What's New What's Hot is Travel Weekly's look at useful and fun travel gadgets, edited by Joe Rosen. Click on the image to open the slideshow of all of the featured products for June.
GoPro HD Hero2 Outdoor Edition Helmet Cam. Of course it has been done, and recently to boot, but if you, too, want to make history by high-wire-walking across Niagara Falls, this is the camera to take with you to prove you did it. (If you trip and fall, the cam is waterproof to 197 feet.) Wearable and mountable with included head and helmet straps and a three-way pivot arm, the GoPro enables the user to capture, hands free, up to six hours of wide-angle, high-def video on a 32 GB SD card and time-lapse interval action sequences as well as record in low light. The camera, which is compatible with Windows Vista or later and Mac OS 10.5 or later, weighs 1.7 pounds and features a rechargeable lithium ion battery, a battery warmer to extend power in cold weather and an LCD interface. So, the only thing keeping you from recording your next bungee jump or rapids run is you. $299; www.gopro.com or through the Sports Authority website.
Miniemergency Kits. Targeted "for her" and "for him" by See Jane Work, ostensibly a product line for working women, these don't-leave-home-without-'em kits will come in handy for leisure and biz travelers alike. The "for her" version, which comes in an attractive pink pack that measures only 3.5 by 1.75 by 2.5 inches, contains lip ointment, dental floss, a breath freshener, clear nail polish, nail polish remover pad, two clear hair elastics, hair spray, earring backs, stain remover towelette, double-sided tape, a latex-free bandage, deodorant towelettes, a sewing kit, a tampon and two Advil tablets. The "for him" contents, fitted into a small tin, adds a shoeshine towelette, hand-sanitizing towelette, nail clipper and two extra-strength Tylenol capsules while dropping the strictly-for-females items. $15 and $12, respectively; www.seejanework.com.
Switch Sticks. These folding, lightweight aluminum walking sticks are at once practical and stylish. Designed for the Briggs Healthcare firm in the U.K., Switch Sticks can ease the stress of walking and standing in place and look good while doing so. Adjustable in one-inch increments, the walking sticks are fitted with a wrist strap in a coordinating color, have a painted maple wood handle and a water-resistant carry bag. According to the company, Switch Sticks come in more than 20 designs created by U.K. designers who are on the cutting edge of upcoming color trends and fashions. About $50; Switch Sticks products are now available for pre-order. Consumers can send an email with their contact information to [email protected]. Later this summer, Switch Sticks products will be available via www.switchsticks.com.
TravelSmith Plane Case. This bag, which comes with four swivel wheels for the utmost in maneuverability, packs quite a load while still fitting underneath most airline seats. The ultrapractical carry-on -- it only weighs seven pounds -- offers three front top-zippered openings, two side pockets, a 40-inch telescoping handle and a detachable waterproof cosmetics holder. The Plane Case, which comes in three solid colors (black, red and silver) and three quilted colors (black patent, royal blue and red), measures 13 by 15.5 by 8.5 inches. A tote, 14 by 22 by 5, that folds into itself comes along for the ride free of charge. $149; www.travelsmith.com.
Wicked Little Buds Earphones. For starters, you can't beat the price, as low as $10 on the Internet. Moreover, these lightweight, petite buds will fit very comfortably in your ears, a plus on those long plane rides. As for sound reproduction, the Wicked Little Buds are not designed to provide concert hall acoustics, but you can be sure that there is more audio quality built into these earphones than the standard equipment that comes with your smartphone or MP3 player. A braided, fiber-like cord protects the wires, and gold-plated tips prevent corrosion. www.wickedheadphones.com.
Got something for What's New, What's Hot? Email Joe Rosen at [email protected].