Savvy travelers wise in the ways of how to find cheap airplane tickets and cheap vacation packages are often on the lookout for new travel accessories that can prove useful while on a trip.
At the Travel Good Show in Chicago lighter weight bags and luggage with built in and portage scales were popular. Demand is growing for travel scales because of the excessive fees airlines are charging for overweight bags and the fact that the airlines scales are sometimes not accurate.
Each year three items are recognized with Product Innovation Awards:
First place went to Thules Crossover Rolling Duffel ($299.99). This large capacity, wheeled gear bag has wide mouth access, a structural exoskeleton and a molded protective back panel. Its standout feature according to the judges was its removable SafeZone compartment to pack fragile items including electronics.
Second place went to Shelves-To-Go ($36.95 for 12x20 and $34.95 for 12x18) which offers a new packing concept to appeal to organized travelers. Belongings packed on the Shelves-To-Go insert accordions when dropped into a suitcase. Upon arrival the unit lifts out to be hung in a hotel closet.
Third place went to Powerbags Business Class Pack ($179.99) touted as a checkpoint friendly backpack for laptops. It comes with a built in 6000mAh battery for recharging portable electronics, a full size USB socket, micro and mini USB plugs and a 30 pin Apple connector. It retains enough power to charge an average cell phone four times.
The annual Buzz Award, selected by retailers attending the show, went to the BlanKid ($29.99). These animal shaped backpacks for children convert into a travel blanket and pillow. www.cheapfares.com