OutFront

by Kacie Hengel

THINGS TO TRIP ON

You don’t have to be a Boy Scout to make their motto your travel mantra. Whatever the obstacle—a screaming infant, lost rolls of film, neck cramps, or a missing passport and credit card—you can be prepared. This year, make sure you have the best vacation ever by packing some smart travel accessories. These will help you with the unforeseen and ensure a safer, smoother, and more enjoyable passage to paradise.

Canon Powershot S230 Digital Elph Camera, $399, at Best Buy and other retailers:

Just an inch thick and a mere 6.3 ounces, the Canon PowerShot S200 digital camera is small enough to fit into your back pocket. But while it may be tiny, it’s mighty. This stylish, chrome-coated camera is packed with 2 megapixels, 2x optical zoom, movie mode, and special photo effects.

EarPlanes, $4.75, at drugstores, airport shops, and through the Magellan's catalogue (800/962-4943, www.magellans.com):

Tired of feeling like icepicks are being pushed through your eardrums on takeoff and landing? EarPlanes slow the flow of air through the ear canal, giving your ears time to adjust to the rapid change in air pressure. Instead of sharp, breathtaking ear pops, you can expect smooth, soft puffs.

Bucky Utopia Pillow, $29.95, at Urban Retreat and Back Be Nimble or www.bucky.com:

If waking up to find your head nestled on the shoulder of a nervous-looking stranger doesn’t appeal, grab a Bucky Utopia, the favorite pillow of travelers. Filled with hypoallergenic buckwheat hulls, it provides a cool cradle of ergonomic support and responds to the weight of your head and neck.

Personal Care Kit, $79.95, at The Sharper Image:

It’s tough being one of the jet-setting Beautiful People—so much sex appeal, so little luggage room to maintain it. Thankfully, this tiny, all-leather travel case comes complete with every personal-care tool needed for on-the-go grooming. It also includes five international adapter plugs.

Damron guidebooks, prices vary, available at Lobo Bookshop & Cafe, Hollywood Center, and www.damron.com:

The Damron travel guides are still here, still queer, and still the experts. The company publishes four regular titles—Men’s Travel Guide, Women’s Traveller, Damron Road Atlas, and Damron Accommodations. The Damron website has a searchable database.

Spartacus International Gay Guide, $32.95, available at Lobo and Hollywood Center:

The classic global reference for gay male travelers includes listings in five languages spanning 160 countries.

Man Purse, $33, at Urban Outfitters:

Ignore the geeky name. This reversible laptop bag is too cool for school. The ideal bag for daytrips, it comes with phone, PDA, and umbrella pockets. Visit www.loopnyc.com for color and size options.

[Photo credit]DAVID LEWIS

Silhouette 8 Rolling Tote, by Samsonite, $230, at Macy’s and Bags N Baggage:

The carry-on is the cornerstone of any vacation. Samsonite’s Silhouette 8 Rolling Tote, designed by Phillipe Starck, is a combination computer case and overnight bag with built-in mesh and see-through compartments that help speed you through security checks and keep contents intact.

NoiseBuster Extreme, $40, at Sharper Image and other retailers:

At last, a way to mute howling babies and airplane drone! At $40, NoiseBuster Extreme headphones offer the best blockage for your buck, and their small size makes them easy to pack in a briefcase or carry-on.

Travel Pill Case, $9, at www.uncommongoods.com:

Add some irreverence to your pill-popping proclivities with some giant rubber travel capsules. Your doses can be color-coded with one red and gray capsule and one blue and yellow pill case.

Travel Projection Clock, $29.99, at Brookstone:

Heads up: This compact, dual time-zone travel clock projects time onto the ceiling for easy nighttime viewing. The clock includes a blue HiGlow backlight, a crescendo alarm with 8-minute snooze, 12/24-hour display format, calendar, and day of week display in your choice of five languages.

Mini Travel Bar, $25, at Brookstone:

Long lines and security checkpoints make you thirsty? This full-service bar is smaller than a day planner, yet holds everything you need to enjoy your favorite cocktail anywhere.

Eagle Creek Deluxe Security Belt, $13.95, at www.GetLostBooks.com:

Muggers have a way of making trips memorable. Reduce your chances of finding out just how memorable with a passport/money security belt. Get Lost Books also offers a staggering selection of travel guides, maps, and accessories, most of which are available online. The San Francisco store is definitely worth a visit the next time you’re in town.

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