Are you a worldwide jet-setter that spends more time on the road than in your own house? Do you accrue airlines miles on your many business trips? Maybe you take trips to visit family all over the country?
Regardless of why you travel, you want to be a pro traveler, not an amateur. And believe me, amateur travelers are easy to spot because they forget crucial gear, hold up security lines, or have too many bags with them.
We know you’re a pro though, which is why you’re reading the Luxpitality Blog. So, in order to help you maximize your next trip like the true pro you are, we rounded up 11 of our favorite travel gadgets, technologies, and tools below.
Luggage
The Bigger Carry-On: Aluminum Edition
AWAY guarantees you that their Bigger Carry-On: Aluminum Edition will last for a lifetime. That’s quite the promise, but one that’s likely to stand the test of time thanks to a hard aluminum shell protecting against cracks and rough travel situations. At the same time, you likely won’t want to buy other bags because the litany of other features in the bag’s design.
For starters, there’s an ejectable battery for charging your devices. Plus, it has built-in locks and will fit comfortably into any plane’s overhead storage. The best part is that everything about this suitcase is TSA-compliant so you don’t have to worry when going through security.
Vasco Travel Packing Cubes
Even if you’re an expert at packing a suitcase, sometimes things get jostled around in your luggage. Vasco set out to solve that problem, and more, with their packing cube system. In total, it’s seven bags that each have a unique purpose, from storing shoes to electronics.
It makes packing your bag a breeze, as everything has its own place. At the same time, it makes quickly locating items and unpacking incredibly easy. Just imagine, you can zip right through security without digging around for your toiletries bag and holding up the line (leave that for the strollers and first-timers).
Wander Backpack Duffel
With the Wanderer, Timbuk2 was looking to make a true-to-form backpacker’s pack, and this definitely hits the mark. It converts from handheld duffel bag to full-blow backpack, has internal compression straps to clamp down items, laptop storage, a wet pocket, and a water-resistant interior.
And to top everything off, it’s comfortable to wear with a well-ventilated back panel to keep the air flowing. Just grab it by one of the handles and go: that’s enough to put a smile on any backpacker’s face.
Gadgets
BR2 Travel Pillow
Where most travel neck pillows fall short, the BR2 from bullbird strikes true. Built with input from engineers, medical practitioners, and modern-day travelers, it’s optimized for both comfort and performance. Not to mention, it’s small enough to fit into your carry-on bag.
The icing on the cake here is that it doesn’t look like the typical travel pillow, you know, the ones that look like a toilet seat. So, ditch the dorky pillow in favor of this well-designed alternative and you’ll be catching some Zs in style on your next flight.
PowerCore Speed 20000 PD
Without a doubt, Anker is one of the top names in charging technology, and the PowerCore Speed lives up to the hype. Sure it’ll charge your phone no problem at all, just like most other chargers. However, this little guy can play in the big leagues and power devices like your MacBook or Nintendo Switch. Best of all, you can recharge its capacity in about 4 hours.
Cameras
Osmo Mobile 3 Combo
From Instagram stories to professionally curated reels, this 3-axis gimbal reduces shaky footage and delivers a buttery smooth image. Made by DJI, the Osmo Mobile 3 Combo is lightweight and an ideal replacement for loads of cumbersome camera gear—it doesn’t even weigh a full pound.
Fold it up to store and carry easily on your next big adventure, and whip it out at a moment’s notice. Make sure your audience has as much fun watching your videos as you do capturing them, they’ll thank you for it.
Osmo Pocket
If you’re looking for a travel gadget that’s a bit smaller than the Osmo Mobile 3, DJI makes an even more portable camera-stabilizer combo. The Osmo Pocket is about the size of an electric toothbrush, but still packs a powerhouse smart camera.
You can shoot professional caliber video (4k/60fps), slow motion video (1080p/120fps), or snap photos at 12 megapixels. Regardless, it’s built with fine-tuned gimbal stabilization in mind and will deliver smooth shots time and time again.
Mavic 2 Pro
Another DJI-made product (what can we say, we love their gear?), the Mavic 2 Pro drone is just as portable as its Osmo cousins, but in a very different way. You can fly this drone for 31 minutes before it needs to be charged up, but that’s plenty of time for the onboard camera to capture stunning pictures and videos.
It’s also got built-in omnidirectional object sensing so you don’t have to worry about it being knocked out of the air. Whether you’re shooting the mountains, city skylines, or simply capturing a sunset, this drone wants to redesign what you think is possible for aerial photography. Let it.
Wearables
Garmin Fenix 5 Plus
Just because you’re on a trip doesn’t mean you can’t exercise. Make any destination, either business or pleasure, your new track with the help of Garmin’s ultra-popular wrist-trainer. The Fenix 5 Plus is called a wrist-trainer because it’s so much more than just a watch.
Sure, it tells time, but it’s also got a built-in GPS that can map out your run no matter where you are. Whether you’re running a planned 5k route or making split decisions to turn right or left, Garmin will guide you. If that wasn’t enough, it’s also got a built in heart rate monitor, music player, Garmin Pay payment system, and blood oxygen saturation sensors for high altitude training.
goTenna Mesh
Think of the goTenna Mesh like a new-age walkie talkie. However, this nifty travel gadget works through your Android or iOS smartphone. You simply download the app and pair it via Bluetooth.
From there, you can communicate with other users at point-to-point ranges, typically up to 4 miles, with either SMS messages or GPS locations. You don’t need any sort of cell network or WiFi to do this either, which is great for when you want to unplug from the grid on a hike or camping trip (but still want an added layer of security, just in case).
Enforcer Jacket
SCOTTeVEST initially built their Enforcer Jacket for law enforcement and security personnel, but it’s now available for the everyday consumer. The biggest draw is the sheer number of pockets on this jacket: 20 on the interior and 10 on the exterior.
The inside pockets are more security-driven with special padded options for phones and tablets, and even an RFID protected pocket for your ID, passport, and credit cards. On top of everything, the jacket itself performs well as a jacket and keeps you warm in cold weather: it’s truly the intersection of form and function.
It doesn’t matter if you want to ball out on your next trip or simply relieve small headaches associated with local travel. Either way, this list of travel gadgets will help make things easy.
Let us know which ones you plan to make use of. And if you’ve got any travel gadgets or other tech you’d like featured in future posts like this, reach out directly to us today.