Ben - Two Iced Teas This can’t just be us. Planning a trip somehow compels us to spend a small fortune on the latest tech and gadgets. That money could have gone towards food – but it happens every time…let us take you through our definitive list of all the travel essentials we’ll be packing in 2025.
Thankfully, we’ve traveled enough now to know what’s worth the extra baggage weight, and what’s dead weight.
Everything we’ve listed below we own and use. Some are obvious, others less so, but with any luck you will get some inspiration before your next pre-travel splurge. (The links are affiliate, but costs you nothing extra if you buy via our links)
Vacuum Packing Bags
Travelling light is tough. Clothes take up so much space, and don’t even get us started on the age old roll vs fold debate – but there is a better way. And for us, this solution beats even the ubiquitous packing cubes – vacuum packing bags. Many people seem to think you need to use a hairdryer to make these work, but no – all you need to do is roll the air out of these, apply a good old bit of body weight, and let go. This clever solution lets the air out, but not back in, so you need no fancy electronics, and everything just fits. The best bit is, they are as cheap as chips.
Multi Plug Travel Adapter
Gone are the days when you’d need to pack multiple adapters, plugs, cables and transformers. Now this one ingenious gadget covers you for 90% of what you might need. Works with most international plugs, has enough sockets for practically anything you might need to charge, and packs away very small for those light trips. Honestly, this has been a game changer for us and lives in the suitcase.
Diary / Notebook
If you are anything like us, trying to remember when you went to a certain place, where you had that life changing meal, and what you felt is a bit of a stretch, particularly once you’re back home. Similarly, you might enjoy the meditative powers of journalling. Either way, a travel diary is a fantastic addition to your travel bag. Of course, you could do all this via your phone, but where’s the fun in that? Traveler’s Company produce these amazingly durable travel diaries that can be customised to your heart’s content. And honestly I do get the Indiana Jones vibe rifling through one of these.
Ereader
As a big reader, especially on those long flights or train journeys, and a big fan of traveling as light as possible, the E-reader (particularly the Kindle) is our go – to. Yes, we love physical books, but prefer to leave them at home and just take a nice big reading collection on this tiny device. The battery lasts an age, the screen is perfectly clear, and now with backlighting, can be used anywhere without bothering anyone – win win.
Noise Cancelling Headphones
Honestly, I used to think these were overpriced luxuries that couldn’t possibly be that good. How could a pair of headphones really block out all the background noise on an aeroplane? Could it really neutralise the sound of a screaming baby 2 rows back? Well, I kicked myself when I discovered, after buying a pair of Sony WH1000XM4 headphones, the answer is a resounding yes. Trust us, if you want peace and quiet at the touch of a button, this is the gear you need.
Travel Camera
As something of a keen amateur travel photographer, a travle camera is something I’ve always carried, but more recently have taken this hobby of mine to a new level. For me, the absolute best travel camera I’ve ever owned is the Ricoh GRIII. The quality is on a par with cameras I own that are twice it’s size – it can fit in a pocket, easily – and really holds its own in all sorts of situations. Keep eyes peeled on these pages for a more in depth view on travel cameras coming soon.
USB – SD Adapter
Following hot on the heels of the travel camera is a USB – SD adapter. There’s nothing worse than the pain of losing a whole trip’s worth of images, and backing up to the cloud via phone is our go-to for peace of mind. While all our cameras allow transfer over bluetooth or wireless, it tends to be quicker this way, and something we would recommend where possible. Furthermore, this handy little device really makes it a breeze sharing those hi-def pictures and videos online.
Eye Mask
Sleeping while traveling is tough, and much like the headphones mentioned earlier, any way to block out the outside world really can help. Absolute essential for flying, but also perhaps that boutique hotel you’ve just booked has paper-thin curtains, or a flashing light on the AC unit that just won’t turn off – an eye mask can be a big help here. Make sure to pick one that actually covers your eyes fully, and is comfortable enough to wear for a long time (trust me, the head band is a detail you don’t want to overlook), and enjoy many Z’s – just you and your dreams.
In Conclusion
Keep these suggestions in mind next time you are planning a big trip and find yourself on the pages of Amazon trying to find something to spend that travel money on. Most of what gets suggested online is really just stuff you won’t end up using, but taking valuable space in your bag that could otherwise be used for souvenirs.
What’s your go-to travel packing essentials? Anything we’ve missed that you just can’t live without? Let us know!
