10 most ridiculous travel fashion items

From wearable sleeping bags to metal detector sandals, we present ten travel fashion faux pas you really should avoid

8 mins

1. Musuc Wearable Sleeping Bag

Day three on your trek to Everest Base Camp and it's so cold you don't want to get out of your sleeping bag. With the Musuc wearable sleeping bag you don't have to. It's designed to keep you warm and comfortable whether you're lying down or on the move.

The Musuc is available in sizes to suit all body shapes and comes in a variety of bright colours. Best of all, once you've conquered Everest, the Musuc can be worn around the house on those cold, lonely winter evenings.

And make no mistake, insist on wearing a Musuc and you will be alone.

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 Brief Safes

2. Brief Safes

We're not sure whether to be appalled or impressed by this innovative way of protecting your valuables. Brief Safes are underpants with a crotch pocket to stow your money and credit cards – with painted on skid marks to put off even the most determined of thieves.

Leave your brief safes in plain sight, secure in the knowledge that no one will go near your valuables. Or you.

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 Bottle Opener Flipflops

3. Fanning Bottle-Opener Sandals

Confronted with an unopened bottle of beer, backpackers now have another option other than using their teeth – the fanning bottle-opener sandals.

Flip flop innovators Reef continue to push the boundaries of what a humble piece of extruded rubber can do – much to the chagrin of dentists in Thailand, Mexico and other places where the living is easy and the beer is cheap.

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Metal Detector Sandals

4. Metal-Detector Sandals

Why just walk along a beach when you can be scanning it for hidden treasure at the same time? Hammacher Schlemmer’s metal detector sandals use “beat frequency oscillation technology” to signal when hidden pirate loot is underfoot.

With a little luck you'll find something that will fund your entire trip. Or return with an impressive collection of bottle tops.

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 Translate T-Shirt

5. Phrasebook T-Shirt

Off on an adventure around the world but can't speak the lingo? Don't weigh down your pack with countless phrase books. Let this simple t-shirt do the job instead.

The phrasebook t-shirt uses the same pictograms you see on international signs around the world to represent all your traveller needs. Just point and your chest will do the talking.

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 Stash Sandals

6. Stash Sandals

Brief safes just a little too hard core? The innovators at Reef have also created a more palatable way of hiding your valuables in something you wear – the stash sandals.

These stylish flip flops feature a secret draw that slides out to accommodate your valuables. Just remember not to wear them in the shower.

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 Air Conditioned Shirt

7. Air-Conditioned Shirt

Ever visited a place so hot that you never ventured out of your hotel room? The innovative air-conditioned shirt created by Kuchofuku of Japan, is designed to bring a bit of IT Department chic to the savanna.

The shirt is USB powered so you'll have to drag your laptop on safari too.

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 WiFi T-Shirt

8. Wi-Fi Detector T-shirt

With backpacks laden with iPads and laptops, more and more travellers are looking for Wi-Fi signals. This clever t-shirt helps them with an animated image that lights up when a Wi-Fi signal comes in range.

It also indicates how strong the signal is -– the more bars, the stronger it is – and alerts local ruffians that you're carrying a couple of grand of gadgets as well.

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Sun-Mate solar hat

9. Sun-mate Solar Safari Hat

You're on safari in the Masai Mara and your air-conditioned shirt is keeping your body cool. But what about your head? It's frying under the unrelenting African sun.

You need a sun-mate solar safari hat. Sure, the Victorian explorer vibe is ruined by the solar panel on top. But at least you can rest easy in the knowledge that the local wildlife won't choke on your discarded batteries.

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 Jakpak

10. Jakpak All-In-One Jacket/Sleeping Bag/Tent

To the untrained eye it looks like an ill-fitting spray jacket. But the Jakpak is the world's first all-in-one jacket, tent and sleeping bag. It could be the only piece of clothing you need to take on your next trip.

How does this miracle of modern design work? A sleeping bag folds down from the back of the jacket. The hood of the sleeping bag becomes a mini shelter, supported by metal tent rods,complete with an insect net and 'storm flaps' to keep out water.

Its manufacturers claim it: "creates an instant dry habitat that is ideal for outdoor sports enthusiasts and people living in areas prone to natural disaster."

We say it's perfect for those looking for the latest in body-bag chic.

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