road tripping - Pitstops for Kids

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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Recommended travel essentials: 15 must-have travel items

June 27, 2021 By Amy Hagstrom

When planning for a holiday, we often get confused and irritated about packing for our smooth vacation. It becomes hard to jot down all the essential traveling items that we need for our tour. The most important things to keep in mind are the lists of items that should be packed depending on the length of your trip, the weather, and places to visit. So, to ease your vacation, we are here to help you out. You can rely on us and take help from this list of items to have a peaceful and restful holiday.

When it comes to travel packing, I always make sure to minimize my travel gear and only pack the best (and necessary) travel items. Use this ultimate guide of some of the essential things you need to pack for your tour. Whether it’s toiletries, clothes, gadgets, or glasses, we have got you covered. So, I’m sharing 20 essential travel items lists that you must have in your bags.

1. Portable Charger (Power Bank)

Our phone can run out of battery. So carry a portable phone charger wherever you go. No one wants to have a phone battery dead and miss out on clicking some amazing photo. Power Bank is a must for any trip, and it will never let you down. If you don’t want to get lost in the city, don’t forget to keep your phone charged with a Portable Charger.

2. Ziploc Bags

Ziploc Bags helps to keep all the small bits together. Putting your Phone in an airtight Ziploc Bag will instantly save your phone in water as it is waterproof. Just stick your electronics into the Ziploc bag, squeeze the air out, zip it, and your items are completely waterproof. If you’re listening to music at the beach, these bags will help keep sand and water out of your speakers.

3. Bluetooth Speakers

Ever thought about enjoying your vacay without Music? With a portable Bluetooth speaker, you can listen to music and chill on your beach, parties, and rooms. Having a bit of music playing can give you a positive vibe and set your mood. Just connect your phone to the speaker and listen to the music of your choice. Bluetooth Speaker will give you the company whenever you need it, says Andrew, who provides pay someone to take my online exam services.

4. Universal Adapter

Universal Adapter is an essential device to have when traveling. Travel adapters allow any electronic device to plug into a differently shaped outlet from one country to another. For example, U.K. wall outlets require a plug with a top vertical prong while the U.S. requires one with two flat vertical prongs. So, when traveling overseas, you need a travel adapter to charge your electronic devices.

5. Water bottle

No matter where we travel, we always need a water bottle. To keep your beverages cold or hot and have clean water, you need to carry reusable bottles during travel. Staying hydrated is one of the most useful things you can do for your body when traveling, says Paul, who provides do my coursework services. Instead of using single-use plastic bottles, consider a reusable water bottle that can store your drink.

6. Sunscreen

You always need to wear sunscreen whenever outside. We all know the importance of wearing sunscreen. You should carry a travel-sized pack of sunscreen to moisturize and protect your skin from the sun. Use an oil-free and fragrance-free sunscreen moisturizer that is hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic, and dermatologist tested. Apply an SPF30 or more sunscreen even if you are on the beach.

7. First Aid Kit

A first aid kit is an essential item you must carry for your vacation. If you are unsure of exactly what they carry on a first aid kit. I am here t rescue you. Here are my picks for the essentials. Bandages/Crepe Bandages, Surgical tape, Cotton, Scissors, Tweezers, Antiseptic Wipes, Pain Relief Medicine, Antibacterial Creams.

8. Sunglasses

One of the most important travel accessories you should pack is your sunglasses. You must carry sunglasses that block harmful UVA and UVB rays, says Carolina, who provides python assignment help services. Investing in different styles such as aviator or the wayfarer is always a good idea. Go for good-quality sunglasses with polarized and UV-protected lenses.

9. Toiletries

Toiletries have always been a serious struggle for me. Sometimes I over pack them, and other times I almost forget to pack toothbrushes and toothpaste. Follow this guide to pack your toiletries. Shampoo, Conditioner, Face Wash/Scrub, Toothpaste, Toothbrush, Face Moisturizer, Mouthwash, Styling Brush/Styling Comb, Body Wash, Comb/Brush.

10. Backpack

You need a good travel backpack even if you are traveling for a day or two or even for a week. Look for a travel backpack that has a sturdy hip belt and water storage space. Pick a bag that is big enough to carry some extra weight. Make sure your bag is semi-waterproof so that your stuff doesn’t get wet in a drizzle.

Other than the above-mentioned essentials, carry your clothes for going out, nightwear, beachwear, and party dresses. You can also carry an eye mask, noise-canceling Headphones, travel towels, U-shaped pillows. Make a list of the items you need for your vacation and pack efficiently.

Van life gear review: Thule Transporter Combi review

March 31, 2021 By Amy Hagstrom

Much like last summer, most Americans will opt to travel by car instead of air this year, with a big uptick in road trip travel once it’s safe to do so. To kick off the start of the summer travel season, with hopes that travel will soon be part of our plans again, I tested out Thule’s Transporter Combi hitch-mounted cargo box.

For me, this is the summer of #vanlife, during which I’ll be traveling and camping in a Westfalia camper van. While it’s possible to mount a roof-mounted cargo box on a Westy, it significantly increases the weight of the camper pop-top, so I opted for Thule’s hitch-mounted version.

The Transporter Combi comes with everything you need to get going, and I was able to install it on my hitch with my partner in a matter of about two hours. (I’m sure some can install it faster than that!) I love that the cargo box tilts down for partial access to the rear of the van; the tilt feature also makes it easier to get heavy items out of the cargo box. I also love that we don’t need any ladders or step stools to get gear out when we get to our campsite or destination!

The cargo box comes pre-wired with tail lights (4 pin) and a license plate adapter (with light). It installs into 2 inch and 1 1/4 inch receivers with no additional adapters or tools needed.

Like many Thule boxes, the lock system is designed for safety (and is idiot proof!): the key can only be removed if all the locking points are closed and secure, so there’s no chance of driving away and having the box lid fly open. You get two keys, so now we have one on the van key chain and the other stashed away just in case.

You get 13 cubic feet inside (dimensions are 50.5 x 23.5 x 24.5 in). It’s so roomy! We joked that we could put the teenaged kids inside. The weight of the box is 55 pounds and the capacity is 150 pounds. We use ours to store those bulky items that don’t pack well into the back of the van, such as firewood, the portable bathroom, and the material for our awning…nothing too heavy, but certainly bulky.

We had no trouble with weight or driving the Westy with this cargo box, though if you have a similar van, keep in mind that the engine is also in the back, which can mean you need to balance the weight be placing heavier items inside the van near the front.

During our close-to-home camping trip, we used the cargo box even once it was unloaded, storing dirty laundry, dishes, and garbage away in a secure location.

The Transporter Combi is $679 on the Thule site, and as of this posting, their operations are going so you shouldn’t have any delay in ordering and receiving. Enjoy the #vanlife!

Travel Gear We Use: Must-have products for road trips

March 23, 2021 By Amy Hagstrom

The family road trip really is where the rubber meets the road. And this year, summer road trip travel will be bigger than ever. When it comes to the best products for road trips, we prefer useful items to flashy ones, the tried-and-true over the new-fangled. There are many, many items to bring on your next road trip, but these must-have products for road trips are ALWAYS in the car.

1. A full-sized first aid kit:

This is crucial, folks. You can assemble your own first aid kit, or you can opt for a quality pre-made kit, like we do. We just tried out Surviveware’s large first aid kit , which comes with over 200 essentials, with room for your own additions. (Tip: remember to add an emergency ration of any over-the-counter or prescription meds you or a family member needs regularly.)

I am impressed with the organization of the Surviveware kit; every item has a place, and is tucked away in water-resistant compartments. There’s even fever strips, sting relief pads, and gloves. A smaller section can be removed to come with you on shorter excursions, and the main pack is designed to fit over your car seatback if desired.

The Surviveware kit is also great for boating (it floats!), camping, and RV life. It will come with us in our camper van this summer.

2. Car emergency kit:

We assemble this ourselves, packing jumper cables, a flashlight, road flares, winter gloves, and an emergency blanket in a duffel we always keep in the back of the car. During winter, we add chains.

3. Reusable ‘dining out’ ware:

We love United by Blue’s ‘Everyday Reusables‘ collection, including their straw kits, grocery bags, and utensil kit. We usually grocery shop and eat our own food for breakfasts and lunches while road tripping, and this way, we save on plastic waste every time we eat.

4. Small-item storage:

We always have an organizer over the back seat to reduce clutter (it can also stop your little one from kicking the back of your seat)! Want a low-cost alternative to the products you can find online? Buy a cheap hanging closet shoe organizer and hang it from the back of the seat. It may need to be cut to fit. Store smaller items, plus water bottles, books, and snacks within reach of older kids (and out of reach of babies and toddlers).

5. Water bottles and a water filtration system:

You can find our favorite bottles listed in our best water bottles for kids post, but really, as long as every family member has a water bottle they love, that’s the most important thing. Staying hydrated on the go can be challenging, but bringing your own bottles reminds kids (and grown-ups) to sip often. Plus, you can save serious dough at restaurants and attractions if you have bottles to refill.

In addition to water bottles, make sure you have:

Extra water in the car, perhaps in gallon jugs
A filtration system for emergencies (at very least, a Lifestraw, and at best, a Lifesaver jerry can)

What items are must-brings on your family road trips? Read about more travel gear we use!

Travel Gear We Use: All-time favorite healthy travel snacks

August 14, 2020 By Amy Hagstrom

Today’s Travel Gear We Use segment isn’t exactly gear, but does help us as we travel: we’re rounding up our favorite healthy travel snacks. There are many, many products out there that claim to be wholesome, organic, and tasty. We’ve tried almost all of them. Yet, this list is short. Very short. Why? Let’s be real: most so-called healthy travel snacks are gross. Even my kids, who know their way around a natural foods store, go to schools that are GMO-free, and live in hippie-friendly Oregon, have their limits. Here are the winners that are kid-tested and kid-approved in our house. Buy these snacks for your next road trip or air travel day, and you won’t be wasting your money.

SunRidge Farms mixes:

OMG, you guys. If you want to ensure everyone in the family has a healthy, delicious and dare I say, downright exciting trail mix to call their own for your next trip, check out SunRidge Farms. Their many, many trail mix varieties can be bought in 6-8 ounce bags, but also come in bulk. I love this option, as we bring our own containers and bento boxes when we travel to cut down on waste. You can create your own trail mixes by looking through their many nut, seed, dried fruit, and organic chocolate offerings, but save yourself some time and check out their pre-packaged ones. We love the Berries and Chocolate. You can also get square protein chews that my kids gave a thumbs up: the peanut butter power chews are a favorite. I love that SunRidge Farm’s production facility is powered by solar energy and that their foods are GMO-free, organic, and much of the chocolate and coffee offerings are Fair Trade. Yes, SunRidge Farms’ trail mixes are more expensive than average, but we found them on Amazon and if you buy in bulk, you’ll get high quality snack food for a reasonable price! You can even get gummies for a treat on the road you don’t have to feel guilty about!

Kate’s Real Food:

Haven’t heard of Kate’s Real Food bars? I love these all-natural, organic creations originating in Jackson Hole, WY. Kate’s bars have been embraced by serious hikers, mountain bikers, climbers, and skiers all over the West, so you know it’s good enough for road trip noshing, too. We love that these bars are made from locally-sourced ingredients whenever applicable, and they never freeze…even when skiing or in the cold car. My kids quickly tire of the usual protein bars and granola bars, but Kate’s are just wholesome enough that they taste like, well, real food, instead of chalk or powder. And bonus: they’re on Amazon in bulk, too!

Nut butters from PB Crave

This high energy, high protein food is perfect for road trips because it can survive just fine without refrigeration and doesn’t melt (too much) in a hot car. Kids find peanut butter to be boring? They won’t if you try PB Crave. These peanut butters come in super fun flavors, like Cookie Nookie (chocolate chips and cookie dough flavor) and Razzle Dazzle (dark chocolate, white cocoa butter drops, and natural raspberry flavor). They taste very sweet (maybe too sweet for grown ups), but all PB Crave flavors are sweetened with wild honey, and their more affordable than ‘gourmet’ nut butters. We put a jar in the car and toss in crackers, bread, or apple slices to eat with it.

Matt’s Munchies

Forget about any other fruit leather or fruit roll-up, and definitely forget about those artificial fruit snacks. My kids LOVED Matt’s Munchies dried fruit strips, and I loved that each package could feed two hungry kids…no skimping here! We love the tropical flavors with real strips of coconut blended in, but get a variety pack to start with and discover your favorites. For picky eaters used to basic flavors, try the Apple-licious.

As a peanut butter alternative, you can also try an almond butter. It could also be used as a good travel snack. Here’s a review on the best almond butter from Kitchenistic.

Bottom line: can you supply your family with travel snacks for less money? Sure, we know that. And our family can’t realistically buy these types of snacks every day. But eating healthy, wholesome, naturally sweetened snacks while traveling can enhance every part of your vacation. Kids will feel better, be better behaved, and have more energy to play and explore. And the truth is, so will you!

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Travel Gear We Use: 30 Road Trip Products

June 11, 2020 By Amy Hagstrom

I know, your car is already packed to the gills for your family road trip. But trust us, you need these 30 road trip products and ideas to make your travel day run smoothly. We travel every month of the year, and test new road trip products every time we hit the road. Check out our list of road trip gear, updated to include new gear for 2017, and see what you’re missing!

Road trip safety gear:

1. My Bucklemate: This innovative little piece of plastic makes it easy for young kids to buckle themselves into their seats more easily…without mom or dad needing to crawl into the back seat to dig the seat belt clip out of the seat crease! Pick up Bucklemate on Amazon.

2. Cardiff Booster Seat Headrest: By far, the best headrest we’ve seen for toddlers and preschoolers. No more floppy heads when kids are trying to nap!

3. Bubblebum: This portable booster seat goes everywhere, from your own car to taxis to theaters. We guarantee you’ll use it in at least three ways on any road trip!

4. Adventure Medical Kit: There are several pre-made first aid kits to choose from when you browse the offerings at Adventure Medical Kits. Our favorites are listed here!

5. AAA Emergency Road Assistance Kit: Pick out a pre-made kit like this one, or design your own, ensuring you have flares, chains, and the gear you need to change a tire.

Car organizational gear:

6. Seatback car organizer: Every family needs at least one of these organizers that fit on the seat back, for storing books, DVDs, games, and cups. Don’t want to spend much money? Check for a hanging shoe organizer at your local dollar store. Pictured above: Prince Lionheart Backseat Organizer.

7. Trash bags: Yep, good old-fashioned trash bags. Don’t forget them! You’ll need them for the obvious purpose, but trash bags also pull double-duty as wet storage for swimsuits or soggy gloves and hats, storage for muddy shoes, and, unfortunately, as a much-needed receptacle if someone gets car sick.

8. Packing cubes: Used by our family for so much more than packing, packing cubes are ideal during road trips as carry-alls for kids’ gear. Give each child a large packing cube to fill up with his or her items for the ride. Packing cubes are easier to stow under the seat than backpacks, take up less room, and are easy to open and close. Here are our favorites.

9. Mesh laundry bags: Go ahead and use these cheap, lightweight laundry bags for their intended purpose once you arrive at your destination, but while on your road trip, use them to store boots and jackets the family will want at pit stops in winter and sandals or swimsuits in summer. Grab one bag when you reach your pit stop, and off you go.

10. KIDS ‘N’ PETS All Purpose Stain & Odor remover: You might need it. Ok, you’ll probably need it. Fine. We always need it. If you want something more portable than the liquid version, try their new Stain and Odor Remover wipes! We keep a tube of these in one of the car’s drink holders.

11. Refresh your Car: These car freshener products are the only ones my kids will tolerate. Plus, you can use these products to clean your dashboard, too. Here’s our full review.

In-car and rest stop entertainment:

12. SOL REPUBLIC headphones: These are the only headphones we use now, because they’re nearly indestructible. Kids can twist them, step on them, or toss them into a bag, and they keep on delivering high-quality sound. Check out more info in our best electronics picks for travel.

13. Splitter for headphones: Don’t forget one of these! When kids want to listen to a DVD or CD together, they need a splicer for their headphones. Forget it, and you’ll be listening to the entire soundtrack of Frozen too, Mom and Dad. Pair with the screen of your choice. Don’t forget about Kindles!

14. Brunton Revolt: This power cube is worth the investment. Even with in-car chargers and USB ports, everyone needs more power at some point. The Brunton can go from the car to your hotel room, offering an extra place to plug in. Plus, it comes with lots of built-in cables, so there’s no need to bring a tangle of your own.

15. Family puzzle and coloring books: Guess what? It turns out you’re never too old for Where’s Waldo. Candlewick Press’ Where’s Waldo: The Totally Essential Travel Collection includes hundreds of pages of Waldo illustrations, all in a compact, durable book. Like to color instead? ColorIt sells adult coloring books also ideal for kids. Try the Greatest Adventure Adult Coloring Book…it’s packed with pages suitable for kids or adults, and is in a durable spiral-bound notebook ideal for the road. Keep it in the car…you won’t be sorry!

16. Redbox movies: Don’t want to (or can’t) stream movies en route? Get the Redbox movie app, and find Redbox kiosks en route via your car’s entertainment system or a portable DVD player. We like to utilize Redbox because we never have to pay late fees (we find another Redbox to turn movies into down the road) and we have a constant supply of new movies without needing 4G.

17. SOL REPUBLIC Punk Speaker: Want to listen to audio books or podcasts as a family on the road, but don’t have the capability of plugging a smart phone into the car’s audio system? Use a Punk speaker! This little portable speaker packs a big punch. It’s also good for small kids who don’t like to use headphones.

18. Outside Inside Adventure Games: Have you ever stopped at a rest stop so the kids could stretch their legs, only to find nothing to do? We absolutely love these portable games for kids! Some are best for the campsite or fire pit, but others are ideal for grassy spaces, playgrounds, and even hotel rooms. Plus, they all pack down for easy transport. The magnetic darts are our favorite for the hotel room, and the bocce ball set and ladder ball/cornhole games are our favorite for rest stops.

19. Wipe board and dry erase marker: Don’t underestimate the power of a simple board and marker. Kids can play classic games like ‘hangman’ or ‘tic tac toe’. No need to invest in expensive versions of these games!

20. Magnetic Fun: Can’t go wrong with these tried-and-true car entertainment kits! Magnetic Fun is ideal for the toddler and preschool set, but older kids will play too.

Road trip snacks and food:

21. Yeti cooler: A Yeti is a big investment, but if you road trip often, it’s well worth it to have this top-of-the-line cooler. Foods will stay cold in a Yeti far longer than in standard coolers, allowing families to stop and drain it less often and eat more meals on the road. We have the Tundra 45. Can’t swing the cost of a Yeti? Try Mountain Khakis’ new rugged Compass Cooler.

22. BooginHead Pack ‘Ems snack bags: We only use reusable snack bags. BooginHead are our current favorite, because they wipe down easily, are washable, and stand up on their own when packed. Plus, they velcro open and closed, making it easy for little hands to open them. They’re very affordable, too.

23. Sea to Summit Seal ‘n Go: We’ve long been fans of Sea to Summit’s bowls and cups for backcountry camping, and now they have a product perfect for families on the go, whether you’re on a road trip or simply serving kids a snack in the car on the way to school. The Seal ‘n Go comes in multiple sizes, and is a collapsible container with a threaded lid for secure food carrying. They pack down small when you don’t need them, and are virtually accident-proof. Of course, you can take them camping, too! Each piece is around $20.

24. Patagonia Provisions: Bet you haven’t heard of this! Patagonia (yes, the brand that brings you ski wear and down vests) also makes road trip-ready food. You can buy their energy bars, or better yet, get their breakfast grains to make in hotel rooms for an easy and healthy breakfast (just add hot water from a coffee maker). They also make healthy soup mixes for in-room dinners.

25. GSI Outdoors macro camp table: Made with camping in mind, the GSI Outdoors Macro Table is also excellent for road trips. It collapses completely for easy transport, is lightweight, and opens up for an instant table anywhere. We love it on road trips for pit stops at parks where we’re setting out a snack or lunch, in addition to a meal prep space at campsites. It comes in a micro size, too!

26. Jelly Belly candies: You have to have some candy on your road trip, and Jelly Belly candies entertain with their many flavor options while kids (and adults) snack on them. If you’re driving through California, take a Jelly Belly tour at the factory in the San Francisco Bay Area!

Miscellaneous items:

27. Water bottles: Everyone needs to stay hydrated on a road trip, and personal water bottles help families save money when they stop for food, too. We love HydroFlask bottles, because they’re insulated and stainless steel. For a lighter weight bottle, go with Camelbak Eddy or Chute.

28. Duct tape: We won’t judge parents on how duct tape is used, especially at the end of a road trip, but here are our ideas: use it to designate ‘territory’ within the car, to keep kids in their own space, or allow kids to create art with it. Ours like to make their own wallets or frisbees.

29. Paper maps: Go old-school when you stop at gas stations or welcome centers, and pick up paper maps of the region you’re road tripping. Allow kids to follow your route by themselves, or enlist their help navigating. Older kids can pick out pit stops en route, or calculate distance.

30. Pillows and blankets: Make your road trip a slumber party with small pillows and lap blankets to make the drive more comfortable. If you don’t have room for full-sized pillows, opt for travel pillows. We love Rumpl’s travel blanket, which packs down small and is waterproof against spills.

Need kids’ gear for the road and want to shop online? Find great deals on essential baby and child gear.

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Travel Gear We Use: The Seventy2 Survival System bug-out bag

March 25, 2020 By Amy Hagstrom

You may not be a doomsday prepper or preparing for a zombie apocalypse (or maybe you are), but every family should have a car bug-out bag, ideally for each family member and certainly for road trips and emergencies.

Opt for the Seventy2 Survival System from Uncharted.

Preppers define bug-out bags as gear they can grab quickly in case of emergency, that’s ready to go when they are. The folks at Uncharted simplify this even further: their Seventy2 bag are designed with the premise that 95 percent of emergencies are rectified within 72 hours, so they make sure you have everything you might need for those crucial hours, nothing more, nothing less. The result? A streamlined system in an easy-to-carry, high-quality backpack that you can gift to family members or buy for yourself.

The ‘shell’ of the Seventy2 bag is a 48 liter backpack that’s waterproof and very clearly organized. This backpack alone is worthy of a review. It has pockets and features galore. Inside, clearly marked ‘survival pouches’ make it easy to find essentials, plus know what to do with them. The ‘tools’ pouch is thus labeled, for instance, with all the contents listed underneath, including paracord, shovel, axe, duct tape, knife, and fire starter. In the ‘warmth’ pouch is a tent, blanket, hat, gloves, and hand warmers. For a full list of everything in the Seventy2 bag, including USB chargers, radios, and more, check here.

Can you put together your own survival go bag? Of course. Will you, to this extent? I can almost guarantee you won’t. At least, I won’t, which is why I gifted my college-aged son with a Seventy2 bag and now need more for my household. This bag could be essential on a camping or road trip, but it might also save your life when you’re not traveling.

Pick one up this holiday season as a very special gift for $349. You will have purchased peace of mind along with essentials you needed any way.

Want to design a less extensive, road trip bug-out bag?

For families who like to road trip or car camp, a car bug-out bag can be any kit that contains supplies and extras, such as MOLLE gear, that may be needed in an emergency while away from home.

Whatever type of bug out bag you create, be sure to stock it regularly for minor injuries, sickness, or weather conditions. We’ve never needed ours for a serious emergency, and hope we never do.

Start with any large backpack or duffel. We keep our basic bag, which we use in addition to our Seventy2 bag now, in our primary vehicle. You don’t want to put it anywhere it will need to be frequently moved. Ours is in the back, near the space reserved for the car jack and jumper cables.

What to put in your more basic road trip bug-out bag:

2-4 emergency blankets: These blankets are made of vacuum-metalized polyethylene and reflect 90% of your body heat, allowing you to stay warm despite their thin shape and low weight. They are the size of your palm when still folded, and can also be used as shelter or a ground cloth. We use SOL emergency blankets, which are less than $5 on Amazon.

1 small first aid kit: Ideally, you already have a family-sized first-aid kit in your car (if not, check out our recommendations). However, since your car bug-out bag is meant to be portable, opt for a smaller sized one. We use Adventure Medical Kits’ .5, which is housed in a lightweight, waterproof pouch and includes all the essentials (and not much else). At $15, you can’t make a cheaper one at this weight. Place some extra easy-access bandages in there, too. These nifty band-aids require only one hand to unpeel and place on a cut.

Gloves and winter hats for everyone: Reuse or buy a cheap pair of fleece or knit gloves for everyone in your family, and place them in the bag. Ditto for winter ‘beanie’ hats. These don’t need to be anything fancy; after all, you’ll want to wear your good ones regularly, and you’ll likely never use these. But in case of bad weather or the need to put chains on your tires, you’ll be glad to have some protection for your hands and heads. In winter months, we also add a lightweight jacket for everyone, which just stays in the bag until summer. Remember, you’ll have extra seasonally-appropriate clothing for everyone in your car already if you’re on a road trip or camping trip.

Pocket survival pack: These neat packs fit into your pocket, and include only the barest of essentials for outdoor survival. We have a pack in our backpacking gear, in the ‘just in case’ category, and one more in the car. In the case that someone needed to leave the shelter of the car to seek help, I’d want him or her to have this kit on them. Included is a whistle, mirror, sparker and tinder for an easy flame, and tiny portions of helpful items such as duct tape, safety pins, wire, and foil. It doesn’t seem like much now, but as a former Search and Rescue volunteer, I’ve seen people do amazing things with these items. We like the SOL pocket survival pack, because it comes with a waterproof card of instructions. Pick one up for under $30.

2-way radios: Sure, you have mobile phones, but as we all know, they can be unreliable. If you’re out of coverage area, low on battery power, or–unlikely but possible–if cellular service is down, you’ll want another way to communicate. We recently tried out the Motorola Talkabout 2-Way Radios (in other words, walkie-talkies), and they’ve now been added to our bug-out bag. Why we like them: they’re easy to juice up, they have a long range, and you can receive NOAA weather alerts through them. The Talkabout runs on either alkaline or rechargeable batteries (or can be charged using a mini-USB port, if you have access to that). They work in a 23 mile range, and has a scan feature which allows you to search a programmed list of channels. In the past, we’ve found that walkie-talkies can be useless if too many people are using them, but the Talkabout filters interference from non-Motorola units. They’re not toys, by any means, but still under $50 on Amazon.

Supplies for your car: Hopefully you already know where your car’s extra tire and jack are housed, but in addition, most families should carry chains for winter weather (depending on where you live), and jumper cables. We also store a small, collapsible shovel in our bag, which can (and has been) used to dig out of snow or mud.

Matches and firestarter: If you need to, you want to be able to make a fire for signaling help, warmth, or cooking. If you’re on a camping trip, you’ll have these supplies anyway, but we keep a waterproof case of matches and fire cubes in our bug-out bag all the time, so we don’t have to remember to grab them on each trip. What are fire cubes, you ask? These sugar-cube sized fire starters burn at 1300 F in any conditions…even a downpour. Use them to start a campfire or even boil water. Speaking of which…

Water: This is the only item we do not store in our bug-out bag, because we all carry personal water bottles with us in the car for any trip, so we already have them at the ready. For longer trips, however, we buy a case of water and place it in the back by the bag. If we don’t need it, we use this water on our travels, and buy more.

Want to be even more prepared? Have a water filter handy, or do what we do: pack your bug out bag with a LifeStraw or LifeStraw Go. This award-winning personal filtration system uses a filtering straw, so you have safe water to drink anywhere, anytime. We use ours on international travel days, too, so we get use of it regularly, not just during emergencies. After our son Nate lost his on a trip to Costa Rica, we replaced it immediately!

Basic foods: We don’t go overboard on this, which would probably dismay true preppers. But our bug-out bag is only meant for short term emergencies and even car-ride inconveniences, so we pack snacks with a long shelf life, like beef jerky and Nature Made granola bars. We change these snacks out every 2-3 months. I simply like knowing they’re in our bag should we get stuck in traffic for a very long time or need to leave our car for any reason.

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Photo credit: Richard Riley

Best food containers and bento boxes for the road

August 30, 2018 By Amy Hagstrom

One of the best ways to save money and stay healthier on road trips is to pack your own food. Almost every road trip we take, we pack lunches and drinks, whether we’ll be on the road a few hours or a few weeks. Since we banned plastic baggies and disposable plastic containers in our house years ago, the best food containers for our car include the following. Bonus: For a list of road trip friendly snacks, check here.

Bento boxes for the road:

Seal Cup Trio: This trio of round stainless steel containers come with soft rubber lids and are made by ECOLunchBox. We love that they nest together when not in use, so they take up less room in the cupboard, and that they’re not very heavy. If you’ve toted around glass containers, you know what I mean (see below). The Seal Cup Trio are perfect for snacks like pretzels, cut fruit, and granola. You can put wet items in, but not liquids. They’re $29, which is a good deal for three pieces.

ECOLunch Pod: These little 5 ounce rectangular containers are complete stainless steel, with stainless steel lids. We love them because they’re very versatile: you can use them for snacks, or as accessories to your lunch, storing wet wipes or even crayons or other crafty games for the car. They’re only around $8 each.

PlanetBox food tray: No doubt about it, PlanetBox food systems are expensive. However, we use one every day for our son’s lunch for school, then again on the road. What I love: it’s all one unit, so it’s easy to transport and not lose pieces, and the included dip containers never leak. For what it’s worth, we never use the included cover…just one more thing to lose in the car! Pick one up for $64.

Life Factory: For bigger food items, such as prepared salads and sandwich rolls, we use Life Factory 2-cup and 4-cup containers. Beware: these glass containers are heavy to lug around (so they’re best for road tripping where food transport is at a minimum). However, we love them because they’re encased in rubber to prevent breakage and seal very well. Pick up the 2-cup version for $17.

HydroFlask growler: We love everything HydroFlask (hey, it’s an Oregon company, and we’re Oregonians!) but many families don’t think of buying a growler for road trips. Usually used for beer, growlers are ideal for keeping drinks cold on the road: we fill our growler with water, tea, and fruit juices to dole out along the way. Plus, if the adults in the family come across local brews, they can easily fill up! They’re under $50 on Amazon. We also use HydroFlask water bottles and food containers, but note: in our experience, the food containers do not keep liquids like soup hot for more than five hours.

What to carry road trip snacks in:

For short term road trips and outdoor pit stops, we love to use our bulga basket. We picked ours up for under $25. I use bulga baskets more than soft-sided coolers because I can easily access everything and see all the items I’ve packed, which I find very convenient. However, I cannot keep foods very cold in a basket. When we need to transport foods longer than a few hours, I turn to my Yeti cooler. No, buying a Yeti isn’t overkill: this high end cooler may have been designed for hunters and explorers out in the wilderness for days and weeks at a time, but trust me, after using one, you’ll never go back to a regular plastic cooler again. Our Yeti Tundra keeps our food cold and fresh for days!

CarLock review: Monitor your car while traveling

March 29, 2017 By Amy Hagstrom

CarLock is a real-time car tracking and alert system. After installing the small device in your car, you can track many actions from your smartphone, including when your car is moved or started, how it’s driven, and if your battery is low. You can also track where it goes via GPS. Read on for our CarLock review:

What CarLock can do:

Why do you need all this info? Let’s say you’re on a road trip with your family and your car is parked in a questionable parking lot, or outside a restaurant in an unfamiliar city. Using the CarLock app means you’ll get an instant alert in the rare case your car is stolen or someone tampers with it. I like this feature because we park our car at hotel parking lots often, sometimes in park-and-fly situations in which we’re halfway around the world while it sits there. I like the idea that I can keep tabs on it.

It can also help you avoid getting stranded while traveling due to a drained battery, and if someone does take your car, you can see your car’s location via GPS. Issues like this are unlikely, of course, but if you’ve ever parked your car in a big parking lot or on a city street then forgotten where it was, the GPS tracking could come in handy for that, too!

CarLock can also monitor driving, giving a rating for safety on each drive based on any sudden stops, quick acceleration, etc. Normally, this kind of big brother action would not be something we’d do, but we happen to have two teenage drivers in our family. It’s been useful to track their driving in order to give them feedback when we’re not with them in the car. I’m not personally a fan of tracking the GPS when a family member is driving (so far, we’ve gotten by on old-fashioned trust), but you could certainly track your teen’s GPS location (or at least the car’s) if you wanted to.

How CarLock is installed:

It’s so easy! First, you activate your account with the code that comes with your CarLock. Then you’ll be able to log into your CarLock account from the CarLock app. Next plug your CarLock device into your car. It goes in the same way a car WiFi device does: with a OBD (on-board diagnostics connector) that goes under the dashboard (near the driver’s knees under the steering wheel).

After you’ve installed the device, make sure you’re logged in to your account and take the car on a short drive to test out the GPS tracking. You should see your car’s route on your GPS map on the app. It’s that easy!

Using CarLock on a road trip:

We decided to try CarLock during a short road trip to Portland. I wanted to know how often the app would alert me (hopefully not so much that it became annoying!) and I wanted to see what driving rating I’d be given. I’d happy to say I did pretty well, though it did record a quick stop I had to make when we ran into traffic. I had the CarLock monitoring when we parked the car at night, and so far have never gotten any alerts that it’s been tampered with, as I expected I would not.

Buying your own CarLock:

The CarLock device works with any car made after 1996, and is really easy to set up. So is it worth it? I think so, if you have a need to monitor drivers OR if you take your car on lots of trips where you want to make sure it’s safe while parked. I like it mostly for the latter.

CarLock is usually $99 but on sale for $59 on Amazon. It comes with a 30 day trial subscription to the app, so you can test it for a month and return it if it’s not for you. After that, buying a monthly subscription is just over $9.

WiFi hotspot in your car: ZTE Mobley review

November 4, 2016 By Amy Hagstrom

AT&T reached out to us to product test their mobile hotspot, the ZTE Mobley. We said we’d give it a whirl on a seven-hour road trip, because I was curious about the pros and cons of having a WiFi hotspot in your car: after trying it out, would we want to keep it? Would we decide we needed it, or not?

We opted to set up the ZTE Mobley mobile hotspot in our Toyota van for use during a seven-hour road trip from Southern Oregon to Eastern Washington. I figured it was a good journey for testing: most of the route is on interstate, with plenty of cell towers close enough to be in range, with only occasional loss of coverage during mountain passes. It’s also a mixture of rural, suburban, and urban areas. It’s a typical road trip route for us here in the Northwest.

Note: this review is written for AT&T customers. If you’re not with AT&T, you can skip the set up instructions and scroll down to the part where we describe whether we think the hotspot is worth bringing on road trips.

Setting up the ZTE Mobley:

I tend to dread the ‘set up’ process when it comes to new technology, but as it turned out, setting up the mobile hotspot was easy-peasy. The ZTE Mobley is shaped a lot like an ink cartridge, and inserts directly into the OBD II connector port in your car (yeah, I didn’t know I had one, either). All you need to do is start your car’s engine, then connect your smart phone (or other WiFi-enabled device) to the network. To do this, you go through the usual steps: under WiFi on your phone, search for the WiFi network name and input password. Launch your browser.

Note: you can always manage your hotspot at http://attwifimanager.com.

On the road:

Once we were up and running, we could connect up to five wireless devices to the mobile hotspot, shared across main and guest networks. Parents: you can block certain devices from logging onto the WiFi, though it would seem to me that if you have activated the hotspot in your car, you’re ok with everyone using it. Just like any other WiFi network, you can change the password as desired.

The ZTE Mobley worked great for us on our road trip, during which we had three devices logged onto the WiFi. My teenaged sons streamed some Netflix TV shows, and I was able to work on my laptop, researching an upcoming travel story, when not in the drivers’ seat. Normally, we have a ‘no streaming’ rule on road trips, because we go through 4G data so fast when we allow it. The kids thought it was a nice treat to entertain themselves with Brooklyn Nine-Nine episodes.

Of course, there were a few places en route where we lost connection due to signal strength, but this was expected. We simply refreshed. I read criticism of the Mobley that sometimes, the signal dropped from LTE to 3G or lower, but we didn’t experience this problem.

So, do you need a WiFi hotspot in your car?

Potentially, a hotspot in your car can allow you or your kids to entertain themselves with gaming in the car, movies, TV shows, and other apps that require WiFi. I really enjoyed the ability to get work done. We were also able to stream audio books we didn’t want to have to download, saving us time and storage before our road trip. That said, in my opinion, a WiFi hotspot in the car is a nice luxury, but certainly not a necessity. We don’t personally allow screens in our car for short trips, but do allow them on long trips, making the hotspot desirable sometimes, but not all the time. With a two-year contract, however, you unfortunately can’t turn your hotspot on and off as desired.

My conclusion: I view car WiFi much like I view GoGo Inflight WiFi: well worth paying for when you need it, but not needed for every trip.

With a two-year contract, you can’t, unfortunately, turn your hotspot on and off as desired.

Cost:

If you decide a mobile hotspot is right for your family, it’s pretty affordable. If you’re an AT&T customer, the Mobley is free with a two-year contract. You can get 1 GB for $20/month or 3 GB for $30/month.

Disclosure: We tried the ZTE Mobley free of charge for six weeks, for the purpose of review. We are AT&T customers, and unfortunately for us, AT&T does not pay our monthly cellular bill.