 |
Design Go TSA Travel Lock
by Whizz11
We travel to the US a lot to see family and one of the things we always have on our suitcases is a padlock. Now, whether these are any deterrent to our cases being stolen or riffled through I don't really think so but I think they provide the thief a little bit more of an obstacle to get into our case and perhaps they will look at ... another one before ours. Also, I like to have a padlock on my case to hold the zips together and make sure they do not come apart when the bag is in transit. Locks have come a long way since the old style padlocks that you used to get free when you bought a suitcase, the old gold ones that came with a few keys that were flimsy and everybody had so they were no use really anyway.
Nowadays you can get some really heavy duty padlocks with combinations that you set just for you so only you know the combination and no one else although you do have to remember them every time you fly which sometimes is a bit difficult to recall unless you use the same numbers all the time for different things.
Anyway, TSA stands for (The United States) Transport Security Administration and these are special locks that allow airport security personnel in the US the ability to unlock you lock with the use of a special key I believe, take a look in your case if they need to and then re-lock it so you bag is secure once more. If you look at the bottom of this paddock there is a space for a key to fit into so I believe this is how they open up the padlock and relock it again. I'm not too sure but I believe in some places these are the required lock nd nothing else will be adhered to. For example, we've come across a zealous security person before who basically nearly just stuck a knife in our case and ripped it to gain access to the bag so a TSA lock is now a must for us whenever we go to the US. For example, when you fly out of Los Angeles for example you leave you bags and then they go to security without you being there so I think the locks definitely work well in this situation.
The locks are not very expensive which is nice. I buy mine from John Lewis, I have one for each case I have and they cost £5.99 each. They have a three number combination that you can set yourself when you first get the lock, it's quite simple to do and there are instructions to follow. The opening of the padlock is quite large so if you have some big zips to attach it to it will stretch over all of them. The lock is small enough though to be unobtrusive and holds up well to all the travel it has done for us especially.
A must if you travel to the US.
Read the complete review |
 |
Paperchase Cloud 9 Pass Case
by zombieflesh
I commute to work by train on a daily basis. I usually buy a montly or weekly travel card to keep costs down, and need something that will protect the pass for this time and also stop me from losing it (replacements are costly!). I spotted the range of travel accessories in Paperchase and knew that this Pass Case would be perfect for me. ... The Pass Case can be purchased in their high street stores, or online at www.paperchase.co.uk for the price of £4.00.
Product description: "Cloud 9 Pass Case suitable for bus passes, train tickets, work passes and oyster cards."
The rail company I travel with provide a basic plastic flip cover for their travel cards, but over the years I have had to replace mine so many times as they are fimsy and damage easily. They're not very attractive either, being a plain dark blue colour that gets lost easily within the shadows of my over-cluttered handbags. I was drawn to this Paperchase version as it looked much more suitable for the job.
The Pass Cass is compact and fits neatly into a pocket, purse, or handbag so you can store it safely. The bright colours of the design mean that it stands out quite clearly against the other items in my bag and I can locate it without too much trouble. The Pass Case is available in a range of different designs and new themes are released fairly frequently. I chose the Cloud 9 design as it features some of the cute Cloud 9 characters that Paperchase use on their other items and it has a fun Japanese cartoon style to it. It is brightly coloured and the decorative design has a nice cheery feel to it which makes me smile when I'm dragging it out to use in the early mornings.
The Cloud 9 Pass Case has a rectangular shape which folds up into two sections. It has a thick vinyl outer layer which is printed with the Cloud 9 design. This is waterproof and wipe-clean which makes it easy to take care of. I've had mine since last Winter and it's still in near-perfect condition, with only one minor scuff on the outer edge. On the inside of the Pass Case, there is a pale blue fabric lining and two clear windows where the travel card can be displayed. This is perfect for me as I need to use the two sections to display my photo card as well as my monthly pass ticket at the same time. The clear windows have small oval cut out sections which confused me a bit at first, but as soon as I slipped my travel cards in place I soon figured out the slots are there so that you can place your thumb directly onto the card and slide it along to remove it from the holder easily without damaging it. This is excellent and works well as I am no longer fumbing around at the ticket barriers struggling to get my pass out and swipe it through, it just glides out of the case with minimal effort required. This helps to keep the pass in good condition which is essential as it is only a piece of thin card and it needs to be used almost every day for a month without sustaining any damage that could stop the pass from being read by the machines.
Overall I would have to thoroughly recommend my Paperchase Pass Case. It serves it's purpose and looks great as well. The Pass Case is hardwearing and I have no need to replace it at any point in the near future, but I am certainly tempted to go and buy one in another design to store my Oyster card in for when I'm travelling around London. A great little item at a good price.
Read the complete review |
 |
Frio Insulin Travel Wallet
by bwinter90
The FRIO Insulin wallet is a cleverly designed product which provides cool storage for insulin when travelling. I have been diabetic for 10+ years and have never considered the storage of insulin when going on holiday to be a problem. I normally carry the insulin in my hand luggage in a plastic container until we reach our destination, ... and then I place it in the fridge. However, on my most recent holiday, the hotel we were staying in did not provide a fridge in the room, but offered to keep it in the restaurant fridge instead. I was concerned with this, as it could easily be discarded or the fridge could be too cold/not cold enough and then the insulin would be damaged. After my dietician suggested the FRIO to me, I decided to invest, and ordered the FRIO duo from medicalshop.co.uk. This website allows you to buy medical products exempt from VAT if you are diabetic.
The FRIO comes in 5 different sizes -
*Individual - Holds one insulin pen
*Small - Holds 5 3ml insulin cartridges or 2 vials of insulin
*Duo - Holds 2 pens or 1 pen and 2 cartridges
*Large - Holds 1 pen and 10 3ml insulin cartridges or 2 pens and 5 cartridges or 5 disposable pens or 4 vials of insulin
*Extra Large - Holds 1 pen and 40 3ml insulin cartridges or 8 disposable pens or 8 vials of insulin
Prices range from £12.00 - £18.99 (exc VAT).
My FRIO arrived quickly, and included directions for use and storage. I ordered the red colour, which looks nice. There are two layers, an inside pocket which contains what feels like silicone gel crystals, and an outside "Cambrelle" pocket. To activate the inside pocket, just soak in water for a number of minutes (soaking time varies depending on size of FRIO wallet) until the crystals turn to gel, and then pat down the wet pocket with a towel/paper towel. When the gel has settled, you can place the activated pack inside the cambrelle pocket. Your insulin is then ready to be stored.
The product relies on evaporation to work correctly. As the water is evaporated from the crystals, the contents of the pocket are cooled. Because of this, the FRIO wallet cannot be kept in an airtight container, but instead it must be in contact with the air. As a suggestion, I read somewhere that an ideal place to keep your FRIO wallet containing insulin is in a mesh pocket on a handbag/rucksack. I kept mine in my hand luggage, right at the top, with the zip open, and it seemed to work perfectly. I was concerned there may be issues when going through airport security, as the FRIO gel is of course a liquid. However, I mentioned I had insulin and a gel cooler and there were no further questions asked.
At first, whilst on the plane, I was shocked and impressed by how cool the insulin was kept. It also remained very cool whilst in the room, with the air con on. However, I used the pocket to keep my insulin pen in, and when out and about in the hot air in Spain where temperatures were about 35C, it didn't do as good a job. Although the insulin did not become hot as it may have without the wallet, it didn't actually feel cold, just mildly cool.
The instructions say that after a few days, as soon as the gel begins to crystallise, the pocket needs to be re-soaked. This happened after approx 4 days, and re-soaking was easy and reactivated the wallet immediately. It is also handy to know that the FRIO is reusable time and time again, as long as it is dried out and stored correctly after use. I'll definitely be using mine every time I travel in future.
To summarise, a product well worth the money, as it worked the majority of the time (just not as well in long periods of hot weather), and definitely kept my insulin cooler than it would have been without the FRIO.
A must have for diabetics who are travelling and need to store their insulin safely!
Read the complete review |
