Packing List > Tools
alarm clock/watch (batteries?)
Pay particular attention to the needs of your watch for batteries, as these are quite specialized; one is unlikely to be available when you most need it. It's also useful to know how to use your watch as a compass when the sun is shining.
A watch (or cell phone, if you carry one) with a built-in alarm may well be the optimal go-light choice, but I've always been partial to a separate, easy-to-read-at-night travel alarm clock. I've tried several over the years, so can report with some confidence that you'll be hard pressed to find one better than the L.L.Bean Nightfinder II (pictured at right in one of its many available colours). It provides both time (12/24-hour) and temperature (Fahrenheit/Celsius) displays, and folds very flat for packing (with all controls safely covered). When opened, you tap the front to illuminate the display for eight seconds, and/or initiate the alarm's "snooze" function. And adjusting the time and alarm settings is very quick and simple. I'd prefer that it used AA batteries, but its AAAs are an acceptable alternative, and this is a pretty minor complaint about a very well designed product. Business travellers may also find this a useful tool when giving presentations or the like: it's much less annoying/obtrusive than continually checking your watch.
flashlight, headstrap, extra batteries (bulbs?)
A flashlight (torch) can be surprisingly useful, for navigating dark streets, late night reading, finding your way to the toilet, and exploring lava tubes in Hawai'i. For years I recommended the Mini Maglite® AA flashlight, a particularly elegant solution (especially given the widespread availability of AA-sized batteries), and still the low-cost choice.
Good LED flashlights incorporate sophisticated battery management electronics, making them considerably more expensive than comparable-quality incandescent models. The trade-off is that they consume batteries at a dramatically slower pace than the older technology, soon closing the price gap if you make much use of a flashlight. And the LED bulbs themselves will likely outlast you. Better models offer a variety of switch-selectable light outputs, letting you choose among low power modes that will suffice for most uses (and yield phenomenal battery life) and high-power modes that will illuminate the darkest path, and almost blind anyone whose eyes happen to be hit directly by the beam. Another LED benefit is that they gradually become dimmer as their batteries age; they don't fail abruptly as do incandescent bulbs.
A minor downside of LEDs is that they do not provide a perfectly white light; if you require absolute colour accuracy for some reason, stick with the Mini Maglite (and carry spare batteries and at least one spare bulb). [In this regard, note that variations in the tint of "white" LEDs are very common. If you order online, you get what you get, but if you are purchasing off a rack, you can often test and compare several lights to find the best LED. Look for a cast that tends more toward yellow than blue. All this said, the typical LED light is perfectly acceptable for most purposes.]
My current light of choice is the Fenix L2D CE (shown at right, atop a pocket knife for size comparison), an excellent design that provides a bright, well-focused output, four illumination levels (one of which optionally flashes "SOS" in Morse code), and uses a pair of AA batteries (alkaline, rechargeable NiMH, or lithium). The cheapest alkalines will still be producing about half the original brightness after an astonishing 60 hours of usage at the lowest power setting (9 lumens, still more light than you'll coax from the almost identically-sized Mini Maglite); if you plan a lot of high power usage (this flashlightlight can deliver a blinding 135 lumens, and even offers a strobe mode for emergency signalling), you'll be better served with NiMH or lithium cells, which last longer when using the higher current modes. The 0.8" (2.1cm) diameter black, type III hard-anodized, aircraft-grade aluminum case is not much wider than the batteries themselves, and only 5.8" (14.7cm) long; it weighs 3.7 ounces (105g) with batteries. It's also waterproof (to the IEC 60529 IPX8 standard), and its push-button tail cap switch is recessed into the body, reducing the chance of it being accidentally pressed (this also allows the flashlight to stand upright on a flat horizontal surface, serving as an "electronic candle"). The L2D CE is available for under $55, including a belt holster, lanyard, two spare O-rings, and a spare rubber switch boot. Lubricating the O-rings with a touch of inexpensive silicone grease (available at any hardware store) is a wise maintenance measure.
You can save a little space and weight (but not much money, as the price is similar) with the Fenix L1D CE, which uses a single AA battery. This reduces the (battery-included) weight by 1.1 ounces (31g), and the length by 2" (5cm); it also reduces the operating time by about two thirds, and only provides about half the brightness in the highest power mode. The bodies of the two flashlights are interchangable, so you can buy a separate L1D body (about $24) from the manufacturer, and use whichever one best suits the trip you're planning. [I don't do this myself. My reasoning is that if I carried the smaller model, I would likely take an extra battery as well, to make up for the reduced operating time. Given that, I might as well use the L2D (which simply places the second battery inside the light), gaining double the brightness should it be needed, plus a 50% improvement in total operating time, with a weight penalty of only 0.3 ounce (8.5g).]
If you're looking for something smaller still (keychain-sized), then I can also recommend the ARC-AAA (premium version), which uses a single AAA-sized battery. It's about $10 less than the Fenix, half its (lowest) brightness, and — with its smaller (and less commonly available) battery — will only provide light for about a tenth as long as the L2D CE. But it's very well made, an engineering delight, and the best of the very small flashlights.
Avoid any flashlight with a simple sliding on/off switch, or you may arrive at your destination to discover that shifting luggage contents have turned the switch on, and you now have one less set of batteries than when you started out. If your appliance uses multiple batteries, simply reversing half of them while in transit is a useful precaution against battery drain.
The usefulness of any flashlight is increased if you are able to operate it in "hands-free" mode, so I carry an inexpensive and lightweight "Jakstrap®" (pictured at left), made by Liston Concepts, and available from Campmor. This adjustable, comfortable elastic headstrap will hold most AA-battery-sized lights, both for straight-ahead and angled-downward illumination.
multipurpose tool, scissors
The term Swiss Army knife
has become part of our language. They are manufactured by both Victorinox and Wenger (I prefer the former's quality). In recent years, their position has been largely usurped by the Leatherman tools, which are extremely well made and add a powerful pair of pliers to the toolset (and have spawned numerous imitators, most of poorer quality); this is what I now prefer.
Knives and Air Travel: Over the years, I have traveled on countless planes with either my Leatherman tool or a Swiss Army knife, without incident. Since 11 September 2001, unfortunately, knives (however small) have been banned from carryon luggage. Luckily, you can buy an inexpensive kitchen knife just about anywhere you are likely to travel (even a French Opinel folding knife, a travel design classic, sells for under $10).
But the restriction does make a multipurpose tool somewhat problematic. Unless it's a Leatherman Knifeless Fuse. Yes, in response to the carryon problem, the Leatherman folks have created a special version of their excellent Fuse multipurpose tool, by replacing the knife blade with a useful file. This is a "legal" (per TSA rules) carryon device, but don't be surprised if you come across security people who are trained to look for Leatherman-type tools, and don't know the rules as well as they should! And outside the U.S., of course, different rules apply; some countries simply prohibit tools altogether. Other options? If it's a short trip, leave the tool at home. If you're heading off for a round-the-world experience (or even a month in Europe), you might consider checking your bag: most of your travels will not be on planes anyway, and risking an occasional checked bag might well be worth the value of having such a tool with you. You can also place the tool in a checked package (a plain cardboard box, or your "emergency" duffel), separate from your carryon bag; if you choose this route, fill the package with something (even crumpled newspaper) to give it some heft, and stop the tool from rattling around. |
If you wear glasses, make sure your chosen multipurpose tool can handle the associated screws (or consider carrying a tiny eyeglass repair kit, commonly available at pharmacies).
Should your preferred tool not include them (or you decide not to carry such a tool), add a pair of compact, folding scissors; you'll be surprised at how often you use these. Again, though, these might not make it past the airport security check, depending on the country and its "rules of the day".
spoon (fork? chopsticks? spork?),
(coffee tin lid) plate
One sure way to reduce travel expenses is to limit the number of restaurant meals. Breakfast at your B&B is one way. Picnics are another. Cost savings aside, a lunch in the park, with fresh bread, cheese, yogurt, and fruit from the local shops, is likely to be more memorable than another tourist trap pizza. In addition to your knife, you will likely want a spoon; a good (light, strong) choice is one made from Lexan polycarbonate. These are available from Campmor, and likely a camping store near you.
Optional utensils include a fork and a pair of chopsticks (or, as I prefer, the Japanese-style hashi). I am not an advocate of the conventional "spork" (though this spoon/fork combination has an undeniably catchy name, dating back to at least 1909). To me, it has always seemed a marriage of the worst of both instruments: a fork with too-short/thick tines that also serves as a spoon with drainage slots in the bowl. But clever Scandinavian designer Joachim Nordwall has come up with the Light My Fire® Spork (shown below), 
a polycarbonate version that turns the usual configuration on its end, and even throws in a sort-of-knife (but not enough to excite airport security) for good measure. Available in a variety of colours, it's strong, light, and (especially when purchased in a multipack) inexpensive. Getting a few extras is not a bad idea in any event, as you will likely use some as presents: when people first see them, they invariable want one for themselves!
Finally, an old traveller's trick: the plastic lids used to reseal large coffee (and other) tins make great plates on which to slice fruit, etc.
compass
Not just for backcountry hikers, a simple compass can be invaluable in helping you navigate the urban mazes of the world. When you emerge from the London subway onto Oxford Street for the first time, how will you otherwise know which direction is which? And although a compass is more generally useful, it's possible, if you know the correct time, to accurately orient yourself using the sun.
whistle
A good whistle is a cheap security investment, able to sound an alarm, summon taxis, deter muggers & other unwanted attention, help others find you if you are lost or hurt, and even (as one reader commented) convince a doorman to let you depart a nightclub immediately, rather than wait around disputing your bill.
Louder is better: the loudest mouth-blown whistle you can buy is the justly famous 120dB "Storm", though, at approximately 3×2×7/8 inches, some will find it a bit large for everyday carrying. Excellent smaller alternatives are the 115dB "Fox 40 Mini" (2×3/4×5/8 inches), and even tinier 110dB "Fox 40 Micro" (2×1×3/8 inches, pictured at right). The Fox whistles also have the advantage of being "pea-less" (instead of a tiny internal ball, they create their warbling pitch using three sound chambers), which allows them to function even in extremely cold weather.
rubber door stop
If you expect to stay at places where the security is less than what you might wish, an inexpensive wedge-type rubber door stop, jammed under the door at night (as far from the door hinge as possible), will provide you with a good measure of additional protection against unexpected visitors. Doors are hung at various heights, so don't get one too thin.
inflatable travel pillow
These make sleeping (or even resting) on the plane a lot more pleasant, and may augment your hotel pillow as well. They come in various types and shapes; I like the "hedbed", depicted at right (available at Campmor), though many prefer the collar style that completely encircles the neck. Inflatable pillows — which pack flat — travel better than those filled with buckwheat hulls (or whatever). Be careful not to overinflate them on the ground, as they can burst when airborne (due to reduced cabin air pressure); slight underinflation makes them more comfortable anyway. The pillow should have a comfortable, removable, washable cover.
Minimalists will want to know that a bandanna or other piece of cloth wrapped around an inflated Aloksak makes a pretty nice pillow as well.
hostel sleep sack (sleeping bag? bivouac sack? blanket? tent?)
If you want to sleep at a hostel, you are required to provide your own "sleep sack" (essentially a minimal sleeping bag, made from a folded sheet; in fact,they are sometimes sold as "sleeping bag liners"). They also protect the germ-conscious from airline blankets and suspect hotel beds. You can buy these made from silk: not inexpensive, but quite luxurious (many people use them in place of what's provided in their hotels and B&Bs), and — most importantly — extremely lightweight and space conserving. Mine weighs 6.3 ounces (180g) and measures (folded) about 6 × 8 × 0.8 inches (15 × 20 × 2cm); it opens to 86 × 35 inches (220 × 90cm). An investment for the serious traveller.
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