Gear Guide: 6 Essential (and cheap!) Items for Travellers
Sometimes, the best stuff just costs a few bucks. Like these six items—some of our favourite of the year so far—all priced below $50 (except one).
Whether you travel to far away countries or into the backcountry of your local mountains, you’re sure to find items to enhance your adventure in this list:
Gordini Stash Lite Stretch ($35)
Chilly hands, no more. Gordini’s Stash Lite Stretch gloves feature a mix of flexible ripstop nylon and comfy fleece, with wicking insulation to keep out the cold. And they fold up inside one another to about the size of a golf ball. Keep up your activity level and these gloves will warm your digits even in sub-zero temps. In short—store a pair in your jacket year-round, for whenever the cold wind blows.
Fox River Adventure Cross Terrain Turnpike Crew ($14)
Good socks are vital. And Fox River has been making good socks for 116 years. On your next outing, leave the cotton at home and opt for a model from Fox River’s Adventure Cross Terrain line. With a mix of merino, Spandex, nylon and acrylic, they’re comfy, wicking and ultra-tough. An ideal trail-to-tarmac sock.
Eagle Creek Pack It Specter Starter Set ($60)
OK, this set breaks the $50 mark, but you won’t want to travel without it—trust us. The Cubes are good for sorting dirty gear from clean, outdoor apparel from street wear, socks from undies or whatever else. (A set of these is essential for multi-sport, multi-faceted trips.) And the Garment Folder keeps your button-downs pressed and ready for a night on the town, even when stored in a backpack.
Superfeet (from $40)
Even if you’ve invested in quality kicks, consider a set of aftermarket insoles, like these from Superfeet. We’re converts—one tester nixed the idea of custom orthotics after a few weeks with Superfeet (saving a whack of cash in the process). If you put in long days on your travels, this is $40 well spent.
Hydro Flask 32 oz. Water Bottle ($35)
Hydration is the key to health—and it’s often the first thing to be neglected while tromping foreign soil or hiking deep into the hills. The secret is having water on-hand, of course, but Hydro Flask takes that a step farther with their insulated bottles. Now, you can have ice-cold, refreshing H2O you’ll actually want to drink—all day long. We rigorously tested a previous model; it kept water frigid for 24 hours and warm for 12. And the 2016 units have an even more thermally efficient lid. (So far, so cold!)
Vapur Vintage Wine Carrier ($12)
Sure, this may be the reason for your dehydration—but sometimes, whether at the backcountry hut or hotel patio, you just want a nice glass of wine. However, the thought of wringing out glass shards and Chianti from your puffy often squashes the idea of packing a bottle in your bag. Solution—store the vino in a tough, flexible flask like this one from Vapur. And once glugged, it’s easy pack-out.