Mobissimo Blog - Travel Gear

Heat Water While Traveling With The Heatstick

blog@mobissimo.com (Mobissimo) — Fri, 04 May 2012 12:37:32 -0700

Interesting technology that could prove indispensable for people (e.g. aid workers) traveling in parts of the world where creature comforts are hard to come by. While getting the propane canisters to your destination might be a problem, airlines prohibit them on checked baggage. But if you could figure out how to get them to your destination and just pick them up there, seems like the Heatstick could come in really useful. From GetOutdoors:

The Heatstick uses a flameless exothermal process for heating the water
The complete system includes

Fuelstick - essentially a customized propane canister which provides the fuel to power the Heatstick. Seem to cost about $8 a unit, but you have to buy 10. The extreme Fuelstick (there are 2 other types) weighs 93 g, will heat 6-9 liters of water, and will work in temperatures ranging from -30C - 0C
Heatstick - this is the actual technology that heats the water, lets call it a "stove" though it doesn't use a flame to heat the water, rather works on an exothermal process. Probably like those bhutane hand warmers. It's not cheap, looks like it costs about $400 and weighs 380 grams for the 1L version. Not the lightest for sure.
Water bottle - the heatstick screws into the bottle and is submerged in the water. Not sure if other generic bottles like Nalgenes work, seems like it should have been designed to work with Nalgenes and other wide-mouth water bottles.
Batteries - used to "ignite" the full source and start the exothermal process

Freeman's Clothing Goes Online - A Stylish Way to Look Outdoorsy

blog@mobissimo.com (Mobissimo) — Tue, 25 May 2010 08:06:00 -0700

The way most New Yorkers travel and getoutdoors is multi-channel. One of the best is via fashion, and finally Freeman's goes online for those who want the travel look, around the world.

F.S.C. was established to pay tribute to the vanishing art of American handmade goods, the quality and durability inherent to something made by skilled artisans. These tenets form the foundation on which Freemans Sporting Club is built.

Based on 18th and 19th century subtleries, which were expeditionary general stores that offered the paramount essentials to settlers and soldiers. F.S.C. offers a roughly hewn yet refined reinterpretation of this bygone era, one in which a mans garments were made to be both functional and long lasting. With nearly all of the collection being manufactured within fifteen miles of the shop, at F.S.C., you might pick up a new field coat or have a button re-sewn on the old one by one of our expert tailors. F.S.C. has grown beyond our humble beginnings, but still remains as personal as the relationships formed through the creating of these modern, American made heirlooms.

Travel with an iPad? May or May Not be the Solution to All Your Travel Needs

blog@mobissimo.com (Mobissimo) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 09:16:18 -0700

The release of the Appli iPad has been a big deal to say the least, but is this really a boon to travelers?

Less than a week after the feverishly hyped launch of Apple's iPad, the touch-based multimedia tablet has been praised as one of the most revolutionary tools for travelers since the airport kiosk and panned as a cumbersome, underwhelming gadget whose most notable application is that it tags its spendthrift owners as technology lemmings.

3FLOZ.com - For Travelers or People Who Like Liquids in 3oz

blog@mobissimo.com (Mobissimo) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 09:25:00 -0800

As you all know, 3oz is the max you can bring aboard an airplane. I've brought a ton of liquids in 3oz containers totalling easily over 20oz, but it's hit or miss, here's a site that will help get you sorted.

They became friends while working together and bonded while traveling. As they traveled together they quickly realized that their travel styles were completely different. This caused major chaos at the airport. Typically, Alexi showed up at the airport an hour before departure with nothing more than a carry on bag. Kate, on the other hand, arrived at the airport two hours before departure with no less than two bags to check (regardless of the planned length of stay); making Alexi crazy. Alexi was sure that Kate checked her bags because at 51 she couldnt reach the overhead bins. Kate was certain that Alexis concern about losing luggage (just one of her many anxieties) prevented her from checking bags. Clearly, a compromise was in order if they were to continue traveling together.

Traveling with Children - Make Life Easier for Yourself, Create a Surprise Package for Your Child

blog@mobissimo.com (Mobissimo) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 08:23:00 -0700

This is from Fodor's, traveling with kids can be stressful, make is less stressful for them and yourself with a surprise bag for your child.

Looking for advice on how to keep your little ones happy and occupied on your next flight? Fodor's member dfr4848 has one suggestion:
"Pack some surprises in your carry-on and give them one every 2 hours or so. My wife excelled in finding some inexpensive items - removable stickies that made games/pictures, small puzzles, child magazines, kids books on your destinations (let them pick some things they'd want to do), etc."

Outside Lands Application for your iPhone - Get All the Information You Need

blog@mobissimo.com (Mobissimo) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:35:00 -0700

While Outside Lands has come and gone, you can still check out this iPhone application for Bonnaroo and Outside Lands for next year.

The official Outside Lands iPhone App.

Here to help you navigate the three-day music fest named after the 19th-century term for what was then the area west of Van Ness, this free download is like having your own personal assistant for the weekendtelling you where you're going, when and how to get there.

iPhone Applications from Rick Steves - Get the Great Info on Your iPhone

blog@mobissimo.com (Mobissimo) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 07:52:20 -0700

Technology is a boon to travelers, internet, phones, things are so much easier now. There is a wealth of information out there and Rick Steves is one of the best. Now there an iPhone application for iPhone users, read more here.

Rick Steves' iPhone Apps are personal tour guides for your iPhone or iPod Touch. These interactive, multimedia guides will lead you on walking tours straight from the pages of Rick Steves' best-selling travel guidebooks. Numbered points on the map correspond with recommended tour sights. Spin the compass icon to switch views between sights, hotels, restaurants and WCs along your route.

Best Gadgets of 2009 - Smartphones, Laptops, and Other Essential and New Gadgets

blog@mobissimo.com (Mobissimo) — Fri, 01 May 2009 04:59:34 -0700

In this age of Twitter and Facebook and uploading photos, you need the gadgets to make your trip memorable and also shareable. Check out this list of best new gadgets for 2009.

Not so long ago, the only equipment you needed for your big trip was a watch and a camera, and maybe a compass. Todays equivalent would be a cell phone, a GPS, and a digital cameraonly nowadays, all three of these devices can be found in a single, pocket-ready gizmo.

Bored? PSPs to the Rescue - South African Carrier Rents Out PSPs to Passengers

blog@mobissimo.com (Mobissimo) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 06:50:30 -0700

Sometimes that flight can be bone-jarringly boring. Or you just need to escape, here's yet another marketing idea from 1time, a South African carrier, read more here via Gadling.

South Africa-based 1time Airlines is a low cost carrier. In order to keep their prices low, they decided against adding any built-in in-flight entertainment in their fleet. Not really a problem, because most of the flights are not lengthy. The bulk of their air time is between their hub in Johannesburg and other South African cities like Durban and Cape Town.

Motorized Suitcase Helps You Out? Save Your Energy Haggling for a Good Seat

blog@mobissimo.com (Mobissimo) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 09:01:33 -0700

Hauling around a suitcase can be tiring, what if that suitcase took care of itself? More here via Computerworld.

One of the challenges of traveling the world while continuing to work is that laptops, projectors, extra batteries and other gear can be heavy. And pulling a suitcase can be bad for your back. Finally, a well designed -- albeit expensive -- suitcase comes to the rescue.

On my recent two-month trip through Greece, one of the challenges I faced was getting all my stuff from one place to the next. After all, I was carrying all my clothes, all my gear, including two laptops, extra batteries and other heavy stuff and a whole bunch of things acquired along the way: Books, gifts for loved ones back home, you name it. My luggage had roughly doubled in weight from when I had left home.

Michelin Guide Goes Internet - Access Michelin Guides Online and for Free

blog@mobissimo.com (Mobissimo) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:40:03 -0700

The Michelin Guide is travel, plain and simply. Long the standard for planning and guiding, the Michelin Guide is now available online. All the 2.0 features you could ever desire, this via Businessweek.

Michelin, the oldest and most respected European hotel and restaurant guide, is the continent's classic arbiter of gastronomic greatness. Since 1926, when the guide first introduced a rating system, its anonymous reviewers have had the power to propel or destroy Europe's priciest restaurants and best chefs simply by adding or removing a star in the famous three-tiered rating system.

Seat 12F - Building the Perfect Airline Seat - Impossible? Perhaps Not

blog@mobissimo.com (Mobissimo) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 09:40:54 -0700

Don't know if it is really possible. After all, sitting in a metal tube at 35k feet and eating food that's been cooked 2 weeks ago is not natural. Sitting in a chair, any chair for over 2 hours is not natural either. But alas, designers are looking out for your lumbar, more here via Wired.

Some refer to it as economy class syndrome. To others it's know as a coach class clot. But whatever you call it, sitting squeezed into an airplane seat until you develop deep vein thrombosis is no way to die. And that's why this strange new seat is worth checking out.

The Cozy Suite (sort of a cheesy name, we know) is a staggered seat configuration designed to give passengers a better shot at getting some shut-eye during their flight. Delta just put in a big order for the seats, and surprisingly, plans to install them in the often overlooked coach class cabin.

PodCasting - Words are Worth a Thousand Pictures?

blog@mobissimo.com (Mobissimo) — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 08:38:22 -0800

I don't really know anything about podcasting, but I guess you can do a monologue about something and put on the web and then other people can listen to you ramble. Great* You always see those tourists in the museums with them on, why not do it for the larger city in general. Here's a guide on how to do it.

Lets face it when it comes to highlighting diverse and wonderful locations around the world, words sometimes dont cut it. Travelers want images. They want sounds. They want local flavor. They want authenticity. They want the next-best-thing to actually being there.

Tricks of the Trade - Confessions of a Flight Attendant

blog@mobissimo.com (Mobissimo) — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 09:22:50 -0700

Read this list, didn't think it was anything earth-shattering, but some decent information. But c'mon, I mean, give trail mix to the flight attendants? Anyway, if you're in need of 'perks'. Here's something about smiling. Yay*

Smiling is job one
Airlines put would-be flight attendants through four or five interviews before hiring them. The interviewers specifically look to hire people who are sweet and smile as much as possible--and what better testing ground for that than a few rounds of job interviews? After getting hired, I attended five weeks of flight training

My Private Jet is Bigger Than Yours - Chinese Billionaire to Buy 787

blog@mobissimo.com (Mobissimo) — Wed, 23 May 2007 08:49:12 -0700

Ja, we all know about Larry and Sergey of Google having a 737 for their personal geek fests, but a 737 is a mere tricycle compared to a 787. The latest greatest from Boeing, the 787 redefines the commercial airplane. Yet not just for the Uniteds and Continentals of the world, a posh Chinese businessman has put in an order for his.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Boeing Co. (NYSE:BA - news) said on Tuesday it received an order for a private 787 airplane from Hong Kong real estate tycoon Joseph Lau.

The order for Boeing's new carbon-composite 787-8 model, which would seat up to 250 people if configured as a normal airliner, is valued at $153 million at list prices, the planemaker said.

In all, Boeing said it now has seven orders for private 787s, or "787 VIPs" as it calls them. It is pitching this mega-business jet at wealthy entrepreneurs, especially in Asia, where business people tend to travel longer distances.

The commercial launch is set for 2008. Mobissimo all ready has ours on order, forget about water skiing, we fly.