More Travel Tips For Savvy Packing

Because I tend to travel frequently and sometimes for long stretches, I need to be super organized when I'm packing. And Eagle Creek is a company that sells a myriad of cool sacs, folders and kits that help me easily navigate through airport security, deal with wet bathing suits, organize all my documents and manage all my toiletries and small items so that nothing gets lost.

The items I'm most fond of include their Pac-It Sac (I use the small black one for documents), the Custom Travel Bottle Set (this is the way to deal with the "liquid issue" when flying), the Pac It Folder (perfect for keeping shirts from getting wrinkled) and the Compression Sac (there's no better way to cram a down jacket into your bag and still have plenty of room).

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EuropeUpClose.com Visit the blog and comment on today's post for a chance to win a Fujifilm FinePix J28 10MP digital camera with 3x optical zoom.

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More Travel Gear I Recommend

First I want to congratulate luckysunset for winning the Mountainsmith camera bag. Luckysunset, whose name was picked at random from the many comments left on my blog post on December 10th, will be receiving the camera bag shortly.
Over the years, I've purchased many supposed waterproof jackets that never seemed to really do the job. And, when they did, they were bulky, hot and didn't pack well. So, when I need to stay dry, I wear a Mountain Hardwear jacket. I like the bold lime color which stands out well in forest -- no mistaking me for an elk. (Though they've got other functional waterproof jackets in more mundane colors.) Plus, it's got plenty of zippers for ventilation, it's lightweight and packs reasonably small in my carry-on luggage. And, of course, when I'm bicycling or hiking in a drenching storm, Mountain Hardwear keeps the rain out.

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MyItchyTravelFeet.com Visit the blog and comment on today's post for a chance to win two great prizes: a $50 Barnes & Noble gift card, which may be redeemed at all Barnes & Noble stories and online at BarnesandNoble.com, and a "Library Edition" of the most recent season of "Rudy Maxa's World,"including six DVDs containing 13 shows on destinations in India, Turkey, Japan, Thailand, St. Petersburg, Estonia, and Argentina ($112 value)

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Another Great Piece of Travel Gear

Packing everything in a carry-on bag certainly requires a lot of planning. It also means making decisions as to what items are better left home, such as special night wear. Generally I just bring along a long t-shirt that can also be used in the gym or as a pool cover up. But I just received a cool nightwear product to test out and it fits perfect with my packing scheme.

Made by Cocoon, the Adventure Nightwear is made of comfy Egyptian cotton. I never expected to find something quite so light. And, the short sleeve top and shorts roll up into an ultra-tiny sac. (They have a men's and women's version.) Since I travel to many hot, humid environs all around the world, this product will get a lot of use. I just took it on my trip to Panama and promptly retired my old t-shirt.

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EllenBarone.com Visit the blog and comment on today's post for a chance to win a day pack from First Ascent, a new extreme adventure line of gear and clothing form Eddie Bauer and partners.

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A Possible Life-Saving Cool Product

You probably know by now that I write a lot about healthy travel. Whether you're traveling or hanging out on your home turf, accidents can happen. I know I've been at home and had friends or their children fall of bicycles, cut themselves while cutting vegetables in the kitchen, or suffer a laceration in the backyard while weeding.

Then, again, I'm often in the backcountry where it's easy to fall and get cut while on the trail or in the campground. And, given that so many people are taking aspirin to protect their heart, or they may be on anti-clotting medication for other conditions, being able to stop bleeding fast is important.

That's why I recommend a unique bandage called KytoStat. It's so small you can place it in your pocket, or carry it in your purse so it's always available. The same technology that makes this bandage able to stop bleeding quickly and efficiently (by pressing it to the wound for 2 to 5 minutes) has been long used by the U.S. military and emergency medical technicians.

KytoStat is such a small product that's easy to use that I think everyone should think about carrying it, whether you're into cycling, hiking, skiing or any other sports or you're a parent who wants a product that's a must-have in the home first-aid kit.

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CruiseDiva.com Visit the blog and comment on today's post for a chance to win a copy of Fodor's The Complete Guide to Caribbean Cruises and a World Grounding Adaptor Set courtesy of Magellan's Travel Supplies.

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Travel Bloggers' Caravan "Stop of the Day": JtheTravelAuthority.com

With the holidays fast approaching, I've banded together with 14 other travel bloggers to celebrate the season and give all of our readers the chance to win some fun prizes, including hotel gift cards, overnight stays, digital cameras, travel guidebooks, DVDs, luggage and camera bags. This 2009 Travel Bloggers' Caravan has been going on since December 1 and will continue through December 15. And today, the caravan stops here at J the Travel Authority.

Those of you who have been following this blog know that I'm a very big fan of Mountainsmith gear which I've been using for 15+ years. In fact, I travel with one of their small backpacks plus their fanny pack as my only two pieces of luggage -- which I carry on and bring on all my trips. Their gear has never let me down. That's why, because the Caravan stops here today, I'm giving away a Mountainsmith Tour FX Camera Bag (a $99 value).

It's made of recycled plastic bottles. And, as usual, Mountainsmith has thought of everything: there's a place for your airline ticket, a water bottle and plenty of room for additional carry-along items, including your iPod, GPS unit and so forth. The bag is a variation on the fanny pack that I have long been using and adore. This camera bag, like their classic fanny pack, can be worn around your waist or on your shoulder, thanks to a removable strap. It's got compression straps to help you carry the load better. And, you'll be able to carry plenty, thanks to the ultra-spacious interior. Plus, a real benefit is that you can open it up and remove camera gear while the pack is still fastened around your waist.

Win a Mountainsmith Tour FX Camera Bag

One lucky reader will be randomly chosen from all eligible entries to win a Mountainsmith Tour FX Camera Bag. The contest starts at midnight on December 10 and ends the same day at 11:59 pm. You must have a mailing address within the United States in order to be eligible to enter and win.

How to Enter

Comment on this post between 12:00 am (midnight) and 11:59 pm on December 10, 2009. You'll need to include your e-mail address so I can get in contact with you if you're the winner. Good luck!

Win More Prizes This Month!

Don't forget to enter the daily Travel Bloggers' Caravan & Giveaway. The Caravan stops at CruiseDiva.com tomorrow. Visit, comment on the post of the day, and win a copy of Fodor's The Complete Guide to Caribbean Cruises and a World Grounding Set (courtesy of Magellan's) See the entire Travel Bloggers' Caravan schedule here.

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More Travel Gear I Love

I love gadgets, particularly those that will make my life easier, more comfortable and safer while I'm traveling. So when I found out about a pen-shaped small device that can purify water in seconds, I bought it. I've been in situations where the tap water is not drinkable and it's the middle of the night and no bottled water in sight. Or I've been hiking and can't find any potable water and I don't want to deal with foul-tasting tabs or the hassle of a pump purifier. SteriPEN is the product I rely on. It uses UV light to purify the water of all manner of disease-causing organisms, including the dreaded Giardia parasite.


It has been extensively tested and it kills more than 99.9% of bacteria, viruses and protozoas, like Giardia. I carry it on many of my trips and, it's so small, it's easy to pack in my sole piece of luggage that I carry-on.

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What a Trip. Visit the blog and comment on today's post for a chance to win an Otterbox cell phone case or a Baseline 20-inch carry-on expandable wide-body upright suitcase.

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Some More Fave Travel Gear

I love my clothes to look good and function well. That's why I've been choosing shirts, pants and even underwear made by Ex Officio. I just got back from Panama where there was 100% humidity and I was perfectly comfortable in the jungle wearing my Ex Officio long pants and long sleeve shirt.

And at night when dining out, when there was still high humidity, I wore their sleeveless tops which worked perfectly well with jeans or dress pants. I choose to travel with their wickable fabrics because they don’t absorb and retain moisture easily so you stay dry as you’re racing about town or on the trail. They also dry relatively quickly when you wash them. I hand wash my wickable underwear, pants, shorts and shirt and they dry in no time. They have a great life expectancy, are comfortable, light, perform well and look great.

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Johnnyjet.com Visit the blog and comment on today's post for a chance to win Alaska and Seattle Toursaver books and a $50 Magellan's Travel Supplies gift certificate.

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Travel Tips3

I love wearing comfortable, functional clothing, especially if it can be worn both on the trail and at night. (It all helps with being a savvy packer.) That's why I love wearing the marino wool tops made by two companies: SmartWool and Icebreaker. I wear a black SmartWool long-sleeved crewneck and pair it with a black Icebreaker hoodie when I'm on the plane. But these two items work together or separately at night or during the day, winter and summer, when I'm walking, hiking, biking, skiing or going to bars and restaurants in the city when they're paired with a skirt, jeans or dress pants. The great thing about these merino wool products is that they wick away sweat so that you don't feel cold and clammy after a run. I've found both of them to be comfortable, breathable and never itchy. And, another interesting feature is that if I'm in the backcountry and can't do laundry, you could wear these for several days and not worry about any odor. When I travel to Iceland, these are my tops of choice but I also bring them to Spain in the summer.

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CiaoBambino.com. Visit the blog and comment on today's post for a chance to win a Napa
Valley Getaway with a one-night stay at the Westin Verasa and a gourmet lunch for two aboard the Napa Valley Wine Train.

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More Travel Tips

I'm one of those women who's just not into a multitude of shoes, especially when I'm traveling. And, in order to travel for more than a month with only carry-on luggage, clearly shoes have to be kept to a minimum. Basically, except when I'm traveling in the winter, I only carry two pairs of shoes, and both of them are made by a company called Keen. The one I wear on the plane is a Newport model that's a a very rugged and functional sandal. And, once I land, I wear it for long walks and even light day hiking -- though I have also climbed a volcano wearing these sandals -- as well as for long multi-day bicycle trips, kayaking and for days at the beach. When I dress up at night, I wear their Madrid Mary Jane model that looks perfect with a dress or nice pants and it's comfortable for long walks, even on cobblestone paths on the way to hotels or restaurants.

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The TranquiloTraveler.com. Visit the blog and comment on today's post for a chance to
win a copy of Moon Belize accompanied by personal travel advice from the author about your trip.

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