Review: ExOfficio Give-N-Go® Lacy Undergarments

If you’re a loyal reader or follower on Facebook, then you have heard me talk at length about my love of ExOfficio clothing and accessories. My husband and I could simply live in their dryflylite shirt series. With so many different styles and colors, you always look great and have something for any occasion. So, you can only guess how excited I was for the folks at ExOfficio to offer me a pair of their pretty new Give-N-Go® Lacy underwear to review. Seeing as how I also have a matching Give-N-Go Lacy Tank, I figured it would be a great pair to review together.

Give-N-Go Lacy Full Cut Brief

Often, I am not a fan of full-cut panties, simply because they can be unflattering and give you panty lines. Attractive! Instead of going for the low-rise bikini or even the thong options, I decided the true test of ExOfficio’s women’s line would be the full-cut brief version. I was actually really surprised by them when they arrived, because not only were they pretty (both of my pieces are the light grape color you see in the photos), but when on, they actually did give you full coverage and fit a bit more like a boy short, so they don’t roll down your stomach and no VPL! So far, so good! The other thing you have to know is how lovely the fabric feels against your skin. I have worn both pieces out during the day (under clothing, of course) and also have worn them to bed as pajamas. The pieces fit your curves in just the right way, have a bit of stretch, feel silky inside and out and always feel cool to the touch. I don’t know how that is, but I suspect that the moisture-wicking property of the fabric has something to do with it.

Give-N-Go Lacy Tank Top      

Not only does the Give-N-Go line keep you from sweating, but the fabric (94% Nylon and 6% Lycra Spandex) is thin and durable, quick-drying and odor-resistant. Who doesn’t want odorless panties? Because when you’re tromping through the heat, you still want to feel fresh and clean.

Now, when you’re on the road or even in a hotel room, you sometimes find that you need to do laundry where there are no facilities, so hand washing in the sink comes into play and you HOPE that everything will be dry in the morning, so you can either pack it to go home or wear it the next day. All ExOfficio undergarments come with the saying: “17 countries. 6 weeks. One pair of underwear. Okay, maybe two.” This is a big claim for the durability and quick-dry ability of one pair of underwear. Fortunately, they can back up their product, because after washing these by hand, wringing them out and hanging them up, they were dry and ready to go the next morning…and probably could have been put back on a few hours later. The same with the tank. I’ve had cotton thongs that were hung up to dry and still slightly damp eight hours later. You can seriously buy two pairs of ExOfficio underwear, throw them in your bag and alternate wearing and washing them as long as you travel. They make packing light even more simple!

Give-N-Go low-rise bikini, bikini cut and thong

I know I wasn’t asked to review the men’s underwear as well, but my husband has an entire drawer full of ExOfficio boxer briefs and he is not one to want to spend good money on many things. After trying out a pair I bought before a long trip we were taking, he immediately bought another three pairs. Each time there is a sale, he buys more to replace other underwear that aren’t ExOfficio and throws them out. In fact, he’s bought and thrown out underwear that have worn out in the time he’s been wearing the ExOfficio boxer briefs that still look brand new! We keep several pair in the travel bag at all times, too. On trips, they wash well and dry quickly, plus the moisture-wicking quality makes chafing a thing of the past! I think it really speaks to the quality of a product when a customer goes back to purchase more time and again. Below are just some of men's styles they carry.

Give-N-Go brief, boxer brief, boxers

So, the durability and pretty look of the lacy Give-N-Go undergarments for women get a big thumbs-up from me. The fact that they are comfortable, “Technically Sexy” and don’t ride up are also big pluses. I will definitely purchase several pair for travel and home and highly recommend them to you. We can also recommend the men’s line for male travelers, too, for comfort, look and endurance.

Where to buy ExOfficio Give-N-Go® Lacy Undergarments:

ExOfficio.com

Your local ExOfficio or outdoor store (i.e., REI)

You can also find these other colors and styles:

            Lacy Bikini cut

            Lacy Low-rise bikini cut

            Lacy Thong

            Lacy Tank

            Lacy Shelf-bra cami

            (non-lace options also available)

            Available colors: agave, black, light grape, light turquoise, nude and wine

            $18-20 for panties, $30-38 for tanks and camisoles

(I was provided with a complimentary pair of Give-N-Go Lacy panties for this post, but the opinions are 100% my own.)

Cheap Eats and Souvenirs 9.7.11

This past weekend I decided to do something I’ve been meaning to do for a while. We drive by the farmers market pretty much every weekend and never stop, so on Saturday we grabbed a fried and drove up the road to load up on some fresh fruits, veggies and anything else that looked good. At 9am it was already packed full of people, which surprised me on a holiday weekend when many folks were going out of town or, at the very least, the beach.

Okay, so the reason I bring up the farmers market is because of the convenience and the fact that it is a fantastic destination for travelers. A farmers market can be the ultimate for the budget traveler, because you can get affordable local foods, beverages, flowers and more! Find everything from cheese and breads to jams and local crafts. Most markets are in or next to city parks. Perfect locations to enjoy a picnic lunch on a bench. For less than $20, we were able to fill up a reusable bag with some awesome goodies to take home. We got a hunk of feta, some sweet peppers, green onions, lettuce, hazelnut cornbread mix, lemon cucumbers and a few more items. We also sampled gelato, fruit, bagels and nut butter. Of course, this was stuff we bought and took home to go with other food we planned to make. We easily could have bought food to eat on-site or to make in a hotel room that had a kitchenette.

How delicious does a hand pie sound? Or a fresh bagel with cream cheese and a side of fruit? You could even pick up a bottle of wine or some beer to go with your other goodies. Imagine spending around $20 for your lunch and food for later or the next day? Our farmers market not only had the regular things you would expect to find, but also mixed salad greens and even fresh meat from local farms. You could have grilled up some grass-fed lamb steaks with a side of organic veggies and amazing salad greens and then had a gluten-free cupcake or flavorful gelato for dessert. Many markets I’ve been to also sell spices, too, so you can make even more native dishes, while still saving money.

One of the things I like to take home as a souvenir is local foods and spices from other parts of the world. While you can’t bring back fruits, veggies or plants from many places, you can bring back jarred sauces, jams, coffees, candies and more. Not only are you helping out the local farmers and merchants by shopping the markets, you can get something homemade, home grown and/or unique to your vacation destination.

Often, you can get other handmade products at the farmers market, like clothing, décor, soaps and beauty products. While the packaging may not be totally professional looking, you know it was made with care and you are getting high-quality items, because the vendors don’t have factories full of employees. Even if the products are a little more expensive than you were expecting, it can still save you money over traditional stores and the food will certainly save you over eating in a restaurant, even if you get something ready-to-eat.

A farmers market is also a fantastic place to shop if you are a vegetarian, have food allergies or travel with children. Save money on healthy snacks and know exactly what your food contains, because you can speak to the makers and growers and they are made with as few natural ingredients as possible. If nothing else, you can check out all the fabulous local produce that a city has to offer and you will get to interact with the people of your trip destination, which can always be a rewarding experience and teach you more about where you are visiting. Plus, the markets are a great place to people-watch and even listen to some local musicians.

Happy hunting and gathering on your future travels. For now, I’m excited to try my newfound hazelnut cornbread mix and find out how best to enjoy my lemon cucumbers. Do you frequent your local farmers market(s) or make it a point to visit ones when you go on vacation?

Don't forget to join me on the awesome new Savvy Living Community sponsored by Ebates. Not only will you learn how to save money by better utilizing Ebates, but you will also be able to read Savvy blog posts and join in discussions and live chats with Savvy Leaders (like me!) to learn how to save money on all aspects of your life. With 16 bloggers who are experts on everything from travel to family life, you're sure to learn a lot of new information, find some great new blogs and even make some friends along the way. Join Ebates. 

Be a winner!

Our big giveaway is still going on. It includes a Travelon Flat Out Hanging Toiletry bag stuffed  with a bunch of awesome stuff: GoToobs courtesy of Human Gear, rinseless laundry detergent courtesy of SoakWash, a selection of LaFresh wipes, some travel sizes of men's Jack Black toiletries, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, Colgate Wisps, nail polish remover wipes, anti-bacterial wipes, sunblock, body wash, Man on the Move soap leaves and (not shown) 2 toothbrush sanitizers. What more could you ask for? Throw in some lip balm and your toothbrush and go! Enter here or click on the Current Giveaway tab at the top of the page.

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Space-Saving Travel Gadgets for Packing Light 9.3.11

Whether you live in an apartment, college dorm or RV, it can always be beneficial to find items that won’t take up a lot of space, help you minimize and multitask. If you are torn between buying something that works for travel and something that works for your tiny living space, you’re in luck. There are five fun and useful gadgets that can work for both, because they are multi-functional and small. And just think, in the long run, it’ll save you money, because they do double-duty.

They won't let you on the plane with your bag like this!

This list was originally posted on Examiner.com for a Back to School theme. If you want to read more articles like this, please feel free to subscribe to my Examiner feed. While I’m the Portland Budget Travel Examiner, I often post general travel-related articles that can save you money. Or maybe you just REALLY want to visit Portland! I'd highly recommend it.

Netbook – While it’s awesome to have a full size laptop, lugging it back and forth to classes and home for the weekends and holidays can be a hassle. It also takes up a lot of room in a travel bag and a book bag. Carry your netbook with you everywhere with ease and half the space. You can do everything you would with a laptop or a desktop. The only thing you’d miss is a disc drive, which you can buy in external form to keep in your desk drawer for downloading new programs or watching movies. Keep all your important docs on an online storage site like Dropbox and get access to them anywhere there’s internet access. These are free for up to 2GB of space and a nice place to store your travel documents and copies of your passport and ID that you might lose in transit. I take my Acer netbook everywhere I go and it does everything I need and more. I can watch Netflix streaming on the go or update my blog!

iGo – Do you have that jumble of chargers in your bag or a drawer for your cell phone, iPod and other electronic devices? Ditch them all and replace them with just one. The iGo multicharger is a compact adapter that uses interchangeable tips for each of your electronics. You can get the wall charger or the set with a wall charger and car charger if you drive, have a friend that does or rent one on vacation. There’s a splitter you can purchase for charging more devices at one time, which is a plus for hotel rooms that have minimal outlets. And at home, you’ll only have to keep track of one adapter. I actually keep mine in my travel bag and my car adapter in my glovebox. It can charge my dying cell phone or keep Tom Tom full of juice, so he can tell me where to turn on long road trips.

iPad – Have you been begging your parents (or anyone) to get you one of these? Now you can argue that you need it for school/work and travel. With millions of apps, there’s sure to be at least a few educational ones that are critical to your learning or ones that make fancy pie charts for those important meetings. You can also store your entire music and movie collections on it, making it the ultimate multimedia tool. That it makes you look cool doesn’t hurt either. Get a functional cover for it and it also makes a good travel device for all the same reasons, except you can download your favorite travel apps to help you sightsee more cheaply and efficiently. Keep your packing lists right at your fingertips and have the ability to Skype with your mom, too. Show all your new travel friends pictures from your travels or what’s cool back home.

Kindle or other e-reader – If the iPad is a little too heavy for reading for long periods of time, then you might like an e-reader. A device like the Kindle can hold your entire library in a very small and lightweight footprint, has a huge battery life and even allows you to lend and borrow books from the library and friends. Soon, you’ll be able to get school books for download, too. Need the entire works of Shakespeare for your lit class? No problem! Another thing I take with me everywhere. I have actually started replacing books I own with e-versions on my Kindle. I always have something to read and if I run out of new material, I just use my 3G to hop onto the Kindle Storefront and browse for something that sounds good. There is always a selection of suggested reading material that is useful for when I have no idea what I want, but Amazon thinks they do!

Digital camera – A camera is always handy. You’ll want to capture all your memorable moments both at school, home and on the road. Upload pictures of Thanksgiving with your awesome family and email them to everyone after the holiday, update your Facebook profile picture with you swimming with dolphins and keep an online photo album to remember the best – and maybe not so good – times of your life. A waterproof, dustproof, freezeproof and shockproof model like the Fujifilm finepix XP10 can hold up to games of beer pong with roommates to your snowboarding trip in Whistler, all while taking a fantastically clear picture. I adore the ease of use of this camera and am purchasing a float wristband to take it into the ocean with me. I don’t want what happened to a fellow cruiser last year to happen to me. She went snorkeling, it slipped off her wrist and was lost in the depths of the Caribbean waters forever. Knowing I’ll be doing a lot of water activities makes it easy to choose to spend $7 to protect my camera from becoming lost should I be totally clumsy, because, let’s face it, I have never been called graceful in my life!

So, there you have it. My top 5 space-saving electronic gadgets that are great for home and travel. Don't weigh yourself down with a bunch of extra items when you travel and you'll be able to keep track of everything and also be able to carry it! You'll be happy you did when you head home with more than you started with and still have room for it all. At home, all of these gadget can fit into a drawer and be hidden when not in use. In your dorm, you will be able to keep track of a minmal group of items and also they can be tucked away in a small space to keep them safe. All of these are good ideas in my book.

Consider purchasing a PacSafe bag to hold them all and deter thieves when at school or on vacation. What a great invention this is! It has a mesh lining made of slashproof steel cables and loops around an object and locks in place. If someone wants to steal you bag from the beach, they'll look pretty weird and suspicious trying to run away with an entire lounge chair!

Don't forget to join me on the awesome new Savvy Living Community sponsored by Ebates. Not only will you learn how to save money by better utilizing Ebates, but you will also be able to read Savvy blog posts and join in discussions and live chats with Savvy Leaders (like me!) to learn how to save money on all aspects of your life. With 16 bloggers who are experts on everything from travel to family life, you're sure to learn a lot of new information, find some great new blogs and even make some friends along the way. Join Ebates. 

Be a winner!

Our big giveaway is still going on. It includes a Travelon Flat Out Hanging Toiletry bag stuffed with a bunch of awesome stuff: GoToobs courtesy of Human Gear, rinseless laundry detergent courtesy of SoakWash, a selection of LaFresh wipes, some travel sizes of men's Jack Black toiletries, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, Colgate Wisps, nail polish remover wipes, anti-bacterial wipes, sunblock, body wash, Man on the Move soap leaves and (not shown) 2 toothbrush sanitizers. What more could you ask for? Throw in some lip balm and your toothbrush and go! Enter here or click on the Current Giveaway tab at the top of the page.