TRAVEL PRODUCT OF THE DAY: PlaneQuiet Platinum

PlaneQuiet Platinum
I’ve received a few emails lately from people asking for gift ideas for friends and family members who love to travel. Most seasoned travelers already carry noise-canceling headsets. Bose is the industry leader but they’re also the most expensive at $300 a set. My big gripe with these headphones is that they’re bulky and since I rarely check bags, I have limited carry-on space. However, many globetrotters can’t bear the thought of leaving home without them. So, if you’re contemplating these as a gift but don’t want to shell out three bills, then there’s an alternative. A company called Outside the Box Group has been making noise-canceling headphones for about six years and their newest model is the PlaneQuiet Platinum. They’re $200 less than the big name models. The pros are that they’re comfortable to wear and have good sound quality. But ... and it’s a big but ... they don’t cancel out all the noise from the engines and loud seatmates as well as their competitors’ products. But they’ll do the trick, they’re FAA-compliant and they’re compatible with iPods, MP3 players, DVD players and laptop computers. Available at: ProTravelGear.com for $99.95.