From a scarf that doubles up as a neck cushion to a laptop charger the size of a lipstick: The innovative new travel gadgets you need this summer.
- The Trtl Travel Pillow is a neck support hidden inside a soft fleece scarf
- The clever Asobu water bottle doubles up as a pill container
- The Silk Bra Stash is a pouch to hide valuables attached to a bra strap
21
View
comments
Travel - nourishing for the soul but not without its pitfalls.
Whether it's cramming your worldly essentials into a small suitcase, getting around the 100ml hand luggage limits or even just getting comfortable on the plane, it's pretty easy to lose your temper en-route to your destination.
Thankfully, this year has seen an explosion of new gadgets and gizmos designed to make your voyages easier - from portable pillows and theft-proof bags to multi-functioning chargers and a device which means you'll never lose your passport again. MailOnline Travel rounds up the best of them.
1. The neck-supporting scarf
The Trtl Travel Pillow is a neck support hidden inside a snug gly fleece scarf which holds the head and neck in a better ergonomic position than a traditional U-shaped pillow
Bog standard neck pillows may be better than nothing on a long-haul flight, but they're not the first word in comfort.
Enter the Trtl Travel Pillow - a neck support hidden inside a snuggly fleece scarf. Its designers claim that its flexible 'hammock effect' structure is scientifically proven to hold the head and neck in a better ergonomic position than a traditional U-shaped pillow.
Having taken it on a 30-hour flight, this writer can confirm that it's a game-changer.
Cost: £19.95 ($26.75) from Trtl London.
2. The theft-proof drawstring bag
The Flak Sack - which is crafted from slash resistant fabric and secured with a steel lock - can be attached to your chair by a near indestructible cable and protects again contactless credit card theft
It might look flimsy but t his bag is designed to be seriously tough against crime. The Flak Sack is crafted from slash resistant fabric and secured with a steel lock.
Its drawstrings are made from steel wire, making it nigh-on impossible to cut through, and it features an indestructible strap which can be attached to chairs or railings.
The nifty bag also consists of blocking material to shield cards and passports from contactless technology used by thieves to steal your information.
Finally, it's so soft you can stuff it with clothes and use it as a travel cushion. Downside? It's not cheap. Cost: £133 ($179) - available for pre-order on Kickstarter.
3. The world's most comfortable eye mask
The Glo to Sleep t herapy mask uses blue light spots to calm active Beta brain waves and encourage sleep, and boasts empty cavities around the eye socket areas which don't squash your eyes the way normal masks do
Don't rely on the free masks handed out by most airlines if you want some sensible shut-eye.
The Glo to Sleep therapy mask uses blue light spots to calm active Beta brain waves and encourage the Alpha brain-wave state that allows relaxation and sleep.
But its real selling point is the empty cavities around the eye socket areas, which don't squash your eyes the way normal masks do. The foam material is soft and gentle, and the adjustable straps won't give you a headache.
Cost: £15 ($20) from Dream Essentials.
4. Space-saving gizmos
This Asobu water bottle (left) doubles up as a pill container, while The Mobile Foodie Survival Kit (right) is a transportable stack of 16 herbs and spices
The Asobu Pill Organizer Bottle pretty much does what it says on the tin - it's a water vessel that doubles up as a case to store medication.
It's also topped with a portable cup and has enough pill compartments to last you a week.
Cost: £34 ($45) from Amazon.
And while we're on a tubular theme, meet The Mobile Foodie Survival Kit, a transportable stack of 16 herbs and spices - ideal to dress-up bland food wherever you may find yourself.
Cost: £20 ($26) from UncommonGoods.
5. Never lose your valuables again
The XY Smart Item Finder is a small plastic toggle which you can attach to any object you hold dear. It syncs up with your phone to trigger a beeping sound if you lose something, or displays its GPS location
For anyone who's ever suffered the catastrophe of a lost passport, wallet, or keys - this gadget will change your life.
The XY Smart Item Finder is a small plastic toggle which you can attach to any object you hold dear. It syncs up with your phone so that if you misplace the object, you can use your phone to trigger a beeping sound, or simply locate it using GPS.
Better still, it has a setting which warns you via a phone alert if you have moved more than a certain distance from the object. Ba sically, it nudges you if you're about to forget your keys on your way out.
Cost: £37 ($50) for a three pack from XY Findables.
6. Hide your belongings in your underwear
The Sassy Stash (left) is a lace garter with a series of inbuilt pockets to carry your phone, keys, cash, and even make-up, and the The Silk Bra Stash (right) does a similar job of keeping things safe
Not as unpleasant as it sounds. The Silk Bra Stash is a small pouch which fits over a bra's centre strap to store valuables on the sly. It's made from washable silk and features a moisture-resistant lining.
Cost £9.99 ($13.40) from Eagle Creek.
Similarly, the Sassy Stash is a lace garter with a series of inbuilt pockets to carry your phone, keys, cash, and even make-up. It's crafted from adjustable stretchy fabric and is lined with silicone so it won't slip down your leg.
Cost: £22 ($29.50) from Amazon.
7. Sartorial companions
Snoozies (left) are half-way between slippers and socks and designed to wear on the plane while the Patrona Shirt Skuttle (right) is a lightweight shell which protects your clothes creasing
Faced with a lengthy flight, most of us want to kick off our clunky shoes. But there's something icky about traipsing up and down the aisles and using the bathroom in just your socks.
Snoozies were designed with this in mind. Half-way between slippers and socks, this exceptionally comfortable footwear boasts durable non-slip soles and scrunches up to save space in your hand luggage.
Cost: £10.99 ($13.40) from Amazon.
Some things, on the other hand, are better unscrunched - your favourite shirt, blouse or dress for example.
The Patrona Shirt Skuttle is a lightweight shell (500g) which protects your clothes creasing - excellent for business trips.
Cost: £30 ($40) from Amazon.
8. The seriously resilient travel umbrella
The WindHero Pro, which can withstand gales of up to 60MPH, won't break if it flips inside out, but is small enough to squirrel away in your bag
Planning a trip to somewhere with moody weather? In strong winds, most umbrellas - particularly the light, portable types - can be more of a bother than an aid.
Not the WindHero Pro, which can withstand gales of up to 60MPH, won't break if it flips inside out, but is small enough to squirrel away in your bag.
Cost: £15.80 ($21) from Amazon.
9. The compact power sources
The Zolt (left) replaces all your clunky chargers with a unit the size of a lipstick, and Nomad Travel's sleek universal adapter (right) has retractable pins and a clip-on attachment for a USB port
A travel adapter is an obvious essential for any venture abroad, but all are not created equal.
Nomad Travel - which also does a great range of medical kits - sells a smart universal version with retractable pins and a clip-on attachment for a USB port.
Cost: from £17.99 ($23) from Nomad Travel.
Want even more space in your suitcase? It's now possible to avoid lugging three separate bulky chargers for your laptop, camera and phone. Behold, the Zolt - the world's smallest, lightest power supplier- which isn't much bigger than a lipstick but is capable of charging three devices at once.
It's not cheap but if you're a dedicated techy, it might just be worth it.
Cost: £75 ($99) from GoZolt.
10. Portable home-comforts
Travels can be tricky when it comes to laundry, but there is help at hand.
LifeVenture offers a range of everyday products, including detergent as well as shampoo and hand soap, in wafer-thin dissolvable sheets that activate when added to water. It's also a great way to get around the liquid rules when you are just bringing hand luggage.
Cost: £2.95 ($3.90) for 50 sheets from CotswoldOutdoor.
And for those sensitive to dry heat, pack a humidifier that's small enough to fit on the top of a water bottle. The Satechi Portable model is powered by USB and is grea t to ease cold and flu symptoms - so easily caught on planes.
Cost: £23 ($30) from Amazon.
11. The universal SIM card
OneSimCard is a provider that has deals with networks in more than 200 countries worldwide meaning 85% off calls, text and data wherever you are
Visiting just one foreign country has the potential to force your mobile phone bill up to eye-watering levels, but for those who regularly travel to different locations, communicating can become a nightmare.
That's if you even get service at all.
OneSimCard is a provider that has deals with networks in more than 200 countries worldwide meaning 85% off calls, text and data wherever you are. It also spells the end for voyagers who keep multiple local SIM cards.
Cost: £22 ($30) for the sim card at OneSimCard, rates vary according to country.
12. The flat-pack lantern
The tiny BioLite BaseLantern a built-in battery opens out into a lantern on legs with a built-in battery that can charge your electronics
Particularly handy for campers or backpackers, this tiny device with a built-in battery opens out into a lantern on legs.
The BioLite BaseLantern offers a selection of mood lighting and bonus points, it can also charge your electronics.
Cost £74 ($99) available for pre-order on Kickstarter.
13. The best noise-cancelling headphones
Sennheiser's CX 3.00 buds (left) boast an elliptical cable that stays tangle-free, while Bose's QuietComfort 25 over-ear headphones (right) offer superb sound and cushioning, and they fold up to a quarter of their size
It's not until you've tried noise-cancelling headphones that you realize quite how roaringly loud the background noise is on a plane.
For the absolute best sound quality on the market, look to Bose for its QuietComfort 25 over-ear headphones. The cushioning is sublime, they fold up to a quarter of their size when you're not using them, and they come with an adapter for three-pin plane outlets.
Cost: £295 ($392) from Bose.
At the cheaper and more compact end, Sennheiser's CX 3.00 In-Ear Headphones provide clear sound and a deep base. They also boast an elliptical cable that stays tangle-free.
Cost: £34.99 ($46) from John Lewis.
14. The next-generation toothbrushes
The Philips DiamondClean (left) charges directly from its case and Soladey's ion5 model (right) uses negatively charged ions activated by the sun to break down plaque and kill bacteria, and requires no toothpaste
If you're looking to invest in a powerful electric toothbrush with travel-friendly attributes, look no further than the Philips DiamondClean. It's a sonic model with several different cleaning settings but the magic is in its charging abilities.
At home, just pop it into its accompanying glass and it charges overnight. When you're on the go, its clam-shell case is the charger. Neat.
Cost: £99 ($131) from Argos.
For total simplicity, however, opt for the solar-powered toothbrush that doesn't even require toothbrush.
It sounds strange, but Soladey's ion5 model uses negatively charged ions activated by the sun to break down plaque and kill bacteria, and requires no batteries or toothpaste - just water.
Cost: £34.95 ($46) from BrushIonic.
Source: www.bing.com
Images credited to www.bing.com and straitcity.com
