Many of my friends have asked me about what gear I use when I’m traveling. I intend for this post to be the running list of different items that I travel with, and my justification for those items.
(Note: 3 of these items are “in” the picture above–my GoRuck GR2 bag, my Citizen Blue Angels World Chronograph is on my wrist, and the photo was taken with my Ricoh Theta 360 camera.)
- GoRuck Bags – (Specifically, I use the GoRuck GR2 for longer trips and the GR1 for shorter ones and my work backpack.) These bags are indestructible, high quality, and look sleek. They have features that most others don’t know to look for in bags (like the super high quality YKK #10 zippers that encircle them.) They won’t call undue attention to you on the street (unless you get one in really weird colors) and hold a bunch of crap. There aren’t many pockets within the bag (I prefer the simplicity) but support the addition of tactical molle pouches. They are expensive, but worth it, in my opinion.
- Apple iPhone Xs – Minimalist travelers say that today, all you really need to travel is a passport, a credit card, and a smartphone. I’d argue the smartphone is most essential of the 3 as it can help you replace a passport and it can be a credit card. The iPhone XS represents the design with the most horsepower and smallest size (of its design generation.) If I was buying a phone today, I’d probably get the iPhone 11 Pro. But I’m an “every other year” upgrader.
- 12.9″ iPad Pro, Keyboard Case, and Apple Pencil – It’s not fair to say that this will replace your laptop, it is glorious to travel with. Small, sleek, and lightweight, it boasts an insanely long battery life and plenty of room for all of the media that I want to carry with me on a plane. I use the iPad while traveling for entertainment on the road, but also for journaling my travels (using the Day One app.)
- Bose QuietControl 30 (QC30) Headphones – Any Bose noise cancelling headphones are life changing. Not only do these headphones allow you to hear your music like you have never heard it before—even if you aren’t listening to any music, if you throw these puppies on, you’ll have a silent room. It’s almost like a pressure change. These headphones are concentration and quiet in the form of a headset. The QC35s and better are equally impressive and offer similar benefits, but not in such a small, portable, rugged design.
- Universal Travel Adapter – This thing is amazing AND cheap. Not only does it offer adaptation for each type of plug you’d ever need, it has 3 standard USB outlets and a USB-C outlet!
- Citizen “Blue Angels” World Chronograph – I collect watches, and this watch is probably the most practical watch that I have in my collection. The battery of the watch is recharged by ambient light, the watch is synced daily with the atomic clock (using AM radio signals), it has a powerful chronograph, it’s a day-date, and changing timezones is a cinch. (Pull out the stem, point the seconds hand at the relevant airport code, push the stem in, and the watch does the rest. It’s super cool to watch!) Of course, it has an aviation theme (which fits in nicely here), and borrows a number of design elements from Breitling Navitimer. It can dress up or down, and really would look good with anything (except for maybe at a black-tie event.) The watch will set you back somewhere around $400 – $500, depending on what deal you can get, and what band you get it on.
- Longines Conquest VHP Wristwatches – I actually travel more commonly with my Longines Conquest VHP wristwatches. The VHP is the most accurate quartz wristwatch ever made–within a 5 second tolerance per year. Once you hack the watch, it’s super accurate for months, making things a lot more predictable when you have to check in for your flight and get the highest spot on the standby list exactly 24 hours ahead of time. The Citizen isn’t this accurate, but it uses radio to synchronize with the atomic clock early every morning (if it can find a signal–which makes it less useful on a cruise). The watch has some really cool features, including the ability to change timezones easily (without needing to re-hack the timepiece) but also has the ability to encounter a strong magnetic field (like a rare earth magnet), completely stop, reset, and start again when the magnetic field goes away–without missing a second. It’s incredible… and makes it a far superior watch to travel with compared to any automatic (which are easy to accidentially magnetize in your bag, especially when it is around magnetic things like iPad covers.) One other benefit the Longines VHP offers over the Citizen is that the lume on the watches is outstanding, easy to see in the dark, and long-lasting. (The lume on the Citizens are great also, but not this great.) The main demerit to the Longines Conquest VHP watches is that they aren’t budget friendly, as they start around $1200 for the more basic models, and it’s pretty unusual to find much of a discount on them.
- Amazon Basics Cords – I’ve linked the USB-C cords here, but they’re all great. Spend the money and figure out exactly what lengths you need, and get velcro (or some other system) to keep them organized. If you need the warranty, Amazon makes it (relatively) hassle-free.
- eBags Packing Cubes – I’m sure other packing cubes work fine as well, but I can speak to the great quality of these. These help you pack more in a more organized manner—not specifically because they compress what you shove in them (although they will do this for you), it will allow you to layer your packing in your bag, so you aren’t just throwing all kinds of stuff in one big compartment.
- eBags Pack-It-Flat Toiletry Kit – This has a waterproof section for liquids (in case of leaks), a large middle section, and 2 side sections for pills / flossers / contact lens cases / etc. There’s also a built-in hook that can be hung off of towel racks (in case the location where you’re staying doesn’t have much room on the vanity. (When paired with the GoRuck GR1, the middle section should be able to hold one change of clothes–so you can save yourself some packing cubes!
- Bad Elf GPS Pro – I use SmugMug and HoudahGeo and am extremely picky about tagging my photos. This geologger allows me to do this very accurately. The device records a geolog track (exportable as .gpx or .kml) which can then be viewed on your smartphone or on a computer. You can then synchronize the track with the time information on your camera to see exactly where you were when you took your pictures. You can also use this device to see exactly you went on a hike, or better still—where your cruise ship went by putting the logger out on your balcony.
- Nikon D7500 DX SLR – I use a “cropped” SLR because it’s smaller, lighter, and less expensive than the full frames. Though I use the Nikon D7500, but any of the DX Nikon cameras are great.
The smaller and lighter cropped cameras leave more room in my bag for the lenses that I use. Here’s my travel lens system. (QUICK WARNING: Buying lenses is like eating potato chips or Oreos–you don’t typically stop at one. Sometimes you don’t stop…):
- Nikkor 18-300mm DX “Superzoom“ – If I’m only going to bring one lens somewhere, this is it. It is the most versatile lens listed here. It also offers a better zoom than any binoculars I’ve ever owned.
- Nikkor 35mm DX Fast, Prime Lens – If the zoom isn’t important to you, this lens is smaller and better to bring along with you than the superzoom. It is basically the equivalent of a fast “nifty fifty” lens for a full-frame camera.
- Nikkor 10-24mm DX Wide Zoom – This wide angle lens can be used to “get everything into the shot,” but is best used artistically when exaggerating the size of certain objects you are taking pictures of. This is also true of my …
- Nikkor 10.5mm DX Fisheye – When I bought this lens, my Dad nearly convinced me that I wasted my money–now, I bring it everywhere and use it way more than I thought I would! It is the smallest lens listed here, and tons of fun. (Note: you’ll need the Nikon D7000 series (or better) for this lens to autofocus on your camera. If you don’t–no problem. If you set the lens focus on infinity, this will work for most shots you’ll take with this lens.)
- Nikkor 18-300mm DX “Superzoom“ – If I’m only going to bring one lens somewhere, this is it. It is the most versatile lens listed here. It also offers a better zoom than any binoculars I’ve ever owned.
- Peak Design Camera Straps – These are probably the best camera straps on the market right now. The “Slide” is my favorite, but takes up more room in your bag. The “Leash” is pretty comfortable as well and is really compact.
- A 360 Camera (specifically, when traveling alone) – First off, I don’t care for selfies, and I resort to taking selfies only when I have to. A 360 camera is very helpful to have when traveling alone as the camera takes up very little space, they are fun to shoot, and the picture generated offers you far more room for tweaking / cropping the shot in post-production that a simple smartphone selfie can’t offer. Plus, the shots are far more interesting and unique. Ricoh cameras (linked above) are sleek and easy, but other cameras are great as well–do your research for the best one out right now. Here’s a good place to start your research.
I’m always on the lookout for new travel gear! If I’ve missed anything that you love, let me know in the comments below!
