Travel Packing List - Best Travel Gear [Updated 2024]
Traveling, whether it's for work, vacation, or to record some awesome content somewhere, is always a good time, and with new great products and innovation's coming out everyday, it just keeps getting better! This is my current list of favorite travel gear.
Packs
When it comes to packing for travel, there are two main categories: luggage, and backpacks. Both have there place and the terms of the trip may give the advantage to one or the other. For most trips, I use a combination of both!
Luggage
For airline travel, luggage is ideal. I also find it best for any road trips longer than a night or two as it’s simply the best means of packing clothing, toiletries, etc. I have been through different luggage setups over the years and heavily favor the hard sided style. I recommend getting them in a set. The different sizes will come in handy for families and couples, or as a solo traveler the larger size works well for longer trips but may be overkill for shorter trips. My current setup and recommendation is the Samsonite Winfield 2. I use the medium and large sizes for longer trips over 3 days and the small size for trips under 3 days. I pair this with my GoPro Seeker bag, or small day trip backpack!
Bags
Luggage is great for longer stays, and airline travel, but a good backpack is still a must for me. I use my backpacks for day trips and excursions, short over night travel, and as a carry-on bag for airlines. I don't really use this for clothing items too often. I mostly opt for comfort items and luxuries such as; small electronics and chargers, travel snacks, headphones, etc. My favorite bag right now is the GoPro Seeker Backpack. This bag is small and compressible. It fits all the necessities but isn't a bear to carry around. It was designed for GoPro Videographers so it offers great protection and water resistance for small electronics and even includes a small laptop pouch. The GoPro Seeker Backpack is my go to bag for daily activities, excursion, and adventures, and also my main carry on. The backpack has a built in shoulder strap GoPro mount which is nice for capturing some POV content of your adventures. I have taken this bag on many hikes, kayaking, downhill and cross country skiing, as well as international travel.
Packing
Packing isn't so much of a burden for the small day trips and adventures, but the longer the trip or more stuff your bringing, the more burdensome it can get. This is because we aren't use to living out of suitcases which is why I value the right luggage and packing gear!
Packing Cubes
Packing Cubes are a pretty inexpensive and much welcome addition to your luggage. Available in many different sizes and sets, these help you pack clean and orderly, and maintain organization throughout your trip. I mostly use these when I pack for longer trips to keep my stuff organized and tidy.
Compression Bags
Compression Bags are the best kept packing secret! These are great for underwear, socks, and such items that wrinkles aren't of much concern and allow you to save a bunch of space. Better yet though, I bring an unused large one to put my used clothes in. You can keep adding to it throughout your trip and recompress it down as you go. This gives you a very compact, and odor free dump box for your laundry! If you like to pick up souvenirs in your travels, this little trick can free up room in your luggage as you go to fit your new trinkets!
Hanging Toiletry Bag
Hygiene items are the ones you don't want bouncing around free in your bag, and you certainly don't want to leave them behind. If you travel a lot, you will want a good toiletry kit. I keep mine setup all the time and just re-stock it after each trip. Depending on what all your needs are for travel, products may dictate which way you go for an organizer. There are a lot of good bags and organizers to choose from to cover most needs. My favorite are the hanging style toiletry bags. Hanging toiletry bags typically have enough room for most peoples needs. The hanging style design and compartment setup help keep everything organized and accessible when needed while still being easy to pack into a larger bag or suitcase.
Electronics
We live in the tech age, what can I say. Your not likely traveling without some sort of electronics. At the very least it’s your phone, but often a tablet or computer, cameras, etc. For me, its a phone, laptop, a few GoPro’s, and maybe even some drones depending on the trip. With that, we have some other travel packing considerations.
Power Bank
I bring a power bank most places that I travel. It can top off your phone or be used to charge up cameras or other devices in a pinch. You don't want to be out on a fun adventure and not be able to capture something because your battery is dead! It can also bail you out if your phone dies and you need to get a hold of someone for emergency purposes. I usually keep one with my electronics, and one goes with me, especially if I am flying so I can keep my phone and/or headphones in action. I'd much rather listen to music on a plane then....well, anything else! I like this thin, slim line, ultra high capacity portable power bank by Charmast. The 26800mAh capacity is more than double most of the common portable power banks available.
3 in 1 Charger
You can’t travel without your phone charger! My current favorites are these 3 in 1 multi device foldable chargers. They are compact and easy to travel with, but capable of charging your phone, ear buds, and smart watch if you have them. They are also fast charging which is a huge bonus. II keep one of these in my carry on bag for quick charging during layovers and quick easy access when settling into a hotel room.
Power Inverter
This isn’t for everyone, or even every trip. If you travel with a lot of electronics though, and have access to a DC port, an 12 volt DC to 110 AC power invert is a must. It allows you to plug in and charge a lot of devices at the same time off your vehicles standard DC plug. I like the Bestek 200W Power Inverter. This is inverter is small enough to pack reasonably for travel, but offers 3 standard AC outlets, and 4 4.2A USB charging ports allowing the ability to charge up to 7 devices simultaneously while traveling. I can power multiple GoPro chargers, drone chargers, my phone charger, or even power my laptop off a single DC cigarette lighter port with this Inverter.
International Power Adapter
If you travel internationally, this one is for you! A universal travel adapter allows you to convert power from nearly every international power standard to the American 120v system. Charge your devices and run your electronics while on vacation in other countries without concern! Like the aforementioned travel power Inverter, I have had great success with Bestek. Just like the Bestek Travel Inverter, the International Travel Adapter has 3 110v AC receptacle ports, and 4 USB charging ports allowing you to use up to 7 devices simultaneously. It comes with multiple socket adapters for the different international electrical standards. I used mine on a trip to Thailand and it was perfect. I was able to maintain all my electronics throughout my travels and have peace of mind that I wasn’t going to overload any of my devices.
Electronics Organizer
If you read the beginning of this article, you noticed that organization is a common theme. Well, here it is again! Most people now days travel with more than one electronic device, each with there own batteries, chargers, etc. This nice little organizer gives you a way to package everything together in an easy to find and orderly little kit! I have one set up with multiple chargers and cables for the different GoPro models and batteries that I run, as well as one of the power banks listed above. It all fits very well and is nicely organized when needed. The electronics organizer has been serving me well for a long time and is highly recommended!
Comfort
Pillow
Depending on the trip, and what kind of space I have to work with, I almost always favor bringing my own pillow. This smaller travel pillow from Wise Owl is offered in two sizes and compacts down very well making it feasible to pack for almost any travel situation. I like to keep this in my carry-on bag for airline travel. It can be a welcome comfort during layovers as well as on the plane, It’s also a solid comfort item for road trips, camping, and backpacking.
Neck Pillow
Neck Pillows are great for situations where your limited to a sitting position such as seated in a car, bus, or airplane for an extended period of time. If I have the option to lay down, I am going for the above mentioned standard pillow! For seated travel though, I like the memory foam style neck pillows. The NeckSnug 4 in 1 is a nice option that includes a carrying bag, ear plugs, and a sleeping mask which I don’t often use but are nice to keep on standby in case they are needed. The 3D memory foam construction and built in contours make the NeckSnug neck pillow a very comfortable option for seated travel.
Ears
When taking public transportation, I like to wear noise cancelling headphones, or have them close and at the ready. A good set, like the Bose Quiet Comfort Series, can act like ear muffs and filter out chaotic and disruptive ambiance when you just want some quiet time, but also deliver high quality audio of your favorite music. They are also a great way to deter unwanted conversations! I wear these every time I fly, and find them to be well worth the money when not traveling. I use mine just about anytime I am doing anything noisy, most commonly, mowing the lawn! The Apple Air Pods are another great choice. They are less bulky and easier to get comfortable or sleep with when traveling.
Blanket
Another great little luxury item if you have the space is a travel blanket. Most pack down pretty small! If you're road-tripping you most likely have pretty good control over the climate, but public transportation not so much. A nice little throw blanket can be quit a treat in such situations! When packed up, this one can even act as a small pillow (though I still recommend a dedicated travel pillow if feasible).
Extras
Travel Journal
A travel journal is a great way to document your journey, share your experiences and memories with friends or family, and even help you remember all the details of the trip. It’s also a good way to keep track of the places you visited, activities you did there, or even to keep track of expenses for things like food, lodging, activities, or souvenirs. A travel journal can also be great for helping you plan future trips because it gives you ideas about what places might appeal to you most.
