Those of you who read my travel product tips regularly know I am in constant search for the best carry on luggage options for both national and international travel. Years ago, I wrote an article about traveling through Europe for a month-long trip through different climates—CARRY ON ONLY. It was somewhat novel for its time, but today, since lost and delayed baggage on connecting flights becoming a common occurrence, it makes sense more than ever to go the carry-on route.

THE AWARD WINNING ROLLINK LUGGAGE IS THE WAY TO GO FOR CARRY ON TRAVEL

During a recent cruise to Antarctica, I knew we had to pack as light as possible (not an easy chore when confronted with selecting a wardrobe for below freezing temperatures). We opted to try out our new Rollink Flex Aura International carry on plus for this challenging assignment. Its spacious interior was roomy enough to pack all the clothing items we needed for the cruise. We loved the large padded protected front laptop pocket, which allowed us to access our computers in a second while waiting for our various flight connections.

In addition, the wheels were very smooth gliding, which is extremely important when you are maneuvering down those narrow airline aisles. And you can even adjust the telescopic handle to your preferred height. This versatile bag, at a light 5.3 pounds and measuring 22”x14” x “9,” meets the requirements of most airlines carry-on luggage specs.

As an added bonus, the luggage collapses down to a mere 2” thick, which allowed us to easily tuck it away under our bed, freeing up space in our cruise cabin for the duration of our adventure. This luggage definitely gets five stars in our book!

THE NEW-AND-IMPROVED SCOTTEVEST IS A GAME CHANGER!

As photojournalists, my husband Tony and I travel around the world in search of the most beautiful travel destinations to share with our readers. This involves quite a bit of wise packing, and since he bought his first ScottEVest in 2000, I asked him to contribute a personal review of the new product:

I’ve been a fan of ScottEVest for several years and, without exaggeration, I cannot travel with confidence unless I am wearing one.

My wife and I have been travel journalists now for decades, and I will never forget the day in 2000 when she sent me a description of the newly-launched ScottEVest. After being robbed in a crowded bus in Paris earlier that year (which literally ruined our entire press trip due to the loss of my passport, a significant amount of cash, and other important documents), I was excited to see there was finally a solution to this upsetting event ever happening again on our world travels.

I was sold on the idea of a theft-proof vest, and I bought my first ScottEVest when it was first released. And believe it or not, it is still serving me well, despite the fact it has traveled with me around the world numerous times. Despite its age, has never failed to keep my travel docs, phone and other items safe.

I’m happy to report on the company’s newly-released series of travel vests for 2023. I didn’t think they could improve on perfect, but many of the new options available are very welcome (especially for the needs of the gadget-laden traveler in this new world of tech).

I chose the black vest with red liner as my new “travel partner’” not only because of its extensive storage options, but simply because it was quite fashionable.

There’s a secure pocket for everything that I’ll need for my trip. During my travels, I load up the pockets with passports, wallets, notebooks, cell phones, glasses, pencils, pens, tablets, a GO-Pro, and many other accessories. The RFID-blocking pocket secures your sensitive reader-prone items like credit cards and magnetic strip items. The upgraded version includes up to 26 pockets, including a new feature of a large sized rear pocket that can carry a tablet.

Your risk of pick-pocketing is reduced to zero with these fully zippered and inside pockets. What a great feeling not to feel at risk while you are trying to enjoy a leisurely stroll through a city, attending a crowded festival, or traveling on a bus, train, or packed venue of any sort.

TSA security checks are a breeze, with everything for your trip tucked away in the zippered pockets. Just place the packed vest in the security bin and you are done. No need to put items into separate containers, as your vest will go through security as one scanned unit.

I even thank my ScottEVest when I return home. I just need to reach into a pocket with the secure key storage and grab my car or home keys. No misplaced or lost keys, a frustrating event that has happened so many times on our travels!

ScottEVest has done so much to relieve the stress of our multiple press trips around the world, in so many situations, we are happy to give this vest our sincere 5-stars! And we aren’t the only ones. The vest was recently named one of the top holiday gifts for the business traveler by USATODAY 10Best.

Audiophiles will love this product

While the Live! Audio A3 isn’t a travel product per se, it has made our lives as travel journalists so much more productive that I wanted to give it special mention in my holiday gift guide.

In today’s media world, if you are a travel journalist, it’s important to have a presence on many social media platforms. I let my talented husband (@tonydibonatravels) take over the social media aspect of our travel writing efforts over the years, as he is definitely the tech guy!

He had the recent opportunity to review the Creative Live! Audio A3, the latest USB audio interface poised to transform the way users experience audio in their creative pursuits Here is his first hand account of his experience:

As a musician and video creator for our travels, I recently discovered a compact device to manage the various audio inputs for my projects. Without citing the numerous technical specifications of the Creative Live! Audio A3, I can report that the quality of the audio is superb. I connected mine to a laptop which provides the power and interface to an installed sound editor. In fact, you can install a free NCH Sound Editor (Wave Pad). The editor will further enable the user to embellish the audio creation. There are two XLR mic /line connections as well as 48VDC phantom power for those using condenser mikes. Headphone connections enable you to monitor the audio mixes without any troublesome latency. An output connector is also provided for your mobile device.

Even if you are not a travel journalist like myself, this product would be ideal for anyone seeking an easy way to manage a wide variety of audio solutions with a variety of applications.

Overall the Live! Audio A3 is a versatile device that I—and my delighted husband-- can fully endorse.