Travel 2.0: Smart Suitcases

Call it Travel 2.0, when luggage melds with high technology to morph into a suitcase category called smart bags. What can smart bags do that more sluggish luggage can’t? According to my discoveries at this year’s Travel Goods Showcase in Las Vegas, all sorts of stuff. To wit, you can unlock these smarties remotely, or opt to open the biometric lock with a fingerprint. You can track the bags wherever they go, and however far they may get away from you. You can use them to recharge mobile devices or to get a party started. Indeed, several of the new smart bags feature speakers which transform a suitcase into a boom box. And that's just for starters. As you'll see from the examples below, innovative smart bags are combining brains and beauty in one special package.

The folks who developed The Planet Traveler SpaceCase 1 say it's the most technologically advanced suitcase coming onto the market. Features include a biometric lock, global tracking, a Bluetooth speaker, and lithium power pack. A digital sensor scale sensor is in the wheels, so you don’t actually have to lift the case to weigh it. A downloadable app controls all features, and is designed to serve as a PTA--a personal travel assistant.  The Planet Traveler SpaceCase 1 is expected to be on the market by November. The price: $700 for a full-size bag; $600 for the carry-on bag. High tech doesn’t come cheap, particularly in its first incarnation.

Planet Traveler SpaceCase1

The Andiamo iQ is also expected to hit the market this fall. Among its many smart features are a USB battery charger; a removable mobile power pack; a remote lock and unlock via the app ; a digital scale; and an anti-theft alert system that alerts you (well, your cell phone) when the bag moves 30 meters away from you; and a digital scale. Available only in carry-on, the iQ will cost $599.

Delsey’s Pluggage won't be ready until next spring. But given that it comes from a French company, you can expect a stylish debut. Delsey recently conducted an on-line survey to determine which smart features its clientele most covet. Among the options-- an inside lighting system, an auto weight scale, fingerprint ID via smartphone, and an inside speaker. After more than 6,000 votes were tabulated, the top features desired--the scale, a digital lock, and on-board detection. The feedback will be considered as the revolutionary bag is designed. The price for the carry-on is expected to be in the range of $600.

Pluggage from Delsey (prototype)

Want to hear more? Take a listen to my report on Around the World Radio. The link gets you to the archives. Find the March 19 show and go to the last segment..

Holiday Gifts for Travelers

It's that time of year when the Travel Elves drop off all sorts of sample goodies upon my doorstep for me to test. Here are a few of the products which pass gift-giving muster in my book. For more, you can watch my show-and- tell on Let's Talk Live: 

 http://www.wjla.com/blogs/lets-talk-live/2014/12/last-minute-gifts-for-globetrotters-24023.html





A Heys Ecotex 5 Piece Packing Cube Set is like a Russian Matryoshka doll. Unzip the biggest one and a smaller one appears...and so on and so on. The colorful quintet costs about $44 and a three-pack runs around $27. Both come with nifty little stick-on labels to identify what's in the bag. Available at http://shop.heys.ca/










It's not a foot rest. It's not a computer case. It's both. This Leggage laptop case has a nifty design that allows you to safely stow your computer and then use the case as a foot rest on the airplane. While the company claims that the wedges on the hard side serve to massage the tootsies...well, that may be stretching it just a bit. But especially for those with shorter legs, having a on-board foot rest will definitely add to comfort and better posture.
It's $79.99 at www.leggage.com.



LiteGear's Hybrid Rolling Tote is the perfect alternative to being weighed down by a heavy purse or tote bag. The fashionable roller, is just the right size for a change of clothing, an iPad, and many other small odds and ends, including your purse..With dimensions of 13.5″ x 8.5″ x 14.5″, it can either replace your carry-on or supplement it.  The LiteGear Hybrid Rolling Tote is available at Travelsmith, Amazon and other on-line retailers. The price ranges from $79.00 to $99.00.




Finally, from Shoes on the Fly, we have washable cotton bags in which to pack footwear. Sure, one can always use a plastic bag to separate shoes from clothing...but that's exactly why this is the perfect gift. It's one of those things that your favorite travelers might not buy for themselves, but they'll absolutely be happy 'soles' when they receive it.  The bags are adorned with various slogans and an embroidered bug matching the theme, They cost between $27.00 and $29.00 at www.shoesonthefly.com.

Holiday Gifts for Travelers: Part II

Looking for a holiday list a frequent traveler?  Ho-ho-ho, here are some ideas!

For years, I've traveled with two tennis balls in my suitcase. No, I'm not looking for a pick-up game. Instead, I roll my back along the balls in the comfort of my hotel room. I place balls on either side of my spine and then press downward as I slide along pressure points and crack my tired bones. The choreography is a bit complicated--the challenge is keeping the balls parallel while rolling along. Well, now the RAD Roller is making my version of an everywhere massage tool easier. The company has developed a functional, lightweight and durable massage and release tool that looks like two fused balls. You can easily roll your back over it, and it's small enough to target other aching muscles and sore fascial tissue. $24.99

Worried you might bust a zipper thanks to all of those holiday gifts you are packing? Maybe you just want to distinguish your blah black or blue bags from all the others on the luggage carousel. ORB Luggage Straps come in a variety of snazzy designs, and they're only $9.95. Or you can buy a coordinated accessories pack containing a matching lock and luggage tag for $24.95 at various on-line retailers.

Speaking of straps, as I type this post, I am experimenting with the BackJoy Posture Band. While it took me a few minutes to figure out the way to set it up, I managed to tie it together and throw it around my arms. The comfortable elastic tension band gently pulls your shoulders back as you are sitting at a computer...or sitting on an airplane. Granted, if you walk around the airport wearing it, some people may think you are into S & M. Little do they know that your goal is solely to get your posture on the up and up. $19.99



Finally, for the uber-organized, Eagle Creek presents its Pack-It system. The smart, methodical and slightly OCD-prone traveler on your gift list will love it.  The PACK-IT line has everything from Folders, in which you can pack clothing to be wrinkle-free, to Cubes, perfect for compressing pants, Tees, or PJs.. You can buy them as stand-alones or as sets. For example, a starter set contains a mediim folder and a large and a small cube for $35.  Other pricing is available at http://shop.eaglecreek.com/.

Ideas for larger items can be found here.

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Holiday Gifts for Travelers: Treats for the Feet

Cold, sweaty and tired feet can leave many a traveler feeling defeeted.  Here are a few new products that claim to prime your paws for all travel conditions. I have not tested these products, and so will not rate them. If you've tried them, let me know what you think.

First off, we have Get Grounded Footwear Groundals for $49.99 (straps come in black, gold or silver).
The claim: Wearing these sandals will ground you to Mother Nature's magnetic field. The press materials call Groundals "the first footwear featuring a fully-grounded foot bed, made with a proprietary trade-secret material called TerraMater." Apparently, this material conducts negatively-charged free electrons "allowing for the absorption of  positive energy from the earth's natural surfaces." The process, called grounding, allows one's body to be in direct electrical contact with the earth, leading to an increase in energy. Amazing....just from wearing a pair of sandals. Now look, I am not a total skeptic. I lived across from the ocean in Santa Barbara for four years and found barefoot beach walks quite energizing (something to do with the negative ions, they say). But as the sample pair of Groundals sent to me were too big to wade in, I cannot replicate my Pacific experience here on the East Coast. For the New Age-types on your gift list, though, this might give them a charge.

Somewhat more down to earth are the superlatives offered by the makers of Heat Holders. The packaging calls Heat Holders the warmest thermal socks around.  The scientific proof, as claimed by the manufacturer, is in the Thermal Overall Grade (TOG). This measure of a textile's warming ability shows Heat Holders get a 2.34 score; ordinary thermal socks rate a .89; and your basic cotton socks score a .33.  At $15.99, it's worth a try. If they don't end up being the perfect stocking stuffer, next year, you can use them as your spare Christmas stocking.



The Nufoot sock is a good slip-on for those who prefer not to walk around the plane/hotel room/yoga studio barefoot.  Made with a breathable four-way stretch fabric,the Nufoot footie is water and skid resistant. Priced at $14.99, the footies come in a variety of pleasing patterns.

Holiday Gift Guide for Travelers: Part 1

The holiday shopping season officially kicks off in two weeks. If you are looking for unique items for the travelers on your ho-ho-holiday gift list, here are some DailySuitcase reviews.

Shavetech Rechargeable Travel Shaver: $29.99
Rating: 5 Suitcases
This lightweight, easy-to-use razor is the perfect stocking stuffer for the man on the road. For easy charging, just plug the USB plug into a port on your computer and you are good to go for at least six shaves.


The Traveler Cosmetic and Toiletry Totes: $30-45 
Rating: 2 Suitcases

Inspire Travel Luggage calls this a new concept for traveling with full-size toiletries. It features a removable plastic liner (that looks like a trash bin) designed to prevent leakage. The thing is, that plastic liner is big and unyielding, making the bag rather clunky. I think you are better off yielding to the 3-ounce liquid bottle rule, or going with a Travel Happens Sealed Wet Bag to protect from spills.


Stewart/Stand Stainless Steel Wallets: $69.50 (billfold); $119.50 (clutch wallet)
Rating: 4 Suitcases

We live in a paranoid world, my friends. And the fact is, credit cards, some driver's licenses, ATM cards--anything that has RFID (radio-frequency identification) technology can be skimmed by scammers. Stewart/Stand has designed a line of high-fashion accessories to block RFID skimming. Design materials include lightweight Italian leather, silver ballistic nylon, and woven stainless steel cloth. The stainless steel is made from 85% post consumer recycled material. The wallets look good; they are fairly flat; and they protect the goods. My only quibble is the price.

Road Testing Travel Products in Flight

Today, I will officially inaugurate my Suitcase rating system for travel accessories. One Suitcase means a product is of little use, while Five Suitcases is 'da bomb.

Let's start with luggage, shall we? For this trip, I brought a plum Biaggi foldable bag and colorful Heys Britto carry-on. Having previously used the former with much success for the tight spaces of the Trans-Siberian, I realized collapsing it too many times on the last trip caused the retracting handle to be a bit finicky for this train jaunt. Give it two and a half suitcases, because while the concept is good, but it doesn't stand the test of time and heavy use. As for the Heys, which is made of lightweight polycarbonate, the exterior design suffered from the wear and tear of an African adventure. I love Heys carry-ons, but the fancy ones are best used in circumstances where baggage handling by others is limited. That said, while the lovely exterior did get beat up, the bag did its job in terms of protecting the contents inside. So, functionally--four suitcases; aethestically, what started out as a five suitcase rating ends up at 2 1/2.

The other bag I brought was an STM Linear Laptop Shoulder Bag ($89.95). It's perfect for carrying an iPad or tablet, plus a cell phone, a small wallet, and a banana. The bag has several separate compartments so it's easy to put a room key in one pouch, a banana in another, and your devices...well, they can be left to their own devices. Me likey. Five suitcases.

After you make your toting decisions, it's time to decide what to bring to improve your onboard comfort--particularly for an 18-hour flight like the one I took from Dulles to Johannesburg on South African Airways I'm always game for trying products that claim to improve on-board posture, so the Verti-ZZZ intrigued me. While it looks like a slingshot, it's meant to be a combo back straightener, head cradler, and eye shade. If one manages to sit still the entire flight, the product has potential. But it slips out of place too easily, thus contorting the neck, not supporting it As a slingshot, the Verti-ZZZ gets four suitcases, but as a device to ensure comfort, it gets a one. Maybe others agreed--the company website no longer seems to exist.

Next, I tried the Tri-Pil-Lo, with not one, but three, inflatable compartments for your in-flight pleasure. It was very difficult to blow up; the guy in the adjacent seat had to help me ( after first laughing at my futile attempts. Once inflated,it turned out to be a very nice foot rest. It didn't work as a back pillow, though, because the seat was not deep enough. At the end of the flight, it proved difficult to deflate. Right now, the Tri-Pil-Lo gets only three suitcases, but the company promises it is coming up with an easier-to-inflate model which will sell in the U.S. for $19.95.

Compression socks are not just for old ladies anymore. Zensah makes fashionable Compression Leg Sleeves for men and women (starting at $39.95). Colors range from navy blue to neon pink. Since they are above-the-ankle "sleeves" and not socks, no one will know you are wearing them, unless you choose to don them with shorts. In that case, you, my friend, are a little odd. At any rate, the sleeves didn't squeeze, and they seemed to relax my legs during the 18-hour flight. Of course, sitting in the bulkhead emergency row seat didn't hurt the comfort of my gams. Nevertheless, I'll give Zensah credit and a five suitcase rating.

Hot New Travel Accessories for Summer Travel

I will be discussing these products and others this Thursday at 11:15 AM on Let's Talk Live on NewsChannel 8/WJLA in Washington, DC. Tune in.

Keeping dry is the name of the travel accessory game this summer. Wet bags, designed with thick waterproof lining and sealed seams for on-to-go storage of your soaked stuff, are all the rage these days. Colorful fabrics make them both functional and fashionable.

Wilma the Whale is just one of the Roll Down Wet Bag designs offered by Planet Wise. With a quick zip, roll and a snap, Wilma and her sisters securely store clammy gear, with no worries of moisture leaking through. Made in the USA, they come in medium ($18.50) and large ($22.50) sizes. www.planetwiseuinc.com

Travel Happens, by Itzy Ritzy, is another wet bag line with razzle-dazzle designs.The bags are machine washable and eco-friendly. They retail for $17.95 and $21.95, depending on the size. The company also makes Snack Happens Reusable Snack & Everything Bags, perfect for storing drippy sandwiches, juicy fruit, and even toiletries. The 7 x 7 inch pouches sells for $9.99. www.itzyritzy.com


New AirQuart bags are strictly designed to get your liquids through airport security in a stylish fashion. The 9 1/2 x 7 inch transparent case is lined with a trendy trim and topped with an integrated zipper and wrist strap. The gusseted bottom expands for even more space. www.Flanabags.com
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On the other hand, sometimes, you just need to let off a little steam when traveling, particularly if your clothing is wrinkled. The Joy Mangano 900-Watt My Little Steamer and Go Mini Set ($49.95) lets you pump out the steam needed to get creases out of linens and cottons. No more relying on old hotel irons, which might leave a black stain on your white duds. www.hsn.com

Doing downward dog is another great way to blow off steam. If the lotus position and the locust are part of your daily repertoire, Manduka has a yoga mat that is perfect for traveling. The eKO SuperLite Mat ($40) weighs in at two pounds and can easily be folded to fit into carry-on luggage.



If you are of the age where reading glasses are a must, how about the specs on tony eye wear that's also comfortable nose wear? Scojo's Gels Collection, made with a lightweight flexible plastic, has designs for both men and women ($42.00-$48.00). www.scojo.com

Laura Plays Christmas Elf...

...without the jaunty cap. Here are a few last-minute ideas for those shopping for the travelers in their lives.

God Bless Bieber, God Save the Queen, and God Knows What Else is in SkyMall

This post was originally conceived as a piece about helpful items to bring on a two-week TransSiberian Express adventure. However, a change of itinerary left me merely armchairing SkyMall on a plane rather than giving berth to an article on train travel.

Having never read SkyMall cover to cover, I took the opportunity to do so on a flight from Washington, DC to San Francisco. Below are some of the items that intrigued me, amused me, or otherwise unhinged me.

Let’s start with the erudite. I never mind a little in-flight education, unless it comes via a boring seatmate. The best way to learn and to shut out said space interloper at the same time is to throw on some earphones and listen to your lovely Complete Works of Beethoven, only $169.00 on SkyMall.  Or opt to learn a language via Rosetta Stone. Courses cost between $179.99 and $499.99 and they include an app for that.

All images from SkyMall Catalog

If your body is aching in flight, as mine was, the appeal of the SomaWave Helmut ($79.99, batteries not included) beckons. Sure, you’ll look like a space alien or an escapee from an insane asylum as you don the metal cap.  But the catalog copy insists it’s “like having thousands of tiny fingers stimulate your scalp“ and  its "euphoria-inducing waves may produce sleep or a trance-like state of consciousness."  If it sounds too good to be true, note that the product reviews tell potential purchasers to wave bye-bye to this flight of fancy.

A little less high-tech is the ReLeaf Neck Nest ($19.99). You’ll look like a stylin’ Catholic priest wearing a black dickey highlighted with royal blue. Unlike U-shaped pillows that plop your head forward, this clerical collar keeps you on the straight and narrow. And you can fold it up and throw it in your carry-on.

Now, if a long plane flight has your spirits down, SkyMall believes there might be some magic in star power. Take, for example, Justin Bieber Singing Toothbrushes. You have two choices. One plays Baby and (appropriately) U Smile, while the other plays Somebody to Love and Love Me. Each tune lasts two minutes, which is optimal brushing time, according to nine out of ten Canadian dentists. Vibrating brushes range in price from $14.99 to $27.99, although you can also buy a mute manual Bieber brush for the bargain bounty of $2.99. And just in time for food stuck between teeth--mint-flavor Bieber floss ($2.99).
Loony.

For those with a little more class, how about a Diamond Jubilee Solar-Powered Queen? A solar battery in her purse ensures that familar steady steady wave ($21.95). If you like, you can accessorize the monarch with a solar-powered corgi ($14.95), who will nod his head happily. Prince Philip not included.