Top 5: Ingenious travel gadgets

MOD Live ski goggles

Recon Instruments

For bold adventurers: the SteriPEN Freedom (£76)

Use the compact SteriPEN Freedom to purify water
SteriPEN

The SteriPEN Freedom is the latest, trailblazing, bug-zapping water treatment product from the clever clogs at Hydro-Photon Inc. This smart pen harnesses UV light technology to make water safe for us to glug. In short, it is a godsend for the adventurous traveller stuck in a remote destination with no access to bottled or clean drinking water. But if you’re close to a natural water source, all you have to do is whip out the pen; give it a quick stir for 48 seconds in a pint of water, enabling it to blast all those invisible, nasty germs safely and effectively.

This nifty, lightweight, wizard-like pen measures less than 15cm (6 inches) long – the size of a ballpoint pen – so can fit snugly inside your back pocket. For unrivalled convenience, it is the first ever rechargeable water purifier – all you need is a USB cable. Once charged, the pen can be used 8,000 times, which, unless you’re planning to gulp half the Mississippi River, should be more than enough to quench your thirst.

For cool skiers and boarders: Recon Instruments MOD Live (from £253)

Track friends' movements on the slopes with MOD Live goggles
Recon Instruments

Are you a die-hard skier or snowboarder with a bit of money to play with? Why not invest in the most hi-tech Alpine piece of kit currently on the market for your next sojourn on the slopes?

The Recon Instruments MOD Live system is a device built into your ski goggles which is fitted with a fancy GPS micro optics display. This means that as you ski, a graphical user interface – or dashboard – on the inside of the lens provides real time data and stats on your speed, altitude, jumps, mountain stats, temperature and general performance. The dashboard is unobtrusive – it’s like watching a TV screen in front of your eyes. The device not only pinpoints your exact GPS location, but can also track where your ski buddy is, or even tell you the location of the nearest mountain loo! It also has tons of other great functionality: Smartphone connectivity so you can view text messages and calls, social networking tools, a wireless camera and a music playlist.

The Recon Instruments MOD Live is the ultimately cool, James Bond style, ski accessory. Extensive yes, but brilliant too.

For movie-lovers on the move: Sony HMZ-T1 (£506)

Make long flights enjoyable with Sony's HMZ-T1 headset
Sony

Tired of watching films or gaming on a tiny screen when travelling in a car or on a plane? The groundbreaking Sony HMZ-T1 could be the answer to all your prayers. A HDTV, portable home theatre system that wraps around your head, it boasts 2-D and 3-D viewing options on twin OLED screens guaranteeing sharp images and emits crystal clear surround sound via stylish headphones. The HMZ-T1 provides the equivalent of having a 380cm (150 inches) screen about 3.5m (12ft) directly in front of you. there are no more interruptions from annoying passengers or the plane stewardess when using this device; and once you’ve shelled out for it, travel entertainment will never be the same again.

For jet-lagged holidaymakers: SleepTracker Elite Pro (£94)

Wake up revitalised when using the Sleeptracker Elite watch
Sleeptracker

Banish bleary-eyed jet lag blues with the sophisticated SleepTracker Elite Pro, a must-have watch for travellers on long-haul holidays.

The handy SleepTracker works like any normal watch alarm; you set the time that you want to wake up. Crucially though, you select a buffer period too. Hit the sack, and as you slumber, the watch’s SmartStart Technology continually analyses your sleep stages and uses the data to detect and waken you when you’re in the lightest stage of sleep around your desired wake-up time. This means you can jump out of bed feeling revitalised rather than as if your head has been hit by a sledgehammer.

The SleepTracker’s ability to monitor your sleep patterns and store data means you gain a fuller understanding of your own body clock and better shut-eye. It’s also waterproof and is stylish and versatile enough to be used as just a regular watch.

For smart travellers: Livescribe Echo Smartpen (from £70)

Digitally record written notes using the Echo Smartpen
Livescribe

We may spend less time putting pen to paper than tapping into a keyboard or mobile phone, but for travellers who want the best of both worlds, check out this incredible gadget.

The Livescribe Echo Smartpen not only digitally records your handwritten notes via specially designed paper, but audio as well. Once plugged into a PC or Mac, you can then view your notes, doodles or drawings onscreen or playback the audio. There’s a selection of apps to accompany the Livescribe Echo Smartpen such as the ability to share notes and audio to email, Google Docs, Facebook or your mobile device.

Particularly useful is the foreign language functionality; it can translate Spanish, German, Japanese or French phrases.