Six Of The Most Ridiculous Travel Products Known To Man



We get some pretty strange pitches at Gadling, many of which we’re certain no self-respecting human should ever use in the privacy of their own home, let alone while traveling through a crowded airport. Alas, some of these gems have made their way to the interwebs, for sale to real live travelers just like you. Below, you’ll find a roundup of those we’ve decided are too strange NOT to share. Buy at your own discretion.The Ostrich Pillow
Billed as a perfect napping pod, this pillow (seen above) looks like a gigantic marshmallow combined with a helmet only an alien would love. While we understand the concept (an eye mask just doesn’t cut it), we don’t understand how the wearer can breathe while face down on a desk or tray table. Also, who sleeps with their arms above their head? We may be wrong in our bewilderment here, however, as this pillow has already exceeded its $70,000 goal on Kickstarter by more than $35,000.


100 of the Best Curses & Insults: Italian
Nothing says “I’m a local” more than being able to speak the native slang. But what about when words just can’t express your annoyance? Promising to help you find the “perfect guide to verbal revenge, Godfather style,” the book “100 of the Best Curses & Insults: Italian” teaches you how to really piss off those around you with “your mother” jokes, insults to a man’s masculinity, and nasty comments to say to onlookers while dining alone. We’re sure you’ll really contribute to America’s positive overseas reputation when you use these phrases.


The Sky Rest Child Travel Pillow
Sure, we all need one more thing to cart on the plane. Why not opt for a gigantic foam pillow that makes the nonexistent concept of “legroom” disappear in its entirety? Billed as a comfortable lift for your young ones, this gigantic foam block purports to make the little ones in your life comfy while annoying the living daylights out of your seatmate on the window side.


Quivvers
Because the fanny pack isn’t ugly enough, we bring you the Quivver. What looks like a cross between a fanny pack, a pageant contestant’s sash and a sling is supposed to be a “handy pouch” to carry your worldly possessions while on the go. Thanks, but no. There are several iterations of this on the market, including this travel scarf, which has a similar concept but a rather better looking execution.


Upright Sleeper We all know it’s nearly impossible to sleep comfortably upright, but please, ladies and gents, put down your U-shaped travel pillows and strap on the Upright Sleeper. Resembling some sort of torture device or medical-grade neck brace, this great product promises to help you sleep on the plane by preventing your head from moving forward or back. That is, if you can even fall asleep while wearing it. Even better? The model’s haircut. His audition for “The Three Stooges” remake must have failed right before he took this gig.

The Laptop Snood-Hood Who needs a privacy shield when you can have THIS? As our buddies over at Engadget put it, this “body-laptop interface” knitted from Thneed is something that “nobody, nobody thneeds.” Although, it might single-handedly create some camaraderie in the airport, as passengers would laugh themselves into a good mood while watching somebody wear one.


What are your favorite terrible travel products? Leave links in the comments below.

Outer Space Camping Tent

I want a tent that looks like outer space – an outer space camping tent. Luckily, Field Candy has designed such a tent. A high performance A-frame camping tent with a digitally printed outer space shell looks every bit as good as it sounds. I haven’t tried it out myself yet and I probably never will because it is $649.99 and I thereby have no claim to how good of a tent this product actually is, but something tells me that the simple act of taking this tent along for a camping or backpacking trip would win you countless conversations with fellow traversing strangers, for better or for worse. And really, that’s what traveling is all about, the for-better-or-for-worse part. So set up an Amazon gift registry that includes this tent and hope that friends will come across it online and buy it for you.

Video: An ultra high resolution look at the American Southwest

Time lapse photographer and filmmaker Tom Lowe has been working on his new and innovative creation for over two years now. The video is actually a clip of his soon-to-debut film, TimeScapes, which showcases the beauty of the American Southwest using Canon RAW and Epic Red still cameras. Because the movie was filmed and edited at 4K resolution, which is four times greater than regular high definition, the moments and places really come to life on the screen.

Watch sunsets at Salton Sea, coastlines, Redwoods, and waterfalls in Big Sur, and meteor showers at Bristlecone take on a life of their own as firefalls, eclipses, cultural dances, lakes, mountains, starry skys, concerts, and unique landscapes are shown like never before.

To see a stunning preview of what’s to come, as well as hear music by John Stanford, check out this video:


TimeScapes 4K from Tom Lowe on Vimeo.

Tickets for the Nomading Film Festival in New York go on sale Friday

After a successful run this past June, the Nomading Film Festival is returning to New York this summer, June 23, 2012. Nomading Film Festival is an event that showcases stories caught on film during peoples’ travels, giving new talent a chance to share their stories and viewers a chance to travel all over the world without leaving Brooklyn.

The really early bird tickets will be sold at a very discounted price this Friday, November 11, 2011. Not only that, but travelers of all ages from all over the world can begin submitting their travel videos (must be under 15 minutes). Until April 30, 2012, submissions are only $10, and selected filmmakers will be notified by May 15, 2012. Prizes, such as trips, flights, and gear, are awarded in three categories:

  • The nomad I want to travel with
  • The most enlightening trip
  • Simply put, that trip makes me want to travel, now!

Guest speakers, workshops, games, and music will also be part of the fun. For more information, visit their official website. To get a better idea of what to expect, check out one of Nomading’s travel-inspired films:


Travel photography: How to make a tripod that fits in your pocket

For those out there who don’t want to spend a lot of money on fancy equipment or hate lugging around a heavy tripod during your travels, there is a solution that costs less than $3 and fits right in your pocket. Travel blogger Alex from the Travel Noodle gives photographers instructions on how to create a string pod, which is essentially a tripod made of string.

The supplies you will need include:

  • A piece of string that is a little bit longer than your own height
  • a 1/4″ eye bolt (this will work for most cameras, although you may want to confirm the size of your camera’s tripod socket at the hardware store)
  • A large washer

You will begin by tying one end of the string to the eye bolt and the other end to the washer. Next, screw the eye bolt into the tripod socket of your camera. Then, with the string attached, drop the washer to the ground and stand on it. Now, with the string nice and taut you can begin taking excellent travel photos without having to worry about the dreaded camera shake.