Compiled by
TOM KELLY
Evolution Travel PillowI'm not sure which is a more worrying prospect on a plane: that the stranger beside you is going to fall asleep and slump, dribbling on your shoulder. Or that you are that stranger.
Cue the Evolution Pillow. Airport shopping areas are choc-a-bloc with travel pillows, some inflatable, others with microbeads. This one has Dynamic Density Memory Foam, the sort that moulds itself to a shape and holds it, like you’ll find in high-end mattresses.
There are raised rests on either side to counter the dreaded lolling head syndrome, and you can tighten the whole pillow – or perhaps neck brace is a better term – with a tension toggle. There’s a support panel at the back which twists round if you suffer from extreme chin slippage. The cover is removable and washable, and there’s a pocket to hold an MP3 player, but that may be just too far up the geek tree for some.
The makers of the Evolution claim to have interviewed more than 1,500 travellers during its development and it feels like they’ve ticked all the boxes. It won’t stop the dignity-sapping dribbling potential, of course, but at least it won’t be on your row-buddy’s cashmere.
Comes with memory foam earplugs (so your own snoring won’t keep you awake) and travel bag.
Cost$34.99 (€24.90), from cabeautravel.com
BikeCADIf you're any class of a bike head, the thought of custom-designing and building your own model has probably crossed your mind on more than one occasion. Most likely when you should be thinking about something else entirely. You can realise at least half the fantasy now with BikeCAD, an online app that's the best sort of price: free.
BikeCAD (that’s computer-aided design) lets you create your dream bike from scratch or to customise completely from its existing design archive. You can work up any type, including road bikes, MTBs or even recumbent versions. Virtually every parameter is up for tweaking from the frame and forks to the saddle and handlebar placement to the wheels and gears.
Why do I get the feeling this is really a toy for the boys? The Rider Fit function will scale your finished design to your own body dimensions, generating an optimum frame geometry. So you won’t find your midnight hours of tinkering have produced the blueprint for a Hobbit cycle.
Then all you need do is send your fully speced-up creation to a custom bike builder or carefully leave it around as a casual hint for the next notable birthday.
CostFree, from bikecad.ca
Pack-away KettleIt may be hard-wired into us, an as-yet unmapped part of the Irish genome, that we do love a cuppa. And the more extreme the conditions, the more vital, the better tasting it is. The Pack-away Kettle puts a veneer of civilisation within our reach, even in the wild beyonds.
Made from a robust silicone and with a stainless steel base, it collapses down as flat as a frying pan to stuff into the meanest rucksack. Perfect for space conscious sailors too. Then just pop it up and get boiling.
It’s fully FDA food safe, dishwasher-proof and holds just over a litre. More than enough for a round of steaming hot bevvies. Also available in red and blue.
Cost€34, from firebox.com