Innovations in high-tech travel gear happen often. A new arrival on the useful gadget scene is the solar-powered Voltaic Generator pack can grab enough sun energy to recharge a laptop computer. To use it, unzip the pack, plug your computer in, and lay the bag out in the sun to soak in up to 17 watts of energy.
Price: $599
For more information: Voltaic Systems
Zap microorganisms that swim in suspect water with the SteriPEN JourneyLCD, an ultra-violet-light-emitting device purported to kill well-known stomach wreckers like giardia and cryptosporidium. Its user-friendly interface includes just three steps: Press the button to turn it on; wait for the light to shine; and watch as the timer ticks to zero on the LCD screen. Your water is then purified and ready to drink.
Price: $129.95
For more information: SteriPEN
Coghlan's Survival Kit in a Can includes 38 essential items for warmth, shelter and energy in life-threatening situations. Indeed, peel open the kit and you find a compass, fire starters, cord, waterproof matches, fishing line, duct tape, a signal mirror, a whistle, and other items to help keep you safe in a worst-case wilderness scenario.
Price: $14.98
For more information: Coghlan's
Made with travelers in mind, the MSI Wind notebook computer has a 10-inch screen and weighs less than the average cantaloupe (2.6 pounds to be exact). But this mini workstation comes with a speedy Intel Atom 1.6GHz processor and a keyboard that's just a smidge less than full-size. An embedded webcam lets you videoconference and stay in touch with home no matter your hotel's exotic address.
Price: $549.99
For more information: MSI Mobile
The Balanzza Digital Weight Scale was made to help travelers avoid today's ever-increasing excess baggage weight surcharges. Hook this scale to your bag for a quick weight readout in pounds or kilograms on a digital display.
Price: $24.99
For more information: Balanzza
Create your own private movie theater with Vuzix Corporation's video eyewear. The iWear AV920 mimics a virtual 62-inch screen with 24-bit true color. Plug it into an iPod, a portable DVD player or other mobile devices to cue up Hollywood on the go.
Price: $349.95
For more information: Vuzix
The 15-pound Marine 3000 first-aid kits includes all the basics, plus sutures, syringes, a catheter, an enema bag and nasal airways. Made mainly for the yachting crowd, the company touts this kit as containing "virtually every tool and component to treat any injury or ailment a boating enthusiast could encounter out on the water."
Price: $795
For more information: Adventure Medical Kits
Flip-flops are the official footwear for many travelers. For its new Platinum Sandals, SOLE offers a high-end orthopedic option with a metatarsal support pad, an adjustable arch area, a deep heel cup and a footbed that takes on the shape of your sole after a few days' use.
Price: $79.95
For more information: SOLE
Bushnell's ONIX 400 GPS device includes an XM Satellite receiver for accessing live weather feeds to monitor atmospheric developments from anyplace on the planet. Its 3.5-inch color screen is viewable in daylight, making onscreen topo maps and aerial photographs clear and crisp for navigation through the wilderness ahead.
Price: $577.56
For more information: Bushnell's
Research In Motion's latest BlackBerry includes a satin-chrome finished frame and a leather-like backplate. It comes with integrated GPS and wifi, as well as a QWERTY keyboard. Send emails, watch movies, surf the web, read real-time GPS maps, and shoot photos with the built-in 2-megapixel camera—all included on this do-all device.
Price: TBA
For more information: Blackberry
Need help fast? Press the button on the MicroFix 406 personal locator beacon (PLB) and you'll activate an emergency signal that's transmitted to a satellite network. Upon activation, the device beams the sender's unique registered distress signal and GPS location to alert emergency officials where to send in the troops for a rescue.
Price: $750
For more information: Acrel Ectronics
Geeks and gadget-loving travelers will delight in the new Vezzeo Mobile Vest, a multi-functional backpack-shirt hybrid with 10 pockets and compartments to keep electronic toys and communication gear right against your body while on the move. A hidden inside pocket secures a wallet, passport and other valuables.
Price: $119.99
For more information: Vezzeo