Travel shopping – is there a better phrase in the whole world?? “travel” + “shopping” = pure bliss!
Neil keeps a spreadsheet for all our trips with costings of flights, accommodation and food etc. I recently asked him if he also factored in the shopping we do for the bits and bobs we buy leading up to a trip. Fortunately he doesn’t, because if he did it would seriously cramp my style!
Aside from all the classic paraphernalia necessary for any journey – adaptor plugs, locks, compression bags, neck pillows etc – it’s amazing how before every trip we’ve realised that we really could do with a new guidebook, or a better bag or a backup battery for a camera or even some quick-dry undies!
You can generally find a limited range of items like this at your local Myer or Target etc but there are so many more options online for reasonably priced, and well designed products that will make the trip just that much easier.I’ve already done a post listing the gadgets and gizmos that I use to make flying a little more bearable but in this post I thought I’d share some of my favourite travel shopping places with you.
 |
Magellans.com is an American company that have been providing clever and hard to find travel gadgets since 1989, long before the Internet took off! When we first started our travels there were few sites that could match them for variety and range. These days they have a lot more competition but I still check back to Magellans every now and then to see if there is something new and clever that they have discovered. Their shipping to Australia isn’t cheap but sometimes it’s worth biting the bullet and paying the price.
When Neil and I travel we take so many gadgets with us it doesn’t leave a lot of room for clothing! Also, particularly on our European travels, access to laundry facilities can be minimal so we’re always on the lookout for lightweight, quickdry travel clothing that don’t wrinkle, can be washed overnight in a hotel sink, and will be dry by morning. Clothing made from clever fabrics like this aren’t always cheap but they are a worthwhile investment. Lightweight merino, high tech synthetics and “Coolmax” and fabrics that “wick” are what we look for.
In Sydney we have regularly picked up some great buys at Kathmandu ( keep an eye out for their regular sales) , Paddy Pallin, Anaconda and Mountain Designs. Another surprising source for excellent travel clothes is Costco! They frequently bring in American brands of merino tops, down jackets etc that are significantly cheaper than similar products in other stores.
Online, I’ve picked up some excellent merino garments from New Zealand company, Bivouac.co.nz. Their prices are good, the exchange rate is always in our favour and their postage charges to Australia are excellent.
Have you sometimes wished you had an extra pocket or two? Have you thought that if you could stash a few extra things on your person you could get away with travelling with a carryon bag only? If you have then “get thee to Scottevest!”
We stumbled on the incredible range of Scottevest garments a few years ago and have been regular shoppers since. Their jackets, tops, pants and vests are “engineered” with an almost ridiculous number of hidden pockets, each one designed for a specific purpose. Neil’s “Revolution” jacket has 26 pockets, my “Travel vest” has 17, and Liam’s fleecy Hoodie has 10! The amazing thing is that you can load up the pockets and you DON’T end up looking like the Michelin Man!
They are regularly bringing out new products and even though their shipping isn’t cheap, they occasionally run specials for International shoppers with significantly reduced postage costs.
A few other sites that are well worth checking out, particularly for clothes, are Lightweight Traveller ( Aussie web site with stores in Balmain, Paddington, Noosa and Melbourne) as well as two American giants – L.L. Bean and Travelsmith. The shipping from the US stores is high but their prices on products like down jackets are fantastic when you compare them to equivalent prodcts available in Australia ( particularly during sales)
When it comes to packing I’m a devout believer in Packing Cubes and Folders made by Eagle Creek and Sea to Summit. They organise my packing and make it so easy to find everything I need quickly and easily when we’re on the road. They both come in fabrics that are incredibly sturdy and lightweight. If you haven’t seen them here’s a great video demonstrating the Eagle Creek products.
I’ve picked them up on sale from Howards Storage World, but another online site that’s a great source of packing items as well as all sorts of other travel gadgets is Travelgear.com.au . They have competitive prices and prompt reasonable postage. I’ve also purchased their Travel sim cards for previous trips and they were excellent.
However, before I hit the Checkout button at Travelgear I’ll always check to see if Traveluniverse.com.au have the same product at a better price. When I first started shopping at Travel Universe it was mainly for travel guides and books, but over the last few years they have expanded their range of travel products enormously. You can waste hours browsing their site!
Looking for a suitcase? Over a few trips I have trialed a few different lightweight travel handbags, and we have picked up one or two suitcases along the way. Ebags.com , another American sites, has a collosal range of bags but Bagworld.com.au is an Australian site that is well worth checking – free delivery is hard to resist.
Finally I just have to mention Skymall. The first time I stumbled on the Skymall catalogue was in the seat pocket of an American domestic flight. The catalogue kept me amused most of the way from Los Angeles to Washington DC. The catalogue ( and website Skymall.com ) is chock full of products you never knew you needed, like a Window Cleaning Robot, or Deer repellent, or a Cat toilet training system… seriously!! I’ve never bought anything from Skymall but one of these days…..