Feature photo by faster panda killl kill. Photo above by Martin Kingsley

Backpacking and semi-roughing it in hostels doesn’t mean your daily grooming routine should go down the drain. Here are a few travel-sized items guaranteed to help you maintain your debonair style while on the road.

Tie Caddy

Unpacking your neckties from your backpack only to find them wrinkled can be irritating.

Say No! to wrinkled ties with the Tie Caddy, a plastic cylinder for storing rolled up ties.

With its transparent design, you can easily spot the tie you’d like to wear out without unloading your entire backpack.

Inflatable Hangers

Face it, finding hangers for your suits in hostels can be a drag.

Why not bring your own lightweight, inflatable hangers? Made from durable vinyl, its backflow valve technology allows you to easily inflate the hangers when needed, and quickly deflate them.

Multi-Purpose Lint Brush

Forget Swiss Army knives.

The only multi-purpose tool you need is this Austin-house plastic lint brush that also morphs into a shoe horn, mirror, and comb, with a bonus sewing kit thrown in.

Laundry Pack w/ Sink Stopper

Now you can have a fresh pair of socks everyday with this handy travel laundry kit.

Included are 5 liquid Woolite sachets (to be used with cold water), a sink stopper for plug-less sinks, and a portable laundry line with suction cups for hang-drying your clothes.

Jack Black On-the-Road Travel Pack

TSA-friendly at 3 oz each, this all-in-one pack includes:

• A beard lube conditioning shave with jojoba and eucalyptus,
• An All-Over-Wash for face, hair, & body with wheat protein and panthenol,
• A face buff energizing scrub with Vitamin C and menthol,
• An industrial strength hand healer with vitamins A & E,
• A double duty face moisturizer with blue algae extract & sea parsley SPF 20,
• and an intense therapy lip balm.

All in a sleek looking black travel bag.

Dual Voltage Travel Clothes Steamer

Using a portable iron on your Hugo Boss suit while backpacking is nothing short of heresy.

This compact steamer gently removes wrinkles from your clothes by converting water into steam within a few minutes. Its handle folds away nicely, and this design makes the steamer ideal for travelers.

Magic Wand® Stain Remover

Now, red wine and pasta sauce mishaps on the road can be quickly remedied by busting out your magic wand, applying it to the stain, wetting it, and rubbing it out.

This non-toxic, biodegradable stick works seamlessly on chocolate, grass, and blood stains and is safe for double knits and synthetic fabrics.

Community Connection

Looking for more travel-sized items? Check out 10 Surprising Travel Sized Items and 10 Multi-Use Items You Should Consider Packing.

Photo: MSR

Don’t let the spelling fool you. There is nothing worse than carrying your wet, soaked towel on your trip. It will never dry, you’re better off not showering. Stay clean and fresh and pack your MSRPackTowl.

It’s not your Mom’s fancy egyptian cotton, but it will keep you from smelling like a wet dog on your trip.

It’s available in four sizes and in two solid colors. It soaks up four times its weight in water, and dries faster than any other towel. Pick a size that is big enough to wrap around your body. It’s perfect for camping, traveling, and mastering your towel change.

Tip: Use the snap loop and hang it on your pack, while you travel to your destination. It will be dry for your next shower.

Minor setback: You’ll never go back to a regular towel again.

Cost: $10-$33 ( depending on size )

Where to buy: Backcountry.com

Photo courtesy of Little Passports

Even in the digital age, is there anything more exciting for a child than a package arriving in the mail? And if that package is from an exotic, far-off country, all the better! The creators of Little Passports use a combination of real, tangible items and interactive online games that are guaranteed to get kids excited to learn about our neighbors around the globe.

As a Little Passports member, your child will receive a package every month from “Sam” and “Sofia”, their traveling friends. Each package will include a personalized letter describing their current location, as well as local souvenirs and fun activities. And the fun doesn’t stop there! Also included is a collectible boarding pass with a secret access code, which kids can use to log into a “Boarding Zone” online with lots of country-specific games.

For their first year with Little Passports, Sam and Sofia will guide children through countries like Japan, Brazil, Mexico, China, France, Australia, Egypt and South Africa.

The founders of Little Passports are determined to help the next generation of Americans become more globally aware.

In addition, the company proudly donates 1% of its sales to non-profits working to improve the conditions of children around the world such as SOS Children’s Villages - USA and Ubuntu Education Fund.

Price: $10.95/month

Photo: Burton

Filming a backcountry snowboard flick? Use the camera bag designed by riders, for riders: Burton Zoom Pack [28L]

It features a vertical snowboard strap and an external shovel compartment. The backpack is intuitive, well designed, and evenly distributes the weight.

However, this pack is amazing off the mountains as well. It fits a 13 inch Macbook in the laptop compartment sleeve. It is also loaded with pockets and useful compartments for your SD cards, film and batteries.

We took it on our five month journey around fifty states, and found this pack to be most important piece of equipment we brought. It kept our batteries, cameras, and electronics away from the elements.

It’s made out of high density nylon and has padded customizable internal compartments. In other words, it’s mountain worthy.

Concerned about weight? It weighs about 4.5 LBS without your gear. If you’re packing more weight, the plush ergonomic shoulder harness and back panel keeps your camera gear supported to your back.

Minor setback: It’s too cool for school.

Cost: $130

Where to buy: Burton.com

Matador Member - steph_360

Photos by steph_360

I’m fired up on learning new things everywhere, reading anything and everything (I’ve been really into travel narratives recently), cooking for and with my closest friends, seeing new movies and re-watching favorite ones, taking pictures everywhere, spending time with my family.

Be sure to check out steph_360’s Matador profile.

Favorite books: The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The Realm of Possibility, by David Levithan. A Year in the World, by Frances Mayes.

Photo: Rip Curl

Stay warm and catch some offshore breezes and perfect A-frames on your next surf sesh with a Rip Curl F-Bomb Wetsuit.

I stayed warm this past winter on my home break in Newport Beach, California. The water isn’t freezing, but a good early morning surf will still get your body numb if you’re not surfing with the right suit.

This suit is loaded with double-sided seamed seals, super stretchy neoprene, and an overhead chest zipper. It’s lightweight, fits really snug and is ultra low-profile.

There are plenty of wetsuits on the market and the prices can vary. You can spend $100 and get a basic suit. You can also break the bank and throw down $400+ for a wetsuit.

My advice? Pick up a quality suit, invest in it, and you’ll be rocking a warm suit for a few seasons/years depending on how often you surf.

Tip: Prolong the life of your wetsuit by rinsing your wetsuit after you surf and hang it in a shaded area away from direct sunlight.

Minor setback: Pulling the wetsuit over your head and mastering the art of the towel change.

Cost: 4/3mm $390 & 3/2mm $370

Where to buy: Authorized Rip Curl Dealers

Feature Photo by (nutmeg). Photo Above by Shockie

Fourth of July is just around the corner and you’ve probably got a few cookouts to hit and fireworks to marvel at before the weekend’s up.

Wondering how your fellow citizens will be celebrating? Hal Amen brings us independence day events being organized by American expats from around the world, as well as top notch events being held within the States.

Looking for ways to enjoy the festivities with minimal environmental impact? Julie Schwietert details various ways of “greening” your 4th of July party.

If you’d like to shake up your cookout menu this holiday weekend, it’s never too late to try out some new finger-licking barbecue recipes and these cookbooks deliver.

Photo: REI

Don’t even think about buying a cheap tent from your neighborhood store. The low dollar sign may look enticing, but a good night’s rest is sometimes worth the cost.

Ditch your mortgage payment and your rent and invest in a REI Half Dome 2 HC. It’s a simple, easy to set up, two-person presidential suite. It’s lightweight, has two entry doors, and takes about as much time to set up as making your morning coffee.

For under $200, it’s the best deal for the quality and the features.

I took it on our long bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles. It turned out to be the best gear I brought.

Tip: Purchase a tent footprint. It prolongs the life of your tent.

Minor setback: You might lose some friends because you’ll be sitting next to fire, while they are still trying to find the directions for their tent.

Cost: $169

Where to buy: REI.com

Photo courtesy of Inhabitat

You know indulging in those thirty minute, extra-steamy showers isn’t the best thing for the planet, but you just can’t help it. What you need is a little motivation to hop out of the tub, and fast.

Enter “Spiky“: A shower curtain that gives the infamous Psycho scene a run for its money in horror. (Did you think by “killer” I meant “cool”?)

Designed by artist Elisabeth Buecher, this shower curtain attacks when the pre-set timer runs out. Long plastic spikes inflate, pinning the victim against the wall; a frightening reminder to rinse out that shampoo and turn off the water.

Spiky has an even more terrifying cousin; a shower curtain that inflates, trapping you inside a suffocating plastic bubble. Hitchcock would be proud.

Photo courtesy of Inhabitat

Due to obvious liability reasons, these “Green Warrior” shower curtains are not available for sale, but they will be featured at the Milan Furniture Fair.

Photo: Mountain Hardwear

Throw your 6th grade outdoor education sleeping bag to the curb, and pick yourself up a Mountain Hardwear Phantom 32 sleeping bag.

Even though this sleeping bag is technically designed for outdoor enthusiasts, it’s perfect on your 6-month backpacking trip across South America.

Why does it kick ass? When it’s packed, it’s about the size of a Nalgene bottle. It weighs just over a pound, and it’s insulated with 800-fill down. It’s warm enough for cold winter nights, but thin enough for a summer’s night under the palm tree on the beach.

Tip: Pack a ultralight Thermarest with you as well. The temperature rating is only accurate with an insulated sleeping pad.

Cost: (Long): $305.00 (Reg): $290.00

Where to buy: REI.com