New techie vest offers an alternative to backpacks and shoulder bags
At the recent Consumer Electronics Show, they upped the security guidelines with shoulder bag and backpack restrictions. With these changes, it was a perfect time to put Quest Vest from ScotteVest to use.
It's loaded with 42 pockets. There are pockets inside pockets so you won't run out of storage for any of your digital accessories.
I liked that it looks just like a vest with a pair of outside pockets, with no indication of the accessories you might be storing.
This way you can load it up and it doesn't broadcast any of the pricey electronics you have inside, unless it is being X-rayed during a security check.
The first day I actually packed too much, including my iPhone, iPad with keyboard case, charging cables, a pair of portable USB batteries, keys, notebook, paperwork, snacks, a water bottle and earbuds.
A funny problem was I
couldn't remember where I put my stuff so I had to give myself a pat down to find things. But after that it was great and I didn't have to remember whether I had picked up my shoulder bag when leaving a location because I didn't have one.
I did switch things around to find the perfect balance. All the zippers feel like they are well constructed and should last a long time. The 65 percent cotton and 35 percent nylon fabric exterior is Teflon treated for water and stain resistance, which came in handy since I was caught in the rain a few times.
Available from scottevest.com for $145.
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The new Bluesmart suitcase is a good first effort in the smart luggage category.
It's built with a digital lock, location tracking, trip data tracking and a built-in battery for charging your USB device with ports inside and outside the suitcase.
Before you start packing, the suitcase weighs nine pounds and a built-in scale in the handle tells you via the app how heavy the suitcase is, after it's packed.
The built-in battery means TSA airline restrictions won't let you check the bag. It would be nice if the battery could be removed so you have the option to check.
Bluesmart (22.4 by 14.4 by 9.8 inches, slightly larger than TSA guidelines of 22 by 14 by 9 inches) is built with a solid construction of a hard polycarbonate shell, a retractable handle and four smooth rolling wheels.
On my flight it had no problem fitting in the overhead bin on an American Airlines 737.
They never asked me if my bag would fit in the bag sizer and I didn't offer to test it.
Make sure you check your airline's carry-on guidelines to ensure it conforms. It fits whatever you can pack in; clothes, computers, camera gear.
Once you're packed, you can lock or unlock it with the free Bluesmart app after you make a wireless (Bluetooth) connection, which takes just seconds.
The internal battery (10,000 mAh) is charged with the included microUSB cable and can charge an iPhone up to six times.
With the internal port you can charge your stuff while flying so it's ready when you land.
The outside port makes it easy to charge while waiting for a flight or if it fits in under the seat for close access.
Even though the bag is carry-on only, it has tracking, which I guess can be used if someone grabs your bag and runs. The app can detect up to 100 feet; after that the internal SIM card can get the GPS coordinates sent to your phone.
This was the first suitcase I ever had to read the included instructions (the company website frustrated me to no end with registrations) to work the features.
Available from bluesmart.com for $399.
Gregg Ellman, gadget guru, can be reached at greggellman@mac.com. Follow him on Twitter @greggellman.
This story was originally published January 13, 2016 at 9:28 PM with the headline "New techie vest offers an alternative to backpacks and shoulder bags ."