The case for carrying on these essentials
Space in a carry-on bag is precious, and even for seasoned travellers who know the smartest ways to pack one, deciding what to bring can be tricky. There are the things you need, the things you’d like to have, and then those little “what if” luxuries that you may not use but sure could come in handy. But what about packable products that could actually help in the event of an emergency? We all hope to complete our travel smoothly and safely, but things happen. Here are the items that are worth the real estate in your carry-on—not just because they’re pragmatic but because they could actually save your life.
Hair ties
For anyone with hair long enough to be pulled back into a ponytail, a hair tie can be a lifesaver, figuratively speaking. However, American medico Dr Patricia Quinlan used her hair tie to literally save someone’s life in 2015. When a passenger lost consciousness, according to NBC 10, Dr Quinlan determined that his blood pressure was “dangerously low” and he had an irregular heartbeat. The cabin crew supplied 16 ounces of saline solution (commonly found in airplane medical kits), and the good doctor used her hair tie as a tourniquet and whiskey to disinfect the needle so she could administer the solution to stabilise him.
Multipurpose tool
Planning for the unexpected feels impossible because, well, it’s the unexpected. And a compact, all-in-one tool may make you feel as crafty, but will it make it through airport security? Maybe, maybe not. The Geekey Multi-Tool, however, is TSA-compliant, encompasses more than 16 tools, and is only a little bigger in size than the average house key, making it ideal for travel. What can it do? Geekey can act as a can opener, wire stripper, bottle opener, file, imperial and metric ruler, screwdriver tip, and more.