches and uncomfortable nights because we had the right clothes for any type of weather, but at the end of the day, I think it's more important to put your money toward extending your trip rather than having some specialized expensive clothing.  The Vietnamese men's riding pants, apart from being 3" inches too short, fit Allison just fine.

As a guy, it’s a little bit weird for me to talk about my clothes.  Bros just don’t do that.  I’m breaking the rule here though, because I can use the excuse that for a long term trip, clothes become more akin to being equipment or gear.  

And we know gear is a perfectly reasonable thing to discuss among dudes.  If you were looking to nerd-out, check out the full tech packing list here.  You won't find gadgets below.

Gear

Osprey Porter 46L Backpack

You’ve seen this bag all over our website. Why?  Simply because it’s one of those few items in life where you feel like the high-ish price tag is well justified.  I can’t explain how much we beat the ever-loving piss out of our Osprey Porters.  The two months alone spent on the rebar luggage rack during our Vietnam motorcycle ride would have shredded a lesser bag.Here we are, closing in on two years later, and they look brand new.  Oh yeah, and you can use this bag as carry on luggage.

Eagle Creek Compression Packing Cubes

I laughed when Allison first suggested buying these. I wasn’t going to spend $30 for cute little bags for my socks.  Truth be told, packing cubes are the shit.  The big one held underwear and board shorts, and the small one held socks and bandanas. The packing cubes compress your clothes so they take up less space and make sure that when you pull a t-shirt out of your overstuffed bag, that a bunch of other crap doesn’t come spilling out.

Sea To Summit Small Toiletry Bag

Yes.  Along with getting the same cubes and backpack as Allison, I also got the same dop kit. I know, it’s adorable.  We had different colors at least. Dop kits really dropped in usefulness in a post 9/11 world as security is always making you separate liquids and gels into a clear ziploc bag. When we were overseas, I found the rules to be a little less stringent and suddenly security didn’t need to see your toothpaste and deodorant anymore. My dop kit stayed pretty full the entire trip with your expected toiletries such as toothbrush, floss, etc as well as a mini med center filled with miscellaneous prescriptions we picked up as we gallivanted across the globe. As a side-note, you can get some AMAZING hangover medicine in Vietnam that contains codeine.

below the waist

Yes, pants has its own section.  Now I’m completely committed to writing about clothes….I only brought gray pants.  Gray hides dirt well and it means you can wear any pattern or color of shirt/sweatshirt/tank up top.  While I’m proudly American, I knew better than to pack a pair of bluejeans.  Aside from making you stick out from the crowd, bringing jeans on a long trip is a heavy endeavor.  Instead of jeans, I brought a pair of wool travel slacks and a pair of synthetic athletic pants.  No- not sweatpants.  More like Yoga Man Pants (if that's a thing)

Bluffworks Classic Grey Mens Travel Pants-

These are travel pants that don’t look stupid or fit like they’re from Costco.  There are no zip off leg sleeves or huge zippers- just subtle hidden pockets and a great modern fit. I wore these a lot in Europe when I wanted to look a bit more presentable for dinner or the random museum. That’s not to say that they also didn’t serve plenty of time as my rough and tough exploration pants.  They are made out of a breathable wool and I wore them for the majority of our Vietnam motorcycle ride as well.  They’ve been hiked in, soaked in mud countless times, and they are still in great enough shape to wear to dinner still.

One last bonus worth mentioning- They dry really quick and are wrinkle resistant.  I didn’t iron them once the entire trip and they still managed to be presentable every time I took them out of my pack.

Lulu Lemon ABC Pant-

Now I’m really in dangerous territory, but yes, I have to heavily endorse a Lulu product (not sponsored, but ... available!) as a man. I’ve never been the type of guy to wear sweatpants, but for long plane rides, car rides, and just as a comfortable replacement for jeans, these pants fit the bill.  The ABC pant is really stretchy but also made of a tough, durable fabric.  The cut is athletic without being too tight.  Finally, these pants too put up with being worn nearly every other day for a year and still looking brand new.

Billabong Crossfire X Submersible Shorts-

Stetchy, comfy, ultra light, and super quick drying.  Also purchased in plain grey so they can be worn with anything. These were a godsend in South East Asia because they breathed so well and could dry out in just a short while out in the sun.  I originally brought another pair of khaki shorts with me but ditched them after realizing I was literally only wearing this specific pair of shorts.  When it came time to wash them, I knew that they could dry 4x over by the next morning.  

Board shorts-

I wasn’t marching around in European cities in my trunks, but by the time we hit South East Asia I really lived in my board shorts and the Billabong submersible shorts I mentioned earlier.

Under Armor Mesh Boxer Briefs-

If you cared at all, now you have the answer.  No wool boxer briefs for me. I’m completely sold on Under Armor mesh.  Breathable and extremely fast drying after laundry day.  I could even swim in boxer briefs and my billabong shorts and dry out completely in a reasonable amount of time.

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Vest-

$20 cheapo vest with hood, again from KMart, was a welcome addition to my outerwear while in New Zealand.  Not something I would have wanted to have in my bag for the entire trip.

Tshirts-

Bring 3.  I mean, THREE tshirts.  They’ll be plenty of places to pick up cool new shirts while you’re abroad and you'll probably be wanting one anyways.

Rain Jacket-

Why did I not bring this on the trip?  I was so concerned about having a bulky rain jacket that I brought a water resistant windbreaker. This ended up not being a huge deal in places like South East Asia, but a terrible problem in wet cold environments like New Zealand.  I spent the six weeks in New Zealand in a cheapo rainjacket from KMart while my trusty North Face rainjacket sat at home hanging nice and dry in my closet.

Asia Rain Poncho

Why was not having the rain jacket in South East Asia not a huge issue?  Just because we threw down about $3 USD and picked up some sick scooter ponchos.  They were perfectly sized and designed to be worn while driving a scooter, and even had a little clear panel for your headlight to shine through.  Absolutely essential if you're doing a motorbike trip.

A Bunch of Wool

How sick are you of reading about merino wool on travel blogs? It doesn’t stop here….

I first heard about Icebreaker when I was living with a couple Kiwis while working at a ski resort.  They went on and on about how warm it was and the high quality of Icebreaker in particular.  I broke down and bought my first long sleeved base layer that winter and have never looked back.  Not to be redundant to everything that merino wool markets itself as, but its warm, its comfortable, it doesn’t stink, it dries quick, and it’s light. In particular I left with the following:

Icebreaker Tech Light T Shirt-

Great, athletic fitting t shirt that I wore constantly.  It disappeared when I dropped it off at a laundry somewhere in Thailand.

Mens Everday Long Sleeve Crew-

Amazing base layer that you can wear countless days in a row.  Think I wore it 6 weeks straight in New Zealand and would have been freezing otherwise.  Black, while boring, can then be worn under a tshirt or hidden more easily under other top layers.

Icebreaker Quantum Long Sleeve Zip Hoodie-

The one hoodie I took on the trip!  So warm and with roll out sleeves for your hands and thumb to go through.  Though expensive, I’m glad I made the investment. I knew this would be my outer layer most of the time so I made sure it was an annoying orange color to stand out in landscape pictures.  And stand out, I did.  

Icebreaker socks-

Brought two pairs of merino wool socks with.  Just like everyone else says-they don’t get smelly too easily, they breath, and they dry fast.  I also brought a pair of thick wool socks that are for snowboarding- exceptionally warm and made by Burton.

Footwear-

Hi-Tec: V-Lite Walk-Lite Witton in Dark Chocolate-

Never heard of this company before I started looking for shoes to last me a year and be versatile enough to wear to dinner or go hike New Zealand in.  I was amazed at how many brightly colored, gaudy as hell hiking shoes exist.  If you want plain brown leather waterproof shoes, your choices are very limited.  Fortunately, I found these shoes on Zappo and couldn't have been happier.  They lasted the entire trip, were extremely light to pack when I didn’t need to wear them, and I’m still wearing them as knock-around shoes almost two years later.

Sandals-

I own a nice pair of leather sandals, but planned on picking up a pair of cheap flip flops while abroad. Turns out it was a great plan.  You’ll want something the dries fast and can be used for hostel showers and beaches alike.

Accessories:

Buff-

You can find generic buffs on Amazon and ebay for less than two bucks.  Our use for these was nothing earth shattering.  We used them as dust masks for our motorbike trip, headbands, hats, and sometimes as just a cloth to wrap a camera in. Huge fan of buffs.

Bandana-  

I grew my hair out like a hippie.  Eventually, getting ready in the morning just consisted of brushing my teeth and tying my hair out of my face with a bandana.  No haircuts was one of my favorite secret features of traveling for so long.

Revo Sunglasses-

Sorry ZZ Top- I despise cheap sunglasses so  I brought my Revo Stern Xs along.  They took a proper beating from deserts, boats, beaches and miles and miles of motorbiking. They eventually got too scratched up and I had to give them a hero’s burial in the Philippines.

Hat-

Just a $2 stocking hat from KMart in the New Zealand rounded out my cold weather collection for comfortable hiking.

Don’t Forget 

This is probably not the first packing post you've read.  Most likely they've all mentioned this too: pack half of what you think and leave room to pick up a few things while you’re abroad. Listen to everyone's advice. You’re going to run across a shirt you love or an awesome hand-made scarf that you’ll want to take home with you.  I wasn't one for sentimental items or souvenirs but inevitably the weather will be different than you expected or you'll "be in the mood" to wear something different and for $20 you can grab what you want - you just don't want to have to throw something out just to add one thing in. No reason to leave home with your backpack overflowing.

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Backpacking Tips to Save you Money and Headaches!

While traveling, experience starts to save you both money and headaches abroad.  Looking back at our early months traveling we face-in-palm to think of the costly mistakes we made.   We share them here to help you avoid stupidity like ours.

book your first two nights -only-

You did it. You found the perfect AirBnb to spend the next four weeks.  The place looks spotless, modern, and it's even got free high speed wifi!  Hold up two seconds before you commit to 7+ days though.

What you don't know is that the neighboring property is a farm, roosters don't wait until morning to crow, and there is a pig pen built right up next to the wall of your bungalow.  Somehow all the reviews seemed to miss these details.  That's why, unless you’re dealing with peak season or an exceptional value on a spot, you might be better served by only booking a couple days.

Booking two days gives you two specific advantages:

A great “homebase” to start with that you can count on sleeping at while you see if there is better accommodation or locations nearby.

A cheap start.  Book somewhere SUPER cheap for the first 2 nights.  It's only 2 nights.  Then you can see where you want to be, and you might even stay!

If you do like the place you've booked, AirBnb owners and most small hotel owners are only too happy to deal in cash and cut out the middle man booking site.  You can save quite a bit going this route.

walk 100 meters to save 50%

Walking by the beach in Krabi today, I was reminded how true this specific piece of advice is.  Prices always seem to tumble after just a two block walk away from the central tourist area.  Beers that cost $2.50 fell to $1.  Sunscreen that one store was asking $19 for was only $10 a couple hundred feet away. 

The most obvious savings come out when its time to eat.   Almost without fail, when we find ourselves in a crowded attraction area, we hoof it two blocks away from the masses.  Prices on food drop drastically and you will still find locals who speak some English.

An additional bonus is that food tends to be better the further you are from main tourist attractions.  Restaurants, street carts and cafes can’t get by alone on tourist traffic so they have to serve up a product of decent quality. Always looks for the restaurant that locals are eating at!

buy expensive tours with caution

Most tour companies are COMPLETELY full of shit since they are working with people that they are never going to see again. The nicer someone selling tours is, the more full of shit they probably are.

To avoid disappointment, you need to be procurement when booking a tour.  What is procurement?  It’s a fancy word for how businesses buy from other businesses.  Procurement sets the business terms of transactions and decides who, how and what they’re buying. (The author of this article may have been a procurement manager at one time as well.) Procurement is as boring as it sounds.

How to buy a tour:

What is the value of the tour?  If you’re doing a $30 booze cruise you probably don’t need to be as rigorous with the steps below.  If you’re doing a two person Halong Bay cruise that's going to set you back $600 USD, you might want to put more effort into it.

What specifically are you buying? A cabin on the cruise?  Is it a shared bathroom or private?  Size of bed? Oh, no bed, just a hammock?  How big is the hammock? How many meals are included? Are drinks included? Are adult drinks included?

What is specifically NOT included on the tour?

Where does the tour start specifically, who is your contact, and what time should you be there.

Negotiate: once you have all this information, be brave and negotiate.  Mention how you saw another tour for $X amount and are going to check them out. Watch the prices fall!

On high priced packages, make sure to look up the tour company on Tripadvisor for reviews first as well. Once again, we’re talking about when you’re dropping some serious coin for something like a multiple night boat cruise or for a week long easy rider trip in Vietnam. Worse than wasting a little bit of money is wasting your time.

More expensive food is rarely better food

As a general rule of thumb, the $5 bowl of Pho Bo you’re buying in a sit down restaurant that caters to foreigners is going to be exactly the same as the $.75 cent bowl you would get from a street vendor (or worse because it sat in the kitchen overnight).

Here are the reasons people often cite for going to more traditional, expensive sit down places:

"Street food is dirty and I don't want to get sick."  -If you think that the restaurant kitchen is any cleaner than the street cart you'd be buying from, you're sorely mistaken. If you're worried about food prep, especially in SEA, there is only so much that you can do to limit your risk.  At least small restaurants and street food vendors have everything out in the open where you can get good eye at whats going into the sausage.

"I want more than a few choices in what to eat."  -Many overpriced restaurants that prey on tourists, especially in SEA,  seem to offer a Cheesecake Factory worth of menu options. What that means is that they typically have a lot of old food sitting around frozen or refrigerated in the back. While street food and small restaurants have very few options they also are more reliably serving up fresh food daily.  If you're looking for choice, just walk to the next food vendor.  It may not all be under the same roof but the same diversity of food choices are there.

"Local food is weird and I don't want to eat it." - Stay home and eat at Applebees.  

Start with Europe and work east

You may have heard this tip before: avoid culture shock by starting with "easy" countries first.  Before you grab your pitchfork and scream "Lies!", let me tell you all the reasoning behind it:

A.) Things get more interesting the further East you travel.  London isn't nearly as interesting after Istanbul.  Bangkok will rewrite your definition of what normal can be.

B.) Things also get cheaper the further East you travel (for the most part).  If you don't do expensive Nordic/EU countries early on you may find your funds are a bit on the short toward the end of your trip.

C.) You're going to get travel fatigue on a long trip.  I would argue that it takes more effort to get the most out of Europe compared to Asia, the Americas, etc. You can always grab a beach-day to rejuvenate in SEA. 

Anything you need to buy, you can buy abroad

Believe it or not, outside of your home country there are literally billions of people who carry out their daily lives! When you plan long term or RTW travel, everything you pack into that backpack is not coming home with you, nor will you need it to.  Every shirt or pair of pants you bring with you doesn't need to be super fast dry, tactical, nano particle, 150 degrees- 40 rated apocalypse proof garment.  

You should have a moderate balance of travel mainstays, but otherwise, lighten up.  Your suitcase is going to full of beer brand tank tops from South East Asia soon enough.

Beyond just clothing, you'll be able to get anything else you need almost anywhere you are, even down to prescriptions and medical drugs.  You should talk to your doctor ahead of time if you some more complex prescription needs so that you are able to either order enough drugs for your trip or know the generic name of your prescription to ask for at pharmacy.

But there are some things you should buy on your home turf

Namely, expensive electronics should be purchased at home. Laptops, cameras, GoPros, even cheap tablets should all be purchased in your western home country. Why?

You can purchase with your credit card easily and will have credit card protection.

You can easily contact sellers whether they be online like Amazon or a retail chain like Best Buy in your native language.

Won’t have to deal with problems like knock offs. You'd be surprised how close to the real thing knock off Macs and iPhones can be until you use them for a while. 

But wait there's more

Sounds like you're getting ready for a trip!  Whoo!  You might also like these other resources: