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A common question we hear is “What is the best travel gear?”
Traveling can sometimes be stressful and the last thing you want to worry about is your travel gear. You don’t want it break or be low quality, but you also probably don’t want to spend tons of money on it either.
We’ve put together this comprehensive list of travel gear that is both high quality and not outrageously expensive. All of this travel gear has been tried and tested by us, so you won’t have to worry about it breaking down or ruining you trip!
Travel Backpacks
Osprey Farpoint 40
The Osprey Farpoint 40 is quite possibly the absolute single best price of travel gear you can buy!
It’s versatile, durable, and well-worth the price tag of $120.
If you want to limit your luggage to a carry-on but you like the versatility and comfort of a backpack, the Farpoint 40 is exactly what you need!
Osprey’s Farpoint 40 is the maximum size of a carry-on for most major airlines, which works out perfectly because you can pack everything you need for your trip in it and avoid checking luggage! We’ve packed for trips ranging from a weekend to 6 weeks using the Osprey Farpoint 40.
One of the best features of the Farpoint 40 is that the shoulder straps can zipped up and hidden, so it becomes more like a duffle bag. There are also numerous pockets, including a laptop sleeve, to make packing and separating your belongings simple.
We’ve had our Osprey Farpoint 40’s for 6 and 3 years, and neither have any signs of wear, nor have there been any problems with the backpacks.
Osprey makes lots of other great backpacks, but the Farpoint 40 is our favorite travel backpack because it’s carry-on size yet can fit everything you’d want to pack. If you’re looking for a do-it-all backpack for yourself or a fellow traveler, the Osprey Farpoint 40 will not disappoint!
Osprey Fairview 40
While we love the Osprey Farpoint 40, the Osprey Fairview 40 is the same backpack, but it is specifically designed for women.
Becca has the Farpoint and it works wonderfully. However, if you’d prefer the Fairview 40, it’s basically the same backpack, but with a slightly different build to better fit women.
The Arkadia Supply Co. Sea to Sky Pack
The Arkadia Supply Co. Sea to Sky Pack is a great, lightweight, waterproof backpack that you can use as a day pack.
Without a doubt, the two best features of the Sea to Sky Pack are that it’s waterproof and super lightweight.
The Sea to Sky Pack is completely waterproof, so you will not have to worry about your electronics or other items getting wet when traveling with it. It’s great if you are hiking, traveling outdoors, or simply just want a smaller backpack you can use for the day that will protect your stuff in case it rains!
The entire backpack weighs next to nothing and can be rolled up into the size of a baseball. It also comes with a lightweight bag you can roll the backpack up into. This means that even if you aren’t wearing the backpack or using it as a carry-on, it will easily fit in your other luggage or even a purse!
Osprey Talon 22 Daypack
The Osprey Talon 22 is an excellent daypack when traveling, especially if you are hiking.
While it’s not 100% waterproof like the Sea to Sky Pack above, it offers more pockets, a sleeve for a water reservoir, and is overall a little more comfortable for doing longer day hikes or carrying around all-day, even though it is a little heavier than the Sea to Sky Pack.
The Talon 22 is a great travel daypack if you are going to be hiking, biking, or being more active because it’s super comfortable, has a breathable back, and tons of convenient pockets Plus, you always know you are getting excellent quality with an Osprey backpack.
Travel Photography
Canon EOS Rebel
Canon Rebel cameras are some of the best DSLR cameras available. If you want a high-quality camera for travel photography, look no further than the Canon Rebel series.
There are plenty of camera options out there, including other DSLRs, like Nikon, or mirrorless cameras, so take a look around and find the one that is best for you!
GoPro
GoPro’s are the best action, weatherproof cameras out there today.
If you are into visiting National Parks, outdoor travel, extreme sports, or even traveling to rainy locations, a GoPro is the perfect piece of travel photography gear!
It takes amazing photos and videos with its fantastic wide-angle lens, and GoPro is constantly coming out with new editions with new features too!
Extra GoPro Batteries and Charger
One downside to a GoPro is that the battery does not last super long, but these extra GoPro batteries and charger are perfect if you are using your GoPro a lot.
This comes with 3 extra batteries and a charger. The charger can charge up to 3 GoPro batteries at once, so you will never have to stop filming or taking photos because of a dead GoPro battery!
GoPro Floating Handle
The GoPro floating handle is a great tool to hold your GoPro, especially if you will be in water because it floats!
Hopefully you won’t drop your GoPro in water, but if you do, it’ll be floating right on the top so you don’t lose it!
Luckily, this hasn’t happened to us, but it did happen to some friends we were with when rafting. We were able to see the GoPro floating and save it.
Travel Electronics
Kindle Paperwhite
While many people prefer physical books, Kindles are the way to go for traveling because they’re lightweight and can store so many books on them.
The new Kindle Paperwhite is waterproof and includes extra storage! Kindles are perfect if you are going to be traveling long-term.
Travel Adapter
If you’re traveling internationally, a travel adapter is a must, especially in the age of technology.
Beware that not all travel adapters are created equal! Some are incredibly cheap and break easily, which is why we recommend getting a quality one, like the Epicka Travel Adapter.
This travel adapter is compact, lightweight, and has plugins for all over the world. Plus, there are multiple USB ports, so you can charge more than one device at once!
Portable Phone Charger
No one wants their phone to die on them, especially when traveling, so invest in a portable phone charger.
A portable phone charger is almost a must when traveling. You don’t want to be looking for your hostel, hotel, or Airbnb and have your phone die in an unfamiliar city, or you might just not want to deal with missing out on a fantastic photo if your phone is what you use for taking photos.
We’ve all been there when your phone dies at an inopportune time, and a portable phone charger will prevent that! This one even comes with a built-in cable, so you don’t have to carry your’s around!
Solar Powered Portable Charger
While a portable phone charger work well for a lot of travelers, a solar powered portable charger is perfect for those visiting national parks, hiking, or backpacking.
You simply open up this solar powered portable charger, let it sit in the sun and charge, and then plug in your phone, tablet, or anything you need to charge! This is a must for off-the-grid travelers!
Belkin Headphone Splitter
Headphone splitters are one of the best travel items for couple travelers. They are inexpensive and provide huge value!
Now you won’t have to one use one earbud when watching your favorite show or movie on the plane, so you can enjoy the full volume!
A headphone splitter will make a world of a difference on your next trip, especially if you will be on a plane, train, or bus for a long time!
Travel Accessories
GoToob Travel Bottles (3oz)
You don’t want to pack liquids to go on a plane just to open your bag and find out they exploded. This is where the GoToob Liquid Travel Bottles come into play!
GoToob bottles don’t leak, come in a variety of sizes, including the 3oz carry-on size, and are very durable, so you won’t be constantly replacing them.
Save yourself the hassle of having to deal with cheap travel bottles for liquids that end up exploding in your luggage, and get some high-quality GoToob bottles!
Quick-Dry Microfiber Towel
Traveling with a quick-dry microfiber towel is a must because you don’t want to be stuck without a towel or have to pay for one at a hostel.
These towels are lightweight, don’t take up much space, and dry super fast. It’s a great purchase if you love to travel because it can be used in so many ways and easily fits into any size luggage.
Packing Cubes
If you are looking to better organize your packing, whether it’s in a suitcase, backpack, or car, packing cubes are the way to go!
Packing cubes allow you to better organize the way you pack, so you can actually fit more stuff into your luggage. It helps you be more efficient when packing, and it makes looking for something in a stuffed backpack or suitcase way more manageable. On top of that, packing cubes help make repacking easier, so you can waste less time getting ready to go to your next destination!
Waterproof Dry Bag
Dry bags are nearly essential nowadays if you are doing any sort of traveling where you might get wet.
This could be caving, whitewater rafting, hiking, or simply going to Costa Rica during rainy season. You do not want your phone or other travel accessories to get wet and damaged, so make sure you protect them with a lightweight dry bag.
While the Arkadia Supply Co. Sea to Sky Pack mentioned earlier is a great waterproof backpack, this Sea to Summit Dry Bag is another option if you have a different travel backpack that is not waterproof.
You simply put any thing you want to keep dry in this dry bag, roll it up, put it in your backpack, and you’re good to go! You stuff will stay totally dry all day.
These dry bags work perfectly with the Osprey Talon 22 backpack mentioned before because it’s not totally waterproof.