In this Gadling gear review, I’ll introduce you to a product that is becoming increasingly important for travelers. As more and more airlines start charging for (excess) baggage, you’ll run the risk of a nasty surprise at the airport.
With the Travelon “On Your Weigh” portable luggage scales, you’ll be able to weigh your luggage before arriving at the airport, giving you plenty of time to juggle things around a bit, or if you need a good excuse to leave some of those horrible souvenirs at your hotel.
The On Your Weigh scales are very lightweight (6.8 ounces) and are just 6″x3″.
To use the scales, you simply press the “open” button on the front, 2 rubber coated grips pop out, and a hook extends from the bottom. To weigh your luggage, you turn the scales on, and hang a bag from them.
After about 5 seconds (when your luggage stops swinging), the scales display the weight on a backlit LCD display mounted on the top. Once it has a reliable measurement, it stores the final weight on the display for 30 seconds.
Despite their simple appearance, the scales are pretty smart – the LCD display color changes from blue to red when the weight exceeds 50 pounds. You can also change that overweight warning to 40, 30 or even 20 pounds, for really stingy airlines.
In addition to the “open” button, the On Your Weigh scales have just 2 buttons – one to turn them on, and one to switch between pounds and kilos. Its maximum weight capacity is 110 pounds, or 50 kilos and it is accurate to just .22 kilos.
One additional reason for using these scales is to beat the airline scales – many airports are operating poorly calibrated scales, and if you come across an airport scale that reports something way out of line with your own measurement, it’ll give you a valid reason to ask for a re-weigh using different scales, or even ask to see the calibration sticker.
The On Your Weigh scales cost $29.99, and are available from many Travelon retailers. Follow this link for a list of their retailers.
I wish products like this were not necessary – but airlines have given us no choice. I’m especially impressed with the compactness of the On Your Weigh Scales, and the extra touches put into its design. The color changing LCD display is sheer brilliance. If you regularly push the limits of your baggage allowance, I highly recommend adding the On Your Weigh scales to your travel gadget arsenal.