Traveling has now become a full-fledged affair as the horror of the pandemic has subsided a bit and we can fly more freely. My travel bucket is currently full of places to visit and make up for the pandemic-induced hiatus I’ve had to take from travel. But as any seasoned traveler will surely tell you, before you set off on your next adventure, you need to assemble a collection of comfortable, reliable and well-designed travel accessories. Great travel accessories are essential, they have your back in the most sudden and spontaneous situations, providing you with help and relief when you least expect it. And we’ve rounded up a bunch of innovative and functional travel-friendly products that you should pack in your suitcase for your next trip! From luggage that can navigate all terrains and planes to an ingenious suitcase that doubles as a nightstand, these products are the must-haves you need for your next vacation.
1. Mitchell’s Suitcase
This concept suitcase is really intriguing! This makes packing and unpacking a super easy and efficient process for travelers, especially if they are staying in a small hotel room or Air BnB place. It’s a carry-on that doubles as a nightstand. This is extremely useful in case your room does not have a bedside table.
Why is it remarkable?
The product is designed so that you don’t have to unpack everything when you arrive and repack it when it’s time to leave. It will be useful for tight spaces and if you are traveling from one place to another.
What we like
- The suitcase/nightstand can also serve as a lamp
- The storage is designed as drawers that will make it easier for you to access the items you need at the moment
What we don’t like
2. Allover
This concept carry-on bag is called the Allover, and it’s supposed to be the first bag that can be used on all terrains and carried on airplanes. You can use the Allover on sand, mountains, gravel and other terrains thanks to the large wheel that allows it to move through them.
Why is it remarkable?
You should be able to use it for a variety of everyday travel activities, including getting on and off planes with your carry-on. It is designed to meet the requirements of most air carriers, so you can carry it on the plane.
What we like
- Ecological design
- It uses a spiral mechanism so that it does not take up so much internal space and can be hidden
What we don’t like
3. Maintain
Called Uphold, this compact and super smart cutlery set is about the size of a card holder. It is 10mm thick but manages to fit a spoon, fork and knife in its shape. It is constructed using food grade titanium alloy, aluminum alloy and a flexible TPU/TPE snap mechanism. The utensils are flat when needed and ergonomically curved when you need to eat!
Why is it remarkable?
Uphold combines great design with technically oriented problem solving capabilities. Cutlery is incredibly portable, with a flat design that slides into pockets, wallets, purses, and more.
What we like
- Flat and ergonomic shape
- It doesn’t compromise on the dining experience despite being small and compact
What we don’t like
4. Easy travel
Easy Journey is a great product for traveling parents with small children who need to be moved around in a stroller! Taizhou University designers integrated a stroller into a hard-shell travel case, resulting in the Easy Journey. It has enough space to store your luggage and has 3 pairs of 360° wheels. When used as a travel suitcase, it stands upright supported on 4 wheels at the bottom. However, when you want to use it in stroller mode, the Easy Journey flips onto its back, with an extra pair of wheels popping out from inside the hard case.
Why is it remarkable?
The front (now top) of the box opens up to reveal a pretty comfortable baby seat that takes less than a minute to use and set up. Easy Journey is ideal for parents with young children, although it can be said that the product has a relatively short life once the child outgrows the pushchair.
What we like
- Doubles as a stroller and travel case
- Ideal for parents with small children
What we don’t like
- It’s still a concept!
- Not sure how well the product will actually work
5. The safer car crate for pets
The Safer Automobile Pet Crate is a dog crate that functions as a safe place for your pet while traveling with you. It doesn’t look like a real crate, it looks like an enclosed baby seat that you can use for your puppy. You need to place it behind the front passenger seat and secure it with a belt for the headrest and a seat belt for the rear.
Why is it remarkable?
It’s made from lightweight polyester and has breathable mesh on both sides so your dog won’t feel suffocated as they can still breathe and feel the breeze if your windows are down. That way, they can still see the outside world, but stay put if they get too excited by all the passing vehicles and kids waving from other cars.
What we like
- The crate has two pockets to store things like food and water and hook fasteners to hold their toys and treats
- It has a fleece-covered lining
What we don’t like
- Not all dogs like being crated, so it may not work well for your dog
6. The trunk
The Trunk Car is a suitcase with a rolling hoverboard built into it, as a replacement for those boring old little 360° wheels. The product is designed to make transportation super easy and efficient and can be used to either transport your luggage or you!
Why is it remarkable?
The hard-shell travel case detaches from its wheel and handle platform to reveal what is actually a hoverboard with a rudder. You can use this for the most part to drive around from one part of a neighborhood or campus to another, or when you’re traveling with luggage, just attach the hard shell to the hoverboard and you’ve got a motorized travel suitcase that automatically moves in the direction you pull it, reducing the effort and allowing you to carry heavy objects with relative ease.
What we like
- You can use it to move your luggage or you
What we don’t like
- It doesn’t seem like the most practical product in reality
7. Blackbriar Allround Duffle Backpack
When traveling with sports equipment or clothes for several days, bags and backpacks are the perfect solution. The Blackbriar Allround Duffle Backpack offers both in the same bag, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg of the versatility this essential travel piece can offer.
Why is it remarkable?
For example, many travel-oriented bags have a dedicated pocket for shoes or dirty clothes. More often than not, though, you can’t use the same pocket for both purposes. Blackbriar’s solution is so ingenious in its simplicity that you’re left wondering why it’s not more common. This backpack has two such compartments at opposite ends of the bag, allowing you to store two pairs of shoes, shoes and dirty clothes, or just dirty clothes. That way, you don’t have to compromise on storage because your bag doesn’t offer that flexibility.
What we like
- Shoe pockets can be converted into dividers to create sections inside the bag thanks to the patented S-Partition design
- Its three-tier fabric structure not only protects it from water and scratches, but also helps to keep its shape
What we don’t like
8. The plover
Plover is a small, travel-friendly toothbrush named after the fearless bird that cleans crocodiles’ teeth by plucking food waste from their mouths! A toothbrush consists of two parts – a stick with bristles at one end and a hollow container that holds the stick, creating an outer box to store the toothbrush.
Why is it remarkable?
While this format is quite popular for folding brush styles, the Plover has another trick up its sleeve. The hollow handle cavity also has built-in UV lights that sterilize the brush after you’re done and before you brush again, killing any germs on the bristles and keeping your oral hygiene to a high standard.
What we like
- Easy to carry
- Compact size
What we don’t like
9. The Lexon Nomaday biometric lock
Imagine being able to use TouchID for things other than your phone! And the Lexon Nomaday biometric lock does just that. It allows you to secure your backpack, room, locker or even bike just by using your fingerprint!
Why is it remarkable?
Nomaday is a small but impressive padlock that ditches the keys for something much more secure – biometrics. Designed to be as easy to operate as unlocking your phone, the Lexon Nomaday comes with a tiny fingerprint reader that has a response time of just 0.5 seconds, unlocking faster than the time it usually takes to even find your keys. The Nomaday can store up to 10 different fingerprints and comes with an LED indicator that gives multiple people keyless access to everything behind the lock.
What we like
- Small + compact shape
- Intended for internal and external use
- Uses biometric data to protect your belongings
What we don’t like
10. Climbing the pitch
A German startup called Terrein has developed an Ascent high-ankle boot that will provide hikers with advanced freedom while actively protecting their ankles from potential twisting injuries.
Why is it remarkable?
The Terrein Ascent was made primarily with the idea of reducing the risk of ankle injuries in adventurers. Adaptive ankle support – advertised as three times more sensitive than the human reflex – can reduce the risk of injury and provide constant ankle support. Plus, the Ascent is made to boost stability with its impeccable construction (we’ll talk about that a bit later).
What we like
- The hydraulic ankle protection system is attached to the outside of the ankle and wrapped with a velcro strap