By Judi Dash
Travel can come fraught with worries and hassles. The following products can provide some much needed peace of mind.
1. WEIGHT AND SEE:
A portable handheld luggage scale can be a valuable tool for making sure your bag meets airline weight restrictions, both outbound and on your return. Most handheld scales work on an old-fashioned hook and counterweight system, which demands near contortionist capabilities as you try to lift an unwieldy bag while simultaneously reading the weight indicated by the little needle.
Thank goodness for the Balanzza Digital Luggage Scale, beeps when it has registered the weight, then keeps that number displayed, so you can set the bag down before checking the nice big LED read-out. The scale attaches to the luggage handle via a sturdy strap with a buckle clasp instead of a hook. Can be set to either pounds or kilograms and accommodates up to 100 pounds (44 kg). Measures 6- by 3.5- by 1-inch thick and weighs less than a pound. Runs on two AAA batteries, not included.
Digital Luggage Scale (KT789) is $25 at www.magellans.com; (800) 962-4943.
2. CLOTHED CASE:
Don't rely on colorful ribbons or duct tape initials to make your bags stand out from similar-looking luggage on the baggage carousel. Instead, dress them up with, well, a dress -- of sorts. BagRagz are brightly patterned stretchy polyester/Lycra sacks, with elastic on both ends, that are designed to be pulled over a bag like snug stockings. The covers make bags easy to spot, and provide protection from nicks and scratches. Since BagRagz have no locking mechanisms, they don't interfere with security. Space at the top and bottom of the covers keeps handles and wheels free; a slit at the side makes side handles accessible. Available in three sizes that cover most luggage sizes. Among some two dozen patterns: pink leopard spots, international flags and puppy paw prints.
BagRagz are $24 each at www.bagragz.com; (800) 868-3228.
3. CURRENT EVENT:
Why is it that the number of unoccupied electric outlets in my hotel room always seems to be inversely proportional to the number of electric gadgets I need to plug in? Sometimes there's only a single socket not in use by the room's lamps, TV and clock radio. I routinely schlep along a big, clunky extension cord with multiple sockets so I can plug in at will. Not anymore.
Outlets to Go, from Monster Cable, are slim multi-socket power strips with a flat cord that wraps around the strip and plugs neatly into one of the sockets, for compact, uncluttered storage and transport. The strips, which have sockets on both sides to save space, come in 3, 4 and 6-outlet models; the latter two have a built-in re-settable circuit breaker that prevents overloads.
Outlets To Go in 3-, 4 and 6-outlet models are $15, $20 and $30, respectively. Info at www.monstercable.com; (877) 800-8989.
4. CLEAN SHEETS:
Good news for anyone who has ever had their shampoo, shaving cream or other carry-on liquids confiscated after forgetting to limit the size of each to 3 ounces crammed into a single quart-size transparent zippered plastic bag. Travelon, an innovator in helpful travel products, has introduced shampoo, hair conditioner, shaving cream and other toiletries that have been dehydrated into tiny dry sheets that metamorphise into a sudsy lather when you add water. The biodegradable sheets, which come 50 sheets to a pack in little pop-open color-coded plastic cases, do not come under the federal Transportation Security Administration restrictions.
Toiletry Sheets are $5 per pack. Info at www.travelonbags.com; (800) 537-5544.
5. ROCK-A-BUY:
Life with a newborn can be unpredictable -- who really knows what's disturbing the peace he savored for nine insulated months? Add travel to the mix of new stimuli, and baby can go ballistic. The innovators at Graco have created some calm in the storm that is infanthood with the Sweetpeace Newborn Soothing Center, a kind of swinging womb with a view.
The newfangled swing, which runs on AC or battery power, rocks babies in a slow arcing cradling motion, instead of the typical back and forth swing pattern. Built-in speakers provide a choice of sounds, from reassuring heartbeats to soft music and nature sounds. An MP3 jack lets parents play music of their own choosing. The soft padded seat, secured behind a 5-point harness, has an integrated swaddle blanket and plush head support. An adjustable canopy can let in a little or a lot of visual stimuli, and can be expanded to fully enclose the newborn.
The Sweetpeace comes with a soft toy mobile and a removable tray with an adjustable mirror and water-filled teether. The removable seat can be used as a carrier or floor rocker. The base accepts most Graco infant car seats. The Sweetpeace folds compactly for storage and travel. It is for babies up to 25 pounds.
Sweetpeace Newborn Soothing Center is $170. Info at www.gracobaby.com; (800) 345-4109.
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