favorite travel gear
I’ve tried a lot of travel gear over the years. These are some of my tried and true favorites (Plus a few that didn’t pass the test)
I’ve been traveling my entire life, and since moving to the US in 1991, I’ve flown back and forth across the Atlantic nearly every year. I have also lived a slow nomad life since 2016, so I’ve had the chance to test a lot of travel gear over the years – some great, some… not so much.
On this page, I’ve rounded up a few of my current travel favorites – everything from shampoo to luggage to clothing. Most of the items here have come with me on multiple trips and passed the test of long travel days, unpredictable weather, and living out of a suitcase for months at a time.
Some links on this page are affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission if you click a link and purchase something. Clicking these links won’t cost you anything, and it helps keep this blog running and free of advertisements. I only ever recommend products I truly love and use myself – nothing that I don’t personally pack.
I’ll be updating this list regularly and adding new finds as I discover them.
favorite travel gear
Carry-on suitcase
The last time I needed a new carry-on, I went with July luggage and I love it! It’s the best carry on bag I’ve ever owned. The hard shell is super sturdy, it’s incredibly lightweight, and it rolls like a dream. It looks compact, but you can pack more into it than you’d think. I went with the Carry On Light in the clay color, which is sadly now discontinued, but it comes in lots of other colors as well (love the shadow lavender).
July Light Luggage Collection →
JULY CARRY-ON Pros
RFID Blocking Wallets, Bags & Sleeves
Have you heard of RFID skimming? It’s a type of digital theft where someone uses a hidden scanner to steal information from credit cards, passports, and IDs that use RFID (radio-frequency identification) technology, while they’re still in your purse. All it takes is for the thief to stand near you in public—they can capture basic details like your card number without ever touching your bag.
I first read about this a few years ago and immediately bought RFID blocking card sleeves and a bag, and my husband got a passport holder/wallet. I bought a Pacsafe cross body bag in black, which is lined with RFID blocking material, and has cut-resistant straps, and I like it so much that it’s been my everyday purse ever since.
Lately, I’ve also had my eye on Sherpani’s bags – I think one of those will be my next travel anti-theft bag. And this wallet is on my wishlist as well. They have a lot of cute styles AND they support ocean conservation.
Pacsafe cross-body bag Pros
Pacsafe cross-body bag cons
Best Shampoo and Conditioner For Travel
Everist is the best shampoo and conditioner I have ever used, and as an added bonus, they’re perfect for travel! Because they’re aloe-based and concentrated, there’s no water. The tubes are much smaller than regular bottles and so much easier to pack than water based shampoos and conditioners.
After 2 rounds of covid, my scalp was so dry, and I lost hair by the handful every time I washed it. Medicated shampoos helped a little bit, but I was still losing so much hair it was scary. I happened to come across Everist and got the travel size set to give it a try. It worked like magic! After the first wash, my scalp felt normal, and by the third wash, I was back to losing normal amounts of hair. They smell so good too, and last forever. Because they are super concentrated, you only need a tiny bit – the little travel set I bought lasted me around 12 washes. It’s now the only shampoo and conditioner I’ll use, and my fine, dry, curly / wavy hair feels and looks better than it has in years. I also like that they’re made without phthalates, dyes, synthetic fragrances, sulfates, silicones, and parabens, and that they’re not packaged in plastic.
External Hard Drives
Since I always work when I travel, I end up bringing quite a bit of tech with me. My photo library keeps growing, and digital files are getting bigger and bigger, and I’ve had to keep adding to my collection of external hard drives.
For years, I used 4TB and 5TB Western Digital drives, which I still really like. They’re great drives but it got to the point when I was bringing at least 6 of them on every trip, and I decided I had to get something smaller. I ended up switching to a SanDisk 8TB SSD, and a Samsung 4TB T7 Shield SSD. Wow – what a difference. They’re so much smaller and lighter, and they’ve freed up a ton of space in my carry-on.
I still use the WD drives at home, but for travel, the solid state drives are the way to go.
Best Walking Shoes
I’ve had back problems on and off for years, along with super tight calves that would cramp up at night after a long day of walking, despite wearing good “normal” sneakers. When I travel, I spend most of the daylight hours walking around with my camera, and those nightly cramps were so painful it was hard to sleep. A few years ago, I started hearing about barefoot shoes everywhere, and though I was skeptical (and, honestly, concerned they might look a bit “clownish”), I figured they were worth a shot.
After a lot of research on different brands, I decided to try a pair of Xero HFS women’s shoes. What a game changer! They’re incredibly comfortable, and so lightweight and flexible that it almost feels like you’re not wearing shoes at all. When I got my first pair, I started wearing them on my hour-long walks every morning to break them in. After just a week, my back felt better than it had in years. No stiffness getting up in the morning, no worrying about my back “going out” during the day – it was like a miracle. They didn’t need breaking in either, they were super comfortable from day one. I raved about them so much that my husband finally got a pair too (he went for the men’s Prio model), and now he’s hooked as well.
They’re perfect for travel too – since they’re so light and flexible, they’re super easy to pack. I always bring a few pairs of the HFS sneakers and a pair of sandals (current favorites are the H-Trail Hiking Sandals) on all travels. I’ve tried other barefoot brands, but for me, Xero has been the best and most comfortable, especially when walking long distances.
Best Skirts for Travel
I practically live in skirts during warm weather, and RipSkirt Hawaii make my absolute favorite travel skirts. They’re lightweight, pack down really small, are completely wrinkle-free, and incredibly quick to dry. If you wash and hang them in the evening, they’re dry in the morning.
The skirts come in four different lengths, plus a sport skirt style. I have one of the shorter Length 1, several Length 2, and a couple of the sport skirts. All are super comfortable and flattering, and they all have side pockets (love that!). The wrap skirt styles (Lengths 1–4) have a Velcro closure, which makes them easy to throw on over a swimsuit, and you can easily adjust the waist so they sit the way you like it. The sport skirt is a pull-on style, with side pockets plus a back pocket with Velcro closure – super handy.
All models come in a bunch of colors (if you see a limited edition color you love, get it, because they do sell out!), and are so cute that I wear them everywhere, including on the beach, sightseeing, on shooting days, and out at night.
Get $10 off orders of $50 or more when you shop through my link 😃
Best sunglasses
I’m really sensitive to light and pretty much live in my Maui Jims outside, both in summer and winter. I love that they’re polarized, the warm view through the brown lenses, and how light they are, you barely even notice that you’re wearing them.
I’ve had a few different styles, and my favorites are the Sandy Beach and Lighthouse models. I have both in brown frames with bronze lenses.
They’re perfect for travel too since they’re so light, and they’ve held up really well to sometimes rough handling.
Checked Suitcase
Still looking for the perfect bag
Two summers ago, I was on the train from Stockholm to the airport when one of the latches on my beloved old Samsonite suitcase suddenly popped open. I’d had that bag for years and loved it, but it had been getting harder and harder to close, so thankfully, I had luggage straps around it just in case. It made it safely to Portugal and then back to the US with those straps, but the latch was broken for good, and it was time for a new suitcase.
As I started searching, I saw that most hard-shell checked luggage come with zippers these days, which I really didn’t want. I realized I’d need a “trunk-style” suitcase to get a latch closure, and after a lot of comparing, I ended up going with the Large Solgaard Check-In Closet suitcase. It was more lightweight than others I looked at (12.3 lbs / 5.6 kg), the price was right, and I liked that they support ocean conservation.
I liked it as soon as I took it out of the box, it felt very sturdy, rolled smoothly, and I really liked the “pinch open” latch design. One thing I already knew though is that I wouldn’t be using the closet system – it adds weight, and I prefer packing in space-saver bags.
I brought it to Sweden and Portugal last summer, and it was fine on the way to Sweden, held up nicely, and since I was traveling with my husband, he took care of all the lifting and handling of it. Sweden to Portugal was a different story though. I was by myself, and realized that handling these square trunk-style suitcases is a lot more difficult than “normal” flat ones. Sure, the top provides a nice place to put a bag, coffee, and other things, but it was really hard to get it up on the conveyer belt, and even harder to get it off when picking up the luggage and everyone is trying to get the best spot and you have no room to move. Also, it arrived in Portugal with one of the corners smashed in. It was in one piece, but it looks bad. Unfortunately, I can’t recommend the Solgaard suitcase.
While I was in Sweden last year, I actually found a Samsonite that I loved but didn’t buy, I thought I’d get it when I got back to the US. Well, it turns out that model is not available here, so I will hopefully get it the next time I’m home instead. If not, I will give Monos a try, their hybrid check-in looks really good.
What’s your favorite piece of travel gear? I’m always looking for new things to try, and would love to know!
