Summer Essentials 2015

The dog days of summer have officially begun, making this a great time to take a vacation and beat the heat! Whether you’re a galavanting globe-trotter or a close-to-home staycationer, our Summer Essentials 2015 guide can help you find some of the Best Gifts for Travelers to make your journey a bit smoother:

Deuter Helion, 80 L

LUGGAGE

With airlines increasingly strict, suitcase choices are becoming more and more important. For those who believe bigger is better, the Helion 80 from DEUTER (Deuter.com) offers German-engineered style and flexibility, converting from rolling bag to backpack and offering tons of interior space (30 x 16 x 14”)

Eagle Creek Flyte AWD 26

The expandable Flyte AWD 26” from EAGLE CREEK (Shop.EagleCreek.com) is even roomier, with 100-liter capacity and a durable 4-wheel chassis.

Travelpro T-Pro Bold 22 Carry-on Expandable

For those who prefer to travel light, the expandable T-Pro Bold 22” Carry-On from TRAVELPRO (Travelpro.com) is small and sporty, with foam-padded pocket for laptop protection and a water-resistant pocket for food/drink or swimsuits.

UGO BAGS 22″ Carry On

But our favorite new bag is a 22-incher from UGO BAGS (Ugobags.com), which allows you to personalize component colors and print your own photos on the side!

BareNecessities.com: Sunsets’ Vero Beach Envy Halter

BareNecessities.com: Freya’s Inferno Convertible Swim Top

SWIMWEAR

Finding swimwear with a flattering fit can be a struggle for many people, particularly those with, shall we say, “ample assets.” So my lady was thrilled to discover two new-to-us lines whose bikinis hug her curves perfectly.

We knew BARE NECESSITIES (BareNecessities.com) as a lingerie brand, but were delighted to learn they also offer sexy suits such as Sunsets’ Vero Beach Envy Halter and Freya’s Inferno Convertible Swim Top in cup sizes up to G.

Venus.com: Enhancer Bra bikini top

The underwire Enhancer Bra bikini top from VENUS SWIMWEAR (Venus.com) is similarly supportive, and available sizes up to DDD.

Tarifa & Company

For the fellas, there’s TARIFA & COMPANY (TarifaandCompany.com), a line that allows you to customize every detail, including pattern, length, cord/pocket color and monogram.

Molton Brown  Frequent Traveller

BATH/BEAUTY

A recent trip to the Galapagos Islands reminded me how much havoc summer travel wreaks on your skin and hair. The Frequent Traveller Set from MOLTON BROWN (MoltonBrown.com) is designed to help counter the negative effects of sun, sea and sleeplessness, with Sea Moss Bath & Shower Gel, Coco de Mer Body Lotion, sleep-inducing Cedrus Temple Soother and more. It’s like a mini-spa treatment in a handy clear travel bag.

Ola Tropical Apothecary After Sun Healing Remedy

Hawaii’s OLA TROPICAL APOTHECARY (HawaiianBodyProducts.com) offers an After Sun Healing Remedy specially formulated with natural ingredients to help treat skin overexposed to the sun, with soothing Aloe Vera, Coconut Water, Seaweed and antioxidant-rich Noni Fruit.

BioRepublic Sheet Masks

Atlanta’s BioRepublic Skincare (BioRepublic.com) has launched the first eco-friendly Sheet Masks on the market. Options for the 15-minute facial treatments include Illuminating Pomegranate Crush, Purifying Green Tea Detox and Revitalizing Aloe Rescue, with masks made from bamboo fiber and packaging made from biodegradable, recycled materials.

KEEN Men’s Uneek Sandal

SHOES

New shoes are rarely about reinventing the wheel. But the UNEEK line from KEEN (KeenFootwear.com) more than lives up to its name, using simple two-cord construction to create colorful, comfortable open air shoes perfect for hiking, boating or water activities.

Sperry Point Breeze Sport Skimmer

The Point Breeze Sport Skimmers from SPERRY (Sperry.com) are slightly more conventional, but the simple, lightweight water shoes are cute and comfortable

Oka b Carson Sandal

My daughter’s favorite new line this year is OKA-B (Oka-B.com), which offers fun, fashionable waterproof shoes such as the Carson Ankle-Strap Sandal in 13 different colors ranging from lilac and orchid to dirty martini.

Fab.com: Veho Muvi HD K-series K2 Action Cam bundle

CAMERAS

It’s been four years since we bought our GoPro, so now we’re upgrading the camera we use for outdoor and underwater adventures. FAB.COM has a great deal on the Veho Muvi HD K-series K2 Action Cam bundle, which includes the 16MP camera, battery, tripod mount, waterproof case (good up to 100 meters) and other accessories for $249– nearly half the price of GoPro’s Hero 4.

Brinno TLC200 Pro Time Lapse Camera

We’re also looking forward to stepping up our video production game this year with the TLC200 Pro HDR Time Lapse Camera from BRINNO (BrinnoUSA.com), which allows you to take time-lapse photographs and instantly create HD videos at 1280 x 720 resolution, with no post-processing required. Our summer sunset shots are gonna be the bomb!

Seagate Wireless Mobile Portable Hard Drive Storage 500GB

TECH

Ever since our travel blog took off in 2012, documenting our travels has been both a job and an adventure, making tech gear absolutely essential. We use 500GB Wireless Mobile Storage from SEAGATE (Seagate.com) to back up our photos and videos. It also has its own Wi-Fi network, allowing you to wirelessly stream media or files to up to 3 different mobile devices.

Lifeproof Galaxy S6 Case

The new Galaxy S6 Case from LIFEPROOF (Lifeproof.com) is another essential for us, providing waterproof, shockproof, dirt proof protection for my lady’s Samsung even in the most rugged environments

Direct Sound Serenity II Headphones

The Serenity II Headphones from DIRECT SOUND (ExtremeHeadphones.com) seem like the most essential piece of travel gear ever. They offer TruSound tonal accuracy, a “Red is Right” feature for identifying ear cups in dim lighting, and an exceptional Noise Reduction Rating of 33.4dB, which ensures we’ll be packing them for our 20+ hours of flying to get to East Africa in September. – Bret Love

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Best Gifts For Travelers 2015