Every traveler is different, and doesn’t change no matter what trip you’re on. Therefore, each person’s must-have list for an adventure can vary greatly. For me, it is just as important to have reliable websites to book my trips as it is to have a few essential items that accompany me on each and every trip.
Keep in mind that the trips I take are usually three weeks or less, so my travel essentials may be very different from yours.
Digital nomads or travelers who leave without a return ticket may need a different type of gear; eco-conscious travelers will place more importante on things that allow them to travel in a sustainable way; and those travelling with family will have to add another long list of things that cover the needs of young and old.
*This post contains affiliate links, which means that I tell you where you can get more information and buy the products mentioned, and in return I get a small commission.
Content index
Backpack 20-40L
Depending on the time of year, the length of the trip, and even the baggage policy of the airline I fly wirh, I use one sixe of backpack or another. Always a backpack? Yes, I find it much more comfortable, accessible and secure.
Currently, my ally is the Forclaz Travel 500 Organizer 40 L backpack, which has the dimensions of any carry-on, but offers versatility and pockets to have what you need. Another popular option is the SZLX backpack, with all kinds of compartments, the exact size to take on the plane and a careful design that allows you to walk fashionably with the suitcase on your back.
Another of my allies, not only for traveling but also for going to the beach, spending a day in the mountains or escaping for a weekend in a nearby city, is the Forvert backpack. With different and useful compartments, it adapts to me like no other backpack ever has. It comes in different styles and sizes, although I can confirm that the 55x40x20 cm dimensions are perfect for adapting to he baggage size restrictions allowed by low-cost airlines.
Portable battery
Although there are more and more means of transportation, hotels and venuews with power outlets, you never know when you might need extra power for your smartphone. Especially if you carry all your travel documents and itinerary with you and rely on Google Maps, Uber, Free Now or other apps to get you to your destination, it is essential to have a portable battery for all possible ‘just in case’ situations.
In this sense, there are more or less powerful, large or small, with extra features or simply batteries to use… It depends on you and the use you are going to give to get one or the other. In my case, I have two different iones: the Anker PowerCore 5000, older and simpler, which perfectly fulfils its function for short trips, and the INIU Slimmest USB C Triple 3A, newer and more powerful, which has saved me from more than one predicament.
Downloaded music or videos
Spotify, Netflix, NewPipe… There are many streaming and video platforms to keep you entertained while you wait. From downloading your favorite episodes of Netflix or Amazon Prime Video to having your on your back with Spotify Premium or Amazon Music Unlimited, there are many options.
One of my favorites for several years has been NewPipe, a free software that has the Youtube database, but without its limitations.
Noise canceling headphones
One of my latest discoveries is the Soundcore Q20i, a spacious noice-cancelling headset that helps me enjoy my music to the fullest and forget about my surroundings on public transportation – especially the annoying airplane noise.
With three modes – transparent, normal and noise-canceling, the plane is quieter, you don’t notice crying babies, and most importantly, you’ll be able to listen to your favorite songs or shows as if you were alone and not surrounded by 300 other travelers.
Adapters
As you know, there are many types of sockets around the world, and depending on your destination, you may need one or another. So far, I have always carried one for each destination, connsidering that I have not taken long trips that took me to many different countries – the maximum was three, on the trip to Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam that I took in 2018.
However, wether this your case or not, I can only recommend getting a universal adapter, which takes up a little more space than the traditional ones, but allows you to make a single investment. I bought thisone with two USB ports, but nowadays it is possible to find them with up to five inputs to charge different devices at the same time.
Without a doubt, this little gadget is indispensable for long trips, endless layovers and international holidays. With it, you can forget about the battery of your cell phone, ebook, tablets, headphones and a long etcetera, and in combination with your portable battery, you will have everything you need.
Tablet or eBook
Wether for long flights or short trips, it is essential to have some form of entertainment. In my case, I always like to travel with a book, a notebook or a game. To have it all in one place, a few months ago I bought a Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 tablet, which allows me to read magazines and books, take notes, write articles, watch shows, listen to music, play games, draw, etc.
Although it is not as useful as a laptop, it allows me to have a means of work and entertainment that is light, easy to use, small and at a price that seems ideal for what I was looking for.
On top of that, I always have the Cantook app and my annual subscription to the Instituto Cervantes Virtual Libreary with me, so I never run out of content to read.
Of course, if you like to read and you have an eBook, you can’t miss it in your backpack. I have always been more of paper book person, but I realize that especially for long trips or getaways, where every object adds weight to the luggage, having an electronic book in which to accumulate not one but several novels is a life-changer. Options like Amazon’s Kindle with Kindle Unlimited delight of those avid readers on their adventures.
Travel size plastic bottles
If you like to travel enough to read travel blogs, you probably have this part more than covered. However, some people – either beacuse they travel infrequently or because they don’t know if airlines or airports have different restrictions – still have doubts about what the right size and format is.
To avoid surprises, having your favorite perfume or skincare product taken away, or having to explain what’s what at the security checkpoint, I recommend getting a travel kit to carry all your liquids in their respective plastic bags and organized in different bottles and jars.
For example, Amazon, Boots, Primark and any outlet chain sell 100 ml jars that are perfect for shampoo or gel, but what about creams and other liquids? That’s why a pre-made case -some makeup cases come with the essentials already included – is perfect for taking just the essentials with you on your travels.
Organizer cubes
This is one of the world’s best inventions for hardcore travelers. Clothes organizers, like this 8-piece set from Meowoo, allow you to keep your clothes organized, categorized and individualized, so you don’t have to dig through piles and piles to find a T-shirt.
There are sets of different types, with cubes of different sizes, with all the same cubes, with zippers, with Velcro, with strips… To find the right one, it is important to think about what you usually take on trips, how you tend to organize your luggage, and what problems you have had in the past.
This will he7lp you decide if you need cubes of different sizes, a set that includes a laundry bag, or if it’s better if all of the cubes are pretty much the same.
Beauty/Survival kit
This has nothing to do with creams, skincare, or the like. It’s about having those little lifesavers on hand that can come in handy when you’re traveling.
In addition to my travel toiletry bag, I always carry a small bag with tweezers (I have used them more for splinters that for waxing), emergency tampons, hydroalcoholic gel, swabs, an extra rubber band, Band-Aids, a mini toothbrush and toothpaste, and dental floss.
This little kit, which looks big but isn’t, is always with me in my fanny pack, and you’d be surprised how many times it’s gotten me out of a jam. You can find small pouches in any store, bazaar, or organizer cube pack.
Fanny pack
Over the years I have tried many different bags, backpacks and fanny packs for my travels. While some are more appropriate for certain situations than others, I can confirm that a large fanny pack, like the Cotopaxi Kapai Del Dia 3L, where you can carry not only the essentials but also extra things, it the best for traveling.
Mine, for its size, besides being colorful and super comfortable, allows me to easily carry a book, bottle of water, glasses, sunglasses, fan, wallet, cell phone, tissues, keys and pens. I could go on… I can even take the tablet I mentioned before, although in that case I have to take something out.
It costs money, all said and done, but as of today it is one of my best investments (you can also find similar at a much lower price without being branded, just look for the size and get the one you like the most).
Comfortable and warm clothing
This seems obvious, but I’m going to go a little bit further and be very clear. It’s f*** freezing on airplanes! Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying. If there are always blankets in transoceanic flifhts, it is for a reason… Don’t skimp on clothes and wrap up warm, and take advantage of those clothes that are bulky in your luggage to wear during the flight.
I usually wear long pants/leggings, thick socks – although some flights provide them – a t-shirt and sweatshirt, plus a scarf/pashmina to act as a blanket in case the one on the place is not enough.
My advice: don’t wear your feet exposed to the air and try to always wear a sweatshirt or hooded jacket, which will protect you even more in the coldest moments, and if you choose to wear comfortable sandals on the plane – I can’t take off my Teva Original Universal lately, so I understand – then a pair of chunky sockswon’t take up much space and will keep you warm and comfortable throughout the flight and during layovers – because yes, there are airports where it gets really, really cold.
Sleeping kit
In keepinng with the above, it is often the airlines themselves that provide a kit of items that are appreciated on a long flight: mask, toothbrush and toothpaste, earplugs, and even socks.
Just in case it is not offered, I always carry a small kit with two pairs of earplugs, an eye mask (a little better and softer than the provided ones), wool socks, and I usually take the opportunity to put in some medicine, a toothbrush, and another of my travel essentials: letibalm lip balm – the air destroys them.
As expected, there are stores that sell ready-made kits with the essentials: travel pillow, eye mask, and ear plugs.
Travel pillow
From the more traditional options, with neck pillows that focus on protecting your neck from poor posture and providing comfort, to the more ergonomic models that try to offer the ability to sleep in any position, there are travel pillows for all tastes and budgets.
I have always had a very simple pillow that was given to me years ago, inflatable and therefore very useful for traveling when I need to go light. However, as my flights are getting longer and longer, I’m trying one of the most recommended by travelers: the BCOZZY pillow.
Bottle or thermos
I’m not going to tell you anything you don’t already know… After many years of traveling, I got tired of paying axorbitant prices for water bottles, so I always carry a couple of empty bottles to refill at airports. Some people prefer to carry a stainless steel bottle or even a filtered water bottle like this one from Lifestraw, which is reusable and has a filter for traveling to places where access to purified water is more difficult or for going outdoors.
It’s great for long trips, but if you’re going on a short trip, you can save that weight by taking advantage of the water fountains in airports and cities – like the one the city of Rome put in front of the Colosseum, its most visited monument. I wish all cities – big and small – would get their act together and provide water more often…
Of all this list, the vast majority of items are easy to get and are for life, or rather, for all your travels. Even things that may seem unnecessary at first can become great allies in your future adventures.
If you use any similar, have other tricks, or want to share your travel must-haves with me, leave a comment – I’d love to add more must-haves to my list!
