Air travel is an abomination. But don’t double-fist brewskis and head for the emergency slide. Make the best of it with a totally fly travel kit that will keep you comfy and entertained in cattle class, while clocking in at just over 6 pounds.
1. Exped Air Pillow
WIRED Lighter than a Sky Mall catalog at a mere 3 ounces. Packs down small enough to fit inside a coffee mug. Separate one-way valves for inflating and deflating let you dial in just the right amount of skull-cradling pressure. Contoured shape adjusts to more sleeping positions than Rodney Yee. Soft, polyester tricot shell is gentle on your face yet stands up well to scrubbing. Totally has your back—also makes a great lumbar support.
TIRED Somewhat useless in the aisle seat. Ted Haggard-y valves sometimes go both ways.
$29, exped.com
2. Powermat Rechargeable Travel Mat
WIRED Built-in battery pack for portable, cordless power-ups. Small enough to fit in our back pocket (we wear big jeans). One full charge juiced our thirsty iPhone more than five times. Includes adapters for USB, Nintendo DS, various phones, and all of Apple’s iWhatevers. Wireless magnetic induction charging sure to amaze juggalos.
TIRED Flimsy hinges for a portable device. iPhone case ($40!) thicker than a Stieg Larsson plotline.
$130, powermat.com
3. Timbuk2 Commute 2.0
WIRED “Checkpoint friendly” TSA-compliant laptop pocket unzips so your rig doesn’t have to go naked during the security dance. Waterproof shell wards off boozy spills from cramped coach seatmates. Backside sleeve secures to a roller bag. Roomy main compartment plus 10 gear pockets will store more bric-a-brac than your crazy cat-hoarding aunt.
TIRED Neither upright nor locked—bag flops onto the laptop compartment when placed on ground. Awkward shoulder strap.
$110, timbuk2.com
4. Sony MDR-NC300 headphones
WIRED Excellent sound; music and movies were both handled beautifully. Good battery life. Movie, Bass, and Normal modes deliver audio for almost any situation; cancellation function silences unwanted noise like a grade-school principal. Monitor button mutes the tunes to let you listen to the captain speaking. Ships with seven extra sets of earbud covers.
TIRED No way to customize modes. Bulky battery pack and processor. We would have preferred more volume. Thanks for the extra covers; they come off faster than shirts on Jersey Shore.
$300, sony.com
5. Dell Streak
WIRED Tablet phone flies like a hummingbird at a mere 7.7 ounces. Slim profile slips easily into a coat pocket. At 5 inches, screen is big enough to showcase gory details of True Blood, small enough so your seatmates won’t catch you watching Glee.
TIRED Sluggish touchscreen had us doing more poking than a Facebook first-timer. Available in any color you like, as long as it’s black. As power-hungry as a third-world dictator. Hear that? It’s 2009 calling. It wants its outdated Android OS back.
$300 (with two-year AT&T contract), dell.com
See Also: