We all have our routines when it comes to travel, and things we don’t leave home without. After 15+ years of heavy travel, I figured I’d share some of the travel tech gadgets I won’t travel without.
Let me add the caveat that I’m a pretty low-tech guy, so you won’t find anything cutting edge. However, everything in my bag serves a purpose, so let me share the tech accessories that I value most. Perhaps the takeaway from all of this should be how few things I travel with.
So let me share my essentials, in no particular order, and then I’d love to hear how that compares to what OMAAT readers travel with…
A universal travel adapter
Having some sort of a travel adapter is essential for international travel, but not all adapters are created equal. Personally I have the EPICKA universal travel adapter. Why this one? It had one AC power port, three USB-A ports, and two USB-C ports. It’s rare to find such a compact adapter that has so many USB ports, including USB-C ports. I’m sure there are other great ones out there, but this one has served me well.
A compact power strip
I feel like one of the biggest challenges of traveling is keeping all your electronics charged, given how reliant we are on gadgets nowadays. All too many hotels, airports, lounges, etc., have a shortage of power outlets. That’s why having a compact power strip is so useful, so that you can charge many electronics with just one outlet.
There are lots of options for these, but again, I’m looking for something with AC, USB-A, and USB-C ports. I’m a fan of Anker’s power strip, featuring three AC ports, two USB-A ports, and one USB-C port.
A portable charger
Charging when traveling really is important, eh? While I have gadgets that help me charge when I have access to plugs, sometimes you don’t have access to plugs for an extended period of time. Lots of airlines still don’t have outlets onboard, and that can be tricky.
So I always travel with a portable charger, and in my case I use the Anker portable charger with a 20,000mAh battery pack. It charges my iPhone quickly, and even charge my MacBook in a pinch (though given how good the battery life is there, I rarely need that). Best of all, it’s compact and lightweight.
Apple AirPods Pro
I have the second generation Apple AirPods Pro, which I find offer great audio quality and noise cancelation, all while being compact. I’m a huge fan of these, and use them constantly. They’re incredibly versatile, as I can use them at the gym, and I can also use them to watch a show on my iPad.
I know this is basically sacrilege among frequent flyers, but I actually no longer bother with Bose headphones, but rather rely entirely on my AirPods Pro. Sure, the sound quality is a bit better on Bose headphones, but to me it’s just not worth lugging them around, given how bulky they are.
AirFly (wireless transmitter & receiver)
For frequent travelers, AirFly is the absolute best companion to Apple AirPods. Most airplanes with personal televisions don’t support bluetooth connections (though it’s becoming more common). In other words, you can’t typically use AirPods Pro for inflight entertainment, and you’d be stuck with whatever (inferior) headphones an airline offers you (and in some cases you even have to purchase headphones on planes).
That’s where AirFly comes in handy, as it’s a wireless transmitter and receiver that offers audio sharing for up to two AirPods. This allows you to hook up your AirPods Pro to virtually any inflight entertainment.
There’s another benefit to this, as it essentially also works as a headphone splitter. If I’m traveling with someone and we both want to watch a show on my iPad, I can hook both headphones up via this.
Apple AirTags
Apple AirTags have become an absolute essential for frequent travelers. You can place these small devices just about anywhere to track their location. They’re ideal for travelers, since you can place one of these in your bag, and then always know where it is.
While this is most valuable for checked bags, I also find it useful for carry-ons, since you never know when you may have to gate check a bag, or when your bag could be stolen at an airport or elsewhere. Ideally your AirTag will never actually be needed, but if it is, you’ll be grateful you have it.
Apple iPhone
Like just about everyone else, I have an iPhone. I’ve had an iPhone 13 Pro Max for some time now, and only upgrade to the next version when I have a specific reason to. The phone works great for me, and perhaps the best part of it is that I’ve completely stopped traveling with a camera — the iPhone does the trick for me.
Apple MacBook Air
In the interest of being thorough with the travel tech “gadgets” I travel with, my go-to computer is a 15″ MacBook Air. While I’ve been using the MacBook Air as my primary computer for eons, last year I “upgraded” from the 13″ to the 15″.
I’m thrilled with that decision. Yes, it’s a little bigger and heavier when traveling than the smaller version, but it’s also the computer I use all day at home, so I find it to be a great middle ground between being portable while also being big enough to use at home.
Apple iPad
I’ve had a “standard” 10.2″ iPad for several now years, but I use it differently than most. Personally I don’t like browsing the web on my iPad, but rather I use it to watch TV shows when traveling. I don’t watch that much TV, but when I do, it’s usually shows I’ve downloaded to my iPad.
I’d say 80% of my iPad use is while doing cardio at the gym (I just find the iPhone screen too small to properly watch a show), and the rest of my watching of shows is typically while flying.
Bottom line
While I’m a low-tech guy, there are some travel gadgets I won’t travel without. I try to strike the right balance between traveling as light as possible, while also bringing all the essentials that prevent tech frustration.
I have the basics, like a MacBook Air, iPad, and AirPods Pro. But beyond that I have accessories that help keep all my electronics charged, ranging from international adapters, to portable chargers, to power strips. I’ve also found AirTags to be great for peace of mind when it comes to not losing things while traveling.
Are there some other accessories that would be nice to have? Sure. But I really value being able to travel light, so I only bring things along that I get significant use out of.
I’m curious to hear from OMAAT readers — how do you travel tech gadgets compare to mine?
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