It’s been some time since we wrote up a proper alliteration-friendly gift-giving gadget guide for travelers. With Black Friday fast approaching, what better time than now?
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While it’s been a great year for sleek, new travel gadgets, it’s often hard to separate the essential from the [ahem] crap. Here, we present our top ten travel gear favorites of 2011.
#1: Toddy Cloth
Most modern travelers pack a handful of gadgets nowadays – the smartphone, laptop, iPad, DSLR … the list goes on. And every traveler knows that glass-covered gadgets constantly show smudges. Enter Toddy Cloth – a handcrafted microfiber cloth that provides scratch-free cleaning for your iDevices, screens, lenses and more, and is offered in a ton of fashionable designs (we’re partial to The Lodge pattern – it’s part Christmasy and part Scandinavian flag). Available now from $9.99 directly from ToddyGear.com.
#2: P^cubed ”˜Pick-Pocket Proof’ Travel Pants
P^cubed Pick-Pocket Proof Travel Pants
We found a lot to like about Clothing Arts’ P^cubed Travel Pants – they’re extremely durable, well designed, guaranteed and feature-rich. Sure, you can buy two pairs of well made cargo pants for the price of these, but don’t let the higher price point scare you off. At around $110 (USD) they’re not the cheapest on the market. But they may well be the last pair of travel pants you ever buy. Available now at ClothingArts.com.
#3: iPhone Lens Dial
For that “traveler who has everything”, we offer the recently featured iPhone Lens Dial which we can almost guarantee they’ve never even heard of before. For the traveling iPhoneographer looking to pack the maximum iPhone photography kit in the smallest possible package, this thing offers “three optical-quality coated glass lenses: Wide Angle, Fisheye, and Telephoto, all wrapped up in an aircraft-grade aluminum jacket that has two tripod mounts (for portrait or landscape shots).” Available now for $249 at (where else?) Photojojo.com.
#4: Vuzix Wrap 920
Vuzix has long been the leader in over-the-top, Terminator-esque video eyewear. Their Wrap 920 offers “a virtual 67-inch screen as seen from 10 feet, displays crystal clear 2D and 3D video while sitting by the pool or in an airplane at 35,000 feet. With support for standard 2D movies as well as virtually all common 3D video formats.” What’s more is, for this coming Cyber Monday, they’re lowering the price an additional $50 to $249.99 (USD).
#5: G-Form Extreme Sleeve for iPad 2
G-Form iPad Extreme Sleeve 2 Case
If you’re an iPad owner, you know that they can be every bit as fragile as they are sleek and sexy. G-Form’s Extreme Sleeve 2 iPad case is an insanely awesome case designed to absorb just about any beating you can throw at it. In fact, the patented technology used in its construction is also used in knee and shin guards for professional mountain bikers. Not convinced? Check out this bowling ball drop test video. ‘Nuff said. Available now for $69.95 directly from G-Form.
#6: Urbanears Plattan Plus Headphones
We review a lot of headphones here at Vagabondish.com. But the sleek, understated, urban chic of Urbanears design has always stood out among the pack. Their latest Plattan Plus offering is a version of the original Plattan headphones that features an Apple certified microphone and remote, with the additional functionality of volume control. Available now for $70 in several great colors directly from Urbanears.com.
#7: XtremeMac Soma Travel: Portable Stereo Dock
We’ve been a huge fan of XtremeMac iDevice acessories for some time now. Their Soma Travel unit is a portable stereo dock for iPhones and iPads. Two major things set it apart from other me-too docks. First, it requires no AC adapter or batteries – it’s all powered from your iDevice’s internal battery (though it can be connected via a USB pass-through cable to your computer or AC power). Secondly, it’s clever, folding-leg design make it incredibly compact and portable – a must for traveling audiophiles. Available now for $49.99 directly from XtremeMac.com.
#8: ioSafe Rugged Portable Hard Drive
ioSafe Rugged Portable External Hard Drive
ioSafe prides itself on doing one thing well: crafting “disaster proof hardware”. Their collection of external Rugged Portable Hard Drives are the best we’ve ever used. Features include:
- Crush protection up to 5,000 lbs.
- Drop protection up to 20”²
- Immersion protection up to 30”² for 3 days
- USB 3.0 and USB 2.0
- Data Recovery Service up to $5,000
- World’s best warranty
- Works with Macs and PCs
Our review noted:
If the above isn’t enough to entice you ”¦ it (along with all ioSafe products) also comes with an unheard of No-Hassle Warranty. In their words: “If your ioSafe Rugged Portable stops working for absolutely any reason within the warranty period, we’ll replace it or repair it. It’s that simple.” Plus, they include up to $5000 (actual amount depends on model) for third party forensic recovery service if needed.
They’re not cheap, but they’re damn near bulletproof. You do the math. Available now in 500GB and 1TB capacities starting at $199 directly from ioSafe.
#9: PowerSkin Battery Case
If there’s a more essential bit of kit for the smartphone-equipped traveler than a battery case, I’m unaware of it. Whether you travel a lot or just spend an inordinate amount of time Twittering on your iPhone throughout the workday, you need a battery case. The downside to some cases is that, over time, they lose the ability to hold a charge. Not so with the PowerSkin which our review found “continues to hold a charge after months of daily use. For long-haul travelers, it’s simply a must-have.” Available now for a variety of mobile phones starting at $49.99 direct from the Power-Skin.com Shop.
#10: Cocoon GRID-IT! Wrap
Cocoon GRID-IT! Wrap for iPad
The Cocoon GRID-IT! Wrap is a simple, but clever solution to the perennial traveler’s dilemma: what to do with all those unwieldy electronic cables, cords and accessories. Simple: strap ’em down. The GRID-IT! Wrap is merely an iPad (or MacBook Air or eReader, depending on the size you select) case with a series of elastic bands on one side. Coil up your cables and/or tuck in your toiletries – or any combination of the two – into the bands to ensure they stay neatly in place no matter where you travel. Available in a variety of colors and sizes from $9.99 directly from Cocoon Innovations.