Wednesday, November 2, 2016
Crumpler Quick Escape Sling L- review
I was searching high and low for the best travel camera bag.
I made my decision after this review.
Ok, here is my review. May be different from your needs.
This is owing to me using a zoom lens with monopod.
Layout
As you can see from the video. The bag is a sling bag with compartments optimized for storing a DSLR type camera with long lens. The bag has adjustable velcro-ed padded compartments which can store two additional lens.
In addition, the exterior has two straps which can hold a tripod or monopod.
Best feature of all, this bag can be pull around and you can access the camera in front of you, providing a stable platform.
Arguably one of the better camera bags in the market.
For me I can stuff in my mirrorless camera body, with 3 lens, 3 batteries, SD card rack and an umbrella. In addition, I can pack a monopod or tripod externally.
Ergonomic: 5/5
Space: 4/5
Comfort: 4/5
Value: 4/5
Features: 5/5
Friday, October 28, 2016
Security and street smarts
Every traveller will ask this question in one form or another.
How to travel safely and not attracting unwanted attention...
Security, well it depends.
For the security you can control, is prevention of theft/pickpocket.
The other thing that you can control is not venturing into drug or street gang infested area. Easier said that done right? as a fresh off the plane tourist...
Street smarts comes in here. Best is try to blend in the crowd and not stand out too much.
How to travel safely and not attracting unwanted attention...
Security, well it depends.
For the security you can control, is prevention of theft/pickpocket.
The other thing that you can control is not venturing into drug or street gang infested area. Easier said that done right? as a fresh off the plane tourist...
Street smarts comes in here. Best is try to blend in the crowd and not stand out too much.
Sling travel camera or waist bag
Another important piece of hand luggage is the waist bag or camera bag.
This is the piece of hand luggage you want to keep it close to your body.
The best is usually a sling type of waist bag, that hugs the body.
Typically, I store my passport, credit cards, camera and smart phones inside.
Unlike a waist security belt, having the sling bag allows easy access while also is harder for pickpockets to snatch your valuables.
This is the piece of hand luggage you want to keep it close to your body.
The best is usually a sling type of waist bag, that hugs the body.
Typically, I store my passport, credit cards, camera and smart phones inside.
Unlike a waist security belt, having the sling bag allows easy access while also is harder for pickpockets to snatch your valuables.
Short trip backpack- Osprey Ozone 46L semi review
I recently purchased an Osprey backpack and it's called the Osprey Ozone 46L.
The review can be seen here.
This is arguably the best investment of a backpack that I have made.
It fits in a 15 inch laptop in a laptop sleeve, has a shoe compartment, ipad/tablet sleeve, a separate toiletries/stationery compartment and lastly a general purpose storage compartment- where I mostly fit in my clothes.
It is better than the backpack recommended by Mark Wiens, the Osprey Talon 44 and North Face Big Shot Backpack. The North Face Big Shot has only 33L of space.
To be fair to Mark, this model was released later and I have the hindsight to test out the North Face Unisex Big shot and Osprey Talon 44L before making the purchase.
I tested out the Osprey Talon 44L, the one recommended by Mark but it's too longish and may not fit the overhead compartment. The lack of laptop sleeve was a deal breaker. Nevertheless, the Osprey Talon 44L has rave reviews and is the ideal medium backpack for camping and travelling light.
The Osprey Ozone 46L, however cost more than Mark Wien's daypack, the North Face Big shot and while light, has less padded waist/hip straps which doesn't provide waist/hip support like a dedicated backpack's waist/hip belt. It makes up for it by being very light in weight. The Ozone 46L is good for walking around the streets as a big daypack.
The black Ozone 46L looks professional and can double up as a laptop bag for business trips, the waist belts can be tuck away as well.
Osprey coined the name Ozone because of its light weight. So far, it didn't disappoint me. This back feels light on my back. It has mesh ventilation and foam pad for comfort to boot...
Another pro is that, this bag can stuff in lots of things. I definitely is enough for a week's worth of clothing if pack compactly.
In addition, the cinch straps works very well to compress the bag.
I have lug only the Ozone 46L plus a waist bag for all my trips around South East Asia.
Pros: Excellent support on shoulders using Osprey suspension system.
Shoulder straps are also thick with cushioning and offers mesh ventilation on straps and back support.
Simple design and huge loading space.
Can tuck in waist belt and shoulder straps for storage.
Light weight.
Cons: Expensive compared to other brands. Hip/waist belt too narrow to function as a backpack.
Comfort: 9/10 (light weight)
Value: 7.5/10 (a bit expensive)
Durability: 9/10 (So far so good)
Features: 10/10 (The reason I bought this bag)
Ergonomics: 9/10 (Well thought out design for storing away straps/belts. Straps/belt feels like backpack quality)
Conclusion:
It's the perfect bag for travelling in budget airlines as carry on.
Why do you need to check in your luggage if you have the Osprey Ozone 46L?
The review can be seen here.
This is arguably the best investment of a backpack that I have made.
It fits in a 15 inch laptop in a laptop sleeve, has a shoe compartment, ipad/tablet sleeve, a separate toiletries/stationery compartment and lastly a general purpose storage compartment- where I mostly fit in my clothes.
It is better than the backpack recommended by Mark Wiens, the Osprey Talon 44 and North Face Big Shot Backpack. The North Face Big Shot has only 33L of space.
To be fair to Mark, this model was released later and I have the hindsight to test out the North Face Unisex Big shot and Osprey Talon 44L before making the purchase.
I tested out the Osprey Talon 44L, the one recommended by Mark but it's too longish and may not fit the overhead compartment. The lack of laptop sleeve was a deal breaker. Nevertheless, the Osprey Talon 44L has rave reviews and is the ideal medium backpack for camping and travelling light.
The Osprey Ozone 46L, however cost more than Mark Wien's daypack, the North Face Big shot and while light, has less padded waist/hip straps which doesn't provide waist/hip support like a dedicated backpack's waist/hip belt. It makes up for it by being very light in weight. The Ozone 46L is good for walking around the streets as a big daypack.
The black Ozone 46L looks professional and can double up as a laptop bag for business trips, the waist belts can be tuck away as well.
Osprey coined the name Ozone because of its light weight. So far, it didn't disappoint me. This back feels light on my back. It has mesh ventilation and foam pad for comfort to boot...
Another pro is that, this bag can stuff in lots of things. I definitely is enough for a week's worth of clothing if pack compactly.
In addition, the cinch straps works very well to compress the bag.
I have lug only the Ozone 46L plus a waist bag for all my trips around South East Asia.
Pros: Excellent support on shoulders using Osprey suspension system.
Shoulder straps are also thick with cushioning and offers mesh ventilation on straps and back support.
Simple design and huge loading space.
Can tuck in waist belt and shoulder straps for storage.
Light weight.
Cons: Expensive compared to other brands. Hip/waist belt too narrow to function as a backpack.
Comfort: 9/10 (light weight)
Value: 7.5/10 (a bit expensive)
Durability: 9/10 (So far so good)
Features: 10/10 (The reason I bought this bag)
Ergonomics: 9/10 (Well thought out design for storing away straps/belts. Straps/belt feels like backpack quality)
Conclusion:
It's the perfect bag for travelling in budget airlines as carry on.
Why do you need to check in your luggage if you have the Osprey Ozone 46L?
My typical backpacker's Giant backpack- Deuter Venture 65+10L review
My main backpack for long-ish trip is the Deuter Venture 65+10L backpack.
Here is a semi review sort of...
This monster of a backpack is designed for camping and hiking in the European hiking trails.
A German brand, this backpack is built to last, and so far, I have been using it for 4 years; it still looks like new.
Very little maintenance is needed, just wipe or dab with soapy water to clean is sufficient. To remove odor, a fabric freshener like Febreze from P&G will make the unwanted odor history.
Owing its size, this is definitely a luggage that needs to be checked in.
Suspension system
The suspension system is well proven heavy duty design, mounted to the internal frame spine.
The padding is thick with meshed foam and actually feels comfortable.
It distributes all the weight to the pelvic bone area easily and not much load can be felt on the shoulders.
The spine is the Deuter Vari-Quick adjustable shoulder strap that can be adjusted according to the length of your shoulder to hip.
Layout
This backpack has a lower compartment that stores a sleeping bag, an internal water bag compartment for hydration. 2 outer layer compartment: (1. at the top and 2. at the middle of the bag. It also has a cinch strap at the middle of the bag to hold clothing. The hip belt has pockets for keeping coin etc. In addition, the bag also has 2 slots for holding water bottle.
Furthermore, the bag has a side pocket for quick access to the content without having to access from the top. The top has 4 belt clips to store blankets or other items. Lastly the bag has 2 main compression straps. The vertical to cinch down the 'lid' and the side straps to slim down the bag.
This bag comes with a rain cover tucked under the bottom of the bag.
This backpack is an older model. Internally, this bag is a top loading design with 2 cinch system.
The 1st cinch is tighten the 65L volume.
The second cinch is the tighten the additional 10L volume. Total of 75L in volume.
Pros: Excellent support on the hip/waist with thick padding, one of the best in the business. Shoulder straps are also thick with cushioning. Simple design. Tough and low maintenance. Huge loading space. Cheap compared to other brands.
Cons: Less breathable, and may cause excessive sweating if walking a lot under the South East Asian sun. Slightly heavier than the other brands.
Comfort: 8.5/10
Value: 9.5/10
Durability: 9.5/10
Features: 8/10
Ergonomics: 8.5/10
To prevent damage to the fabric and straps, I bought the Deuter cargo exp bag which can house my giant 65L backpack or expand to house even bigger backpacks. Although not cheap, this cargo duffel is definitely worth it as it will prevent damage during luggage handling/sorting in a conveyor belt.
The review can be seen here.
As this backpack is top loading, I can stuff plenty of stuff.
I usually load up to 15 or 20 kg. I know my back is screaming in pain!
That is where the thick foam cushioning make this bag comfortable to haul such a heavy load.
Typical load are 1 extra pair of shoes and 1 extra pair of sandals.
7 pairs of t-shirts, 7 pairs of polo/short-sleeved shirts, 7 pairs of pants/shorts. 7 pairs of underwear and 1 bag of toiletries. Even after that, I still have ample room to load.
So far, Deuter Venture 65L +10 is one of the best bang for the buck backpack. I bought this bag at USD 150, the Deuter cargo exp cost another USD 60.
Sometimes, I throw in my laptop and a daypack inside the Deuter Venture 65L, when I just want to lug only one bag. Yes, it is very spacious indeed.
Together, this bags have taken me to Bali, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta.
Conclusion: An awesome backpack for the budget traveller who wants durability, back/hip/shoulder support and extra space.
Here is a semi review sort of...
This monster of a backpack is designed for camping and hiking in the European hiking trails.
A German brand, this backpack is built to last, and so far, I have been using it for 4 years; it still looks like new.
Very little maintenance is needed, just wipe or dab with soapy water to clean is sufficient. To remove odor, a fabric freshener like Febreze from P&G will make the unwanted odor history.
Owing its size, this is definitely a luggage that needs to be checked in.
Suspension system
The suspension system is well proven heavy duty design, mounted to the internal frame spine.
The padding is thick with meshed foam and actually feels comfortable.
It distributes all the weight to the pelvic bone area easily and not much load can be felt on the shoulders.
The spine is the Deuter Vari-Quick adjustable shoulder strap that can be adjusted according to the length of your shoulder to hip.
Layout
This backpack has a lower compartment that stores a sleeping bag, an internal water bag compartment for hydration. 2 outer layer compartment: (1. at the top and 2. at the middle of the bag. It also has a cinch strap at the middle of the bag to hold clothing. The hip belt has pockets for keeping coin etc. In addition, the bag also has 2 slots for holding water bottle.
Furthermore, the bag has a side pocket for quick access to the content without having to access from the top. The top has 4 belt clips to store blankets or other items. Lastly the bag has 2 main compression straps. The vertical to cinch down the 'lid' and the side straps to slim down the bag.
This bag comes with a rain cover tucked under the bottom of the bag.
This backpack is an older model. Internally, this bag is a top loading design with 2 cinch system.
The 1st cinch is tighten the 65L volume.
Cons: Less breathable, and may cause excessive sweating if walking a lot under the South East Asian sun. Slightly heavier than the other brands.
Comfort: 8.5/10
Value: 9.5/10
Durability: 9.5/10
Features: 8/10
Ergonomics: 8.5/10
To prevent damage to the fabric and straps, I bought the Deuter cargo exp bag which can house my giant 65L backpack or expand to house even bigger backpacks. Although not cheap, this cargo duffel is definitely worth it as it will prevent damage during luggage handling/sorting in a conveyor belt.
As this backpack is top loading, I can stuff plenty of stuff.
I usually load up to 15 or 20 kg. I know my back is screaming in pain!
That is where the thick foam cushioning make this bag comfortable to haul such a heavy load.
Typical load are 1 extra pair of shoes and 1 extra pair of sandals.
7 pairs of t-shirts, 7 pairs of polo/short-sleeved shirts, 7 pairs of pants/shorts. 7 pairs of underwear and 1 bag of toiletries. Even after that, I still have ample room to load.
So far, Deuter Venture 65L +10 is one of the best bang for the buck backpack. I bought this bag at USD 150, the Deuter cargo exp cost another USD 60.
Sometimes, I throw in my laptop and a daypack inside the Deuter Venture 65L, when I just want to lug only one bag. Yes, it is very spacious indeed.
Together, this bags have taken me to Bali, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta.
Conclusion: An awesome backpack for the budget traveller who wants durability, back/hip/shoulder support and extra space.
Thursday, July 7, 2016
Visiting Bako National Park, Sarawak Borneo
Wooden rods piled into the soft sand containing nets for the local fishermen.
Surreal picture, fishermen walking 'on water' catching fishes.
The boat landed on the beach and I wade on shore without my shoes of course.
A male proboscis monkey spotted near the camp HQ
A bearded pig beachcombing the beach for grubs and worms.
At high tide.
A sow and her piglet at the park HQ.
Monday, February 8, 2016
Starting this blog to document my budget travelling post
I was really inspired by Mark Wiens of migrationology.com. I actually followed his advise and tasted and eaten the same food as him in Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.
I looked too serious and don't have 'orgasmic face' when eating delicious food, therefore no vlog for me yet...
I will just document some of my travels, but not exactly with a focus on food but to enjoy nature, sights, sounds, language and food.
I looked too serious and don't have 'orgasmic face' when eating delicious food, therefore no vlog for me yet...
I will just document some of my travels, but not exactly with a focus on food but to enjoy nature, sights, sounds, language and food.
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