By Diane Veto Parham
Just because you’re traveling doesn’t mean you have to leave all the comforts of home. Take some with you to make the trip more pleasant.
DRIVE TIME
Captivating audiences
How do you keep peace among the tykes in the backseat during long road trips in primitive vehicles lacking the modern necessity of an audio/visual system? With the dual screens of the Philips Portable DVD Player PD9012M/37, powered by the car charger. Mount the matching 9-inch LCD screens to headrests with a simple strap, so passengers on both sides get equal views. Now, who picks the movie? $140.
888-381-0749; usa.philips.com
Fresh Air
Ever get behind the wheel of a rental car and wonder if someone had smoked a carton of Camels or two in it … or, even worse, had rustled a camel or two in it? You can hold your breath or go back inside the rental office to demand another. Or you can try to breathe easier with a Schatzii AIR Ionic Car Air Purifier and Car Charger. Plug it into a 12-volt power receptacle to minimize odors, fumes, dust, pollen and airborne contaminants, and gain two USB ports to charge devices. $50.
415-812-8695; schatzii.com
CREATURE COMFORTS
Rest Easy
Strange bed? Snoring coming through the walls of the motel room next door or from the next camp site? How’s a body supposed to get some sleep? Drift off with soothing white noise from Marpac’s Rohm portable electronic sound machine. Less than 4 inches in diameter, it packs easily, masks distracting noises wherever you go and recharges via USB cable. $35.
800-999-6962; marpac.com
Hand Me a Sammie
Minimize pit stops on the road by keeping snacks and drinks handy in the car. The Koolatron P20 Compact Cooler stashes neatly in tight spaces. No ice needed; it plugs into a 12-volt receptacle, and it can also be set to keep warm food warm. $140.
800-265-8456; koolatron.com/us/en
STAY CONNECTED
On Track
We all know our luggage doesn’t always travel in the same circles as we do, but at least you’ll know where it is if you toss a LugLoc Tracker in your suitcase. Turn on the tracking app, and the geo-tracking technology will use worldwide cellular networks to keep a trace on your bag wherever it travels. $70, plus monthly service plan.
support@lugloc.com; shop.lugloc.com
Safe Keeping
Clever you — you know “1-2-3-4” is not a safe password. But how to keep up with secure log-in info for so many accounts and devices? Let Hammacher Schlemmer’s Password Vault remember for you. The handheld, portable vault holds up to 400 passwords, usernames and PIN numbers you can access anytime — all offline, so you can’t be hacked. $50.
800-321-1484; hammacher.com
DIANE VETO PARHAM is the assistant editor of South Carolina Living, the statewide electric co-op magazine of the Palmetto State. Electric Consumer revised some descriptions. Product inclusion on this page does not imply endorsement; product availability and prices are subject to change.
