Shereen Travels Cheap

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

Review: The GSI Outdoors' Commuter Javapress

I’m a coffee snob. I fully admit it. You know this by now if you’ve seen my coffee series here on the blog. I love my coffee. I have three different coffee machines at my house. It’s true. Depending on how much work I’m willing to do to get a good cup of java, that’s the machine I’ll use. I’ve stayed in a bunch of places on my travels with horrible coffeemakers. It makes me sad.

If you’re a coffee lover like I am, a morning can be ruined by a terrible cup of coffee, or worse, no coffee at all. Since I can’t bring my full-size maker that I know works well when I travel, I have to improvise. Either I have to suffer through that bad cup of coffee or shell out $4+ for a cup at a nearby coffee shop. I put that on my splurge list and will indulge in one or two professionally-made cups on a trip. Well, now I don’t need to do that. GSI Outdoors has created the Commuter Javapress, which is like taking your French Press (yum!) on the road with you.

As the name implies, GSI Outdoors is specific for the nature loving folks, like hikers, campers and the like. Well, I rarely do those things, but I count trekking around a city seeing their landmarks and browsing the outdoor markets outdoorsy. While it’s not difficult to get a cup of coffee to go doing this, I don’t want to shell out the money. You all know I tend to eat breakfast in my rental and then save my money for lunch and dinner. I do like to finish my coffee while wandering city though.

The Commuter Javapress was made for someone like me (and, you know, those camping people who have to boil everything over a fire). You put a scoop of ground coffee in the bottom of you tumbler, add hot water (you can heat it in the microwave), and then let it “steep” for several minutes before adding your mesh inner sleeve and pressing down, much like a French Press, but without the plunger. The mesh keeps your grounds from entering your drinkable beverage and also keeps your coffee a bit stronger.

The colorful sleeve on the tumbler keeps it cool enough to hold and the double-wall construction keeps your coffee hotter longer. Because there's nothing worse than a cold cup of coffee when it started out hot.

So, I tried it, hoping for the best, because travel tumblers are usually meh at the best of times, but was pleasantly surprised. The Javapress is easy to use. After adding my coffee and water (you can add up to 15oz of hot water), I put the plunging insert on top and let it sit for 5 minutes. Once I determined it was ready, I pushed the insert down, added some creamer, then plunged it a few more times to mix it well and save a spoon. Once satisfied, I put the spill-proof top on and gave it a try. My coffee tasted almost exactly like that made in a formal coffeemaker! Also, after an hour or so, my coffee was still hot.

You don't have to just use this for coffee, but you could also use it for loose tea. The insert with the mesh would allow your tea to steep, but also keep the leaves from invading your cuppa. When your morning's done, rinse the whole thing out and use it as a water tumbler while you're walking around town. You can pack this easier when you travel, by stuffing the inside with a bag full of your favorite ground coffee (and maybe sweetener you prefer).

Overall, the Commuter Javapress is impressive. It does what it says it will do, it's easy to use, easy to clean and doesn't leak coffee all over your pants (oddly, this is a problem for a lot of travel mugs). I look forward to taking it with me on my next trips, so I'm not forced to endure a crappy cup of coffee anymore. Even Eric, who claims he doesn't "looooove" coffee, is going to be excited when he can enjoy a practically free cup on the go.

Do you have a mom, dad or grad who's a coffee lover? Buy them this and some awesome coffee and you'll be their favorite person that they think of every time they have a perfect "cup".

Other Specs

Where to buy: On GSI Outdoors website or Amazon

How much: $22.95

Colors: Red | Green | Orange | Blue (shown) | Graphite

More Details: 15 fl. oz. press mug, sealable, spill-proof lid w/ loop, insulating sleeve, non-slip foot

Like what HydraPak is doing? Learn more by following them online:

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

Disclosure: I was provided with the Stash bottle, Bottle Bright and Speedcups for the purposes of this review. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.

Saturday, May 6, 2017

Summer Packing Tips

Do you ever see those travelers who have one bag – that’s not even bulging! – that look super put-together and get right off the plane and into a cab and you wish you could be more like them? So often I’m walking through a hotel lobby or past the check-in desks at the airport and watch families that seem to bring everything they own on vacation with them, and I wonder how much they paid in baggage fees and chiropractor visits. It was not all that long ago that I thought I couldn’t live without taking individual outfits and a dozen pairs of shoes either. Once I realized I never wore half of what I packed, I decided to downsize my packing. Then when airlines started charging for checked bags, I decided to downsize more.

When you fly to your destination, one of the easiest ways to save – time and money – is by traveling carry-on only. You don’t need much, even if you'll be traveling for a week or two, which means you can pack quickly, skip the airline counter check-in and ignore the baggage carousel upon arrival. I always have a packing list to help me keep the number of items down and also to make sure I don’t forget any of the essentials. I know when I get to my destination I can probably buy whatever I missed packing, but I’m adamantly against spending money for things I already have. Here’s how to build your packing list:

mix and match by shereentravels featuring leather shoes

Mix and match

As always, when you coordinate all your clothing, it’s super easy to pack in a carry-on. Three bottoms and five tops can make fifteen outfits. Don’t forget that what you wear in transit can also be rotated in as needed. And shoes! You should take two pair – max. Make sure they are both comfortable enough to walk in all day. I had a coworker who told me that she had 16 pairs of shoes she wanted to take with her to Mexico on a four day trip. Sixteen! I don’t even think that many shoes would fit in my carry-on and if they did, there would be no room for anything else, except maybe socks and underwear. Her trip was for a wedding, so aside from what she needed for the ceremony, she could have survived with a sun dress, a pair of shorts, her bathing suit and some flip flops. Learning to pack efficiently is important and can save you a ton.

That’s it. Think about what you truly need with you for three or four days and be realistic. Don’t play the “what if” game. What if I go out to a fancy dinner? What if it gets really cold? What if I want to go clubbin’? Did you plan for those things? Do you normally just change plans at the last minute? Sometimes it seems like it might be harder to pack for a short trip than a long one, but with some practice, it can be super simple. Just think, if you don’t bring something that you thought you could live without, by the time you miss it, you’ll probably already be back home.

Prepare to do laundry

I hear you groaning and whining, “But I’m on vacation!” I’m aware. I go on vacation, too. I also do laundry on my vacation. When you take so little, unless you want to walk around in dirty – and possibly stinky – clothes, you will want to throw them in the wash at some point. Most decent hotels and vacation rentals (my personal preference) have laundry facilities. You can pop your clothes in on your way to dinner or when you get back from sightseeing and just want to sit and rest your feet. It will take much less time than you think and then you smell fresh the next day.

If your accommodation doesn’t have on-site laundry, you will normally find a Laundromat nearby. I have hoofed it down the street for clean clothes. I take a book or game for my husband and I to play while we wait and then we take our freshly laundered duds back to the room and get on with our trip. If you are at a destination long enough to need to do laundry, you will have enough downtime to do it.

Downsize your toiletries

How long does it take you to go through a full-size bottle of shampoo? Two months? So why take that big thing with you on your vacation? TSA rules allow you to bring a one-quart plastic bag full of three-ounce bottles. If your problem is that you can’t find your same shampoo, conditioner, facial scrub, hairspray or whatever else in a travel-size container, make your own. Purchase small bottles, pumps, vials or jars and decant your favorite items into them. This gives you just the right amount you need for your trip and allows you to take them with you in your carry-on. If you’re one that needs to carry beauty tools with you, like a flat iron or curling iron, purchase a mini version specifically for your travel bag. You can normally find the same brand you use at home that works just as well, only smaller. I love my mini flat iron so much, I almost want to use it instead of my full-size one at home. It takes up half the space in my bag too.

Streamline your beauty routine

Don’t stuff your toiletry bag full. Your objective here is to pack as little as possible. Look for make-up palettes and multipurpose products that will enable you to pack less. Here's how to perfect your 3-1-1 bag.

It’s really true what they say: Lay out all the clothes you want to pack and then put half back in your closet. I make packing even easier by creating a detailed packing list. This can help you see if you have way more than you really need, reminds you of the essentials – like underwear! – and helps you repack on the way home. When you travel with an organized carry-on, not only do you save money on baggage fees, but it helps your trips go smoother, so you only have to worry about what to do first when you get to your destination.

Where is everyone going on vacation this summer? We'll be off to Vegas and in the Fall we'll be taking a trip St. Thomas.

Friday, May 5, 2017

Review: Stash Collapsible Bottle from HydraPak

I know I’m not the only one who travels with a water bottle. We’ve been through a lot of trips in the past where we went and purchased a case of water at the start of our vacation so we would have water on hand the whole time we were there. Not only does this get old, but a bottle of water can be unwieldy and inconvenient, not to mention terrible for the environment. I can’t tell you the amount of places we’ve been that don’t have recycling bins available.

We’ve taken to bringing a reusable bottle with us and it has worked much better, though once it’s empty, you’re basically just walking around with a thing you don’t want to carry that takes up space in your bag. HydraPak has fixed this issue with their Stash bottle. It is a flexible bottle that “stashes” into itself when empty, taking up little space, but then ready to be refilled whenever you need it.

This bottle was made for outdoorsy types who have limited space, but as a traveler, I feel like I have the same issues. Nobody wants to carry around an empty bottle, and the Stash bottle has a fun twist and lock construction that allows the bulk of the bottle to nestle into the top and bottom and take up much less space. It can easily be kept in a jacket pocket or your purse.

I’ve had other “folding” and flat water bottles, but the problem with those were many: cleaning, size, ability to freeze, how to carry, awkward drinkability. Amazingly, the Stash doesn’t have any of these problems. The construction of the bottle gives it stability and doesn’t allow it to collapse while drinking and holding onto the middle of the bottle. It has a large flat bottom, meaning you can actually set it down without all your water leaking out when it flops over, because it doesn’t do that.

The mouth is wide, so you can add ice to it if you want, but you can also freeze it, to keep your water even cooler throughout the day. I added some water to it, popped it in the freezer, then filled the rest with water and voila! Cold water all morning. This is something I’d totally do when out all day, like sightseeing or at a theme park. (Remember, most theme parks will refill your bottle with cold water, and some will even give you ice.) The nice little loop on the top allows me to hang the bottle on my bag or even use a strap that I have to carry it crossbody. And when it’s empty, I can snap it together and toss it back in my bag. The wide mouth also makes it easier to refill at a water fountain if that's your only option.

The top and bottom construction give the middle a hard “case” when compact, so you can’t accidentally “break” your Stash bottle, which was also a problem with those others. Something sharp in your bag jabbing it could totally just puncture your bottle and there goes you trying to be environmentally friendly. Your Stash is in its own case, which actually doesn’t take up more room and is still incredibly lightweight.

So, how does it work? Your Stash comes already compact, so in order to use it, you unscrew the lid and then squeeze the sides of the bottom together. This eliminates a vacuum seal. The bottle then untwists from its case and you’re ready to fill it with your beverage of choice (you can even put hot water in it up to 140°F), screw the lid back on and you’re set. When the bottle is empty, take the lid off, twist slightly while pushing down and then snap the top onto the bottom and replace the lid. Easy!

I love this bottle, but I also worry all the time about washing a bottle of any kind. You can’t put this in the dishwasher, but that’s okay, because HydraPak has that covered too. They sell something called Bottle Bright. They are all-natural tablets that you toss into your bottle, fill with water and swish around. The tablets effervesce to clean your bottle (any bottle, hydration reservoirs or anything else that’s hard to clean), remove stains and odors and give it a shiny clean look. Woot! I love these things and will definitely use them on my stainless steel bottles as well, because those are terrible to clean well.

Do you have little kids or want to share your hydration without sharing germs? HydraPak has these great little cups called Speedcup. They are reusable and flexible, so they can be shoved in your bag without worry. I crushed one of mine down when I was coming back from Vegas and it easily regained its shape. It’s made of the same polyurethane as the Stash, making it highly durable. What I love about these is they nest inside each other and barely take up any room.

My immediate thought is that when you travel with kids, they always want something, including being thirsty all the time. They can have issues using water bottles, plus they are often sick or germy. Give them their own little cup and keep their germs away from your bottle.

If you have an active person on your wish list (maybe a dad or a grad) or you need something like this yourself, get one or two before you next trip, camping venture or hiking tour. You won't regret it.