Welcome to our travel resources page.
Here, you’ll find recommendations for all our favourite travel websites, outdoor clothing and adventure gear.
As full time outdoor adventurers, we use (and wear out) a myriad of equipment, gear and gadgets. Everything listed here is tried and tested by us and comes with a personal recommendation.
There are are a few services mentioned in the working holiday section that I am unable to use myself due to nationality reasons but it is my personal belief that they are worth using.
There are affiliate links below. If you purchase something through these links, we may receive a small percentage at no cost to you.
General Travel Resources
We regularly use the following websites to book travel, insurance and tours
For short trips and overnight stays, we book accommodation through Booking.com. We love the (usually) flexible cancellation policy.
Viator is a one stop shop for tours and tickets around the world. I like using Viator to find out what kind of activities are on offer at a destination. The reviews are useful too.
Similar to Viator, Get Your Guide is an online tour booking agency. I find that Get Your Guide has better coverage for Europe than Viator so it is worth checking both.
We research flight schedules and times using Skyscanner and Google Flights. Both have the option of open-ended searches (no fixed destination). We then book direct with the airline
Working Holiday Resources
Heading to Canada on a working holiday? You may find these websites helpful
Facebook discussion and support group for working holiday participants heading to Canada. Administrated by Gemma with more than 30k members
Bag and luggage shipping service, great for sending items (such as ski equipment) home during a working holiday. 5% discount with this link
Taxback.com is an international tax filing service for international tax returns. They get the best possible refund. 5% discount with this link
True Traveller provides long stay insurance policies to permanent residents of the UK and EU, including Ireland, France and Germany. Unlimited visits home are allowed and winter sports coverage is available.
Fast Cover offer an IEC specific policy with unlimited trips home for Australian residents. An initial 12-month policy can be purchased and then extended for another 12 months on the departure date, totaling the 24 months needed for the IEC program.
Wise is an online money transfer service that we use almost every month. It has low transfer fees and an excellent exchange rate. New users can use this link for one free transfer
Outdoor gear
We are pretty picky when it comes to outdoor gear. Each piece has to be durable, lightweight and reliable. We review and change our gear list regularly.
As of February 2023
Tent: Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL3
Sleeping mat: Exped Ultra 3R Duo
Backpacking pack (Gemma): Osprey Aura 65AG
Backpacking pack (JR): Osprey Aether 70
Overnight pack: Osprey Tempest 40
Sleeping bag (Gemma): Rab Neutrino Pro 600
Sleeping bag (JR): MEC Draco -9C Wide Down
Water filtration: MSR Thru-Link (with DIY gravity system)Back-up water purification: Aquatabs
Water storage: Osprey 2l Hydraulics reservoirsFrontcountry camping stove: Jetboil Genesis
Backpacking camping stove: Jetboil MiniMo
Lightweight tarp: Rab Siltarp 2
Daypacks: Osprey Talon 22, Cotopaxi Luzon 18
Hiking poles: Black Diamond Carbon Distance Z
Hammock: ENO DoubleNest
Camp chairs: Helinox ChairOne
Backroad navigation: Backroad Mapbooks
Van: 2005 GMC Savana with DIY conversion
Kayaks: 14″ Delta kayaks
Canoe: 17″ Evergreen Cottager
Outdoor clothing
We’re pretty fussy about our clothing as well! Durability is a huge factor.
As of February 2023
Base layers: Icebreaker merino wool (tops|bottoms)
T-shirts: Icebreaker and Smartwool
Waterproof jackets: Arc’teryx Beta (mens|womens)
Mid-layer synthetic jacket (Gemma): Arc’teryx Atom LT
Down jacket (Gemma): Outdoor Research Superstrand LT
Down jacket (JR): Arc’teryx Cerium LT
Hiking shorts: Decathlon / Outdoor Research Ferrosi
Hiking pants: Outdoor Research Ferrosi
Socks: Icebreaker/Smartwool merino wool
Backpacking footwear: Salomon Quest 4D (mens|womens)
General use footwear: Oboz Sawtooth Low
Sandals: Teva HurricaneDrift
