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| Clousers & Deceivers are must-haves |
I've spilt my must-haves into 'general apparel & accessories' and 'fishing-specific' sublists; this week I'll cover my general category. Fishing-specific items will be covered in a future post...like, next week.
Without further ado, here are my General Apparel and Accessories must-haves for traveling...
(Note: Links to the products will be provided where possible)
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| Tools of the trade |
- iPod Touch (64gb): it does everything an iPhone does (except make/receive calls & texts) with more memory and for less money. I've been traveling with this iPod for almost two years; it's been my camera, atlas, e-reader, music & movie player, video camera, and communications hub. Add a pair of travel-friendly noise-cancelling earbud headphones and you have it made for flights and noisy neighbourhoods (or snoring roommates). It's a full-on mobile command post.
- MSR Packtowel: almost the size of a beach towel, folds to the size of a small paperback novel. It's very quick-drying and an amazing product. I have two of them in different sizes.
- Ex Officio Give-N-Go boxer brief: comfortable, easy to wash, quick drying. Wear a pair, take a pair. Wash them in the shower or sink when needed and they'll be dry within hours. Some day, every pair of underwear I own will be these.
- Smartwool socks: awesome products, and oh so comfortable. I have several pairs of varying weights and it's not often I'll wear anything else. Great to have a pair stashed away even in tropical climates for blister prevention.
- Decent hat. Blocks the sun. Cuts glare on the water. Hides unwashed bed-head. I prefer the mesh-back trucker style as it's a little cooler in warm climates. My current hat is the previous version of this one (gotta support my Southern cousins...)
- Reliable but inexpensive (or inexpensive-looking) watch. You might need to know the time, and hauling out your iPod Touch to check the time in downtown Puerto San Jose or Ouagadougou might not be the wisest choice.
- Pocket tool. This might not be practical if you're not checking any luggage. I'm almost always check luggage, so I bring two: a Gerber Crucial and a Leatherman Wave. If I were to pick only one, the Gerber would make the trip.
- Water bottle. I use Kleen Kanteen, but without the spout (even with water bottles: the more moving parts it has, more likely it will break).
- Packable rain jacket. Buy one of decent quality and it will last for years. I've had one from Marmot for seven years and a full rain suit from MEC for five years; they're both going strong.
- Notebook & pen/pencil. This is a backup in case the iPod battery is dead or dying (or because the traveler is in downtown Puerto San Jose & doesn't want to take their iPod out of their pocket). Jot down directions, contact information, fly patterns to tie or buy, to-do lists, whatever. Just have one.
- Zip-Lock freezer bags (large). Use them to isolate toiletries to keep them from spilling into your luggage. Or to isolate stinky socks & underwear when packing. Transport several pounds of primo Guatemalan coffee beans in them. They're good to have.
- Electrical tape. To tape things shut, like shampoo bottles or bandages to open wounds. Or tape things together, like a tube for a 3-piece glass rod to a case for 4-piece rods, so you only have 'one' carry-on item.
- Gum. Minty stuff to freshen your breath. The Traveling Angler might not have a chance to brush their teeth for a little while.
- A good playlist...or three. Have a playlist for chilling out or falling asleep to on noisy planes, buses, in dorms or whatever. Have another one for fun times, with shitty music you might not normally listen to, because you never know when you'll be called upon to supply the party music (Jay-Z albums are pretty good for this). And have another one of your favourite tracks or genre to sing along to that allows you to do whatever you need to do. Like drive for 26 hours straight. This is a good track for that right here:
Traveling Angler Tuesdays launched June 26th, 2012 on mattrevors.com. My mission is to prove the concept of fly fishing travel abroad is not just the realm of old rich dudes and magazine writers & photographers. Keep checking back regularly as I share tips & tricks to get you to fly fishing locales you dream of going to. To see past articles & tips, click here.
The products mentioned in this article were bought and paid for by the author, Mat Trevors.
I, Mat Trevors, am not sponsored by or associated with any of the companies listed above and am accepting no compensation, monetary or otherwise, in exchange for these endorsements.
My independent status may change in the future but, as of the date of publication, no relationship has been pursued or established.
Companies wishing to hire a Writer-Not-In-Residence-But-On-Water can definitely buy my allegiance; however, those companies must be upstanding members of the global community and produce gear of high quality. I can be reached through the Contact Page.
