Travel News

Practical or Nonsensical? Travel Gadgets for Your Health & Safety

Locations in this article:  Cape Town, South Africa

kids coveredFor many travelers, heading out on the road is something to look forward to, and something to enjoy. But when an emergency arises, it easily—and quickly—can become the worst of times.

Think like a Boy Scout and be prepared with one of these travel gadgets geared toward protecting your health and safety on the road.

Some of them may seem a little wacky, some surprisingly useful—but if it works for you, you’ll be happy you packed it!

Wick-er Warmup Wicking Travel Towel

When you’re on the road, towels sometimes aren’t within reach, so consider packing the Wick-er Warmup Wicking Travel Towel. It’s lightweight, soft and dries quickly (three times faster than cotton), but the most unique aspect of this towel is that it actually contains silver—which naturally kills bacteria and repels odors.

ACDG roller girls We tested this one the right way … with a team full of sweaty roller derby girls!

The lovely ladies of the Angel City Derby Girls used these quick-drying towels after several rough-housing games and sweaty practices, and these towels remained angel fresh.

A size small towel costs about $13. 250-286-6577, www.discoverytrekking.com

Emergency Hammer

If you’re planning a scenic drive along the Pacific Coast Highway in California, drive safely. With erosion, sharp turns, and jagged cliffs, one wrong move could send you over the edge and into the ocean.

The Emergency Hammer could save your life if you ever were trapped in your car (provided you survived the crash). The hammer can break windows, and it has a seat belt cutter, red beam locator light, and built-in flashlight. $19.95. 800-780-9356, www.ajprindle.com

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HYmini

Hymini deviceWhen camping, the last thing you want to have is a dead cell phone on your hands. Make sure your cell phone stays juiced up with HYmini. The device looks like a handheld fan, but it actually captures and stores wind energy and solar energy for up to two weeks.

Simply strap HYmini to your arm, and the momentum from walking will cause the fan to rotate. A separate, compact solar panel attaches to the HYmini. $80. www.hymini.com

Driving Alert Master

When you’re driving along the long and lonely highways, coffee alone may not prevent you from snoozing at the wheel? The Driving Alert Master can help you avoid that fender-bender.

Similar to a wireless headset, it hooks onto your ear, and when you begin nodding off and you head slumps forward, the gadget alerts you with a loud beeping sound. Once you depart from la-la land, don’t continue driving; pull over into the nearest rest stop and take a nap! $19.95. 800-780-9356, www.ajprindle.com

Queasy Drops

Do you suffer from motion sickness when you travel? You may want to try Queasy Drops.

Made from all-natural, tasty and drug-free ingredients—such as essential oils from ginger, raspberry, green tea, and cola—Queasy Drops may prevent your stomach from going flip-flop when you’re on the road.

This same company also makes Preggie Pops for expecting moms. $5.50. 866-PREGGIE, www.threelollies.com

TravelKleen

TravelkleenWhen you’re a passenger on a flight or train, do you ever wonder how many people placed their heads against your headrest?

Passenger seats often are not impeccably maintained, and if you don’t want to share strangers’ hair oils or other grime, place a TravelKleen sheet against your seat, and it will help shield away unwanted grunge.

Of course, the travel towel does much the same, and protects you from the whole seat.

$8.95. 310-476-4599, www.travelkleen.com

EverSafety Smoke Hood

Did you know that smoke inhalation is the leading cause of fire deaths? If you need to escape from your burning hotel, don’t forget to bring along the LifeHood smoke hood.

During a fire emergency, simply put the hood over your head, and you can safely breathe without inhaling smoke.

It opens within seconds, is compact and lightweight, and the thin film can withstand temperatures of up to 800 degrees.

If you insist on staying in a hotel high rise past the reach of fire departments, it could be a life-saver. $49. 800-962-4943, www.magellans.com

StrikeAlert Personal Lightning Detector

OK, it may sound crazy, but apparently, hikers, campers and boaters use the Personal Lightning Detector, a device that clips to a belt and detects lightning in ranges as close as six miles or as far away as 40 miles. It’s about the size of a pager, and it notifies you if lightning is coming your way.

An audible alarm sounds when there’s a strike, and a LED light lights. If the light cycles from green to red, the storm is approaching. If the light cycles from red to green, the storm is leaving.

And if there’s no light at all—well, you’ve probably been zapped! $69. 719-598-8300, www.strikealert.com

By Monique-Marie DeJong for PeterGreenberg.com.

Learn more about Travel Health, Security & Safety here.

Find more gadgets that can make your travels easier in our Travel Gadgets section.

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