Best Travel Products 2017

I have been traveling since 2009 and over the years products have been released that make my life on the road that little bit easier. Every single year a new travel product comes out that I get excited about. As we travel pretty much full time I am always on the lookout for new gadgets or products. Here are a few of the best travel products that I love at the moment.

Electrical

The Omnicharge

I have become reliant on power banks. Smartphone batteries struggle to last the day if you actually use them. When I heard there was a product coming out that could do the same for my laptop I ordered it immediately. The Omnicharge has a power outlet that can give my Macbook Air a full charge and 2 USB outlets that can charge my iPhone up to 9 times. If I recharge the Omnicharge from the mains it takes just a couple of hours to reach 100%, via USB it takes a little longer. Being able to work for hours in cafes or on plane rides has been really beneficial and made our lives a lot easier.

Portable Power Bank

As much as I love the Omnicharge, it won’t exactly fit in my pocket. That’s why I have a Jackery power bank. It holds about half the power, but that’s more than enough to keep my phone going for a few days. I take it pretty much everywhere with me and just plug in my phone in my pocket when it needs a boost. I recommend the Jackery brand because mine has lasted over 3 years and is still going strong.

Multi-Country Travel Adaptor

The Uppel travel adaptor works in over 150 countries. It is perfect if you are heading out on a trip to multiple countries with different power outlets. It also has 2 USB charging ports built in, all the different prongs fit nicely inside and it even has a fuse to protect your electronics from surges.

Belkin Travel Power Bar

We travel with a lot of electronics. A laptop each, 2 phones, a camera and multiple power banks I have written about above. That means that sometimes we need to plug in a few things at a time. The Belkin Travel Power Bar has 3 outlets and 2 USB ports. I have had it for over 3 years and I have used it pretty much daily since I bought it. Coupled with the adapter above I only need one converter and I plug the rest of my electronics into the power bar. I also carry a lightweight extension cord so I can put the power bar wherever I need it to be in the room.

This comes in especially handy in basic hotels, hostels and guesthouses that often only have one outlet in the room.

Netgear Travel Router

As we work online, we need constant access to the internet. Even though we try our best to book accommodation with WIFI in the room we can often still find ourselves with weak or no signal. The Netgear router acts as a bridge to boost the wireless signal. We simply connect it to out power bank via its USB power port and leave it somewhere safe in the middle ground between the hotel WIFI router and our room. We can also plug it into a network port to change a wired connection into a wireless one. We don’t need to use this router in 75% of the rooms we stay in, but in the 25% that we do it is a godsend.

Kindle

We have owned a Kindle since 2010 when they first started getting popular. Over the years they have got even better. If you are not a physical book purist the kindle is better in almost every way. You can hold more books than you would ever need in a lifetime. The battery lasts weeks even with heavy use. The eBook market is huge. Newer models have an adjustable built-in backlight that does not strain your eyes. You can download any book from Amazon instantly over WIFI. The 3G models also provide internet coverage in in over 100 countries. You can even subscribe to your favorite publications. If you are traveling with a Kindle, make sure to buy a cover. We didn’t and broke our screen in India. Luckily, we just bought a new one and all our books started downloading as soon as I logged in.

Bluetooth Speaker

These small but powerful speakers are very handy when you just want to have a little music on. Simply connect to your phone by bluetooth or with an AUX cable and you can start playing. The battery life is impressive and can be recharged via a micro USB cable.

Noise Canceling Headphones

Whether you are listening to music, podcasts, audiobooks or watching a video on your phone, good headphones are essential for any long journey. If you are traveling with another person, a headphone splitter is a great investment so you can both listen at the same time.

LED Flashlight

I’m adding this as I’m currently in Indonesia and we have not had a single day where the power has not gone out for multiple hours. A small flashlight is perhaps not something you will always need, but you will thank yourself when you do. It will also come in handy if you do any camping or travel to rural places where the street lighting could be improved.

Convenience & Comfort

Ear Plugs + Sleep Mask

When you are traveling you often want to catch up on sleep whenever you get the chance. A good set of ear plugs and a sleep mask will block out the light and noise and help you nod off.

Quick Dry Towel

While most hotels provide towels, many hostels or guesthouses may not. If you are planning to go to the beach most hotels won’t let you take their towels. You don’t want to be lugging around a big beach towel, especially as they can take a long time to dry and end up smelling up your backpack. While quick dry towels are not made of the most comfortable material, they are incredibly practical and portable.

Passport Wallet

I was sent a Bellroy travel wallet to review and I liked it so much it became the wallet I use on a daily basis. It’s on the bigger side but holds everything you need it to. I recommend keeping a credit or debit card separate as you would not want to lose all your valuables at once. It’s worth having a more compact wallet as well for the days when you do not need to take your passport out or when you go places like the beach where it could get damaged.

The Rolo

I can’t wait to get my hands on this thing. Every good packer knows rolling saves space, this contraption has multiple compartments and rolls your clothes up into a neat little bundle. Best of all, when you arrive at your hotel room, you just remove it from your bag and hang it up. I think they just invented something that means you don’t need to pack/unpack ever again.

Packing Cubes

I’ll have to stick with packing cubes until I can order a Rolo, but they aren’t so bad. They help keep your bag organized and make finding “that t-shirt” ten times easier. It’s the closest you get to having a set of drawers in your bag.

Travel Tote/Backpack

Sometimes you just need that extra bag. We carry a foldaway tote just in case we need to carry extra on our trip. Or if we go on a day out and my small daypack is not enough to carry the things we need. Having the option to have a spare backpack as and when you need it can make getting around a lot easier.

Hangable Toiletry Bag

I don’t know why I waited so long to buy one of these. Simply hang it up in the bathroom as soon as you arrive at your accommodation and all your toiletries are right there. They roll up so have a deceptive amount of space and quite a few compartments so everything can be organized.

Contact Lens & Glasses Case

If, like me, you have to wear glasses or contact lenses you know you need to transport them carefully. As soon as I saw this product I knew I needed it. It holds everything you would want for your optical needs, is portable, and is tough so will protect your glasses when you are not using them.

Scrubba Laundry Bag

This is something I think I need. The ability to do your own laundry can save a lot of headache while traveling. This bag allows you to do loads of laundry almost anywhere. It also doubles up as a dry bag. I’d most likely use it as a laundry bag as it looks like it could seal in the smelly clothes and separate them from all my clean clothes.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. We will earn a small commission if you purchase some of the products we recommend. The price will remain the same for you if you bought the product direct. I have only recommended the best travel products that I personally have used or that I’m planning to use at my next opportunity.