The team at BuzzBox sent Stuck at the Airport a box filled with travel gadgets and gear.
We’re still unpacking, but take a look at some of these products and leave a comment to let us know if you’d use any of them in your travels. You may end up getting one of them in the mail.
PackLite Max 2-in-1 Phone Charger
LuminAID’s PackLite Max
2-in-1 Phone Charger is a solar inflatable lantern & phone charger that
packs flat for easy carrying and charging on-the-go. The lantern provides over
150 lumens of bright LED light on Turbo mode and can run for up to 50 hours on
Low mode. The cube recharges via solar power (a full charge in 14 hours of
sunlight) or by USB input in 1-2 hours and the 5V USB output port will recharge
a phone in 2-4 hours depending on your type of phone. ($49.99)
Pocket Palette
If you’re truly packing light, that includes scaling down your cosmetics too. The Pocket Palette may be helpful in going extreme in that area. It’s is a single-use, full face makeup kit for on-the-go. Each pouch includes Black Mascara (with wand), Pink dual-purpose lip/cheek color, and BB Cream or Foundation. Available in a 3 pack ($11.99) or 10 pack ($34.99).
ZizzyBee Bags
Cubes, plastic bags, sacks of all sizes can help keep your
travel bag organized – and so will these eco-friendly mesh ZizzyBee Bags that have
a hook, let you see inside and come in a variety of bright, bold and fun designs.
(3 bags for $19.99)
When it’s time to hit the road, do you fold, roll, layer or squish? Do you make a packing list or just wing it?
Those are just a few of the questions Cheapflights.com recently asked travelers in a quick on-line survey.
Here’s what they found:
Just over 56 percent of Americans make packing lists and 77 percent plan or lay out outfits.
Forty-two percent of us start packing two to three days before leaving home and an another 30 percent start packing a week ahead of a trip.
26 percent admitted waiting until the night before a trip to start packing while just over 2 percent said they lived on the edge and and didn’t pack anything until a hour or less before leaving.
No doubt, those are people you see looking for a place to buy underwear at the airport.
Fold or roll?
70 percent of survey respondents said they folded clothes in their suitcases, while 30 percent said rolling was their method of choice.
And maybe it doesn’t really matter what you pack or how: only 45 percent of Americans reported that they ended up wearing everything they packed.
Are you sick of your suitcase, fretting about passport theft or uncomfortable laundering your undies in a hotel room sink?
Then take a look at some of the items luggage makers and travel gadget inventors are showing off this week at the annual industry-only Travel Goods Association show in Phoenix.
Some of these products are available now, while others will be rolled out over the next few months.
Seat-back savvy
Courtesy Aero-Tray
It took four years, eight versions and a Kickstarter campaign for inventor (and former MTV “Real World” cast member) Norman Korpi to bring his two-tiered Aero-Tray (http://aero-tray.com; $59) to market. But an airline passenger determined to stay productive can now use this device to increase the usable space between their lap, their tray table and the reclined seatback in front of them. “The platform supports your personal items in the air, on the ground or wherever your travels take you,” said Korpi.
Washboard for wanderers
Courtesy of The Scrubba
Packing light is possible if you repeat your outfits and wash some wardrobe items along the way. But hotel sinks can be dirty and hotel laundry fees are usually sky-high. The Scrubba (http://thescrubba.com;$64.95) addresses that problem with a foldable, watertight wash bag with a flexible internal washboard.
Tracking travel essentials
Courtesy iWallet
Many suitcases and travel accessories now have built-in GPS devices that beep, buzz or send email messages if they go astray. The iWallet (http://www.iwalletusa.com; $360-$500), for example, is a hard-case wallet that opens with a biometric fingerprint reader and, when linked via Bluetooth to a smartphone, will sound an alarm if the two become separated by more than 14 feet. “We’ve also got an iPassport case with room for a boarding pass, global entry card and money clip due out in about three months,” said iWalletUSA spokesman Orlando LaCalle.
Packing privacy
Courtesy The DoorJammer
Lightweight (8 ounces), compact (about the size of an iPhone) and easy to install, the DoorJammer (http://www.door-jammer.com/; $24.99) is a portable security device travelers will be happy to have on hand when encountering hotel rooms and hostels with flimsy locks and less-than-modern security.
Keeping your valuables safe
Courtesy Samsonite
Speaking of security, this summer Samsonite (http://www.samsonite.com/) will introduce its EZ Piken Backpack ($50-$55), which will have zippered pockets built into the front straps so that valuables such as wallets, cell-phones, keys and sunglasses can be accessible and safe.
Going green
Courtesy Heys
Packing cubes remain popular, as do useful items made from recycled materials. Heys (http://shop.heys.ca) has put the two trends together with packing cubes made from recycled water bottles. The Ecotex 5-piece Packing Cube set (about $45) is made from 18 recycled water bottles, while 10 recycled bottled are used for each three-piece Ecotex Packing Cube (about $31).
Weather-proof luggage
Courtesy Lojel
And while many travelers remember to pack umbrellas, ponchos, waterproof shoes and rain jackets, few think to check if their luggage can withstand bad weather. The forthcoming Nimbus luggage collection from Lojel (http://www.lojel.com/) will use weather-proofing technology, a rubber zipper system and a design that eliminates gaps that allows rain to run into suitcase interiors.
