Top five best carry on bags for travel gifts

by Annie Scott on

If you’re looking for a gift for a traveler this year, consider getting them a stylish, utilitarian carry on bag. Carry on bags make great travel gifts, because not only are they useful, but travelers are happy to have more than one — there’s nothing more depressing than having no options.

Carry on bags, in this traveler’s opinion, need to have a few basic things:

  • a slot for easy access to travel documents
  • multiple compartments to keep things organized
  • space for a laptop in a sleeve
  • lightweight build
  • space for at least one change of clothes

As long as it meets those basic criteria, any bag at all can be used as a carry on. Still, some are far and away better than others. Check out the gallery below for Gadling’s Top Five Best Carry On Bags for Travel Gifts — these are sure to delight the recipient’s aesthetic and pragmatic desires.

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Dental care on the road: Try a toothbrush sanitizer

by Jamie Rhein on

I have a habit of putting a toothbrush in a baggie when I travel. I do have those toothbrush holders, but never seem to find them when I pack. Baggies are in the bottom drawer in the kitchen.

If one travels for days on end, the baggie method is certainly not sanitary, and toothbrush holders are probably not much better. Here’s an option from a list of travel gadgets to give as gifts that was in the Columbus Dispatch. There’s a contraption called the Violight Toothbrush Santitizer. If you live in the U.S. you can buy them at CVS or Target.

Here’s how it works. Ultraviolet rays sanitize the toothbrush when you put your toothbrush in the carrying case and turn it on. I assume you turn it on. The rays burn off bacteria. According to the Web site, it gets rid of 99.9% germs in 7 minutes. Wow!! That’s a comfort since what you can’t see can hurt you. I have boiled my toothbrush before, but there’s a problem with the bristles falling out. I only tried that once.

Hmm, I wonder what else can fit in the case? Could you sanitize socks? Perhaps, if they are very small.