Our pick of the latest travel gadgets
Pear Square One Training System
January can be the start of many an unused gym membership as rash resolutions thrive briefly. If you're thinking you really need a personal trainer to put you through your paces, Pear Square One may be the perfect personal guilting device for you. It's a bio-feedback trainer that analyses data from a strap-on heart monitor along with a pedometer and delivers a virtual coaching session through headphones as you work out. Pear customises the regime to suit your fitness levels and targets, with actual real-time, in-your-ear instructions. Pear Square One Training System $249 (€188) from pearsports.com
Cardo BK-1 Duo
Ever want to chat with your cycling partner without needing to get wheel to wheel? The BK-1 Duo is a pair of Bluetooth-paired radio headsets you attach inside your helmet and let you stay in touch within about 300m. You can also sync them with a Bluetooth enabled MP3 player or phone and make a call. A clear line of sight is needed to keep the intercom signal loud and clear, but the batteries are good for a long haul in the saddle. Cardo BK-1 Duo $480 (€362) from cardosystems.com
The North Face Patrol 24 Airbag Pack
The thing about skiing is the more you do it, the further you start pushing the envelope to get the rush. Soon you're carving far off-piste and avalanches come into play. The North Face Patrol 24 ABS backpack uses compressed nitrogen to instantly inflate a pair of wings-like airbags at the tug of a cord. These keep you up towards the surface of any debris and make you an easier spot. Apparently, inflatable airbag systems like this have a 95 per cent success rate in avalanche experiences, so you can think of the wings as proxy guardian angels if you're in the wrong place at the wrong time. The North Face Patrol 24 Airbag Pack €800 from thenorthface.com