Zipped, charged and safe: Gear that untangles your troubles

Zippers go to great lengths in funny, animal-themed shoulder bags, technology enabled hoodies and carryalls with built-in battery packs for charging smartphones on the go; and then there’s a dog restraint that keeps your pooch happy and safe.

In the bag

What do a chicken, a frog and a bunny have in common? They are among the creatures incarnated in the new shoulder bags and pouches from Zipit. Each of these goofy-faced polyester bags is formed from a continuous zipper.

My favorite is a green 8-inch-square Frog Mini Shoulder Bag with big button eyes. A separate zippered front pocket is sewn into a 6-inch swath of the main zipper. Unzip that pocket and out pops a long red zipper-fabric frog tongue.

Zipit Animals Mini Shoulder Bags cost $12.99; other styles, from $9.99

Stay warm, stay charged

Scottevest pioneered technology-enabled jackets and vests with inside and outside pockets designed to inconspicuously carry, interconnect and charge multiple electronic devices. Now comes the company's comfiest load-bearer: a relaxed-fit zippered hooded sweatshirt available in cotton/poly or microfleece.

It looks like a typical hoodie, but this has 21 pockets. On the outside, zippered pockets top the two big hand-warmer pockets, which, in turn, have internal zippered pockets as well as a lanyard coil for leashing keys.

Unzip the hoodie to access a panel of internal zippered pockets on each side. At chest level, a cellphone pocket has a mesh window for viewing that also allows you to use the touch screen. A pocket below that can house a big tablet computer.

More pockets, pouches and slots secure eyeglasses, wallets, passports, pens and other gear.

A system of little passageways in the lining lets you run wires and cables between pockets to plug into battery-powered chargers, wired headphones and other ports of call. A flap under the hood flips down to become an eye mask, with the words “Do Not Disturb” printed in big, bold letters.

Scottevest Technology Enabled Zippered Hoodie in black, cobalt, ash, maroon, or navy cotton/poly blend costs $95; black microfleece version is $100. The hoodie is categorized as menswear, but with a choice of 7 sizes, it works fine unisex.

Mighty handy

Mighty Purse incorporates slim, lightweight battery packs with built-in charging cables (one for the battery pack, another for the cellphone) in zippered wallets, wristlets, crossbody bags and totes

The battery recharges via USB cable and the cellphone hooked up to it using micro USB cable for Android phones or the included Lightning adapter for iPhones. Depending on the model, you get a 3000 mAh or 4000 mAh battery, which can charge a phone about 1½ or 2 times, respectively. An LED indicator shows the charge level.

Mighties come with internal pockets and credit card slots; Crossbody bags and totes include a detachable wristlet containing the battery pack.

Mighty Purse wallets, wristlets, crossbody bags and totes in brightly colored or muted tones range from $80 to $120

Don’t fence her in

The challenge of vacationing with a dog is how to let him or her run around outdoors unfenced.

Ruffwear has introduced a way to set the dog free-ish that works much better than the typical ground peg and tie-line.

The new Knot-a-Hitch Dog Hitching System lets you hook a dog’s leash to an included swiveling carabineer that runs along 36 feet of adjustable mountaineering rope strung between two stationary objects. (Trees work.)

An included stuff sack, attached to one end of the rope, measures 6 by 7 by 2 inches deep with everything stashed inside.

Ruffwear Knot-a-Hitch Dog Hitching System is $59.95