A year's worth of Travel Gear Reviews. So many of my favorites that traveled around the world with me in 2022! And a few I'd skip. Here's what's hot and what's not.
Typically, I do a lot of research on my travel gear... and occasionally I just impulsively try some stuff!! ADHD = the yin yang of overthinking and impulse. Travel gear and gadgets are one of the tools of my trade. I'm a road warrior and a woman that often travels alone. Naturally, I'm obsessed with the latest and greatest. Having high performing travel gear can make your trip so much more enjoyable (insert birds singing) or your gear can cause endless frustration (insert loud car horns).
When you're traveling for work or on vacation you don't need any added frustration- trust me. You're either focused on in/out mission or you're there to relax! So... Here's my 2022 travel gear purchases, specifically from Amazon, and my honest thoughts on them after putting them to the test all year:
Don't miss my very favorite *Travel Must Have* #25 at the very bottom!!
1. Isopure Protein Powder: Because I can't eat gluten, I carry this protein powder with me on my trips along with a milk frother for the easiest breakfast/snacks ever. I like the unflavored version because it is not sweetened and I can use it to bake with at home. They also offer lots of flavors so you might grab the chocolate version ! It comes in different size you don't have to buy the big bucket, you can get 1 LB bags too (which are convenient for TSA rather than a baggie - that's another story) 10/10 Stars
2. Laptop Power Cord: This year my son left his laptop power cord at home while we are on a trip, and he had a lot of homework to do while we were gone. Did you know name brand laptop cords are over $100 bucks? Yikes! We decided to give Jeff a try and ordered a replacement via Amazon and had it delivered directly to our next hotel. I'm happy to report that not only did this cord work really well... it's still working! In fact, my son keeps one at home and this one in his backpack. So if you lose your laptop power cord on vacation, I would recommend ordering a replacement from Amazon. This particular brand definitely earned 10/10 Stars
3. Sunglasses or Glasses Pouch Case: I have ordered these little guys TWICE! They are such a bargain, decent to look at, and take up very little room in my carryon luggage. They've successfully kept my glasses and sunglasses safe and sound through many, many journeys. If you "fancy" these might not be for you. These don't look cheap but definitely not a name brand look. I've got a mix of bargain and spendy gear so I'm quite happy with these! 8/10 Stars
4. Cell Phone Ring Holder: I LOVE this thing. If you asked me for the one thing under $15 that changed my travel game I would say THIS. I attached this beauty to my phone case. It's sturdy so I can hold on to my phone to take pictures without fear of dropping it, AND its magnetic so I can slap it on my magnetic vent holder in my car to easily see the GPS hands free. WIN!! It was easy to apply, the sticker glue is STRONG, and its quality build. I've been using it for about 9 months and its still solid. Its literally been around the world this year: Seattle, Maui, Australia, Tahoe, Omaha... its a total boss. 10/10 Stars
5. GlutenEase: Here's another for my Gluten Free Travelers! If you happily eat wheat jump ahead. Travel Must Have! If you, like me, are scared to death to eat at restaurants while traveling for fear of gluten cross-contamination then this is for you. GlutenEase is what I do to hedge my bets. You should always consult your doctor, but I've tried these to help me avoid major symptoms from cross-contamination when eating out. I make sure to get the "Extra Strength" version and I take one with the first bite of food. In fact, they've also bailed me out after I'm been glutened too. Not an ideal situation but it does in fact help me to reduce the bloating and miserable pain. 10/10 Stars
6. Doris and Jacky Clutch: My purse toting friends this is actually a pretty amazing little find. The leather was really great quality and the size was just right for me to carry the essentials: person phone, work phone, wallet, pill holder, lipstick, keys, hotel key, and a small pouch for gum, mints and floss. It comes in a bunch of colors, I ended up choosing a mustard color. It arrived in beautiful packaging, with a felt bag for it! Great gift for a bargain price. My only complaint is I like a bit stronger, firmer material that holds it shape. The good news about this beautiful soft leather is it will hold all you can put it in it! AND, then also lay perfectly flat in your suitcase. Then you can just use it when you don't want to haul your laptop bag or carry-on around to dinners. 9/10 Stars
7. Leather Crossbody: I decided I wanted to try a clutch with a purse strap. I wanted a bargain to try and see how I liked it before investing in a designer bag. I loved the chevron style on this one! It was a lot of fun and still held all my necessary "business dinner" must haves (2x phones, wallet, pill holder, lipstick, keys, hotel key, and small pouch for gum, mints, floss). Overall I was impressed for this price point. I didn't love the tassel zipper pull. If you were crafty and could remove the tassel to swap in a different zipper I think this would be awesome. The tassell quality didn't match the rest of the bag. I'd likely recommend the Doris & Jacky clutch before this one, but it still gets 7/10 Stars
8. Stow-n-Go Luggage Organizer: You've seen the expensive carry-on suitcase with a pop-out a shelf system, kind of like a closet in your carry-on, right? I wanted to try that without buying the suitcase (I'm still a poor young blogger). Cut to this ingenious system that you can use in any suitcase. There are two sizes: a Large (which I bought) and a Medium that would take up half of a carry-on suitcase. A male blogger seemed to think the Medium fit his needs. It's wide enough to fold up all your clothes in it and leave the other half for shoes/etc. Since I'm a woman traveler I thought I might need the larger version. After using it this year for about a dozen trips, I'd say it's pretty darn handy. You can unpack in a second, and pack back up just as fast. If you got from hotel to hotel often staying only one night at each, I'd absolutely recommend this!! It's convenient and amazingly really does hold a ton, then squish down in your carry-on with room to spare. 10/10 Stars
9. Travel Mascara Tubes: I'm a lash wearer and that means I need to bring bonds and removers with me on my trips. I can't waste that precious TSA liquid space so I bought these fillable mascara tube set. It came with the funnels, stoppers, and pipettes? plus the empty mascara tubes. I've used these all year long and easily got me $7 bucks worth 10/10 stars
10. Travelon Mesh Bags: I bought some designer mesh bags about a month before I bought this set. I loved the more expensive version but the black color just disappeared in my bag. My first solution to this issue was to buy some brightly colored mesh bags. I've been using these all year and definitely consider them a staple! The largest one is nearly the size of the zipped lid of a carry-on suitcase if that makes sense. I use it for my underwear so that they are a bit more discreet for a TSA inspection. The other two are much smaller and perfect to use in a backpack or carry-on bag for electronic chords and hygiene items. 10/10 Stars
11. GearTie Resuable Twist Tie: I bought these at the recommendation of a flight attendant blogger. It was a low cost investment, which is good, because I did not like these. They do their job alright, maybe too well? They easily wrap around the cords and hold them tightly, but for me its too annoying to wrap them around and then undo them to release the cord. I use a small mesh bag that holds my cords so when I pull them out, they are ready to rock. For me, I prefer the ease of use of the small mesh bags. I could see these being really handy for items at home though, when you're not hurrying on a plane or in an airport. They worked well, just not my favorite gear for travel. 5/10 Stars
12. Olly Ultra Women's Multi Vitamin: If you are a frequent flier or a road warrior, you know that travel can really wear you down. It's important to get enough water and nourishment... yet that's usually most challenging when traveling. I carry this conveniently sized bottle with me everywhere I go and trust Olly to nourish my traveled weary body! Thanks Olly. PS. Call me for an endorsement! LOL 10/10 Stars
13. Felt Purse Organizer: This was my second solution to the black pit that was my designer laptop bag and carry-on. Plus, its an easy way to "move into" a new bag in one easy step. These are commonly made for the LV bags, but they also fit many other bags too! There are so many options for felt purse organizers, I spent a long time looking, sorting the features of each, and reading the reviews. I decided on this one for two reasons. First, the middle divider is removeable if you want to stick with one giant compartment. Second, that same middle divider had 3 pockets that were the perfect size for both my personal phone, my work phone, and my pill holder. I used the big loop on the side for my glasses cases and then my mesh bags fit nicely on either side. 8 months later its still in perfect condition! 10/10 Stars
14 & 15. Suitcase and Shoe Odor Absorbers: Head to Head Smack Down!
I tried two solutions and both are winners for different reasons. First the Fresh Wave is small, compact, and truly absorbs odors- eliminating them. I also use these inside my Litter Robot to show how strong they are! They come in a natural and a lavender scent. I prefer the natural because I don't want to smell like a *SPA*. The natural scent is light, but not a clothing fragrance... While the Sof Sneaker Balls smell exactly like a very strong dryer sheet or fabric softener. They are also very, very small, to easily drop inside a shoe or throw in the suitcase. I didn't feel like they absorbed orders, but instead covered them up? They definitely made my suitcase smell like fresh pressed laundry! Perhaps a little too strong for me? Conclusion: If you have notable stinky shoes OR prefer a subtle, effective odor elimination, buy the Fresh Wave! If your shoes really never stink but you like that fresh laundry scent, go with the Sneaker Balls! 10/10 Stars Fresh Wave and 9/10 Stars Sneaker Balls.
16. The Tinkle Belle: My fellow vagina owners, do you also helplessly pee on your pants when you have to pee in the woods? Those days are done!! I wasn't sure what to expect from this gadget but I knew it had to be reviewed! It takes a bit of practice in the shower, but before you know it you can whip it out with the best of 'em. There were a lot of urination devices to choose from so I took my time researching. This one is definitely quality made, has a discreet pouch to store it in and appears to have the largest cup area and spout - making it much easier to learn how to pee standing up. I will never go camping with out it and I plan to take it on trips to countries with hole toilets. 10/10 Stars
17. Hot Tool Travel Guard: You're in a hurry to catch the train to your meeting and you just finished perfecting your hair. How do you pack up a hot curling or straight iron after you've just used it?! You get this little guy from Zaxop! It will hold the largest of hot tools and will not allow it to burn anything in your suitcase. Plus you can use it as resting mat to protect the hotel counter. It's ingenious really. 10/10 Stars
18. P.S. Pair it with these gloves and never burn your hand again. Also 10/10 Stars
19. International Travel Adapter: BOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! If I buy one more of these stupid adapters that mislead me into thinking it actually transforms and truly converts the wall outlet to the voltage of my American device... someone just needs to take away my passport. WHY is this so hard?! This aint it sis, in a long list of failed attempts on my part. Do YOU have a good one? Please tell me about it. I NEED it. In the meantime, you and I will keep buying cords with a USB end that will plug into a local brick of the correct voltage. That's my work around for now. 0/10 Stars and lots of cussing
20. LED Travel Mirror: I bought this at the recommendation of a friend, and I honestly didn't think I'd get much use out of it. This is now one of my favorite travel accessories and it goes with me everywhere! This LED mirror is USB rechargeable, it has a lid that flips over to protect it and it is just the right size to be functional while not taking up room in your carry-on. Many hotels do not separate the vanity sinks from the shower or toilet, so if the bathroom is occupied you cannot use that time to also get ready. Sometimes the counter is far from the mirror its just hard to see well enough to put on eyeliner? Or, maybe you've got a hair in your eye? Or, you need a mirror to put on lashes? I've used this mirror for every single one of those and its 10/10 Stars
21. Sunglass Lanyard Cords: We went to Lake Tahoe this year and rented a boat. Two of us had also just gotten prescription polarized sunglasses. I was already seeing into the future that one of us (probably me) were going to lose them in the boat. I decided to order this set of 6 lanyard sport cords to see if they'd do the job. If not, we would have to break down and buy the expensive ones at the resort. Thankfully, these were surprisingly sturdy, strong, and held on tight to our sunglasses. We've packed these away in our wet bag for future water events. Definitely snatch up this bargain. 10/10 Stars
22. P.S. If you're glasses tend to fall down your nose, these eyeglass sticker pads are the perfect fix! I added them to my RX Sunglasses and they are so small you can't see them. After about 4 months of hot weather and sweat they started to slide off. But the box comes with a bazillion, so I just replaced them in a few minutes with a new set.
23. Boldify Root Touch Up: My vain queens and kings, may I present to you a travel gear must have! When you're on the road (and in the sky) a lot you tend to move color appointments out further than you'd like. Enter Boldify Root Touch Up. I've tried sprays, powders, markers, voodoo (eh)... this is the best. First, it works. It covers roots and grays. Second, it makes the least amount of mess in the bathroom, counter, face, and clothes possible. As in zero mess. Follow it up with a little hair spray or even makeup setting spray and you are golden! 10/10 Stars
24. Flexi Flap: Last but not least... This little gem folds flat and slides into your carry-on bag. Then once in the air, you easily bend it into thirds to hold your phone or tablet hands free. It works great to prop it up on the tray table. Or, you can also bend it over the back of the top pocket (when equipped) and have your phone at eyeline for the best neck pain free viewing! 10/10 Stars
25. Packing Envelope: Okay, there's one more that you need in your travel gear right now! It's the Eagle Creek Packing Envelope. You can also buy it in a set with a two packing cubes. I have set and can confirm all pieces are made to last. Quality stitching sewn into strong fabric. I've actually had this since... 2014? 2016? Shoot I can't even remember! Its still going strong. I bought them as gifts for family members. The genius about the envelope is it has a folding card that helps get your clothes as wrinkle free as possible. This folding tool is really helpful for those of us with ADHD becuase it makes it so easy to pack. After you stack all your perfectly folded clothes on it, lay the folding card on top, and then the envelope mashes down the clothes as flat as possible. I'm almost amazing how much I can fit in my carry-on suitcase with it. I can't live without mine. I take it on every trip (unless I use the Stow-n-Go). You can see how I use mine and load it by checking out my other blog post "5 Day Business Trip in a Carry-On".
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