What Do We Use?

This device has changed the game. Not only is this the most portable powerhouse of a gaming device, it’s a fully usable workstation and entertainment device. Think of a Nintendo Switch mixed with your work laptop. It can run most AAA games at 40fps or more, it can perform the heavy lifting within design and data software, and it can easily help you multitask in your day-to-day functions. With its 8.8” vibrant screen, removable controllers that double as a mouse, and packable design, this is a win-win for the digital traveler. If you want to see more, check out the most detailed review online here.

I still have the original version that I picked up years ago. It still functions at full capacity with great life. I have to give credit where it’s due. This little device has allowed me to work on the go through so many trips. I’ve used it paired with my phone, with glasses, tablets, and even with gaming devices. The footprint is so minimal, it’s pocketable, and the functionality is near a full keyboard experience. If you need a built-in track pad, they have a version with that too! This is a definite item for productivity on the go.

If you’ve not seen these, you’re missing out! XReal is the leading company for virtual screen glasses at an affordable price point. These are AR-like glasses that provide you with a large screen experience while also providing full privacy. The 2nd versions have improved comfort, even better speakers, and electrochromic dimming features similar to luxury cars. You can use these as portable work monitors or even get a full movie experience right in your very own personal theater. They work especially well with Samsung DeX for work productivity. Additionally, with the 120Hz and FHD screen, they pair with the Legion Go, gaming laptops, and powerful phones for the ultimate private gaming experience. The best part is that they look nearly identical to regular sunglasses! Plug them into your device and enjoy a whole new experience. These pair extremely well with the folding keyboard and my Samsung Fold 5 for working on the go with the most minimal packable footprint available.

Save the hassle of researching, we’ve done it for you. If you prefer a packable monitor to get a dual screen setup with minimal bulk, then check out our pick for best portable monitor for the price. This is a 16” QHD (2560x1600p) 120Hz monitor with a lightning fast 1ms response time that has a magnetic folding stand and packs to 0.4” and weighs only 1.7lbs. It’s an IPS screen with a subtle matte, anti-glare coating that keeps things sharp. It’s rated at 100% sRGB color gamut with 500 rated nits of brightness, and it really functions well for most productivity purposes. When I tote a full laptop, I slide this right next to it. When packing light, it’s the ultimate full workstation addition. As an added bonus, fast games perform flawlessly, and YouTube, Netflix, and all other media look vibrant and fantastic on it. The speakers aren’t even half bad for how thin it is. We can definitely recommend this.

Keep your laptop cool, keep your neck aligned, take up zero space. This little gadget is one of our favorites for travel. The aluminum build weighs next to nothing, but remains solid as a rock. The adjustable distances accommodate most devices, even our 17” laptops. The rubber feet and padding create a cushioned and scratch-resistant surface for your desk and your device. This enables you to keep your gaming laptop, or work laptop, cool while performing intensive processes. It also creates a nice lift that keeps your posture, neck, and vision at a healthier angle for long-term use. At such an affordable price, it’s hard not to have one of these to throw in your to-go bag.

I cannot stress how many times this little device has come in handy. It’s a must have if you travel with any checked luggage! It is small, portable, light weight, and ridiculously accurate for what it does. It has saved many of us, and our constituents, when trying to stuff in souvenirs overseas. Do yourself a favor and add this to the essentials list.

This is the absolute minimalist of functional tripods! Despite having a dozen or so “travel” tripods, we consistently lean on this for most trips. This is exceptionally tall for it’s tiny footprint. It packs into nearly nothing (think of a paper towel roller) and fits nearly anywhere. It weighs less than half of my other portable tripods, and it’s made of metal. It will hold most cameras with mid sized lenses. If you’re shooting with massive lenses, you’re probably already carrying tons of weight and will opt for the most stabilization. However, if you’re walking and shooting quickly, such as we do with our Sony mirrorless cameras, then this is a nifty item to tote anywhere.

Call a wallet, call it a holder, call it pizza, but these things really help out. Passport wallets keep your essentials all in one. When you’re rushed in the mix of travel transportation, it’s best to have a safe place for all your important documents, money, and identification cards. We specifically chose this style for several reasons. The canvas is strong and light. The size is ideal for 2-3 passports, but a single passport is also optimal. It’s not too tall, like the “family wallets.” Lastly, the zipper keeps everything intact and doubles the security. Inside you can store coins in the zippered pouch. You can put cash and plane tickets in the rear, and you have a dedicated passport slot. You also have slots for specific hotel cards or emergency backup credit cards. The dividers allow you to separate currencies and tickets as well. The size, build, and organizers in this make it the most optimal solution of all holders we’ve tried. Solo travelers pick one up!

If you haven’t come around to packing in cubes yet, you will. Upon our trials, we have settled on these ones. They are well built, expandable, visible, and universally optimal. They make packing a breeze. They make staying organized during trips even breezier… Is that a word? 🤣 Check out the packing blog to see the best way to save space and stay organized during trips. Grab these to have the necessary fundamentals to do it.

This bag will change your travel game. If you’re a light packer, but like to be prepared, get this! It folds into a small square, about the size of an extended hand. It expands into 40 liters of space. It’s very well built, rip resistant, and universal for carrying. If you’re attempting to pack light, but worried you may pick up things along the way, don’t forget to bring this. It can double as a carry-on for planes or condense into a “person item.” It can also hold up as being a checked luggage item as well. We found that we have used this nearly every trip where we rent a car. It easily expands for day trips, beach days, or equipment transport when you don’t want to carefully pack your suitcase in between cities. We cannot image travel without one of these!

Umbrellas are nice to have in a pinch. Do they always function well? Well… not quite. However, we find it’s always best to have something just in case. These little square, flat style umbrellas are great for pocketing or discreetly stuffing on the side of your backpack. They’re the smallest footprint umbrellas we’ve found that function decently. Don’t expect any umbrella to hold up in a wind storm, but in most situations, these will pull through.

If you don’t mind bulky travel pillows, grab a memory foam one. If you’re into convenience, comfort, and light packing then grab one of these. We’ve tried quite a few, but we prefer this style. You can inflate this by hand or mouth. It has a quick release button inside for holding air while inflating or deflating rapidly. The material is pleasant on your skin, and it packs into itself as a tiny handheld package for storing.

Pro tip: inflate 70% or so to get the best fit behind your neck on plane seating.

While the 1 and 2 are still completely viable options for travel, the Pocket 3 has stolen my heart. This now shoots 4k 120fps in certain modes, it has a larger screen which has made it so much easier to frame scenes, and it finally houses a 1” sensor! The low light performance is stellar for what this is. No phone camera can compare at this point. The gimbal is an added bonus and makes walking, running, and all movement look buttery smooth. This creates cinematic panning shots, has built in trick shot features, and even has an editing studio which is impressive for what it can do. This camera really takes the cake, and you can create an entirely professional video, film, or memory from one simple camera setup.

I always add in the Creator Combo Kit, but this time it’s even better. They finally threw in a bag, and it’s great quality with great organization. The DJI Mic 2 is an amazing device in itself with abilities to run by itself in a standalone setup. The extension is now a battery, so this thing can last 2 times as long as the others. On top of that, the extensions now clip on/off with ease. All around, this is a dramatic upgrade. The 1 to 2 was nominal, but the 2 to 3 is very nice. If you have the ability, pick up the 3. If you’re on a budget but want a great 4k gimbal setup, the 1 is still a great option. The 2 is the best intermediate because it fixed the audio issues of the 1, so ideally that would be the middle ground. Either way, they’re all wonderful devices.

Nearly getting the AIII or ARIII, this camera blew me away for the cost (about half). It does amazing FHD or UHD video, even with the pancake lens. Upgrading lenses are ideal (16mm 1.4 Sigma is the best bang for your buck). I also picked up a zoom lens on sale. After going with Sony’s camera, it’s very difficult to go back to Nikon or Canon. Even on auto, this thing is stunning.

If you’re backpacking and need the ultimate space saving drone, this is it. While I prefer the stability of slightly larger drones, this thing packs a punch. For years, I never went to the mini size drones because they didn’t shoot 4k 60fps, which is a must for us. This shoots spectacular 4k 60fps HDR footage in 10bit color. It also shoots 4k 100fps slow motion clips! It weighs 249g, so it’s right under the mark to not cause headaches with registration and flight avoidance scenarios. The camera sensor size is nearly ¾ of an inch, and it is quite stable for its size. It may not have some of the sensors and safety and obstacles, but if you’re careful, this isn’t an issue.

The best part of buying the Fly More Combo is the RC 2 Remote with the screen. After years of using my phone, I can tell you that having a screen on the controller is a must have. On top of that, you get 2 extra batteries for longer flight time. The Mini 4 Pro gets over 30 minutes of flight time on a single battery, and you can get even more with extended batteries. On top of all the features inside, this has an insane 12 miles FHD video transmission range as well. It’s hard to think of improvements on this, but definitely check it out if you’re in the market for ultra-portable drones.

The GoPro cameras are all fairly decent choices for daylight and outdoor video, but they’re all really similar after certain generations. This does 5.3k for converting portrait and landscape in the same video. It also does 4k 120fps, yet we stick to 4k 30fps for most purposes. At their core, these are just extremely tough cell phone cameras. The audio has significantly improved in the past few generations and is completely useable now. I recommend the Creator Edition with the handle if you use this as a primary VLOG type device and for extended periods of use. The handle also acts as a nice tripod. The Creator Edition comes with the outer case and shotgun mic which is a nice touch. This also adds the option for external mic plugins.

The camera stabilization is very impressive for being digital. They’re also waterproof without a case, unless you go down to very deep areas. The only con is the low-light performance and the touchscreen sensitivity. However, both of these have been issues in every iteration, and they will continue to be issues in the future. GoPro’s are great for clipping to a backpack, beating up on rough terrain, and capturing the real-life events where other cameras wouldn’t survive.

Upgrading the audio to 4 mics (pseudo surround) is a game changer in the line of pockets. The Creator Kit added a wireless mic for even better sound, among other things. This is ideal for its small footprint and covert professional ability. I will no longer use my phone at all, except for night shots. Hint: MAKE SURE you have your settings correct (i.e., noise reduction, tilt lock, etc.)

My first DLSR was the affordable ($500) D3500 and it’s still viable in 2022. The D5500 was added when on sale, but it’s missing the function button and external mic port the D3500 had. My D3500 is still my go to for quick photos, although the video is capped at FHD (1080p). Pair this with a $200 Sigma zoom lens, and it’s pretty great for a travel camera. The auto feature isn’t as good as Sony’s, but the manual functionality is more basic and simpler to adjust for beginners.

I started with a FHD 30fps DJI Spark a few years ago. I upgraded to a 4k 60fps Mavic Air 2 when it came out. The quality difference is night and day between the two. Mavic Air 2 is the best you can get in that price range. For the traveler this is perfect. It can create very professional footage and has very high-end features for its price range. The software is pretty good with nice little auto capture gimmicks. Make sure you set your resolution on all of them first. Do not buy a drone that isn’t 60fps, no matter the resolution.

These are necessary for those cool effects you see on photos (like the car lights streaking across). You need to use high exposure times, but you need ND filters to not get insanely bright exposures. Neewer (on Amazon) is a relatively respected budget brand. I use them and haven’t had an issue on several things. Try to get ADJUSTABLE filters from ND2-ND400 so you don’t have to take caps on and off, you just twist. Unless you’re an absolute diehard professional, these adjustable ones will do well. You can pick up ND filters for the Osmo Pockets, all cameras, even the drone comes with some. Try them on some water falling, it’s beautiful.

With the endless supply of Bluetooth speakers, how can you possibly choose the right one? If you’re on a budget, the JBL Go is a great choice for travel. If you’re set on having the best sounding for the size, this is a winner. I own more speakers than any single human should. The clarity and power delivered in this small footprint is ideal. It’s not too heavy, the battery is substantial for any day trip (or longer), and it’s attractive to look at. There are 2 separate powered drivers inside, so the bass is and dynamics between treble are very impressive. They also have tap to control functions and are fun to use. The difficult part is the cost, and they’re also discontinued (yet still easy to find). These are best for backpacking abroad or daypacks on long trips.

B&O is a good brand. They offer really good-looking stuff, sort of artistic, but it also sounds good too. This Gen 2 speaker is fantastic. It’s basically a step up from the P2 and is still offered. In fact, it didn’t come out not too long ago. It is acceptable to backpack with, but it’s a bit heavier (nearly double of the P2 weight). It’s waterproof though. The clarity and bass on this is even more substantial. I would say this has the best combination in all of the tiny to mid-sized speaker options. It has Alexa, but requires the B&O app to use. It works well though. The only downfall with B&O is their limited option app. However, there is an eq that you can adjust or presets. It does sound good as is. If you buy two, which is costly, they stereo pair to create true stereo (left and right). Most other speakers do dual mono if paired. This will be as if you have headphones on and get the full effect of well-produced music. These are my go-to on hotel trips that don’t require a flight to get to.

JBL makes bass heavy speakers, we all know this. These will be passive radiators creating your bass though. You can watch video reviews all day, but, essentially, they’re all going to be just a very small step up from the next. Only their largest options really deliver a difference. Therefore, when traveling, grab one of these for the budget choice. It’s very small, has very passable sound quality, and lasts a long time. Go 2 and 3 are also waterproof. These can be had for $20 if you shop around.

The major benefit here is the size for what you get. This unit packs so much of a punch for its size. I’ve never seen anything like it. This is constructed and tuned for microphone and instrument use in small venues. However, regular music also sounds exceptionally good on it. Where many speakers do one or the other, this does both. It also has a 10 hour battery, quick charge, Bluetooth (only SBC codec though unfortunately), and 2 multi inputs for XLR and TRS. There are built in effects as well, so this is a very passable karaoke machine for any house party or small outdoor venue. You can pair it with a large subwoofer too as it has a speaker output. This speaker is best for large Airbnb or entire villa rental trips where you can be a bit louder than a hotel room.

If you’re more into silent reflection, these are, in all honesty, the best earbuds per cost in existence. I have many of the high-end ones, as well as the older Sony’s, but these blow them away. The sound quality on these is exceptional. The noise cancelling is the best I’ve ever heard in any headphone, ever (even over the ear). The app has many options, and with the right eq, these are just spectacular. The new foam/rubber tip mix creates something comfortable and enriches the sound (best of both worlds). The only issue here is the fit. They fit perfectly in my ear. However, no ears are the same shape. I recommend these, but I recommend trying the fit and making sure you can return them. If they don’t fit inside the concha of your ear, then they will not be for you. I believe they work well for most though. They are also very attractive looking and do not poke out like so many others. The charging case is type c, wireless charges, and it is very portable.

If you want really nice sound without breaking the bank, get these. They are wired. There are variants, 80ohm, 250ohm, 32ohm, etc. If you have an aux port on your device and you don’t want to get a powered amp (portable), then go with 32ohm. If you want slightly better bass, go with the 80ohm. The 250 and above models aren’t really necessary on the DT770’s but you’ll find many years of debates if you look online. I use the 80ohm for studio reference monitors, but you can also use them for gaming, music, etc. They’re supposed to be neutral sounding, so you won’t have the insanely pumped-up bass curve such as Sony’s over the ear selections. If they’re too sharp for you, try tuning down the 14khz curve with an eq on your device.