10 Travel Products I can’t Live Without

There are a ton of travel products out there and after years of trial and error, I have complied a list of travel items that I have found invaluable on my trips.

Hero Clip

The hero clip is a carabiner that also doubles up as a hook to hang your bag and get it off the ground. I use it all the time in public bathrooms if I don’t want to place my bag on the dirty floor or in outdoor restaurants if I want to have the bag right next to me. It is also great for attaching any accessories to your bag like a hat or water bottle. They come in different sizes but I prefer the large. It is always in my backpack and is used all the time.

Vapour Folding Bottle

Making sure you have enough water is crucial however there is always a dilemma between carrying a bulky bottle or buying single use plastic bottles in the shop. As much as I hate single use plastics, carrying these bulky drinks bottles gets very annoying. This is where the Vapour folding bottle comes in. This is the 1 litre version and when empty it can fold down and take up almost no room at all. That means as you drink your water, you’re actually getting more space back in your bag. Also it means you can bring it with you even if you’re only wearing a small sling. I have never had any issues with it and it’s the best solution for staying hydrated, not wasting plastic and not lugging around a giant bottle. One downside is it doesn’t keep your drink hot or cold and you have to be a bit more mindful how you pack it when it’s full so that it doesn’t rub against sharp items in the bag.

Sawyer Micro Squeeze Water Filter

Of course when you’re travelling you can’t always guarantee a clean source of water and that’s where the Sawyer Micro Squeeze Water Filter comes in. It is a tiny package and is designed for people who through hike and would need to filter really dirty water. Personally I have never used it on dirty pond water or anything like that but it is fantastic for filtering tap water in your hotel or airbnb. This simply saves wasting money on plastic bottles from the shop and means anywhere you go, you will have clean drinking water. It’s not perfect though because unless you bring the dedicated pouch, it can be tough finding a bottle that can easily screw on. Personally I found that the smart water bottles screw on just fine so you can just buy one of them and re use it for as long as you need. There are other similar filters on the market so definitely have a look around. This one just works for me.

Peak Design 3L Sling

As much as I love backpacks, if you don’t have much to carry or you’re exploring a busy city, a sling makes more sense. First of all it is more secure. If you’re travelling through somewhere where pick pocketing is common, you can tighten the strap and bring it round to the front. That way you always have an eye on the zips and it’s closer to your body. When you find yourself somewhere more relaxed, you can loosen the strap and have it either by your side or round your back. Secondly if you’re exploring in a hot climate, there is nothing worse than a sweaty backpack back. With a sling you stay cooler and dry. Finally because of the smaller size, you naturally won’t bring as much stuff as you would with a backpack. Personally I love the peak design 3l sling as although not the most compact sling, it is in my opinion the most versatile. As well as ample room and a pretty neat divider, it also has loops all round which means you can strap it on top of your backpack for the travel days or strap something to it like a jacket if you get too hot and don’t want to carry it. Many slings have systems which compress them when worn which is great for aesthetics but in my experience just not as practical. The peak design sling is rigid and keeps its shape whether its full, empty, open or closed. Overall I love this product and the quality is top notch.

Folding Puffer

Im firmly a hot climate person however for those sunrise photo shoots or chillier climates you can’t just get away with shorts and t shirts. This is where a decent folding puffer jacket comes in. It doesn’t take up any room, it can fold and fill any space and most importantly it will keep you warm when you need it and get out of your way when you don’t. This has to be one of the most versatile pieces of clothing I travel with. There are many brands and they all do the same job to one degree or another. However having tried a few I found that this Uniqlo ultra light folding jacket is one of the best all rounders. Even if I am going to a hot climate, I will always bring it with me. Worst case it doubles up as a great travel pillow.

Buff

Staying with clothing the buff is a must. I’m sure most people know what they are but if you don’t; this is your scarf, mask and eye mask all in one. Some people wear them as hats but I’m not sure it works well for me. Always comes with me and is one of the best purchases you can make.

Peak Design Compression Cube

Finally for packing away your clothes I use the peak design compression cubes. Although I have both the small and medium, I prefer the medium as it can take more clothing while maintaining the same footprint as two smalls. The main selling point of these is the compression. First of all you load up all your clothes, then close the lid and using the second zipper, work your way around and compress everything into a much smaller package. This means that I can have all the clothes I need for a summer of travels around Europe in just this tiny cube. The last bonus is the separate compartment round the back for all your dirty clothes should you have any when you have a travel day.

Minix charger

Moving onto electronics there is only one standout gadget which has become such a huge part of my travel kit that I actually have a few of them. It is the Minix Neo P1 66w charger. The reason this is a staple part of my kit is because of the size, the power and the fact that you can easily swap out plugs depending on where you’re travelling to. This little charger can easily charge my 14 inch MacBook Pro as well as all my camera gear and other gadgets too. Everything I own is USB powered so a couple of these chargers is all I need to keep going.

Solid toiletries

If you travel carry on only, you know that having liquids is a pain in the arse. Although for most of us, we can’t entirely get rid of all liquids, we can swap some out of solid alternatives. For example instead of bottles of shampoo and shower gel, I use this all in one moisturising bar. Instead of toothpaste, I use these toothpaste tablets. Instead of spray or roll on deodorant I have solid deodorant. All it means is there is less faff at security and is a little more sustainable.

Soap bag

The final item is the travel buddy bag for the solid toiletries. Not only does this save space compared to the original packaging but it also gets smaller as you use up the items. I travel with 3 of these bags. One of them is for the solid soap. One for the toothpaste tabs. One for the solid deodorant. They are really great and worth every penny.