Travel gear recommendations

Table of Contents

In my travel bag

  • Overnight flight kit: I always carry a pair of eyeshades, earplugs, and a small pen. You never know when you are stuck flying late night, early morning, or have a bad hotel room.  I store this stuff in an old business class amenity bag.
  • Noise cancelling headphones: I have been using a pair of Bose QuietComfort 25 headphones for a decade and they still work great. I prefer over-ear headphones for traveling as earplugs + headphones are a good combination for sleeping on overnight flights.
  • One USB-C charger: Use the same charger for your laptop, phone, and other devices.
  • Power bank: I have an old iPhone mini so I can still get 1-2 charges from a compact 5000mAh battery. Compact things enable more compact things. 
  • UK power adapter: I mostly fly US airlines. Their onboard power sockets are loose and my plugs always fall out.  But the power sockets are also universal.  The UK plug is sturdy and always locks in place.  And for international travel, have a set of compact power adapters I put in my bag as needed vs 1 big convert-everywhere-to-everywhere adapter.
  • Coffee mug: My Zojirushi mug is my durable, dependable companion that never leaks in my bag.
  • Single-serve filter coffee: If I can't get coffee in the morning, or the only option is awful coffee (that's you, American Airlines), I can brew a cup myself. I'll also take an entire set with me if I'm traveling to rural areas. These single serve UCC coffee packs are expensive on Amazon but cheaper at your local store stocking Japanese groceries. The caffeination is somewhere between instant coffee and regular brewed coffee.
  • Hand sanitizer, N95 masks, 70%+ isopropyl alcohol wipes: Traveling and public transit can be really dirty. I have germaphobic tendencies so it's a tough mix. These items keep me moving. 

On my phone

  • Google Maps: Despite its decline over the years, there is still no better app for navigating around the world, whether by transit, walking, or driving. Don't forget to download maps for offline use.
  • Google Translate: Don't forget to download language packs for offline use. 
  • AllTrails: Their offline trail maps are invaluable to staying on trail without extra equipment, and trail suggestions are a boon in areas without tourist infrastructure. However, don't rely on it exclusively - in areas where hiking is well-established (e.g., certain areas, national parks), free guides and maps from the tourist or park office often have more and better information. AllTrails can be heavy on popular Instagrammable (e.g., waterfalls, summits) trails.
  • eSIM: They have revolutionized cellular access while traveling: no more hunting for a SIM upon arrival, registering it, activating it a foreign language, etc.  I have had success with Airalo. It's best to buy and install the eSIM before departure on a stable connection.
  • Windy: This an an amazing weather app if you can interpret raw data from weather models.  There are two different Windy apps - I like the red one.
  • TIMATIC: Airlines use a universal system to check document requirements. You should use the same system (you won't win an document argument with a check-in agent) in addition to reviewing embassy requirements. United Airlines has a free, publicly accessible version.

In my wallet

  • Credit card with zero foreign transaction fee: Rather common now; be sure to always get charged in the local currency.
  • Credit card with good travel delay insurance: I've had no hassle with hotel, meal, and taxi reimbursements for delays involving a forced overnight. The alternative is waiting for hours at the airline's customer service desk, hoping to get vouchers, and often being sent to substandard hotels.  Cards vary on the length of delay (number of hours) required before a claim can be filed - so comparison shop on this important fine print!
  • Debit card / bank account with ATM fee reimbursements worldwide: You should have a checking account that charges no ATM fees and reimburses ATM operator fees. Charles Schwab's fee reimbursements always arrive like clockwork.  Always withdraw in the local currency.  Nowadays, ensure you actually need cash before withdrawing; I don't think I've withdrawn cash in western Europe post-COVID for example. Even Japan is becoming more cashless.  The more rural the area, the more likely you need cash.
  • Card-size AirTag: I have a thin wallet so I've been looking for a card-size AirTag. In a pinch I can also move it to my passport wallet or checked luggage (or I can always buy additional cards and/or standard AirTag, too.)

Bags

  • "Inner" bags
    • Packable backpack: I have gone everywhere with a Flight 001 collapsible/expandable backpack. It is the perfect size, durable, and washable. It has been one of my best value purchases ever.  Sadly it's no longer for sale. Flight 001 was a travel store in Brooklyn I stumbled upon that closed years ago.  The best potential replacement I've seen since, although not tested myself for durability, is this backpack that I discovered at the MoMA store. 
    • Packable duffel bags: Make it easier to carry more stuff back home.
    • "Sandwich-size" bags: It pains me to recommend a single-use plastic but sometimes they are unavoidable. Little sandwich size plastic bags, with and without the zipper, can work in a pinch to help you pack lunch, carry messy garbage, or use as a hand glove.
  • "Outer" bags
    • Carry-on suitcase: I have been using a Travelpro Crew suitcase for over a decade. It has been super durable, through hundreds of thousands of miles, sometimes checked and overstuffed, and through public transit.  Some parts have broken but I've found a way to self-repair.  It has the fixed 2-wheels. I will never buy a spinner carry-on. 
    • Backpack: I have an Osprey Farpoint 40L that has lasted about decade so far and still looks good as new. It's my companion on 2+ week trips, when I need to be very mobile, or when I'm traveling internationally on the cheap with only carry-on luggage allowance. 
    • Briefcase: For everyday flights and work I have a limited-run collaboration Porter Yoshida bag. It's unfortunately no longer for sale.