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Cool tools really work.
A cool tool can be any book, gadget, software, video, map, hardware, material, or website that is tried and true. All reviews on this site are written by readers who have actually used the tool and others like it. Items can be either old or new as long as they are wonderful. We post things we like and ignore the rest. Suggestions for tools much better than what is recommended here are always wanted.
I never enjoy slathering my whole body with sunscreen and the goop comes with a lot of baggage, like water contamination, questionable chemicals, nanoparticles, and high prices in foreign vacation destinations. It fills a need, especially at the pool or beach, but often swim shirts and sun hoodies can accomplish the same thing. I’m especially liking the one I packed for California and Florida this summer: the Kuhl Engineered Hoody. It’s lightweight, cool, and odor-resistant. Plus it’s flattering on my non-gym-rat body so if you’re more pumped up, it’ll look fantastic. Get it direct at that link or at REI.
Veloplanner for European Bike Routes
If you’re planning a road cycling trip in Europe, you might want to check in on Veloplanner to see what the routes and distances are like. Although more limited in scope than hiking sites/apps like AllTrails and Wikiloc, there’s a helpful depth of information on established rides, from a one-day circle around Lake Balaton in Hungary to the 1,101km Ciclovia del Sole where “cyclists will climb 9,275 meters and descend 10,103 meters.”
Paying Tolls in a Rental Car
In this age of virtual toll scanners you drive right past or under, it’s easy to miss a toll you’re supposed to pay when you’re in a rental car in the USA. Mark F. from sister newsletter Recomendo highlighted a hack via The Toll Roads website that works for southern California, but unfortunately there’s no universal solution for other geographies. The best I’ve seen is this Uni device that works in 19 states and will cover you up the entire East Coast except for South Carolina, which doesn’t have many toll roads to work around.
A weekly newsletter with four quick bites, edited by Tim Leffel, author of A Better Life for Half the Price and The World’s Cheapest Destinations. See past editions here, where your like-minded friends can subscribe and join you.