Backpack | Wandering Earl

Do I Need A Floating Camera Strap?

By Earl, on June 20th, 2010 | 25 comments

Photo credit: Joe Mabel

Have you been to an REI store lately? (For those who might not be familiar with REI, it is a large chain of outdoor recreation/sporting goods stores located throughout the US.)

Well, I went yesterday for the first time in about three years and I must say that I enjoyed myself thoroughly. The store was filled with an endless variety of very cool gadgets and travel accessories, all of which cause travelers, such as myself, to…

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How Religion Can Help Keep Your Backpack Safe

By Earl, on June 7th, 2010 | 25 comments

When it comes to protecting our stuff while traveling, such methods as chaining our backpack to our train seat, using a PacSafe when leaving our bag in our hotel room and hiding our valuables in random places, go a long way in easing our minds. We certainly don’t want to take any chances as the thought of having our computer, camera, favorite sandals and boxes of extra contact lenses stolen remains permanently in the back of every traveler’s mind.

Just like home owners…

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Travel Rule: Buy Something, Throw Something Away

By Earl, on October 17th, 2009 | 4 comments

The Freedom of Traveling Light

It took me 20 minutes this morning to find the charger for my cell phone. I had to sift through my big backpack, another small backpack and a whole pile of crap that I had stuffed into two corners of my bedroom.

As I was digging around, I had to lower my head in shame. It occurred to me that lately, I have failed to adhere to one of the most important rules that I follow when traveling.

Located somewhere around Page 3, Section B, Paragraph 1, in my imaginary…

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A Toast to My Kelty Redwing 2900

By Earl, on August 22nd, 2009 | 0 comments

My Kelty Redwing 2900 Backpack
Back in late November of 1999 I purchased a backpack without giving it much thought. I was about to leave for Southeast Asia and I needed a backpack. I walked into an REI store in Boston, wandered up to the grand wall of backpacks, unhooked the first one that caught my attention and tried it on.

Moments later I walked out of the store carrying my new friend, a Kelty Redwing 2900. At the time, my only hope was that the backpack would survive a few months of traveling around Asia. I expected nothing more than that.

Grayish in…

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