Travel Gear List: Must-Haves When Leaving Home

When you leave on a trip you never know what you could run into. For this reason, it pays to be prepared. Now you can’t prepare for every situation imaginable, your backpack would be enormous! But you can bring the right travel gear for the likely ones, and you can try to cover your bases.

Some travel gear layed out on a map.

Below I’ve assembled a list of the must have travel gear you should keep with you for all occasions. If you’ve got all this, you’re ready for anything that comes your way.

A Good Multi-Purpose Day Pack – AmazonBasics Slim Carry On Travel Backpack

AmazonBasics Slim Carry On Travel Backpack

For starters, you’ll need something reliable to carry it all in. A good daypack will be good for a lot of purposes. It can serve as your carry on, your personal item, your day bag, or even your suitcase! There is of course an important decision to be made about size. Backpacks come in all shapes and sizes. I recommend a good midsize, like my example here.

Nail Clippers – SZQHT Ultra Wide Jaw Opening Nail Clippers

SZQHT Ultra Wide Jaw Opening Nail Clippers

I would recommend a multi-tool, but the TSA frowns on those. Multi-tools are massively useful, but hard to travel with. It’s true that multi-tools without blades are TSA-compliant. But, they don’t always follow their own rules. And you can bet anything that if you try to argue, they’re going to search you for anything else. And they search everywhere. For this reason, nail clippers are a good solution. They’re good for cutting a lot of things and can be handy for a lot of things. 

Travel First Aid Kit – General Medi Mini First Aid Kit

General Medi Mini First Aid Kit

A First Aid Kit is always a good thing to have. It doesn’t need to be fancy. It just needs to be enough to patch yourself up in case of small accidents. If anything serious happens, there are always doctors. Just make sure there aren’t scissors in it as the TSA gets a little testy about those, too. 

Water Bottle – HYDAWAY Hydration Travel Pack | 25 oz

HYDAWAY Hydration Travel Pack | 25 oz

Having your own water bottle is always nice. You won’t be able to take it on the plane full but you can fill it up after the security checkpoint. When you’re travelling about, especially outdoors, you don’t always know when the next convenient drink will come around. Having your own water bottle will let you fill up and take your hydration into your own hands.

Travel Towel – Rainleaf Microfiber Towel

Rainleaf Microfiber Towel

Travel towels are compact and they come in clutch. You never plan on needing an emergency towel. But it’s for precisely that reason that they’re so useful. They fold up small and are super handy. Plus, in a pinch, they can double as a soft place to put your head on a plane!

Compact Travel Blanket – Comfort Plus 3-in-1 Premium Travel Blanket

Comfort Plus 3-in-1 Premium Travel Blanket

You’ll also want a travel blanket. Some of them fold up to be very small! They’re always useful for a little warmth or a slice of home on a cold plane, train, or bus. By keeping this with you, you ensure that you’ll always be able to get comfy!

Universal Charger – Unidapt Universal Charger Power Adapter

Unidapt Universal Charger Power Adapter

This is a lifesaver for traveling abroad. You want to have a charger for your phone, it might as well be universal. A universal plug will let you charge anything using any outlet. This is one that people often forget about until it’s too late!

Power Bank – Anker PowerCore 10000 Portable Charger

Anker PowerCore 10000 Portable Charger

A power bank will also help you stretch your devices! It’ll give you a backup supply of power for when you really need it. I actually recommend having two power banks. You can use one all the time, and save the other for emergencies, so you’ve always got a plan!

Pocket Notebook – Five Star Fat Lil’ Pocket Personal Notebook

Five Star Fat Lil' Pocket Personal Notebook

I’m still a big believer in pen and paper. I think there’s value to writing things down and I think it’s a lot easier than phone notes. Not to mention it’s classier than phone notes and you can rip off and use pieces of paper. You should definitely pick up a little notebook and pen for your travels.

Compact Umbrella – SY COMPACT Travel Umbrella

SY COMPACT Travel Umbrella

Finally on my list of must-have travel gear, always plan for a rainy day. A compact umbrella is a great low-weight low-space way to do that! It’s a little easier than carrying around a bulky jacket or a poncho and it’s super easy to use and put away!

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Travel Gadgets List: Taking Your Trip A Level Up

They’re constantly coming out with new travel gadgets that improve travel experience all across the board. From the travel itself to the slow parts between, you can elevate your trip!

This list pulls together some of my favorite gadgets that have been getting popular. You might be able to travel without them, but what fun would that be?

Housekeeping Travel Gadgets

A spread of low-tech Travel Gadgets.

EPICKA Handheld Steamer for Clothes 

If you have to travel with dress clothes, I don’t need to tell you how hard it is to keep them sharp. Some hotels have irons and boards, but who knows how well they’ll work? More than that, you might not even have them all together! 

This mini-steamer will let you rest assured knowing that you can take care of your clothes. Regardless of where you are!

Brigii Mini Vacuum

In a similar fashion, you can’t bring your whole vacuum with you. And why would you want to? You’re not going to be vacuuming a floor when you’re away. But you might need to vacuum your desk, or your car, or even your shirt! This mini vacuum will let you do just that without having to worry about size.

AmazonBasics 4 Piece Packing Travel Organizer Cubes Set

These things are a game changer for sure when it comes to packing! Suitcases can quickly become vast oceans of your stuff. Travel storage cubes give you the perfect solution to this.

These cubes let you organize small bags inside of your bag. You can keep everything separate and where you left it!

Scrubba Portable Wash Bag

Washbags can be a very nice thing to have. If you’re going off the grid they’re pretty much a necessity! Washbags let you do a little laundry very easily with just a little water and soap. It’s easy to see why this is useful if you’re camping or on a safari, but it’s good to have everywhere!

Even in a hotel or a B&B you might need to do a little laundry. Spills and disasters happen. If something happens to your suitcase, this washbag might be the only thing that saves you from not having underwear!

Comfort Travel Gear

A comfortable place to make use of Travel Gadgets.

Thermrup Electric Heated Insoles

Everybody’s circulation is different. Some people just never get cold. But many many more people get cold feet. When you feel like you’re going to start losing toes, nothing beats heated insoles to keep them toasty!

PARTU HEPA Air Purifier

There’s no telling what the air’s going to be like where you’re going. There are a lot of beautiful places to visit that just don’t have great air. Bringing your own mini air purifier let’s you avoid worrying about it! It’ll keep you breathing easy and can even help with snoring!

Mpow 45Hrs Active Noise Cancelling Headphones

Noise-cancelling technology hasn’t always been affordable. And if you want a really top-notch pair of headphones, it’ll still cost you. But that said, there are some budget options out there that are really learning to compete!

Top Tech Travel Gadgets

Some big-ticket Travel Gadgets.

BooTaa 4 Pack AA Batteries

I love rechargeable batteries. I think that being sustainable feels good, a lot better than throwing batteries away. Nowadays, they’re even easier to use than ever! My favorites are batteries that plug straight into a USB port, it just couldn’t get any easier!

Roku Streaming Stick+ 

These are great for home, but have you considered taking your Roku on the go? If you’re not familiar, Roku’s are a simple little stick that puts all of your streaming services in one simple place. If you take your stick with you, you can take all of your shows with you! Just plug in this simple device into any HDMI port and you’re good to go!

Kindle Paperwhite

Lot’s of big-ticket devices make your travel experience better. Laptops, iPads, game-devices, they’re all great for entertainment. But one device rises above for travel, and that’s the Kindle Paperwhite. The eInk technology reduces eye strain and makes your battery last longer. Combine that with enough storage for more books than you could read in a lifetime and you can’t beat this!

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Travel Organizers For Every Occasion

When you travel, you want to enjoy the trip. You don’t want to be fussing over where your things are. And you definitely don’t want to be losing anything! By making sure you organize, you can spend less time worrying and more time enjoying your trip!

A bag that could use travel organizers.

But there are a lot of things to organize on a lot of levels. You’ve probably got multiple bags. Each bag has compartments and choices you have to make. You’ve probably got bags inside of bags. And inside of those, you’ve probably even got ziplocks and pill cases! This list puts together the best organizers from every category. With these options, you can go from a mass of stuff, to a well oiled machine!

Pill Travel Organizers

Pillsteer Travel Pill Organizer Medicine Dispenser

If you’ve got medicine, especially serious stuff, pill management is a big deal! Even if you don’t have serious medication, you can still use a pill organizer. Vitamins help keep you healthy, and on vacation is the last place you want to be sick!

This pill organizer from Pillsteer has everything you’d want in a pill organizer. And it’s all for a very reasonable price! This one comes with a rubber waterproof seal. This will keep your pills safe and sounds from any spills or weather. This makes it excellent for camping and outdoor activities too!

Storage Cubes

Shacke Pak – 5 Set Packing Cubes

Storage cubes are a kind of a new fad with packing and travel accessories. But it’s easy to see why they’re popular! Tossing all of your clothes and other stuff into a suitcase will get messy fast. Storage cubes give you a way to avoid that mess!

They’re basically just storage bags for your storage bags so you can keep everything separated. This multi-pack from Shacke will give you a variety of sizes. That variety will let you decide what  things need more or less space. And it’ll keep everything exactly where you left it!

Toiletry Bag

BAGSMART Toiletry Bag

Everyone needs toiletry bags. They’re the absolute best way to keep all the little things you need in the bathroom handy and organized. This one has as much space as you could need and with plenty of organization! 

This bag has 4 separate zippered pockets! And the two main pockets have additional elastic straps on the inside. Plus, it’s got a hook! when you hang up this bag, it’ll fold out into a full bathroom cabinet. Your whole morning and night kit will be right there for you just like you’re at home! 

Makeup Travel Organizers

Chomeiu Travel Makeup Case

Ladies (and more and more men!), you know how valuable makeup is. They charge you through the roof for every piece that you need, but they’re still tiny! You’ve GOT to keep everything organized and safe for that reason alone. You don’t want to be losing $20 markers because you put all your makeup in gallon zip bags!

In comes Chomeiu travel makeup case. This luxurious segmented makeup bag has a main body with rearrangeable walls. You can build your own compartments to suit your needs exactly! On top of that the lid has professional brush slots to keep all your important brushes at the ready!

Electronics Travel Organizers

Luxtude Electronic Organizer

Everyone has electronics and devices. You’ve got your phone for sure. You might have a tablet, a laptop, and handheld game, a Kindle, and you’ve got chargers for all of them! If you don’t take charge of your cables and electronics your bag’s gonna look like it’s full of spaghetti!

For just $7, this simple organizer from Luxtude will revolutionize your cable game. Never again will you have to fish through your bag for adapters and wall plugs. Everything will be available to you in moments! 

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Travel Luggage: Best Bags For Staying On Top Of Things

If you’re getting on a plane (or going anywhere) choosing your travel luggage is one of the biggest choices to make. I think we’re past the age of soft luggage. When you go to the airport, your luggage will be abused. You can count on it. If there’s anything breakable in it, you can kiss it goodbye before you get on the plane. That is, unless you go with hard side luggage.

Hard side travel luggage is the most popular type of bag these days, and it’s for good reason. If your bag isn’t hard side, it may as well be a plastic bag! That’s why I didn’t bother including soft luggage in my lists. It’s not even worth using! 

I just wanted to put together a list of the best luggage you can get for any need. Whether you’re replacing one piece, or you’re buying a whole set, this list will get you ready for the air!

Hard Travel Luggage Sets

Full sets are the best deals you can get on luggage, and it’s what I recommend. Matching luggage is a great way to keep it together and organized. Plus, you’ll get deals for getting it all from the same place!

Coolife 3 Piece Set

The Coolife 3-Piece set is the perfect value set for someone looking to get started with hard luggage. The 3 pieces will cover all your bases and give you options based on what you want to take.

Coolife 4 Piece Set

The 4-Piece set is the next level up  from the previous set. This one will give you even more options, with the same great value.

Samsonite Omni 3 Piece Set

The Samsonite Omni is a quality set of luggage. It’s a little more expensive, but you get what you pay for. This is the powerhouse luggage that will carry you for years to come.

Hard Side Carry-On’s

Your carry-on is the most important piece of luggage that you’ve got. When I travel, I try to go without a checked bag unless I absolutely need it. The best way to make sure that your belongings stay in one piece is for them to never leave your side.

AmazonBasics 21″ Hard Side

The AmazonBasics Carry-On is the base level of the hard side bag, but don’t let that dissuade you. This is the perfect entry level bag if you’re just getting your first quality luggage. This is my personal overnight bag and I can attest to its quality!

Samsonite Omni 20″ Hard Side

The Samsonite Omni is the luxury model. A little more expensive and a lot more durable, this is the bag that will make it through anything.

American Tourister Moonlight 21″ Hard Side

If you’re looking for quality and a little more elegant style, this is the bag for you. It may be a tank of a hard side, but you won’t feel like you’re lugging it around!

Hard Side Checked Bags

You carry-on may be the most important piece of luggage that you have, but the checked bag isn’t far behind. If you’re checking a bag you’re trusting it to the airport. And if you’ve ever checked a bag, you probably know that the airport can’t be trusted.

If you’ve got a hard side bag, your things stand a much better chance of making it to the other side unharmed.

AmazonBasics 26″ Suitcase

Once again, AmazonBasics comes in as the perfect entry-level budget option. If you’re new to hard side luggage, this will absolutely get you up and running fast!

Samsonite Omni 28″  Suitcase

Samsonite is once-again the luxury option. This powerhouse luggage will take a hit and keep on rolling. Keeping all of your stuff safe and secure.

Coolife Luggage 28″

Coolife is the mid-range option. It’s a step above the AmazonBasics, but not quite as high-quality as some other options. That said, it’s a great brand that makes great products.

Travel Luggage Storage Cubes

You may be thinking what I was when you read that title. What are storage cubes? They’re the latest packing craze that people can’t live without. Storage cubes are a way to help you organize your bags that’s a total game changer. They’re basically bags for the inside of your bag to keep things separate. How many times have you been digging through your suitcase looking for something specific? Your last clean pair of underwear, your passport? With storage cubes you can keep everything where it’s supposed to be and it won’t get jumbled around.

They’re inexpensive and they can save you ages of time!

Bagail 6 Set Packing Cubes

This is a solid set of bags that will organize your stuff for a reasonable price. With these you’ll go from disorganized to packing pro in no time.

Shacke Pak – 5 Set Packing Cubes

This is the best beginner set of storage cubes. It’s only 5 of them, but that may be all you need. And for less that $15, it’s the perfect intro to the cubes!

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10 Crucial Travel Accessories You Simply Must Have

Travel accessories will make your adventure a lot easier. These are my top picks for the must-have accessories to bring your travel to the next level.

Carry Your Travel Accessories

Canway 65L Travel Duffel Bag

The most important travel accessor of all is the one that carries all the other. That’s why you need a good travel bag! This bag from Canway is classic, stylish, and effective. It’s roomy enough for everything you need and the materials are top notch. It’s got quality zippers and a waterproof material to keep everything safe!

ZOMAKE Ultra Lightweight Packable Backpack

Collapsible backpacks are a must have for travel. I don’t go anywhere without mine! You never know when a day bag could make all the difference in your adventure. I know when my wife and I travel, we pick up souvenirs. There’s nothing worse than loading up on stuff early in the day, only to have to carry it in shopping bags for hours. With this collapsible day pack, you can take it with you during the day, and pack everything back up when you’re travelling home!

Catch Some Sleep

MLVOC Travel Pillow Sleep Set

You’ve probably had a travel pillow before. They’re simple, cheap, half-donut pillows that don’t do a great job. That’s why you need a quality neck pillow like this once from MLVOC. It’s ergonomically designed with 3 points of support and memory foam padding. Plus, for all this cushioning, it compresses down to the size of a cell phone for storage. As an added bonus, it comes with a set of earplugs and an eye mask! It’s a nap in a bag!

COWIN E7 Active Noise Cancelling Headphones

Noise cancelling headphones have come a long way. It used to be you couldn’t get a decent pair for under $300. This $60 makes noise-cancellation available for everyone, without breaking the bank. Plus these headphones have Bluetooth connectivity. As a late convert to Bluetooth headphones myself, I can tell you: you won’t go back. Hands free headphones are so much more convenient and comfortable than you’d even think they are. Plus, these will filter airplane noise!

Money Management

passport organizer the most important travel accessories

AmazonBasics RFID Travel Passport Wallet Organizer

If you’re travelling abroad, your passport is your most important possession. This makes a way to keep it safe one of your most important travel accessories. Literally anything else can be replaced except your passport. No one wants to spend their vacation fighting to be allowed home in a foreign consulate. This organizer bag will keep everything right where you put it and keep you from misplacing a thing.

money belt

Alpha Keeper RFID Money Belt

Pickpockets are creative. But if your wallet is strapped right to the front of your waist, they’re going to have a hard time getting anything. Plus, criminals aside, this wallet belt is convenient! You might look like a dorky tourist, but who cares? You’re having the time of your life and you’re not worried about losing anything getting in your way!

minimalist wallet for money travel accessories

Travelambo Front Pocket Minimalist Leather Slim Wallet

Whenever I travel, I like to keep a couple wallets. I’ll keep my main wallet, but I’ll also keep a decoy wallet. You can put in a little cash and some of those fake credit cards that you get in the mail. That way, if something happens and someone is demanding your wallet, you’ve got one to throw and one real one.

Travel Accessories: Electronics

travel accessories need a universal power plug

Unidapt Universal Travel Power Adapter

Something you might not consider when travelling is outlets, but it’s absolutely crucial. If you make it all the way to your European hotel room before you notice, you’re going to be in trouble. 

And airports know how crucial these are, that’s why they’ll charge you through the roof! Order one online and never be caught without again!

headphone splitter travel accessories

Belkin RockStar 5-Jack Multi Headphone Audio Splitter

There are a lot of headphone splitters out there. The problem with them is that normally they’ve only got two ports! This might be okay for some. But if you go for one of these star shaped multi-splitters, you’ll always have enough ports.

The star shaped design lets you plug in up to 5 headphones, enough for the whole family!

power bank travel accessories

Anker PowerCore 10000 Portable Charger

Portable chargers are important. If you’re in an unfamiliar place, your map app is your lifeline, and that means your phone is your lifeline! When it comes to portable chargers, I recommend having 2. One for normal use, and one just in case charger for emergencies!

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Top Travel Bag: 9 Killer Bags To Rock Your Trip

The most important travel accessory you’ve got is the bag that you carry your stuff in. Without that, you’re living out of Walmart bags, and that’s no way to get by. You need a travel bag.

This list below is a collection of the best travel bags on Amazon. It’s got duffles, it’s got toiletry bags, it’s got travel bags for men and women. If you need a good travel bag, you can find it here!

PUMA Evercat Dispatch Women’s Duffel

Rating: 4.7 Stars

This roomy and sturdy bag from Puma can have a lot of jobs. It’s designed as a sports bag and it kills at that. You can fit anything up to a soccer ball and more in there! 

It’s sturdy and sleek design makes it perfect as an overnight travel bag. You can fit anything you need and more!

BAGSMART Toiletry Bag Travel Bag

Rating: 4.7 Stars

Pockets and pockets and pockets! This bag just keeps folding out! This toiletry bag can handle anything you can throw at it and more. Elastic straps keep bottles upright to reduce your spill risk. It’s even finished out with a hook so you can hang it and turn anywhere into your makeup counter!

Canway 65L Travel Duffel Bag

Rating: 4.7 Stars

If you’re looking for a professional and durable travel bag, this is the one for you! Waterproof fabric will keep your things dry even in the rain! It’s got interior and exterior pockets for you to keep everything organized. It’s a compact design that packs a big amount of space, even including a shoe compartment in the bottom!

AmazonBasics Large Travel Luggage Duffel Bag

Rating: 4.6 Stars

AmazonBasics is one of my favorite things to happen to Amazon in a while. They put out a quality baseline of gear that will fill your needs without breaking the bank. If you’re in the market for frills, then keep looking. But if you’re looking for a simple bag that’ll carry everything you need, the AmazonBasics travel duffle is for you!

Bago Travel Duffel Bags for Men & Women

Rating: 4.5 Stars

This duffles got some tricks up it’s sleeve. It’s lightweight, it comes in a ton of colors, and it’s the perfect size for your plane carry on. But that’s not the best part. This duffle folds right up when you don’t need it. You can throw it in another bag and break it out when you inevitable fill up on souvenirs!

Narwey Hanging Travel Toiletry Bag

Rating: 4.6

This is a toiletry bag with style! It comes in tons of cool patterns and colors. Durable waterproof fabric will protect your things from the outside and protect the rest of your bag if there’s a spill! Mesh pockets and elastic straps will keep everything where you put it. This is another great bag you can take on the road and hang up anywhere for a makeup counter on the go!

BAGSMART Toiletry Bag for Men

Rating: 4.7 Stars

Men need toiletry bags too! Especially if you’ve got a beard that needs taken care of! This sleek simple black toiletry bag will handle everything you’ve got and more. And it’ll keep everything in place with a ton of pockets and straps for razors, toothbrushes, and anything else!

BOACAY Premium Hanging Travel Toiletry Bag

Rating: 4.6 Stars

This travel bag is like a bathroom cabinet on the go! It folds out in every direction to give you tons of access to your things. Plus it’s got a hook so you can hang your cabinet wherever you want!

Plambag Canvas Duffle Bag for Travel

Rating: 4.6 Stars

This bag is quality, luxury, and style. Just look at it! It’s classically designed and it’s got all the space you need for a weekend or for your carry on!

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