Compiled by
TOM KELLY
Flylite foldaway carry-on wheelie
As check-in baggage costs rise, while carry-on allowances shrink – and with oil prices rising, that’s not going change in a hurry – squeezing every last few grams out of your packing is getting vital. So it makes sense to start at first principles: how heavy is your case? With a mere 10kgs to play with on many airlines, some wheelies have already bagged nearly 30 per cent of your weight before you’ve tossed in a single small.
Flylite have a luggage niche, with a focus on overhead compartments. Their bags are light and foldable, so they can stash away in a micro hotel room. This latest mid-sized addition to their wheelie range has a proper telescopic handle, packs away 34 litres of storage, but only uses 1.8kg itself. That’s ultra lightweight when you start looking around. It’s still tough, made with heavy-duty nylon that can take abuse. 55 x 40 x 20 cms (including wheels and balancing blocks)
£50 from flylite.co.uk
Handpresso Auto
The gang at Handpresso must love their Java, as they’ve brought out several hand-held variations on the espresso-making theme. This is their car one and it certainly raises the bar on the traffic jam flask en route to work.
The Handpresso Auto plugs into your motor’s 12V socket. You fill it up with water (must remember that), pop a coffee pod on top (must remember those), press the button and the 16 bar pump delivers you a perfect, creamy espresso (in a cup, if you remember it too).
Just don't try to give yourself a little caffeine pick-me-up while you're actually driving. Scalded thighs are never a good look. €150 from handpresso.com
Brass stow-away capsule
If you’re a survival guru like Bear Grylls or Ray Mears, you’ve a dozen ways to spark up a campfire, including getting the film crew to hand you some matches, of course. They should be storing them in one of these to keep them tinder-dry: it’s waterproofed to 200psi. Virtually indestructible, with a tight, double gasket waterproof seal, it’s a little bigger than other match stores, so can take little valuables too. The cap has a robust back-up jewel-bearing, liquid-dampened compass set into it. It feels like the sort of thing Mallory would have stuffed into his tweeds before heading up the North Coll. 10cm long; comes with its own lanyard.
$32 from bestmadeco.com