Best Accessories for Travel in 2020 (and the Worst!)

Go Pros have traveled with us everywhere over the years.  We first started with the Hero 4, which came with many accessories and has lasted us over the years.  We currently switched over to the Hero 7 Black, which has better image stabilization and is waterproof. During our trip to Portugal, it was our most used piece of travel equipment.

We use our Go Pro for videos nearly everywhere as its main purpose is to be used as a video camera especially when being active.  It suits most situations very well, unless the area is poorly lit, but a few adjustments on the camera usually do well.  It is one of the most useful travel gadgets anyone can own.

Check the price of a Go Pro Hero on Amazon.

Steripen Water Purifier

Wendy at The Nomadic Vegan 

I’ve been using water purifiers for the past 15 years or so whenever I travel in places where the tap water is not drinkable. Not only does it save money in the long run by eliminating the expense of bottled water, it’s also a step in the right direction towards zero waste travel.

Over the years, I’ve tried different brands and models and found some to be more convenient than others. My latest water purifier is the Steripen Ultra, and it’s the best one so far. The Steripen works by emitting UV light that kills bacteria and viruses. Just swirl it around inside a 1-liter bottle for 90 seconds, and you instantly have drinkable water.

Unlike with ceramic water filters, there’s no hand pumping required. And, since the batteries can be recharged via USB on a laptop, you don’t need to go searching for replacements. A single charge can last for several weeks, too. I’ve had a few hiccups where the UV light wouldn’t come on, but I’ve always managed to get it working eventually.

The Steripen does not filter out any dirt or other particles from the water. It simply sterilizes it, making it safe to drink. If you are sourcing water from rivers or streams, you will still have particles floating in your water bottle, but they will be harmless.

The first time I used the Steripen was on a three-month trip in Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay. I’m now currently using it while I travel by train on the Trans-Siberian Railway across Russia and into Mongolia, China, Taiwan, Korea and Japan.

(This is definitely one of the cool travel gadgets!  Another great option for getting pure drinking water anywhere and creating less waste is a filtered water bottle.  It’s definitely best tech for travel.  Check out the Government of Canada’s advice on water quality.)

Check the price of the Steripen Ultra on Amazon.

Best Items for Travel – Travel Backpack

Mel at Traveling Mel

The most useful travel gadget, in my mind, is the one that carries all my other travel gadgets – my backpacks. There are a lot of great backpacks for travel, but I especially like the ones that open in a U-shape, have several pockets inside and out, and with a cover for the shoulder strap for times when you want to check your back on an airplane. My pack has a dedicated sleeve for my laptop, which is great since I work when I travel.

Everyone in my family has their own pack and we see them as essentials for traveling to Europe and the Americas.  Using a backpack, versus a traditional suitcase or roller bag, has made it easier for us to jump on trains, slip onto buses, and walk a few kilometers to our destinations.

The only downside I can see is if you have trouble carrying a little weight on your back. Our kids started carrying their own packs (smaller than ours) when they were seven and eight-years-old without too much trouble, but if you have back problems or other issues, it might not work.

(I love using a wheeled backpack when I travel)

Check out the price of an Osprey travel backpack on Amazon.

Aeropress Coffee Maker

Daniel James of Layer Culture  

If you like to drink coffee when you travel then you won’t want to leave home without an Aeropress.  The Aeropress is the perfect travel gadget because it can make you a delicious barista-style in just a few minutes.  All you have to do is add your coffee, hot water and stir.  Slowly press down the plunger and that’s it!  Oh, and it’s super simple to clean; it leaves virtually no mess.  I have used this gadget all over Latin America and it has saved me a fortune.

You can get great coffee in Vancouver when you go for brunch at one of the great local brunch places.

Learning the art of brewing your own coffee can be difficult.  However, with the Aeropress, you’ll find that not only can you add it to your packing list without it taking up too much room in your luggage, but you’ll save tons of money buying coffee elsewhere.  So, now you know how useful this travel gadget can be, when will you get yours?

(This is one of the truly useful travel accessories!)

Our most useful travel gadget is a Netgear Travel Router, which was surprising as I wasn’t really sure what it was when I opened it as a gift from my wife! The device acts as an intermediary between your devices and the WiFi in the place where you are staying.

The travel router offers a few great benefits that make it so useful as some of the best travel tech.

Firstly, it offers additional security because your personal devices are kept one step further away from the open internet behind the device’s firewall.

Secondly, it allows you to connect your devices to the WiFi more quickly as you only connect the travel router to the WiFi and all your devices are connected to it. What this means is that once you’ve entered the (potentially complicated) password into the device, all your personal devices see your personal WiFi and reconnect to it instantly.

Finally, it can boost a weak WiFi signal making it more reliable. The antenna on the travel router is bigger than in your phone or tablet and can, therefore, pick up weaker signals which are then re-transmitted much more strongly from the small device sitting in the same room as you.

From not being sure what the present was, this cool travel accessory has become the first thing we set up when arriving at a new hotel or Airbnb.

Check the price of a Netgear Travel Router on Amazon.

Backpack Camera Clips

Hanna from Solar Powered Blonde 

My partner and I travel full time and work by creating videos for hotels and tourism boards around the world as well as photos, both for work and to share on our Instagram pages.

When we are shooting, we need to have easy and quick access to both the photo and video camera at the same time, as often we will need to create both photo and video content in one place. I used to have a camera strap for around my neck, but with two cameras this is not ideal, and even with one camera, it swings back and forth and can be hard when you need to climb up to reach a location.

We discovered backpack clips, which screw onto your backpack, so they are held on very tightly, and the camera clicks into place, making it secure. You can place these anywhere along your backpack strap. To release the camera, there is a mechanism you press on, so it is not possible for it to slide out by itself.

This is one of the most useful things we have bought recently, and makes our work so much faster and easier, meaning we don’t have to stop and open a bag each time we want to use a camera.

(Sounds like backpack camera clips are one of the best travel accessories for business and a great backpacking gadget!)

Check the price of Backpack Camera Clips on Amazon.

Pac Safe Portable Travel Safe 

Lee from The Travel Scribes 

Safety might not be your first concern when travelling but if you’re looking to keep your valuables secure, one of the best travel essentials is undoubtedly the Pac Safe.

If you’re not familiar with the concept, essentially the Pac Safe is an almost impenetrable bag made out of reinforced fabric, which uses a flexible locking system and attaches to really any fixed item in your room – think a hanging rail, a window frame or even under the bathroom sink.

For us, the Pac Safe is ideal. Travelling with two laptops, a DSLR camera and of course passports and associated paraphernalia, means that usually a hotel safe (if it’s even provided) is not large enough. So the Pac Safe gives us peace of mind when we’re out sightseeing for the day.

It fits quite easily into the bottom of a suitcase or large backpack, so it’s easy to transport. And, if you’re really keen on safety, they have a larger range of Pac Safe items including backpacks which you could take out onto the streets, knowing that you’re safe from pickpockets.

We’d give the Pac Safe two thumbs up, making it one of the most essential travel gadgets we’ve found!

(this travel safe is certainly one of the unique traveling accessories, and definitely one of the cool travel accessories!)

Check the price of a Pac Safe Portable Safe on Amazon.

Portable Power Bank

Sean Lau from Living out Lau  

When it comes to a travel must have, there is nothing that comes to my mind more than a portable power bank. It is literally the king of all travel gadgets and has saved my life multiple times.

For those not in the know, a portable power bank is literally a small lightweight battery that you can carry around to charge your electronics (phone, tablets, sometimes even cameras). Some portable power banks come with a flash light, which I find to be less useful but better to have it than to not.

It has saved me in times of emergency when I needed to call an Uber or risk taking one of the million-dollar taxi in Colombia (million-dollar taxis are the ones that you get on and then they rob you).

A portable power bank is definitely an essential gadget for traveling and I wouldn’t travel without one. It is one of the few items you should splurge on and make sure you have a nice and reliable one.

(this is definitely on the list of  business travel essentials!)

Check the price of a very useful Portable Power Bank on Amazon.

Lunch Set with Collapsible bowl and cutlery

Dominika from Sunday in Wonderland  

One of my international travel must haves that I adore is a lunch set. It might not be that obvious, but I’m going to explain to you why it’s a must-have item on the road.

When you travel mostly in big cities, you probably have no problems with eating out and you don’t worry about the food in general. But things change when you plan a daylong trip to the countryside or to a hiking trail. In this situation, you simply must pack some snacks into your bag to keep you going  throughout the day.

This is where the lunch set comes with help. This top travel accessory always includes a water bottle with filter, reusable cutlery, and a foldable silicone lunchbox. I love this last item because it uses a minimal amount of space in a bag after eating the contents.

(Definitely TSA approved!)

Usually I buy some local delicacies and prepare  snacks from them. Fruits, sweets, sandwiches or even a small portion of a full meal is easy to pack with the lunch set.

The lunch set might be handy also in the city. If you want to enjoy the street food, reusable cutlery with your own lunch box will definitely be useful. Especially if you aim to care about our planet and reduce plastic waste. The water bottle will not only save some plastic but some cash in your wallet as well!

(what a combination of useful items for travel!)

Check the price of the lunch set including the collapsible bowl and cutlery on Amazon.

Cabeau Travel Pillow

Alex from The Swedish Nomad

The travel pillow from Cabeau has been one of my must have travel gadgets for the last 3 years, and after traveling full-time for 5 years, I’ve tried plenty of different travel pillows to find out the best one. It’s one of the best air travel accessories to use on long flights, bus rides, and even train rides or car rides.

The neck support from this travel pillow is amazing, and when not using it, you can push it down inside a smaller bag that’s included in the package. Almost every airport in the world has a shop selling Cabeau travel pillows, and for a good reason.  They’re the best!

I use it mostly on long-haul flights, but also on bus rides that are usually quite uncomfortable for a longer period. With this travel pillow, it gets a lot more comfy and you can actually get some sleep.

It’s very well designed, doesn’t take up too much space, and has a light weight yet being sturdy and firm enough to have a longer lifespan.

(don’t miss Ming’s opinion below on the how useless a travel neck pillow is!)

Check the price of a great Cabeau travel pillow on Amazon.

Both Tiffany from A Girl and her Passport and  Melanie from Passport Amigo thought this was a very useless item!

Tiffany:

The most useless travel gadget I have encountered is the Scrubba Wash Bag.  A friend bought it and then gave it to me when moving.  It is basically a dry bag with scrubbers on the inside to aid with cleaning.  I used it on a trip to clean undergarments  The scrubbers didn’t do much and I felt like washing by hand in the sink was better at getting the items cleaned.

While you can roll it up, I also felt it took up too much space in my luggage.  It also costs over $50 (US) on Amazon!

Melanie:

I hate to think of the number of hours I spent researching and consider whether or not to buy a Scrubba Wash Bag for my 6-month group trip travelling by overland truck from Istanbul to Singapore. 

It seemed like the perfect travel gadget.  I’d be able to wash my clothes anywhere there was the water and not hog the bathroom.  Perfect.  But in the end, old travel habits die hard and I ended up washing clothes in either the bathroom sink or the bath.

I did try using the Scrubba a number of times and it is a well thought-out product.  It was good for soaking clothes, which was great if you wanted to go out for the day and leave items in it.   However, you are quite limited to the number of items you can wash in it at any one time and actually, in the end, sending your laundry out can be fairly cheap with the added bonus it (usually) came back dry AND folded. Bliss.   

 I had hoped that the Scrubba could also be used as a dry bag but the internal ‘washboard’ meant it wasn’t really suitable and, understandably, it has to fairly robust material so it was bulky, too.   For the right person in the right environment, it is a good product but I’m not the right person! 

(I must agree with Tiffany and Melanie that this is not one of my travel gear essentials)

Check the price of the useless Scrubba Wash Bag on Amazon.

Multi-tool (Swiss Army Knife)

Art from The Broke Backpacker 

It seems like the best tool to have with you on your travels is all the tools in one! Yes, multi-tools, like Victorinox’s Swiss Army Knife, those plier contraptions, and the metal monster buddy used to uncap your beer at a full moon party in your early twenties. Multi-tools are marketed to do it all, but beyond the aforementioned beer cracking, what exactly are we supposed to use them for?

After carrying my multi-tool around on an extended 6-month backpacking trip, I unwillingly donated it to TSA dangerous materials bin and never looked back! I reflected on the loss, realizing I’d only really used the toothpick (which I’d chewed into a seaweedy looking shape) and one time I used the itty bitty knife to whittle away some wood for tinder. Oh, and I’d opened a few beers until I realized it was cooler to open them with a spoon or a carabiner (I obviously haven’t given up all my extraneous gear).

If you’re going to do woodsman-type activities, maybe use a real knife to whittle that tinder and trim your rope. DO you need a bottle opener? Watch a couple YouTube videos and you’ll never have that problem again! If it’s that toothpick you’re after, it’s a whole lot lighter to carry around a toothpick than an entire multi-tool.

(I’m not sure I agree with Art that this is not one of the must-have travel gadgets, but I find his argument is quite convincing!)

Check the price of the somewhat useless Multi-tool on Amazon

Travel Neck Pillow

Ming Lee at Flyerism

Ever since I started traveling decades ago, I’ve bought a lot of travel gadgets. According to the advertising claims, these gadgets were supposed to make my journey safer, easier and more enjoyable. However, quite a few turned out to be a huge letdown. The worst one was a neck pillow which I bought before a long-haul flight. Prior to the flight, I experienced a stressful period of time at work. It has resulted in insomnia and neck stiffness for days. I was hoping the neck pillow could improve my sleep quality on the plane. 

Alas, the pillow was too soft for to make comfortable rest. It was not strong enough to hold my neck and head in proper position. I went online for a quick search and found that there’s no enough clinical evidence that neck pillow helps to reduce neck discomfort. If anything, my pillow had actually made my neck pain worse! Not to mention, it carries unpleasant chemical odor. 

For anyone who can vouch for neck pillow, here’s the million dollar question: does it really work, or is it just placebo effect? I am not sure about your answer, but I am definitely ditching mine to travel lighter.

Check the price of controversial travel neck pillow on Amazon.  

(scroll up to see Alex’s opinion on how great his neck pillow is!)

Mini Bluetooth Speaker

Khushboo of Munniofalltrades  

My mini bluetooth speaker is compact, lightweight, looks very cute and works wonderfully. However, I find it to be a useless gadget to carry around while travelling. I like to go on nature trails, visit national parks or go hiking. A Bluetooth speaker is nothing but a disturbing element in these serene surroundings.  

Most of the time, I prefer using my headphones while flying or on long drives as it does not disturb my fellow passengers. At hotels, TVs are easily available and a bluetooth speaker is not required.  Generally, I am so tired after a day of exploration that I prefer going straight to bed rather than watching a movie or a TV show. 

I enjoy letting the ambiance and natural sounds wash over me rather than drowning it out with a speaker. That is why I think it is a useful gadget to have around the house, but not necessary while traveling.  

(I might disagree with Khushboo on the usefulness of a mini speaker – I always bring mine when I travel and love it!  Perhaps it would work best as one of your must have cruise accessories?)

Check the price of this disputedly useless/useful Mini Bluetooth Speaker on Amazon

Polaroid Camera

Sophie from Lifestyle Queensland

When I first decided to travel and my friends asked what I wanted as a gift, I immediately replied “Polaroid Camera!!”

Cut to me 5 years later slapping myself in the face! What was I thinking? Obviously practicality was not top of my travel packing list but maybe “looking cool” was. I already had a decent camera and lens so why I thought I needed an extra one to carry around beats me.

I used the camera a total of 3 times to take edgy “look at me, I’m so old school” photos.  Then I realized that the film was super expensive and I was going to have to carry around a mountain of tiny Polaroid photos if I kept it up.

Needless to say it hasn’t been used since!

(I really don’t think this is one of my Europe travel essentials!)

Check the price of this really useless Polaroid Camera on Amazon.

Portable Travel Clothesline

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