Travel Accessories?

catspring

I'm looking for some advice from all you frequent travellers: my brother and his girlfriend are going backpacking around Europe (mostly eastern I think) for a few months this autumn, mostly camping and staying in hostels. I want to get them a farewell present and I'm just wondering if anyone has done this, or any backpacking really, and if there were any items that were particularly useful...?
I'm thinking along the lines of wind-up torches, Lonely Planet Guides (or similar), travel towels etc.
Thanks

ro1798

i think one of these each would be the best thing you could get them.

http://www.greatoutdoors.ie/shopping_admin/product_details/product.cgi?product=ATP001&cat=Adventure%20Travel&sub=Adventure%20Travel--Personal%20Hygiene


small light and dries in a flash.. they are a god send..

or these

http://www.greatoutdoors.ie/shopping_admin/product_details/product.cgi?product=SBL003


cool in heat and warm in cold.. saves you touching the bedclothes of a manky hostal

lostinNaas

I am a big fan of the pacsafe. You can lock your valuables to something solid in the hotel room instead of carrying around.
http://www.pacsafe.com/www/index.php?_room=3&_action=detail&id=18
There are various sizes, one fits a laptop. Note I am not referring to their mesh for backpacks which is heavy and overkill.

Another idea would to buy them a sub on textamundo.com

D

breadmonkey

These things are a bit of magic

http://cgi.ebay.com/PETZL-E-LITE-EMERGENCY-HEADLAMP-BRAND-NEW_W0QQitemZ230270046421QQihZ013QQcategoryZ106984QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el1247

youcancallmeal

ro1798 wrote: »

or these

http://www.greatoutdoors.ie/shopping_admin/product_details/product.cgi?product=SBL003


cool in heat and warm in cold.. saves you touching the bedclothes of a manky hostal

100e for a sleeping bag liner! Shop around if needs be but don't spend 100e for one

Neamhshuntasach

lostinNaas wrote: »

I am a big fan of the pacsafe. You can lock your valuables to something solid in the hotel room instead of carrying around.
http://www.pacsafe.com/www/index.php?_room=3&_action=detail&id=18
There are various sizes, one fits a laptop. Note I am not referring to their mesh for backpacks which is heavy and overkill.

Another idea would to buy them a sub on textamundo.com

D

Nothing screams i have something valuable in my backpack more than a wire mesh around it. The amount of people i came across who were targeted because of them in South America is unreal.

Anyways a torch that you can put on your head is useful. Leaves both your hands free which is handy if trying to get something out of your backpack in the dark.

Also a swiss army knife. I seen these clicker things in boots for insect bites. I've heard that they are good for relieving pain or irritation.

There is lots of other useful stuff but nothing that you'd really give someone a gift of.

paddylonglegs

Ah perfect thread.Looking for a powerful travel hairdryer!GF reckons normal travel hairdryers aren't great so looking for a poweful one now, trying to get it from here to be honest and not the states

ro1798

:rolleyes:goin through the same thing here, other half wants to being a full salon hair dryer and a ghd.... guess who will be carring that through nepal...

i think the best thing for travel is anything that cab be replaced with something lighter and smaller... eg those microfiber towels, they are great... take up about 1/5 of the space

lee_humphrey

youcancallme>al wrote: »

100e for a sleeping bag liner! Shop around if needs be but don't spend 100e for one

Very true... you make something just as useful by folding over a cotton bedsheet and sewing up one edge!

(I obviously dont mean the sheets with elasticated corners...!)

Doop

I didnt think thoses silk liners were that expensive.. i bought one before about 2 yr ago think it was around 60euro.. when i later realised it was a silk one i went back to change it for one of the cotton ones which was about 30 ish euro ( didnt fancy the silk one), they are really handy tho for hostels. I get loads of use out of mine. would highly recommend it.. there pretty easy to wash and dry aswell and they take up hardly any space. Got mine from Millets.

ro1798

was in aldi on sunday in finglas and they have the cotton sleeping bag liner in 2 shapes and small travel pouch for 6.50... you cat beat that... i already bought the silk one as they are meant to be 100 times better than cotton, but had to be bought for 6.50

Glowing

+1 for the sleeping bag liner!!! It HAS to be SILK though, and I'd recommend 2 singles rather than one double .... not all hostels will have double beds!!! Much more versatile.

I paid 40 euro for a single SILK one in Great Outdoors and it was worth every penny.

Edit. Cotton will be heavy and smelly. Will take longer to dry and won't protect from bed bugs as effectively! You can wash and dry silk in minutes. Very handy.

Aurora Borealis

breadmonkey wrote: »

These things are a bit of magic

http://cgi.ebay.com/PETZL-E-LITE-EMERGENCY-HEADLAMP-BRAND-NEW_W0QQitemZ230270046421QQihZ013QQcategoryZ106984QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el1247

They're the business even just for reading in dorms at night.
Travel towel a definite and a good lock but guess that's not really present material.

luvtravelling

Aurora Borealis wrote: »

They're the business even just for reading in dorms at night.
Travel towel a definite and a good lock but guess that's not really present material.

the really present is a travel wallet for him or a travel compact case for her carrying everything but the kitchen sink. one present which i bought my day was a map holder like me the wide traveller i was cycling biking and the map ended up in my face. it holds the map so u can trace the direct or road u are going on it fits everyware . i mean everyplace in my dads house it ended up at the back of ther pc:pac:

Larianne

A good lock, torch and pen knife that comes apart and can be used as seperate knife and fork.

Travel towels are just horrible, feel horrible and don't even dry you proplerly!! Eurgh!

preddy

ro1798 wrote: »

i think one of these each would be the best thing you could get them.

http://www.greatoutdoors.ie/shopping_admin/product_details/product.cgi?product=ATP001&cat=Adventure%20Travel&sub=Adventure%20Travel--Personal%20Hygiene


small light and dries in a flash.. they are a god send..

or these

http://www.greatoutdoors.ie/shopping_admin/product_details/product.cgi?product=SBL003


cool in heat and warm in cold.. saves you touching the bedclothes of a manky hostal

Would you recomend these items for all travellers?
Ahhh had thought of a towel to bring but not a quick drying one these any good?

ro1798

big time, the silk sleeping bag liner is expensive, but just think of the places you will be staying if you are backpacking, if staying in hotels no point really...

the towel feels weird, like a shammy, but pulls the wet from you and dries in no time and packs into size of your hand.. in the great out doors they have loads out on display so you can feel the textures etc...

preddy

ro1798 wrote: »

big time, the silk sleeping bag liner is expensive, but just think of the places you will be staying if you are backpacking, if staying in hotels no point really...

the towel feels weird, like a shammy, but pulls the wet from you and dries in no time and packs into size of your hand.. in the great out doors they have loads out on display so you can feel the textures etc...

Cool thanks heading into great outdoors today will have a look!

Hostel we picked all get good clean reviews and were mostly a private rooms so i think we will forget the sleeping bag.

ro1798

yea, where i am heading wont be so nice $1 a night hostels in cambodia...

greatoutsoors is cool for everything, dont work there but the little travel items you need are cool

sioda

Good quality pen knife victorinox if possible is the most important

Mini maglite, small battery charger. Good multiadaptor with surge protection. USB plug wit leads for you phone/camera/mp3 player one charger for 3 things

Kept a SIGG metal water bottle with me handy for water and other liquids.

Multi pill box for meds headache/antihistimine/toilet related illnesses/stomach tablets