Get your rear into gear with this inspiring round up of compact travel tech.
1. First Ascent Frontier Hat
R289, firstascent.co.za
Not only does it float, this incredibly lightweight hat can be scrunched and folds flat without losing shape. It sheltered me from the harsh Tankwa UV rays on the Camino with UPF 50 fabric and features great mesh ventilation along the inner rim of the wide brim for excellent breathability. The adjustable cord also wraps around the hat keeping it secure in windy conditions too.
Did you know?
Some fabric has the ability to block UV rays. This is indicated by an ultraviolet protection factor or UPF, in the case of this hat the rating of 50 signals it can shield skin from about 97 percent of harmful rays.
2. Civvio Inflatable Lantern
R299, duesouth.co.za
This lantern is waterproof and packs flat for easy storage. To use, simply blow up the cylinder lantern which contains ten LED lights pumping out 80-lumens worth of light.
3. Duet
R299, protag.co.za
A big downside to travel is the increased chance of losing goods on the go. Enter the Duet tracking device. A small, colourful Bluetooth-enabled tracking device, which attaches to valuable items and can be monitored from your smartphone using the Protag app. Attach the small square tag (no bigger than a box of matches) to your backpack, briefcase, camera or luggage using the lanyard or adhesive. The Protag app will notify you when the duet goes out of range. Available in six colours and has a one-year warranty.
4. Sea to Summit Ultrasil Dry Day Pack
R375, capeunionmart.co.za
At just 90g it’s an impressive waterproof pack with seam-sealed construction that folds down to a cylinder just bigger than a pack of Cal-C-Vita. A towel, packed inside during our waterproof test at the carwash, remained dry as a bone.
5. AAXA P3X Pico Projector
R5499, be-akin.co.za
The pint-sized AAXA P3X Pico Projector is great for movie-nuts and keeping the kids under control when bad weather strikes on your annual seaside holiday. It’s the size of a smartphone, runs for two hours on a lithium battery and projects a screen bigger than most televisions using a 70-lumen lamp. The sound isn’t perfect, but when connected with a speaker like Shox it works like a bomb. No power cables needed unless charging.
6. True Utility BeerHunter
R179, campandclimb.co.za
This nifty little guy has a small blade and a bottle opener. It lies flat in your pocket, is waterproof, is the perfect key ring and comes with a compact weather-proof container the size of a pack of cards.
7. Samsonite Lite-Shock
R6495 for 55cm cabin-size case, samsonite.co.za
The brand’s most lightweight hard-side luggage collection to date, the Samsonite Lite-Shock bags have shock-absorbing shells and the smallest case weighs just 1,7kg. The collection is available in four sizes and features integrated ID tags, a built-in TSA approved lock and four multi-directional spinner wheels. Available in four colours: blue, silver, beige and black.
