It’s easy to make mistakes trying to find the best travel gear. I’ve made more than I am willing to admit during my first few years backpacking. But through a lot of trial and error, I’ve comprised a good list of essentials that will help your travels.
Some of these items might not fit your budget, but most won’t break your bank account. I always find it is better not to skimp on gear. Cheap stuff breaks/burns out fast, and going through the hassle of finding and buying replacements isn’t fun. Usually, I find that end up spending more on low-quality gear because I have to replace it often.
I like to change the way I travel. Most of the time I move with the bare minimum, but sometimes I love to bask in a little more luxury with extra creature comforts. This list covers all the necessities you will need before hitting the road.
Keep in mind that I live and work on the road so some of this gear (I looking at you electronics section) might not fit your needs and goals for your trip.
Without further ado let’s get started. From backpacks to USB chargers this is my list of the best travel gear.
I’ve had many backpacks over the last 10 years. The Osprey Farpoint is my favorite by a landslide. The heavy weight of a backpack has dual front compression straps, padded top and side handle, lockable zippers, and an unzippable day pack. The Osprey Farpoint comes in 40 (which you can check in), 55, 70, and 80-liter sizes.
Timbuk2 is another good option for travelers. The backpack has an air-mesh ventilated back panel, a padded laptop compartment, mesh wall pockets and a dedicated compartment for shoes. Another cool feature is that you can convert it into a duffel bag making it easy to give you back a little break and still carry it around.
The REI Rupack comes with lightly padded shoulder straps, a mesh back panel designed for comfort, a wide hipbelt, a zippered back panel you can use to the protect straps, and a stowable rain cover makes this the perfect backpack for travel and hiking. Some people swear by REI so this is a backpack to keep your eye on!
I wasn’t sold on compression bags at for a long time; however, that was before I ever tried them. I decided to give them a chance after a got some for Christmas, and I have never looked back. These bags will save you a ton of space, keep you organized, and your clothes protected. Eagle Creeks compression sack are durable and water resistant with translucent fabric. I highly recommend giving them a try!
I wish you could see my first passport. It is bent, torn, scratched; the barcode was so worn that immigration agents can’t scan it. ( Seriously, I almost wasn’t let in the U.A.E because of it.) When I got a new passport, I vowed to protect it. That is when I found this handy piece of gear that will not only protect your passport but will also stop theives for stealing your credit card info with its built-in RFIDsafe material. It’s made from Dyneema webbing which is hard to cut.
Travel buffs are one of the best pieces of travel gear! I try to never travel without one. They are great because they do so many things. You can use a buff to cover your eyes while trying to catch a nap on a plane or train, protect your face from mud and dust, hold back your hair, cover your watch in sketchy areas, wrap clothes to form a pillow, keep the wind off your neck, and more.
A power adapter isn’t an option when traveling abroad. I suggest staying away from the cheap ones because they burn out very fast. This all on one travel adapter is the best! It covers sockets for, an impressive, 150 different countries. The power converter comes with 4 high speed 2.4A USB ports. It’s made from durable polycarbonate with built-in thermal protection layers. It also comes with a lifetime guarantee.
The mere presence of locks detrie theft. These Pacsafe locks are great for locking and protecting your backpack. Pacsafe is one of the leading brands for travel locks. Keep your mind at ease knowing your gear safe with a cable coated flexible plastic that allows you to lock multiple zippers at once. You can also adjust the combination numerous times.
While my love for buffs is apparent, they might not be up your alley. In case, I suggest investing in a large shemagh keffiyeh scarf. The material is thick, yet, soft and can protect your head and face from unwanted wind, sand, and bust. It is perfect for traveling, backpacking, hiking, and climbing.
I traveled without a pillow for years. Finally, a friend got annoyed enough and got me one. Oh man! Were they right. It makes like on buses, planes, airports, and trains so much easier. This pillow from REI is covered in super soft fleece and a quick snap that is easy to attach to your bag. It also has a zip pocket where you can store money, tickets, and cards for safety while you catch some Zzz’s
This is a sleeping bag liner, however, for those of you who get itchy just thinking about sleeping on hostel or hotels sheets, this is a useful asset. The cacoon is cozy, it reduces the chance of bed bugs. This Cocoon Silk Mummy Liner is 100% polyester microfiber to keep in heat and is machine washable. I don’t mind sleeping on hostel sheets so I haven’t used this product. I am just going off a friend’s recommendation. And yes, I have encountered bed bugs because I haven’t used a liner.
This travel kit from REI is a great product for keeping your toilets and other products you use to stay fresh on the road. This bag is made from durable ripstop nylon and padded to protect your stuff. The kit handle doubles as a hanging strap (so you can hang it in the shower), perfect for small essentials, see-through mesh to find things without digging.
William Shakespeare –
A coward dies a thousand times before his death, but the valiant taste of death but once.
This camera packs a lot of power into an affordable price tag. It shots an impressive 24.2 MP and has an APS-C CMOS sensor and DIGIC 7 Image processor. The only downside is that it only shoots video at 1080p instead of 4k.Canon is my brand of choice ( and they aren’t even paying me to say that). What I like about the EOS Rebel 2 is that it packs a lot of power into an affordable price tag. It shoots an impressive 24.2 MP and has an APS-C CMOS sensor and DIGIC 7 Image Processor. The only downside is that it only shoots video at 1080p instead of 4k.
This canon wide angle lens can help you get some cool shots. It has a focal length and aperture of 24mm and a maximum magnification of x0.27. The circular aperture lets you take photos that deliver beautiful and soft backgrounds. A 24mm lens lets you shoot wide without sacrificing details in the overall image. It is also versatile and can be used in anything from street to landscape photography.
This lens offers dedicated image stabilization, shoots at 18-135mm with an f-stop between f3.5-f 5.6. A 135mm lens lets you get a good depth of field, a wider aperture and long focal length, and a lot of sharpness. It also enables you to zoom in and focus on smaller objects from farther away. Your images will definitely stand out!
Is there anything cooler than getting that aerial shot of a beach, or slow pan of a castle? The Mavic is the perfect drone for travelers. It is light and tiny, yet powerful. The Mavic 2 has an optical zoom of 24-48mm. 48 MP photo resolution, full HD video. It also has the longest battery life of any drone on the consumer market ( as of the time of writing this). The Mavic 2 will enhance a photographer or videogprahers travels and lets you get the remarkable and unique shots of there travels.
Or maybe you want something smaller! Then check out this Mavic Air 2 Review!
For travelers most interest in shooting video instead of photos then the Osmo pocket is a piece of travel gear you need. It is lightweight and portable. The stabilizer camera helps you get fluid movement and stunning pans. It shoots 4k at 60 fps and video at 100 Mbps. You can connect your phone to get a large screen if you are an amateur videographer this little camera for capturing your stories and adventures.
Go Pro needs no introduction. These compact cameras are small, yet, pack a powerful punch. Go Pro has built a billion-dollar business on giving adventurers addicts a way to get let you get incredible shots anywhere. The hero 7 is Go Pros latest camera, and their best. Some impressive features of the Hero 7 are voice control, live streaming, 4k video, and 12mp photos. Waterproof housing also protects it up to 30 ft.
“I am not the same, having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world.”
When it comes to laptops, I prefer windows of Apple (don’t give me to much hate). The Dell XPS9360 is small with only a 13.3 (1920 X 1080) screen making it portable. It has 128 GB storage and a 7th generation Intel processor. Strong enough for programs like Lightroom and Photoshop. This powerful laptop is shaping up to be one the best travel laptops for
A lot of bloggers I know who use Apple use this macbook pro. They say it is perfect for people who love apple laptops and travel. It is powerful for photo and video editing but small enough for travel. It has an 2.3 GHZ I5 processer, 8GB Ram, and 128GB SSD drive.
I never travel without a hard drive, after an earth-shattering loss of around three years of travel photos when my old laptop crapped out. This hard drive is fantastic because it is durable, so you don’t have to worry about it getting smashed. There are both 1TB or 2TB options which is all the extra space you will need on a trip. It is one of the most durable, yet, affordable external hard drives I have seen.
I use T-Mobile because it gives you free texting and data and over 150 countries at no extra cost. The downside is that the data is only 2g, so it isn’t the fastest internet in the world. However, it is amazing to step off the plane and already have google maps pulled up to my hotel and texted to my love ones that I am safe.
I have trouble reading on planes and trains. But luckily a Nintendo switch makes the time fly buy. It is portable has great games a decent battery life , and you have to do something on a 10 flight. Am I right?
This is a great tablet that can double as an e reader so you can read all the books you want on the road. The ten hour battery life makes it great choice as an e reader, or watching movies and TV.
This underwear has breathable mesh fabric that keeps you cool. The antmicrobial treatment reduces odor. The Give and Go seriesis an award winning underwear. (Which is strange sentence to type.)
MeUndies has mad a name for itself as the most comfotable underwear in the world. People like Tim Ferris sing there praises. I do have to say that there underwear is pretty amazing.
This lightweight jacket has built in UPF protection, security pockets, and abrasion resistant material that adds breathability. It comes in a few colors and if you are planning on spending time outdoors it is definitely worth the investment. Built into the jacket is an odorless bus replant which amazingly work.
I am always amazed at the amount of perks ExoFFico crams into their products. This hoddie reduces odors has UPF protection of 50+ and is made from a mixture of hemp, polyester, lenzing tencel and lyocell. It is a good choice for hiking, backpacking, or traveling.
Soft organic denim that stretches. The guys style of these jeans are some of my favorite.I’ve never tried the girls for obivious reasons. But if they are like the guys then these are insanely comfortable, soft, and perfect for long flights, layovers, or bus rides.
This is not just an ordinary t shirt. This lightweight piece of clothing is breathable, eco friendly, cozy, and antimicrobial.
This isn’t the cheapest underwear in the world, but man, is it worth the price tag. Exoffico offers world class underwear that is smell resistant (which is something everyone can appreciate after 14+ hours of travel).It has breathable mesh fabric to help keep your nether-regions cool.
MeUndies is comfortable, has cool designs (like pandas) and it is affordable. They work on a subscription model however, you can always cancel before you leave for you trip.
This is my all time favorite travel jacket. It has a 6 interior pockets,both a one and two zipper security pockets on the inside that will fit a passport. However, my favorite feature is that there is a inside pocket that lets you roll up the entire jacket and turn into a travel pillow.
If our paths ever cross there is a good 90.5% chance I will be wearing these jeans! The stretchy denim is comfortable, especially if you think you are going to put on a little travel weight. The jeans are stylish, and made with 99% cotton.
This hoodie which is a blend of hemp, recycled polyester, and blended fleece is perfect no matter if you are exploring a city or light hiking. The front Kangaroo pocket has a dedicated media port.
This fair trade factory certified t shirt is stylish and pratcial for travelers. It is 60 percent organic cotton and 40% Recycled Polyster.
It’s always a good idea to carry an extra SD card or two, so you can get as many photos as possible. Personally, I carry about 6, but that is a little excessive.
These highly rated headphones cancel out the noise. A 15-hour battery life, soft ear cushions, and the latest Bluetooth tech lets you quickly switch between two devices make them an excellent thing to add to your packing list.
If you are looking for something more portable you can’t get better than apple Airpods. These headphones are amazingly easy to store, have 5 hours of battery life, or can recharge up 3 hrs within 15 minutes.
If you are carrying a lot of camera gear and need a separate bag then manfrotto backpack is the way to go. The backpacks are perfect for holding and packing SLR’s, Drones, laptops, and tripods. The dual side pockets mean you can get into the area you want easily. The backpacks are extremely padded making it safe for all your gear.
The flexible legs can cling to nearly any surface letting you get the picture you want. The pod can pan 350 degrees, quick setup, and quick mount can stay connected to your GoPro.
This charger is perfect for keeping your camera, phones, tablets, and small USB devices on the go. It is can charged from a small solar panel (sold separately)or from a USB port. It is weather and dust proof and can be used in the rain.
