Part Time Vagabond

8 Last Minute Travel Gifts Under $25

// December 11th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Uncategorized

The gift-giving holidays are fast approaching, and if you haven’t picked something up for the traveler in your life just yet, you’re close to being in trouble. Fortunately, I’ve found some great gifts you (er, I mean…the traveler in your life) will love to receive, all for under $25.

L.L. Bean Trailblazer Headlamp

I just bought one of these little guys after more than six years with my old school Petzl headlamp. The Petzl looked like a miner’s headlamp, with a huge light/lens assembly on front with a twist bezel to power the lamp on, and a battery compartment in the back that held 4 AA batteries. The thing was bulky and heavy, especially in comparison to the Trailblazer. This little guy illuminates a huge area with three bright white LEDs powered by three standard AAA batteries. It’s lightweight, compact, burns for up to 160 hours (on its lowest brightness setting, of which it has 3, plus a blink setting). Another plus: it comes in 4 fashionable colors. $19.95, llbean.com.

Smartwool Socks

These socks are the bad boys of the wool sock industry. Ok, I’m making that up, but Smartwool is one of those companies who just really know their market: people who love wool. But don’t think that this is grandma’s-old-itchy-wool-sweater type wool. No sir, this is soft, warm, comfortable Merino wool, made from the wool of the prized Merino sheep. Put these socks on, and you won’t even know you’re wearing wool, as they wick away moisture from your feet, keep your toes warm, and make sure your shoes don’t end up smelling like…well, like wet sheep. $17.95-$24.95 at most outdoor retailers. www.smartwool.com

L.L. Bean Personal Organizer

The Personal Organizer from L.L.Bean is one of those items that you never knew you really needed or wanted until you saw one in action. That happened to me when my brother visited and I saw his organizer hanging in the bathroom. The Personal Organizer is great for toiletries, tools, or just random stuff you need a place for. All sizes have a hang strap for easy access to the roomy and functional interior, and it all folds and zips up into a compact and easily packable package. $19.95-$39.95, llbean.com.

Press-Bot French Press Coffee Filter

I don’t drink coffee. I’m more of a tea man myself, but the Press-Bot Coffee Filter is great for both beverages. The contraption is a french-press style filter that fits inside any wide-mouth Nalgene style water bottle. From reviews I’ve read, the filter splits in the middle to fit inside the bottle, then springs back into place and forms a nice, tight seal witht the sides of the bottle. With is compact design and the fact that most of us have a Nalgene bottle lying around somewhere, this is a gift that anyone an appreciate. Especially on those cold, early mornings. $20, www.venturedesignworks.com/pressbot.html.

ChicoBag reusable bags

Ok, so aside from being economical and environmentally sound, ChicoBags are pretty damn cool. They’re lightweight and sturdy, come in a variety of colors and designs, and they pack up into tiny little balls that you can stick in a cargo pocket or purse. The originals are traditional shopping bags, but ChicoBags also offers sling, messenger, and daypack versions. If you hurry, their limited edition holiday bags are 30% off. $5-$25, www.chicobag.com.

Moleskine City Guide

Moleskine (pronounced “mole-uh-skeen-uh”) notebooks get a bad rap as trendy, expensive, hipster geek books that one shouldn’t be caught dead with. On the contrary, I find these books incredibly useful and durable, and I carry one with me wherever I go. I’ve only found two downfalls: 1) When I keep one in my back pocket & repeatedly sit on it, the binding tends to loosen and the oilcloth on the spine splits and comes off; this probably won’t happen with the soft cover books; and 2) I can never find the hardcover, unlined plain notebook!) When Moleskine came out with the City Guides a few years back, I was excited. The books contain maps of the main areas within cities like Madrid, New York, and Dublin; blank pages for scribbles and notes; a 96-page archive for organizing; and translucent sticky sheets that you can stick on the maps to write & reposition. The City Guide book is basically a do it yourself exploration guide. $17.95 at most book retailers, www.moleskine.com.

Klean Kanteen Water Bottle

The great BPA scare of the past several years has left plastic water bottle makers trying to recover from a PR nightmare. In the meantime, Klean Kanteen snuck up and took center stage as a leader in BPA-Free water bottles. The food-grade stainless steel containers are sturdy and lightweight, and avoid any nasty metal aftertaste in the water. All the bottles are recyclable, and the fact that they’re reusable means fewer plastic bottles in landfills. Sure, they’ve become somewhat of a status symbol, but it’s a status you should be proud of. $19.95, rei.com

Gerber Curve

I saw this little bad boy at work one day and was intrigued. It’s curved, compact design flows nicely while packing a bunch of useful tools inside its body. I’ve always loved the design of Gerber knives, so it’s no surprise that the Curve caught my eye. It has a blade, two screwdrivers, a file, and bottle opener, all of which lock into place. It all clips on to a belt loop or keychain. The first one I saw was metallic pink, and I noticed on the packaging that part of the proceeds from the pink tool would be donated to the Susan G. Komen for The Cure Foundation. At $11.95, you can get one for all the ladies on your shopping list, and know that you’re helping to make a difference. Not bad. Also available in blue and grey. $11.95, rei.com.

*DISCLOSURE: I am a seasonal employee at the L.L. Bean Flagship store in Freeport, ME. My opinions on all products are my own, and do not reflect the official positions of L.L. Bean in any way. I do not recieve any compensation from the company to talk about products. No, L.L. Bean didn’t make me say that. The FTC did.

16 Hours of Camping

// September 21st, 2009 // 2 Comments » // TRIP REPORT

Today I embark upon my first sub twenty-four hour camping trip, and although I’ve done zero preparation for this overnight stay, I’m upbeat and excited. It’s about 8:45 on Monday morning, and despite an allergy attack yesterday that had me laid up in bed, I’m ready to go with allergy meds and Breathe Right nasal strips. I will be a breathing machine.

The plan as it stands is to pack everything in my giant Lowe Alpine backpack, a behemoth with nearly 5000 cubic inches of cargo space and pockets galore. I bought this pack around 1997 for multi-day backpacking trips, but it’s hardly been used for that purpose, and now that I’m 12 years older, I’m thinking a smaller, more compact and lightweight model would be better for me. For now, though, I’m taking it with me to test how well the pack and I hold up.

Once I’m packed, I’ll head up to Bradbury Mountain State Park in Pownal, ME, pick a campsite, and then do some day hiking, pack fully loaded. I’ll make sure to take some video and post it up here on the site after I get back. Since moving to Maine, I’ve only spent one night in the woods, so you can imagine how much I’m looking forward to this. I only wish I’d realized I could do this sooner!

VIDEO: My Gear

// September 16th, 2009 // No Comments » // VIDEO

Part Time Vagabond 001 from Chris Cavs on Vimeo.

I walked into my room the other day and happened to glance a the corner next to my dresser, the one where i keep a crate full of camping gear. The pile glared at me like a long neglected lover, angry at having been ignored for so long. I decided it was time to pull out the old crate and find out what was lurking inside. This is the result.

5 Items for the Nomadic Videographer

// August 27th, 2009 // No Comments » // HOW TO

As you’ll well learn over the course of this blog’s existence, I am a video nut. I’ve been producing and shooting video for well over 15 years, but I rarely think to bring my gear with me on a trip. Video gear — especially the pro stuff — is heavy, bulky, and not all that fun to lug around. But now, with the advent of micro-camcorders and easy, portable editing solutions, the temptation to bring along a full complement of equipment is stronger than ever.

No one wants to lug around a hundred pounds of extra stuff when you’re just trying to enjoy your trip. Yet we still want to capture those memorable moments and show them off on the family blog. In an effort to lighten the load and still get that amazing shot, here are five items for the nomadic videographer:

1. AVCHD camcorder – These tiny handheld camcorders are made even lighter because of their solid state AVCHD recording media. Without the traditional recording mechanism of tape or hard drive based models, AVCHD camcorders shed those oh-so-important ounces, while giving you stunning High Def images. Try models from Canon or Sony. With all that saved weight, you’ll be able to carry an extra package of GORP.
2. GorillaPod SLR Zoom – Probably the greatest invention for outdoor video and still photography enthusiats, Joby’s Gorillapod is the lightweight go-anywhere tripod with bite. Three nearly infinitely posable, rubber tipped legs allow you to wrap the miniature tripod around a tree branch or grip it securely to a rock face. Joby has also just introduced a ball head for the Gorillapod SLR Zoom version, which allows free-flowing movement in a 360 degree circle. The ball head includes the GorillaPod’s traditional quick-release plate.
3. LED On Camera Light – LED lights are starting to make their way into professional videography, and with good reason. They’re small, lightweight, and bright, but use less battery power than traditional on-camera lights. In the woods or in darkly lit alleys, a good light is essential to seeing what’s on camera. This sub-$200 light from Bescor is small, lightweight, and dimmable.  *Tip: when shooting in the sun with deep shadows, use your camera light to fill in those shadows. Your subject will look much better.
4. Short Shotgun Microphone - Many pros have said it, yet most amateurs ignore it: Audio is an important – if not the most important – part of videography. If you can’t hear, what’s the point? The Azden SGM-X short shotgun microphone sits in your camera’s hot shoe while it’s 1/8″ mini jack plugs right into your camcorder’s microphone jack. Use the mic to not only do on camera “standups,” but also to pick up the amazing sounds you encounter on your journey.
5. Headphones – These lightweight earphones from Klipsch are a great complement to your shotgun microphone. Just as picking up the sound is important, hearing what you’re picking up is important as well. These earphones sit snugly and comfortably in your ears, without taking up a lot of weight or space in your pack. Though they may be pricier than you’re used to, they’re well worth the investment when you can hear the wings of that grey heron flapping from a quarter of a mile away.