In a previous lifetime, my idea of a long-distance hike was a music festival. For four days, Iā€™d parade across dusty fields or clotted city streets, traipsing from stage to stage in pursuit of the next show. Who knows how many miles I clocked in those peripatetic bursts, but at that extended momentā€”a music critic in his 20s, way more committed to partying than pulmonary fitnessā€”it was the exercise I knew best.

Not long after I crossed the threshold into 30, though, that lifestyle caught up with me. Headed west on Gay Street in Knoxville, Tennessee, I sank onto the sidewalk and pulled off my boot, squeezing my left foot as though trying to force it back together. It was broken, I knew, a stress fracture from all these steps; why else would each step now feel like another new knife fight, as though someone were jamming a blade between my bones? I endured, switched into a pair of sneakers and limped around Tennessee until the festivalā€™s end.

Back home, my symptoms suddenly subsided, appearing only sporadically during the next few years as I became obsessed with distance running. But in 2019, soon after I entered Maine some 2,000 miles into a northbound thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, that old ache returned. Was my foot broken, my hike done? Nope.

After staying up late one night in an AT lean-to for a tailspin into online medical sleuthing, I realized it was cuboid syndrome, when the pointy joint on the side of your foot shifts slightly out of line for a spell. With just enough bandwidth to stream a , I learned something called the cuboid squeeze and fixed it myself.

But now, I donā€™t even need that technique. After 11,000 miles of hiking and countless more miles of road running in almost every state in the country, I simply never leave home without a 1.5-ounce piece of sculpted silicone thatā€™s changed my fitness and the way I travel: toe spacers.

Wait, What Are Toe Spacersā€”And Why Are They So Popular?

Toe spacers are having an unexpected moment. There are, right now, some 38 million that mention them. has suggested theyā€™re a panacea, and the notes they are ā€œtransforming peopleā€™s lives.ā€ Neurosurgeon and frequent TV medical commentator , Philadelphia Eagles star , body-positive model : Theyā€™ve all become advocates for a fitness craze I never expected to work, in late 2019, when I was desperate for anything to help me run again.

After finishing the Appalachian Trail, my first long-distance hike, my body was a messā€”every attempt to return to running felt like another litany of physical insults. Iā€™d already gone to multiple physical therapists and yoga classes, trying to recover, when a young pedorthist building custom inserts for my shoes took one look at my feet and told me I needed toe spacers. Bunions were forming on the sides of my feet, and my little toes were starting to scrunch into claws, or hammer toes. I needed, he said, to spread my toes back out after years of stuffing them into running and hiking shoes that squeezed them together. He pulled a clear zippered pouch from the wall and asked me to try themā€”, curved ribs of silicone with three holes through which your middle toes slide.

For the next several months, I wore them almost everywhere, tucked between the toe socks heā€™d also recommended and inside shoes with wide toe boxes, like Topos or Altras. I winced when I had to take my shoes off anywhere, knowing someone would inevitably exclaim ā€œWhat are those?!ā€ when they saw my spacers. But in the best way, my feet have never been the same again.

Which Toe Spacers Should I Buy and Try?

As best as I can tell, Correct Toesā€”developed by a podiatrist and runner named Ray McClanahan, who I interviewed for ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų in 2022ā€”are the most expensive models on the market, at $65 per pair. Theyā€™re also the only ones Iā€™ve ever needed, because they havenā€™t warped or ripped after five years of sporadic use. (More on ā€œsporadicā€ in a bit.) Iā€™ve never once resented what I paid.

But there are more affordable options now: Thereā€™s a on Amazon, though some reviews there suggest you indeed pay for what you get. s version for the same price looks more rugged, and I am certainly entertained by the idea of black toe spacers to match my endurance-black toenails. Correct Toes occasionally slip out from between my digits, so I like the way the and The Foot Collectiveā€™s wrap around all five. (The inclusion of an exercise band is a welcome bonus, too.)

You can even try with built-in toe spacers from Happy Feet, though I am slightly suspect of the oversized spacers that look more like toe bracelets from for a reason Iā€™ll get into right now.

So, How Do I Use Toe Spacers?

At the start, slowly. Have you ever stretched a muscle for the first time in a while, maybe because you noticed a new stiffness in your body? It was uncomfortable, right? Thatā€™s how toe spacers will feel for a bit, as you begin the business of prying apart bones, tendons, and ligaments that have been stuck inside narrow shoes for most of your life. I started with 15 minutes a day and gradually increased until I was wearing them almost all of the time, taking care to remove them before I fell asleep. (There is some suggestion that they restrict blood flow, especially at night; my toes simply feel stiff when I wake up with them still on.) Yoga Toes arenā€™t appealing to me, because theyā€™re too big to slip inside shoes.

These days, I donā€™t use them all the time. My feet feel better, because Iā€™ve changed my entire routineā€”foot socks always, Topo tennis shoes with wide toe boxes unless Iā€™m ā€œdressing up,ā€ and a regimen of toe exercises using resistance bands. But whether Iā€™m hiking across the country or going to another music festival, I always have a single toe spacer in my bag, ready to slot between my toes if my cuboid slips its position, as it sometimes does, or my arches begin to ache as though theyā€™re on fire. I rarely travel with two toe spacers these days, because both of my feet generally donā€™t hurt at the same anymore. Iā€™ve spent years learning how to manage them, after all.

During a recent 1,200-mile trek along Wisconsinā€™s Ice Age Trail, I would often end 30-mile days by wearing toe spacers in my tent, letting my toes stretch as I massaged my legs and made my dinner. I donā€™t think you need to use toe spacers for the rest of your life; I do think, however, they can be crucial for taking care of the body part that actually makes contact with the ground and supports the rest of the body in the process.

Do Toe Spacers Actually Work?

Toe spacers have reached such a critical mass of popularity that you can easily find opposing answers to this question, bandied about from the to . Iā€™m not a doctor or a foot-health researcher, so I wonā€™t pretend to tell you anything prescriptive or definitive.

But in the last five years, or since I started using toe spacers, I have logged close to 20,000 miles on my feet, whether hiking long trails, running on roads, or, yes, attending music festivals. I also turned 40. But I have rarely felt stronger as a hiker or a runner than I do right now, and Iā€™ve had no substantive problems with my feet in a long time. My knees are better, too, and knee pain was often linked with the foot woes I experienced.

Again, Iā€™ve never seen toe spacers as a cure-all; I massage my feet, strengthen them, stretch them. But when they ache, whether Iā€™m on a long hike or a reporting trip in another city, a day with toe spacers is my first line of defense. Itā€™s perhaps the best $65 Iā€™ve ever spent on a piece of fitness gearā€”so much so, in fact, that I bought a second pair in an alternate color so that I can mix and match them as I travel. Hey, Iā€™ve got to keep them looking surprising and ridiculous, since so many people now seem curious about what toe spacers are and if they can change how you feel, too.

Grayson Haver Currin is °æ³Ü³Ł²õ¾±»å±šā€™s thru-hiking and trail columnist. He finished the Triple Crown in November 2023, ending with the Continental Divide Trail, and has written about his and others’ adventures on trails across the country since 2019ā€”including, most recently, how you’re hiking downhill wrong, as well as the woman who smashed the Appalachian Trail record, and ridiculously expensive hiking shorts that chafed him anyways. He still takes toe spacers to music festivals and on his adventures.

The post My First Thru-Hike Wrecked My Feet. Now I Never Trek Without Toe Spacers. appeared first on ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų Online.

Nothing ruins a ski vacation faster than no snow, and scoring a powder day can feel like winning the lottery in these climate-challenged times. While the global forecaster AccuWeather makes projections up to 90 days out, specific, precise daily reports cannot be made more than ten days in advance, according to a published in theĢżJournal of the Atmospheric Sciences. Given the chaotic nature of the atmosphere, two weeks out is probably the farthest accurate estimate we can hope for in the future.

So where does that leave travelers who want to plan ahead? Is there more we can do than just book a ski vacation to a popular winter destinationĢżand hope for the best? Yes! Diehard skiers and snowboarders and skiersā€”and I count myself in that groupā€”have discovered some tricks to line up trips with epic conditions.

The Surprising Accuracy of The Powder Buoy

In the early aughts, Mike Ruzek, a financial planner and avid skier based in Park City, Utah, had a client clue him in to thousands of miles west in the Pacific Ocean that surfersĢżwere using as an alternative to wave-forecast sites like , to estimate how bigĢżswell would get by the time it hit the Hawaiian Islands. The client, who split his time between Maui and Park City, believed the buoyā€™s movements correlated to storm cycles in Utahā€™s Wasatch Range.

Curious, Ruzek did some research and discovered that when the buoy went from floating on swells of around 5 to 15 feetā€”the point which followers described it as ā€œpoppingā€ā€”a storm would usually hit the Wasatch 12 to 14 days later.

Ruzek doesnā€™t have a background in meteorology, but he did know that low-pressure systems tend to produce the most snow in winter. ā€œWhen a low-pressure system rolls in [across the Pacific], it forces the water upward, making the buoy pop,ā€ he posited. ā€œAbout two weeks after a spike in the buoyā€™s wave height, Utah gets a dump of snow.ā€

Initially, Ruzek started testing the buoy to schedule ā€œsickā€ ski days from work, and he found it was surprisingly accurate. In 2013, he set up a Facebook page called Ģżto share the forecasts, and an followed that now boasts 45,000-plus followers.

A NOAA spokesperson said the organization is unaware of a specific buoy measurement correlating with this weather phenomenon so far from the buoyā€™s location. But Ruzek is not wrong. I spoke with Steven Businger, a University of Hawaii professor of meteorology, who confirmed that the slow motion of huge planetary waves in the jet stream often results in fairly long, persistent weather patterns that can effectively be determined for a location over ten days or more.

Last year the buoy was 80 percent spot-on when it came to pow predictions in Utah, saidĢżRuzek, and heā€™s heard from skiers who use its reports to predict snow 12 to 14 days out in Colorado and Wyoming. ā€œOne mountain town in ColoradoĢżhas a coffee shop that writes our reports on a chalkboard,ā€ he said proudly. Though he could charge for the readings, Ruzek loves the authenticity of keeping it free. ā€œThereā€™s enough monetization in the ski world,ā€ he said.

Trusted Intel from Powderchasers

Steve Conney also shares free winter-weather intelĢżas a side hustle called . The New York native started forecasting snowfall at U.S. ski resortsĢżfor a small email list of friends more than two decades ago, when there was no internet offering such a service. ā€œI had phone numbers for the snowplow drivers and the people who worked at Eisenhower Tunnel in Colorado,ā€ he toldĢżme. ā€œIā€™d call the employees at Baked in Telluride, because I knew they were up at 5 A.M. and could report on the snow.ā€

TodayĢżPowderchasers has over 107,000 followers on Instagram, and its detailed forecasts are still free, thanks to sponsors like Ikon Pass. The posts are fun and full of stoke: ā€œEPIC ALERT: Snow Returns for South America. 3+ Feet Predictedā€ read the August 2 headline. ā€œFinal parade of moisture is overspreading the west. The firehouse is wide open over Oregon and moves east into Idaho and northern Wyoming where it is snowing,ā€ read a December 16 post, while itsĢżrecently offered intel on projected conditions through the end of the month, suggestions on where to head based on its forecasts, feedback from Powderchasers staff about places they were already skiing, and estimated snow accumulation for various regions of the U.S. and Canada.

Conney now has a small weather-obsessed team to help him. ā€œWe read the same models as everyone else, but we understand what skiers and snowboarders want,ā€ he said. ā€œThe deepest snow is not always your best chase. We look at winds, potential closures, snow density, and other factors.ā€

If youā€™d prefer more in-depth, personalized forecasts and custom trip planning, the company has what are called concierge packages that range from $149 for one trip to $699 for forecasts for eight trips. ā€œThis is for the fanatics who can only get out on the slopes once or twice a year for that big ski trip,ā€ he said.

Jen Murphy splits her time between Colorado and Maui and now relies on The Powder Buoy to track swell and snow. SheĢżrecently wrote about her love of solo travel, and about how compression socks are the one piece of clothing travelers need for a long flight.Ģż

The post How to Plan Your ā€œSickā€ Powder Days Two Weeks in Advance appeared first on ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų Online.

My partner and I always fight while packing the car for a road trip, especially around the holidays. It brings out the worst in us. Our stress and anxiety turn into arguments about how to organize the trunk, andā€”not kiddingā€”whether he really needs to bring his espresso machine. Help! How can we avoid another packing meltdown this month? ā€”Road Weary

As a minimalist packer, it drives me bonkers when people stuff their car to the ceiling with nonessentials. My mom is a notorious overpacker and lives in constant fear of not having enough snacks when she travels. Because I loathe driving, Iā€™ve just accepted that on even the shortest road trip with her, my knees will be crunched against the dashboard to accommodate gallons of water and a cooler of food jammed behind my seat. (If we ever got caught in a storm, weā€™d survive comfortably for a few days.)

My best friend, Katherine, usually argues with her husband, Carmino, about packing for their annual December road trip from Brooklyn to South Bend, Indiana, to visit his grandmother. Fights ensue because they think they have more room in their Jeep Gladiator than they actually do. ā€œYet every year we still pack it to the brim,ā€ she says.

Carmino is a wanna-be chef, so he insists on traveling with his own kitchen supplies, including a 25-by-25-inch wooden cutting board and numerous pasta-making machines and tools. Additionally, they head out with a Yeti cooler packed with artisanal New York City treats and return with his grandmotherā€™s homemade Polish sausage and pierogies to share with family on the East Coast. ā€œIā€™m talking like 90 pierogis,ā€ Katherine says.

In fairness, Katherine packs her own pillows, and sometimes blankets, for their hotel stays en route to Indiana, which drives him crazy. Getting rest during family holidays is essential, she rationalizes. ā€œAt least I use them all week long, versus one day,ā€ she says.

Why Does Packing for a Holiday Road Trip Feel Particularly Tense?

One of the biggest fights ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų editor Mary Turner ever had with her father was over a casserole dish that she placed in the trunk of the car when he wasn’t looking as they were about to drive to a relative’s house for Thanksgiving. “He discovered it right before he closed the trunk, and all hell broke loose,” she says. “He is super analĢżabout what goes where in the car, and I apparently hadn’t followed those rules.”

Vacations, travel, and packing are cognitively stressful, says Sarah Pressman, a professor of psychological science at the University of California at Irvine. ā€œWe have to juggle a lot of mental tasks and questions,ā€ she says. For example: What needs to be packed? Will it fit? What am I forgetting? Will I really need this? Excessive cognitive load, she says ā€œcan be tiring, distracting, and potentially diminish our patience.ā€

Holiday travel especially is a pressure cooker of stress, says Los Angelesā€“based therapist Laurel Robert-Meese. ā€œYouā€™re often trying to get everyone elseā€™s needs met,ā€ she says. ā€œWhen youā€™re rushing out of the house to get to your parentsā€™ or in-lawsā€™, and know you might be out of your routine for a few days, stress is heightened.ā€

A huge trigger of travel stress is unrealistically high expectations, says Pressman. ā€œWe want everything to be absolutely perfect during the holidays or on a major vacation,ā€ she says. ā€œWhen our expectations arenā€™t metā€”for example, in a chaotic packing situationā€”itā€™s easy to be disappointed and lash out at whoever is around us.ā€

To diffuse the situation, ask yourself whatā€™s more important: that the car is packed a certain way or that you get to your destination safely and relatively on time, says Robert-Meese. ā€œAnd do you want to be right, or do you want to stay married?ā€ When someone throws a tantrum about a backpack being on top of the suitcase, or between suitcases, that typically represents something bigger, she says. ā€œIf someone is anxious about somethingā€”like seeing their parentsā€”that may manifest in criticizing something trivial, like where the suitcase was placed.ā€

Does Car Size Matter?

My friend Carly and her husband, Ross, live in Boulder, Colorado, and love road-tripping with their two girls, but they hate the Tetris of configuring everything just right into their vehicle. In 2017, they purchased a bare-bones but roomy Sprinter cargo van that they refer to as their mobile garage. But they quickly learned that when you have a bigger vehicle, you want to pack your entire house, including the espresso machine, a giant cooler that contains the contents of their fridge, a case of wine, plus all of their familyā€™s adventure gear. ā€œPretending we have a Subaru instead of a Sprinter might help with quantity control,ā€ she admits.

Tiny cars in Europe are a personal affront to many Americans used to SUVs. Yet when my friends and I go on ski trips to the Continent, my frugal friend Michael, who lives in New York City, inevitably always rents the smallest car. We manage to make it work after what Michaelā€™s wife, Meredith, calls ā€œthe great packing saga.ā€

Meredith is a pro when it comes to packing any size car. ā€œThe biggest or most angular or geometric piecesā€”like skisā€”go in first,ā€ she says. ā€œAnything that fits neatly in the corners of the trunk. Then itā€™s Jenga with smaller bags or soft bags. And finally, you plug every crack and crevice with small bags, extra coats or sweatshirts, or sneakers.ā€ Her personal bag, usually teeming with snacks and extra clothes, stays up front within easy reach.

Who Should Get the Final Say?

Delegating one person to pack the carā€”and being responsible for knowing where everything isā€”can reduce stress, says Pressman. ā€œSometimes one person has a special skill of optimizing the available space. So let them be the one to make those decisions instead of randomly throwing things in or fighting over what goes where,ā€ she says.

If one of your travel partners is super organized and wants to decide what goes where in the car, let them, says Pressman. Decide what your priority is. ā€œPick your battles to maximize happiness, and figure out who should be in charge based on personal strengths and preferences,ā€ she says.

Michelle and Andy Gilbert of Point Pleasant, New Jersey, are a perfect example. Michelle says she always forgets to pack all kinds of stuff: ā€œWe’ve had to stop for bras, toothbrushes, hair products, underwearā€¦. You name it, I’ve forgotten it.ā€ Her husband, on the other hand, is a meticulous packer; he makes a checklist on his phone and ticks things off as he packs.

ā€œWe are very different people,ā€ she says. ā€œHe laughs at me but never gives me a hard time. Itā€™s an unspoken rule that he’s in charge of any important documents, as well as packing the trunk or back of the car, especially if we have a lot to bring. I’m in charge of the front area of the car snacks, blankets, the fun stuff.ā€

If you anticipate going head-to-head about one specific travel issue, set some rules beforehand. For example, maybe the driver gets to decide what feels safest for their comfort in terms of car organization, but the passengers can take control over what goes in the back seat. What’s most important is establishing clear lines of communication and talking through individual priorities before packing and loading begins, says Pressman. Consider compromises, and work together to create a plan that will make everyone happy.

Kelli Miller, author of , suggests using a sliding scale between one and ten to determine who is more emotionally invested. ā€œIf youā€™re a seven when it comes to organization and your partner is a two, you take the lead,ā€ she says. Miller agrees that clear, constant communication is key.

How to Make Packing the Car Less Stressful

Plan Ahead

When we procrastinate, and then feel like we don’t have time to do what we need, that activates our stress response, says Pressman. ā€œThis heightens negative emotions and makes us more irritable and reactive,ā€ she says.

Carly says her familyā€™s packing history confirms this. If itā€™s done at the last minute on the day of a trip, it always results in tears, the silent treatment, and, inevitably, leaving an hour later than intended.

Miller recommends starting to pack at least three days ahead, to give yourself time to shop for necessities, decide who is responsible for what, and determine what nonnegotiable items have to make it into the car.

Assign Roles

When people have specific responsibilities, things feel more controlled and communication is high, says Pressman. ā€œMy husband and I typically make a shared Google Docs packing list of what we need and who is packing what,ā€ she says. ā€œThis reduces surprises and conflicts over forgotten items. I often find myself asking him the day before, ā€˜What am I forgetting?ā€™ And nine times out of ten he’ll remember something I forgot.ā€

But Make It a Team Effort

Carly tries to make packing a family affair. ā€œI recently discovered that I can give my eight- and ten-year-old daughters a packing list and put them in charge of their own bags,ā€ she says. ā€œThis relieves some stress, as Iā€™ve outlined what they need, and they are expected to execute. If they forget something, itā€™s on them.ā€

Everyone also helps haul bags and gear from the house to the van, and then her husband loads it.

Take a Breath and Laugh

If youā€™re fighting about how to pack the car, don’t feel like you have to push through while panicking, says Pressman. ā€œNegative emotions focus our attention and make it harder to find creative solutions to problems,ā€ she says. ā€œTake a breath, take a five-minute break, and talk about the good things that will happen on your trip. Even a quick knock-knock joke can do wonders to diffuse the tension and help you get back to the grind in a more helpful mood.ā€

One of her favorite jokes: Why did the tire get invited to all the road trips? Because it always knew how to roll with it!

Jen Murphy is the travel-advice columnist for ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų Online. She grew up in New Jersey, the only state where itā€™s still illegal to pump your own gas. Sheā€™ll cope with a messily packed car as long as she doesnā€™t have to fill the tank.Ģż

The post Use This Smart Advice to Avoid Fights When Packing a Car for a Road Trip appeared first on ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų Online.

In traveling, Iā€™ve always chosen to go it alone rather than not go at all. Over the years, friends have called me fearless. Donā€™t you get scared? they ask. Very rarely. Lonely? Honestly, never, even before the days of social media. And isnā€™t it more expensive to travel by yourself than with others? Traditionally, yes. Solo travelers often got slapped with single-supplement, or premium, hotel and tour fees, but since the pandemic, companies have started courting solo travelers. Priceline even held its first-ever .

, safety, loneliness, and expense are the three biggest reasons people hate to travel solo. But Iā€™ve been adventuring on my own for more than two decades, and I find it freeing. I can travel at my own pace and on my own budget. I can easily score a table for oneā€”even at top restaurants that often require bookings weeks in advance. And I connect more with locals.

More people are catching on to the appeal of solo travel, however, especially Gen Zers and Millennials. Google searches for solo travel have increased 223 percent over the past decade, and according to a , 50 percent of Americans planned to travel alone in 2024. And while women have led the indie trip trend in recent years, men are joining the ranks. A from the travel booking site Omio found that 30 percent of men, compared to 23 percent of women, have solo journeys planned for 2025.

If youā€™ve hesitated to give solo travel a go, let me alleviate your concerns and suggest some of my favorite places for awesome adventuring on your own.

Always Consider Safety First

Certain destinations lend themselves to solo travel more than others. Certainly, safety is top of mind.

I scan the U.S. State Departmentā€™s and avoid countries of conflict. I also browse the (GPI), an annual ranking of nations based on factors like the absence of violence or fear of violence, a nationā€™s level of harmony or discord, and its degree of militarization. Coming into 2025, Iceland, Ireland, and Austria are the safest three countries in the world, according to the overall GPI score.

, which also researches and ranks the safest places to visit each year, is another great resource. Rankings are based on an average of ā€œall measures from [BHTPā€™s] State of Travel Insurance research,ā€ and factor in other indices including the Global Peace Index and information from sources like , a destination database that scores living conditions. Berkshire Hathaway puts Iceland, Australia, and Canada as top three for safety, with Ireland close behind.

In addition to its list, Berkshire Hathaway provides write-ups that touch on smart considerations to take into account in each of the high-ranking nations, from dangerous wildlife like box jellyfish in Australia to driving on the left-hand side of the road in Ireland to expensive emergency-evacuation costs in remote destinations of northern Norway.

My 6 Favorite Solo-Travel Destinations

Some of my picks are at the top of the Berkshire Hathaway and Global Peace Index lists, but I cast a wider lens to explore off-the-beaten-path destinations. In particular, such places have satisfied my craving for big doses of nature and adventure.

Portugal

The GPI ranked Portugal the seventh-safest country in the world in 2024. Itā€™s also a bargain compared to most Western European countries (a draft of craft beer cost me $3 in Lisbon compared to $8 in Paris), and the effortlessly connects the northern and southern regions.

Iā€™ve visited this country solo four times and have always found the locals extremely hospitable. On my first trip, I checked out the beach town of Sagres in the southern region of Algarve and met two couples from Lisbon who offered to drive me back to the city. One of the women took off work the next day to be my tour guide, and that evening she and her husband threw a dinner party for me at their home.

I love making solo surf trips up and down Portugalā€™s coast. Hotels like (from $200) in Santa Cruz and (from $73), just north in the town of Peniche, have a clubhouse vibe and offer activities and eventsā€”like rooftop music sessionsā€”that make it easy to meet new friends. Both places can arrange board rentals, lessons, and English-speaking guides.

If you, too, fall hard for the country, Portugalā€™s recently introduced makes it easy to pursue residency while working remotely.

Costa Rica

Pura vida vibes have always made me feel welcome in Costa Rica. The State Departmentā€™s Level 2 advisory recommends that trip-goers use increased caution here, due to petty crime risks and natural hazards like earthquakes (which are common-ish here, with events of magnitude 7 about every decade). For 2025, Berkshire Hathaway Costa Rica the sixth-safest place in the world for female, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ travelers.

Surf towns such as Nosara and Santa Teresa along the Pacific Coast attract a lot of Americans and have small expat communities. , a hotel brand catering to digital nomads with coworking spaces as well as rooms, has eight outposts in Costa Rica, including in Nosara, Santa Teresa, and Monteverde (shared dorms from $24). These properties host music events and arrange local experiences for guests.

On the Caribbean Coast, Iā€™m a big fan of the boutique hotel (from $365), which is part of the sustainability-focused Cayuga Collection. The hotel works with local guides and outfitters to arrange snorkeling excursions and hiking day trips in Cahuita National Park, including for solo guests. The place also offers free bike use, which I love for exploring the nearby town on my own.

CanadaĢż

Canadians have a reputation for being incredibly friendly, and that as well as proximity to the U.S. and our shared language are bonuses. highlighted the countryā€™s low crime rate and noted that wildlife like bears and moose posed some of the biggest dangers to visitors.

Vancouver and Montreal, great jumping-off points for the wilderness, ranked two and three, respectively, on a that see the most solo-travel searches on the travel site Kayak and the most solo-dining reservations on OpenTable.

Canada has 37 national parks and 11 national park reserves, as well as two beautiful coasts. Iā€™ve made friends while soaking in the swimming-pool-sized hot tub at (from $250) in Albertaā€™s Banff National Park. Iā€™ve also plotted solo snowboard trips to , British Columbia, to coincide with the Natural Selection Tour freestyle competition, knowing Iā€™d meet like-minded travelers.

If youā€™re wary of wandering the wilderness alone, sign up for a guided trek with a local outfitter. I like the .

Another low-stress option is crisscrossing the country via rail. The Rocky Mountaineerā€™s from Vancouver to Banff takes just two days and is staffed with storytellers who can shed light on indigenous sites and wildlife. It offers single-berth accommodations from $1,752.

Australia

Australia has long been a magnet for backpackers. I spent nearly a year in my twenties backpacking mostly solo around the countryā€™s east coast, and the biggest dangers were crocodiles, snakes, and jellyfish. Despite its resident poisonous critters, Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection scored AustraliaĢż the second-safest place in the world to travel for 2025.

Affordable and clean hostels, like (from $140) in Queenslandā€™s Daintree Rainforest, abound and are filled with other solo travelers. is a beach-club-vibe hostel brand with Queensland locations in Noosa, Cairns, and Airlie Beach (from $32 for a spot in a mixed dorm).

Australia is a fantastic destination for hiking. is a collection of 13 treks that you can do yourself or with a guide. I spent four days traversing the wildlife-filled in Tasmania, opting for a guide via the local outfitter the because I wanted to learn more about the flora, fauna, and culture on the island (from $1,900, all-inclusive). The first two nights we stayed in secluded, simple bush camps near the beach ($7), and the final night we were pampered in the recently renovated historic-home-turned-hotel, Bernacchi House.

If youā€™re sticking to the mainland, the in the state of Victoria is a very doable 27 miles over four days along the Great Ocean Road, with campsites en route. The walk is suitable for hikers of any experience and takes in the shipwreck-dotted coastline, wild beaches, and Great Otway and Port Campbell National Parks.

Austria

Austria is a fantastic option for solo alpine adventures. The country is ranked third on the Global Peace Index and fifth worldwide in terms of safety by the . Most locals speak English, and a great public transportation network makes it easy to travel car-free. If youā€™re deciding between alpine destinations, consider that the cost of living in Switzerland is higher than in Austria, and that affects tourism; in general, expect lodging and meals in Austria to cost half of what youā€™d pay in Switzerland.

The runs a network of more than 170 huts, where itā€™s easy to engage with other hikers. Most mountain resorts, such as or or have guided hiking, biking, and paddling tours that allow you to mingle with others. And many villages offer special . I met some friends on a solo trip to the , held each September.

Bhutan

Solo travel, for me, has been the perfect way to do some soul searching when Iā€™m making big decisions or going through a transition. And one of the most soulful places Iā€™ve ever visited is the Kingdom of Bhutan. It is a place of beauty and spirituality, and travelers here are required to have a guide, which is an exceptional way to become familiar with the culture.

Six years ago, I went on assignment on a solo ten-day guided trip of this Southeast Asia nation and learned so much, including the proper way to throw a dart (this is a traditional sport in Bhutan) and about dating habits here (yes, thereā€™s Tinder in Bhutan). I still keep in touch with my guide, who was a woman, on WhatsApp.

Bhutan is ranked 21 on the Global Peace Index, and itā€™s a mecca for hiking and mountain bikingā€”the king is an avid mountain biker, and my guide and I spotted him one day on the trail. While getting there from the U.S. isnā€™t cheap, nor are costs within the country, visits are slightly more affordable since the kingdom halved its daily tourist fee from $200 to $100 last year.

Phil Bowen of should be your go-to logistician to find a guide, driver, and accommodations, which can range from homestays to splurge-worthy hotels. (from $550, half-board, meaning room, breakfast, and one other meal) is one of the most memorable places Iā€™ve stayed in throughout my global travels.

5 Tips for Solo Travelers, From a Pro

Here are some tips and tricks for making the most of a solo trip.Ģż

Share Your Plans

I always email my mom my rough itinerary. It includes the contact information for any hotels Iā€™ve already booked or the names of campsites where I plan to stay. I also regularly check in with her or a good friend via Whatā€™s App or email to let them know Iā€™ve reached a destination safely and when Iā€™m moving on to my next stop.

Eat at the Restaurant’s Bar

I absolutely love dining alone at the bar. Itā€™s usually easy to score a single seat, and before long Iā€™m chatting with some fascinating local characters. Bartenders are often fantastic sources of local intel and can direct you to good restaurants and the best hiking and mountain-biking trails. Finally, happy-hour specials are a great way to save a few bucks.

Watch and Post on Message Boards

If youā€™re craving companionship, you might post on social-media channels like Facebook and Instagramā€”you never know who in your circles, or your friendsā€™ circles, is headed to the same place as youā€”or use the Friends setting on apps like Bumble. Many hotels and hostels, and often the local grocery store, still have bulletin boards with postings for local activities, like free yoga sessions or group hikes.

Pack Meds

Being alone isnā€™t so great when you fall ill in a far-flung place. In many countries itā€™s manageable: you can walk into a pharmacy, explain your symptoms, and get what you need. But I recently suffered through a debilitating urinary-tract infection in Morocco, and now I never travel without the broad-spectrum antibiotic I needed. I convinced my doctor to prescribe one in case I get that sick on the road again.

Donā€™t Second-Guess Yourself

Trust your gut. If something feels unsafe, it probably is. The very few times Iā€™ve gotten food poisoning have been when actions went against my instinct. Donā€™t be afraid to be impolite. Once, in Varanasi, India, an elderly woman offered me a glass of sketchy looking lassi. I felt rude saying no, and all it took was one sip to give me Delhi Belly. I knew better.

You should also follow your intuition. When I meet strangers and feel genuine good vibes, I will accept an invitation to share a ride or join for a meal in someoneā€™s home. These chance encounters have rewarded me with some wonderful friends and experiences over the years.

Jen Murphy is °æ³Ü³Ł²õ¾±»å±šā€™s online travel-advice columnist. She has had some of her most memorable adventures while traveling solo, from dancing with a local tribe in the Omo Valley of Ethiopia to joining members of the Indian army on a run in Delhi. Her journal and a good book have always served as great companions. She has also recently written an ultimate guide to winter fun in a choice selection of mountain towns in Colorado, a guide for anyone new to adventure travel in Costa Rica, and the funniest things travelers ask their adventure guides. There are doozies.

The post Iā€™ve Been Traveling Solo for Decades. Here Are My Pro Tips and Favorite Countries to Visit. appeared first on ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų Online.

If sitting is the new smoking, then flying in economy must be the equivalent of a pack a day.

Remaining seated for extended periods, whether youā€™re working at a desk or road-tripping hundreds of miles, causes blood to pool in your legs. Sitting on a plane exacerbates this, because air-pressure changes in the cabin lowers the oxygenation of your blood, which can adversely affect circulation, . In some alarming cases, it can even lead to (DVT), a rare yet serious condition in which a blood clot forms in your leg and travels to your lungs; this could result in a pulmonary embolism.

Compression socks for flying can help. Tightest near the ankle, and still pretty snug at the top of your calf, theyā€™re designed to gently squeeze your lower legs to stimulate blood and lymphatic fluid from your feet to your heart, explains Andrew Jagim, director of sports-medicine research at the Mayo Clinic.

Before you balk at paying upward of $20 for a pair of tight socks, consider how economical this purchase is compared with a business-class seat that lets you fully recline. The lie-flat option is often 100 times more expensive, which is why Iā€™ve come to rely on compression socksā€”what I call the poor manā€™s upgrade.

How Compression Socks Came to Be Viewed as Essential for Travel

Conrad Jobst, a German engineer who lived in Ohio and suffered from varicose veins, is credited with inventing modern compression socks around 1950. His therapeutic designs helped alleviate symptoms associated with poor leg circulation, post-surgery swelling, and DVT, among others. are still sold today.

That decade, experts began to recognize that prolonged periods of immobility during long-distance travel, particularly by car or train, could cause blood clots to form and started using the term ā€œtravelerā€™s thrombosis.ā€ In 1954, American surgeon John Homans cases of people who had experienced venous thrombosis after long-distance flights.

The media and general public were alerted to the connection between flying and DVT in 1974, when then U.S. president Richard Nixon developed a blood clot while flying during a diplomatic visit overseas. Complications required hospitalization and prevented him from being able to attend the Watergate trials.

A few years later, two British researchers studying the risks of DVT on flights coined the term ā€œeconomy class syndromeā€ā€” a misnomer, as DVT can occur in any class of travel, but highly influential in drawing attention to the risks of air-travel-related DVT, says Bob Bacheler, managing director of the medical-transport service Flying Angels. ā€œHaving more space to stretch your legs or lie flat is better than being cramped in economy, but you still need to make the effort to move,ā€ he says.

Who Should Wear Compression Socks, and When

According to the , anyone traveling four-plus hoursā€”be it by air, car, bus, or trainā€”can be at risk for blood clots. Occurrences of a blood clot are between 1.5 and 4 times more likely on a long-haul flight (four hours or more), according to a that was updated in 2021. That said, most people who develop travel-associated blood clots are generally those with one or more health risks; for example, theyā€™re over 40, obese, pregnant, or recovering from a recent surgery.

Jagim says that wearing compression socks on any flight longer than an hour can yield benefits, like minimizing lower-leg and ankle swelling. Bacheler, who frequently serves as a flight nurse on flights of 12 to 24 hours, says he always wears compression socks. Of the two dozen flight attendants I polled during my own recent travels, all but one said they wear them, even on flights as short as one hour.

But these special socks arenā€™t a magic fix. Whether youā€™re sprawled out in the spacious Qsuites of Qatar Airways or packed like a sardine into economy on Frontier or Spirit (tied for the at 28 inches), itā€™s important to get up and walk to keep the bodyā€™s interstitial fluidā€”the stuff between our blood vessels and cellsā€”moving. The getting up once every two to three hours. Jacob Erickson, a sports-medicine specialist at the Mayo Clinic, says that even flexing your calf muscles and moving your feet and ankles around while sitting can help blood flow.

And donā€™t forgo hydration. Kill two birds with one stone by getting up, walking down the main aisle, and asking a flight attendant for water. ā€œStaying hydrated complements the effects of compression socks by ensuring your blood remains fluid and your body maintains overall balance,ā€ says Bacheler.

How to Shop for the Right Compression Socks

As a travel writer, I fly a lotā€”most recently, 13 flights in three weeksā€”and have tested dozens of compression socks to determine which are best at preventing my legs from inflating like balloons. The most important consideration, according to Bacheler, is a good fit. Too tight and theyā€™ll cut off circulation; too loose and theyā€™ll fail to compress sufficiently. Most medical-supply stores will have a variety you can try.

Understanding Mm Hg

Every compression sock offers information about mm Hg on its packaging, so you should know what it means. The measurement stands for millimeters of mercury (what we use to gauge blood pressure), and it reflects the amount of pressure the socks provide.

Most brands tend to use the following general ranges of mm HG. Finding the right fit might take some trial and error, but go by what feels best to you.

8 to 15 mm Hg: Light compression that can relieve aches and minor swelling from prolonged sitting or standing; considered a loose fit.

15 to 20 mm Hg: Mild compression suitable for everyday use.

20 to 30 mm Hg: Moderate compression used in medical-grade socks; a very snug fit.

My Travel-Socks Hack

On a recent trip from Madagascar to Denver (four legs, 31 total hours in the air), I paired my mild compression socks with Band-Aid-size electrical-stimulation devices (from $48), for the marathon 15-hour leg from Doha, Qatar, to Seattle. The devices send out tiny pulses that stimulate the peroneal nerve in the leg to increase blood flow.

The winning combination prevented swelling and left my legs feeling like I’d never left the ground. If you check out the brandā€™s website, youā€™ll see that this is something used by hundreds of sports teams that travel on the regular.

My Favorite Compression Socks for Flying

2XU

Price: $45
Compression level: 15 to 20 mm Hg
Iā€™ve long worn 2XU flight-compression tightsĢżto help recover from long runs or tough workouts, so I decided to try the brandā€™s flight-compression socks on that recent 15-hour leg, and Iā€™m hooked! Each pair is assessed on Salzmann testing apparatusā€”the most technically accurate device for compression measurement in fabricsā€”to ensure graduated squeezing. A vented toe panel provided breathability, and they were easy to pull on and off. One downside is that they lose their compression characteristics after a few machine washes, so hand-wash yours.

Bombas Everyday

Price: From $28
Compression level: 15 to 20 mm Hg
Many compression socks pull up to just the base of the knee. But if you have sensitive knees, you may find the squeeze at that point irritating or even painful. Bombas Everyday socks are a nice alternativeā€”theyā€™re designed to hit a few inches below the knee yet still stay snugly in place. I tend to get cold on flights, and was pleased to note that the Everydayā€™s cotton blend was warmer than others Iā€™ve tried. I give the brand bonus points for its colorways, which range from neutral (black, gray) to colorful (plum, ocean).

Comrad CloudCotton

Price: $32
Compression level: 15 to 20 mm Hg
Comfy enough to wear all day long, these socksĢżare crafted from supersoft combed cotton and tree fibers, and they almost feel like slippers on your feet. I appreciate the extra toe and heel cushioning, which helps with shock absorption. And the moisture-wicking, odor-fighting fabric means you can kick your shoes off mid-flight, worry-free. I couldnā€™t decide whether to buy a small or medium and wrongly chose the latter, but the Comrad guarantee allowed me to exchange for a different size for free (or return them for a refund) within 30 days of purchase.

Levsox

Price: From $25 for two pairs
Compression level: 20 to 30 mm Hg
Thanks to their breathable fabric, LevsoxĢżdonā€™t feel like theyā€™re strangling your legs, but they still deliver the firmer fit I prefer. Their extra arch support is akin to getting a massage while you walk. If you like socks with personality, youā€™ll love the options: stripes, animal patterns, and psychedelic prints. Levsox also makes a model suited for wide calves.

Sigvaris Motion High Tech Calf Highs

Price: $68
Compression level: 20 to 30 mm Hg
Bacheler and three flight attendants I spoke with all swear by Sigvaris compression stockings.ĢżMost medical-grade models resemble your grandmaā€™s hosiery, but these particular knee-highs look like sporty socks, and they pop in bold hues like lime green and steel blue. They apply more compression in the calf area than other socks on this list, which kept my legs feeling energized when I deplaned and had to race to my next flight.

Jen Murphy credits compression socks for allowing her to fly ten-plus hours and then go run five miles without aches or pains.

The post Why I Always Wear Compression Socks on Long Flights appeared first on ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų Online.

I should be wrecked.

Itā€™s my first full day in South Africa after a brutal 33-hour journey from my home in Bend, Oregon. I woke at 3:15 A.M. to catch the first of three flights to Johannesburg, crossed nine time zones in economy class, and finally fell into bed at 9 P.M. Typically, my jet lag for such a long-haul trip lasts for days.

Strangely, though, I feel great. I have no brain fog. Iā€™m not dizzy or cold or getting any odd-hour cravings. And Iā€™m alert; in fact, fighting my way through Jobergā€™s frenetic traffic while driving on the left side of the road in a stick-shift rental isnā€™t even stressful. As a travel writer whoā€™s logged about a million miles flying across every timezone on earth over the past 25 years, this state of normalcy has me dumbstruck. No jet lag? How can this be?

Unlike other globe-trotting trips, this time I used , a $99 jet lagā€“busting system that five years ago was only available to elite military personnel and a few top business executives. Now anyone can buy it online.

FlyKitt had me taking dietary supplements every few hours, drinking caffeinated, sugary beverages at specific times, and wearing blue-light-filtering glasses at others. The supplements, grouped in blister packs, have simplified names like ā€œprotectā€ (instead of vitamin C with tart-cherry powder) and ā€œmellowā€ (instead of magnesium with melatonin). Also key is its app, which queried me about my regular sleep habits and upcoming flights before producing a schedule that told me when to take which pill, when to eat and drink, when to sleep, and when to wear the glasses. The app can detect if flights are delayed and recalculate the schedule instantly.

The regimen began shortly after my alarm went off, when the app told me to eat a high-protein, low-carbohydrate meal and pop two ā€œprotectā€ pills and one ā€œsustainā€ pill (a mix of omega-3 fatty acids and fish oil). ItĢżended 45 hours and 26 pills later. And because the kit comes with enough supplements and drink mixes for two trips, Iā€™ll follow a similar routine when I fly home.

Iā€™d heard about FlyKitt from an ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų editor, who thought Iā€™d be a good guinea pig to test its legitimacy, given how much I travel. I was skeptical. Having researched other jet lag remedies beforeā€”like fasting and eating a hearty breakfastā€”I knew most are . Science that light (and avoiding light) and, to a lesser extent, melatonin, are the only things that shift your internal clock.

But in South Africa, feeling great, Iā€™m flabbergasted. FlyKittā€™s results are mind-bending. I want to know why it works, when no verified research out there yet supports key parts of it. My curiosity turns into a monthslong quest for answers.

A Brief History of FlyKitt and Jet-Lag Research

FlyKitt is the flagship product of the Los Angelesā€“based company Ģż(which is in the process of rebranding itself as FlyKitt.) A biotech start-up, it has evolved from offering customized coaching and wellness plans for people in high-stress jobsā€”such as CEOs and national security workersā€”to developing health and human-performance products.

The company was founded by Andrew Herr, a former researcher for the Pentagon who holds graduate degrees from Georgetown University in health physics, microbiology and immunology, and national-security policy. The companyā€™s chief technology officer, Clayton Kim, studied neuroscience and economics at Brown, where he conducted sleep research in the lab directed by Mary Carskadon, one of the countryā€™s preeminent sleep researchers. According to Herr and Kim, FlyKitt solves jet lag for 93 percent of their customers.

FlyKittā€™s work builds upon a considerable body of sleep research that dates back to at least , when scientists at the University of Chicago spent six weeks living in a cave in Kentucky and discovered that humans have internal circadian rhythms. (I once spent 82 hours in total darkness during a cave retreat and my own rhythm fell apart). In 1931, American aviator Wiley Post flew around the world in eight days and described what we now call jet lag, though that term didnā€™t appear until around 1966 during the golden age of air travel.

ā€œThereā€™s no such thing as ship lag,ā€ says Steven Lockley, a circadian-rhythm scientist, professor, and creator of the app , a FlyKitt competitor that uses tested scientific research and information from peer-reviewed papersĢżto help travelers overcome jet lag by dictating when you should get light and when you should avoid it. Iā€™ve tried Timeshifter multiple times, too, once while jumping 11 time zones between Oregon and Azerbaijan, and had only slight jet-lag-induced wooziness for a day. It is much cheaper than FlyKittā€”$25 a year for unlimited trips or $10 for a single tripā€”but you must begin the regimen of timed light exposure a few days before your trip.

What Is Jet Lag? And How Do Long-Haul Flights Affect the Body?

Jet lag is easy to explain. Crossing longitudes quickly leaves our internal clockā€”otherwise known as our circadian rhythmā€”and the actual clock at our destination misaligned. Whatā€™s extraordinary is how our bodies naturally adapt. This evolutionary gift lets us adjust to seasonal changes in daylight so we can function our best during the day and rest properly at night. Our internal clock is wired to predict how much daylight we’ll have tomorrow, which, eons ago, was crucial to human survivalā€”it ensured we were awake at the right time and rested enough to find a mate, gather food, and avoid being eaten.

Since weā€™ve only evolved to shift our body clocks by a few minutes each day, however, travel throws that bodily forecast off, and we suffer from jet lag. Itā€™s a delicate system, so delicate that you donā€™t actually have to travel to throw a wrench into the works. Monday doesnā€™t suck just because itā€™s Monday; if you stay out too late on Friday and wake up too late on Saturday, you can suffer from ā€œsocial jet lagā€ come Monday morning, even if you slept well on Sunday and were never hungover. Lockley calls that type of non-traveling jet lag ā€œwobble.ā€

Circadian systems run roughly on 24-hour cycles, but each person is different. People who have shorter circadian rhythms tend to be early birds and generally have an easier time traveling east. People with longer circadian rhythms tend to be night owls and have an easier time traveling west.

Circadian ā€œrhythmā€ is misleading, because itā€™s actually many rhythms. Our lungs, heart, kidneys, immune system, digestive system, brain, skin, and likely every cell have their own cycles of productivity and rest. Thatā€™s one reason why Ģżin the morning and why people who and spend long periods of time ā€œdesynchronizedā€ tend to be at a , , and . Our bodies simply donā€™t function as well when our internal clocks arenā€™t in sync with the ones on our wrists. One study suggested that the only organ possibly exempt from this cycle is the testicle. (The boys must always be ready.)

Each organā€™s ā€œperipheral clockā€ follows one central clock, a collection of cells in your brainā€™s hypothalamus called the suprachiasmatic nucleus. ā€œThink of the SCN as the conductor of an orchestra,ā€ Lockley says, ā€œand the peripheral clocks as the players.ā€ The SCN takes its cues from retina cells that contain a special pigment called melanopsin, which can sense changes in light, especially cyanā€”a key color in daylight and the reason why staring at the blue light emitting from your phone before bed can affect your sleep.

To shift your central internal clock and beat jet lag, then, all of your clocks must shift, a process that takes about one day per hour of time change. A light-dark cycle registered through your eyes is key to making that shift. You can speed that process up by manipulating that cycle and using melatonin. Says Lockley: ā€œThatā€™s the only thing to have ever been shown to shift the clock.ā€

The FlyKitt Solution to Jet Lag

None of this was new to Herr. ā€œWhenever you look at performance in the military, the circadian rhythm is huge,ā€ he told me. ā€œSoldiers donā€™t get a lot of sleep, and they need to perform well at night.ā€

His research went deeper than that. During his years working with the military, Herr sought ways to help SEALs endure extreme conditionsā€”like riding for hours underwater in exposed submersiblesā€”and emerge ready to fight. He also worked with fighter pilots who felt inexplicably foggy after flying at high elevations. Both led him to understand how changes in pressure and available oxygen levels were causing inflammation throughout the body that hindered performance.

Herrā€™s knowledge came into play later, after founding Fount as a high-end coaching and supplement service. One of his clients, a senior executive, was flying from Washington, D.C., to Seoul to close a business deal, and the South Koreans seemed to have purposely scheduled meetings for a day and time when the executive would be struggling with jet lag. ā€œThey were using jet lag as a negotiating tool,ā€ Herr says. The client asked Herr if there was anything he could do to help him feel rested enough to keep from getting crushed.

Herr had a hunch. What if beating jet lag wasnā€™t just a circadian-rhythm problem but also an inflammation problem? He knew that commercial airlines donā€™t pressurize cabins to sea levelā€”itā€™s too costly and stresses the hullā€”but to 5,000 to 8,000 feet. For a person living in New York or Los Angeles, take-off is like being transported instantly to the elevation of Santa Fe, New Mexico, at 7,200 feet, where each breath yields about 16 percent less oxygen. ā€œDepressurization is stressful on your body,ā€ says Kim.

So Herr created a new plan. He delineatedĢżwhen and what the executive should eat, and how and when he should manage light by using blue-light-filtering glasses. He also gave his client supplements tailored to tackle inflammation specific to flying. HerrĢżincorporated compounds like tart-cherry powder, vitamin C, and omega-3 fatty acids, as well as methylated B vitaminsĢżto help boost energy and aid neurological functions. He included small doses of melatonin, to offer the bodyā€™s peripheral clocks time cues (called zeitgebers) on whether it was day or night. He asked the client to eat small, protein-rich meals to manage fuel for the brain and toĢżconsume caffeine with 13.5 grams of sugar at specified times to create managed spikes in insulin that served as more zeitgebers.

Herr thought, If I could just tamp down the inflammation, tweak the central clock, and wrap it all up in a light-dark routine with enough napping, this client might arrive in South Korea able to function well but also sleepy enough at the right time to getĢża good nightā€™s rest. He could wake up and have his meeting with little to no issues.

It worked. The client emailed Herr the next day and said, ā€œI slept all night, I feel fantastic! What the hell did you give me?ā€

Over the next five years or so, Herr fine-tuned the regimen, bringing Kim on to create an algorithm and eventually teaming up with a supplement manufacturer to craft custom supplements at scale. The overarching idea has remained the same. ā€œOther methods require you to sort of ā€˜prepayā€™ and begin shifting your clock days before you leave,ā€ Kim says. ā€œWe wanted to create something that you could do entirely while youā€™re in transit.ā€

Why Iā€™m Convinced FlyKitt Is Legit

Fount has raised $14 million in venture-backed capital. And dozens of Olympians and professional sports teams have used FlyKitt, including the U.S. national menā€™s soccer squad during the last World Cup, Herr says. Even so, looking over the supplements before my departure, I wondered how safe the whole system might be. For my trip to South Africa, FlyKitt had me taking more than 800 times the recommended daily allowance of vitamin B12ā€”a move designed, in part, to provide energy and prevent sleep. Curious, I reached out to two doctor friends, both of whom told me that the amount raised no red flags, assuming I didnā€™t consume that quantity every day. Doctors often prescribe that much vitamin B to people with malabsorption issues, one told me.

Dr. Stephan Pasiakos, director of the National Institutes of Healthā€™s Office of Dietary Supplements, also wasnā€™t worried about FlyKittā€™s cocktail of pills. ā€œWhile not commenting on the product per se, and assuming none of the ingredients mentioned exceed recommended intakes, there are no health concerns in taking these together over a relatively short period of time for healthy adults,ā€Ģżhe wrote me via email.

FlyKitt has never undergone a clinical trial, but Herr hopes the military will fund one before too long. He also acknowledges that the link between jet lag and inflammation is a ā€œnew discoveryā€ that existing science does not yet back. ā€œBut I can rebuke that science with results, which is science,ā€ he says, adding that FlyKittā€™s results are based on thousands of test cases. ā€œItā€™s possible we are right for the wrong reason but we are, nonetheless, right.ā€ The company also offers a money-back guarantee. ā€œWe do not get taken up on that very often.ā€

Late on my second day in South Africa, I begin to feel jet lagā€™s familiar wooziness seep into my head after returning from a short hike. But the symptom disappears as fast as it came on, after about 15 minutes. Following my return trip to Oregon, I experienced no jet lag at all. Still suspicious, I tried FlyKitt on a third trip, this one with 21 hours of travel, also across nine time zones, to Norway. Once again, zero jet lag.

On that return trip, I decide not to use FlyKitt. Huge mistake. Iā€™m crushed for daysā€”foggy-headed, cold, and so sleepy that I struggle to keep my eyes open until 6:45 P.M., only to awake at 2 A.M. A week later, Iā€™m mostly back to normal. I run all of this by Lockley, who is a competitor, yes, but also impeccably qualified to weigh in. Heā€™s unconvinced FlyKitt is a viable solution for jet lag. ā€œMaybe you got lucky,ā€ he says.Ģżā€œMaybe your flights were timed just right for avoiding light and dark. Placebo is also a thing.ā€

Without a clinical trial, Herr himself canā€™t be entirely sure why it works, but heā€™s certain that it does.

ā€œOccasionally, I ask myself, Did we really solve jet lag?ā€ he says. ā€œBut then I look at the results and canā€™t help but conclude that we did for the vast majority of people.ā€

Contributing editor Tim Neville is a night owl who can fall asleep almost anywhere at any time. In fact, he canā€™t remember the last time he was awake for take-off. He recently wrote an Outside story about the bestĢżtravel hacksĢżand a feature about the worldā€™s most traveled people.

The post I Had My Doubts About FlyKitt. But Itā€™s Proven Itself Time and Again on My Overseas Trips. appeared first on ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų Online.

Weā€™re minimalist travelers here at ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶųā€”we don’t want any extra weight slowing us down as we explore the world. What we do like are practical gifts that make traveling easier, more convenient, and more fun. So our travel editors are revealing the items on their wish list this seasonā€”and the gifts they’ll be giving to their favorite travelers.

I’m definitely adding that water bottle and the Hipcamp gift card to my wish list. ā€”Alison Osius

1. Best Gadget

AirFly Pro ($55)

At first, I was skeptical of this tiny gadget. As a lightweight packer, I refuse to schlep more chargers or adapters than absolutely necessary to survive a long-haul flight. Yet this year, my husband, tech-savvy guy that he is, insisted we try the AirFly Pro Wireless Audio Transmitter/ Receiver on our trans-Atlantic trip to England. Usually, I just use the freebie headphones flight attendants hand out. But our vacation happened to fall during the NCAA March Madness basketball tournament, which we watch obsessively, and I instantly became a convert to this gizmo: a pocket-sized, 15-gram transmitter that plugs into your seat-back audio jack and Bluetooths to any wireless headphones on the market.

We watched game after game on the planeā€™s live TV app, and time flew by. Since we had no cords to mess with, bathroom breaks were easy, and we streamed from two screens in tandem, each able to listen with both buds. The AirFly Pro has a nice 25-hour battery life as well, and now we never fly without it. This is the perfect stocking stuffer for any frequent flyer. ā€”Patty Hodapp, senior contributing travel editor

2. Best Fanny Pack

Yeti Sidekick Dry 1L Gear Case ($40; strap is an additional $10)

Fanny packs, in theory, should make hands-free travel easier, right? Not always. My entire life Iā€™ve searched for the perfect pouch, only to be disappointed in the wild by their size, or lack of pockets, or uncomfy straps, or performance in poor weather. Enter the Yeti Sidekick Dry 1L Gear Caseā€”officially everything I need and more, available to use alone or with a strap.

The waterproof technology of the exterior has kept my stuff dry on brutally rainy trips in Iceland and Ireland, and is made from similar material to that of whitewater rafts, so it can take a beating. The case also floats if I accidentally drop it in water (been there, done that on a recent fly-fishing trip). And its internal mesh pockets ensure my passport, wallet, keys, phone, lip balm, and other gear stay organized.

Iā€™m partial to the one-liter option because itā€™s the ideal size for me. But if youā€™ve got a camera or bulky layers to protect, you may want the three or six liter. Donā€™t forget the Sideclick Strap (sold separately), which attaches to the bag so it doubles as a belt or sling. Now, you can carry your gear in comfort, worry free.ā€”P.H.

3. Best Personal Item

Longchamp Le Pliage Original M Travel Bag ($205)

I always try to carry on when Iā€™m flying. This means that my personal item has to be incredibly efficient at holding a lot but must still fit under the seat. I have spent hours searching for the perfect backpack, but nothing has ever held as much as my nylon Longchamp tote bag does, or held up to wear and tear the same way. I jam this thing with shoes, my laptop, chargers, food, my dopp kit, you name it. The wide-top shape of the bag allows it to hold more than any other while I can still cram it under the seat. It easily attaches to my Away Carry On Suitcase, too.

The Longchamp has been on a lot of plane trips with me over the last 15 years and still looks great. It folds down to nothing when you arenā€™t using it and also makes a great beach, gym, or day bag once you get where youā€™re going. Be sure to order the shoulder strap with it, or you can to get the extract size, color, and straps you want, which is what I did. ā€”Mary Turner, Senior Brand Director

4. Best Extra Layer

Patagoniaā€™s Torrentshell 3L Rain Jacket ($179)

I have had a version of this Patagonia rain jacket for years, and I take it on every trip. The jacket is super lightweight and packs down to nothing. Itā€™s great for rain protection or when you need an extra layer for warmth in cold or wind. I bought mine a size up so that I could easily layer underneath it. The Torrentshell comes in menā€™s and womenā€™s versions. It lasts almost forever, too.ā€Äā.°Õ.

5. Best Gift for Long-Haul Travelers

Resort Pass (from $25)

ResortPass, which allows you to pay a fee to use hotels for the day, is the perfect gift for travelers. Maybe thereā€™s a hotel that you canā€™t afford, but youā€™d really love to spend a day there, or you have a long wait for your red-eye flight home from Hawaii after checking out of your Airbnb. This is where ResortPass becomes wonderfully handy. You can chill by a hotel pool instead of hanging out at the airport.

I searched for day passes in my hometown of Santa Fe and found some great deals, starting at $25, at beautiful properties. ResortPass partners with more than 1,700 hotels around the world and that list is constantly growing. Itā€™s easy to purchase . How much I would have loved this in my backpacking days, when sometimes I just needed a little TLC and a hot shower . ā€”M.T.

6. Best Day Spa for Travelers

Olympic Spa (gift cards from $100)

If you’re ever in Los Angelesā€”for a few days, overnight, or during a long layoverā€”there’s an amazing women-only spa in Koreatown, and Iā€™ve been telling everyone about it, because it is that good. doesn’t look like much from the outside, and the website isn’t going to convince you. But let me testify: this is a spotless oasis that will leave you blissed out after a couple of hours. There are three pools (saltwater, mineral water, and cold plunge), three saunas (herbal steam, red clay, and ice, the last of which was novel but not that cold), an oxygen-therapy room with a charcoal ceiling, andā€”my favoriteā€”a salt halotherapy room where the warmth thoroughly seeped into my bones.

All that would be enough, but a friend recommended the Goddess treatment ($220), and that put me over the edge: a masseuse scrubbed nearly every inch of my body, from my ears to between my toes; plied my muscles down to overcooked-noodle consistency; and moisturized me to a seal-like slickness. After I spent 105 minutes on the table, the masseuse had to guide my limbs into the bathrobe and slippers. I am returning the next chance I get. Somebody get me a . ā€”Tasha Zemke, managing editor, ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų

7. Best Phone-Camera Accessory

Joby GorillaPod Mobile Mini Tripod ($17)

I work with ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų Onlineā€™s astrotourism writer Stephanie Vermillion, and this past fall she recommended a tiny tripod that pairs well with smartphones. She uses her mini-tripod when shooting the northern lights and other dark-sky scenes that require long shutter-speed times with no vibrations. But honestly, Iā€™m just tired of long-arming photos of myself and friends in beautiful places. I can tuck this accessory into my daypackā€”itā€™s about the size of a large iPhone, and weighs the same as two Hershey chocolate barsā€”and then set it up, adjust its flexible legs, pop my phone into its rubber jaws, set the timer, and take a snap thatā€™s not a blatant selfie. Just what I’m looking for. ā€”T.Z.

8. Best Gift for Nervous Flyers

Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 ($349)

Listening to music while flying helps lessen the anxiety I often feel, especially during takeoff, landing, and periods of turbulence. I was gifted these excellent noise-canceling headphones a few years ago, and they were comfortable over my ears and even looked cool, but, sad to say, I left them in the seat-back pocket on a leg to Paris. I’m going to have to replace them, but I have a plan to avoid paying full price: by going to Boseā€™s amazing , which sells returned products at a significant discount. The brandā€™s tech team fixes the defects, and you’d never know the items weren’t brand-new. You also still get a year warranty. The only catch is that the item you’re seeking may not be available immediately. I just checked the shop for headphones, and they’re sold out, but upon the click of a button, Iā€™ll be notified when the next pair comes upā€”and you can believe Iā€™ll wait.Ģżā€”T.Z.

9. Must-Have for Star Parties

BioLite HeadLamp 425 ($60)

I always travel with a headlamp, and not just for camping and being outdoors. Headlamps are tiny and easy to pack, and Iā€™ve stayed in cabins at the Red River Gorge or in Tahoe where the rooms were so dark I needed a light to find my socks. I still have the original Biolite 330 headlamp from when it was introduced five years ago at an affordable $50: it is super light (2.4 ounces), bright, and functional; is USB rechargeable; and has an integrated design that puts the lamp flush into the headband for simplicity and comfort. It also has a strobe light for rescues and red lights for night missions.

Compared to white lights, low-intensity red ones minimizes pupil dilation, allowing better night vision; red light is also less disruptive to wildlife. Red lights are essential for star gazing, and these days everyone is going to dark-sky parks and peering at the stars, meteors, and northern lights. Recently, looking for a headlamp for my stepsister as she went off to an astrophotography class in the Tucson desert, I picked the 425. ā€”Alison Osius, senior editor, travel

10. Best Travel Pants

The prAna Koen Pant ($95)

When I went to Abu Dhabi to see my nephew graduate from high school, my luggage was delayed for three days out of a five-day trip. So I wore the same mahogany-colored Title IX capris nearly every day as well as on all my flights, and came back loving them more than ever, which is some testament. Sadly, I later lost those red pants. Yet I hit on a match: the Koen. I bought the Koen capris (two pairs), then the Koen shorts (also two pairs), and then the pants: my new fave travel pants and apparently fave anything pants, since I just wore them to the hospital for a finger surgery.

They are lightweight, silky, stretchy, and wrinkle free, and work for anything from hiking to around town. The front pockets are flat and unobtrusive, with hidden zippers, yet deep enough to hold a phone securely if you need a quick stow, like when juggling items in the airport. The pull-on waist is ideal for comfort and upright cat naps, since it lacks zips, snaps, or external ties. The Koen is overall sleek in its lines. I am psyched that it comes in regular, short and tall versions, and am getting the long ones for my older sister, who is taller than I am and travels 70 percent of the time for her work. Don’t tell her, because itā€™s a surprise.ā€”A.O.

11. Best Gift for Campers

HipCamp gift certificates (starting at $75)

Wasnā€™t it Clint Eastwood, he of The Eiger Sanction lore, who said, ā€œI would rather wake up in the middle of nowhere than in any city on earthā€? No, wait, Steve McQueen. Point is, with digital for booking a campsite on Hipcamp, you can give that experience. A card ushers someone into an expanding community with sites across the country and in Canada, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia. And these sites are not just for a tent in a grassy lot. They are for a yurt in the middle of a flowering meadow; they are for camping, glamping, RV spots, cabins, and canvas. The gift card never expires, nor will you ever run out of places.ā€”A.O.

12. Best Soak With a View

Mount Princeton Hot SpringsĢż (gift cards from $50)

The old mining town of Leadville, Colorado, sits way up there at 10,000 feet, and itā€™s cold. Luckily within an hour you can reach any of half a dozen hot-springs resorts, some of the nicest in the state or anywhere, to warm your bones. My sister used to live in Leadville, and when I visited we often took our young sons and let them play and soak..and maybe even slow down a little. The mountain-ringed Mount Princeton Hot Springs, in Nathrop, has geothermal springs, an infinity pool, natural creekside pools, and a view of the Chalk Cliffs on the 14,197-foot peak the property is named for. It that work for day passes, lodging, and dining.ā€”A.O.

13. Best Water Bottle for Travel

Katadyn BeFree 0.6 L Water Filter Bottle ($40)

I sure could’ve used this lightweight collapsible filtered bottle last summer for mountain hiking. On one trip with an eight-mile approach followed by a day on a peak and then the dread march out, I filled my bottles time and time again from a stream near camp, thirsty and getting careless when my filtration system took time. (Luckily I got away with it, or rather without giardia, this time.) Filtering at a rate of up to two liters of water per minute, the Katadyn is a fast and light (two ounces) system that would also be perfect for the trail runners and bow hunters in my household who don’t want to carry heavy water bottles. I would like to take the Katadyn hiking and traveling, since itā€™s light, packable, and makes for safe drinking.ā€”A.O.

14. Best Reading App

Everand Subscription (from $12 per month)

Whether traveling by car or air, I always download a series of audiobooks from my Everand (formerly named Scribd) app before going. With a library of more than 1.5 million ebooks and audiobooksā€”plus a collection of magazines and podcastsā€”to choose from, I never run low on options. Often, Iā€™ll base my pick on the destination: Desert Solitaire for a trip to Moab or A Walk in the Woods for a hiking adventure in Maine. Every time I board a flight, I pop in my earbuds and am fully entertained until we land. Or, since I like to sleep on planes, I might set Everandā€™s sleep timer to 30 minutes, and drift off by the time we finish takeoff. I love the app so much that Iā€™m getting a subscription for my 14-year-old stepdaughter this year, too. ā€”Abigail Wise, Digital Director

The post 14 Best Gift Ideas for the Traveler in Your Life appeared first on ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų Online.

Finding the perfect gift is easy when you have friends and family on your list who like to pair adventure with classic, outdoor fashion. Since its debut in 1973, Timberlandā€™s iconic waterproof yellow boots have been a go-to for hardworking and hard-hiking individuals alike, thanks to their rugged but timeless aesthetic.

This holiday season, Timberland has made it extra easy to give the gift of weather-ready style and function, whether you’re looking for high-quality warmwear, comfortable sneakers, or town-to-trail boots. Here are five surefire picks.

Womenā€™s Anorak Jacket

Pulling off an oversized look is an art, but Timberlandā€™s makes it look like a cinch. Its fit not only looks great over whatever you layer underneathā€”a flannel button up, merino wool layer, or a chunky sweaterā€”but it also keeps you plenty warm as temperatures drop. The coat is 100 percent nylon and water-repellent, making it breathable and functional in all conditions. Plus, the insulation is made from environmentally-responsible recycled polyester.

The Anorak Jacket incorporates a convenient kangaroo pocket and three-snap closure on the front, mimicking and melding a couple of classic looksā€”a cozy sweatshirt and the ever-popular three-quarter zip. Available in three heritage colorsā€”white, black, and dark roseā€”this coat easily alternates from a hike to happy hour.

Womenā€™s Motion Access Mid Lace-Up Waterproof Hiking Boot

The shoe-boot is a hot topic among style-watchers for fall and winter. While much more boot than shoe, this fits the same demand for a functional, yet stylish, look. Just like the Anorak Jacket, itā€™s perfect to pair with your wide-legged corduroys to catch up with friends over a hot toddy or with your best waterproof pieces for a snowy day-hike.

This boot incorporates sustainable attributes like a fabric lining from 50 percent recycled plastic for breathability and comfort. Like all of Timberlandā€™s leather, these boots support the responsible processing of leather through Timberlandā€™s involvement with the Leather Working Group, a community that supports and encourages responsible leather production.

Menā€™s Benton Waterproof 3-in-1 Jacket

Remember the detachable fleece liners from your childhood? Timberland gives them a nod and an update with a better-than-before design. Timberlandā€™s offers extra warmth with its removable fleece inner and outstanding waterproofing with fully sealed seams. Thanks to the DWR coating, the water droplets just roll right off. As the name suggests, this jacket gives you three versatile style options. On chilly days, zip together the waterproof outer and fleece. During more mild weather, you might separate the two, sporting only the fleece or shell.

With a Timberland logo on the left breast pocket and an embroidered tree in the center back, the Benton Jacketā€”available in black and a warm tan referred to as chocolate chipā€”is going to look great over whatever youā€™re wearing and with pretty much any pant or shoe (especially the Timberland low sneaker and waterproof hiking boot).

Menā€™s Mt. Maddsen Mid Lace-Up Waterproof Hiking Boot

Now these are no boot-shoesā€”these are all boot. Designed with mountains in mind, the has some key features to keep you out on the trails. A fully gusseted tongue keeps debris out, and the TimberDry waterproof membrane keeps your feet shielded in rain and snow. And for extraā€”and crucially importantā€”comfort, an anti-fatigue footbed and compression-molded EVA midsole provide responsive cushioning no matter how technical the trail gets. The fabric lining is made from 50 percent recycled PET and a rubber lug outsole wraps into some rugged grip underneath the boot.

Even with all the trail-ready tech, these bootsā€”offered in black and beigeā€”win major style-points. Pair them with the , and youā€™ve nailed the effortless mountain town look.

Menā€™s Motion Access Low Lace-Up Sneaker

On the days when you’re strolling pavement in lieu of the trails, Timberlandā€™s is the right choice. Itā€™s got its own comfort features and a TimberGrip lug outsole designed for superior traction. The upper is made from premium, responsibly-made leather and ReBOLT fabric, which is made with at least 50 percent recycled plastic.

The sneakerā€™s low-cut design gives you a comfortable range of motion, and the sneaker comes with a removable, contoured sockliner. With a collection of two-tone designs ranging from a vibrant grey with orange to a clean taupe with white, youā€™re guaranteed to find something that fits your palate preference.

Since 1973, focus on iconic style, eco-conscious innovation and outdoor performance has resulted in boots, clothing and outerwear built for bold adventures and hard work. Our products empower you to take anything onā€”whether you’re going hiking, exploring the city or clocking in with ultra-durable Timberland PROĀ® workwear.

The post The Best Holiday Gifts for Stylish ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶųrs appeared first on ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų Online.

Josh Drinkard always wanted to build his own cabin. Growing up in suburban New Jersey, heā€™d wander to a small strip of woods near his childhood home and spend hours constructing forts and treehouses. When he moved to New Mexico as an adult, Drinkard, the IT Operations Manager at ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų Inc., bought 2.5 acres of land in the mountain village of Truchas, about 30 miles north of Santa Fe. There, he took on his first effort at building a very simple cabin with the help of a friend who was an unlicensed contractor and taught Drinkard framing and building basics.

In 2021, Drinkard and his wife, Saraswati Khalsa, started looking at New England as a place to move once their three children were grown. After scouting around, they settled on 25 terraced, hardwood-filled acres near Halifax, Vermont, not far from the Massachusetts border.

Over the past three years, Drinkard has spent vacations building a cabin near Halifax, with the help of his wife, teenage son, and one of his daughters. After a cumulative seven weeks of effort, they can now stay there for long periods, although it still lacks internet service, a shower, and a toilet.

Learning the ins and outs of building a small log cabin in the woods is no small feat. We asked Drinkard to talk about what the project entailed and what skills are required to turn a cabin-building dream into a reality. This is what he learned.

How Big Is the Cabin?

Itā€™s still a work in progress, but right now itā€™s a one-room cabin with a loft. Two people can sleep up there comfortably. The interior is just 12 feet squared. We use the lower room as the living room and kitchen. Another two people could sleep there with a foldable futon.

Why Did You Choose Vermont?

We bought this property without any services or electricity, so the price was below the national average per acre (which was about $3,000 at the time, according to Drinkard). I love the location and especially the lush green forests. We also love skiing and whitewater rafting and can do both near here; the closest mountain is Mount Snow, 18 miles north, and the closest flowing river is the Deerfield, to the west.

We liked that itā€™s not far from a town with big-box storesā€”Greenfield, Massachusettsā€”and that you can catch a train from Brattleboro, Vermont, to New York City. We thought that if the kids are in college, or after, if they wanted to take a train up, that would be convenient.

And I like Vermont in general. Everything has a small-town feel. There are no billboards. And itā€™s similar to northern New Mexico in that itā€™s rural and very liberal.

How Did You Get Started With the Build?

We found a spot that was flat and open. There was a little meadow on the property just big enough for a cabin, so we didnā€™t have to clear it. We knew weā€™d use the hemlock trees from the surrounding forest. I was told hemlock resists rot pretty well.

I knew Iā€™d have to find a cheap 4×4 vehicle to leave out there, and we only had a few thousand dollars to work with. In Vermont, good pickups in that price range were all rotted out, so I settled on an old Lincoln Navigator in New Mexico that had been stolen and recovered; its interior was beat to shit. I welded a receiver hitch in front, to use as a winch and a pushbar, and I also fabricated a roof rack big enough to haul 16-foot-long lumber and plywood sheets. Then I drove it out to Vermont.

We decided to use a to build the cabin after a lot of time looking at YouTube videos. Butt-and-pass cabins go up quickly, but the drawback is you need a ton of expensive lags to connect the walls to each other and each log to the ones below.

We used logs for the whole first level of the cabin. The first year, the family came out for four days and we felled trees and placed and leveled the bottom four logs. After they left, I stayed another six days on my own and threw up the first 12 rows of logsā€”they werenā€™t that heavyā€”plus the floor and a temporary roof to keep the snow out.

The next year, we got the structure height to about eight feet. At this point, we started using two-by-fours for the loft level. I traded an old laptop of mine for a bunch of small windows and a door.

After the entire structure dried, we hung shingles on the front. I installed a water-catchment system and solar panelsā€”both are sustainable. We built the loft platform inside and scraped and sealed all of the logs. And I built a small shed with scrap materials and installed more windows on the first floor.

What Was the Hardest Part?

Felling trees for the logs and dragging them around 100 yards to the build site was exhausting. And Iā€™m not in awful shape.

Using a , we took down 30 to 40 relatively straight, light trees on the first trip out, but they kept getting hung up in the tight forest canopy. Then we cut these to 12 and 16 feet and dragged them to the site. It took a few days. The next time we were there, the following July, we cut another 30 or 40 trees.

Does the Cabin Have Plumbing and Electricity?

One of the last things I did when I was there was put in a . The rainwater goes from the roof to a gutter and through a small-screen filter to a 300-gallon IBC (intermediate builk container) tank. The tank was repurposedā€”it used to hold soy sauceā€”and someone sold it to me. Iā€™m gonna have to plumb from that tank to a sink and an outside shower. Thereā€™s no toiletā€”we probably will get an outhouse but right now weā€™re using a bucket with a toilet seat on top.

For electricity, I have a small solar setup: two 100-watt panels and a solar battery thatā€™s good enough to charge things and for basic lighting. The great thing about these is theyā€™re upgradable; I just need to get more batteries and panels to turn it into something more robust that could handle, like, a fridge.

What About Heat?

I brought out a woodstove from New Mexico but decided itā€™s too big and that it would heat us outā€”thatā€™s a mistake I made with the cabin in Truchas, tooā€”so Iā€™ll probably buy a small one.

Did You Have to Troubleshoot Any Unforeseen Issues?

It rained a lot one trip, in July, and the road, which is unmaintained, was turning into a rutted off-camber mess. I was having to winch up in several places, and I blew out the Navigatorā€™s 4×4 low. So we found a local heavy-equipment operator and hired him to take down some trees and smooth out the road.ĢżBut this is an investment for us. Having a small functional cabin with a roughed-in road will increase the property value by more than what weā€™ve spent.

Also, except for the initial time I drove the navigator out, weā€™ve flown. And every time, we fly with the power tools. I check the chainsaw, the circular saw. You canā€™t check the batteries, so I have to carry those on.

How Did You Cut Costs?

One of our challenges was thinking up a good chinking method that wouldnā€™t take an entire month. There are maybe 80 trees in the structureā€”because they were smaller in diameter, we needed more, which also meant 80 gaps to fill. Concrete mortar was out, because we didnā€™t want to haul water up from the stream and mix cement. was out, because itā€™s too expensive. So we used a product called . This is a spray foam with a component that tastes sour, so bugs and rats donā€™t want to chew through it.

Pestblock worked better than I imagined, but itā€™s gonna yellow real bad and Iā€™ll likely have to paint it. I tried putting floor polish over it, to keep the gray color, but it didnā€™t work.

Also, we didnā€™t strip the bark off the logs. It looks cool, but bark holds moisture and the logs can rot. After we completed the first floor, they sat for a year, and I thought that if we wire-brushed the logs after a year or so, we could then use floor polish to seal them. So far thatā€™s been working great, but only time will tell if we have any rot. I might know in a few years.

We also stayed in a nearby campground much of the time when we were working on the cabin.

Did Your Family Like Being Involved?

We just gave my son, Mason, a nice RAV4, so we forced him to come out and be our indentured servant. After the second trip, he told me Iā€™d worked him pretty hard but that he had a great time. He can do most jobs independently after a little training. One of our daughters also did a lot of work the first visit, carrying logs.

Saraswati, my wife, is really good at certain things like angles or eyeballing whether something is level. My eyes are awful. Also, I can have a short fuse. At the beginning, Iā€™m fine, but after a week, it grows shorter. And Saraswati will really push to get things done when Iā€™m ready to quit, so we get a lot more done when sheā€™s around.

On the flip side, I have to bring her back down to earth on structural realities. Sheā€™s always form over function, and Iā€™m the opposite. For example, we had a full-size door, but I realized that fitting it would cut too many logs on one side and compromise the structure. So we had a bit of a fight about that, because I wanted to cut the door and make it shorter. Thatā€™s what we ended up doing.

What Are You Proudest Of About the Cabin?

We did this on the cheap and havenā€™t splurged on anything so farā€”though having internet out there will be a splurge. The cabinā€™s a pretty basic structure, but Iā€™m OK with that. And except for needing help fixing the road, we were able to do everything on our own. Thereā€™s no cell-phone access out there, so if you run into a jam, you just have to figure it out.

Estimated Costs for the Cabin

Land and Annual Taxes: $78,000

Building Supplies: $8,000

Driveway: $7,000

Eventual Internet Setup: $700

Flights, food, fees to stay in the nearby campground before the cabin was ready: $5,000

Total: $98,700

Tasha Zemke is °æ³Ü³Ł²õ¾±»å±šā€™s managing editor and a member of ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų Onlineā€™s travel team. She appreciates beautiful, and especially ancient, architecture but canā€™t imagine building a structure of any kind, given her loathing of giant home-improvement stores.

The post How I Built a Log Cabin in 7 Weeks for Under $100K appeared first on ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų Online.

Exploring a new destination is fun, but the rigamarole to get there, not so much. Plane travel can be exhausting, packing fraught, and ensuring you have what you need to stay safe and connected during your trip means taking a lot into consideration before you step out the door. Weā€™ve all been there many times.

But travel shouldnā€™t be so stressful. And those whoā€™ve made a profession out of it, like our travel writers, have many tricks they turn to on every trip that make their journeys bearable, and even enjoyable. ā€œWhat are the hacks we should be using?ā€ we asked them. Their answersā€”and their anecdotes about why they changed the way they pack or entertain their kidsā€”wowed us in these 16 ways.

Gear Hacks

The Problem: You hate packing a regular toothbrush, and your electric one only plugs into the wall
The Solution: The Suri e-toothbrush

Having to pack a regular old toothbrush is always such a letdown. I went electric a long time ago. At home I use an Oral B, but itā€™s bulky, the battery rarely lasts more than a week, and itā€™s prone to spontaneously buzzing and vibrating in my bag. Awkward.

Then I got a Suri. These electric toothbrushes are sleek, and their slender hard case has a built-in USB-C-powered UV light that disinfects. You can power it in the case, tooā€”not that youā€™ll likely need to. The company claims the battery lasts 40 days on a single charge. Iā€™ve not personally tested this, but mine worked every day of the two weeks I just spent hopping between Oregon, Colorado and Virginia.

Suri is good for your conscience, too. We throw away upward of four billion regular brushes annually, and most electric versions are still heavy on single-use plastics. Suriā€™s are made of eco-friendly materials like cornstarch and castor beans. The handle is aluminum. All of it can be recycled for free. Now it too just lives in my bag. ā€”Tim Neville

The Problem: Youā€™ve yet to find a sizable carry-on that fits in the overhead compartment or under the seat
The Solution: The Cotopaxi 35L

Friends assume Iā€™m a champion bag-packer. They might be right. In 2019 I spent three weeks circumnavigating the globe, with three stops (the South Pacific, Middle East, Scandinavia) in three climates, and all I brought was a carry-on. That was the first time I really put the Cotopaxi Allpa 35L ($225) to the test, and itā€™s since been my go-to bag for almost every travel adventure.

The zippered clamshell design has two interior mesh compartments for clothes and two smaller mesh pockets that stash my notebooks and batteries. Thereā€™s also an exterior laptop sleeve and another pocket that nicely accommodates my toiletry bag and sunglasses.ĢżI can wear the Allpa like a backpack or carry it like a briefcase.

While I love roller bags, a soft-sided backpack is really the right way to fly. I jam the Allpa into those half-size overhead bins on regional flights, and if I donā€™t pack it to the gills, it fits under the seat in front of me (though The Allpa 28L is better for that). Critically, itā€™s subtly ruggedā€”its rubberized exterior adds neither bulk nor weight but has repelled snow, rain, and cat pee, as well as endured abuse in boats and one very dusty truck bed on an all-night trip across Zimbabwe. Five years in, mine looks pretty much the same as the day I bought it. ā€”T.N.

ĢżThe Problem: You canā€™t fit everything into your suitcase
The Solution: Thule packing cubes

To buy or not to buy packing cubes isnā€™t a question, because the answer is: absolutely. Not only can I cram more stuff in my luggage, with space-saving cubes of underwear and T-shirts, but having everything organized keeps me sane, and that makes life a million times easier on the road. Instead of rummaging around to find socks, I jump right to that cube. When flying, my family saves on baggage fees by bringing one big suitcase filled with everyoneā€™s cubes to divvy up later. Packing cubes are super handy on river and backpacking trips too.

Iā€™ve gravitated to Thuleā€™s for everything but nicer shirts and pants; those I put into an Eagle Creek Pack-It garment folder that keeps them (mostly) wrinkle-free. Thereā€™s a ā€œclean/dirtyā€ Thule cube fashioned withĢża soft plastic barrier, perfect for a damp bathing suit, shoes, or dirty clothes. One could argue that cubes are cubes, but Thuleā€™s are sturdy, allowing me to compress a maximum number of items into a dense packet without blowing out the zipper or stitching. ā€”T.N.

ĢżThe Problem: When you fly, your legs and feet swell uncomfortably
ĢżTheĢżSolution: Compression socks

Rarely do I have the luxuryā€”or luckā€”of flying to a far-flung destination in a lie-flat bed. Which is why Iā€™ve come to rely on compression socksā€”what I call the poor manā€™s upgrade. Remaining seated for extended periods causes blood to pool in your legs, and that , so by the time you deplane, perhaps your feet have swollen to an alarming degree. Compression socks are the solution; designed to gently squeeze your ankles and calves, they stimulate better blood circulation, which in turn reduces swelling and lowers the risk of a serious condition called .

Bob Bacheler, managing director of the medical-transport service Flying Angels recommends compression socks on any flight of four or more hours. The most important consideration, he says, is a good fitā€”not too tight or too loose. When I wear compression socks, my legs feel fresh rather than achy or tired.

I like Bombasā€™s colorful Everyday compression socks, which pull up just below the knee and deliver mild compression (15 to 20 mm Hgā€”a unit used to measure pressure). I tend to get cold on flights, and these thick cotton socks are warmer than others Iā€™ve tried. Levsox compression socks have a snugger fit (20 to 30 mm Hg) but they still donā€™t feel like theyā€™re strangling my legs, and their extra arch support makes me feel like that part of my foot is getting a massage when I walk in them (and walk you shouldā€”the getting up every two to three hours). To reap the biggest benefits, Bacheler recommends staying hydrated, which increases blood circulation throughout your body, enhancing the effectiveness of the socks. ā€”Jen Murphy

The Problem: You want to practice yoga on your trip, but your roll-up mat is too big to bring
ĢżThe Solution: The foldable Kama Mat

I first saw a Kama mat on a camping trip, when a friend unfolded this origami-style pad and placed it outside her camper van like a welcome mat where visitors were invited to leave their dirty shoes. Folded up, it resembles a large pizza boxā€“size trapezoid, but it pulls apart like youā€™re undoing a paper crane. Laid out, the mat is big enough for a downward dog. The Kama comes in three sizes: the largest option is seven feet by five feet unfolded, while the smallest looks more like a doormat at four by two feet. I was immediately won over by all the possibilities.

My Kama goes everywhere with me now. Itā€™s a picnic blanket I stash in the back of my car, a beach pad that keeps my feet from getting sandy while Iā€™m taking off my wetsuit after swimming or surfing, and a comfy place for my dog to sleep outdoors near the tent. The mat is half an inch thick, with a similar feel to a cushy sleeping pad, and itā€™s way more durable than your average yoga mat, thanks to its tough 100 percent Cordura material, a synthetic made entirely from recycled bottles thatā€™s easy to clean. Youā€™ll want to on how to fold it correctly, unless origami comes naturally to you. Theyā€™re not cheapā€”the smallest size is $98 and the largest $233ā€”but they last and Iā€™ve yet to find something that compares. ā€”M.M.

Tech Hacks

ĢżThe Problem: You need a long-lasting, reliable power bank thatā€™s allowed on airplanes
ĢżThe Solution: OtterBoxā€™s Fast Charge

A working phone is indispensable on the road. It stores boarding passes, train passes, and itineraries in . With eSIMS opening the door to cheap data overseas, I now use my phone in places that were too expensive before, like Azerbaijan. All of this to say: I need a good TSA-approved power bank.

OtterBoxā€™s Fast Charge has kept me going for about two years now. It weighs a pound, is the size of a thin brick tile, and stores a significant 20,000 milliampere-hours that you can tap through two ports, a USB-A and a USB-C. Thatā€™s enough oomph to resuscitate a flatlining iPhone 12 Pro at least three times. On river trips, it keeps my inReach satellite device alive for a week.

It charges things quickly, tooā€”3.6 times faster than your standard five-watt transformer, according to OtterBox. Iā€™ve found that juicing my device for just five to ten minutes can push it well out of the red. In airplane mode I can fully charge my phone in about 45 minutes. When paired with OtterBoxā€™s 72-watt wall charger, the Premium Pro Fast Charge, I can power a laptop and phone simultaneously from one outlet. The only bummer? The power bankā€™s 18 watts canā€™t bring a laptop back to life. For that I rely on BioLiteā€™s Charge 100 Max, which stores 25,000 milliampere-hours, puts out 100 watts, and is designed with five ports and a wireless charging deck. ā€”T.N.

ĢżĢż

ĢżThe Problem: Your devicesā€™ countless cords and cables arenā€™t organized
ĢżThe Solution: GoTubbs

One of the last things I used to pack, because I hated it so much, were all the cords, adapters, and wall chargers required to travel with my laptop, Kindle, phone, voice recorder, and watch. What a mess and hassle. Iā€™d rather untangle spaghetti.

But Iā€™ve been turned on to plastic containers from Humangear called GoTubbs. Each is circular and transparent, with a fantastic, deep-sided lid that I can squeeze open with one hand. Marketing pictures showed them holding snacks and vitamins, but I saw their true calling instantly: here were the perfect containers for my gadgetsā€™ power cords, chargers, batteries. And today I keep these containers inā€”you guessed itā€”a packing cube.

For something more purpose-built, Eagle Creek recently redesigned its E-Tools Organizer Pro, which combines sleeves with zippered pockets in a clamshell design. Incase has a Nylon Accessory Organizer ($50) with thoughtful features like elastic rings to hold your wall chargers. Both are great and light-years better than rubber bands or a Ziploc. ā€”T.N.Ģż

ĢżĢż

ĢżThe Problem: You canā€™t sleep in trains, planes, and automobiles
ĢżTheĢżSolution: Earphones (or buds) and Background or Sleep Sounds

I can doze off anywhere, even as a six-foot-seven giraffe shoehorned into economy. I just need the right tools to help it happen. For years my sleep kit was little more than a neck pillow, ear plugs, and a free eye mask I scored on an upgrade. But now I use AirPod Pro 2ā€™s and my iPhone for a trick Iā€™m about to recommend that keeps me sleeping soundly on anything that moves.

First, find the feature called Background Sounds thatā€™s embedded in any iPhone running iOS 15 or newer. Android phones have . (A quick web search will help you find where, or whether, this feature is located on your phone.) These are basically white-noise machines that provide various pleasing sounds that also mask or absorb any distracting sounds that can make sleep tough.

Once activated, you can choose from eight sounds on an iPhone that range from ā€œbright noiseā€ to ā€œdark noise,ā€ as well as natural tracks like the ocean, rain, a stream, and night. Android users can access three sounds or anything from Spotify. Set up with this soothing tool of modern technology piped into my AirPod and Iā€™m out before takeoff. ā€”T.N.

ĢżThe Problem: Youā€™re nervous the airlines will lose your checked luggage (it happens!)
ĢżThe Solution: AirTags

These discrete trackers felt a little creepy to me when they first came out, despite their practical benefits when it came to finding lost keys and bags. But my editors suggested I try them, and I admit to being won over on a recent trip to Africa. I put an AirTag inside a checked bag, launched the Find My app native to iPhones, and watched with glee as it made its way between planes during layovers and eventually to baggage claim. While airlines like United have an app that allows you to track a checked bag each time a handler scans its tag, it isnā€™t always clear whatā€™s happening. With an AirTag, however, I could see exactly what was going onā€”and with a weekslong trip ahead of me, that reassurance was very valuable. ā€”T.N.

Website and App Hacks

ĢżThe Problem: You want to tip your guide after a tour, but you lack local currency or access to an ATM
ĢżThe Solution: Bepo

If youā€™ve ever hired a guide, perhaps to help you climb a mountain, ski to a backcountry hut, or paddle down a remote stretch of river, you know itā€™s common practice to give them a gratuity at the end of your trip. American guides are usually happy to accept a Venmo payment as thanks, but internationally, there hasnā€™t been an easy way to tip guides without getting cash in their local currency. Which often means you wind up struggling to find an ATM, then carrying around a wad of cash.

But I recently discovered , started by a travel-loving entrepreneur named Ian Sweeney in 2022 to offer seamless digital tips to service workers and guides. You can transfer funds via credit card, Apple Pay, PayPal, or Venmo (Bepo charges a 1 percent fee on all transactions), and the person youā€™re tipping can cash out directly into their own Bepo account.

The site is growing 15 percent each month in the U.S. and Canada, and Bepo intends to expand globally in 2025. Best of all, you donā€™t have to download yet another app; just head to the website, create a free profile, and then scan your guideā€™s QR code to make a secure payment via whatever method suits you best. Tipping has never been so simple. ā€”Megan Michelson

ĢżThe Problem: Youā€™ve been camping or road-tripping for days and need a few hours to recharge with hotel amenities
ĢżThe Solution: A daycation with ResortPass

When youā€™re traveling, access to a few nice amenities can make all the difference, be it fast Wi-Fi and a comfortable place to check email, a gym and showers, a hot tub to soak in and relax, or laundry facilities. Basically, if you could just check into a hotel for a few hours and use their perks, life would be golden. Thatā€™s the idea behind , which offers day use to over 1,600 properties across the U.S., Mexico, Canada, and the Caribbean for as little as $25. No membership fees are required; instead, just purchase a day pass the day you need it. Properties include everything from urban hotels to far-flung resorts. Some passes come with upgrade options like spa treatments, access to the fitness center, or poolside cabanas and water parks.

While on a long-haul camping trip through the Pacific Northwest with my kids last summer, I bought a day pass to a hotel in Bend, Oregon, just to get access to a swimming pool and a shower. TheĢżtotal price for three of us was, incredibly, just $35. We spent the afternoon living like high-end hotel guestsā€”ordering food and drinks poolside and using fancy shampoos and fluffy towels in the spaā€”before returning to our campsite that night. ā€”M.M.

ĢżThe Problem: Taking melatonin or eating a big breakfast upon arrival have failed to cure you of jet lag
ĢżThe Solution: FlyKitt

The best way to beat jet lag is to not get it at all, but for most travelers who fly, thatā€™s usually not possible. Or is it?

Fount, a human-performance R&D company, purports to have discovered a way to make jet lag ā€œa choice.ā€ To make the right one, you need FlyKitt, a system that will have youĢż wearing blue-light filtering glasses, eating supplements, taking naps, and drinking coffee and electrolytes, all at specific times generated by a free app.

Curious, I ordered one for an upcoming trip from my home in Oregon to South Africa. The pouch, the size of a toiletry bag, included everything Iā€™d need for one round-trip journey. I plugged my flight info into the app, and a rather intense routine was laid out for me: starting with the morning of my first flight, I had to consume more than 20 capsules of things like tart cherry powder, vitamin C, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids over the course of the next 24 hours. Iā€™d take the last pill the day after I arrived in Johannesburg, nine time zones ahead of home.

The results were shockingā€”and I say that as someone who has tried all kinds of jet-lag remedies. I had one 15-minute spell of grogginess after arriving in Johannesburg. But upon my return to the U.S., I had zero jet lag. It was as if Iā€™d never left. Typically, Iā€™m wrecked for days, both ways.

Others have tried FlyKitt without success. One reviewer for The Points Guy felt silly wearing the light-filtering glasses in public and skipped that part and also didnā€™t take all of the supplements. However, another reporter, from the Seattle Times, tried it out and had the same results as I did. I worried that consuming 41,667 percent of vitamin B12ā€™s daily value might upset my stomach, but it didnā€™tā€”and a doctor later reassured me that this dose isnā€™t dangerousā€”so I stuck to the routine. I certainly plan to use FlyKitt again. ā€”T.N.

ĢżThe Problem: Getting an infection in a remote place, days or miles from medical help
ĢżThe Solution: Carry amoxicillin

In general, Iā€™ve never needed antibiotics, but there was a time that my kid did, and I didnā€™t have them. Iā€™m not doing that again. Once, on a three-day float trip down Oregonā€™s remote John Day River with family and friends, my 11-year-old curled up in the bow and went to sleep for the entire morning. This was worrisome. She loved river trips and typically wanted to spend every minute kayaking.

That afternoon, pain set in. She complained that it felt like an ice pick was chiseling away at her skull below one eye and above her teeth. My wife and I pumped her full of Tylenol and Ibuprofen, but nothing helped. Then her face began to swell.

Iā€™m deeply wary of using any medicine willy-nilly, and Iā€™m no doctor, but I knew she needed antibiotics. Decades before, on a remote island in the Philippines, Iā€™d languished for a week with a ruptured eardrum that was horrifically infected. That could have been avoided with antibiotics. And fortunately for travelers, in many countries, you can walk into a pharmacy, explain your symptoms, and walk out with what you need. But occasionally, we find ourselves seriously sick in remote locations and in need of powerful medicine, like my daughter that day on the river.

We eventually got her to a hospital, where she was diagnosed with a tooth abscess. Sheā€™d need a root canal, but amoxicillin cut the pain quickly. And thatā€™s why I never travel without it now. For antibiotics in the U.S., youā€™ll need a doctorā€™s prescription, so I suggest making an appointment ahead of time if you know youā€™ll be somewhere remote and are concerned about medical resources in that area and no better recourse. In my experience, itā€™s worth asking for more than youā€™ll need to keep stashed in your Dopp kit. ā€”T.N.

Kids Entertainment Hacks

ĢżThe Problem: You’re road-tripping with the kids and want them to enjoy the scenery without screens
ĢżThe Solution: Play just the audio of their favorite film

Playing movies on road trips has become a staple in my family. But not watching themā€”listening to them. When my daughter was really young, this kept her entertained, and my wife and I loved how it stoked her imagination without a screen. The trick was to download a favorite film, like Puss in Boots, Kung Fu Panda, or. Penguins of Madagascar. Because sheā€™d already seen it a million times, she could picture it entirely by sound: Thatā€™s Rico eating the snow globes. Thatā€™s the penguins bouncing in the bouncy house. Other forgettable sounds became hysterical, like a chicken clucking after Kevin Hartā€™s character explodes in Jumanji.

This hack isnā€™t just for kids. I use it myself on long drives at night when Iā€™m tired of podcasts. A favorite? Interview with a Vampire. The gurgling, slurping sounds; Brad Pittā€™s breathiness; and Christian Slaterā€™s nasalness are all so bad itā€™s incomparably greatā€”maybe even better than watching it on screen. ā€”T.N.

Airline Hacks

ĢżThe Problem: Your flight is delayed or you have a general complaintĢżabout your carrierā€™s service
ĢżThe Solution: Pipe up when things go wrongā€”it often pays off

Over the past year, airfare has , but airline reliability has plummeted. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, of domestic flights were delayed or canceled in the first half of 2024. Only 50 percent of the 63 flights Iā€™ve taken this year left on schedule. Whatā€™s your recourse?

First, know your rights: the Department of Transportation posts a listing the services or amenities domestic airlines promise clients affected by delays and cancellations. Armed with this information, you can then reach out to a representative of your air carrier and ask for compensation. Itā€™s worth noting that every major U.S. carrier offers meal vouchers for delays of three hours or more (talk to your gate agent). Alaska, JetBlue, and Southwest provide a travel credit or voucher for a delay of more than three hours. Only Alaska, however, promises frequent-flier miles in addition to a travel credit.

Things should improve in the next five years, thanks to a new federal regulation requiring airlines to refund customers, or offer credits that last up to five years, for flight delays greater thanĢż three hours for domestic travel and six hours for international trips. Until then, a quick email complaint can go a long way, Iā€™ve found, particularly with United Airlines. It takes less than three minutes to fill out and submit a grievance, whether itā€™s a delay or annoying hiccups like a broken seat that wonā€™t recline or spotty Wi-Fi. Nine times out of ten, I receive some type of compensation; in fact, last year I was awarded close to 20,000 miles, earned nearly $2,500 in Iā€™m-sorry vouchers, and was even refunded the $8 I spent on faulty Wi-Fi. I appreciate this service. It takes some of the sting out of plans gone awry ā€”J.M.

The Problem: You want to travel with your own bicycle but donā€™t want to pay hundreds to check it
ĢżThe Solution: Choose an airline that lets your bike fly free

Airlines have mutilated a number of my surfboards, so Iā€™ve never been willing to gamble on flying with my much pricier road bike. Iā€™m far from a pro, and rentals are way better than they used to be; plus, I like to support local bike shops. But I know that serious cyclists suffer separation anxietyā€”and for you I have intel.

If you donā€™t want to be charged an oversizeoverweight fee of upward of $200, you need to make sure your rig and its box weigh 50 pounds or less and are smaller than 80 inches. A nice carbon road bike tends to weigh between 17 and 20 pounds. Factor in a light case and remove the front wheel, and you can just make the cut.

But the airline beloved by many cyclists bringing bikes is Southwest. Itā€™s the only domestic airline that grants two free checked bags, regardless of loyalty status. If your bike meets the proper dimensions (62 inches or less and less than 50 pounds), itā€™s counted as a free checked bag.

Itā€™s also worth considering Delta and United if you have status with those airlines. On Delta, those with Medallion status or Delta Amex cardholders can check a bicycle for free if it meets dimensions (62 linear inches) and itā€™s the sole piece of checked luggage. On United, status members are granted an extra 20 pounds per checked bag, which can make a difference if youā€™ve sprung for a hard-shell case to keep your beloved bike free from dings. ā€”J.M.

Tim Neville and Megan Michelson are ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų contributing editors, and Jen Murphy is a longtime ŗŚĮĻ³Ō¹ĻĶų correspondent. All spend weeks of the year traveling around the country and abroad and reporting back to us. Neville recently recounted his scary multi-night stay in a dark cave in Oregon, Michelson rounded up the best outdoor festivals, and Murphy wrote about the countless ways to explore Costa Rica.Ģż

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