The Short List: BN’s Travel Product Picks

When it comes to travel, we wholeheartedly support anything that makes it easier and more comfortable. After all, you don’t need more stress after a delayed flight (if you even make it onto the plane these days) while dealing with the ensuing jetlag or airborne illness. Here’s the May roundup of products that will make your life less difficult and more comfy, one simple step at a time.

Adea Sea Cell’s ¾ sleeve ruched top in sage with matching drawstring pant

Adea’s Sea Cell Collection

There’s nothing worse than having the middle seat in the middle row of your red-eye transatlantic flight. Not only can you not reach the bathroom without asking a neighbor to move, but you’re fighting on both sides to secure rights to the armrest. At least Adea’s Sea Cell loungewear will help keep you comfortable and even provide you with a little mini spa treatment during your flight. The Italian lingerie makers have concocted a blend of cotton, elastane and Sea Cell (a patented fiber made from seaweed) to create a super-soft and stretchy material that does double duty by providing your skin with the benefits of the sea plant””vitamins and minerals like A, E and calcium, which are activated and released by natural body moisture. The pieces also contain silver, which wicks sweat from your body and helps neutralize odors. Available in black, sage and wheat colors, they are wrinkle resistant and air-dry in only 45 minutes if you have to wash on the go. This suit, and others, are available on www.myadea.com.

The Butler Bag’s a solid solution for packrats Butler Bag

Butler Bag

We all know that handbags turn into a black hole after while, swallowing keys, money, cell phones and identification into the abyss. If you’ve ever held up a line of cranky passengers at the airport security checkpoint because you were fumbling for your passport, you’ll appreciate the Butler Bag, an attractive carryon alternative that provides engineered compartments for all your travel items. The bags come in a variety of colors and styles that can accommodate small laptops, cosmetics, sunglasses, magazines and more. The contents of all compartments are viewable through the opening of the bag, making for fast retrieval of anything you need. We’re sure this will appeal to the obsessive compulsive among us. See www.butlerbag.com for more information.

Clean Well’s wipes and sprays are all natural germ killers

Clean Well Hand Sanitizers

Perhaps you’ve got an acute case of spermophobia (umm, that would be a fear of germs), or you’ve just paid a whole euro to use a “bathroom” where you literally squatted””over a hole””only to discover you have no place to wash your hands. We’ve become hell-bent on eradicating germs these days, but with speculation on the safety of one of the most popular antibacterial hand cleansers, we’ve discovered a natural solution called Clean Well. The formulation is essential plant oils that have been proven to kill 99.9 percent of germs using an active ingredient of thyme oil, plus aloe vera, natural citrus essence, oat-based proteins and water. There’s no alcohol in both the wipe and spray versions, so it won’t dry your hands. The spray formula comes in a 1 oz. size, perfect for toting past overzealous security personnel. Available at Target, select Whole Foods or www.cleanwelltoday.com.

Chronicle Books’ Amsterdam City Walks will guide you to your next space cake

Chronicle Books’ City Walks and Village Walks Maps

So you’ve finally made it to your destination. If you’re a stubborn, die hard do-it-yourselfer, you’re not going with a group but taking travel into your own hands. We applaud your adventurous spirit, but everyone at least needs a map. Chronicle Books’ City Walks and Village Walks maps are less New York Times-sized nightmares and more of a convenient deck of cards. Each card offers a sightseeing walk around an area, complete with map on one side, and directions and historical/current location info on the other. The best part is that you can ditch the deck and take just one card””allowing you to spend less time looking like a tourist, and more time looking like you know what you’re doing. Each deck includes 50 different walks from cities like Amsterdam to the villages of Tuscany, and even some domestic locations like Boston. For a list of cities, check out www.chroniclebooks.com.