Today’s gear suggestion and review comes from Matador community member, Charlotte Dando

The Solio Solar Battery Charger is a pretty nifty gadget!

It is pocket sized and comes with adaptors which fit most mobiles phones, MP3 players and other electrical items.

To be honest, it takes a LONG time to fully charge in the sun but it can also be charged via a mains plug.

It works best as a portable battery for a few days when you’re away from mains power – either camping, trekking or wherever!

Price: $88.23 | BUY

Today’s gear suggestion and review of the super absorbent shammy comes from Matador community member, Lost_Soles

I found that one of the most useful pieces of gear when on the go is the Shammy towel.

They are relatively cheap and can be picked up at your local backpacking/outdoors/swimming store. I’ve had mine for years and it is still in good shape.

They suck up tons of moisture and dry completely after being rung out a few times. They take up a lot less space than regular towels and can be used for a number of other things in a pinch.

So in closing, and giving due justice to Douglas Adams; When traveling one must always know where their towel is, or in this case, shammy!.

Price: $14.97 | BUY

Today’s travel gear review comes from Matador Pulse editor and community member, Julie Schwietert.

Let’s get a few details and disclaimers out of the way:

(1) I am not the kind of person who rushes out to acquire the latest cell phone.

(2) I disabled text messaging on my own cell phone because I don’t know how to text and because I never remember to use the key lock before tossing my phone in my bag…thereby resulting in charges for messages I’ve never sent.

(3) I have had Cingular—now AT&T—for at least five years… and have never been particularly impressed by the company’s service.

Still, I seized the opportunity to use the Samsung BlackJack with AT&T service free for 30 days.

Having seen advertisements boasting that it permits users to call to and from “more than 200 countries,” I was interested in testing the company’s claim during a trip that would take me from New York City to Mexico City and from Mexico City to rural Colombia.

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Ladies, this one’s for you!

This is the ultimate convertible dress for traveling light.

You can wear this fabric in four different ways below:

• As a top paired with your favorite pants/jeans
• As a sleeveless dress for a night out
• As a long skirt for travel in conservative regions
• As a short skirt for hitting the beach

Made with jersey-knit (95% Rayon, 5% Spandex) and machine washable , this dress is also easy to maintain, and at less than $20, pretty affordable too.

Price: $17.99 | BUY

For aspiring travel writers, today’s travel gear review comes from Matador Pulse editor and community member, Julie Schwietert.

In an article titled Top 10 Gear Choices for Travel Writers, Julie mentions one of her favorite items – an Olympus Digital Voice Recorder. Here are excerpts from her article.

At a recent bull fight in Mexico, I recorded the sounds of the event that I would not have been able to put down quite the same way in writing.

I’ll definitely use these “audio notes” to write an article, but I may also transfer the files to my laptop and create an audio clip to accompany the written piece.

I use an Olympus handheld digital audio recorder that can capture up to 120 hours and which transfers files with a standard USB cable to a Mac or PC. It’s smaller than a cell phone and costs between $40 and $60.

- Julie Schwietert

I need to get me one of these puppies!

Price:$54.99 | BUY

I still believe Keen makes some of the most attractive, functional adventure trekking soles.

I’d previously reviewed the Keen Women’s Targhee II Mid Hiking Boots which kept my feet blister free while trekking the Inca Trail.

And its Keen Newport H2 carries on that tradition.

These quick drying sandals with antimicrobial footbeds allows sufficient ventilation and controls moisture and odors.

It is contoured to provide excellent support and is super comfy.

Men’s Sandals: $89.95 | BUY

Women’s Sandals: $89.95 | BUY

Today’s travel gear suggestion comes from Matador community member, Slinky. Here’s what Slinky shares about the sleek Creative Zen 32G MP3 player:

I am sure people feel very strongly either for or against MP3 players while traveling. I get told a lot how I’m missing out when I am “plugged in and zoned out” but to me, airports and layovers are boring the world over.

When used in moderation, any MP3 player allows me to arrive at my destination in a much calmer mood.

My choice: Creative Zen 32gig with Ultimate ears buds.

Make your own travel soundtrack, just don’t miss your plane when your gate change gets announced! – Slinky

Price: $239.99 | BUY

These are all super-light items that are going to be used often, adding convenience to your hosteling experiences without overburdening your back.

1) Orikaso Flatworld Dinner Set

Orikaso Campware – $9.57

Want the convenience of your own plate, bowl and cup without the weight of an enamel set?

From bus-stops to beaches, the Flatworld dinner set from Orikaso has kept me fed and watered on the road and in the less clean of hostel kitchens.

This folding plastic set weighs next to nothing, and takes up almost no space in a backpack or suitcase.

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For chess lovers AND avid travelers out there, here is the perfect travel chess set for you! It comes with a plastic case, a metallic surface, and magnetic chess pieces. The coolest thing about this chess set is that the pieces are short so you can place the lid over the set and save the current game. Should you feel the need to vigorously shake the box, the pieces still maintain their position!

Now if only I knew how to play chess….

Price: $25.00 | BUY