Back-to-School products that double for travel

I'm always a bit sad when it's time to buy back-to-school gear, because it means the long summer travel season is over. However, autumn day trips and weekend getaways are always in our future, so I find I'm still thinking 'travel' when it comes to fall purchases and the kids' school supplies. This year, I've found the best new back-to-school products that pull double-duty during family … [Read more...]

Travel Gear We Use: Best tote bags for travel

We've already declared our favorite travel day pack, perfect for carrying all your necessities (and the kids') during a typical day traveling, but what about the larger tote bag you need in airports and on the road? I've tried over a dozen travel-sized tote bags recently, in a quest for the best. Here's the winning list. Best tote bags for travel: Duluth Trading Company Lifetime Leather Tote … [Read more...]

Travel Gear We Use: Best day pack for international travel

I've been conducting travel bag reviews here and at Practical Travel Gear since 2009 and 2011 respectively. That's a lot of reviews! I've tried crossover bags, messenger bags, backpacks, totes, and roller bags. Finally, I think I've nailed it. I think I've found the best day pack for international travel, especially with kids in tow. That's right...     The Eagle Creek Catch … [Read more...]

Travel Gear We Use: best carry on luggage for kids

Welcome back to our Travel Gear We Use series. Today, we're recommending best carry-on size luggage for kids. When packing for a family trip, we are big fans of using carry-on luggage (here's an article on flying carry-on only). Why? Flying carry-on only saves money, helps kids become more responsible for their belongings, and keeps 'baggage' at a minimum...literally. Our favorite carry-on luggage … [Read more...]

Travel gear we use: packing cubes and TSA bags for the family

Today in our Travel Gear We Use series, we're talking about using packing cubes to make family packing easy! Below are the packing cubes we use for every trip, as well as the carry-on liquid quart bag we recommend. Many families consider packing cubes just for air travel, but we use them every time we pack. Most recently, packing cubes made our lives easier en route to a Lake Tahoe vacation … [Read more...]

New travel gear: Tuo Travel Undergarment Organizer

We love using packing cubes. I'm a huge believer in organized luggage, with everything in its place. It saves parents time and sanity when on vacation with kids. This is why I'm excited to introduce a brand new packing solution: the Tuo Travel Undergarment Organizer. This innovative product is still in Kickstarter, with pre-orders accepted. The Tuo will retail for $60, but backers get a great … [Read more...]

Summer travel gear pick: Trunki PaddlePak review

Now that's summer's underway, you're getting a good feel for what travel gear is working for you...and what's not. If you've been carting your pool and beach gear around in a standard backpack that A) your kids leave on the pool deck and B) allows wet swimsuits to leak through, leaving wet spots in your car, we have a solution. We recently reviewed the PaddlePak backpack, the latest offering … [Read more...]