Certain memories of my European camping trip 25 years ago are still vivid. The mystery of Stonehenge. The majesty of the Alps. The glorious Alhambra Gardens in Granada. The friends I made along the way.
And the dumb way I packed for the trip.
I carried a day bag so big and cumbersome my shoulder ached. A heavy travel iron (essential, the travel books said) — which was a waste of space and energy. I packed my favorite embroidered white T-shirt and ruined it in dirty camp sites. I wore crepe-soled shoes that were practical but ugly, and my de rigueur bell-bottom pants that dragged in the mud when it rained. I’ll never forget the rainy day in Paris as I strolled through the Champs-Elysees: The pants were rolled up — such a sorrowful sight that a Parisian couple burst out laughing when they saw me.
Never again, I vowed while preparing for a European trip this summer. Never mind that I’d be traveling in a motor home and living out of a single carry-on bag. All I needed was to find the right travel wardrobe and the gear.
I was not prepared for how much travel stuff is out there now. What a difference 25 years makes: The travel industry has exploded with options for clothing, packing and accessories.
In 1972, packing for a three-month trip didn’t involve many choices: There was not much variety in the equipment, except for suitcases and walking shoes. My gear consisted of whatever clothes I could stuff into a canvas duffel bag, a sleeping bag, a heavy leather (and very hot) money belt and, of course, the essential travel iron.
Now — fueled by the travel habits of affluent retirees, globe-trotting business people and aging Baby Boomers– the task of packing for a trip has been elevated to an industry, even an art. There are more backpacks and wheelable luggage options than any shopper can possibly consider, and some of them are positively space-age, such as the bag advertised in the Travel 2000 TravelGear catalog (800-903-8728) claiming to be “the first suitcase in history to use a zero-gravity, four-wheel system.” There are buckwheat-filled pillows for airline seats, portable chairs to let you rest while listening to the tour guide, a travel pet bowl. The Eagle Creek Co. (800-874-9925), which manufactures a multitude of multi-zipper, multi-compartment wallets, bags and organizers, even offers a dog pack for the peripatetic canine “to store your dog’s necessities.”
And the industry seems only to be in its adolescence. “It hasn’t exploded yet,” says Gary Hoover, chief executive officer of Travelfest, a new Texas-based traveler’s mega-store. “It’s still got such a long way to go.”
Consider:
– The mail-order travel gear industry. Compact smoke hood anyone, to keep handy on takeoffs and landings? How about a portable insect tent; or rubber suction sink stopper, in case your hotel room, heaven forbid, doesn’t have one? You can find these items in the Magellan’s catalog (800-962-4943), specializing in 700 organizers, gadgets and other products that leave nothing to chance when traveling.
Last spring, L.L. Bean jumped into the market, too, launching the L.L. Bean Traveler Catalog (800-221-4221), specializing in gear for adventure travel. Among its products are a travel harmonica, perfect “for any camp fire or backyard picnic.”
– The mail-order travel clothing business. There are several catalogs available, offering every imaginable kind of ultralight, multi-pocket, wrinkle-free apparel designed to look fresh, wash easily and, in many cases, convert to something else. From amphibious sneakers to traveling convertible pants to quick-dry travel briefs to an “indispensable” black travel dress, the Travelsmith catalog (800-950-1600) leads the pack in clothing options. Others include the Norm Thompson travel apparel catalog (800-547-1160) and Orvis Travel (800-541-3541).
– Travel superstores. Gary Hoover started the country’s first book superstore in 1983 — Bookstop, later purchased by Barnes and Nobles — and the concept took off. Now he’s opened the first chain of travel mega-stores — the Texas-based Travelfest. Travelfest is based on the one-stop Home Depot concept of retailing: open nights and weekends, it offers everything from luggage and accessories to books, maps, a travel agency, train passes, videos, passport photos and traveler’s checks.
– The how-to-pack industry. There was a time when packing was a no-brainer. You opened your suitcase and either rolled your clothes up or laid them flat. But packing has evolved into a specialized skill, like learning how to use a PC. There are books on the art of packing, including Judith Gilford’s 160-page “The Packing Book” (Ten Speed Press, $8.95) and “Pack It Up” (Flying Cloud Publishing, $7.95) by “packing expert” Anne McAlpin. McAlpin has even produced a 30-minute video by the same name, in which she demonstrates her art. (Advice includes: Do not take an item that can’t be worn at least two ways, and do wear a pair of sunglasses to increase the fashionability of a kerchief.)
There are many travelers, of course, who find all of this gear mania is nothing but merchandising run amok, that it runs counter to the practical advice offered by any seasoned traveler to travel as light as possible.
But where there is a Baby Boomer, a catalog and a need for lumbar support, there’s probably a sale. Besides, Americans prefer to travel “prepared for the worst-case scenario,” says Rick Steves, the travel writer and PBS travel show host. “I tell people to prepare for the best-case scenario. If you get into trouble, you can buy yourself out of it for a few dollars.”
TIPS ON PACKING THE RIGHT STUFF
A long road trip, even with kids, does not demand a lot of equipment — just the right equipment. Despite what the travel books say, you can survive without a radiation shield for film, a roll of duct tape or a stopper for hotel sinks. Here are some recommendations.
Manageable suitcase: Think wheels. Even our 8-year-old could pull her wheeled Ciao duffel bag, purchased at Costco for $30, not that she was inclined to. Grown-ups with lower back problems will appreciate upright luggage with wheels. I used the brilliantly-engineered, if pricey, Eagle Creek Switchback-Plus Wheelable Suitcase ($245) that doubles as a backpack with lumbar support and has so many compartments it took a month before I located all my souvenirs.
Most useful travel clothes: Women’s multipocket travel vest; nylon multi-pocket, white travel blouse; zipper-bottomed tights, all from Travelsmith. However, if you wear them at the same time you’ll have so many zippers, fasteners and compartments you’ll feel like Velcro Woman, and will need to pat yourself down just to find your keys.
Best shoes: A good brand of walking shoes is to a traveler what a favorite number is to a lottery player: if it works for them once, they get superstitious about it. Travel writer Rick Steves swears by his Rockports. Continental Airlines rep and frequent traveler Jean Elmore likes her Easy Spirits. Gary Hoover, CEO of the Texas-based Travelfest mega-store, travels with New Balance. On the theory that the best shoes are old classics, I went the nostalgia route and took a pair of Hush Puppies (they’ve been updated, with hip colors and styles) and a pair of Clark’s sandals. Together with a pair of sneakers, they were all I needed.
Amusements that are easy to pack:
– Frisbee
– Deck of cards
– Small cassette player and tapes.
Useful miscellaneous gear:
– Mesh bag for laundry.
– Currency calculator.
Items we should have taken:
– Regular calculator.
– Clothespins and portable clothesline.
– A necklace-style travel pouch for valuables. I took a money belt that fits under clothing, and wearing it under a dress got me into embarrassing situations more than once.
Items we wish we hadn’t taken:
– About 50 percent of what we packed.
