The gear that made my 2024 travels easier – and make great gifts

I’ve spent a long time traveling dumb. Overpacking. Underpacking. Having everything crammed into a bulging suitcase or uncomfortable backpack. I’ve traveled for six weeks with little more than a bunch of drones and no space for much more than a change of underwear, and I’ve gone away for three days with 50 lbs of luggage, most of which came back untouched.

I’ve lost things, broken things, misplaced things, and had some heart-stopping moments when I thought my travel documents had gone AWOL.

Also: The best travel VPNs: Expert tested and reviewed

I’ve learned — through painful experience — to travel smarter, and having the right gear is one of the key ways to accomplish this.

Here’s the gear I use, along with some more affordable alternatives.

1. Sling laptop bag  

One of my constant companions when traveling is my laptop. I could get away with my iPad Pro, but I almost always choose my 16-inch MacBook Pro. And despite the decade-long drive toward thin-and-light laptops, it’s still a fair bundle to carry.

I’ve recently switched from a shoulder bag to a sling bag to carry my electronics, and the shift has made a night-and-day difference. The sling is easier to wear, infinitely more comfortable, and far easier to maneuver with than a backpack or shoulder bag.

Also: The best power banks you can buy: Expert tested and reviewed

I use the Aer Travel Sling 2 X-Pac, which is rather pricey — but it stores my laptop, charger, cables, power banks, and travel documents. You don’t have to go large and expensive as I did; you can find alternatives from companies such as Alpaka and Tomroc, depending on the hardware you’re carrying and how much you want to spend.

After a few trips with a sling bag, I wouldn’t go back to a regular bag. 

2. Low-profile travel charger  

I can’t count the times I’ve stayed at a hotel or Airbnb only to find that the single power outlet is tucked behind the couch or bed, and my regular travel charger requires me to engage in some late-night moving of heavy objects, creating the impression of a scuffle in my room for neighbors in adjoining rooms.

Then I started using the Ugreen Nexode Pro 65W charger. This has two USB-C ports and one USB-A port, and features convertible ends to switch it from USB to UK and Euro plugs.

This is not only a lightweight charger, but it’s super low-profile, so it will fit into the smallest gaps. And while it’s less than half the power output of the charger that shipped with my MacBook Pro, it’s still enough to charge it up, albeit at a slower rate.

3. Long USB-C charging cords 

This goes hand-in-hand with the low-profile charger. If the power outlet is conveniently hidden behind a couch or bed, a charger that can fit into the outlet is only half the battle – you’ll need a cable (or cables) to go from the charger to the device.

I carry a couple of 6-foot-long Anker 543 USB-C-to USB-C cables. They support up to 240W of power transfer, yet are soft and bendy enough to get around obstacles. 

4. Packing cubes 

I’ve sneered at packing cubes for years. What’s wrong with shoving everything tightly into a case and forcing the lid down?

As it turns out, a lot.

The benefit of a packing cube is that it allows you to compress a volume of clothing and other soft material into a smaller volume, and not have that fight against you when closing or opening your case. It also prevents a sock from spilling over the edge of your case and preventing its closure.

Packing cubes are a genius idea. You cram your clothes into a cube, zip it shut, and then use a second, concentric zipper to compress the cube. My cubes are by Aer, and I have two big cubes that compress 15 liters down to 10 liters, and two smaller ones that take 7.5 liters down to 5 liters. Again, there are cheaper solutions that work just as well.

I’m never traveling without them again!

Here is that same cube in the photo above uncompressed.

5. Smart passport case  

Probably one of the biggest, most ongoing anxieties people have when traveling is that they’ve forgotten or misplaced their passport.

Let’s solve that concern in one fell swoop with the Satechi Passport Holder. Equipped with Find My technology, this holder allows you to easily locate your passport and travel documents using the Find My app on your iPhone. And Satechi’s, I think, is the best; you can get audible alerts and notifications if you leave it behind.

Bonus: Hard luggage  

This is a bonus one for you — Peli Air travel cases. These hard, durable cases with wheels and retractable handles are designed to take anything and everything that life – and airline baggage handlers –can throw at them. They are robust, with the lids held shut by strong latches that, unlike zippers, won’t burst or let go at an inopportune moment.

They’re also waterproof, so your luggage getting caught out in the rain creates no drama.

Also: This MagSafe phone holder survived my 850-mile road trip

I’ve put some miles on my cases – I have a Peli Air 1535 that’s great for a few days away, and a larger Peli Air 1615 for longer excursions – and while you can tell from the scuffs that they have seen some action, they’re still like new in terms of how they operate.

And yes, I’ve put a load of stickers on mine to make it very distinctive. There’s also an AirTag hidden inside it in a custom-made 3D-printed holder. 

Expensive? For sure — but the sort of thing that is a lifetime investment.

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