When it comes to travel gadgets, all long term travelers have a few that they like to pack, and we are no exception. If you’re looking for suggestions, you’re in the right place – here are some of our favorite things we make space for in our carry-ons.

Travel Plug Adaptors

When it comes to plug adaptors, you have a few choices of style – both have their pros and cons, and we tend to bounce back and forth between them. We’ll pick one, and then when we get annoyed with the cons, we’ll switch to the other – and eventually back again. It really is just a matter of preference.

IMPORTANT NOTE: These are plug adaptors, not voltage converters. Plugs in the Americas (and a few random other places) use voltage of 110-120 volts, while plugs in most of the rest of the world use 220-240 volts. These adaptors will allow you to plug your devices in the wall in another country, but they are not voltage converters. Most modern electronics are made dual voltage and can handle either, so your phones, computers and probably even your CPAP will be dual voltage and be fine. But hair dryers, electric shavers, and electric toothbrushes are much less likely to be dual voltage, and if you plug them in to the wrong voltage, these adaptors will do nothing to stop them from getting fried. Always double check what voltage your devices can accommodate before plugging them in abroad!

This is a set of individual plug adaptors for five different types of plugs, Types B, C, F, G & I.

PROS:

1. These are simple and sturdy with no moving parts. Individual plugs like this are generally grounded, which makes it safer to plug in voltage converters and extension cords into them.

2. These are small and tend to fit into sockets well, which means they are more likely to maintain their grip in the socket even if you plug in a large adaptor into them.

CONS:

1. Because they are individual plugs, you can amass quite a little collection of these. They aren’t huge, but they can get bulky.

2. These are effective, but can also blend in. We’ve left more than one of these behind still plugged into the socket because they were so easy to overlook.

 CLICK HERE to see this on Amazon.

 This Universal Adaptor is an all-in-one that can convert to several different type style of plugs.

PROS:

1. The biggest advantage is you just have one thing to carry! You use the slides on the side to switch between the different plugs you might encounter.

2. This model comes with 3 USB and even a Type C plug as well, which can be convenient if you’re charging multiple devices.

3. The bright color on this model makes it easier to spot and less likely to be accidentally left behind still in the socket.

CONS:

1. These are convenient, but they aren’t grounded, and with many models you can’t plug in a 3-prong grounded plug like you might see on a power strip in the US.

2. They also have moving parts, and moving parts means the potential for something to break. We haven’t often had issues, but earlier this year we did drop one, and it got stuck on the Australia plug. This was fine while we were in Australia, but it became much less useful once we moved on into Asia.

3. If you are charging multiple things at once, just be aware that will tend to slow charging down significantly as the voltage is divided between multiple devices. These are not typically fast chargers unless you quadruple the price.

4. Since they aren’t grounded, these don’t always get as good a grip on the outlet. Especially if you have like a heavy laptop adaptor plugged into it, the weight can sometimes pull these right out of the wall. 

CLICK HERE to see this on Amazon.

Travel Power Strip

We have traveled with a small power strip for years. It is a travel gadget that comes in handy frequently. You just never know how many outlets there will be in any given hotel or apartment, or how conveniently placed they will be. Being able to plug in both of our laptops at the same time can really be helpful. The cord comes in useful as well, as on more than one occasion we’ve found a plug that is behind the bed, sometimes near the floor, sometimes in the middle of the wall – we’ve seen it all. This gives us the flexibility to access all the plugs wherever they might be. 

PROS:

1. There are two plugs and four USB ports, which is plenty for our needs and keeps the device small.

2. I like the green color of the cord – it does come in all black as well, but this is easier to catch your eye so you don’t accidentally leave it behind.

3. It states it has surge protection. I can’t find any actual specs on that, and this isn’t a grounded cord, so I can’t imagine there is much protection – but I guess even a little is better than nothing.

CONS:

1.These come with a child safety feature with a little piece of plastic inside the decide you have to push your device plugs through. Since I am not traveling with children, this safety feature is relatively useless for me, but it introduces a moving part, which is a weak spot that could eventually break. A few reviews mention this, so I’ll have to keep my eye on that. So far we’ve been using this for six months, and while I still don’t like the feel of it, nothing has broken and it works just fine. 

CLICK HERE to check this out on Amazon.

Rain Poncho

For years we traveled with both a cheap plastic poncho and an umbrella. But once we upgraded to this heavier-duty poncho

PROS:

1. This poncho is made of ripstop polyester, and feels quite sturdy without being too hot. We’ve been using it for over a year in rainy Asia and Ecuador, and it hasn’t ripped, snagged, or leaked.

2. The design makes it easy to wear even if you have a backpack on, keeping both you and your gear dry.

3. The relative weight of the fabric is much superior to cheaper and flimsier ones we’ve used in the past. This one stays hanging to keep you dry, instead of riding up as you walk as the cheaper ones do. 

CONS:

1. The only con I can think of is that this might not be the best choice if you are a shorter person. My mom is 5’3″ and when she borrowed mine, the back hem was almost hitting the ground. I’m 6’1″ and it hits mid calf (without having a backpack on.)

CLICK HERE to read the reviews on Amazon. 

Reusable Shopping Bags

Packable bags are simply a must-have. We carry four of these bags with us and use them all the time. They are great for grocery shopping, but also to carry our shoes inside our bag, or for laundry, or to bring some snacks on a long bus ride. I’d say they are worth their weight in gold, except they weigh so little, that would be a clear undervaluation. 

PROS:

1. They are cheap, durable, washable, light, come in multiple colors, and fold up nice and small when not in use. What else can I say?

CONS:

I can’t think of a single reason you wouldn’t want to have some of these with you.

CLICK HERE to see this on Amazon. 

Digital Thermometer

To some this might not seem like a must-have travel gadget to pack, but as a nurse, this is a no-brainer. It is light and small, so once you put it into your first aid kit you’ll probably never notice it again. Sure, most of the time we get sick on the road it is just a little food poisoning or a flu, but since worse things like Malaria or Dengue are a real possibility in some destinations, I think it pays to have a thermometer with you. Because when you actually need one is exactly the moment you will not feel like running around to find a pharmacy to get one. 

PROS:

1. It’s cheap, light, and it works. It can even switch between Celsius and Fahrenheit to your preference.

CONS:

None.

CLICK HERE to check this out on Amazon. 

Hair Clippers

I realize not everyone is probably interested in cutting their own hair, but we love both the convenience and the cost and hassle savings this brings us. We’ve traveled with a corded model for years, but as we prepare to head to Europe we realized the one we had (which we picked up in Ecuador in 2019) was not dual voltage. Luckily we found this cordless model which is, and we couldn’t be happier. As far as travel gadgets go, this definitely adds some bulk to your pack (though it isn’t heavy), but we think the trade off is well worth it. 

PROS:

1. It comes with multiple lengths of guards, we just travel with the ones we actually use.

2. Did I mention it is dual voltage AND cordless?

CONS:

1. As far as travel gadgets go, it does add a bit of bulk to your bag (though it isn’t heavy.) But in the time we’ve had this, we have already got the cost down to under $2 a haircut, and it is still going strong. Even if it died tomorrow I would say this is a great deal.

CLICK HERE to see this on Amazon. 

Binoculars

Binoculars can be useful in many situations, but we use them for birding. Birding without binoculars would be very frustrating indeed! They do often get a second look by TSA, but we’ve never had any trouble actually getting them through security. We have two different pairs, as we each prefer different features. 

PROS:

These are the pair David uses. 

1. These are a nice pair of binoculars. They are waterproof and fog proof, scratch resistant, easy to adjust, and give a crisp bright image.

CONS:

1. These are not cheap.

CLICK HERE to see these bad boys on Amazon. 

PROS:

These are the pair Robb uses.

1. These are still a decent pair of binoculars, and come in at about 1/10th of the price of David’s pair. They still have waterproof and fog proof protection, and are easy to use.

2. They are compact! David wears his around his neck, but I can just carry these in my hand or put them in my pocket which I much prefer.

CONS:

1. They aren’t as nice as David’s pair, and are a little fuzzier and darker image. They are doing just fine after a year of heavy use, but they probably won’t last as long as David’s either.

Still, they meet my needs, I just couldn’t carry around a full size pair.

CLICK HERE to see these on Amazon. 

Electric Toothbrush

Our dentists got us hooked on electric toothbrushes two decades ago, and we’ve never looked back. As far as travel gadgets go, they do add some bulk to the bag, and we’ve occasionally switched to manual toothbrushes in the past. But as we get older, preventative healthcare becomes more and more important to us, so to us the benefit is worth the extra bulk and weight. 

Unfortunately the Oral-B ones we got at Costco a few years ago are not dual voltage, as most aren’t, so as we prepare to go to Europe, we had to find something else that would work. And what we are finding is manufacturers are moving to USB plugs. This baffles me, because who has a USB outlet in their bathroom? But for us travelers, this is awesome, because it means we don’t have to worry about voltage at all. 

PROS:

1. The built-in 2-minute timer control system pulses every 30 seconds to remind you to move on to the next quadrant of your mouth. It also has a pressure sensor if you brush too hard. 

2. One of the big costs of electric toothbrushes is replacing the brush heads. They should be changed every three months, but this set comes with 8 heads, so it should last you two years. 

CONS:

1. This is our first “off-brand” purchase for an electric toothbrush, so we’ll see how it lasts. But since keeping our old ones (four years and counting) wasn’t an option for Europe, I’m hopeful these will get the job done.

CLICK HERE to see this on Amazon.

We hope this is helpful!

Have we missed your favorite travel gadget? Let us know in the comments below what is always in your packed luggage!