Review: Travel Stuff Update.

Before my trip to Ireland (which I promise I'm going to write about) I posted this review of the Calpak items I'd bought for the trip and this post about some of the smaller items that (hopefully) make travel better for me. Some of these things were tested out for the first time on that trip, so here's my update! First the hero of the trip: 

The Airfly Bluetooth Wireless Adapter is pretty amazing. If you travel by air and love your wireless earphones/earbuds? You need this gadget. It plugs into the earphone jack and converts your wireless earbuds (I love my Airpods Pro) so you don't have to use the shitty wired earbuds they give you on the plane. This was a game-changer because I could watch movies with noise canceling and it was delightful! Just make sure you fully charge it first so you won't be disappointed when it dies halfway through whatever movie you're watching.  

The Trtl Wrap Pillow might not be for everyone but I've had mine for a few years and it's absolutely worth a try if you hate traditional travel pillows. It definitely takes some practice but if you can get the internal structure in the right place, it gives your head something to lean against. I have actually managed to sleep with the Trtl! Plus, it's cozy and easy to shove in a backpack or duffel bag. (Note: My link is to the Trtl store on Amazon but they're having a sale at the Trtl website.)

The other things I posted about (compression socks and an eye mask) were perfectly fine, but not life-changing and feel too boring to write about more than I already have. Okay, on to the Calpak stuff:

The Calpak Luka duffel bag performed its job admirably, I should say that upfront. It's lightweight, holds a lot of stuff, and has good pockets. It definitely holds way more than a backpack and technically will fit under an airplane seat but it was a tight squeeze and I ended up putting in overhead for both flights and then having to pull it down and scrabble through it looking for one thing or another that I needed. I wish I'd bought the Luka backpack instead (it's big but not quite as big) which has the added benefit of being able to be carried hands-free. Anyway, if you prefer a duffel bag, this is a really good one! I'm just definitely more of a backpack-as-a-carryon kinda person. 

The Calpak Luka Belt Bag was a great travel tool. It held most of what I needed for immediate use, including my Kindle! It initially felt slightly too large to me but I got over that pretty quickly. For everyday use, I prefer my Lululemon belt bag, but for travel this one is a perfect size and I liked the security of having my passport and wallet strapped right to my body where I could see it. 

And finally, I just want to say that my favorite article of clothing I packed ended up being my Quince cashmere batwing sweater (reviewed here.) I didn't really bring any dressy clothing, but this sweater worn with my Athleta Headlands Hybrid pants and Blundstone heeled boots (plus a pretty necklace) made me feel dressed up enough for a nice dinner out. It's just such a pretty sweater but also super soft and comfortable. 10/10 for this one.