The more you travel, the better you know what you do and don’t need. Which items make life easier for you as a traveler and maybe where there is still room for improvement. That also applies to us. We have been traveling for years now. From city trips and road trips to world trips. From living as a digital nomad to weekends camping in nature. During all these trips, we have tested quite a bit of travel gear. But what are our real favorite travel items? What are the things that we recommend other travel enthusiasts to take with them on their trips? We’ll list them for you and explain what makes these travel items, in our opinion, so handy.
Packing cubes
No matter what you take on your trip, packing cubes have been among our favorite travel gear for years. Let us tell you why!
When I switched from vacuum bags to packing cubes years ago during my first world trip, after being on the road for 3 months, I couldn’t stop talking about them. They make packing and unpacking your backpack or suitcase so much easier! Or better said, during short stops, I don’t even have to unpack my luggage anymore! Four small cubes in the bottom half of my backpack and one medium cube and two XS ones in the top part, with my toiletry bag on top of them. I still had space left for other travel items! For me, Eagle Creek packing cubes are definitely part of my basic travel gear now. Short or long trip, backpack, duffel bag, or suitcase, I never travel without cubes anymore! I also always bring a compression cube for my bulky clothes, like a thick sweater and jacket.
I’ve been traveling with packing cubes for about 6 years now. Whether on my long trips with a backpack or suitcase or short trips with just hand luggage, I always bring them along. It’s so nice that it’s no longer a mess in my luggage, that I don’t have to dig for things, but can keep everything neatly organized! Clean laundry separated from dirty laundry and all clothes sorted by type of garment in a different color packing cube. Often when I arrive somewhere, I immediately put all the packing cubes on a shelf, I often call it ‘my mobile wardrobe’. Sometimes people comment that plastic bags or cheap packing cubes also suffice? Of course, that already helps a bit with keeping your luggage organized, and I have actually tested all options, but zippers breaking, or bags tearing, I got tired of that myself while traveling. And it’s also a lot less sustainable.
Travel sheet
Are you going backpacking? Then a travel sheet is really a must-have to take with you on your trip.
That just not quite clean hostel bed. A damp hammock full of sand. That filthy mattress during a homestay. That dubious bedding on the night train. Or a room full of mosquitoes! Every trip you come across a less fresh overnight stay. That’s why I always travel with my own travel sheet. And no, luckily I don’t have to conjure it up every night, but at the moments when this happens, I’m always glad that I’ve been carrying it with me. This Cocoon travel sheet, made of Egyptian cotton, is also nice and compact and light to carry. The fact that my travel sheet also has a built-in pillowcase and a so-called ‘insect shield’ is of course a bonus. Not only handy against mosquitoes, but it mainly gives me (night) peace of mind knowing that it protects me from potential bedbugs… yuck!
The silk travel sheet is even lighter and more compact. At the beginning of my first world trip, I opted for Egyptian cotton because it is ultimately the strongest solution for frequent and prolonged use (it still lasts after three world trips), and silk is also just a bit more expensive. But now that I sleep more luxuriously and use it less often, I switched to a silk travel sheet because it takes up even less space in my luggage. So there’s something to be said for both! By the way, Decathlon has a cheaper silk travel sheet, definitely a good alternative.
Roll-up toiletry bag with hook
Whether you take a lot or a little toiletries with you, such a roll-up toiletry bag with hook is always nicely organized. With compartments of various sizes, you can keep your toiletries together in a convenient way. I always have quite a lot of toiletries with me, so for me, a hanging toiletry bag of about 4 liters is a lifesaver. But if I go away for just one or two nights, or for example during a short trek, I find a smaller toiletry bag handy, because I often travel with just hand luggage. The toiletry bags I travel with haven’t been available for a while now, but I can recommend these toiletry bags to you.
Silicone Bottles
Yes, you can buy those hard plastic refill bottles from any drugstore or Hema for a few euros. I used quite a few of them in the past. But at some point, I was done with them. After just a week, the caps wouldn’t close properly anymore, and there was always a bit of shampoo or shower gel left in the bottle. When I bought good silicone bottles, I immediately knew that this was a much better solution to take on travels. Due to the material, you can dose much better, so you can use one bottle much longer. Moreover, you no longer need to leave unnecessary residues in the bottle. And the bottles themselves… they last for years! A much more sustainable solution too. Even on long trips, where I often use large bottles of shampoo and shower gel, they are handy for trekking or to put in hand luggage.
What do I bring on a trip when traveling light? The Matadar flexible travel bottles. Recently, Matador introduced flexible travel bottles. They are 3 times more compact and 5 times lighter than silicone bottles. Ideal if you’re limited in space and weight! They are strong, leak-proof, and weigh only 11.4 grams each! And in the same series, there is also a super handy soap case. Also useful when traveling with just hand luggage, as the mini bottles have a capacity of 90 ml and are allowed in hand luggage if stored in a transparent toiletry bag. You do need to make sure to clean them; if you don’t use them for a while after traveling, they will last longer.
Kobo e-reader
A good e-reader is indispensable for me when traveling. That’s when I take the time to read! You can fit a lot of books on your e-reader without taking up extra space. I also often put digital travel guides on my e-reader. I’m a fan of Kobo, which is the brand for e-readers for me. One of Kobo’s newest e-readers is the Libra 2, which is waterproof and has a battery life of up to 20 hours. Super handy by the pool! Additionally, you can now also listen to audiobooks, which is a really useful feature and addition for traveling.
TSA Combination Lock, Essential for Backpackers
I have always slept in hostels a lot while traveling. A combination lock is then an absolute must-have to take with you on your trip. Every dorm has lockers, but in many cases, you need your own lock. A combination lock is by far the most convenient because you can’t lose the keys either. A TSA combination lock is therefore really essential for backpackers. I usually bring several locks with me when traveling because I also use them on my daypack when I’m on busy buses, tourist spots, markets, or other places where pickpockets are active. A strong TSA combination lock is the best choice to take with you on your travels because it can also be used to secure your flight bag, backpack, or suitcase in the airplane. Customs can then open it for inspection if necessary. Tip: Do you use multiple combination locks? Give them all the same code. This way, you’re less likely to forget it.
Airplane Neck Pillow and Inflatable Travel Pillow
Neck pillows are among the travel gear that many travelers take with them on trips. But I never really wanted to be seen with such a neck pillow. I also didn’t think they added much because the pillows I had tried didn’t really help to lie comfortably. Sleeping on the plane is still a struggle, but this airplane neck pillow actually contributes to your comfort. It’s slightly higher than other pillows, so your neck is supported. I now always have it with me on (night) buses too. Since it’s inflatable, you don’t have to carry it around the whole journey, just take it out when you need it. Besides all this, I also use it as an emergency pillow when I come across a really bad pillow. Put an extra t-shirt around it, and you always have a pillow with you!
Hammam Towel XS
I always bring a set of XS hammam towels when traveling. This is a small hammam towel (70 x 100 cm) that is ideal as a travel towel for showering. But I use the XS ones for more purposes, even when I’m at home in the Netherlands. Besides using them as regular towels for showering, I use them, for example, to place on my legs when I have the laptop on my lap in hot weather. Or I place it on the chair when I sit on a wicker chair so that I don’t have a waffle pattern on my legs when I get up. By the way, it also helps in very hot weather not to slip off your chair ;). What’s nice about these towels as travel towels is that they can be stored smaller than most microfiber towels. They take up even less space than a pair of socks!
Taking a microfiber towel on a trip? This is the best in our opinion!
I never really wanted to use microfiber towels. They’re often not as compact and light as everyone thinks. And they don’t dry off well at all. Still, I did some research on them because they are considered essential travel gear for every traveler. The advantage of a microfiber towel is that they dry very quickly. Faster than the XS hammam towel. That’s why I compared 20 (!) microfiber towels in terms of weight, pack size, absorbency, and also looked at how well they dry off. One absolute winner came out of the test, the Packtowl microfiber towel. Two sizes are my favorite, the medium for showering (43 grams!) and the large one that is also suitable for the beach (96 grams). Since I discovered these ultra-lightweight towels, they often accompany me on trips too. They take up hardly any space, dry off quite well, and dry out very quickly!
Waterproof Document Holder
I find it convenient to keep all my documents together. Think of tickets, passport copies, travel itineraries, etc. Of course, you have all those documents digitally, but I always like to have them printed out as well when traveling. This waterproof travel document holder fits everything perfectly and keeps it neat in my bag. You can even store your passport and vaccination passport in it if you want. The fact that it’s waterproof is really nice. Everything stays dry and clean, even if something leaks in your bag, for example. Additionally, I sometimes use the case when I have something with me that I’m afraid might leak in my bag; it functions as a kind of ziplock/mini toiletry bag. You can also use it for your phone, e-reader, or tablet. The touchscreen works through the material of the case. I actually use it at night in the tent during camping trips. It can get very humid in a tent, and I like knowing that my devices stay dry.
Foldable Coffee Filter
I really need coffee in the morning! If you, like me, travel for months on end, you’ll get really tired of the instant coffee they offer in many accommodations. Since I discovered the lightweight, foldable coffee filter, it always comes with me on trips. This one weighs only 11 grams, and you can make a fresh cup of drip coffee in no time. This travel gadget has become one of my favorite travel items to take with me, and everyone who has traveled with me has often made grateful use of it.
Whether you’re embarking on a weekend getaway or a months-long adventure, having the right travel gear can significantly enhance your experience. From packing cubes to waterproof document holders, each item serves a unique purpose in making your journey smoother and more enjoyable. So, as you plan your next trip, consider incorporating some of these favorite travel essentials into your packing list. With the right gear by your side, you’ll be ready to tackle any adventure that comes your way.
