{"id":14754,"date":"2014-05-23T02:01:32","date_gmt":"2014-05-23T09:01:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/?p=14754"},"modified":"2016-03-18T15:05:35","modified_gmt":"2016-03-18T22:05:35","slug":"whats-in-my-bag-christopher-michel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tkdev.kk.org\/cooltools\/whats-in-my-bag-christopher-michel\/","title":{"rendered":"What’s in My Bag? – Christopher Michel"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Full
\nFlight ETE 5 hours, 45 minutes.\u00a0 <\/i>You\u2019ve been there \u2013 the BOS to SF flight that never ends.<\/p>\n

In the past 10 years, I\u2019ve been on a really<\/i> long flight about once a week.<\/p>\n

Probably like you, I\u2019ve had my fair share of air travel nightmares — usually involving an assault on one of my senses that goes on and on… and on.<\/p>\n

From screaming children to lost passports to Montezuma\u2019s revenge, I\u2019ve experienced it all.\u00a0I\u2019ve also had incredibly productive, serene and, even fun, flights.<\/p>\n

With all this time at 30,000 feet, it can\u2019t be a surprise that I\u2019m on the constant lookout for any tool to help me make the most of my time at altitude. I\u2019ve tried, rejected, and optimized a huge number of gadgets and systems over the years.<\/p>\n

Although a work in progress, I\u2019m happy to share those things that work for me — so here\u2019s the \u201cWhat\u2019s In My Bag — Inflight Edition.\u201d<\/i> Let me first say what this isn\u2019t.\u00a0 <\/i>This isn\u2019t my full carry-on bag, which might have clothing, a dopp kit, camera gear, etc. This is the small bag that joins me as I squeeze into seat 23F.\u00a0It\u2019s also not the same every time (e.g. the journal is often the item most left behind on short business trips or a MacBook Air is brought along).<\/p>\n

My constraints are that the bag has to be small enough to fit in the seat pocket or next to the armrest.\u00a0It\u2019s also limited to what the TSA allows, so, unfortunately, no pocketknives or clever multi-tools.\u00a0So a small bag.<\/p>\n

I found the optimal bag accidentally. The bag was waiting for me on my seat on an upgraded American Airlines flight to Europe. It\u2019s their amenity kit.\u00a0It\u2019s a neoprene iPad classic case<\/a> repurposed it to hold all those small items that I previously carried-on individually.\u00a0Before the bag, my pockets were often stuffed with stuff — and I was always fearful that I\u2019d forget something on the plane, which I often did.<\/p>\n

The most important tool in my bag are headphones.\u00a0Getting rest on a plane is absolutely essential.\u00a0I used to watch with dread and guilt as families with babies squeezed down the aisle toward my row. Babies cry on planes — and some don\u2019t just cry, they wail! I can\u2019t blame them — flying is hard.\u00a0But, it doesn\u2019t make it any easier for the rest of us.\u00a0The only defense in these situations is good headphones.\u00a0You might as well leave your Apple earbuds at home — they don\u2019t even come close to helping.<\/p>\n

\"bose\"
\nBose QuietComfort 20i Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones:\u00a0$279<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/h1>\n

So, like most frequent travelers, I upgraded to noise canceling headphones. The Bose Quiet Comfort were my first foray into noise canceling. They did a good job, but were bulky and only somewhat effective. A nearby unhappy child or talkative passenger would frequently overwhelm the technology.<\/p>\n

After some time, I discovered the benefits of in-ear headphones, like those made by Shure technologies.\u00a0Small, expensive and effective at blocking sound — they don\u2019t use active noise canceling; instead, they simply seal the ear canal.\u00a0I used them for years, but they would irritate my ears after 5+ hours.\u00a0After some research, I upgraded the Shure\u2019s to the slim-fit Klipsch X11i Earbuds.<\/a> They work, and I still recommend them.<\/p>\n

About a year ago, a friend suggested I try Bose\u2019s newish in-ear noise canceling earbuds.\u00a0 Not being able to resist a new piece of tech, I bought a pair and became an immediate convert.\u00a0They are the quietest, most comfortable headphones I\u2019ve ever worn.<\/p>\n

The only downside is that you\u2019re likely to miss service (or \u201cbrace for impact\u201d order) as you float unaware in your bubble of bliss.\u00a0Unlike Shure or Klipsch, these headphones require that you charge the battery pack (with the MicroUSB cable).\u00a0A charge lasts about 16 hours. They also have some neat in-chord features like noise canceling pause and volume controls.<\/p>\n

\"eye
\nDream Essentials Escape Luxury Sleep Mask: $20<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes, I look like an idiot wearing an eye mask during the day, but I don\u2019t care!\u00a0They feel great and cut out all light. The crucial thing to look for in a sleep mask are eye pockets — standard eye masks press uncomfortably against the eyes. My two favorites are both by Dream Essentials — the Escape Luxury mask or their Contoured Sleep Mask<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"sunglasses\"
\nHan Kj\u00f8benhavn\u00a0Sunglasses: $145<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"watch\"
\nRolex GMT Master Date: $5,000 and up<\/a><\/strong><\/b><\/p>\n

\"wallet\"
\nFisher Space Bullet Space Pen (Matte Black): $16
\n<\/a>
\nUni-Ball Jetstream Pen: 3 for $8.49<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0(Reviewed on Cool Tools here<\/a>)
\nBellroy\u2019s Very Small Wallet: $60<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Before boarding, I empty out my pockets and put everything away. Wallet, keys, sunglasses, pens, etc all get safety stowed in \u201cthe bag.\u201d I really like small wallets and am partial to the Bellroy Very Small Wallet. It holds a stack of credit cards, business cards (Moo photo cards<\/a>), and cash — and zips up into a tiny package. The Han Kj\u00f8benhavn\u00a0Sunglasses\u00a0sunglasses also get stashed. They are stylish and functional, sporting Zeiss glass.<\/p>\n

Although almost everything goes in the bag, one thing comes out, my watch — which I set for the time zone of my destination. This 1970\u2019s Rolex GMT simply works — and the second time zone hand helps me easily keep track of the time back home.\u00a0A less expensive but really great timepiece alternative is the $318 Casio ProTrek PRW-3000B<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Being without a pen on a flight is a problem.\u00a0There is always something to write, fill-out, etc. I actually pack 3.\u00a0Two are everyday pens, the uni-ball Jetstream and the bullet space pen.\u00a0The uni-ball is inexpensive and works as well as pens costing much more.<\/p>\n

\"Journal
\nPilot Capless Fermo Fountain Pen: $184<\/a><\/strong>
\nCavallini Roma Lussa Journals: $87<\/a><\/strong><\/b><\/p>\n

The plane is a fabulous place to get caught up on journaling. I really like the Cavallini Roma Lussa leather journal. It pairs perfectly with the Pilot Fermo retractable fountain pen.\u00a0The Fermo writes with breathtaking beauty and is such a joy to use.<\/p>\n

\"passport\"
\nGlobal Entry Program: $100<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Well, you might be saying, \u201cWhy a passport?\u201d Well, it\u2019s not an ordinary passport.\u00a0 It\u2019s been enrolled in the U.S. Customs Global Entry<\/a> program. Global Entry not only allows fast access through U.S. custom lines, it also works to supercharge enrollment in the TSA Pre-Check<\/a> program.\u00a0Pre-Check enables fast lane access (and no shoe or computer removal) in domestic security lines.\u00a0The combination of these two benefits has saved me countless hours of waiting in line.<\/p>\n

\"meds\"
\nEmergency Meds<\/strong><\/b><\/p>\n

Once on a flight back from Peru, I awoke to either 1) stomach flu or 2) food poisoning.\u00a0 Let\u2019s just say it was an explosive situation, and I couldn\u2019t have felt worse.\u00a0It was absolutely horrible. I wasn\u2019t prepared with in-flight meds to deal with it and vowed never be caught again with my pants down, so to speak. Don\u2019t give me that look — it\u2019s happened to almost everyone! Be prepared or don\u2019t risk the fish entr\u00e9e.<\/p>\n

So, that little container of \u201cAirborne\u201d actually contains no Airborne. It holds packets of Immodium, Advil, and Cipro. I also carry Melatonin, Purell, Visine, and lip balm.\u00a0 Depending on the length of the flight, I might also include a toothbrush, toothpaste, and hand lotion.<\/p>\n

\"anker
\nAnker Astro E5 15000mAh Dual USB Portable Charger: $50<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"cables\"
\nKensington International All-in-One Travel Plug Adapter: $13<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

I carry an Ipad Mini<\/a>.\u00a0Although I prefer to read on the Kindle, the iPad is more versatile — movies, books, work, etc.\u00a0Power for my iPhone & iPad can be an issue, so I bring along the Anker Astro E5 USB charging device and cables (Apple charging cable, USB plug, and MicroUSB for camera & headphone charging). For international\u00a0 travel, I\u2019ll also pack the Kensington travel plug adapter.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/b><\/p>\n

Sony DSC-RX100M II Cyber-shot: $698<\/a>
\nMegaGear “Ever Ready” Protective Case:$30<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

As a photographer, I feel naked without a camera. So, I generally keep the Sony\u2019s RX100 II in my bag. I\u2019ve captured some pretty incredible aerial pictures with it.\u00a0The RX100 III was recently announced and includes a retractable electronic viewfinder\u00a0 The leather case by MegaGear is really beautiful and shockingly inexpensive.<\/p>\n

\"\"
\nPetzl Tikka 2 Plus Headlamp: $40<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Finally, I travel with a Petzl headlamp. I can\u2019t tell you how many times I\u2019ve used it in-flight.\u00a0I remember landing in Myanmar and not being able to find my passport \u2013 that\u2019s a special kind of stress.\u00a0I looked everywhere and embarrassingly asked the flight attendant for help (it was obviously with me when I boarded).\u00a0No luck. In desperation, I pulled out the headlamp and looked into the seat mechanism.\u00a0Sure enough, it was stuck deep inside the seat. I would never have found it without the light.\u00a0I\u2019ve also thought it might not be a bad thing to have in the event of a more serious emergency.<\/p>\n

\"\"
\nThe American Airlines iPad Amenity Kit (full): Similar Cases<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

You can almost get all of this in that little bag — it\u2019s probably the journal or <\/i>the camera. If it\u2019s real travel, the camera goes in the overhead with the other stuff.\u00a0Everything else fits.<\/p>\n

Bag in hand, I\u2019m ready to sit back and enjoy the flight. As the Buddha said, \u201cIt\u2019s better to travel well than to arrive.\u201d\u00a0Good thing, as we\u2019ve only got another 5 hours to go\u2026<\/p>\n

Christopher Michel is a photographer, writer, and entrepreneur. He\u2019s photographed some of the world\u2019s most unusual places and people, from the South Pole to the edge of space aboard a U-2 Spy Plane.\u00a0His photographs can be found online at www.ChristopherMichel.com<\/a> or at @chrismichel<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/div><\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Good things to have for long plane rides<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":76,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false},"categories":[3],"tags":[1553],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tkdev.kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14754"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tkdev.kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tkdev.kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tkdev.kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/76"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tkdev.kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14754"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/tkdev.kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14754\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22948,"href":"https:\/\/tkdev.kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14754\/revisions\/22948"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tkdev.kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14754"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tkdev.kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14754"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tkdev.kk.org\/cooltools\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14754"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}