Gear & Gadgets

Products help the female traveler

By JUDI DASH
Published March 20, 2005

Women on the go get help from these new products, which may be available in stores. All items have been tested by the author. The price does not include shipping.

JUST HANG UP: Baggallini's new Hanging Organizer thinks big. The 37 inch by 18 inch nylon hanging bag has four clear plastic, zippered pockets in front and two larger, opaque, zippered pockets in back - especially good for lingerie waiting to be laundered.

The organizer folds to 18 by 10 inches (ideal for in a wheel-aboard bag), and comes with its own collapsible swivel hanger. Once you get to your destination, hang up the Organizer and your undergarments (or whatever) are instantly available. I use one in my clothes closet at home. Available in a variety of bright colors.

Hanging Organizer HOB189 is $39.95 from Baggallini; for more information, call toll-free 1-800-259-0417; www.baggallini.com FLOWER POWER: Fresh flowers from a local market can brighten a hotel room or even a picnic. But what do you do about a vase?

The WonderVase is a featherweight, leak-proof, thermal plastic container that looks like glass but folds flat. Pour warm water into the opening and the container swells into a vase and becomes malleable for molding to the desired shape. Fill with cold water and the vase hardens. For storing, just rinse in warm water and smooth flat again.

Available in small (4 by 8 inches), medium (6 by 11 inches) and large (8 by 13 inches) in clear or tinted blue, green or red. Makes a great host gift.

WonderVase is $6.99 to $8.99, depending on size from Tartan Products; for more information, call toll-free 1-800-880-6757; www.wondervase.com LET IT RAIN: Found: a raincoat that's stylish enough to use when not on the road, yet versatile and light enough to rate a place in a travel bag.

Mycra Pac's reversible raincoat is made of a lightweight, water-resistant, nylon-polyester blend with a satiny look and feel. The coat is generously cut to fit over bulky clothing , long enough to use over formal wear, and has a pleated hood, rollback cuffs, dolman sleeves, slash pockets and a three-button closure.

It reverses from grape to black or sable to black, as does the matching tie belt. The coat folds into an included matching tote, which is also reversible, and makes a nice shoulder bag in its own right.

Reversible raincoat RG839 is $199 from Magellan's; for more information, call toll-free 1-800-962-4943; www.magellans.com HAIRLESS WONDER: The ShaveMate 3 Diva is an all-in-one disposable plastic shaver with a slim, quality, pivoting triple blade and shaving cream that pumps out of the shaver's cylindrical handle.

The lanolin-enriched shaving cream and a glide strip lubricated with vitamin E and aloe make for as smooth a shave as you are likely to find in a disposable razor. A twist mechanism prevents the shaving cream from being dispersed accidentally. The handle-shaving cream holder provides a nice grip for shaving. The ShaveMate is also available in a gray color, dubbed the Titan.

ShaveMate 3 is $4.59. for more information, call toll-free 1-866-467-4283; www.shavemate.com GO ANYWHERE: Every year brings a new product claiming to solve that age-old challenge: How can a woman be more like a man when nature calls? My SweetPee is this year's standup solution, offering an alternative to sitting on a toilet seat of questionable cleanliness or having to squat uncomfortably.

The disposable, pink, oblong urine shield, made of slightly stiff waxed paper, acts as a funnel between the legs when cupped correctly in the hands. That cupping takes a bit of practice to keep the lower, wider end of the funnel from collapsing while in use - with messy results.

The shields, which should not be flushed, are sold in packs of 10, each rolled tightly in a resealable plastic bag. The company also sells a reusable version, which comes with a sanitizing spray.

My SweetPee disposable urinary shields are $11.95 for 10; for more information, call toll-free 1-800-524-4787; www.mysweetpee.com

- Freelance writer Judi Dash lives in Beachwood, Ohio.

[Last modified March 18, 2005, 10:15:04]