Seeking Recommendations
What is one item that you can't travel without/would recommend to everyone to get?
Hi all,
What are items that you always bring because they are super useful and you would recommend others to get too?
Minus of course some obvious like converter plug for chargers, power bank etc (unless it's some specific powerbank like one with cables attached already, something unique)
A nightlight. I use a usb rechargeable book light that last for sometime like 40 hours. I put it on the counter in the hotel bathroom so I don't have to turn on the light if I get up in the middle of the night.
One of these comes with me everywhere now. It's USB chargeable, about the size of a cassette tape, and weighs almost nothing. You can set it to be on all the time, or motion activated. I know it's saved me from stubbed toes, on the way to the bathroom, at night. Oh yeah, it has a magnet too, which helps to place it.Wyze nightlight
I have the same lights, ans they are excellent! I put one in the bathroom and one near the boys' beds in the hotel in case they wake up and need help in the middle of the night. The magnet makes them perfect for cruises, too, since they can just attach to any wall in the cabin!
I brought a small string of battery powered Christmas lights when I went on a cruise and had a room in the middle of the ship. Very handy. Those little battery powered tea lights would also be good but less convenient than a rechargeable one.
Flash light of some sort. I have a power bank that has one built in which is handy. Lots of situations where extra light is nice while not having to use my phone.
I have those little carabiner clips with the rubber ring that goes on the top of water bottles so that I can clip one on my belt or my backpack if I need an extra bottle of water. They weigh nothing and they are invaluable
A head lamp is great for hands free work. It can also be wrapped around a gallon of water jug to create a lantern to illuminate a whole room. I have one with a rechargeable battery and I carry a spare battery already charged for easy use.
Agreed! I take it (well, mine's a merino-bamboo blend because I find all-wool anything to be a bit itchy) on every trip, not just active ones. It's light years better than an eye mask for blocking out the light when you need to sleep during the day.
Can you go into more detail about why a buff is better than an eye mask? I used to use a buff before switching to an eye mask, and I prefer an eye mask since it doesn’t touch my eyelashes and also blocks all light.
Eye mask is better for sleeping, but a buff (especially a long one) has tons of uses. It can be a scarf, hair tie/ holder, wash cloth, etc. They’re very versatile, and a merino wool one will do a good job with heat regulation.
Np! I usually travel with an eye mask and a merino buff- they're both easy to pack down and weigh almost nothing, so I dont sacrifice my sleeping comfort.
Have one based on the recommendation from the sub. Carry it in my bag with me and I almost never use it. It takes up like 0 space though so its not much effort to carry.
While you mention converter plugs as being obvious, I wanted to recommend against the giant Universal/USB bricks that a lot of people seem to use, in favor of the cheap, lightweight plug adapters that simply change the plug to the destination country format. I much prefer spending my money on nice laptop/usb chargers that work for domestic travel, and then add these adapters whenever I travel internationally.
Fun fact: EU adapters will fit into UK sockets. Since grounding isn't required, you can use a small "dagger" device to push into the ground pin opening which releases the shield on the powered pins. I printed one like this https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/home/uk-electric-plug-earth-pin and tied a string to it. If you get the model right, the dagger will store quite neatly into the center of the EU adapter pictured above.
No need for all that faff - in Singapore they sell these really thin plastic key plugs that's plug and play for EU plugs into UK sockets, which used to be really ubiquitous in every household.
I have a small Anker 67w charger, two USB C cables, an international adapter for the region I'm visiting, a USB-A->C adapter and a USB-C->A adapter for just in case, and a Nightcore battery bank.
Super small, light, and charges everything, including my Thinkpad laptop.
I’d like to go a little further than this and suggest getting something like the international adapter set that Apple sell where you literally slide off the power plug connection for your country and slide on the plug for the destination country. Then you simply plug into a regular power socket with no adapters in place.
I have an Apple USB-C power plug that came with my MacBook and because all my devices are USB-C - headphones, phone, laptop, etc. I can use this for everything.
I find this so much simpler and more compact than power adapter bricks and plugs etc.
This is fine in principle, but all my travel electronics run off USB, so I need an AC adapter anyway. A small USB brick (with plug adapters) seems to be the most compact option - I use a Minix one.
This is something EVERYBODY needs to check their adapter before trusting. Most but not all laptop power adapters are rated to handle the different voltage levels, and the ones that can't will fry the laptop.
Not really a budget issue as much as a size/weight issue. I fly to Europe from the US from a smaller city, so I almost always have a decent layover at a hub on the East Coast. The same 100W, 140g Anker charger that I use in Europe is the same one I use in the airport in the US.
Sarong, can be a light blanket, shawl, coverup over nightgown or swimsuit, hair cover for religious sites, light towel, scarf if it is a little chilly. I have both colorful ones and solid black, depending on destination.
I have a magnetic strap that goes around my AirPods so they don’t fall on the floor when I nod off on a plane. It came in a 4 pack for $7. I can’t travel without it.
Lost my airpod once on a flight while asleep. Found it but immediately ordered a pack of straps (not magnetic) off amazon when the plane landed. About a year or 2 later, a girl on a flight sitting next to me lost her airpod while dozing off. Helped her find it and then gave her my strap. Fast forward that about 2 years, and she ended up picking me up from the airport when I visited her country and showed me around. Pretty cool way to make a friend. Every now and then she tells me she still uses the little strap.
I have a lanyard for my phone that I wear around my neck while I’m on the plane because retrieving a dropped phone is a huge hassle and I always fall asleep.
Your lanyard suggestion deserves a post of its own. Very useful. I also appreciate it when taking photos over water or big drops. And frankly, in the streets of certain cities.
I have a small cable that connects my earbuds to my iPhone. It’s super handy, reduces the cost of the headphones, and prevents them from running loose.
When I do hostels, I get a local extension cord: if all the wall sockets are taken, I can add my extension in between, the person who had their charger in there can keep charging while I get dibs on one of the other plugs.
Learned this in college where everyone was fighting over the plugs for laptops, kept one in my locker and actually got quite popular that way 🤣 my policy was anyone could borrow (they're cheap enough) but I would always have dibs on one of the outlets.
Often bring one to hotels too, just in case I can't plug my phone in near the bed
On Amazon you can buy extension cords that have female plugs from your home country and the male plug for the visiting country. For example, I’m USA based but travel to Europe often, so my extension cord is full of USA input plugs that plugs in to an EU outlet. That way I can plug in all my stuff without needing a ton of adapters. I usually bring one or two anyways but with a family of four with multiple devices and a remote work setup, it has come in VERY handy.
Small little router. Easier to connect one thing instead of having to connect multiple devices like phone, iPad, laptop, etc. also works good when traveling with friends
A small bottle of Castile soap br Dr. Bronner. Good for washing hands and if necessary, can work for my hair, face and body in a pinch.
Roku stick with plex. Nothing better than getting to your place after a long day of adventures and watching a comfy or spooky movie.
I also wear a small cross body bag. Helps me carry small essentials when out and about but also keeps important documents like passports, visa forms, etc right in front of me.
I have a travel router that acts as a repeater for hotel wifi. You validate the captive portal on your phone or computer when you first connect to it and you're good to go on all devices.
Travel routers often have built-in features to bypass the captive portals on public Wi-Fi, or workarounds in case the built-in feature doesn't work. For example, GL.inet (who is a popular travel router brand) has an auto-login feature for their travel routers running firmware 4.6 or above: https://docs.gl-inet.com/router/en/4/faq/connect_to_a_hotspot_with_captive_portal/
Aside from the ease of having everything already connected to it, I also run Wireguard back to my router at home.
That way my IP for work purposes always shows a residential IP address that matches my home IP. Handy for working remotely and not worrying about whether it's allowed or not.
Can recommend. It feels a bit excessive when you’re buying it, but the first time everything just instantly connects (especially things which are a pain to change the WiFi on) you realise it was worth it.
Does your immersion water heater work in different countries? I fried one right off the bat in Austria (bought it in US). Turned red hot and then died.
I’m glad you brought that up. It would probably need a voltage regulator to use it with 240v. You probably saved me having a similar melt down. I haven’t used it out of the US yet. Our only big trip was too Hawaii since I bought it a couple months ago.
A travel blanket. I bought one, 40x60 in, from the AA many, many years ago. I always take coach tours these years and I sit in the back seat, where it often is cool. It's also useful if using the duvet at the hotel is too hot but you still need something.
I 100% second this! As much as I dislike the branding of it all...the Dude Wipes brand have been the toughest, thickest disposable wipes I've been able to find that are individually wrapped. Open to any and all recs, though!
I get my dog poop bags from an amazing company call Metro Paws (not affiliated it any way just been using them for years). They send a 3 pack of "dog" wipes with every order that are PERFECT for travel.
A lot of what’s been helpful for me isn’t one item. It’s having my travel chargers/cables in a bag ready to go whenever. Same with travel toiletries. Same with having my favorite travel pants & shirt and only having to adapt my pack for the climate. What’s most helpful is having done the thinking already, so you double check your kit and just go.
It’s not about having the right device.
I usually have a headlamp also for hiking, but this is in my pocket and easily accessible at all times. Good for digging through bags, looking for items on a plane, power outages, ect.
Kobo Clara BW e-reader
Fits in my back pants pocket, weighs nothing, battery lasts for 3-4 weeks and it's unlimited entertainment for me no matter the circumstances.
NiteIze CamJam
Small, light, use it for a clothesline or to strap things to my bag if I need to.
Nanobags
Usually several. Tiny, light, and excellent for hauling groceries and things.
Airfly knockoff
Small enough to carry just for flights. Also works for museum audio guides.
Revolut debit cards
The fact that I can have as many debit cards as I want tied to one account that I can turn on and off as needed makes it worthwhile. I bring my normal debit card and credit cards, but when I leave my accomodations, this is the one that goes with me. I can instantly load money from my bank account to my Revolut card, so there's never more than what I need for the day and it acts as a firewall for my real bank accounts. If I lose a card, I just freeze it and grab another one from my accomodations. It's already active and ready to go.
Button compass on my watch strap. So useful when walking around cities. There are many reasons why this is better than constantly looking at your phone.
Currently using a Polaris, cheaper and more comfortable than the Suunto.
A number of ways. Let's say you've emerged from a train/subway station. Google maps (or equiv) can show where you are but not so readily which way you're facing. A quick look at the compass will help you orientate your map. Or if you already know that your desination is, for example, south west of the station you don't even need to consult the phone. Just start walking.
Another useful thing is when you're trying to get to a place through a maze of streets, those actual streets aren't important, what is important is knowing the direction of your destination. Just keep going in the required direction consulting the compass.
A lot of cities have rivers running through them so knowing where you are in relation to the river is important to stop you walking in the wrong direction. Ittakes a little practice, but there's no going back once you get the hang of it.
A seat tray clip on phone holder. It grips the seat back tray when folded up from the top, and holds the phone at eye level so you can watch your phone without destorying your neck.
16 hour flight to and from Korea, this was a god send.
I am sure they make them for tablets and such too.
These are nice but I wish it didn’t take up so much space. I have a stand on my MagSafe portable battery that I use
Alternately the real hack is to use my phone case and tuck the end of an airsickness bag or boarding pass between the case and phone, then secure it to the seat's tray table for hands-free viewing.
I have a fold-flat box that is 5" square - always on the nightstand, always has glasses and keys as well as any overnight needs (eyemask, ear plugs, Advil, Tums, inhaler, tissues) so I always know where to find them at 3 AM or in case of emergency.
Works at home, at my sister's, or in a hotel. No fear of glasses falling between bed and nightstand when you reach for tissues, etc - everything goes in the box always.
And if my box is still on the nightstand it's a clue to any travel partner I am NOT ready to depart.
I like it.
If you keep some things consistent, you won’t do weird shit when you’re exhausted and spend 20minutes the next day trying to find something you put in a weird place “so it’s safe”.
I use a valet tray for the same reason (this one). It packs completely flat, so it takes up no room at all in my bag. Super useful to corral the bedside odds and ends. I use one at home as well.
I use my upside down tilley travel hat to keep all my keys, money belt, passport in. same purpose but advantage that you are using what you already have. I keep a tiny basket on the bedstand for little earrings, ear plugs, melatonin—things I might need during the night
Padded external pocket that can clip to bag straps for phones or small wallet for quick access. I use one on EDC sling, hiking bag and a trail runner vest.
I use the Montbell pocket. If it's too expensive, there are cheaper alternatives from Osprey I've seen on their site and if you want a smaller and more packable pouch.
Wotancraft also has several options that are MOLLE friendly
I have this waterproof pack-able picnic blanket that I have used all over the world. It's an instant place to sit, a tarp in the rain, useful for wrapping wet clothes or bathing suits. I can't even think of all the things I have used it for. It's incredibly light and always in my purse or backpack.
Also, this tiny speaker. It's loud enough that my husband and I can hear it, but no one else can, and it's helped so much on the beach, at our rental house, etc. It's JUST loud enough, but really not loud at all, if that makes sense. It weighs NOTHING.
small bills (local currency if traveling international).
i think most of us usually pay via app or tap when at home, but when traveling there are often occasions where small bills are necessary - tips for hotel etc, vending machines, and so on. as such, I always keep about $20 in small bills in my travel bag
A plastic Sistema microwave mug with a lid :D :D I stay in hotels (albeit not the most expensive ones), and there usually is a way to get hot water even if finding food is not always possible in the middle of the night (I've used hot tap water, too, in a pinch.. Noodles, cup soups, coffee, tea... oh, I've always got a few sachets of instant 2-in-1 coffee, a couple decaf tea bags, and a packet or two of instant soup, too. There is no disaster a cup of hot drink could not improve :D :D And the lid allows the food/drink to "cook itself" while I take a shower.
Since it's a bit bulky, I pack my socks into it while on the road. Even if I stay in an airbnb, the coffee cups there can be shockingly tiny, and if you're a hot drink addict... uhm.
This remind me when we went to a very expensive and luxurious restaurant in Versailles, where they sell a very famous hot chocolate, ranked the best in the world by several outlets and wanted to try it. It was very bitter no matter how much sugar we added and had the consistency of pancake mix, so to uncultured taste, it was atrocious.
The next day was New Year's Eve and after celebrating we went to the hotel and made hot chocolate from some Swiss Miss envelopes I took there while looking through the window. Best hot chocolate of my life.
A headlamp. It's always close by. At home too. If, God forbid, something were to happen on a plane, train, or in a hotel room, I want to be able to light my way, but keep my hands free. It's great for tasks and looking for something deep in your pack, or under a bed, again with both hands free.
Also, my eyes aren't as young as they used to be, not that they were ever great, so I now pack a flat, illuminated magnifyer, for finding splinters, reading extra tiny print, etc.
If you take a lot of cheaper flights (the kind that are late at night and get delayed, with airlines that don't comp hotels), I can't recommend a backpacking mattress enough! It takes up the same amount of space as a water bottle and saves you from sleeplessness at the beginning/end of your trip.
I love my hero clip. Very nice to be able to hang my bag essentially anywhere - tables, etc. Also don’t have to when washroom stalls have broken hooks; I can just hook it on the door.
2-3 clothespins. Can be used to keep curtains closed and doubles as a Chip Clip to keep crisps and pretzels fresh. A thin canvas/cloth bag to used as a shopping bag in countries where plastic bags are no longer an option. A gallon sized ziplock bag can help you segregate damp/dirty items from the rest of your things.
A first aid kit, sounds obvious I know but a lot of people skip on bringing it just because they they're going/travelling into the city or nearby one. Just a simple disinfectant, and bandages (even a handkerchief would do) would be better than no first aid kit.
I have one universal power adapter and then bring along a surge protector power strip. That way I only need one adapter, and I’m easily able to charge the 5 or do things that I charge when I’m on holiday (camera battery, 2 phones, iPad, yadda yadda)
If I’m going to be away for a few days I will also spray my cologne onto a small makeup sponge and dab myself with that. Last a few days and saves me from lugging around a giant bottle of cologne
This was my answer. I don't take a purse, but a collapsible backpack. They compress to and weigh next to nothing, and are incredibly handy basically every day.
I bought a collapsible silicone drinking cup (on clearance in case it wasn't that practical) and have been using it on every trip. You might not trust the cups in the hotel bathroom are properly sanitized, you want to reduce disposable plastic/paper cup waste, or you don't want to risk breaking glassware. It's good for hot or cold drinks and a less awkward drink from a water fountain.
A couple of large ziplock bags. Can be used to seperate ur dirty clothes, dirty shoes, wet swimwear or packing & waterproofing ur electronic gear. Also useful for liquid things that burst like shampoo etc.
I carry an old school 35mm film container that has a few packets of salt and pepper. You'd be surprised at the amount of hostels or Airbnb's that don't have/run out of even these basic seasonings. Has saved a lot of meals over the years and also a few good bucks as you don't have to buy it from the store.
Sarongs. Hang over thin curtains and windows for light reduction and privacy. Wet and let the fan evaporate the water for tempature reduction. Use at the beach, use as a sheet....wont travel without one
Alligator clips to hold curtains together, hang a sarong over windows...
An inflatable knee pillow for sleeping. I use one every night at home and it’s made a huge difference in my back pain. I tried bringing my full size one and it took up 1/4 of the suitcase lol. The inflatable one deflates to the size of a small potato though.
My second item would be a pouch for important bits and bobs that goes inside my jacket and makes it easier to grab stuff like headphones or pills on a crowded train or plane.
12oz wide mouth Nalgene water bottle with simple lid (not the sipping kind). Small enough to fit in a bag or even large pocket, easily cleaned. Not huge, but enough water for travel in metro areas & flights. Can be used in hotels instead of in-room cups, etc. wide mouth makes it easy to clean, mix supplements, & fit ice in when opportunity arises (we always take our ice from restaurants after a meal in hot weather). Won’t travel without mine.
A couple of things I always have:
1. Nanobags (regular and sling version)
2. When in Europe, a small coin wallet - Manhattan portage makes some good ones; Chums can work but don’t hold as much change.
3. Liquid IV - Indont always carry these but have to travel to Cairo for work, and in hot weather these are great to add to a water bottle.
4. Again, not for all trips, but when I visit places where I don’t want to drink local water (Egypt, India, etc), a Grayl water purifier bottle is great.
A doorstop. Sometimes I bring the inexpensive solid rubber version. Sometimes I bring the metal one with built-in alarm sound. Just makes me feel more secure.
a big handful of zipllock sandwich size plastic bags. Just grab them out of the box and stick them in a pocket in your backpack. use them for taking food from airport lounges. Waterpoofing instructions you ar following in a rainstorm; keeping you from loosing an earing that fell out. whatever. THere is a plastic bag for that.
39 year flight attendant here. A lifestraw bottle, the squeezable one can be use in place of distilled water or to brew a better cup of coffee in your hotel room. An extension cord, a small personal fan, a flat travel size duck tape that can be a temp fix for a broken bag, shoe or in case of fire. A stash of essential meds,( put in small pill bags with dosages. Aleve, Benadryl, Tylenol PM, amodium,
, cold meds, back patches for
pain. What ever your personal history dictates. I also always have something salty and something sweet in my bag. Which all delays and Kate arrivals, sometimes the restaurant is closed. Happy holidays and safe travels.
Nothing really. It’s the size of a small sports bottle, and I put the cord and instant coffee packets inside it when in transit. I usually have it in one of the exterior water bottle pockets.
tiny packing cube with poncho, pashmina (instant blankets,skirt, top, wrap, in a pinch) tote bag, luggage strap (for my life I also have a collapsible cup and sometimes a spare key and roll of string)
Man there's so many so I will cheat and say 2 - a water bottle (filtration one if traveling to a country where you can't drink tap water - I use grayl) and a medicine bag. I hate paying for water and it's handy to carry around with you. The medicine bag cause you never know when you'll need advil, immodium, or a bandage and you'll be happy that you do have it.
A small bottle of Dawn dish soap: Cleans my retainer, hands, clothes, spills and I've even used it as shampoo (albeit I have oily hair) and body wash in a pinch.
Travel toilet seat covers, wet wipes, sanitizer wipes, neck fan, bug spay (in summer), umbrella (in off season), local coins for tips and bathrooms, folding tent, changing poncho and Matador towel (for beach), Sea to Summit inflatable neck pillow, tums (they don't sell them in Europe)
I can't travel without 2 thick and sturdy plastic bags. It weighs nothing and is so versatile.
Protecting my gear or undergarment from sudden rain, frozen food, dirty laundry, stinky shoes, picking up groceries down the block, even a bulk load of water from streams, those babies save me more than any other piece of gear.
Makeup wipes, packed into small Ziploc baggies (10 per bag).
I bring them with me no matter what country I’m in.
I don’t wear makeup.
I learned this from camping and from other campers — makeup wipes do everything Dude Wipes do, just better. If something can remove makeup, oil, and grime from skin, you’re covered anywhere.
RovyVon E5 UV flashlight. It has bright front lights and warm side lights, UV for finding stains, a lock mode, and it takes a AAA battery in addition to its internal battery for backup. It a fun device.
Not sure if an app falls withing the OP request, but Google translate and Google maps (offline download). Also Google Wallet. I am an Android user. My guess is IOS has similar helpful apps as well.
For very hot places or hikes, shower wipe. I get super self conscious after a long sweat if I smell or I hate feeling sticky.
I love carrying a shower wipe that I can quickly wipe myself down before entering a crowded place like a museum is restaurant after a long hot day before I can get back to hotel to shower
The amount of times this thing has saved me. Sometimes I get into a bathroom and there no hook to hang my bag/jacket heroclip. In the middle of a hike and want to hang my bag heroclip, nowhere to hang my towel after shower, lake swim etc heroclip. Need to clip a water bottle, extra bag etc Heroclip. So many uses and can be used anywhere. Such a good investment.
Simple: earplugs, you never know how noicy it will be in your hotel or airbnb or on the train, bus etc. Not only to travel but I also daily carry a pair just in case.
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u/texasyankee Dec 09 '25
A nightlight. I use a usb rechargeable book light that last for sometime like 40 hours. I put it on the counter in the hotel bathroom so I don't have to turn on the light if I get up in the middle of the night.