Inflatable GoCribHere's the perfect, portable way to keep the little 'uns penned in when you're out on your travels. Literally. As the name suggests, it's an inflatable crib or play pen.
By employing the sort of “rigid air” technology that kiteboarder kites use, the GoCrib can pack down to just a couple of kilos (about 7lbs in olde worlde weights) and fits inside its own backpack. Yet only a minute’s hard labour on the hand pump (also included BTW) sees the prospect of some time out on your day out rise in front of you.
There’s even a built-in pressure gauge in the unlikely event you’re worried you might over-inflate it. Yes dear, more pumping dear.
Each leg has two independent air tubes to keep it sturdily upright and the GoCrib is buoyantly tough. Let’s be frank: it needs to withstand the cunning ingenuity and downright toothiness of the ultimate testers.
Obviously, there are no hinges or hard edges to nip little digits, and the mesh sides mean you can get a clear sight of all inside from right across the park. Only kidding.
And, of course, as it grows out of its use as a holding pen, it takes on a new life as a castle, a tank or whatever else fun-packed, fervent imaginations might conjure up. You may also find teddy bears being restrained in there to prevent them running wild. All behaviour is learnt.
Cost$250 (€198), including pen, bag and pump from its makers, guavafamily.com
Build Your Own BagTimbuk2 has been making bags in SF, California, since 1989, establishing something of an iconic status among the local bike couriers negotiating the ludicrous inclines.
Now you’ll find them on well-travelled backs worldwide – and just as with Nike’s ID customisable runners, now you can build your own Timbuk2 Bag from scratch.
There a whole range of basic styles from the classic messenger to laptop bags and totes. Then size options. Then dozens of fabric choices for their distinctive three-panel sides. And colours. This is not a bag for the indecisive, you might never finish it.
Then there are adornments and extras and accessories, such as phone wallets and places to stuff all sorts of things only young people understand. As someone who judges the more zips on a bag or jacket, the better, this is fabulous luggage porn. But, in fact, it’s all eminently practical too: Timbuk2 knows baggage.
For someone who has everything, maybe this a place for them to put it all.
CostFrom $49 (€39), timbuk2.com
XMI X-Mini II SpeakerThere may be more Xs and another Mini in this speaker's name, but life is too short to keep going – you'll find it easily enough. And if you like sounds on your travels, it's worth a look. Because as a speaker, it actually delivers a decent audio punch, certainly louder than its extreme mininess might suggest. It's only 6cm high, small enough to slip in your washbag but, like a baby with a prodigious set of lungs, it rocks above its weight.
One speaker won’t deliver stereo of course, and if you’re a total audiophile, you probably won’t have read thus far except to snort with derision. However, for your MP3 player in a hotel room, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
It doesn’t need batteries as it charges by a supplied USB cable (if you don’t know what that is, you’ll probably be wondering about MP3s too) and will deliver more than 10 hours of play on a charge. An LED indicates its charge status and a built-in 3.5mm standard jack plugs into your music source, so no extra bits to forget. You can even daisy chain a couple of X-Minis for bigger sounds.
Cost£12.99 (€15.85), amazon. co.uk
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