This 30 luggage essentials product list is a packing guide for your next vacation. Having a list to advise us is necessary not to leave behind the most important stuff.
A canoe river adventure in a rainforest could be a disaster if you forgot some waterproof bags for your cameras or smartphone, swimwear, or a rain jacket!!
Three days in advance our spare room gets pilled up with all the items on the checklist. The safe way to guarantee a pleasant and stress-free journey.
List of products in this post:
4. Waterproof bags and Underwater dry Phone bags.
6. Mini liquid laundry detergent & pegs
11. Portable charger Power bank
19. Small backpack for the city and outdoors
22. Digital Luggage Weighing Scale
Other Recommendations
29. Digital copy of important documents ( Physical travel documents)
1. Quick-dry travel Clothing
Lightweight, comfortable, elastic and fast-dry clothing is number one on the list for a good reason. These fabrics benefit from nearly any changing weather condition, especially with extreme temperature shifts.
Some fabrics even incorporate antimicrobial treatments intended to protect the products from bacterial growth.
Polyester and nylon fabrics are among the best as they dry in a few hours indoors. When choosing summer destinations I prefer pants and shirts with UPF 50 sun protection.
I’ve been using Columbia’s trousers and shorts for many years with very satisfying results.
2.Concentrated Shower Gel
Up to 40 showers in a small 100ml bottle. A real cosmetics innovation. These light shower gels from Yves Rocher are made in Brittany, France, and contain 99% of natural ingredients.
An innovative biodegradable formula in a compact recyclable bottle takes up to 2 times less plastic. Multiple fragrances like Olive, Raspberry, lavender, mango, lotus, pomegranate, and vanilla can be purchased.
3.Portable First Aid Kit
Accidents happen, and unfortunately, we can’t predict where or when!
Luckily I had a small bottle of vinegar that served as an excellent cure to combat a bluebottle sting on a trip to South Africa.
Carrying a small portable first aid kit can be very useful when traveling. Use some povidone-iodine ointment to disinfect and stop a wound from bleeding forever.
Sometimes antihistamines could relieve symptoms of allergies. How many times we need to use plasters for blisters?
4. Waterproof bags and Underwater dry Phone bags
Without a safe waterproof bag for your smartphone, you’ll be losing out on taking unique photos when practicing water sports. These bags are a must when traveling in humid areas.
Protect your valuable camera gear from rain, saltwater, and dust.
5. Laundry bags
I use these Laundry bags to separate dirty clothes in my luggage. It’s practical to take only one bag to the Laundromat. Sometimes they also come in handy for wet clothing.
6. Mini liquid laundry detergent & clothespins
When traveling to some remote regions we don’t always have Laundry services within our reach. Mini liquid laundry detergent is very handy for washing underwear or removing food stains.
Clothespins are a practical solution for wet clothes especially in urban accommodations with few towel rails.
7. 2 in 1 Travel Pillows
These popular travel pillows are a comfortable travel mate, especially on long flights.
This 2 in 1 converts from a contoured neck pillow to a rectangular shape for head or lumbar support.
With super soft fillings, they avoid neck injuries and more comfortable rest.
8. Refill water bottle
Refill water bottles come in many shapes and sizes. Most important though is to have at least one on your trip. I use the ultra-light super sparrow series to refill water between transfer flights or keep my drinks cold up to 24 hours.
The 500ml bottle only weighs 279g.
9. Eye mask
Blocking all-natural or artificial light not only increases the quality of your sleep but will also help you to fall asleep faster. These sleep masks make it easier to sleep in turbulent noisy environments like airplanes and trains.
10. Ear Plugs
Everyone knows how annoying it can become when trying to sleep in noisy circumstances. Wearing good earplugs can block out a fair amount of disruptive sounds and snoring partners.
11. Portable charger Power bank
Be prepared for the ever-on-the-go digital world. The last thing you want to see is the “low battery” sign flashing on your smartphone at the beginning of an African Safari or a flight over the Nazca Lines.
Belkin has a wide range of portable batteries to charge multiple devices at once. My recommended power bank is the Boost charge USB_C PD Power Bank 10K + USB-C Cable.
- 10,000 mAh to deliver 36 hours of additional battery life to your smartphone.
- Two ports:18W USB-C and 12W USB-A to charge multiple devices at once.
- USB-C Power Delivery for iPhone /Ipad
- 6in./152.4mm USB-C to USB-C cable included to start charging right out of the box.
12. Compact camera / Laptop / Ipad
For photo enthusiasts who need a little better quality for their pictures consider purchasing a good compact camera.
These small lightweight cameras offer better image quality, more control, and creative options to make your travel photos stand out from the rest.
I use the Fuji x100V, a compact premium from Fuji with extraordinary image quality and an APS-C sized sensor 14 larger than conventional smartphone image sensors.
Other good quality compact cameras:
1. Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III
No matter how long or how far we travel, my Mac book pro notebook always goes along. It’s perfect for watching movies and editing my travel images on the go. Any tablet or IPad is an interesting alternative.
13. Sun screen and Lip Balm
Sunburn can damage your skin severely. Avoid the risk of melanoma skin cancer by protecting yourself with protective sunscreen lotions, sprays and lip balms.
The Nivea UV FACE SHINE CONTROL SPF 50 is Highly Effective
Its Formula with Ultra Spectrum Protection provides immediate protection against UV-induced damage as well as premature skin aging.
Light formula with instant and long-lasting mattifying effect
Absorbs excess oil from the skin surface
Light skin feeling, non-greasy and non-sticky
ISDIN Protector Labial Spf 50+, Protector
Protect your lips against UVA and UBA rays and the harmful effects of the sun.
NIVEA SENSITIVE IMMEDIATE PROTECT SPRAY SPF 50+
• Immediate UVA Protection
• Immediate UVB Protection
• Water Resistant
• Fragrance Free
• Soothes Sensitive Skin
14. Natural Insect repellant
The most effective mosquito and bug repellant that works is the Murphy’s Naturals Lemon Eucalyptus Oil Insect Repellent Spray | DEET Free | Plant Based, All Natural Ingredients | Mosquito and Tick Repellent | 4 Ounce Pump Spray
15. Travel Adapter
The Epicka international plug adapter is the solution for almost any power outlet plug. It does not convert electrical output current and voltage but you won’t have any issues with charging your electronic and digital devices safely.
All in one world multi function Travel Adapter covers more than 150 countries with US/EU/AU/UK plugs, Solution for your worldwide traveling.
16. Rain Jacket
Even on the most perfect sunny day, you could be surprised by a sudden rainstorm. I have walked for hours in rainy and windy conditions with the
Columbia Men’s Glennaker Lake Rain Jacket
The best protection is to stay dry and also acts as a good wind-resistant shield. These jackets have a relaxed, breathable fit and also can serve as casual wear.
17. Rubber sandals
Rubber sandals speak for themselves. I use them all the time to go to the beach, in the shower ( at risky outdoor showers), indoors, and in summer.
18. Comfortable Walking shoes
On my last visit to Budapest in Hungary I almost did 26km on foot in 4 days.
Thank’s to my casual Nike air max motion lw se I wasn’t aware of walking for so many hours.
Comfortable shoes are essential for keeping the right body alignment to avoid back pains, knee, ankle, and hip injuries.
For hiking, in summer I use the XA PRO 3D from Salomon. Mountain adventures become effortless with the improved 3D chassis that improves stability, softness, and comfort.
The XA PRO 3D v8 GORE-TEX version has a waterproof membrane. Both models have a rubber contra-grip sole for better grip and a comfortable quick-lace system.
19. Small backpack for city and outdoors
For urban sightseeing, I use the Samsonite Travel backpacks.
These high-quality backpacks provide optimal flexibility and well-organized compartments for electronics, clothes, or any personal belongings.
Samsonite offers more than 60 different models with a variety of storage options, colors, and sizes.
Sometimes I carry a small
Lowepro ProTactic 450 AW II Black Pro Modular Backpack
A flexible and easy transportation backpack with soft padded interior compartments to secure my valuable camera gear.
For all my outdoor hiking adventures I use the Hiking backpack Forclaz from Decathlon.
The comfortable and lightweight backpack has easy access with a big upper opening and multiple smaller pockets.
The incorporated rain cover keeps the rucksack dry and protected against dirt and dust.
20. Micro fibre travel towel
Microfibre towels are ideal for traveling. These towels are lightweight and ensure a very quick drying time. Use them for the beach, yoga, camping, or sports.
21.Quality Sunglasses
Everybody should be aware that the sun’s UV rays can damage your eyesight when exposed to the sun for too long.
Prevent eye problems like pterygium ( Surfer’s eye), cataracts, and macular degeneration with a good pair of sunglasses.
It’s not just being fashionable but also being health conscious.
22. Digital Luggage weighing Scale
Have you ever had to remove some personal belongings at the airport for excess baggage?
I prevent situations like that by carrying a small digital luggage weighing scale to satisfy the baggage allowance from any flight company.
Other Recommendations
23. Pocket knife
Please note that this article is not allowed onboard. The Victorinox Swiss tool Spirit was a birthday present 20 years ago. Since then it is part of my luggage.
Victorinox has made excellent quality knives and multi-tools for over a century.
This compact super polished tool solves almost any situation.
A good alternative to consider is the category-leading Leatherman.
24. 2 step corkscrew
An easy-to-carry 2 step fold-up corkscrew is the choice of many sommeliers and wine lovers. The 2 step operation uses the bottle as a leverage point to remove corks easily.
The build-in foil cutter adds convenience and assures a more elegant look to the wine when opened.
25. International Sim Card
When traveling to remote foreign regions an international sim card could be the answer if you need to be online. Not having cellphone coverage upon arrival at your destination is not ideal. Being able to call the Hotel at a hectic airport arrival lobby when your pick-up is not on time can save the stressful situation.
These cards work in 125+ countries with a single card & phone number.
26. Personal medicine
Don’t forget your personalized medical prescriptions when traveling.
These drugs and pills could be hard to find in foreign countries as only authorized medical and healthcare professionals can supply them.
Consider other common medicines like antihistamines, cough suppressants, aspirins, or ibuprofen to combat critical situations.
27. Wine Glasses
I only take good quality wine glasses along when going on road trips by car. We often travel to wine regions. Drinking the same wine in two different wine glasses could be quite different. Drinking wine from a quality wine glass you’ll get the most out of each wine’s unique bouquet, color, and taste.
28. Google Offline Maps
Google’s awesome feature for downloading maps to be used offline is a good solution for traveling to regions without smartphone network coverage. These maps will guide you to your destination within the downloaded map area. Note that transit, bicycling, or walking directions are unavailable.
29. Digital copy of important documents ( Physical travel documents )
By making a digital copy of your passport, ID or any other travel documents is key to recovering important information in case of robbery or loss.
Online cloud storage could be a safe way to access these digital files.
Ahh and don’t forget the actual physical documents!!
30. Smartphone
Although last on the list, your smartphone is like a second skin and will eventually be the first object to take on your next trip.
