Category: Travel Gear Reviews

If you’re a traveler, you’ve probably faced the same dilemma that we often do – what to wear while traveling! Traditionally travel clothes have been…. well, ugly! No offense if you love your toe shoes and zip off shorts/pants combination. But it’s 2021, the future is here and we deserve stylish travel clothes!

Forget about the oversized sweater with the built-in money belt that your grandma bought you from the Home Shopping Network. We’ve finally found a brand that makes stylish travel clothes. Hallelujah! *cue angels singing down from the heavens*

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Introducing: Bluffworks. Bluffworks is all about versatile, stylish and comfortable clothes that you can wear pretty much anywhere. Because these days, travel isn’t just about flying to a destination, taking a 5 day trek and then heading home. If your travel style is anything like ours, you’re probably doing a mix of outdoor adventures, exploring cities, maybe some fine dining and probably chilling out a bit as well. Bluffworks has created a line of travel clothes that check all those boxes.

And we hate to be those bloggers, but these clothes look pretty swanky on Instagram as well! Bluffworks was started by a bonafide adventure traveler, and their HQ is located in New York City. The whole idea behind the brand was to create clothes that you can wear traveling through Vietnam AND strolling through Central Park. So without further ado, we’re going to share some of our favorite pieces from the women’s and men’s lines.

 

Travel Clothes for Women

Let’s talk about the women’s line first. While women’s travel clothes have seen a slight improvement in style in recent years, it’s still pretty obvious that they are travel clothes. I.e. clothes you wouldn’t be caught dead in back at home. Luckily, Bluffworks has figured out how to keep the style of your favorite pieces, while incorporating hidden additions that make travel easier. These clothes will become staples in your closet both when you’re traveling and when you’re not.

 

 

Azores Blouse

Let’s start with the Azores Blouse. This lightweight, slightly stretchy blouse is super comfy. It looks and feels like silk; no one will know that it’s actually wrinkle resistant, moisture wicking fabric that you can totally throw into a washing machine. All the luxe, without any of the fuss. The blouse has two pockets on the chest with buttons, easy to stash a card or some cash into safely. And you know those annoying buttons on the cuff of most blouses that are impossible to button with one hand? Bluffworks has done away with those completely. Instead, the cuff has elastic, making it super easy to push up the sleeves if you want to get your hands dirty (or at least if you’re chowing down on a margherita pizza in Rome). 

 

 

Bluffworks has also added a longer hem in the back, which gives you more coverage and makes it much less likely for any “bend over and reveal your undies” situation. And get this – they’ve added an extra snap in between the two buttons on the chest, so you don’t get that awkward gap between the buttons. Ladies, you know what I’m talking about!

This blouse is super chic and comfortable. It would be perfect for a lunch date by the Eiffel Tower, or to keep covered up while exploring the Blue Mosque in Istanbul.

 

Comfortable Travel Pants: The Trevi Pants

Next up, the Trevi Pants. These stylish pants are so sleek and tailored; you would never know that there are 8 strategically placed pockets. Finally, pants for women that can actually carry our stuff! Where are these secret pockets, you make ask. Great question! There are two hidden in the waistband, the front pocket on the left has a secret place to stash your phone, and the front pocket on the right has a small zippered pocket inside. And on the back, there are two concealed zippered pockets. Boom!

 

 

The pants fall to your ankle, but can be rolled up thanks to an adjustable hem. Having versatile clothes, like these pants, is the key to packing light. And unless you travel with a sherpa who lugs your suitcases everywhere, you’ll want to be packing light. The Trevi pants are made from all-season twill fabric, which is wrinkle resistant and has odor control, perfect for stepping off a red eye flight looking and feeling refreshed! Of course, they’re moisture wicking and machine washable as well!

What I love about these pants is that you can dress them down with Bluffwork’s women’s Threshold T-shirt (so comfy) for a day of exploring. Or dress them up with the Azores Blouse if you have a special occasion. Even if you’re planning on backpacking around, you never know when you may want to dress up. On our way down to backpack through Mexico we met the head of a non-profit we wanted to work with, and ended up scheduling a meeting during our trip. It would have been so helpful to have a pair of the Trevi pants, instead of my black leggings I had to pass off as business casual.

 

Best Travel Dress: The Trevi Dress

And last, but certainly not least, the Trevi dress. I probably sound dramatic when I say that this dress is a revelation, but it is! I’ve seen a few “travel dresses” on the market, but nothing as chic and pretty as this. First off, I’m in love with dark crimson color. It’s brighter than I expected, but it really pops and I can’t wait to wear it over the holidays. You’ll be seeing this dress on our Instagram account quite a bit in the future.

 

 

But it also has the function to match the fashion. Every girl likes a dress with pockets, and this one has six of them! They’re strategically hidden so you don’t look like you’re wearing a dress made out of cargo pants. There’s even a hidden zippered pocket in the side seam near your arm that would be a perfect place to stash some emergency cash.

And you no longer have to worry about your bra straps showing. The dress has snaps under the shoulders to keep your straps secure. Told you they’ve thought of everything!

 

 

Travel Clothes for Men

And now on to the men’s line. Men might have it a bit easier in that most of their clothing already comes with pockets and zips, but they still want to look stylish. Bluffworks takes a modern look at the traditional pants, jeans, shirts and tees and adds their personal flare, functionality and style. These were Jules’ favorite pieces:

 

Zenith Dress Shirt

This travel dress shirt looks like a standard button down, but it’s so much easier to care for than your standard men’s dress shirt. It’s machine washable, wrinkle resistant and made of a comfortable stretch weave fabric. It’s also moisture wicking and has odor control, which is perfect for salsa dancing during those humid Colombian nights.

Not only does it have a ton of great qualities for a travel shirt, but it actually looks stylish! The Zenith Dress Shirt can be matched with some jeans or chinos if you want to look sharp, or even some shorts on a nice summer day.

 

 

They’ve even added little secret buttons underneath the collar to keep it from flying up. Jules loves that this shirt is comfortable enough to wear while climbing ancient ruins, but smart enough to step into a business meeting. He also loves that you can choose between a classic or slim fit.

 

Ascender Chinos

Every guy needs a pair of chinos in their life, and this might be your new favorite pair! First off, they are surprisingly stretchy. The waistband looks like a classic Chino, with the button, zipper and belt loops. It has a special stretch waistband, perfect for if you’ve had one too many tacos in Mexico!

Depending on your style you can go for a tailored fit or a regular fit to give you a little more breathing room, but even the tailored fit doesn’t restrict you too much thanks to the stretchy polyester material. When it comes to practicality for travel the Ascender Chinos have 10 total pockets! That’s right, 10! Including two pockets for your phone and three secret anti-theft zipper pockets. With these chinos you’ll not only look stylish, but you’ll also travel confidently knowing your pockets are protected.

 

 

The Ascender Chinos look great dressed down with a pain, but incredibly comfortable, men’s Threshold T-Shirt or dressed up with the Zenith Dress Shirt. They come in five different colors and are also wrinkle resistant for those days on the road where you don’t have time to iron!

 

Best Travel Jeans: Departure Jeans

If chinos aren’t your jam then check out the Departure Jeans for equally impressive men’s travel pants that offer practicality, durability and just look plain good! Like the chinos the Departure Jeans have ten pockets, with three anti-theft, concealed pockets. The jeans are made up primarily of Cotton (68%) and COOLMAX poleyster (22%) to provide stretchy, breathable jeans.

 Coming in both a slim fit and regular fit means you can choose how you prefer your cut. The Departure Jeans can be dressed up with a shirt or worn casually with a t-shirt. Tackle your travels head on with stylish travel jeans that are ready for action!

 

 

There you have it, ladies and gentlemen. Finally a travel clothing line that has both the durability to last your craziest adventures, and the style to keep you looking fresh. We chose our favorite pieces from the men’s and women’s lines, but Bluffworks has much more to choose from. Head over to their site and let us know what you think!

Anyone who has traveled knows how quickly even the most organized suitcases can go awry. By the end of the trip our bags look like small bombs have exploded inside of them, with clothes, toiletries and electronics mixed into one big clump. Slowly over the years, we’ve learned the key to keeping your bags organized: organization tools. There are some fantastic tools on the market that are perfectly designed to keep all of your travel accessories in their correct place. Here are our favorite travel organization tools:

 

1. ORGO 

 

 

This handy accessory is perfect for keeping all your small stuff in a neat container. The compact case is filled with pockets, zips and compartments to fit your items. Personally, I plan on using mine for my toiletries and makeup (goodbye messy makeup bag crammed with stuff!) The best part (ladies are going to love this) is that the sides slide out and it fits perfectly over a sink. That means you can do your skincare and makeup routine without having to worry about losing your favorite eyeliner down the drain. You’re also left with more valuable counter space which can be hard to come by in cramped hotel bathrooms. Here’s how it works: You unsnap two buttons on the side, slide open to fit the sink area and then use all your goodies!

ORGO isn’t just for makeup lovers; it can be used for lots of different items. Art supplies, toiletries, electronics. One feature we love about the case is that the dividers can be taken out and rearranged to fit your items. It really does have endless possibilities! ORGO is also compact enough so that it barely takes up any room in your suitcase. You can easily pack clothes around it and zip up your bag without having to have someone stand on it. Finally you can get rid of your bulky organizers and have something that actually fits conveniently in your suitcase!

 

2. Packing cells

 

If you’re packing for longer than a week, these are life savers. Packing cells make it easy to separate and organize clothes so you don’t have to destroy your bag just to pull out that one pair of pants you need. The cells come in different sizes and are perfect for separating tops, bottoms, underwear, socks and whatever else you may be bringing. The mesh material on the top makes it easy to peek inside and see where everything is. They’re super lightweight so they won’t push you over the weight maximum on airplanes.

 

3. Cable organizers

 

Anyone who travels with gadgets and gizmos is familiar with tangled cables. Between our laptops, cameras, cell phones, e-readers and headphones, we’ve easily got a dozen cords roaming freely around our bags. Inevitably, they all seem to find each other and form some sort of cord super knot. The best way to avoid hours of untangling is to use cable organizers. These can come in different shapes and sizes, from small spools to wrap your cords around to snap ties that keep cables in place. Whichever method you choose, you’ll be glad that you invested in something to keep your pesky cables organized.

 

4. Passport holder

 

A small passport holder may not seem like a crucial item for staying organized on the road, but it can really be a lifesaver. Protecting your passport is important. After years of traveling without one, my passport was so banged up that it wouldn’t scan and I was also forced to go to a special immigration desk every time I entered a new country. Not fun. A good holder will protect your passport, as well as have extra slots for important documents like your itinerary, boarding pass or credit cards.

 

Organizers may not be the most exciting things you pack on your travels, but they can be absolute life savers. Traveling can be stressful enough, there’s no reason to add to that stress with a messy bag. With ORGO, packing cells and the other items on this list you’ll feel prepared before you leave, so you can focus more time on finding the best experiences during your travels and less on finding your toothbrush.

Looking for the perfect birthday or holiday gift for the traveler in your life? Let’s face it, travelers already have limited space in their bags and usually value experiences over physical items. That’s why you have to be thoughtful in choosing the perfect gift for your travel-loving friends or family members. Luckily we got you covered in our gift guide for the traveler that has everything.

 

Moleskine Passion Hard Cover Journal

Travelers know that even long trips can go by in a blur. Even the most incredible memories fade and it can be difficult to remember exactly what you did, when and with who. Writing in a travel journal is without a doubt the best way to keep those travel memories as fresh as the day you experienced them. Moleskine is well known for their quality journals and notebooks. This travel passion journal includes pages for your bucketlist, packing checklist and lots of free space to write down your thoughts and experiences. The hardcover means its durable for all those crazy adventures!

Search Amazon for best prices

 

Subscription to Travel + Leisure

 

Even the most well-traveled people need some inspiration from time to time. Travel + Leisure is packed with gorgeous editorials on tons of destinations, from popular destinations to lesser-known places to visit. The magazine tends to focus on swanky getaways, but travel-lovers with enjoy getting lost in the beautiful photography and fanaticizing about one day experiencing that overwater bungalow in the Maldives. Sigh…

Get a Kindle or print subscription for less than $15USD

 

AcousticSheep SleepPhones

Traveling can have you sleeping in some pretty uncomfortable situations. Tiny plane seats (seriously, could they get any smaller?!), rickety 3rd class train benches, airport floors. Between the baby crying in seat 4A and the man on his phone at the airport check in desk, you might never get any sleep. That’s why we’re dying to get our hands on some Sleepphones! Sleepphones are headphones tucked neatly into a soft, lightweight fabric headband. You can fall asleep easily while listening to music without getting that uncomfortable soreness in your ear.

Buy for as low as $39.95 on Amazon!

 

WONDERBOOM 2 Portable Speaker

Music-loving travelers will know the pain of kicking back at the top of a volcano, fresh off a 5-hour hike, knowing the perfect song that would compliment the moment, but stuck with singing it in their head! Unfortunately most good quality speakers aren’t durable enough to withstand outdoorsy activities, so taking them on an adventure doesn’t quite work. The Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2 is fresh off the press and ready for an adventure. 13 hours battery life, 360 degree sound, dust proof, waterproof and even floats in the pool. This outdoor speaker is perfect for travelers that love hiking, beaches and sailing.

Shop Amazon for the WONDERBOOM 2

National Geographic’s Atlas of the National Parks

For the National Park nerd in your life, National Geographic’s Atlas of the National Parks is the perfect coffee table book. This atlas is the definitive guide to the best of the US parks. It’s filled with gorgeous photos, maps and great tips for visiting each national park.

 

Lonely Planet’s Ultimate Travel: Our List of the 500 Best Places to See… Ranked

As much as people like to say that guidebooks are on their way out, Lonely Planet still reigns supreme as the trusted grandfather of travel advice. Instead of taking a gamble and choosing a location-specific book as a gift, give your travel-obsessed friends the holy grail of Lonely Planet books. This is their list of the 500 best places to see around the world. You can compete and see who’s been to the most on the list.

Purchase on Amazon

Google Chromebook

We were gifted a Chromebook (the Pixelbook) from Google earlier this year and absolutely love it! It’s small, lightweight and easy to use. We love taking this thing traveling when we don’t want to lug our heavy Macbooks around. The keyboard can be flipped up to turn the device from a laptop to a tablet. The screen is excellent, making it the perfect device to take on airplane to watch movies.

Purchase a Google Chromebook

Amazon Paperwhite

There’s no better travel companion than a good travel book. Unfortunately the selection at the hostel book exchange usually doesn’t cut it. You’re lucky to find the a battered copy of the same travel book de jour that everyone is reading. Thank goodness they invited the e-reader. Travelers can now get pretty much any book they want instantly. And can we just say an amen for how light the Kindle is? The last thing you want taking up room in your backpack is heavy books. Even the most traditional travelers will forgo their paperbacks for the convenience of an Amazon Kindle.

Shop Amazons on Kindle

 

GoPro

GoPro’s have always been high on the list for snowboarders and other adventure sport junkies, but the company has really upped their game on quality with the HERO7 Black. Now this tiny, yet powerful, action camera is a must-have for all travelers. Whether you love to snorkel, play around in the snow, or just take shots around town, the GoPro is perfect. It fits in your pocket, so it couldn’t be easier to take around. The HERO7 Black version is waterproof (without a casing), has incredible built in stabilization and shots 4K at 60fps. It also has Wifi and Bluetooth capabilities, so you have no excuse not to stay in touch with regular photo updates.

Start your GoPro adventure today

SunGod Sunglasses

Every traveler knows how important a durable pair of sunglasses is. Most backpackers go for the cheapo knock off Raybans found at pretty much any market around the world. Unfortunately these can be doing your eyes more damage than going without sunglasses. Having polarized lenses is crucial for protecting your eyes. But investing in expensive sunglasses can be a gamble when there’s such a high chance they’ll be broken during one of your adventures. Thank goodness SunGod has us covered. Not only do they have quality sunnies, but all of their products have a lifetime guarantee! If your pair breaks, they’ll send you out a new one for free! And the best part? They are fully customizable! From the lens color to the pattern, to the style. You can make them completely YOU!

Read our full review of SunGod sunglasses here!

 

Hobo Hammocks

Ah the old trusty hammock! An ideal piece of equipment on every traveler’s wish list, but very few travelers have a decent one that stands up to the harsh demands of a nomadic lifestyle. Lucky Hobo Hammocks have you covered. Hobo Hammocks was started by an avid hammocker and traveler, who saw a creative way to combine his love for hammocks and helping those in need. Not only are these hammocks high quality, practical items, but they’re also helping give back to homeless by using part of the proceeds to buy meals. Each hammock comes with straps, clips and a pledge to help use your contribution to feed the poor. Talk about a double deal. And if you’re concerned at all about the political correctness of the term ‘hobo‘ (like we initially were), simply do a quick search to discover the interesting origins and history of the word.

Shop Hobo Hammocks on their website for the best deals!

 

PRO Packing Cubes

If you’ve never traveled with packing cubes, get ready to have your packing game brought to another level. It may seem counterintuitive to add more to your bag, but these cubes help organize and separate your clothes and accessories like you wouldn’t believe. No more taking out every item to get to your last clean pair of undies. Now you can sort your clothing and travel essentials to make packing and unpacking much easier. I honestly can’t believe we traveled for so many years without!

Buy PRO Packing Cubes on Amazon!

 

Netflix / Amazon Streaming Subscription

Even the biggest travel lovers need a break while they’re on the road. Sometimes you just need to curl up in a hotel bed and have a Breaking Bad marathon. Keeping your computer stocked with downloaded movies is impractical when you need extra room for all those travel photos. Cue online streaming. Netflix is the old favorite. The have amazing original shows and movies that you can only find on their site. Amazon streaming is a bit overlooked, but it comes with so many other awesome benefits. If you buy an Amazon Prime account, you get free two-day shipping on your orders, access to the music and Kindle online lending library and a streaming selection of over 40,000 choices.

SunGod Sunglasses Review

Very rarely will you find a pair of reliable action sunglasses that you can really trust while traveling the world or taking on crazy adventure sports. Sure, those fancy sunglasses might look great in all the selfies you’re taking, but give them a little wear and tear and before you know it you’ve got popped lenses and cracked frames. Believe us, we know. We’ve been down that road too many times, often opting for the same cheap Ray Ban knock offs that you find littered around the world. Honestly if we weighed up how much we’ve spent on cheap sunglasses over the last 5 years of travel we really should have just invested in a decent pair to begin with.

Not only are cheap sunglasses terrible value, but there’s also some scary stories about fake sunglasses UV protection, or lack of, and the damages it can do to your eyes. Many of the street vendors flogging knockoff sunglasses will try to tell you the lenses are UV or ‘polarized’, but really they just use a clever shade to disguise tinted plastic or glass. Tinted lenses tell our eyes it’s dark and open up your retinas, letting in UV rans that aren’t protected from the lenses, which ends up giving you sun damage.

So with UV protection, durability and longevity in mind we set out to find some quality travel sunglasses that weren’t going to pack it in at the first sign of adventure. Thankfully we found those very sunglasses in SunGod, the best action sunglasses for travel. They’re tough, stylish and have a warranty that you won’t beat!

 

 

Fully Customizable Sunglasses For Your Style

Ok before we talk about SunGod’s amazing durability let’s look at all of the awesome designs that you can build with SugGod customizable sunglasses. To begin with there are a couple of choices for design. You can go the Classic blues brother type design, or look sleek with an aviator style called the Maverick.

Each design of sunglasses also has three customizable parts. For the Classics you can choose the lenses, the arms and the front frame. For the Mavericks choose between lenses, frame and tips. Match those choices with a dozen odd options for colors and lens tints and you start to discover a lot of awesome combinations to build. Their website has a really sweet sunglass builder feature that lets you make changes on the spot and see what your new shades are going to look like.

When picking out a couple of pairs recently the hardest part was choosing what combination to go for. I kept changing my mind and swapping up my styles, switching between the different colors and lens tints, attempting to find my perfect match. Eventually I settled on some classy, yet adventurous shades that haven’t left my side.

 

 

Best Unbreakable Sunglasses for Travel

We’ve talked style, but now let’s have a look at the real talking point of SunGod adventure sunglasses. If you’re looking for some strong sunglasses then SunGod have what it takes for all kinds of adventure activities. From skiing and snowboarding, to rock climbing and white water rafting… or maybe just relaxing on a beautiful island!

Flexible frame material makes the sunglasses super tough, but also light and comfortable to wear. After wearing them all day you’ll barely notice them on your face anymore: they’re that comfortable! Durable frames also mean you can bend and twist them without snapping the arms, so you’ll be safe if you happen to take a fall next time your shredding the slopes. All lenses are impact resistance, with triple-layer scratch resistant coating, as well as offering top shelf 100% UVA and UVB. There’s also an optional polarized option for those seeking enhanced optical clarity and glare reduction.

As well as traditional sunglass, SunGod have also recently released new sunglass goggles for snowboarding and skiing, which are wicked. We haven’t had the chance to road test them (not too much snow in Southeast Asia), but are keen to grab a hold of pair for some slopes in Tahoe over the winter.

 

 

Amazing Warranty Service

So, think it doesn’t get any better than customizable unbreakable sunnies? Let’s talk lifetime warranty. SunGod are so confident in their durability and design that they’re offering a lifetime warranty of all SunGod Classic sunglasses that cover manufacturer defects and accidental breakage (one year for the Mavericks).

Now obviously if your new puppy gets a hold of them, or you happen to drop them in the path of a steamroller, that’s a different story: but generally speaking, if your frames break, SunGod will replace your sunglasses free of charge. Anywhere in the world! Not only will you travel in style, but also with the confidence of some seriously strong sunglasses backed up by an even stronger warranty policy that supports your adventurous lifestyle.

 

 

Final Review

If you’re on the hunt for some quality sunglasses for sports or travel then you can’t go past SunGod. We’ve been absolutely loving our shades and have given them some solid testing while trekking through the countryside of northern Thailand, white water rafting and zooming through the hectic streets of Bangkok. I’ve even accidentally sat down with them in my back pocket. Thankfully I haven’t had to put that warranty to the test. They’re so good, they’re even elephant proof!

 

 

SunGod ships globally using Royal Mail and have a tracking code for you to watch your order. They’re dispatched on the same day as you order and will make it to you within a week. Which means, what are you waiting for? For more info on SunGod sunglasses, their designs and their incredible warranty you can check out their website.

 

Travelers can spend months researching the perfect backpacking backpack. Struggling to get the size, fit and style just right. But what about a daypack? Daypacks tend to be an after-thought. However, their role while traveling should not be underrated. A good day pack is crucial for traveling. This is the pack you’ll keep everything you want quick and easy access to. The daypack keeps your valuables safe, it keeps your wallet and passport in easy reach during those tedious boarding crossings, but still tucked away from any sketchy characters.

The daypack also holds all those items that make a long bus ride bearable; iPod, headphones, a good variety of snacks. A daypack holds your sunscreen at the beach and lugs your water bottle around during a steep hike. So where can you find such a quality daypack? Well don’t worry guys, we’ve got ya covered with the Granite Rocx Tahoe backpack.

Thanks to the awesome people over at Granite Rocx we’ve been lucky enough to receive their Tahoe pack for review. This bag is seriously amazing. I don’t think there’s anything it can’t do. It’s loaded with all sorts of pockets, compartments and cords that give you flexibility in whatever adventure you want to take it on.

Upon first glance, the Granite Rocx Tahoe backpack looks like a standard pack, but when we started to explore all of the zips and pouches we realized just how much potential this little 35 liter bag has. The front of the pack has bungee straps perfect for throwing in a beach towel, extra sweater or picnic blanket. Unzip the first compartment to reveal a section of different sized pockets. The larger pockets are perfect for items like sunscreen or a notebook and the small ones can snugly fit a set of keys or your favorite SPF lip balm. The main section is spacious enough for your camera bag, change of clothing and extra pair of flip-flops.

But that’s not all! The back of the bag actually unzips to create even MORE space for all your goodies. This area is perfect for a fold up chair or two. No more lugging an awkward beach chair down to the water. The straps on the side keep everything secure so you can put your hands to better use like snapping photos or looking after your beer.

Speaking of beer, this might just be the best feature of the Granite Rocx Tahoe backpack. The bag actually comes with a super compact detachable cooler! There’s nothing worse than going on a hot, sticky hike through the Amazon, needing a refreshing sip of water, only to find that your bottle is hot as a sauna! The cooler is insulated for hot and cold, so all you need to do is pop in some ice to keep your drinks cold. Alternatively, if you’re heading out on a sunrise hike and need a warm cup of coffee or hot chocolate to warm your bones, the bag will keep your beverage nice and warm. This area is also perfect for keeping your lunch fresh after a long hike, to avoid the dreaded soggy sandwich. In fact we took this down the beach just yesterday, filled it up with 12 (!) cans of beer and enjoyed nice cold brews all afternoon.

The great thing about this pack is that it’s versatile and can fit whatever kind of activity you enjoy. It’s really a “choose your own adventure!” The other week we had my cousin take it out for the day. She threw her yoga mat into the bungee straps to take to class. Instead of placing a chair in the back straps, she tucked in an art easel, put her paints and pencils in the pockets and had an art day out in the park. My mom has used the bag at the farmer’s market, using the big compartment for bread and flowers, and the cooler to keep all her produce fresh on the ride home. And i’m pretty sure my dad has his eye on it for his next camping trip.

Although, as much as I love helping out the family, I’m keeping the Granite Rocx Tahoe backpack for myself! I can’t wait to use all the different straps and pockets for our beach days on the islands of Thailand, exploring the ruins in Cambodia and motor-biking through the hills of Vietnam.

 

A massive thanks to Tom and Candace at El Camino for collaborating with us on this fantastic review. Not only were we lucky enough to receive our very own El Camino bracelet, but we’re also giving a bracelet away to one lucky reader. Read on for more info!

 

 

The El Camino Story

If you’re a traveller who just loves to collect travel souvenirs, then we’ve got the perfect item for you! Think charm bracelet, meets travel memories, meets elegance and you’ve got this stylish and customizable bracelet from El Camino. These bracelets not only offer a personal and unique touch to your travel memories, but the product itself is of high quality and they look amazing.

 

Created by travellers, for travellers, Tom and Candace’s incredible concept first came about after long nights couped up in their tent, as they hiked, camped and roughed their way through Spain. Free from technology, it gave the pair plenty of time to tap into their creative sources and start drafting the initial idea. Originally just a really awesome way to showcase and document their travel memories, El Camino burst onto the scene as a popular product this year for travelers, whether you’re a hardcore veteran or have just come back from a short vacation.

 

 

The concept is simple, yet brilliant. Instead of dangly mismatched charms, you get high quality stainless steel beads that are engraved by hand. Customize each bead to show off where you’ve travelled, be it a city, country or whole region. Add them to a durable and beautifully woven bracelet, then space them out with oak or mahogany beads and you’ve got the perfect memento of your travels.

Choosing Your Bracelet

Here comes the difficult part; deciding how you’re going to customize your bracelet. With so many choices it makes for a hard decision, but we managed to narrow it down in the end. For us the Starter Package was the perfect way to kick off our first bracelet, giving us a great base to build on in the future. The package includes band, charms and spacers all in one, for a very reasonable price.

First step is to choose a band. There are 7 beautiful colors to decide from, each hand woven; with a premium grade stainless steal clasp and they’re tough enough to keep up with even the most rugged of travelers.

 

 

Once you’ve got your bracelet it’s time to build it up. Choose your steps (charms) from either country, city or other travel location. All the countries in the world are there, with some of your favorite cities and spots around the world represented as well. And if there’s anything missing, opt for a custom step and get it personally engraved with up to 32 characters. As a nice personal touch we received our very own Don’t Forget To Move step as a surprise from El Camino. Very cool!

 

 

If you can’t decide between countries, why not collect whole regions? There’s 12 colorfully crafted and engraved glass steps to choose from that symbolize every corner of the globe.

Piece it all together on your bracelet and stylize it with oak or mahogany spacers to separate your steps. The shiny silver, glistening glass and earthy wood make for a unique combination of colors and textures.

Christine’s El Camino Bracelet

Turquoise single band
Central America region step (our favorite travel area so far)
Peru step (where we met back in early 2012)
Mexico step (where we spent 6 months and one of our favorite countries)
California small step (Christine’s hometown)
Don’t Forget To Move custom step (a special surprise from Tom and Candace)

 

 

Final Word

We love them! There’s probably only one bad thing about these amazing bracelets, and that’s limiting yourself to just one! If you’ve been around the world, good luck trying to decide how to customize one bracelet, so you’re better off buying a few! For an elegant, stylized and personal travel memory, at an affordable cost, you really can’t go past these bracelets as the perfect souvenir or gift.

You can keep up to date with all El Camino’s latest developments through their website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

 

 

Win Your Very Own El Camino Bracelet

The generosity of El Camino just keeps coming! El Camino and Don’t Forget To Move are pleased to offer you the chance to create your very own travel memory of your journey around the world. It’s easy to get in the running for this great prize and thanks to Rafflecopter you can enter more than once!

a Rafflecopter giveaway