Just a quick wave to everyone as we head into Thanksgiving, and time to visit with loved ones. If you’re traveling today and are participating in the Opt Out campaign, good for you. If you’ve opted out of flying altogether and are either driving or staying home, good for you, too. Whatever your plans, stay safe and have a great holiday!
Infographic: TSA Gone Wild
Kudos to Forkparty.com for coming up with a very nice graphic.
November 24 is National Opt-Out Day
Are you uncomfortable with the thought of having a “naked picture” of yourself visible to airport security?
Are you worried about the radiation exposure you get from the full-body scans, like a lot of airline pilots are?
Do you think a full-body scan using advanced imaging technology is breaching your privacy?
Do you think that the Transportation Security Administration has taken the wrong path in embracing the wrong technology?
Do you believe this is just another example of the federal government using your taxpayer dollars to invade your privacy?
There is a growing movement in the country of people who are opposed to the use of these full-body scanners, which leave very little to the imagination.
The TSA continues to try to assure the public regarding these criticisms:
- The agent inspecting the images on the monitors are separated from the scanner itself and does not know who they are actually scanning. However, there is nothing stopping one agent from sneaking over and whispering to this inspector if a particularly attractive person, or a famous celebrity, is about to go through the scanner.
- The monitors are not designed to be able to print out the images. This does not stop any agent from using a small camera (or say, a smartphone) to take a snapshot of an image.
There is no official policy regarding how TSA agents are disciplined if they behave poorly with these scanners. And like it or not, the more unusual you appear (that is, maybe you’re a hot-looking chick, maybe you’ve had a mastectomy, maybe you are very well-endowed, maybe you are morbidly obese… or maybe you’re an instantly recognizable celebrity), the more risk you take that some TSA agent is going to decide to sneak a quick snapshot on their iPhone.
This is not a comfort to very modest individuals, for whom having their “naked images” viewed by strangers or non-physicians is very offensive. Does your church want you to be modest?
There is a growing sentiment in the U.S. against these intrusive, privacy-invading full-body scanners. Recently, the official airline pilots union came out with an advisory urging pilots to avoid these scanners due to the radiation they emit.
Wednesday, November 24th, is the most busiest travel day of the day. It’s also National Opt-Out Day:
It’s the day we stand up refuse our consent to the federal government’s virtual strip search porno-scanners and enhanced
groping techniques. You should never have to explain to your children, “Remember: no stranger can touch or see your private area, unless it’s a government employee, then it’s OK.”
According to the TSA, you have a perfectly legal choice: If you are asked to go through the full-body scanner, you can ask for an “opt-out”—where you instead get an “enhanced pat-down.” These enhanced pat-downs will likely feel demeaning, especially under the hands of quick-tempered TSA agents who are grumpy because you chose to do things the hard way. There is even a report from one woman who said that when a TSA agent was inspecting her breasts, they “twisted them“—that sounds more like something straight out of a porn video than even a gynecological exam.
These enhanced pat-downs are intrusive (from the Opt-Out Day Web site):
To try and make everyone comply with the naked body scanners, the government has made the alternative worse! With their enhanced pat downs, TSA now touches the genitals and private areas of men, women and children with the front of the hand! We do not believe the government has a right to see you naked or feel you up just because you bought an airline ticket.
If you are willing to deal with the indignity of an enhanced pat-down as a method of civil disobedience, however, then on November 24, ask for an opt-out. Participate.
Wanna try your hand at NO-baggage travel?
I posted a few weeks ago about a guy who traveled around the world for five weeks as part of a no-baggage challenge sponsored by SCOTTEVEST, makers of a multi-pocket jacket.
Looks like that particular campaign was so popular that they have launched a contest to find a new person to continue with this no-baggage challenge.
Go to their Web site for details on how you can win a spot as the next challenger. You’ll need to put a short video together talking about how you think you qualify, and what you’d take with you.
Good luck!
Shopping Tips for Budget-Conscious Carry-Ons
Are you on a budget but still want to get a carry-on to travel light in?
If you want…
The lightest
The lighest carry-on is going to be a large Weekender ($108-$120) shoulder bag from LeSportSac, the folks who use the really lightweight ballistic nylon for their purses. Just be aware that their large model is technically a little too big as a carry-on, so if you stuff it to the gills, some airlines may balk. Their medium one ($98-$108) requires some discipline in not overpacking, but it’s a great size for carry-ons. A lot of women really like the fashionable fabrics, too.
The best rolling upright option
The typical rolling upright is often very close to being too big for a carry-on. There are a few that are short and squat instead of tall and kinda big.
The Travelsmith Ultra-Organized Rolling Carry-on Bag ($99.00). Comes in a number of different colors and is small enough to meet all airline carry-on rules. Plus, it comes with a little matching tote bag for free.
Travelsmith sells an upgraded version that has spinning wheels, but it costs $139. They also sell a third-party brand from Travelon (the Underseater Carry-on) that is very similar, for $109, which also includes a matching tote bag. Other bag manufacturers like Eagle Creek sell similar baby rolling uprights, but beware; many of them are designed for commuting from work or school. When shopping for one of these, make sure they provide a close-up photo of the interrior. What you’re looking for is a couple of pockets and tie-down cinches, but mostly an open, cavernous area you can access easily. If it’s designed to hold a laptop and a lot of books or folders, they might include nonremovable partitions and dividers that will get in your way.
The best for your laptop
My suggestion is that you carry your laptop in a separate sleeve instead of buying its own laptop bag. I recommend Neoprene (wetsuit material) since they hug your laptop and don’t take much more room. You can easily slide these in and out of your carry-on. Some come with small carrying handles, and some with a pocket to hold your travel accessories (mouse, etc.). The biggest reason to get a sleeve is in case the airlines force you to check in your carry-on; you can slide the sleeve out and still take your laptop to your seat for security.
There are some “checkpoint-friendly” carry-ons with transparnt sleeves for your laptop, but unless the only travel you’re doing is business travel and you always carry your laptop, these are highly specialized and you pay a premium for it.
Part of traveling lightly is to leave your laptop at home. Consider taking an inexpensive netbook that fits in your purse (if you want to blog during your trip or download photos as you go), or if all you need to do is check your email, consider just your smartphone (like your iPhone). Most of us use our laptops to check our email and surf the web (and maybe play a few games), and you can do that easily these days with a smartphone. If you want something a little bigger than a smartphone, that lets you do some basic office tasks like writing documents or spreadsheets, consider getting an iPad. If you’re on a budget, consider sticking to your phone. No smartphone? Consider getting an iPod Touch. You can use the wi-fi feature and turn it into a smartphone. Many airports and coffee shops offer free wi-fi.
If you’re on a really tight budget and you have a very small laptop or a netbook, consider reusing a bubble-wrap padded envelope from FedEx.
The best “fashion-friendly”
First off, be careful what you pack. Avoid clothes that wrinkle easily and require dry cleaning. People using the bundle method (starting with small items and “gift wrapping” a layer at a time with a different garment so the most wrinkle-prone shirts and blouses can “hug” a big bundle can avoid the worst of the wrinkles.
If you have to travel with travel-unfriendly clothes, my best bet is the Skyroll ($149). It’s basically a garment bag that rolls up like a sushi roll (or Swiss cake roll) and snaps shut into a tidy little roll that you can then carry with a shoulder strap. It’s definitely a great carry-on for a business (or wrinkle-prone) wardrobe. Their Web site shows the bags to be out of stock with no indication when they’ll get more in; here’s to hoping they still make them.
The most versatile
Any of the convertible carry-on bags would fall in this category; any pack with handles, a shoulder strap, and hideaway backpack straps. The Rick Steves Classic Back Door Bag (for a bargain priced $79) fits this category. Imagine traveling with a child by yourself, and having both hands free! As convenient as those popular rolling uprights are, remember that they were originally invented by an airline pilot for his commutes through airports. If you use curbside taxi service and only walk through the airport, then the rolling uprights work really nicely. But if you do any sort of walking around (or taking the stairs), they start to get really cumbersome. And one of their biggest detractions is the amount of luggage space you give up for the wheel and scoping handlebar mechanism.
The most spacious
Is probably Rick Steves’ slightly more expensive Convertible Carry-On ($99) is probably the best no-frills carry-on bag on the market. Although its dimensions are the maximum allowable like others, be aware, however, that when you loosen its gussets and fill it to capacity, it might be a bit too big to fit as a carry-on.
For the super-budget conscious
The Outdoor Products Essential Carry-on ($39.95). Long a staple at Campmor.com, where it was only $33, this bag was the go-to bag for people on an extremely tight budget. Although some reviewers swore that you could use it everyday for months (either for globe-trotting or for daily commuting), this bag isn’t quite as sturdy as some of the others listed here. But if you’re counting every penny, and need something for occasional travel, this was it. The bag holds up amazingly well, although some people have reported that the luggage strap can sometimes break. This is easily fixed by purchasing a more durable luggage strap.
Unfortunately, Campmor stopped selling this bag earlier this year. Fortunately, you can still find it at a couple of sites online, including the Great Outdoors Depot, where the link goes to. The price has gone up some; it’s now a hair under $40. But it’s still a great bargain.
The most ergonomic
The most ergonomic in my opinion is the Tom Bihn Tri-Star. Although the price, at $250, might be out of the reach for some folks on a very tight budget, the price is comparable to a lot of luggage items on the market, and this is truly a case of “you get what you pay for.” If you aren’t after the newest model bag every year and you want something that will last forever, this is the best designed bag I can recommend. It’s one of the few bags still made in the USA by a company based in Seattle. The bag is extremely well-constructed. The zippers won’t break, things stay in place, and everything feels really sturdy and ergonomic. Women who like to keep things organized will really like this bag because Tom Bihn offers little packable pouches and bags that all nestle into their carry-ons.
I have a closetful of travel bags, but in the past year, my husband has chosen the Tri-Star as the only bag he travels with. It’s a little hard to describe how this one differs from the other travel packs (like the ones from Rick Steves or Outdoor Products). Mostly, I think it’s that Tom Bihn’s products hold up really well. You will never find even a stitch out of place. Nothing sticks out to get snagged. Nothing pinches. Nothing tears or pokes. Once you’ve packed your bag, it’s like a wonderful little package and you know things aren’t going to come falling out.
It’s pricey, but worth it; if you’re looking for a bag you plan on being able to use for decades, this one is it.
Lani’s big tip
Avoid the rolling uprights! I’ve always said this, but I can’t emphasize this enough. Now that most airlines use checked luggage fees to make up for their lost revenue, passengers are countering it more than ever by taking everything on board with them. The problem is, many of these so-called carry-ons are quite large–certainly too large to fit under the seat–and full flights often mean a full overhead rack. If you’re one of the latter ones boarding, the flight attendant may insist on checking your carry-on for you! The first thing they look for are the large rolling uprights. Although you might still be asked to check in your carry-on at the last moment, if you pack a smaller bag without wheels, they might let you through… especially if your bag is small enough to place under the seat.
Although most of the bags mentioned here are designed to fit in the overhead, they are far easier to smoosh in place than a rolling upright with clunky wheels. The exception is the horizontal (short and squat) wheelies, which you might be able to stuff under the seat.
Lani’s emergency “Oh no, they want my carry-on!” tip
Take one of those little packable nylon shopping tote bags with you and keep it in an accessible pocket of your carry-on. If they ask that you check your bag in, quickly pull out your electronic gear, wallet, and medication to slip into your tote bag. And make sure you have a luggage tag on your carry-on for this purpose.
Travel Around the World for 6 Weeks Without Luggage?
I thought I was ambitious being able to travel to Europe for two weeks with just a single 6-kilogram carry-on, but it looks like someone’s got me beat by a mile.
Travel writer Rolf Potts earlier this year embarked on a six-week, round-the-world journey that took him to 12 countries in 5 continents. Dubbed the “No Baggage Challenge,” the experiment, which was sponsored by multi-pocket jacket manufacturer SCOTTEVEST, was designed specifically to see if it was possible to travel without even a single bag.
The logo for Rolf Potts' "No Baggage Challenge."
His packing list is pretty impressive. I was most curious about his clothes, and for that he pared it down to the bare minimum: an extra T-shirt, two pairs of extra socks, one extra pair of underwear. He took tiny bottles with him for washing his clothes every evening in his room. He kept electronics to a minimum and just took an iPod Touch and a collapsible keyboard. Depending on how much he needed to write, he could’ve probably even done away with the latter.
His secret? His ScottEVest Tropical Jacket. A lot of light travelers wear the ScottEVest jackets because of their 20+ pockets, and Rolf was no exception.
You can view his blog and video journal entries at his site (link). To find out exactly what he actually carried with him on his trip, go directly to his packing page (link).
Congratulations to both Rolf and to his sponsor, SCOTTEVEST, for a successful experiment in ultra-light traveling.
iPads and Turkish Delight
Sorry to disappoint you; the two are unrelated. Except that they are both related to my recent trip to Istanbul. I’m still considerably jetlagged but I hope to post some new entries based on some thoughts and observations from this most recent trip.
I did, however, want to mention a couple of things for now.
Apple iPad
Wow. I wrote a travel-focused review for this gadget earlier this summer (“iPad: A light traveler’s dream, or just another gadget?“) but apparently every third traveler has decided to trade in their laptop for an iPad. Walking through the airport was like walking through an Apple Store (you know, where everyone’s got their hands all over the demo models). Granted it was San Francisco, a city with a high gadget saturation level, but still. I took my second-generation iPod Touch with me, loaded up with rented movies, Kindle e-books, and games to play, and was mostly disappointed at its continued decline in battery life. I am this close to getting an iPad but I really want to hold off until Apple announces a newer model, crossing my fingers that it would be a slightly smaller version. As small as the iPad is, especially compared to a laptop, it’s still a little too big for me to fully support as a completely mobile piece of hardware. That is, it’s not quite yet Travelite-certifiable. For that, it should fit into cargo pants pockets or a purse.
Turkish delight
If you’ve aren’t familiar with these cubes of ooey-gooey goodness, you’ve had Turkish delight if you’ve ever eaten Aplets and Cotlets from Liberty Orchard. Turkish delight is a little confectionary made with sugar and starch, and they are usually cut into cubes the size of giant dice and covered with a loose and dry coating like powdered sugar to keep them from sticking to each other. Turkish delight is considered a popular souvenir, and visitors can pick up gift boxes to take home.
The only problem? Turkish delight is primarily a thick jelly candy, and we weren’t sure the TSA would let us keep it in our carry-ons. Since we were in Istanbul for a whole week, we kept putting off buying them, and finally spent some time searching the Internet for any references to Turkish delight being on the prohibited list. We figured if it were, we’d find all sorts of posts from upset tourists and indignant Turks. Since we found nothing, we thought we’d take the chance. We bought some boxes of pistachio Turkish delight—and much to our delight, ran into no issues when we went through repeated screenings during our various return legs.
Continental Airlines
One final note. In deciding what airline to fly with, I did a lot of research and finally chose Continental since it was still considered a full-service airline noted for offering free food on its flights. Even with over 100,000 miles in my United Mileage Plus account, I’m feeling very little loyalty these days, and I wanted to shop around for another airline. Alas, a short while after I purchased our tickets, Continental announced its planned merger with United… and just this week, Continental announced that it was doing away with free food on most of its domestic flights. The meals we did get on our flights were surprisingly good, and we felt like royalty in coach as we enjoyed being served real food. Guess that isn’t going to last. Continental, I hardly knew ye.
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100ml is more than 3 ounces
Have you been told that you were restricted to carrying liquids in containers that hold no more than 3 ounces? After all, the TSA “3-1-1” policy includes “3” in its name, and it refers to the liquid weight you’re allowed to take with you in a single bottle.
…or is it?
If you go to the TSA’s Prohibited Items Web page (link), here is what it says:
3.4 ounces (100ml) or smaller container
Aha! So technically, you can actually carry more than 3 ounces! This is good news for folks who travel with toiletries from most of the rest of the world, which uses a metric measurement system, and whose toiletry bottles are often 100 milliliters in size.
But before you go decanting all your toiletries into 100ml bottles, though, beware. 3 ounces (or 3.4 ounces/100ml) is a really large bottle in the world of travel-sized toiletries. Unless you have an obsessive need to lotion your hands every 30 minutes, chances are you will not need such a large bottle. Or if you know you’ll use that much product, take 2 smaller bottles (2 ounces each, for example) and toss the bottles as you empty them out. That way your stuff will take up less room in your carry-on.
By the way, the Prohibited Items list has some pretty interesting tidbits on there. Did you know that you’re technically not allowed to take your gel insoles with you on the plane? Yep—the TSA is decidedly not gellin’ for Magellan!
Product Review: Shoesocks
Do you try to minimize what you pack by traveling with just the pair of shoes you are wearing? Or do you ever yourself periodically needing to pack an extra pair of shoes in your carry-on?
I was recently contacted by a self-professed heavy packer named Mark, who wanted to send me a product he invented for people needing to pack spare shoes in their bags. The product is called “Shoesocks,” and I’ll be taking a look at this product today.
A box of extra small Shoesocks
Described as “stretchable protective shoe covers,” these Shoesocks seem like a pretty simple idea. Shoesocks are a form-fitting Neoprene cover for your shoes. No zippers, no buttons. Absolutely nothing to catch or get in the way.
Shoesocks come in a plain box, in a plastic bag.
Shoesocks, once outside of the packaging.
Once you take the Shoesocks out of their packaging, they might need a little coaxing so they completely unfurl. However because they are made from a foam fabric, they slowly relax and will stand on their own.
Inserting a shoe into a Shoesock.
The toughest part about using this product is that if you buy the right size, it means the sock will be a little snug. You will need to wiggle the shoe a bit as you slowly wedge the shoe into the sock.
Snug as a bug in a rug.
Once your shoes are fitted into your Shoesocks, though, they are ready to be packed. And here is where you really see why this might actually be a handy item. Unlike most shoecovers, your shoes are nested firmly inside the Shoesock, and there is nothing loose. The Neoprene creates a very safe padded blanket around your shoe, and you can easily make some room in your carry-on to sneak your shoes into. Plus since each shoe gets its own Shoesock, you will find an easier time packing, since you don’t have to find room in your bag for two shoes stuck together in a bag.
Besides keeping your shoes safe, Shoesocks also keep your bag from getting dirty. No more scuff marks on your clothes, dirt clods stuck in the seams of your carry-ons.
If you take a close look at these, you will see that all the seams are double-stitched, and the opening is nicely hemmed. There are no zippers, buttons, snaps, or laces to complicate this product. The manufacturer calls these “a wetsuit for your shoes” and they definitely deliver there. There is nothing unnecessarily here, either. These could have easily gotten overcomplicated, with a zippered top that you can close up… but why mess up a good, simple idea?
A close-up look at a Shoesock shows good workmanship.
The best deal is that Shoesocks are pretty affordable; you can pick these up from their Web site for around $12.00 US. For $12 and an extra few ounces, I give Shoesocks a thumbs-up for delivering on great product based on a simple idea.
- Product name: Shoesocks
- Price: $11.99 per pair
- Shipping: $1.00 for U.S. and Canada ($5.50 for international orders)
- Web site: Shoesocks.com
Handy Tip: Travel Trays
In general, my mantra is “If you don’t need it, leave it home.” Once in a while, though, I make an exception because the item makes life so much easier.
One such item is the travel tray. They aren’t particularly popular items at travel supply stores so you might have trouble finding them, but you do occasionally run into them in unexpected places. The best one I got was a brown Hello Kitty travel tray for $1 at the dollar store in the San Francisco Japantown a few years ago (OK, so it’s Hello Kitty… but how can you beat a buck?).
Mall store Brookstone offers a no-frills travel tray. Photo courtesy Brookstone.
What makes these travel trays OK in my book is that when not in use, they’re just completely flat, like a sheet of cardboard. To use it, you pinch the corners together and snap the buttons together, and now you have a little tray.
Maxpedition, an online store that sells a lot of rugged gear, also sells a travel tray. Unlike the one from Brookstone, this one even includes a little pouch on one side for your small items, like rings. Photo courtesy of Maxpedition.com.
Why is a travel tray so convenient that I actually think it’s OK to pack? Because it helps you keep all your stuff together in one place when you get back to your hotel room! Your wallet, your cell phone, your car keys, your hotel key card…
While you might have a place for everything when you’re home (and not even think about it when you go to grab them), staying at a hotel means things aren’t at their ordinary places. It would be so easy to misplace things.
I’ve gone so far as to keep my cell phone in the travel tray while getting it charged!
Fortunately, once you unsnap the corners, these travel trays are pretty travelite-friendly. Just slide them into the side of your carry-on and you’ll barely notice it’s there.