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.

I’m hooked.

The concept is simple.  Pack your clothes neatly inside the folder and fasten the sided down to smash everything together tightly.  The key, of course, is to fold and pack your close neatly which everybody knows is no easy feat.  The Pack-It folder makes it pretty fool proof though.

Fold your pants in half on and lay them on the bottom of the folder.

Use the included folding sheet to fold any shirts or tops you have neatly.  It’s just like the stores do it.  Lay the thin plastic card on the back of your shirt and fold the sleeves over the sides.  Flip up the bottom of the shirt and remove the card.  Lay the shirt on the top of your folder and repeat until you’re done with all of your clothes.  The card even has directions on it in case you can’t figure it out.

Finally, lay the card on the top of your pile and fold the sides of the folder over.  You can cinch them down and fasten the velcro to keep it all tight.  There’s even a handle to carry it easily if it’s not going inside a backpack or luggage.

The benefits

If you’re familiar with the bundle wrapping technique, you’ll notice this isn’t too far off. The main difference is that the folder keeps the clothes together rather than wrapping them around each other.

Your clothes will be neatly packed in a considerably smaller space than you are used to.  The folder isn’t much larger than a laptop (depending on what size you purchase) so you’ll be saving a lot of room in your backpack.

The drawbacks

As with anything that helps you fit more things into smaller spaces, you’ll be tempted to pack more than you need.  Fight the urge and take only what you need.  You’ll have extra room in your backpack if you need it for other things while traveling and you’ll save some strain on your back.

The other minor (and I mean very minor, to me at least) drawback is that your clothes will not stay wrinkle free.  Wrinkles will be minimized but they will get minor creases from the folding but to me that is not a big deal.  They’re much more wrinkle-free than if I were to fold and pack them myself.  So far this doesn’t bother me at all.

Some people may complain about paying for another piece of gear, but at around $25, I think this is well worth it.  I can enough to last me for two weeks in less than 5 minutes and into a convenient size that’s not much larger than a laptop computer.

The Eagle Creek Pack-It Folder comes in three sizes: 15, 18, and 20.  After trying all three, I found the 20 too large and the 15 too small and the 18 just right.  I packed one pair of pants, two pairs of shorts, 2 dress shirts, and 5 t-shirts in the 18 with room to spare.

Where to purchase

You can probably find an Eagle Creek Pack-It Folder at your local outdoor retailer, but you can also order them on Amazon for around $25 depending on the size.

Something I avoided for far too long was purchasing any clothing marketed for “travel.” I found it quite silly that a shirt or pair of pants could benefit my comfort while traveling and laughed when I looked at the prices of most of them at the local outdoors store.

With every trip I started to realize how uncomfortable I was though, whether it was sitting on a plane for several hours in jeans or stretching out a cotton t-shirt while wearing my backpack.

Not to mention how bad my typical t-shirts started to look and smell after a couple of days of use (and rinsing in the hostel shower).

My jeans were the first pair of clothes to get nixed for travel.  I love wearing jeans day in and day out, but let’s face it, they’re not the most forgiving pair of clothing while sitting in a airplane seat for hours on end.  They’re also quite heavy in your backpack.

Before my trip to Argentina I purchased a pair of REI Adventure pants for $50.  It was definitely more than I typically spend on a pair of pants but their versatility sold me.  They’re light and comfortable, breathe well, have concealed zipper pockets for your wallet and passport and most importantly, look good.  They’re nice enough to wear with to work with a nice shirt, but casual enough to wear with a t-shirt and pair of sneakers.

Finally I bit the bullet and purchased a couple of pairs of shirts made for travel and adventure.  One by REI and two by The North Face.  I’m not here to review the specific products though, so let’s look at the big picture.

Benefits

Most travel clothing is made from nylon or polyester.  These materials are generally lighter than cotton and do a better job at moisture-wicking.  They also dry very fast so you can wash them in a sink or shower and hang them to dry overnight.  That means you can pack much less than you normally would.

Many are treated to be water resistant, block the sun’s evil SPF rays, and some repel insects as well.  I’m clumsy, pale, and mosquitoes love to suckle my blood so I’ll take them all – thanks!

Most travel and adventure clothing are made to be more durable than your average article of clothing.  Many of the brands that specialize in this type of gear even offer lifetime warranties.

Cons

The biggest negative to dedicated travel clothing  is the price.  There’s a premium placed on most travel clothing but be sure to check out when things go on sale for the best deals.

One way to offset the cost is to find things you can wear for other uses than just traveling.  Everything I’ve purchased so far can also be worn to work back home so I can get more use out of it.  That being said, some much of the stuff you’ll find at your local outdoor retailer just looks silly.  I don’t like to walk around looking like Paul Bunyan.

I‘m excited to announce the launch of a new project I’ve been working on.  It’s called DigiTraveler and it’s the sister-site to Have Pack, Will Travel.

I’ve reviewed and featured products here before, but I’m looking to separate them and expose my inner geek over at DigiTraveler.  I hope this site site proves to be helpful for travelers with gadget-lust, digital nomads, and location independent professionals.

I encourage you to stop by, sign up for updates, and maybe even leave a comment somewhere if you are so inclined.

Thanks!

I‘m writing this post in Northern Thailand, the city of Pai to be exact.  I find myself quite inspired by this trip I’m taking along with resident guest poster Shane Brown.  See we showed up to Thailand with only one thing planned, to rent motorbikes and ride through the northern mountains from Chiang Mai to Pai, along the Mae Hong Son loop.  Other than that, we didn’t care much about what we did, where we stayed, what we ate, or how we would manage any of it.

I’m a self-professed guidebook addict.  I proudly display my used and retired guidebooks on a bookshelf in my home and carry at least one with me every time I travel.  It does seem like a bit of overkill as I tend to take things as they are and do what I want when I travel, but I still like the comfort of having a backpacker bible readily available should I need some information.

That said, over the past few days we have covered a considerable distance using a means of transportation that neither of us have ever done before.  And neither one of us have opened our Lonely Planet once nor have we missed relying on it.

Here’s a few tips on how to do it successfully and probably enjoy your trip more than you would should you be following the backpacker’s bible.

Talk to people

You should always be willing to chat with people and get their opinions and advice on things.  You never know when somebody will refer you to a great guesthouse or hostel, restaurant, or a secret road that leads to natural hot springs (thanks Thai coffee shop guy!)

Walk around

We went ahead and booked our initial guesthouse in Chiang Mai online so we didn’t have to deal with finding one with our packs on our back in 30+ degree heat.  It was a fine place, but while walking around and exploring the city we found plenty of comparable places for about half the price.  Of course these places aren’t online so they don’t get the constant business and price increases that the digitally-inclined places do.

This definitely goes for restaurants as well.  While in many places I have found myself relying on my Lonely Planet to provide me with tasty and safe places to eat, I find that I end up arriving only to overpay for basic food that’s often less than impressive.  All of the best meals I’ve had have come from randomly stumbling upon a place on the street and most are actually just from street vendors or food stalls in markets.  You won’t find anything written about these places in your book.

Be open to ideas

It’s nice not to have a strict agenda and be willing to take things as they come.  On our motorbike journey we went seeking out some hot springs off the main road that a coffee shop owner told us about.  10 minutes down a dusty road through the hills we came across several elephants being walked by some Thai guys in camouflage.  We’re still not sure what they were doing, but it was a startling and awesome sight.

Have a basic understanding of the area

It truly helps to at least glance at a map before arriving or having an idea of what parts of town are where.  You should definitely be aware of any areas that may be unsafe before arriving dead smack in the middle of gang warfare (ask Shane about Casco Viejo in Panama City).

Many places are very simple to get around by foot but of course many can also be riddled with confusing streets and neighborhoods so a map might not be a bad idea.

Often though, you can have an idea and just stroll up and go shopping for rooms.  Currently we are in Pai, Thailand and knew we wanted to stay somewhere near the river.  So we headed that direction and 15 minutes later we had some great little bungalows on the river for about the cost of a fast food meal back home.

I won’t tell people that they shouldn’t have a guidebook.  They can come in handy and for years I’ve carried one with me everywhere I go.  I probably won’t stop any time soon, but the point is that it’s nice to not have to rely on it and doing so can really open doors to a lot of things you might miss should you be following your guidebook to the letter.

What about you? Do you often travel with a guidebook or without one?  What do you like about whichever method you’re used to?

A funny thing happened to me the other day.  I was looking at all my lovely tech toys that could accompany me on my trips – and then I started hyperventilating. It was a sensory overload – a freakout over the simple task of surfing the net, but the conundrum of  what do it on? laptop? iPhone? PC? Sometimes there’s such a thing as too much choice. It got me to thinking about technology and travel. I love my electronic gadgets, they’re better than children – they don’t talk back (unless you change the settings to do so) but really when you think about it, most of them are completely unnecessary for the global nomad.

Not including my digital camera (a given), my three most treasured items to take on a trip are my MacBook Pro, iPhone and Amazon Kindle. It would be great to be able to carry a nice HD video recorder, SLR camera and tripod, maybe an Acoustic Guitar (yeah, I’m that guy)  - but it’s just not viable.

Besides weight restrictions, the biggest problem I have with my chosen three is that none of these gadgets have a specific function that can’t be utilized from one of the others. I can Skype, surf the net or listen to podcasts from my MacBook or my iPhone. I can read books from all three.  The main difference being that they do one or more particular functions better than the other two. I love them all for their differences (much like you would children. Except red headed kids).

The Laptop is an absolute luxury item when on the road. It’s great for watching movies and updating my travel blog but keeping a journal and writing up the blog posts later easily negates the latter.  The iPhone is handy – if I’m going to be backpacking around a country for a while I usually get a prepaid SIM, and of course there’s the bonus of having all your music with you, and you can watch video’s, albeit on a much smaller screen. And the kindle is great, 1500 books in my pocket weighing about the same as a magazine. However, I am starting to miss the romanticized notion of being on the road with nothing but a camera and a journal full of notes. Always surfing the net or listening to your iPod can really decrease the possibilities of chance encounters with some really interesting people.

Having said that, I do think the positives outweigh the negatives as far as taking some tech stuff with you. The iPhone and iPod Touch have over 100,000 applications available on iTunes. Most of them you’ll never use but there are some great travel related apps such as TravelFish’s new range of travel guides in Asia, TripAdvisor’s Top Picks app is good for restaurant reviews, and Lonely Planet’s new program which allows you to download their city guides and Phrase books. There are currency converters, weather apps and some really cool translator programs too. Of course it goes without saying that the iPod’s primary function of playing music and podcasts is invaluable during long distance transit.  If I had to choose just one thing to take with me, it would be my iPhone.

Big laptops are great but oh so bulky.  In a previous post on Have Pack, Will Travel, Jeff writes about the value in taking a notebook like the ASUS Eee PC 1000HE, instead. They’re so much smaller than the average laptop but still retaining some necessary features like USB and webcams.  They’re generally pretty robust meaning you can just chuck them in a daypack and pull it out when you need it.

The Kindle. I was sceptical at first because I like the feel of holding a book in my hands. But like an Oreo cookie, I can never stop at just one and before I know it most of my baggage allowance is taken up with some travelogues to get me in the mood, like Thomas Kohnstamm’s Do Travel Writers Go to Hell?, or Paul Theroux’s Ghost Train to the Eastern Star. I don’t think I’ll ever replace guidebooks with their electronic counterparts, but for normal novels the Kindle has proven invaluable.  I don’t know if I’ll need the ever need a capacity for 1500 books, but hey, it can’t hurt.

Technophilia needn’t be a dirty word. It’s just about not going overboard with the technology you take with you, and trying to find that balance between using your gadgets to enhance, not hamper your travels.

You can follow Shane on Twitter, or read about his travels at sanchezjalapeno.com

Headline iomage courtesy of jeroen020

It’s that time of the year again! The holiday season is upon us and you may be wondering what to get your favorite budget traveler in your family.  Also be sure to check out these other related gift guides from our travel writing friends!

• Holiday Gifts for the Adventure Traveler
• Holiday Gifts for the Guy Traveler
• Holiday Gifts for Women Travelers
• Holiday Gifts for the Sports Traveler
• Holiday Gifts for the Green Traveler
• Holiday Gifts for the Travel Writer

Stocking stuffers / affordable gifts

Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel

Anybody who is considering extended travel should definitely give Rolf Potts’ first book, Vagabonding, a read.

Marco Polo Didn’t Go There: Stories and Revelations from One Decade as a Postmodern Travel Writer

Many of Rolf Potts’ great travel essays are featured in this book compilation and serves as a great inspirational read for independent travelers and especially aspiring writers.

Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel

A great gift this holiday season for anybody interested in budget traveler is Budget Travel magazine. It doesn’t hurt that it’s (currently) extremely affordable for a 10-month subscription.

Sea to Summit DryLite Towel

Every backpacker should carry their own quick-drying towel as many budget hotels and hostels do not provide them for their customers. A quick-drying towel such as the Sea to Summit DryLite will prevent travelers from having to carry a smelly damp towel everywhere they go.

Mid-priced gifts

Kelty Redwing 3100 Backpack

Looking for the best gift a budget traveler in your family can get? If they don’t already have a big fancy backpack, surprise them with the Kelty Redwing 3100. Read our full review.

High-end gifts

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 10.1 MP Digital Camera with 12x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 inch LCD

Every traveler wants to document their travels and the Panasonic DMC-ZS3 is a great choice. Read our full review.

Apple iPod touch

There is hardly a reason to carry a laptop anymore. With an iPod touch budget travelers can take advantage of free WiFi offerings around the world, email home, and even use Skype to make free phone calls.

Headline image courtesy mrjoro

Panasonic was kind enough to send me a DMC-ZS3 to test out during my recent trip to Argentina.  At first I wasn’t too excited to try out a new camera.  I really like my Nikon S600 for its wide-angle lens and small compact body.  It’s easy to us and takes good photos.  I don’t like to mess with success.

I took a look at the DMC-ZS3 anyway and was quickly excited to try it out when I saw some of the specs: 25mm wide-angle lens, 12x zoom, and best of all, 720p HD video recording.  OK Nikon.  You’re sitting this one out.

I played with the camera a bit and noticed a few things right off the bat.  It’s a little larger than most Point & Shoot cameras, the black metal body looks pretty slick, and the menus and settings are pretty easy to navigate.  In reality, those are probably the top three things shoppers look at when purchasing a camera.

Picture Quality

Technology has moved incredibly fast over the last few years and even the cheapest cameras take great photos.  If you are shopping for a new camera and you’re spending hours browsing the internet comparing photos to see which camera takes the highest quality photos, you’re wasting your time.  They may not be identical, but nearly every camera being produced takes great photos.  I don’t care if it’s $99 or $499, you are going to be hard pressed to find much difference in picture quality between them.

The DMC-ZS3 is no exception.  The pictures look great, just like I’d expect.  Shots taken around town, indoors, and other normal photo situations look great but don’t exactly stand out above any other consumer grade camera.  Where the DMC-ZS3 shines is in harsh lighting conditions.  Maybe it’s the high quality Leica lens that has been coated in ways only professional glass ever receives, or maybe it’s the great 10megapixel sensor.  I’m not sure, but either way, it excels in harsh light.

Many cameras couldn't handle the exposure range and flare from the sun, but the DMC-ZS3 does so wonderfully in this photo from Ushuaia, Argentina

The Lens

Speaking of the lens, the DMC-ZS3 is packed with a 12x wide-angle Leica zoom lens.  Most cameras that are advertised to have a wide-angle lens have a focal length of 28mm and widest.  I’ve never seen it before in a Point & Shoot, but the DMC-ZS3 is 25mm at its widest.  3mm doesn’t sound like much, but it does provide a somewhat significant increase in viewing angle.  It’s a great bonus for travel photographers who constantly find themselves shooting beautiful landscapes, classic architecture, or even large groups of people.  Most standard Point & Shoot cameras have 35mm lenses and the difference is astounding.  I always recommend people look for a camera with a wide-angle lens.  It’s a necessity and I’m glad Panasonic not only recognized this, but expanded on it.

The only thing better than the 25mm wide-angle is the 12x zoom.  Roughly equivalent to a 300mm telephoto lens in traditional film photography, the 12x zoom allows you to get photos that were impossible with most other cameras.  I realized how powerful this can be when taking a boat tour of the Beagle Canal down off the southern tip of Argentina.  While the other people were using their 3x zooms to capture half of the island pictured below, I was able to use the 12x zoom and optical image stabilization to capture great close-up shots of the sea lions that were posing for us.

12x zoom, from a boat - Isla de los Lobos - Ushuaia, Argentina

Sea Lion eating a Southern King Crab

Wide-angle shot from hostel window - Beagle Canal in the distance

The Video

There has been a lot of hype on this camera and most of it has been surrounding the 720p HD video.  I’ve used several flash camcorders and always have been underwhelmed with the video, even when it’s 720p.  Encoding HD on flash memory has been around for a couple of years now, but due to the codecs and processes used to encode video into a usable format that is also small enough to fit on a memory card typically causes some pixelation.  It’s a trade off that most people can live with if they want a compact video recorder.

Some pixelation is present in the DMC-ZS3‘s video, but it is, by far, the best flash memory video I have seen with a compact camera.  Even the stereo audio sounds good though users should be careful of covering the mic with their finger when holding the camera.

Overall the video is clean and sharp, the audio is good, you can zoom while shooting video, and best of all, the optical image stabilization does wonders.  Without OIS, it would be practically impossible to hand hold the camera and shoot at 12x zoom without making your viewers sick.

Take a look at the video I shot during my boat tour of the Beagle Canal.

Watch this video in HD: Beagle Canal – Ushuaia, Argentina on Vimeo.

Keep in mind that much of the above video was shot with the lens fully extended to 12x and was on a moving boat.  It moves up and down quite a bit, but there is very little shake from hand holding the camera.  Overall I am extremely impressed.

Another thing you might notice with the video is the purple lens flares when shooting directly at the sun.  This is pretty common with video as the sensors can’t handle the full range of bright colors like still photography can.  It’s unfortunate, but I’m not surprised.  I doubt there is a consumer level camera that could do better.

Size

The last thing, and possibly most important to many people is the size of the camera.  Because of it’s impressive lens and beautiful 3″ LCD screen, the DMC-ZS3 is larger than most current Point & Shoot cameras.  As somebody who has used Digital-SLR cameras for most travel needs, it’s very small.  It’s not a “pocket” digital camera though.  I held mine in a waterproof Tucano neoprene case and it fit decently in my pants or jacket pockets, but it was more bulky than others I have used over the past couple of years.  It’s a trade off.

The Verdict

The Panasonic DMC-ZS3 is by far, the most impressive Point & Shoot digital camera I have ever used.  For the traveler, this camera should be a no-brainer.  I can’t imagine a better option in its class.

For the average user though, it may be a little overkill.  If you like to tuck a camera in your pocket and bring it out with you to the bar or club, this may not be the camera for you.  If you like to get out and go hiking, play sports, travel, or shoot high quality video, you’ve found the right camera.  It’s sturdy enough to get tossed around and take a beating so it will serve travelers well.

Overall, I’d give the DMC-ZS3 a 9/10.  The only thing that could use improving is the size, but if making it smaller means losing any features, I’d stick with the size it is.  It’s worth it.

MSRP is $399 but Amazon has the Panasonic DMC-ZS3 for closer to $300 currently.

If you’re anything like me you love gadgets, especially cameras.  I’ve done a lot with digital cameras and video cameras over the years and the innovations that are constantly being released never cease to amaze me.  If you’re an independent traveler, you better have a camera with you.  And, chances are, you find yourself in some interesting places and environments so let’s take a look at some of the coolest cameras for these various uses.

Note: How to Choose the Best Digital Camera for Traveling has been discussed here before.  The truth is, just about any camera will work for most jobs.  But if you’re picky, a gadget freak, or find yourself in some adventurous and unique shooting environments, you might want to consider these innovative cameras.

Olympus Stylus Waterproof Cameras

Olympus really is the leader in consumer waterproof digital cameras.  They come out with more models than anybody else and really, they’re all pretty good.  Definitely do your research and find the one that fits your needs the best, but I personally like the slightly outdated Olympus Stylus 1050SW since it is considerably cheaper than some of the newer models and still a very capable camera.  They’re pocketable and work just as well in standard weather as they do underwater

Olympus PEN E-P1

I have nothing against Olympus, but I never thought I would write about their cameras twice in the same post.  Then again, it wasn’t until earlier today that I learned about the Olympus PEN E-P1.  This camera looks SLICK.  Every camera aficionado loves classic rangefinders and the PEN is certainly stylish.

But it’s not impressive just because of its looks.  The small size packed body is equipped with a micro four-thirds sensor that offers both the quality and features of a standard DSLR.  It is nothing to ignore, especially for travelers.  I’ve found it too difficult to travel with a DSLR camera lately and usually opt to leave it home.  The Olympus PEN E-P1 just might be what photography enthusiasts need for traveling.

The PEN E-P1 starts at $749 and is available for pre-order.  It’s set to ship in July.

Nikon D5000

Sure, I just finished telling you how I don’t like to travel with a DSLR anymore but that’s just me.  Many still do and let’s face it, they are the ultimate in quality.  If you are serious about photography, you’re either currently using, or planning to start using, a Digital SLR camera.

There are higher end cameras available, but the Nikon D5000 is a great mid-range model.  Lots of features, great quality, and best of all, the first articulating LCD screen on a DSLR.  This can come in very handy in many awkward shooting angles.

The Nikon D5000 is available with an 18-55mm kit lens for $799 or less (sale prices have been common lately)

VholdR ContourHD Helmet Video Camera

The ContourHD helmetcam is part of the new wave of affordable helmet cameras available for extreme sports.  Of course these can be used for plenty activities like hiking or rock climbing.  I’m considering one for a motorcycle trip to Peru this fall.

What sets the ContourHD apart from the rest of the pack is, if you couldn’t tell by its name, the ability to shoot in HD.  It records about 8 hours of 720p H.264 encoded video to a microSD in a very compact unit.  The best part? They list for only $299.

The VholdR ContourHD is currently on sale for $279 at Amazon and if you purchase before June 27th, you’ll receive a $50 gift card, bringing the price down to only $229 with free shipping.  Hard to beat that!

Canon VIXIA High Definition Camcorders

Canon keeps updating their VIXIA line of HD camcorders faster than I can memorize them.  They’re sold to consumers, but don’t let the sub-$600 prices and soccer mom followings fool you.  These are very capable devices!  If you’re pretty serious about producing travel video, these are a great start.

A standard camcorder will rarely make professional quality video right out of the box, but the VIXIA line of camcorders are darn close.  Add on a decent microphone and wide-angle lens, then learn how to shoot, and you can be making 1080p HD footage that rivals most Travel Channel shows.

Canon VIXIA camcorders come in several different models with built in hard drives, flash memory, or HDV tape recording and start at $599.

Flip MinoHD Pocket HD Camcorder

The 3.3oz Flip MinoHD pocket camcorder is the ultimate in portability.  If you are shooting memories, you’d be hard pressed not to justify owning one of these to slip in your pocket or bag and be able to shoot decent quality HD video wherever you are.

They are extremely easy and convenient to use, but the video quality is nowhere near as good as the above mentioned Canon camcorders.  Nor should you expect it to be for less than $200.  But if you want to capture memories and share them online, you can’t beat it.

The Flip MinoHD costs less than $200 and also comes in various flashy colorings as well.

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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

These 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

Pacsafe 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.

The 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

Have you entered our contest to win a free Kelty Redwing backpack? It’s free and easy!

Some people love to go camera shopping and others dread it.  Some find it fun, others find it difficult.  The simple truth about finding the best digital camera these days is that almost any will do for most people.  But there are some things to consider if you are a traveler and if you can spend a little extra time deciding on the best digital camera, you can find one that stands out above the crowd.

The good news about digital cameras is that while the market has created hundreds of modern models, the quality has become top notch.  Just about any digital camera will take perfectly acceptable photos out of the box for nearly every user.  But what can you look for if you’re a traveler?  There are certain things travelers demand out of cameras and taking time to consider these can be very beneficial.

Megapixels

Several years ago the megapixel war started.  Manufacturers started squeezing more and more megapixels out of their sensors and consumers were swayed by the higher ratings.  Don’t fall for this marketing push.  Chances are you won’t notice a difference between 6mp or 8mp, or even 10mp.  You probably can’t purchase anything below 6mp these days but for printing, I wouldn’t go any lower.  Anything above that is overkill so don’t let yourself get fooled into paying more for a camera just because it has a slightly higher megapixel rating.

Lens

Most people will never take a second thought about the lens on their digital camera but travelers should consider finding a camera with a wide-angle lens.  Most wide angle lenses have a focal length of 28mm as opposed to the standard 35mm.  It may not sound like much, but it is very noticeable and can mean the difference between fitting that entire statue in your frame, or cutting off its head or feet.

You’ll often find yourself in places where you have no control over whether or not you can move to get a different view.  A wider lens will allow you fit more in your frame whether you are indoors or taking pictures of landscapes.  Once you shoot with a wide lens, you’ll never buy another camera without one.

You should also take a look at the optical zoom range of a lens.  3x is pretty standard but higher is nice, although it shouldn’t be a deal breaker.

Always ignore the digital zoom rating of a lens.  Digital zoom is another marketing tactic and results in a terrible looking photograph.  Turn off digital zoom in your camera and never use it (it is typically marked by a line in your zoom meter on the camera’s LCD screen).  Manufacturers will often put a ridiculous zoom rating such as 12x or higher on their packaging to entice customers who aren’t knowledgeable about digital cameras.  If you accidentally use your digital zoom, you’ll be very disappointed once you look at the photograph on your computer and see that it is unusable.  All a digital zoom function does is increase the size of your pixels to the point that they look like big ugly blocks.

Battery

Some budget priced digital cameras will use replaceable AA batteries which many people like since you can find them anywhere, but those same people haven’t tried shopping in a souk in Morocco.  Most digital cameras made today include a rechargeable battery.  I’ve never had one last less than 2-3 days of moderate use which is respectable.  They all come with their own battery chargers which, from my experience, are always multi-voltage.  The only thing you’ll need is a plug adapter to plug it in to foreign outlets.

Weather-resistance

Over the past couple of years manufacturers like Olympus and Pentax have been producing waterproof models that can not only get wet, but be fully submerged in moderate depths of water.  They don’t cost much more than an equivalent camera so these are good options for travelers who enjoy snorkeling or other water sports.

I have used and enjoyed both the Olympus 1030SW and the 1050SW. Amazon typically has some great prices on these models so check them out. The new Olympus Stylus Tough-6000 is pretty enticing.

Pocketability

I just made that word up.  I don’t know if it really exists or not but it describes the final thing that you should consider when buying a digital camera for travel.  Size.  I use professional digital SLR equipment for lots of things, but not travel.  I find it too difficult to carry it around so I found a camera that has all features I need and also fits inside my pocket.  It’s convenient and will let you take photos when you might have otherwise left your camera behind.

The good news is that most cameras now are relatively small and easy to conceal.  Check if the lens protrudes from the body when not in use.  There are also a few models out there that have a grip on the right side of the camera which make it difficult to slip into your pocket.

Recommendations

It’s hard to recommend specific models since new ones are released every few months.  For my money, I always look at Nikon and Canon first.  They’re all I use for my professional photography and I have found their compact digital cameras to be just as good of quality as their higher end models.

If you have any questions or recommendations on digital cameras please feel free to share them in the comments below.

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