Gear January/February 2017

Maker of quality headsets, Lightspeed Aviation is earning a reputation as a designer of quality flight bags, too. The latest addition to the Adventure Flight Bag Collection is the DeLaurentis ($199). Featuring clean, compact lines that house generous interior space and digital-friendly utility, the leather messenger-style bag is named for aviation adventurer-author Robert DeLaurentis. To help launch the new addition, Lightspeed is offering a free autographed copy of DeLaurentis' new book Zen Pilot: Flight of Passion and the Journey Within with the first 100 DeLaurentis flight bags ordered. As with the other bags in the collection, the DeLaurentis is handmade using full-grain South American cowhide. Pilot-friendly features include a padded iPad pocket for protection and easy access, while another wide interior compartment holds sectionals and other items.

A drawstring headset bag protects the headset and keeps cables tidy, while sewn-in pockets, elastic loops and a front organizer compartment secure phones, chargers, IDs and other small items. The main compartment is large enough to hold a headset and large water bottle, with plenty of room for accessories. On the outside, four heavy-duty steel rings finished in antique brass secure a padded shoulder strap or easy-carry handle (included). Dimensions are 10x5.5x13.5 inches (WxDxH). The DeLaurentis bag comes with a 1-year limited warranty and 30-day money-back guarantee.•lightspeedaviation.com

Make preflight easier with the compact GoCheck Preflight Multi-Tool ($39.95), which combines multiple tools in a single handy unit: a fuel tester with strainer, dipstick wiper, stall horn tester, red/white flashlight, Phillips/flathead screwdriver and checklist reminder card. The slide-off fuel tester has ample capacity and features an integrated strainer to filter fuel when pouring it back into the tank, while the dipstick wiper (both round and flat types) lets you check the oil and clean off the dipstick, with four perfectly placed white LEDs to illuminate the wiper during night flights.

To use the stall horn tester, place the soft end of the multi-tool on the stall-warning hole and pull the fuel tester portion off the GoCheck to create the low pressure needed to check the horn. The integrated flashlight was designed for pilots specifically---press the button once for red light illumination, providing just the right amount of light in the cockpit, and hold down the button for white light activation. The screwdriver heads (illuminated by white LEDs) slide into the bottom of the multi-tool and are held in place by a magnet, and the Checklist Reminder Card lets you jot down preflight notes. The GoCheck Preflight Multi-Tool measures six inches long. • sportys.com/pilotshop

Grab your gear (and lunch, dinner and refreshments) and go, with the YETI Hopper Portable Cooler. Built for adventure, the cooler fits easily in your plane for backcountry excursions or short city hops or cross-countries. Constructed from high-density fabric that's waterproof and resistant to mildew, punctures and UV rays, the Hopper features a liner made from an FDA-approved food-grade material. Closed-cell rubber foam provides superior cold-holding compared to ordinary soft coolers, and six D-ring tie-down points offer multiple ways to secure the Hopper. A detachable shoulder strap and three different sets of reinforced handles make the stuff easier to carry. Available in a variety of sizes, the Hopper has a 3-year warranty. • aircraftspruce.com

Since 1979, the Bahamas Pilot's Guideand theCaribbean Pilot's Guide ($34.95 each) have provided us with valuable flight-planning tools, including maps, procedures, Customs and Immigration details, frequencies, fuel availability, forms and other useful information. The 2017 updates are now available, with AOPA serving as the new publisher of the books, and for the Bahamas guide, AOPA says the Bahamian government has been working to make the country more accessible to a diverse group of aviators, including sport pilots. Updated annually, the guides feature photographs of every airport in the Bahamas and the Caribbean, plus runway and navigation information, hotel and recreation phone numbers, a survival section and much more. AOPA also publishes a variety of flight-planning bundles and charts. Member discounts don't apply to the guides.•aopa.mybrightsites.com