Travel Gear: making travel easier

Invisible Backpack: The makers of the Invisible Backpack believe that less is more. The shape and form are from the stealth school of design, where the focus is on maximising the minimalism. There is no extraneous detail, but plenty of practical bag architecture. It is made from tough, water-resistant nylon, and there's a section for your laptop and a shoe compartment with a moveable divider that disappears when it's not needed. There are several quick-access pockets to the front and a side one for a water bottle. €189 from pxurbanwear.com

Divoom Voombox: Here's another one to add to the plethora of portable Bluetooth speakers targeted at the traveller. Divoom's Voombox has the circumference of a jam jar, with rugged industrial styling. It is splashproof, not waterproof. There is a built-in mic, to use as a hands-free speakerphone, and they claim you will get six hours from a full charge. Whether anyone joins you depends on the playlist. There are the usual controls on the rubberised bumper surround, and a spring-loaded clip to hang it by. £15 from amazon.co.uk

Lowepro DryZone Backpack: The DryZone from Lowepro is a dry bag intended primarily for photographers. It's designed to take a DSLR with up to 24-70mm lens attached, plus one or two additional lenses and the usual accessories including a tripod. It's fully waterproofed to IPX-6 rating, with a roll-top opening. Inside, it's padded, with just enough space for a small amount of personal gear. There are lots of useful technical features such as side handles, zipper pulls and lash points for hiking poles. €240 from connscameras.ie