Category: Travel

Categories
Connected Objects Safety Travel

EasyLock portable door lock helps you rest easy away from home

The Premise. Traveling can be great fun, but security is always a concern. When staying in cheaper rooms, hostels or bed and breakfasts it’s important to make sure that you’re always safe. These places don’t always have sufficient security measures in place for guests.

The Product. EasyLock is a portable lock that travels with you. It operates much like a traditional chain lock that lets the user open the door just enough to see who is knocking. To install, simply place the lock in between the closed door and doorjamb and it will stay in place on its own without glue, nails or screws. This British security device comes in pink and black.

The Pitch. EasyLock’s campaign video goes through the numerous ways that a room occupied by many previous guests may become insecure. While it does not show the actual lock, a later video features the EasyLock in use. The rest of the campaign discusses installation as well as the many places the EasyLock can be handy. This product’s creator explains that his grandchildren were the inspiration for his invention. EasyLock hopes to raise £10,000 in a month-long Indiegogo campaign.

The Perks. For only £17, backers can enjoy the ease and peace of mind provided by the EasyLock. Reward tiers climb up from there offering multiple locks or even an invitation to the super secret launch party for £2,500. The locks are estimated to ship from September to November 2014.

The Potential. Traveling safety is an excellent idea that has recently come into vogue. Before, safety on the road was limited to hotel room safes and luggage locks that the TSA removes anyway. Now, products like the EasyLock offer safety for the unsettled renter, college dorm student, small business owner and numerous others. For instance, NOVI is an entire app-managed security system that is completely portable, letting nomads remain safe wherever they go. Similarly, EasyLock provides an extra security measure that can only help those renting or in transit. Like a traditional chain lock, it is unclear how strong EasyLock actually is and, unfortunately, a good kick may be enough to disable it. However, this lock’s portability makes it unique and desirable in the safety market. 

Categories
Sensors/IoT Travel

StormTag is a hyperlocal weather forecaster that broadcasts right to your smartphone

stormtagWeather is unpredictable, which can be a very bad thing when it comes to severe storms. While there are plenty of local meteorologists doing their best to interpret the patterns weather clings to, StormTag is a small, keyring device that functions on Bluetooth LE. StormTag can detect temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, and more, then send that data to a phone in real-time or upload it anonymously to the cloud to create a larger picture of data that can be used for scientific or hobbyist purposes. Whether it’s for a surfer who wants to catch a big wave, or just to keep safe in the face of unpredictable but dangerous weather, anyone interested in StormTag can get one for $20 in November 2014.

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Organization Travel

Tooletries is the men’s travel case built for a job site

TooletriesIt’s a manly man’s toiletry case – as opposed to one of those foofy female lookin’ things that he’d feel he must keep hidden beneath the underwear and beside the socks. And when he returns home and is too tired to unpack, no worries.The Tooletries Bathroom Travel Case is a sleek, hard shell case that still makes for an attractive storage unit – in a masculine sort of way. For $39AUD, early bird backers get one case in the color of their choice, and pink is not one of the options. Anticipated retail is $59AUD. Expected delivery of November 2014.

Categories
Nutrition/Hydration Travel

Hey Joe, where you goin’ with that brewing mug in your hand?

The Premise. Coffee can, unfortunately, make or break a meeting, lecture or work event. Without it, it’s hard to focus and getting anything done becomes extremely difficult. While most schools and offices recognize this by providing cafes and coffee carts in house, that cup of java is not always right at hand.

The Product. The Hey Joe Coffee Mug is a convenient way to get that caffeine dosage for hardcore coffee addicts. It looks like any normal travel mug and is tall and black. The mug comes with small cartridges of coffee and with the push of a button will brew a cup of coffee. It is designed so that drinkers are welcome to use their own coffee as well. The temperature can be regulated with the push of the power button and the coffee brewing is powered from a rechargeable battery on the bottom of the mug. Cleaning is easy since the coffee is relatively contained. One simply needs to fill the mug with water and soap and then press brew sans coffee cartridge.

The Pitch. The campaign video really stresses the environmental friendliness of the product. It goes through statistics for how many disposable coffee materials people consume and how the Hey Joe Coffee Mug cuts down on that waste. In addition, the coffee cartridge package comes with seeds so that when the coffee grounds are used, one can plant them to grow into flowers. Hey Joe is looking to raise $20,000 in a 30-day Kickstarter campaign.

The Perks. Early birdies will receive the travel mug for $39. For $49, backers will receive the mug in black. At the $69 level, backers have the choice of color for their mug and also get 40 coffee cartridges so that they can start brewing. Reward tiers go all the way up to $10,000 with estimated delivery in November 2014. 

The Potential. Coffee convenience has become a thing of concern in recent years. The ever-popular Keurig machine has made it possible to brew one cup at a time easily. This type of machine, however, leaves behind little plastic cups of waste. Other products, like the highly touted AeroPress still requires a source for hot water. The Hey Joe Coffee Mug is the first of its kind that can brew on the go and regulate temperature. This product will certainly be a staple for all caffeine addicts with hectic schedules.

Categories
Relaxation Sleep Travel

JQ Headrest lets you bury your face in slumber, perhaps shame

JQ HeadrestThe problem of rest while in transit is a doozy. For those who have trouble falling asleep on the move, traveling can be extremely uncomfortable. The JQ Headrest aims at helping weary passengers get some rest. It comprises of an adjustable pole that rests on the forehead and chest to let passengers sleep leaning forward. Despite its awkward look, it claims to be effective, much like the Forward Front Face Pillow Cushion. If backers think they can get it past security, they only have to pay $36 (if they live in China and have a lung disease) for delivery in August 2014. Healthy, non-Chinese backers must donate $99. JQ hopes to raise a huge $386,000 goal in a 27-day Kickstarter campaign.

Categories
Camping Travel

Strap Shade lets you use your beach umbrella wherever you want the sun done

strapshadeBurying the stand for an upright umbrella to provide shade is no day at the beach. Even when done correctly, it still requires a lot of time and work. Strap Shade is a unique device that can be strapped to any object using a small or large Velcro strap, and holds an umbrella upright without the need for burying or complex stands. With a rubber mold that protects chairs or paint from being scratched or damaged, Strap Shade is as easy to tear down as it is to set up. Strap Shade is available for as little as $20 and will ship out in August of this year.

Categories
Organization Travel

Passport Protector keeps your papers protected in plastic

Passport-ProtectorWhile traveling abroad is exciting, it’s an unfortunate fact that things don’t always go as planned. Going from place to place can take its toll on important items such as passports – especially if it happens to be raining or snowing. The Passport Protector is roomy enough for not only a passport, but also other travel essentials such as credit and debit cards, cash, a flight itinerary, and even a smart phone. It also appears to be at least somewhat water resistant. For the $35 early bird special, backers get one product with an expected delivery of November 2014.

Categories
Luggage and Bags Travel

Beach Vault screws into the sand to keep your phone, valuables safe and dry

beachvaultAs winter finally releases the country from its icy grip, the season of beach weather is fast approaching. While a day in the sun, sand, and surf is always relaxing, keeping an eye on wallets, phones, and other property is a constant stress. The Beach Vault is a simple capsule that is easy to bury in the sand and cover up with a towel to keep personal belongings safe and out of sight. With a rubber O-ring, the Beach Vault is waterproof in case of rising tides, and the drill design makes it just as easy to remove. The Beach Vault, inflatable cushion, and special beach towel designed for easy access can all be had for $30, arriving just in time in June.

Categories
Travel

SkyTent provides in-flight privacy, will attract in-flight gawkers

The Premise. Traveling can be tiring business. A constant barrage of harsh sounds, lights and smells can make it difficult to relax or sleep. It can also be difficult to have a sense of privacy while flying or waiting for a flight.

The Product. SkyTent is a visor that wraps around your head with fabric hanging down from it, looking a bit like those old kerchiefs that the outlaws in westerns wear. The fabric is light, breathable and allows the wearer to see through to the outside world. The visor comes in an array of colors with different design options on the front including “Keep Calm and Dream On” and “Cat Nap”. While on, the fabric hangs far enough away from your face to be comfortable.

The Pitch. A charming video of the creator talking about his product using illustrations kicks off the campaign. He goes through all of the different sensory pollutants that one must endure when flying while relaying what sounds like a flight from Hell to China. The rest of the campaign shows different folks donning the SkyTent as well as add-on features that the creator would like to offer, including more colors and scented oils to clip into the visor. SkyTent hopes to raise $10,000 in its 30-day Kickstarter run.

The Perks. One of these mini-tents costs $25 for backers looking for some solace. There are only two reward tiers on this campaign, both with expected delivery dates of August 2014. A $15,000 stretch goal has been set for the addition of essential oil aroma inserts.

The Potential. ironically, for a product designed to provide privacy, the oddity of the SkyTent is sure to attract looks Other than looking quite silly, though, the product provides an alternative to the tried-and-true sleep mask and less popular portable ionizer. It’s light enough to be portable for travelers and would even be good in long car rides for passengers who experience motion sickness. One similar product includes the Forward Front Face Pillow Cushion , which provides some privacy and rest for air travelers, but requires an awkward bend forward to do so. However, it’s unclear how good a job it does filtering out noxious odors and one will still need to rely on some good noise-canceling headphones to block out noisy fellow passengers

Categories
Camping Travel

Cover-U backpack provides a giant visor for sun protection

Cover-UBackpackers who survive, well, out of their backpacks live their lives portably, so any convenience offered to them is quite welcome. Cover-U offers one such convenience as a backpack with sun protection. A large, adjustable canopy hangs over the heads of these dual-pack wearers, cutting out the need for hats or umbrellas. This high-quality bag features many pockets, back support, and different designs for kids and adults. While slightly funny looking, this pack is perfect for young students or backpackers who roam the countryside of cute European towns. For $250, backers and backpackers can be covered by May 2015. Cover-U needs to raise $85,000 on Kickstarter in a 31-day campaign in order to cover you.