Zipped, charged and safe
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. 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 creature themes of 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-inchsquare 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; lat.ms/animalbags
Hidden in the hoodie
Scottevest pioneered technologyenabled jackets and vests with interior and exterior pockets designed to inconspicuously carry, connect 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 zippered pockets as well as a lanyard coil for leashing keys.
Unzip the hoodie to access internal zippered pockets on each side. At chest level, a cellphone pocket has a mesh window for viewing that 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; lat.ms/scottevesttech.
Mighty handy
Mighty Purse incorporates slim, lightweight battery packs with builtin charging cables (one for the battery pack, another for the cellphone) in zippered wallets, wristlets, crossbody bags and totes.
The battery recharges with a 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 cost from $80 to $120; mighty-purse.com
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 better than a ground peg and tie-line.
The new Knot-a-Hitch Dog Hitching System lets you hook a dog ’s leash to an included swiveling carabiner 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; lat.ms/ knotahitch.