Real Shopping

Cool Travel Gear •  Cookware & Gadgets •  RFT Marketplace

What's shopping have to do with being a real food traveler? Well, a gal's gotta do something between meals!

No, really, realfoodtraveler is all about everything authentic in the travel experience. And we believe that shopping can be a very authentic experience. Like the regional and artisan foods we love, we favor goods that are handcrafted and made by the locals. We love quirky places that are original and places that, like independent restaurants, bakeries, and other food businesses, represent someone's dream. That's what we bring you in Real Shopping.

As always, dear readers, if you know of a shop, market, or artisan who produces items we should know about, let us know. Perhaps we'll pay them a visit and they'll end up in our favorites in Real Shopping.

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Chef’s Choice Knife Sharpener: Sharp Knives and Fast

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Our editor puts Chef’s Choice Professional Sharpening Station 130 through its paces.

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Obermeyer: Ski Clothes for Real Women

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Our Ski & Dive Editor, Yvette Cardozo, finally finds ski pants for real women.

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Molcajete from IMUSA: Perfect Guacamole in Minutes

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IMUSA brings us a traditional molcajete, a Mexican mortar and pestle, that makes perfect guacamole — and more.

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Intrepid Travel

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Intrepid Travel is a small group travel company that specializes in off the beaten path adventures and authentic cultural experiences.

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Patagonia’s Light, Packable, Waterproof Rain Shadow Jacket: It’s More than a Rain Coat

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Patagonia’s Women’s Rain Shadow Jacket stands up to tough tests in the Colorado Rockies, in Canada’s Kootenays, and even in the Arctic. Read our review.

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Come on Over!

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Vacations on Our Side of the Divide offer back roads into Colorado’s Wine Country, the Grand Mesa National Scenic Byway and entry to Black Canyon National Park.

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The Brave New World of Travel Underwear (and More)

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The package label says “Seventeen countries, six weeks, one pair of underwear.” Ick? Not really.

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Cook on Clay: Rugged and Elegant Flameware Cooking Pots

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Cook on Clay offers flameware cooking pots that cook food evenly, can withstand extreme temperatures, and look beautiful on the table.

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Chop Keeper: A Surprisingly Useful Cutting Board

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The Chop Keeper is a flexible chopping board with spill-proof sides that makes a great addition to any kitchen.

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Serengeti Cielo: Seeing the World in a Whole New Way

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Bollé, the makers of Bushnell binoculars, has long been known for making quality sunglasses. With the Serengeti Sport™,they’ve eyewear to a whole new and wonderful level. In the bright, glaring sunlight of Louisiana bayous, the Cielo sunglasses darkened. In the Pacific Northwest’s lighter, gray skies, the lenses lighten up.

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Fran’s Chocolates

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Inspired by the vibrant colors of the season, our elegant boxes and bows are almost gifts in themselves. Great detail goes into creating each color palette, knowing that our satin ribbon and colorful gift boxes serve as a wonderful complement to the hand crafted chocolates inside.

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High Sierra Elevate 101: Rugged, Roomy, Lightweight

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High Sierra asked RFT to put their Elevate EL101 25-inch bag through a REAL TEST™. This bag, made with a high-density internal foam structure, is sleek looking and incredibly lightweight. RFT contributor, Lana Mulder, recently put the Elevate 101 through its paces on a cross country trip.

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