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Taking the Kids: Gadgets, gizmos and more for the traveling Dad

Eileen Ogintz, Tribune Content Agency on

What dad or grandad doesn’t love a new gadget? And this Father’s Day there are plenty of gadgets to choose from that will please your favorite travelers, not to mention new sustainably made duds to keep them cool all summer.

New dad Jonathan Boydston is a fan of the new portable Weber Traveler grill on wheels designed to use gas efficiently ($349). “We love that we can easily bring it for a picnic with the little one or to a tailgate with friends. It’s a breeze to set up, store and throw in the car for the next adventure with the family,” he said.

To go along with the grill, there’s Adrian Davila’s “Cowboy Barbecue: Fire & Smoke from the Original Texas Vaqueros” cookbook to learn traditions of the vaqueros, the Latin American cattle herders who once roamed the plains of Texas and Mexico ($9.99 for Kindle, $8.75 for the paperback).

Those who love to cook on vacation would love the No. 8 Cast-iron Skillet ($145) from the Field Company, started by two brothers who couldn’t find cast-iron or vintage pans they liked. This skillet is lighter and smoother with a naturally non-stick cooking surface, made in the USA, and ideal for camping and vacation rentals for those who want to bring their favorite pan along. Roast a chicken, make bacon and eggs or a blueberry cobbler….

Your favorite cook might also like a cookbook with recipes from a vacation where he loved the food. Perhaps “Comida Mexicana: Snacks, Tacos, Tortas, Tamales & Desserts” by Rosa Cienfuegos ($29.95 from Amazon or “Italian Street Food: Recipes from Italy’s Bars and Hidden Laneways” by Paola Bacchia ($29.95 from Amazon).

Another gadget good for road trippers: The Athena, a portable jump starter and charger all in a compact case to toss in the trunk that can power up a cellphone, laptop and a dead battery ($130).

 

Also from the same company, and a good bet for novice campers, the new First Aid Plus ($129) is a compact first-aid kit in a waterproof shell complete with multi-tool flashlight, storm-proof matches, duct tape (to fix gear) and more. You can strap it to a bike, ATV, boat or throw in the trunk with the rest of the camping gear.

If you’ve got a hefty budget and a favorite birder, they’re guaranteed to enjoy a new Smart Digital scope or binoculars from American Technologies Network Corp. (ATN) that can record so users can upload their experiences to their favorite social media channels. Starting at $699.

For the dads embarking on a long flight this summer, food blogger Laura Bais suggests the affordable Battleship Grab and Go Game from Hasbro ($5.29) available from major retailers. Get a set of six Grab and Go games, including Clue, Trouble and Connect 4 from gamersroll for a discounted $35.39. “I play during long flights and it keeps me entertained,” she said. You could also present a game with a promise to entertain the kids on the flight while he plays.

Give the chess aficionado a Roll-Up Chess & Checkers Travel Game ($39.95 from Sondergut). All of the pieces fit in a zippered storage pocket that rolls up to roughly the size of a pocket umbrella.

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