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Showing posts with label Travel Accessories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Travel Accessories. Show all posts

Monday, June 15, 2020

Summer Travel Tips: Packing for Your Covid Era Road Trip


Hope you caught my appearance on The Jam on May 27. If you missed it, click here or read on for more information.

Packing for a road trip, especially with kids in tow, is always an annual summer ordeal. But this year, things are made more complicated by the need to bring along extra cleaning supplies. 
For many of us, you can never be too germ-phobic these days. Especially on a road trip, during which you may need to stop at places that may not have extensive cleaning protocols (like gas stations and roadside cafes), you need to take the burden of cleaning on yourself.
  
So, develop a special packing list this summer, designed especially to the COVID-19 situation. Of course, bring along the usual suspects, including hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes. For pumping gas, pack plastic gloves, cover your hand with a plastic bag, or use your winter mittens!
Remember to bring along an ample supply of face masks, as you need to wash them after a single use. 

Don't forget the microbes that are accumulating on your phone. Clean your phone regularly, and swap out screen protectors frequently.
A couple of other items that might not seem so obvious are a thermometer and a battery-operated UV light sanitizing wand. The science is still out on how well these work on viruses, but a light swipe as an add-on to other cleaning protocols likely can’t hurt. 
The jury is still out on sterilizing with
UV light, but it can't hurt as an extra precaution.
Pack a small cleaning kit for everyone in the car. Try to store kits away from the sun, in part to avoid extra-runny hand sanitizer. To dispense with the need for multiple stops, bring along your own food and beverage. Not only will you not have to stop for nibbles, but you won’t have to worry about germ-laden packaging. Additionally, you can also select food items that, even if dropped, won’t create a mess in the car (carrot sticks, pretzels versus sticky stuff).











Tuesday, February 21, 2017

The Gadget Guru is Back with Accessories for Travelers on the Go

As always, your gadget guru is on the lookout for the newest and coolest travel products.
Here's a link to this week's TravelTuesday segment on Great Day Washington. Below, details on the items showcased.

Likely the most unusual one that has come to my attention recently is the MTS Multi Threat Shield. Sure, this case looks like your average black laptop bag. And you can fit some small electronics and personal items in the pockets. But the reality is, this is a Maxwell Smart contraption that converts into a ballistic shield protecting you against knife and gun attacks. I kid you not. The MTS Multi Threat Shield from the Force Training Institute can be unfolded in an emergency situation, revealing a three-foot long shield with Kevlar technology inside. Of course, in the case of this case, safety doesn't come cheap. The MTS Multi Threat Shield costs $899.00.
Image Courtesy Security Magazineor



A less alarming, and less expensive, way to protect yourself is with a Travelon Door Knob Stick. Put this $12 gizmo on your hotel room door knob and it will vibrate or sound an alarm if the door is touched or opened. It’s key to remember you are using the device--especially if you are prone to midnight sleepwalks in hotel corridors.


Another user-friendly product is the Rolling Mobile Pro for LiteGear. This carry-on converts from backpack to roller bag. It's designed to comply with all of the newfangled airline baggage rules. What's more, now that some airlines are planning to charge for overhead bin space, Rolling Mobile Pro owners will be comforted to know that this bag fits under almost any seat. For $129.95, you get separate pockets for water bottles, smart phones and laptops, inline skate wheels, a padded air-mesh and a padded telescoping handle.

A more conventional carry-on, although hardly conventional, is the Barracuda number. Sure, there are other collapsible bags on the market, but I find this one folds flatter and is sleeker in other ways as well. First, the collapsible frame offers several storage options, including under the bed or hanging in the closet. The Halo Handle System lets you twist and turn the handle, saving those delicate muscles in the wrists and hands from cramping. A built-in tray provides a portable desk for beverages and laptops. There's also a USB charger, a location tracking and proximity device and a mobile scale included. A TSA-approved lock is built into the case. All of these features don't come cheap. The Barracuda costs $349.00.


The Ventev Chargestand 3000c is a nifty two-in-one portable charger and phone stand that can be used either horizontally or vertically. It comes in quite handy when you are shooting video, as it can serve as a tripod and a continuing power source. As a portable charger, it can add about 12 hours of additional talk time on your battery for only $49.99.


Wednesday, October 12, 2016

More on Travel Accessories and Luggage from CNN Travel...and Me




8 hottest new accessories for travelers



(CNN)Roll-top suitcases, germ-busting bags and sleep-inducing face spoons — these are likely to be this year's headline-making travel gadgets.
That's the takeaway from this year's Travel Goods Show, held in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Crowdfunded products and 2.0 smart technology seem to be the prominent trends in the travel accessories arena.
    That translates into a wide selection of innovative products, from the practical to the posh.
    Here's our pick of the best:

    EgeeTouch Smart Travel Padlock

    This high-tech padlock looks like an old-fashioned lock.
    It isn't.
    It claims to be the first of its kind to require no key, no dial, and no code.
    Instead, a fob using Near Field Communication sends an abracadabra signal to the lock.
    Another option is downloading the Egee app to a smartphone.
    While NFC is the primary unlocking mechanism, Bluetooth is incorporated to allow for vicinity tracking should luggage go astray.
    The EgeeTouch lock is TSA-accepted.
    Pricing for the lock and matching fob -- crowdfunded on Indiegogo -- starts at $45.

    Trunkster

    Prior to its release to the general public this year, Trunkster had been generating a ton of buzz.
    It all started with the most successful crowdfunding campaign (via Kickstarter) ever in the travel products space.
    That was followed up by an appearance -- and a deal -- on U.S. TV show "Shark Tank."
    Now, it's a winner of the Travel Goods Show Product Innovation Award.
    Trunkster is shaking up the world of luggage design with new-wave suitcases that dispense with zippers in favor of a roll-top sliding door.
    There's also an integrated digital scale, a removable battery, global tracking and a super-sturdy handle.
    Seductive design doesn't come cheap. The current website price is $355.

    Genius Pack Carry-On Spinner

    This case packs your clothes better than you do.
    Hauling around dirty laundry is the bane of the traveler who doesn't want to get soaked by hotel dry-cleaning prices.
    The Genius Pack 22-inch Carry-On Spinner can't wash dirty clothing, but it can compress it to take up less suitcase room.
    Laundry Compression Technology works by expelling unwanted air through a valve integrated into one compartment of the luggage.
    Back home, the dirty laundry bag is taken out and its contents thrown directly in the wash.
    Other novelties are a built-in slot for umbrella storage and a strap designed to secure a jacket onto the suitcase handle.
    The case weighs in at less than eight pounds and retails for $258.

    ORGO Lite

    We might like the price of micro hotels, but those tiny hotel bathrooms, where the toilet lid is the only place to stash toiletries, officially suck.
    This is where ORGO Lite comes in.
    It's an expandable, portable case that generates its own counter.
    Unzipped, it spans across most sinks to create space. Closed and zipped up, it fits easily into a small suitcase.
    Interior compartments are designed to hold lotions, potions, and toothbrushes in place.
    The ORGO Lite was another winner of the TGS Product Innovation Award.
    The suggested retail price is $39.99.

    Healthy Back Bag

    Ergonomics is a key focus in travel accessory design these days.
    The Healthy Back Bag tackles the issue with its teardrop-shaped satchel.
    Created by a leather craftsman, a doctor and a chiropractor, it molds to the shape of the body to combat problems of weight stress.
    With a non-slip strap to keep it in place, the Healthy Back Bag distributes weight across the back rather than pulling from one point on the shoulder.
    The designers say the more places a bag touches the body when worn, the lighter it feels, thus encouraging good posture.
    Price ranges depending upon size and fabric.

    Occles

    This product, crowdfunded on Indiegogo, relies on the concept that the only thing keeping us from getting a decent in-flight snooze is ambient light seeping into our eye masks.
    The makers of Occles say their goggles will keep the illumination out, even if they make the user look like they're wearing spoons on their face.
    If used for sunbathing, they'll keep the UV rays out as well.
    Light, durable, strong and bridgeless (to avoid a tan line across the nose), the eye covers are padded with soft rubber.
    The adjustable fit works for a wide range of head sizes.
    Available in a variety of vibrant colors, the eyewear retails for $31.

    Airpocket

    The Airpocket comes with a wide band that can be secured to a suitcase.
    Airline seat back pockets can be a cesspool of germs.
    That's why the Airpocket, crowdfunded on Kickstarter, may come in handy.
    This Australian-designed bag, made from somewhat pungent neoprene, organizes travel essentials into a neat package that fits in the seat back pocket.
    A wide band across the back allows it to be secured to a suitcase handle during crazed dashes across the airport.
    Add-on accessories include the Travelbook ($35) which holds documents in a slim flat case with RFID blocking and the Amenities Case ($20) with a see-through top.
    The suggested retail price for the Airpocket alone is $71.

    Arm-Share

    Armrest wrestling with neighboring passengers is one of the major annoyances of air travel.
    Arm-Share claims to end this territorial struggle for good.
    The double-decker device creates an upper and lower armrest surface permitting neighbors to use the same space, albeit on different levels.
    It's actually more comfortable, on all levels, than the airline armrest itself, and it folds up for easy storage.
    The product is expected to be available for sale by late summer 2016 for $30.
    www.omgiwant.com/Arm-Share_p_22.html