Adam Harveywith the latest travel gadgets
A bag of many pockets
Patagonia’s Vertical Mass backpack (€100 from www.patagonia.com, but spotted during the sales for €30 at the chain’s outlet shop on Dublin’s Exchequer Street) is a recycled- polyester water-resistant commuter bag with a laptop sleeve that suspends the computer above the ground. Loads of zip pockets make it easy to forget which one contains your passport, and a reflective strip and safety whistle will be appreciated by rescuers should wearers stray off course and into wild places, such as the upper level of Penneys on O’Connell Street.
The Gamma SV Hoody from Arc’teryx (£275/€305 from www.arcteryx.com) is a soft-shell jacket built for active cold-weather pursuits such as rock climbing. The nylon face of the jacket’s Polartec fabric resists abrasions and snags and blocks wind as well as any typical mountaineering jacket, but the stretchy material provides for a greater range of movement. The hood will accommodate a helmet, and the fleece-lined jacket falls below the hips.
When the inevitable summer downpour lifts for an hour or two this year, enliven a backyard barbecue or a picnic with Parrot Party portable speakers (€100 from Fone Factory stores, www.fonefactory.ie). The 650g, 23cm-long speakers will broadcast from any stereo Bluetooth-enabled device, such as mobile phones, MP3 players and laptops. Rechargeable batteries last about four hours. If only the sunshine would last that long.