Little Things That Mean a Lot

Traveling light requires careful selection of packables that are worth the space they consume. Following is a selection of mighty minis that take up so little space you won’t have to think twice about taking them along, but that give big service on the go. Many items may be available in local stores. Price does not include shipping and handling:

Palm-size clock/radio: Travel radio/alarm clocks used to be bulky objects weighed down with heavy inner mechanisms and numerous batteries. Over the last few years they’ve trimmed down and lightened up, making them easy and essential take-alongs. Here comes perhaps the smallest of the bunch, measuring just 4 1/2 inches by 2 1/2 inches by 1 inch thick when closed and weighing in at a mere four ounces, including the two AAA batteries that come with the clock. You get all the functions of any good travel clock/radio: A large digital LCD readout, music or beeper wake-up alarms, a snooze button for a repeat wake-up (about four minutes later), a telescoping antenna for better FM reception and an earphone jack. The clock/radio comes in a black felt pouch for cushioning in transit. Two drawbacks: The time doesn’t light up, and the tiny size and controls can make tuning difficult. But if size and alarm capability are your prime concern, the MicroPak is a good buy.

MicroPak radio/alarm clock is $49.95 from Executive Travelware; telephone (800) 397-7477.

Hair diffuser to go: Travel hair dryers are available in easily transportable sizes, but until now diffuser attachments (which reduce the air flow, allowing hair to dry more slowly and with more fluff) were bulky items that tended to break easily. This 1.3-ounce foam diffuser is actually a kind of porous sack with an elasticized opening that slides over the blower of any hand-held dryer. Granted, it doesn’t provide as much directional control as larger plastic versions, but you won’t have to leave it at home because of space limitations.

Foam Hair Diffuser (TA462) is $6.85 from Magellan’s; tel. (800) 962-4943.

Pen and pencil set: Mont Blanc, maker of status pens at lofty prices, has introduced a line of miniature writing instruments in the trademark black-and-gold casings. Set in a black-felt-lined gift box are a diminutive fountain pen, ballpoint pen and mechanical pencil, each about 4 1/2 inches long (standard Mont Blanc pens measure about 5 3/4 inches). The undersized pens and pencils can be slipped into the smallest purse or travel pouch, and will no doubt impress partners on the snootier golf courses.

Mont Blanc gift set with mechanical pencil, ballpoint pen, fountain pen is $560 at stationery stores and gift shops. To locate a nearby store, call (800) 995-4810.

Convenient travel pouch: Every few months it seems Eagle Creek adds yet another innovative pouch or piece of luggage to its long line of ingenious travel bags. My hands-down favorite is one of the smallest of the crop, the versatile Departure Pouch, which packs a slew of useful features into its 6 1/2 by 7 1/2 inches (6 1/2 by 13 inches when open). A kind of enlarged lightweight wallet on a string, the Cordura nylon pouch has an adjustable and detachable cord for wearing around the neck, over the shoulder, or cinched around the waist. There’s also a sewn-on belt loop for added security. What’s really great about the pouch, though, is its multitude of inside pockets: a long zippered compartment for tickets or bills, a smaller zippered, gusseted pocket for passports and other valuables, a see-through mesh pocket for credit cards and change, two slash pockets and a pen slot. The pouch folds in half, and is secured with a quick-release buckle. The pouch makes for easy access to tickets, passports, cash and credit cards. If you are using the neck cord, I advise keeping the pouch concealed under a coat or shirt in places where purse snatchings are a risk.

Eagle Creek Departure Pouch in black, purple, blue, green or oak is about $15 at luggage and travel accessory shops. To locate a store, call the company; tel. (800) 874-9925.

Instant pillow: Stuff a parka or a few T-shirts into this flannel-like acetate case and you have an instant pillow. When empty, Cascade Design’s 15-inch by 20-inch Pocket Pillow takes up no more space than a pair of underpants, and it weighs just 1 1/2 ounces. A far cry from goose down perhaps, but useful in a pinch and a great idea for camping trips. It’s machine washable.

Cascade Designs Pocket Pillow is about $5 at outdoor stores. To find a store or mail order source, call the manufacturer: tel. (800) 531-9531.

Gear & Gadgets appears the first week of every month.