5 Travel Accessories for Airport Security

Airport Security – Gear to Get You Through!   Airport security lines are  the part of traveling that I hate the most.  Unfortunately, we have to endure this if we want to travel by air.  In order to get some to some of the destinations that offer the best photographic opportunities, we must fly. Luckily, there are products that are available that can make getting through airport security much easier.  As with anything concerning the TSA (Transportation Security Administration), always check their website for the latest rules and regulations.  They change often. Scottevest Clothing As mentioned in previous posts, I am a big fan of Scottevest clothing, especially their jackets, vests, and hats.  What makes Scottevest products so so valuable is that they come with pockets; lot’s of pockets.  Additionally, Scottevest incorporates the “Personal Area Network” which allows earbuds to be incorporated into the jacket. All of these pockets help with going through airport security lines by allowing you to stash as much stuff as you can in the pockets.   Then, you simply place the jacket on the x-ray belt.  This is a huge timesaver when preparing to walk through airport security lines. The pockets in the Scottevest have specific purposes and also are technology friendly.  For example, the phone pockets have see-through plastic covers that are touch sensitive, allowing smart phone users to operate their devices while they are in the pocket.  Additionally, many of the pockets are sized to fit other items such as sunglasses, ID cards and boarding passes. In addition to jackets and vests; Scottevest offers a full line of shirts, pants, hoodies, shorts, and dresses, all of which are designed for travelers. GoToob by Humangear One of the reasons that many people opt to check luggage, as opposed to carry-on only, is the size restriction on liquids.  The TSA restricts the volume of any liquid to not exceed 3.4 oz.  While it is possible to buy shampoos and conditioners in travel sizes, it is also possible to pack your own with the GoToob by Humangear. GoToob is a soft, squeezable, silicone container that can be filled with your favorite shampoo or conditioner.  The GoToob comes in three sizes,  1.25 Fl Oz, 2.0 Fl Oz, and  3.0 Fl Oz.  The GoToob has a unique no-drip valve that helps to keep the GoToob clean.  Additionally, a special two-part ring allows you to display what is contained in the tube, such as “soap” and “lotion”, or a blank spot allows you to write in your own with a marker.  Although you can’t store every kind of liquid in a GoToob, it does fine for shampoo, conditioners, and lotions.  They are easy to clean and easy to fill. Disposable Paper Slippers One of the worst things about airport security lines is the march down that foul area without your shoes on.  It is disgusting and unsanitary to take your shoes off and walk down that same path that thousands have before you.  It drives me crazy that people wear flip-flops and sandals when flying.  Not because I am some kind of footwear snob, but because in an emergency situation, you need to have your shoes on and they certainly will be lost going down the slide.  Additionally, I have seen hundreds of people rub their bare feet all over the back of airline seats. But for the walk down the security path, I will also have my shoes off and I do not like walking down the nasty carpet.  Even in places with a hard floor, hundreds of people will walk on the floor before it is cleaned.  This is a breeding ground for foot borne disease. The solution to this problem is disposable slippers. Although socks will keep your feet from touching the ground, all they do is soak up the germs and insert them into your shoes.  By using disposable slippers, you can ditch the problem in the trash on the other side of the scanner. Some airports offer complimentary disposable slippers, but most do not.  I have decided to not take any chances that the airport will not have them and always bring them with me.  There are many varieties of disposable slippers, but I prefer the paper variety because they are flat and easy to pack. Amazon sells these slippers in packs of 10 pairs and in packs of 25 pairs at the following: 10 Pairs –  Disposable Paper Slippers  25 Pairs – Disposable Paper Slippers Tom Bihn Travel Tray One of the biggest hold-ups when going through the security line is taking things like your watch, jewelry, keys, change, and other items and stashing them in your carry on luggage.  After exiting security, you now have to dig all this stuff back out. The alternative is pitching all of this stuff into the plastic bin or into the little plastic bowl that are provided by the TSA.   This is an open invitation to lose your things or be taken by a pick-pocket. The solution is the Travel Tray by Tom Bihn.   The Travel Tray by Tom Bihn is a collapsable container that allows you to place all of your small items into the tray and then seal up the container by pulling a drawstring.  The container can then be placed in your carry-on luggage or in the plastic TSA bin.  Another good use for the Travel Tray is to keep all of your small items together in the hotel room or campsite. TSA Friendly Laptop Bags Over the course of the last few years, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has relaxed the restrictions surrounding the removal of laptops from bags being screened.  It is a pain to have to remove the laptop from the bag, and if it can be avoided, it should be.   In order to take advantage of this the bag that you use to carry your laptop must meet a few specific requirements. The bag must have a laptop only compartment. The laptop only section must be able to be laid flat onto the belt when passing through the x-ray. The bag must not have any claps, zippers, buckles, snaps or other metal components on top of or underneath the laptop only section. The laptop only section of the bag cannot have any pockets or other compartments. Only the laptop can be packed in the laptop only compartment. When searching for a TSA friendly laptop bag, look for the “Checkthrough” Logo, which indicates to the TSA agents that the bag is TSA Friendly.  One great choice is the Scooba Design Laptop Roller available at Ebags.com.   Share this: