Travel gear

The two travelers were sitting on a bench, looking dejected and tired, the very large suitcase the woman was carrying missing one of its four wheels, the man looking sweaty like he had been carrying it for a while on the cobblestone sidewalks. They were learning the hard way what so many other travelers have …

Outdoor clothing brands come and go, while some manage to stick around for decades because they’re dependable and have a stable of happy customers. One of my favorite brands that seems to be universally loved by outdoorsy types is Kuhl clothing (technically spelled KÜHL). I didn’t run into Kuhl very much until I started hitting …

Want to buy traveler gifts that are actually useful? Check out my suggestions updated in December of 2024.  This is the time of year when seemingly every magazine and travel blog has some kind of “ultimate travel gift guide” or “100 great gift ideas for the traveler on your list.” Many of the magazine ones …

If I remember right, I got my first Osprey Packs backpack in the mid-’00s, when I took off on my first trip to South America, around two decades ago. I used it for many more trips when I was on the move as a solo traveler. It’s still going strong.  A couple years later I …

 If you’re setting out for a round-the-world trip, an extended sabbatical, or the nomad life, you might want to pad that budget a bit to account for all the unexpected expenses you weren’t counting on. Otherwise, the nasty surprises could mean your money will run out before your trip plans do. Let’s say you’ve done …