Travel gadget: Packing cells

Kathmandu packing cells. Photo / Supplied

One of the curses of the modern traveller is the need to carry lots of bits of electrical gear. On my latest outing, for instance, I had a couple of universal power adapters, two camera battery chargers, a charger for my mobile and for my netbook and a lead for my razor/beard trimmer.

Usually I fit them into any gaps in my bag which saves on space. But the downside is the need to rummage through the whole bag every time I need something.

This time I tried a new tack. I put the whole lot - plus a universal sink plug, a portable clothes line, an Ultra Light beach towel and a couple of large plastic bags for dirty or damp clothes - into a packing cell. That's a zip-up nylon cube - in this case 37 x 25 x 12cm - that you fit into your bag.

It worked perfectly. At each stopping place I just unpacked the cell, unzipped the top and there were all my bits ready to use without the need to mess up the rest of my bag. And I was still able to fit everything in. It made life much easier.

Medium-sized packing cells are $21.90 from kathmandu.co.nz (though they regularly have special offers which are much cheaper).