4 tried and tested travel accessories from my latest trip
Chestnut Cottage, whilst our boys sailed in a competition. Whilst we were away, we got to try out a few new products which we detail below.
Yoga Business Edition laptop from Lenovo
A new laptop has been on my radar for a while. One that’s reasonably powerful, a good quality build and yet reasonably lightweight for travel are among the features that have been on my wishlist. This sleek Lenovo Yoga Business Edition laptop comes complete with core i7 2.6/3.4 GHz processor, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD drive. Other neat features are the battery life, the 13.3″ touchscreen allowing you to use the device like a tablet and the robust backflip watchband-style hinge. It’s super-thin and the ideal laptop for travel, and perfect also for enabling me to get a bit of work done when our children are out sailing on the water.
Hybrid drysuit from Gul
Now that it’s getting a little colder for sailing, our boys occasionally need something more than just a wetsuit. Drysuits can be a little bit restrictive when it comes to ease of mobility but with the Code Zero 4mm hybrid neo semi-drysuit from Gul, you can enjoy all the warmth and comfort of a drysuit but still retain the ability to move relatively freely. It’s the perfect performance semi-dry and features Gul’s 4-layer evo-waterproof fabric upper body, combined with an X-flex thermal super stretch neoprene lower body. It has 100% Waterproof seams, providing maximum stretch and ventilation, and has been race tested and approved.
Freeze dried foods from Summit to Eat
Sometimes when we go to sailing clubs, the choices available from the canteen are somewhat limited. (And even more limited given that one of our sons is pescatarian!) And yes, we could bring our own sandwiches but now that the weather has got a bit colder, it’s nice for the kids to be able to have a hot meal after their exertions on the water. It’s also helpful to be able to have something that is quick and easy to make since we’re often busy with other tasks such as pulling boats in from the water, or sorting out any problems. This is where these freeze-dried foods from Summit to Eat have been really useful. And they taste pretty good, too. Of course, it’s far from fine dining but it’s hugely convenient (you just add boiling water) and there’s a range of hearty options – chicken tikka with rice, salmon and broccoli pasta, and vegetable chilli to name a few. We’ve been getting a lot of envious looks and everyone has been asking us about them! Of course, they’d also make the perfect food for any outdoor adventure, being super lightweight as well as enormously convenient.
Outhall jacket from Code Zero
And, after a hard day on the water, our boys like to keep warm in something stylish. Code Zero is a new nautical lifestyle brand launched earlier this year, and designed and endorsed by professional sailors. This functional mid-layer jacket is a snug fit and perfect for all seasons. Its quilted outer shell, combined with the nylon woven fabric and technical jersey, will keep you snug and provide maximum comfort, and – with a sleek logo on the left sleeve as well as on the reverse – you’ll really look the part after any sailing event! Be sure to explore the rest of the collection where you’ll find the focus is on innovative sports clothing made from high quality fabrics.
On our latest trip, we spent a weekend in Warwickshire at the end of the half term holidays, staying at Did you enjoy this article?
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Everything very useful and important for a travel trip. But there must be more items like more foods, shoes, slippers, sneakers, pants and other things.
Hello Choi – thanks for dropping by. These are just new items that were used on my latest trip. For reviews of other items from other trips, please browse the rest of the site, or head to the search box in the top right and type in ‘tried and tested’. Thanks :)
I’ve been wondering about that laptop for a while. I assume it has enough power to manage your website (Photoshop, Lightroom, Wordpress etc)?
Yes, Mary – it has more than enough power for all of those…
These look like real good travel essentials that will last for many trips and the food looks so useful too even if you are going somewhere that isn’t high impact. It is always handy to have some food available.