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Back-to-School products that double for travel

September 9, 2021 By Amy Hagstrom

I’m always a bit sad when it’s time to buy back-to-school gear, because it means the long summer travel season is over. However, autumn day trips and weekend getaways are always in our future, so I find I’m still thinking ‘travel’ when it comes to fall purchases and the kids’ school supplies. This year, I’ve found the best new back-to-school products that pull double-duty during family trips!

Back-to-school products that double for travel:

The following products are either already on your back-to-school shopping list, or should be, and you just don’t know it yet! Ready?

High Sierra Modi backpack:

Your kids need school backpacks, but you hate buying a new one each year, right? Unlike cheap big box store backpacks, High Sierra backpacks last multiple years (and multiple kids), plus they’re rugged enough for travel days. The High Sierra Modi comes in color combinations that appeal to both girls and boys, from young kids to teens, and includes both a tablet and laptop sleeve for those long flights. Best of all, High Sierra has it on crazy sale right now. Pick up this $100 backpack for as low as under $20 right now on Amazon!

Matt’s Munchies:

You’re looking for new, healthy snacks for the kids’ lunches, and Matt’s Munchies dried fruit is both the perfect school snack and road trip food. These non-GMO, gluten-free, organic fruit snacks blow their character-shaped, artificial counterparts out of the water. In flavors like island mango, banana coconut, and apple, these fruit snacks are shaped like the thin fruit roll-ups of our generation, but in small squares that are easy to peel off the wax paper. And one package is enough for a substantial snack. Pick up Matt’s Munchies in packs of 10 on Amazon!

Phenom nutritional shake:

Normally, we don’t promote health drinks or protein powders on Pit Stops for Kids, simply because we’re not health experts. That disclaimer said, Phenom’s Young Athlete has been working well for us as a healthy drink between school and practice for our teens, and doubles as a portable road trip food. You can mix Young Athlete with tap water, which makes it easy to bring along on trips, and it has no artificial colors, flavors, or gluten. We tried both vanilla and chocolate and my teens really like the chocolate…like chocolate milk, only with more protein.

SIC Glacier:

I have a new favorite way to sip hot and cold beverages on the morning school commute! SIC cups come in 30 ounce or 24 ounce double-walled stainless steel tumblers, with included clear plastic lids that stay on surprisingly well. Contents in your SIC cup may spill if in a backpack, but in a cup holder of your car, these tumblers are ideal. The first time I used mine, I put ice water in my SIC en route to a local lake on a hot day, then left it in the car for five hours while we enjoyed the lake. When I got back in the car for the ride home, the water was still ice cold, the ice not having melted. I was sold! My SIC Glacier comes on all car trips now! Pick up a 30 ounce SIC Glacier on Amazon for $39.95 (worth the price, I promise!).

CleverCrates:

Perfect for everything from a dorm room to the back seat of the car, CleverCrates by CleverMade are utilitarian crates that hold over 80 pounds of gear each…but collapse to almost nothing when not in use. We keep a few in the car at all times, so we’re ready for gear storage when we go on camping trips, when the kids’ friends pile into the car with their sports equipment, or when I need to stock up on food for a weekend away. It’s great to have the ability to organize stuff in the back of the car, but not have a permanent set of compartments for when we don’t need them. Pick up CleverCrates in 3-packs on Amazon for under $45!

SnapBaskets:

A close cousin of the CleverCrate, SnapBaskets are collapsible shopping bags with a strong, rigid bottom that keeps the bags upright in the car. They come in a variety of sizes, and since they fold down flat, they’re easy to store between uses. I use them every grocery shopping trip at home, but also bring them along on road trips for when I need an extra bag. I’ve put them to use when we’ve visited farm stands or farmers’ markets on the road or bought souvenirs I hadn’t expected. Since they remain upright in the car, they’re also great for organizing seasonal gear you might need on weekend trips, such as warm gloves, extra socks, or swim wear. Pick up SnapBaskets in 30L three packs on Amazon for $39! They also come in thermal versions.

Hot Logic Mini:

Here’s another back-to-school item for your college kid, which doubles for weekend trips! This portable mini oven cooks meals literally from scratch, reheats leftovers and keeps food hot for hours! It’s easy to use (and safe for kids to use after school), with no complicated dials or timers. Just pop a meal in the bag, plug it in and leave it alone. You can eat in a hour, or eight hours, and the food won’t burn. You can make dinner with it and leave it in a hotel room for a budget vacation meal, or college kids can reheat leftovers. Pick up the Hot Logic Mini for $39.95 on Amazon!

Every product above was tested by us personally, and is used by us. This post contains affiliate links; by clicking through to Amazon through us, you help us keep the lights on here at Pit Stops for Kids at no additional cost to you!

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Travel Gear We Use: Best tote bags for travel

October 20, 2017 By Amy Hagstrom

We’ve already declared our favorite travel day pack, perfect for carrying all your necessities (and the kids’) during a typical day traveling, but what about the larger tote bag you need in airports and on the road? I’ve tried over a dozen travel-sized tote bags recently, in a quest for the best. Here’s the winning list.

Best tote bags for travel:

Duluth Trading Company Lifetime Leather Tote Bag:

It’s so pretty, you’ll wonder if this leather tote really is a durable as Duluth Trading Co says, but it really does seem to be ‘lifetime’ worthy. This substantial, full-grain leather tote is timeless, and the oiled leather ages beautifully. I worried about scratches and rips; after all, I’m not gentle on my bags. But the scratches I’ve put on my leather tote so far have faded to nothing within days (and Duluth says they have cream you can buy to care for your leather bag, too). While I wish this tote had a few more internal pockets, it has one deep zippered one, and best of all, the top zippers closed. As you’ll see as you continue reading this post, a zippered top matters a lot to me. I need my stuff secure, especially on planes, where it can all spill out so easily. This tote also has two side water bottle pockets, which are slim, but perfect for my Swell bottles I like to use for travel. You’ll pay a hefty $170 for the Lifetime Leather Tote Bag, but…lifetime, guys.

Note: if you like the idea of a lifetime leather bag but don’t want a tote style, Duluth’s Lifetime Leather Crossbody Bag is also a contender. It has more internal pockets and even a key fob, which I love. I actually like the style better…it’s almost a hobo bag…but I couldn’t give it top billing because the top doesn’t zipper shut (though it has a nice magnetic closure).

Fjallraven Totepack No. 1:

Fjallraven makes some of my favorite travel bags (their duffels are excellent), and this tote converts from a backpack to a tote and back again. Honestly, I almost exclusively use it as a tote, because for backpack mode, it uses the shoulder straps, which I find less comfortable in the backpack configuration. That said, it can be handy to convert it when you need to be hands-free. The Fjallraven Totepack is made of a wonderful waxed canvas material that is weather-resistant and doesn’t show dirt. This is a substantial bag that has some heft, and keeps its shape, another plus for travel days. The top zips closed (of course), and you get a roomy zippered outside pocket, too. There’s also a smaller inside pocket that zips as well. It comes in an absolute ton of colors, which is fun, and sells for $110. You can also go bigger with the Totepack No. 2.

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Patagonia Lightweight Travel Tote:

If you want something more sporty (though certainly no more rugged than the above totes), the Patagonia travel tote fits the bill, and best of all, stuffs down into its own small travel pouch. Everyone needs at least one tote or backpack that stuffs down to stash in their bag. This one has significant straps, which is rare on a stuff-able tote, and like the Fjallraven, it converts to a backpack. You get a zippered top, a big interior zippered pocket, and mesh outside water bottle pockets (though I don’t find them quite deep enough). You can compress it down as needed, and it’s only $80.

Baggallini Balance Tote:

I didn’t expect to love this large yoga tote so much, but I keep reaching for it on travel days. It is roomy but squishes down under the seat nicely, zips closed, and has tons of compartments and pockets inside, a nice Baggallini standard. You can fit a lot in it, and the side pockets are roomy enough for any kind of water bottle. The back panel of mine has a sleeve to slip over my roller bag handle, which is an awesome feature, but it doesn’t look like the current version still has that…bummer. It does have straps for your yoga mat, if you’re using the bag for its intended purpose, which I have only done sparingly. It’s $118, and will last you a long time…though I find that the somewhat shiny nylon does show dirt and stains easily.

Pin it for later!

Do you have a favorite tote? What is your best tote bags for travel pick?

Travel Gear We Use: Best day pack for international travel

February 10, 2017 By Amy Hagstrom

I’ve been conducting travel bag reviews here and at Practical Travel Gear since 2009 and 2011 respectively. That’s a lot of reviews! I’ve tried crossover bags, messenger bags, backpacks, totes, and roller bags. Finally, I think I’ve nailed it. I think I’ve found the best day pack for international travel, especially with kids in tow. That’s right…

Best travel bag for international travel: we reviewed it!

The Eagle Creek Catch All Courier Pack RFID

What is it: The Catch-All Courier is a courier bag (with shoulder strap) that converts to a backpack with the ease for just two clips. It weight just over one pound, and the capacity is 12L. It’s made of tough poly ripstop, and has several compartments, or zones. The first zone is the outside zippered pocket, which is pretty straightforward. The next is a zone under the flap. This zone is the main organizational section, with several sleeves, a key fob, and slots, plus a passport-sized RFID paneled pocket. The zipper on this compartment is lockable in two ways (more on that below). The largest zone is the central interior of the bag, which is roomy enough for some layers, a large camera, snacks, and a 13″ laptop (in padded sleeve). To convert the bag to a backpack, unzip the backpack straps from the back panel (they’re zippered in when not in use), and snap them by a simple clip to each side of the bag. You’re done.

What makes it great: It’s exactly the right size (and no bigger) for day use while city touring, with just the right amount of pockets and organization panels. We appreciate the security of the RFID panel when we’re traveling with important documents and credit cards, and I love the way the zippers lock. In addition to being lock-ready (with your own small padlock) like most bags, they also have a built in toggle which you can slip into a slot, ensuring the zippers cannot be pulled by anyone around you while you’re wearing the pack. The front panel additionally locks with two snap closures. You can access the ‘zone 2’ panel really easily without opening the main section of the pack, which is nice when you need to get out a wallet or cell phone. There’s a water bottle sleeve, too (though I wish there were two!). There’s a nice handle at the top for easy grabbing, and the bag fits under airplane seats nicely, and isn’t too heavy to wear around a city.

Grab your own for around $70 on Amazon.

Honorable mentions:

Fjallraven Tote 2: This tote is really pretty, and functional, too. You can read a full review on Practical Travel Gear, but essentially, the selling points are the waxy, weather-proof material, the classy canvas look, and the ease of converting between tote and backpack. The downside: the backpack straps are not comfortable enough, leading to a sore neck if the pack is pretty full.

Osprey FlapJill: I really love Osprey packs, and the FlapJill delivers with a nice grab handle, a secure flap opening, and a roomy interior. The best thing about Osprey packs…the comfort of wearing them. The shoulder straps are the best of any of these picks, by far. The only reason the FlapJill is an honorable mention: it’s just a bit bulkier than the Catch-All, lacks RFID, and is more expensive.

Travel Gear We Use: best carry on luggage for kids

January 20, 2017 By Amy Hagstrom

Welcome back to our Travel Gear We Use series. Today, we’re recommending best carry-on size luggage for kids. When packing for a family trip, we are big fans of using carry-on luggage (here’s an article on flying carry-on only). Why? Flying carry-on only saves money, helps kids become more responsible for their belongings, and keeps ‘baggage’ at a minimum…literally. Our favorite carry-on luggage for kids include models that are high-quality, adaptable, and of manageable weight for kids.

Eagle Creek Load Warrior:

The Load Warrior is a fully functioning wheeled rollie with the added bonus of super rugged construction. Our teen loves the Flip Switch because he can roll it through airports, then hold it by the oversized grip on the side when hefting into overhead bins. It comes in two sizes–22″ and 28″–and both feature quality ripstop nylon with two-way, lockable zippers and several organizational pockets.

Crumpler Spring Peeper:

The Spring Peeper (as well as the Crumpler Red Dry No 9 shown in photo) is one of the most sturdy, well-constructed rollie bags we’ve seen. It can, as they say, take a licking and keep on ticking. So by all means, hand it off to a kid who will roll it over curbs, hit it against pillars, and roll it over your foot. Inside, the Spring Peeper features multiple organizational panels and pockets, so kids can (hopefully) remember where they put things. The lightweight handle fully retracts, and side panels are perfectly sized for kids’ socks and underclothes The main compartment is roomy enough to store souvenirs on the way home. Best of all, the Spring Peeper is only $210.

L.L. Bean Adventure Duffle:

L.L. Bean classic adventure duffles have served us well for years (and none have needed to be replaced. We opted for the medium size when the kids were very small, and still use them for quick trips and adventure vacations to this day. Kids can pick their own color (and can have their name embroidered), and the padded shoulder strap makes minor commutes no problem for older kids (if you want kids to wheel their own, opt for the large size with wheels and handle). Best of all, the medium is under $50 and the large is under $100 at L.L. Bean.

Timbuk2 Co-Pilot:

Our teens love this rollie, which features skateboard wheels for a smooth, ultra cool glide over airport floors. I love the fact that it has multiple compartments inside: you can separate clean clothes from dirty, or shoes from clothing via two large mesh sections. Open half the bag without disturbing the other half! There are also two smaller compartments, which we use as built-in packing cubes. There’s even an outside pocket perfect for a TSA-friendly toiletry bag. Grab the Timbuk2 Copilot Luggage Roller for as low as $144.

More Travel Gear We Use:
Best Overnight Backpacks for Kids and Teens

Photo credit: Amy Whitley, via Go Green Travel Green

Travel gear we use: packing cubes and TSA bags for the family

October 28, 2016 By Amy Hagstrom

Today in our Travel Gear We Use series, we’re talking about using packing cubes to make family packing easy! Below are the packing cubes we use for every trip, as well as the carry-on liquid quart bag we recommend. Many families consider packing cubes just for air travel, but we use them every time we pack. Most recently, packing cubes made our lives easier en route to a Lake Tahoe vacation rental.

Any packing cube is a good packing cube to use for family travel. Why? They make parents’ lives much easier on the road, and allow you to take much more in a carry on bag. Packing cubes keep kids’ clothing organized so they can find outfits and accessories themselves, and keep clean clothes away from dirty clothes. If you don’t have packing cubes and cannot buy them, use zip-lock bags! If you are planning to purchase packing cubes, here are our tried and true picks:

Eagle Creek Pack-It Specter Cube Set

Eagle Creek’s packing cubes with compression have changed my life. On a recent trip to Mexico, I knew we needed to bring light rain jackets for the family just in case, but hated the idea of dedicating the needed space to five coats. I was able to fit all five (three in adult size) into one compression cube! How they work: unzip the cube and fill it with clothing (roll clothes to fit the most). Zip up the cube, then zip the outer compression chamber. Packing with cubes already saves space, but these compression cubes also reduce the size of the cubes themselves, sealing in your clothes and giving you much more space in your luggage. We love them! get a set at Amazon for $38, or buy individually.

eBags Packing Cubes – 3pc Set

eBags packing cubes won’t set you back as much, but are still roomy and able to fit more than you’d think. We usually use the biggest for all the kids’ shoes (this works for young kids) and then use the smaller sizes to organize socks, underwear, and other smaller pieces of clothing that usually gets lost at the bottom of the bag. Packing cubes make for great stocking stuffers: get everyone a set for Christmas!

TSA Quart-Size Carry-On Toiletry Pouch

In addition to using packing cubes, we like to stay organized while going through TSA checkpoints with carry-on luggage by using reusable, clear quart-sized pouches. They’re easier to find and grab in your carry-on when you need to present them, and you already have them on-hand at home when packing. We’ve reused ours for years. There are multiple brands out there, but no need to spend much: we have a Timbuk2 version that’s hard to find these days, but the Louis and Clark version linked above is only $5 on Amazon.

More Travel Gear We Use:
Best carry-on luggage for kids
Best overnight backpacking for kids and youth

Photo credit: Flickr/angryjuliemonday

New travel gear: Tuo Travel Undergarment Organizer

August 7, 2015 By Amy Hagstrom

We love using packing cubes. I’m a huge believer in organized luggage, with everything in its place. It saves parents time and sanity when on vacation with kids. This is why I’m excited to introduce a brand new packing solution: the Tuo Travel Undergarment Organizer. This innovative product is still in Kickstarter, with pre-orders accepted. The Tuo will retail for $60, but backers get a great discount.

So what makes this undergarment organizer worth $60? Quite frankly, it’s the most versatile packing solution we’ve ever seen. It can hang in multiple ways for easy use in hotel rooms, in cars, and even in airplanes (more on that below), it’s very well-made and sturdy, with oversized zipper pulls, and it’s smart: there are pockets within pockets and a nice fold design for fairly flat storage.

What we love:

Three large main compartments, all with mesh fronts, so we can see what’s inside. Two of the three compartments have secondary, pocket-sized compartments within the compartment.
Nice snap-closure, with straps that convert to hanging straps when you’re in your destination.
Three-fold flat-storage design.

What we use it for:

The undergarment organizer is meant for undergarments, of course. It’s designed to be used by a single person, storing 7 days of underwear, socks, small accessories, swimwear, and the like. Honestly, there’s more room in this organizer than what I need personally when packing for a solo trip. However, for use with a family, it’s genius. The Tuo can easily store the underwear, socks, hair clips, and jammies of up to three young kids, or can store one child’s entire wardrobe in summer: t-shirts, shorts, swimsuits, and undergarments. We also plan to use it for:

Storing toys, games, and entertainment on road trips (it can easily secure to the back of a seat)
Storing zip-locked snacks and entertainment on an airplane.
Storing an entire family’s toiletries, including medications and other important items you should always carry-on with you on planes.

Note: the Tuo also comes with a small laundry bag, divided into two compartments. We found this bag too small to be useful for laundry (from a family travel standpoint), but do use it as a separate packing cube.

Summer travel gear pick: Trunki PaddlePak review

June 20, 2014 By Amy Hagstrom

Now that’s summer’s underway, you’re getting a good feel for what travel gear is working for you…and what’s not. If you’ve been carting your pool and beach gear around in a standard backpack that A) your kids leave on the pool deck and B) allows wet swimsuits to leak through, leaving wet spots in your car, we have a solution.

We recently reviewed the PaddlePak backpack, the latest offering from Trunki, a travel company known for their innovative (and fun!) gear for kids. Trunki believes a good travel product appeals to both little ones and their parents. The PaddlePak is water resistant inside and out, so go ahead and spill a juice box or two, plus stash wet swimsuits and towels inside. Have a water bottle that religiously leaks when you pack it for day camp? Go ahead and put that in there, as well.

We tried out the PaddlePak Clown Fish pack, named Chuckles. Chuckles is a regular-sized PaddlePak (large is also available), and is big enough to fit a swimsuit (or change of clothes), a pair of shoes, and/or a snack and drink. It’s recommended for ages 2 and up, which we appreciate: my three-year-old loved that it fit her well. No more backpack shoulder straps slipping off! The top closes with a roll-top just like a grown-up dry bag, which is a fun (and practical) touch. See what I mean about Trunki products appealing to both parents and kids?

‘Chuckles’ is truly unisex: it appealed equally to my daughter and my five-year-old son. For older kids, I’d recommend one of the large packs, such as the gray shark or black killer whale. The straps are adjustable, and best of all, the regular size is only $25.

We’ve used the pack for short hikes in the woods, because it’s the bag my daughter is enthusiastic to wear, and for trips to the beach and pool. If your child is in swimming lessons or attends a day camp this summer, a PaddlePak would be ideal!

Disclosure: we were given one PaddlePak to try for the purpose of review. Without product review samples, Pit Stops for Kids would be unable to bring information on current travel products to our readers.