9 overlooked and underrated travel essentials

No matter how fun and exciting travel can be, being away from home always causes some discomfort. Whether it’s digging in your suitcase for that shirt you definitely packed, or finding a place to store the mountain of coins you’ve gathered in change, travelling has a way of surfacing issues you’d never considered until you stepped onto a plane.

Fortunately, having the right items in your luggage can go a long way toward offsetting such irritations — and sometimes even make travel feel downright luxurious. 

In no particular order, here are nine overlooked and underrated travel essentials. Not all of them are obvious picks at first glance, but they just might make your next trip that much smoother. Even if you have your packing list down to a science, there’s always room for improvement.

1. Twelve South’s AirFly wireless adapter

Credit: Twelve South

There are some elements of air travel that we’ve all just learnt to deal with. The chairs will be cramped, the food will be lacklustre, and somewhere in your vicinity there will be a child with the lung capacity of a WWE announcer. Fortunately, uncomfortable airline-issued earphones don’t have to be among these annoyances.

Twelve South’s AirFly Bluetooth transmitter allows you to use your own wireless earphones with any inflight entertainment system. Simply sync your earphones or headphones with the AirFly, plug it into the plane, and comfortably enjoy your audio without getting tangled up in wires.

The AirFly shines on aeroplanes, however the AirFly Pro is useful on road trips as well. The Pro works both as a sender and receiver, so while you can still use it on a flight, you can also plug it into a car and send audio from your phone to the stereo system. This means passengers in the back can control the AUX without having to run a wire through the vehicle, and nobody has to spend time connecting their phone to the rental car’s Bluetooth.

2. July’s Packing Cells

Credit: July

Packing cubes are invaluable for keeping your suitcase neat and organised, as well as helping to fit more items in their bag — a particularly useful feature when you’re packing up your vacation shopping.

However, not all packing cubes are created equal. There are a ton of different options out there, offering various levels of compression, waterproofing, and even padding for delicate electronics. Fortunately, unless you have specialist needs, the average traveller will primarily look at two main issues: whether the cubes are polyester or nylon, and the quality of the zips and seams.

If you only go on very infrequent, short jaunts, picking up a cheap polyester set from Amazon might be enough for your purposes (provided you don’t strain its seams too much). But if you’re an avid traveller who wants a quality set that will last, look for stronger nylon packing cubes with sturdy zips, such as July’s Packing Cells. These cells come in packs of four, which should be more than enough for a couple to share, and have net fronts to help identify their contents and ensure clothes don’t get musty.

July also offers a structured Shoe Bag, which takes up quite a bit of luggage space but may be useful if you’re worried about your shoes getting crushed. And if you have tiny size 36 feet like me, you can even squeeze in two pairs.

3. Belkin’s Boostcharge Magnetic Wireless Power Bank 5K + Stand 

Credit: Belkin

Most mobile phones have fairly decent batteries that can last you from morning until night — provided it’s a regular day. Being on vacation means you’re more likely to rapidly chew up your battery by snapping photos, filming videos, and feverishly consulting Google Maps to ensure you don’t get lost. It’s never fun when your phone dies, but one of the worst, most stressful times for it to happen is while you’re travelling in a foreign country.

Belkin’s Boostcharge Magnetic Wireless Power Bank 5K + Stand magnetically attaches to the back of your phone in order to charge it, so you don’t have to worry about leaving a wire trailing out of your pocket or dangling from your hands. You’ll have to invest in a MagSafe adapter if you’re using an Android or an older iPhone, but it’s still much less hassle than wired options. Belkin’s power bank is also small enough that it doesn’t obscure your phone’s camera while attached, letting you keep taking snaps while charging.

This device only holds around enough juice to fully recharge an iPhone once, so you will have to plug it in once you get back to your hotel room for the night. Even so, that should be more than enough to keep you going.

4. July’s Carry All Tote

Credit: July

A good day bag is vital when travelling, so it’s important to carefully consider your options. While backpacks offer even weight distribution, they can be annoying to access and are carried out of sight — a boon to any light-fingered opportunists you might encounter. A messenger bag can work, but flap closures aren’t the most secure option, and said flap can be irritating when you want to quickly grab something.

July’s Carry All Tote has a slew of features that make it an excellent bag for travelling, allowing you to easily access your belongings without taking it off. These include a zip close for security, a luggage passthrough band for securing it atop a suitcase, an internal pocket to keep your water bottle upright, and a detachable shoulder strap in addition to its two handles, offering extra security and allowing users to go hands free. 

It’s difficult enough to find all of these features in one tote bag. But the Carry All Tote goes one better, boasting a lightweight unisex design made of robust nylon fabric. It’s even attractive enough that it won’t mark you as a tourist while you’re wandering around an unfamiliar city. 

If you’d prefer leather and can live without a luggage passthrough, Madewell’s Zip-Top Transport Carryall is another more stylish but less functional option you might consider. Just check its weight before you commit, as you’ll want something fairly lightweight if you’re planning a lot of exploring.

5. Sonos’ Roam

Credit: Sonos

Though travelling is by nature packed with new experiences, it can be comforting to return to something familiar at the end of a day of exploring. That could be anything from a drink, to a skincare routine, to a favourite playlist.

The Sonos Roam is a light, portable Bluetooth speaker that is waterproof, drop resistant, and small enough to fit in a handbag if needed. It also offers sound quality that belies its size. With 10 hours of battery life, the Sonos Roam uses inbuilt microphones to automatically tune itself, delivering the best sound according to its environment no matter where it’s moved. This makes it ideal for travel, whether you’re moving between hotel rooms, headed to the beach, or even going camping. 

In addition to enabling travellers to listen to their tunes while settling in for the night, the Sonos Roam may be particularly useful to anyone who sleeps with white noise — or who travels with children who sleep with white noise. Putting an infant to bed is tough enough, but it’s an extra challenge when you’re in an unfamiliar hotel room, dealing with jet lag, and don’t have your usual tools on hand. Just remember to keep your soothing audio at a reasonable volume so you don’t disturb your fellow hotel patrons.

This pick does come with a caveat. Multiple users have encountered an issue when using a free Spotify account with the Roam, finding that it will stop playing audio and refuse to progress when it reaches an ad. Sonos is aware of the problem and is apparently working on a solution, but until then Spotify users are best off either upgrading to a Premium account or playing audio already saved to their phone.

6. Sunnystep’s Elevate Sneakers

Credit: Sunnystep

Unless you’ve visited Singapore, you’ve probably never heard of Sunnystep shoes. That’s a shame, because their Elevate Sneakers are an attractive, thoughtfully designed option for anyone seeking a durable pair of travel shoes that both looks and feels good.

Launched in 2019, Sunnystep’s biggest selling point is their shoes’ wide fit and bumpy acupressure insoles. The company’s footwear is designed in consultation with Singaporean podiatrists, taking into account factors such as muscle movement and anatomy to minimise stress on the body and make long days on your feet more comfortable.

Unlike some other shoes that focus on comfort, Sunnystep’s Elevate Sneakers are stylish and fashionable, bearing few prominent logos that might disrupt your aesthetic. The lightweight footwear is also made from microfibre vegan leather, which requires no treatment or maintenance. This also makes these shoes a good choice for anyone who’s sick of having to dress like a gremlin whenever they’re travelling. 

Fortunately Sunnystep ships globally, so you can still grab a pair without travelling all the way to Southeast Asia (size up if you’re between sizes). The acupressure insoles will take some getting used to, but it shouldn’t take much longer than adjusting to any other new pair of shoes — and will likely feel very worth it after a long day on your feet.

7. Insta360’s GO 3 Action Camera

Credit: Insta360

A vital part of the travel experience is taking approximately 50 million photos and videos. Most people do that with their phone, collecting their holiday memories without having to lug around a camera. However, if you want to upgrade your videos and perhaps even get a little creative, the Insta360 GO 3 will let you do so without adding too much bulk.

The Insta360 GO 3 is a tiny, thumb-sized action camera that can either sit inside the more traditionally-sized Action Pod that comes with it, or be removed and used independently. Weighing just 35g, the GO 3 can be mounted to your hat, bag strap, lapel, or even hung around your neck, allowing you to film hands-free point-of-view shots while you explore. It’s waterproof as well, so you don’t have to worry about getting rained on — or going for a swim.

The GO 3 is also compatible with Insta360’s robust app, which allows you to edit videos as well as control the camera. This is useful for helping solo travellers set up their shots, and offers a less obtrusive way of capturing your vacation photos than holding up your phone like an obvious tourist.

8. Dr Martens’ Voss II Sandals

Credit: Dr Martens

Travel sandals need to be able to withstand a lot, whether that’s exploring cobblestoned streets, playing on sandy beaches, or getting tossed around in a suitcase. Dr Martens may be most popularly known for its iconic boots, but that doesn’t mean you should overlook its equally sturdy sandals.

Dr Martens’ Voss II is a stylishly chunky sandal, with adjustable buckled straps at the ankle and across the top of the foot to keep it securely in place while walking. The thick soles elevate the feet, keeping your toes dryer in wet terrain, while the PU-coated Hydro leather means you don’t have to waterproof the sandals before wearing them. They also look really good.

Dr Martens’ shoes do have a reputation for being painful to break in, owing to the same stiff, thick leather that enables its boots to last. Fortunately the Voss II eschews this, using a leather that feels comfortable enough to wear out of the box without giving you blisters on your heels. Dr Martens also offers the original Voss in a synthetic substitute if you prefer a vegan option. 

Of course, you should still wear your sandals on several shorter outings close to home before you pack them in your suitcase. Taking any new shoes on a trip without first breaking them in is just asking for trouble. But breaking in these Dr Martens sandals won’t be anywhere near as difficult as dealing with their boots, and the best travel shoes should also work for everyday wear anyway.

9. Bellroy’s Zip Wallet

Credit: Bellroy

Your wallet may serve you well in your everyday life, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best choice for travelling. Bellroy’s Zip Wallet can do both, offering day to day functionality alongside a few features that make it ideal for being on the move.

As its name implies, the compact leather Zip Wallet zips closed around three of its edges, offering extra peace of mind to anyone concerned about their cash falling out somewhere on the Appalachian Trail. It also has a magnetically closed coin pouch for the foreign coins you’ll inevitably accumulate on your travels. But what further sets it apart is its internal slots for storing both a SIM card and tray ejector tool (not included), providing a safe place to keep them while you’re traipsing around with your travel SIM.

As a bonus, the Zip Wallet is also RFID protected. While you’re much more likely to fall victim to a mugging than an RFID attack, it’s a little extra peace of mind for anyone who has a propensity for paranoia when travelling.

The Zip Wallet is a decent pick, but those who like to indulge in outdoor activities might prefer Bellroy’s All-Conditions Phone Pocket. Though this water-resistant pocket is technically designed to protect your phone, it’s also large enough to fit a passport. You’ll have to find another solution for your SIM card, and the key and coin pocket at the top doesn’t close, but the zip running along two sides of the pocket should help keep your change secure.