If you think a travel hat can’t fit inside a stocking or your carry-on, good news: Wallaroo Hat Company makes stylish, high-quality headwear that can be squashed into a stocking or suitcase and come out ready to wear. Their crushable and pack-flat women’s styles include the Casual Traveler, Piper, Seaside and Aqua. Men can choose from the Explorer, Jackson, Shelton, Gabe and Palm Beach.
Montecito, Sage Wallaroo Hat © Jess Kugler
Based in Colorado, the nearly two-decade-old company draws from colors found in nature and pairs them with practical design. Wallaroo offers a line of sun-protective hats — identifiable by a sun icon — that earned a recommendation from the Skin Cancer Foundation. Founder Stephanie Carter was inspired by frequent trips to visit family in Australia. In addition to their travel collection, Wallaroo produces elegant resort styles like the Aria and Riviera, and golf-friendly visors such as the Savannah and Bianca.
In sleep aids, nodpod introduces a strapless, weighted, unscented sleep mask designed to avoid the common frustrations of sticky pads and straps that pull hair or slip when you change position. The micro-bead-filled mask contours to your face to block light, while its extra-long shape includes hollow end-tabs that either pull through for a secure fit or lie flat across a pillow for comfort.
Gray © nopod
“Our bodies respond to gentle, constant pressure,” says Melissa Bamberg, nodpod’s founder. This principle, known as Deep Touch Pressure Stimulation, can reduce stress and anxiety and promote deeper, more restful sleep. The nodpod is machine-washable and dryer-safe, and can be chilled in the fridge or freezer to provide cooling relief for headaches.
Ear discomfort during flights or visits to high-altitude destinations affects many travelers. A reliable solution is EarPlanes ear plugs, which ease the pressure that causes ear popping during takeoff, landing or when acclimating to mountain elevations.
“Changes in cabin pressure or any high altitude create a differential between the middle ear and the eardrum — that popping feeling,” explains Drew E. O’Connell, CEO of Cirrus Healthcare, LLC.
Adult Earplane © Cirrus Healthcare
EarPlanes are made from soft, hypoallergenic silicone that’s easy to clean and reusable. Their exclusive CeramX filters let air pass slowly to give the middle ear time to adjust naturally to pressure changes, reducing popping and related discomforts. They come in two sizes to fit both children and adults with smaller ear canals.