Tag Archives: eagle creek

Ready, Get Packed, Go!

If you love to travel as much as we do, you’ll love these bags. They’re good for overnights and weekends at Grandma’s, and just as useful for longer trips.

National Geographic luggage line (Eagle Creek)

As you might guess from the name, this line is extremely durable, with a weatherproof tarpaulin outer that makes the pack easy to wipe clean. That’s great for everyone, but especially if you have kids, since just about everything they drag around manages to get filthy. Another nice feature is the zippers, which are water resistant and self-repairing (!). There’s also a large lockable laptop compartment as well as zippered mesh pockets and key fob. You can separate your dirty or wet items from clean/dry ones and there’s even a hidden space for your passport, wallet, phone, or anything else you want to keep close and safe.  Designed to be secure, it has compression straps, internal gear attachment, D rings, and it comes with an emergency whistle and reflective spots to help keep you visible at night. Prices and features vary. Visit https://www.eaglecreek.com/national-geographic for more info.


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Now Boarding…. You and Your Family

With airports gouging you for every little thing, you want to keep your bags as small and light as possible, packing no more than you absolutely have to for any trip. Whenever you can, limit each person to a carry-on and avoid those nasty baggage fees. Between that and the one small bag (like a briefcase or purse) most airlines allow, you’ll be able to make every inch count!

 

comfy commuter travel pillowComfy Commuter travel pillow (Comfy Commuter)

The first thing you want to pack—and this one won’t count towards your carry-on-and-one-personal-item limit—is a head-and-neck pillow for the flight. Unless you’re in first class, those seats tend to be awful, and there’s no comfortable way (especially if you’re over about 5’ 8”) to sit that doesn’t cramp up your neck. And trying to sleep? Dream on… Comfy Commuter’s new travel pillow will make you comfortable as possible, the plush material enveloping your neck so your head stays upright. (We travel a lot and this is one of the most comfortable pillows we’ve come across.) It has a chin strap to keep it from falling on the floor. It’s available in several colors for $40 at http://www.comfycommuter.com .

 

waldlauferWaldläufer shoes (Waldläufer)

Travel generally involves a lot of walking and Waldläufer has shoes for every journey, no matter where life takes you. A new take on the “comfort shoe,” Waldläufers are comfortable and stylish—none of those giant, clunky soles or orthotic-looking designs here. They come in a number of categories (dress, casual, walking, outdoors, sandals, and more) and you’ll usually have a choice of colors and materials. Women have more than 40 models to select from. Men, sadly, have only six. Just put ‘em on and get ready to hit the road—and you’ll be looking sharp while you’re on it. To see their entire line and find the nearest store that sells them, visit http://waldlaufer.com

 

eagle creek bagMarket Handbag (Eagle Creek)

Besides what it does to your neck and your feet, travel can also be hard on your gear, so everything you bring needs to be able to take a punch (or a kick or survive a fall). Eagle Creek’s Market Handbag is aimed mostly at women and it’s comfortable, durable; lightweight; has plenty of pockets for all your big items; smaller, easily accessible spaces for things like pens, keys, pens, phones, and business cards; and even outside pockets for water bottles or sippy cups. Speaking of water, the outside is water resistant, just in case… The strap is adjustable so you can wear it over the shoulder or across your body, and one end is detachable so can secure it to your chair or table to keep purse-snatcher wannabes at bay. The Market Handbag also has a lifetime warranty, which gives you some indication of how much confidence the company has in this product. Costs $80 at http://shop.eaglecreek.com

 

eagle creek specter pill organizerSpecter 7-Day Pill Organizer (Eagle Creek)

It’s hard to find a family in which there isn’t at least one person taking medication, vitamins, or supplements every day. Pill bottles can take up a lot of valuable space in your luggage and many hard-plastic pill holders randomly pop open. The Specter has seven clear, numbered, zippered pockets that show what’s in each compartment. The Organizer itself zips shut and you can even lock it. The Specter also has convenient pockets for a pen and emergency numbers. Comes in three colors and costs $25 at http://shop.eaglecreek.com.

 

 

Hitting the Road

With summer upon us, road (or plane or boat) trips, with all the associated packing and schlepping, aren’t far behind. Here are a few items that will help those family vacays and adventures go as smoothly as possible.

wicked cool vrum ride onVRÜM Ride-On Storage (Wicked Cool Toys)
Kids often have trouble deciding which toys and games to take with them. With the VRUM suitcase, they can take everything—and best of all, you won’t have to carry it. VRUM is a sturdy, hard-sided, rolling suitcase that’s easy for a child to pull. And if your child gets tired on the long walk to gate 264, he or she can sit on it and scoot along. (You can pull it with your child riding on it, but that’s a bit challenging). Straps inside can keep toys and clothes separated (or toys from falling over and hurting themselves), and it locks securely so there’ll be no emergency pickups on the jetway. VRUM comes in a number of licensed characters, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, SpongeBob, and Dora the Explorer. $39.99. https://shop.govrum.com

wildkin rolling packRolling backpacks (Wildkin)
One of the worst parts about trips with kids is that mom and dad often end up hauling around the kids’ stuff in addition to their own. Frankly, we think it’s high time for the kids to help out—especially if they’re old enough to have outgrown the VRUM Ride-On. If you agree, you won’t have to look any further than Wildkin, which has a wide variety of wheeled options. Their rolling backbacks have plenty of room, lots of zippered compartments, mesh dividers, and water bottle pockets. They also have adjustable shoulder straps, just in case you’re going over terrain that’s unfriendly to wheels. Wildkin also has duffels, tote bags, larger rolling luggage for bigger kids, and more. Each option is available in a variety of designs that make them easy to spot on a luggage carousel. There are cute animals, mermaids, and construction equipment for little kids and more sophisticated prints for teens. They’re all built to last. $49.99 and up. http://www.wildkin.com/B_LUGGAGE.html

eagle creek shoe sacPack-It Specter Shoe Sac (Eagle Creek)
Shoes. We need ‘em, but they present a packing dilemma. Besides taking up a lot of space in your luggage, they’re often dirty and/or smelly. A lot of people use plastic grocery bags to segregate shoes and clothes, put the shoes in a separate compartment, or both. Eagle Creek has come up with a better way. Unlike grocery bags, Shoe Sacs are sturdy and water repellant—which means you don’t have to worry about your muddy, wet shoes making everything else in your suitcase filthy. They come in several colors and are washable. As nice as they are for travel, Shoe Sacs are also great for any time you might need to change shoes (such as after a long hike or run). $18. http://shop.eaglecreek.com/

skip hop travel blanketSkip Hop Zoo Travel Blankets (Skip Hop, Inc.)
Part blanket, part pillow, and part stuffed animal, these travel blankets are perfect for snuggling with on any trip—or even at home. If you start your adventure with the animal in portable-pillow mode, your child can easily pull out the blanket for nap time and just as easily stuff it back inside after. And the straps make it easy to lug around. Comes in Ladybug, Monkey, and Owl. $20.00. http://www.skiphop.com/product/zootravelblankets.html

Sometimes, You’ve Just Gotta Get Away

So you’re taking a trip with the kids. Whether you’re going by car, plane, or some other way, you’ll need to keep them safe, occupied, and relatively quiet. Here are some fun, new musts-have travel take­­-alongs.

delsey heliumHelium (Delsey)
If you’re like most parents, part of your job on family trips is to be a pack mule, dragging luggage, laptops, and lovies all over creation. Bags in Delsey’s Helium line are durable (on one trip, ours were loaded onto 16 planes, nine boats, and nearly 20 trains and still look great) and lightweight (making them easy on the back and minimizing those evil airline baggage charges). Available in three sizes and your choice of standard or bright colors. All are equipped with a TSA-approved lock and retail for $160 and up. http://shop.delsey.us

eagle creek sight-seeing tablet courierDay Traveler (Eagle Creek)
We’ve been big fans of Day Traveler bags for a long time. Our new favorite is the Site-Seeing Tablet Courier. Like the other bags in the line, this one is durable, lightweight, and accommodates a surprising amount of stuff (the split-book design makes packing a breeze). It’s also water resistant (so no worries about spilled drinks or rainstorms), has a host of pockets in various sizes (perfect for phones, glasses, wallets, laptops/tablets, and more), and comes with RFID-blocking technology (which keeps your personal information safe), Retails for $45 at http://shop.eaglecreek.com

eagle creek weekenderAdventure Weekender (Eagle Creek)
If you’re going on a quick trip, this one is perfect. It’s got plenty of room for a computer, a change of clothes, those just-in-case-we-get-stranded-overnight necessities, and is still small enough that the flight attendants won’t try to make you gate check it. You can lock the zipper pockets, and the Adventure Weekender is easy to stack on larger bags. If you’re looking for durability and versatility, this one’s for you. $150 on http://shop.eaglecreek.com

vinci tabletVINCI Tab III M 5” Learning Tablet (VINCI)
If you have a little one who’s not quite ready for a big tablet, the VINCI Tab III is made to entertain, engage, and educate. It comes with a great bumper (which incorporates a handle) to protect it from those inevitable childhood drops and “oopsies.” The company says the VINCI is aimed at kids 18 months to 9 years, but we think it tops out at about 6 years—today’s tech-savvy kids will be on to far more sophisticated tablets by then. But the little guys will have a great time learning and playing without getting overstimulated. The fun, game-based apps teach math and reading skills in an enjoyable way that they’ll want to play over and over—and that will keep them quiet wherever they happen to be. What a great way to keep those young minds humming without having to resort to “Angry Birds” or “Fruit Ninja.” $129 at http://store.vincigenius.com

swimways sea squirts life jacketsSea Squirts life jacket (SwimWays)
Going for a swim with children who are less than 100% water safe? You can literally keep their head above water with a number of swim aids from SwimWays.  They’ve got a wide variety of vests, life jackets, baby floats, and other products, so you’ll have no trouble finding something for each child’s swim abilities. The Sea Squirts life jackets are adorable and even sport a stylish fin (orca, dolphin, or clownfish). The Power Swimr swim training system comes with nine flotation pads which you gradually remove as your child moves from floating to swimming. Please remember that when it comes to children, no swim aid can substitute for mom’s or dad’s watchful eye. Be safe. Sea Squirts run $47 and the Power Swimr is around $21. https://www.swimways.com/