Gear

By Lylah M. Alphonse, Globe Staff, 10/28/01

Push, pull, tote, sling . . .

The Victorinox Adventure Travel Collection from Swiss Army Brands features wheeled bags that convert to backpacks or duffles. Ergonomically designed to allow for bending and twisting while being worn as backpacks, the bags feature a curved pole with a handle that swivels 360 degrees so they can be pulled comfortably in any direction. The bags range from $325 to $525 and are available at Macy's, Bloomingdale's, and Leather World stores in the Boston area, as well as Bentley's Luggage (Copley Place, Boston, 617-236-0185) and Willowbee & Kent Travel (416 Marlborough St., Suite 808, Boston, 617-859-9987). For more information and other store locations, call 888-658-0717 or log on to www.swissarmy.com.

Let your light shine

This flashlight needs no batteries or bulbs - just shaking it gently for a minute will give you 10 minutes of bright LED light visible from a mile away. It uses electromagnetism to transform motion into energy, and is lightweight, waterproof, and shockproof. The flashlight is 2 inches in diameter, 11 inches long, and costs about $70 through the Hammacher Schlemmer Catalog (800-543-3366) and the National Geographic Society (888-225-5647); or online at www.hammacher.com and www.nationalgeographic.com.

Portable solution

Fill up the half-liter Orinoco Personal water purification system and have no worries about the water you're drinking, no matter where you are. The Viru-Stat cartridge filters out sediment and protozoa; smaller bacteria and viruses are neutralized. No boiling necessary. Fill the bottle 200 times before replacing the cartridge. The Purifier costs $39.85 (replacement cartridges are $29.85 each) through the Magellan's catalog, 800-962-4943, or online at www.magellans.com.