Our Travel Gear: Travel Essentials for Every Trip

After years of traveling, and visiting over 20 countries, we’ve learned one thing: packing light doesn’t mean leaving behind the good stuff. Over time, we’ve built our own set of travel essentials, the things that make every trip smoother, more comfortable, and way more fun. These aren’t just the typical “don’t forget your passport” type of items. This is our travel gear, the must-have travel accessories that follow us everywhere, from weekend getaways in Europe to long international trips.

Some of the things on this list might sound a bit unusual to you and maybe you wouldn’t consider them true travel essentials, especially if you’re a light packer. But we’ve learned that sometimes, it’s worth bringing the things you love, not just the things you need. So here it is: our very own, completely subjective list of international travel must-haves.

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• Must-Have Gadgets and Accessories for Your Camper Van

Backpacks & Packing Travel Gear: Keeping It Organized

We’re big believers that good organization means less stress on the road. Over the years, we’ve found a few pieces of travel gear that keep everything tidy, light, and easy to carry – whether we’re packing for a weekend getaway or a month-long adventure abroad.

Wandrd PRVKE 41l Backpack

When Ignacio first told me he wanted this bag, I honestly didn’t get why it was better than any other travel backpack. But I bought it for him as a gift (by the way great Christmas gift idea for travelers!) and now I can say Wandrd PRVKE 41l Backpack it’s one of the best investments we’ve made for our travels.

It’s incredibly durable, fits everything (including a camera setup), and works perfectly as a carry-on or everyday travel bag. We literally take it everywhere and loved it so much that we later got the smaller version for day trips and shorter adventures. If you care about your photo gear and want to protect it make sure to buy the Camera Cube which isn’t always included.

Check out the Wandrd PRVKE backpack here

Small Backpack – Travel Essential for Budget Airlines

European budget airlines can be very strict about luggage size, especially Ryanair and Wizz Air, where even hand luggage often comes with an extra fee. The only free option is usually a small personal item that must fit under the seat and meet the exact size limits provided by the airline.

We’ve seen plenty of travelers stopped at the gate and asked to pay extra because their backpack was just a bit too big — so having a compact, perfectly sized backpack is essential. Ours fits all the requirements and still has room for everything we need for a weekend city break. Moreover, it is foldable and we can always take it with us to have additional smaller backpack to take to the beach or on a hike.

Perfect small travel backpack

Big Luggage for Longer Trips

When we’re traveling for a few weeks or staying in one place for a while, we switch to solid luggage on wheels. It’s sturdy, easy to maneuver, and keeps everything organized. Perfect for when we don’t need to move around every day. We love having the extra space for clothes, gear, and souvenirs picked up along the way.
👉 [Our go-to travel suitcase →]

Cabin Bag: A Travel Essential for Short Trips and City Breaks

For quick getaways, weekend adventures, or short business trips, our cabin bag is the perfect travel essential. It fits easily in the overhead compartment, holds just enough for a few days, and keeps everything accessible. Ideal for travelers who like to pack light but smart.
Buy cabin bag

Packing Cubes

If there’s one piece of travel gear we can’t stop recommending, it’s packing cubes. They keep everything perfectly organized – for clothes, electronics, and cables (we have a lot of electronics which goes along with tons of cables) – and make unpacking a breeze. Once you try them, you’ll wonder how you ever traveled without them.
[See the packing cubes we use]

Travel Gear – Our Favourite Gadgets

Universal Adapter

An absolute international travel essential we never leave behind. A good universal adapter saves you from the constant “will this plug fit?” struggle and works everywhere we’ve been so far. It’s compact, reliable, and one of those small things that make a big difference on any trip.

Universal adapter

Power Bank with Built-In Light

This is one of our favorite pieces of travel gear. Our power bank with a built-in light not only keeps all our devices charged during long travel days but also doubles as a small lamp — perfect for editing photos, recording videos, or reading at night. A total must-have for content creators (and honestly, for everyone).
[Power bank & light combo]

Bluetooth Adapter for In-Flight Entertainment

This one was a real game changer for me, and I can’t believe I didn’t discover it until just a year ago. You know those seatback screens with decent movies but terrible headphones, where you can barely hear the audio over all the background noise? With a Bluetooth adapter, you can use your AirPods or other noise-canceling headphones instead of the airline’s wired, low-quality ones. No more tangled cables or weak sound — it’s one of the absolute must haves for a long haul flight if you want to fully enjoy the in-flight entertainment.

The best part? If you usually travel with your partner and like watching the same movie together, there are Bluetooth adapters that let you connect two pairs of headphones at once, making it easy to share your favorite films in comfort.

Content Creator Gear: What We Use to Capture Every Moment

Traveling is our passion — but documenting it is half the fun. Over time, we’ve built a small but powerful content creator setup that fits easily in our backpacks.

Tripod: For Steady Shots Anywhere

A lightweight travel tripod is one of those must-have travel accessories that makes a huge difference, especially for content creators. Whether we’re filming time-lapses, taking photos together, or shooting at sunrise, having a tripod means we never have to rely on strangers for a photo again. We use a compact, foldable one that easily fits in our backpack.
[See the tripod we use]

Drone

We rarely travel without our DJI Mavic Air 2S — only when we’re visiting countries or cities where drones aren’t allowed. It’s been an essential part of our travel gear from the very beginning, and we love using it to capture those breathtaking aerial shots that show a destination from a whole new perspective.
[Buy DJI Mavic Air 2S]

Insta360

We love using the Insta360 for creative shots — walking through cities, hiking trails, or driving along scenic roads. It’s small, durable, and waterproof, making it perfect for snorkeling, diving, or any kind of adventure.
[Check the Insta360 here]

Gimbal

A small handheld gimbal keeps our videos smooth and professional-looking, even when we’re just using our phones to film. We use the DJI Osmo Mobile 7P, and it’s perfect for capturing steady travel shots on the go.
[buy DJI Osmo Mobile 7P]

Laptop & Hard Drive

Editing videos and backing up photos on the go is a must. A lightweight laptop and a solid-state hard drive are always part of our travel gear.
[Travel hard drive]

Camera (or Just Our Phones!)

Right now, we mostly use our iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 17 Pro to capture all our travel moments. They’re light, easy to carry, and save us a ton of space in our luggage since we don’t need to pack extra lenses or heavy camera gear. For now, they’re more than enough — perfect for photos, videos, and even quick content edits on the go.

Our Travel Gear: The Things We Never Travel Without

For us, the best travel gear is the stuff that makes every trip easier and more enjoyable. From backpacks and packing cubes to the gadgets we use to capture memories, these are the things we always take with us. They’re not just useful — they’re part of how we travel and experience every new place. Check out also our article about Long Haul Travel Essentials.