5½ Must Pack Travel Items
There are a few simple things I always pack for travel that will really help improve your travel experience. I also included an item I may only need for about ½ my trips, but it’s something you don’t ever want to leave behind!
1. Noise Cancelling Headphones
Noise cancelling headphones are an absolute must on every flight. If you’ve never used them it cuts out engine noise and crying babies in the most soothing way, and you’ll feel more refreshed and less fatigued when you arrive to your destination.
Personally I prefer an over the ear headphone for the best noise cancellation available. I’ve been using the Bose QuietComfort35 Headphones for many years and now that they’re discontinued you can pick them up at a great price. If you’d rather have the latest version check out the Bose Headphones 700 which is the latest version. However if you’re looking for something truly audiophile quality check out the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H95 Headphones which I’ve enjoyed a couple times flying in Singapore Airlines First Class Suites.
2. GoPro Camera
I always bring a GoPro when traveling even if I’m not making a video because it is the best camera to bring along for all your adventures. Whether you’re swimming with sharks, zip-lining through the rainforest in Costa Rica, or simply sightseeing in a new place the GoPro cameras are easy to use, versatile and capture incredibly high quality imagery for their small size.
I would recommend the GoPro HERO10 Black or the newer GoPro Hero 11 and this is the camera I currently use for some shots in my videos. One of my favorite accessories is the suction cup mount from Joby to mount it to a window in an airplane, vehicle or anywhere else. A more budget friendly option would be the older GoPro HERO 7 which was their first model to include their revolutionizing video stabilization technology so I wouldn’t recommend any models older than the 7.
3. Liquid IV
One of the best ways to beat jet lag is to stay hydrated, so I always pack a few of the lemon-lime flavored Liquid IV electrolyte drink mix and each package mixes with a single standard ½ liter water bottle. These are also great for a long day in the sun or after enjoying a couple adult beverages. We use these so much we have them shipped every month through our Amazon Prime membership.
4. Amazon Firestick
I don’t know about you but I love to have some TV time in bed when staying in a nice hotel. The problem is if you’re traveling abroad, especially somewhere that speaks a different language, the options can be very limited. So why not bring your favorite streaming services with you? We have used our Amazon Firestick around the world, and it is so easy to connect to just about any hotel TV with an HDMI cable.
I would recommend the 4K Fire TV Stick for the best picture quality since just about all new TVs have 4K resolution now (or higher) but the HD Fire TV Stick is a great option as well if you’d like something a bit more budget friendly.
5. Solar Powered USB Battery
It seems like every time I forget to charge my phone it’s when I need it the most, which is why I always bring a backup battery to charge any devices. This has come in handy with other items too like charging our cameras or audio recorders. I love these 30000mAh Solar Power Banks because they hold a lot of battery power, have a small flashlight built in and you can charge from either a power outlet or with solar energy. If you’d like something with even more juice this 50000mAh Portable Solar Charger is a bit bigger but will hold nearly twice as much power.
5½. Univesal Power Adapter
OK now you might not need this if you’re traveling locally but this is one thing you don’t want to leave behind when traveling to other countries with different power outlets. This Unidapt Universal Travel Adapter works almost everywhere featuring US/UK/EU/AU outlets, and also has 4 USB chargers as well because believe it or not there are still hotels & airbnbs without USB chargers! 🤦♂️ Just be careful with certain appliances like a hair dryer or curling iron where you may need a voltage converter.
Happy Travels!
-Jeff
