Hello, fellow travelers, vacationers, and wanderers! This week, we’re going to dive into one of my favorite travel topics: travel gear! I love finding innovative and useful new travel products and brands that make adventures easier or more convenient. After all, it’s easier to enjoy the journey when it’s effortless and comfortable.
Over the past 6 months, I’ve tested a lot of different travel gear, and I’m happy to say that this roundup may be the best one yet. I’ve been able to connect with and try many awesome brands, and I’m so excited to share 10 of them with you today! From streamlined bags to comfy travel clothes and technology gadgets that just make sense, there’s something for everyone in today’s roundup, so let’s dive in!
*This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase through those links. However, this comes at no cost to you! It’s just an easy way for you to find great new products and support Carried Away Travels at the same time. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out or check out my privacy policy!
Where Did These Travel Products Come From?
Before I start sharing, I want to be completely transparent about where the items I’m talking about today came from.
First, please know that none of these items are sponsored. While I have had some sponsored items in the past, no brand has paid its way into this post. I will be presenting several items that were gifted to me for editorial consideration. Again, I am under 0 obligation to share these with you. But I liked them enough to share them with you because I truly believe they will bring value to your travels!
I also have one brand that I recently started working with in a copywriting capacity, but they have no idea that I’m featuring their items in this post.🤫 I loved the brand before I started writing for them, which made me want to work with them and share their products with you today.
Last but not least, I have a few items that I bought because they looked interesting and useful.
Once again, if you have questions or feedback, don’t hesitate to post it in the comment section! My goal is always to provide you with unbiased, high-quality recommendations that you’ll love using wherever you go, and your feedback helps me narrow down the best products to try out and share.
Best Travel Bags
Rollink Suitcase
If you’re in the market for high-quality, hard-shell luggage that doesn’t take up tons of storage space, this is the suitcase brand for you. Rollink Suitcases have a unique, collapsible design that makes them up to 75% thinner than the average suitcase when not in use! But when you’re ready to pack, they quickly expand to full-size dimensions without losing their durability. This makes them so easy to store between trips or in small spaces like cruise ship cabins.
Rollink offers three different suitcase styles, with size options for Large Checked, Medium Checked, International, and Domestic Carry-On.
We used the Flex 360 in the Medium Checked size for our trip to Iceland, and I absolutely loved how convenient it was! The outer shell is water- and impact-resistant, and it held up beautifully as we traveled by plane and bus around the country. I also like that it has a built-in TSA lock, spinner wheels, and interior organization. And when we’re at home, it collapses down to just 5″ thick.
These beauties start around $200 each and come with a 3-year warranty.
NOMATIC Backpack
It seems that a new travel backpack is popping up just about every day. However, I’ve noticed that many of these bags are cheap or lack internal organization and security features. That made the NOMATIC 14L Travel Pack stand out to me so much. Not only is this bag super high-quality, but it’s got tons of thoughtful organization features and security options.
The front has two pockets: one for small items like chapstick or pens and a larger compartmentalized pocket with several internal pockets. It zips down most of the way and opens almost flat for easy access.
The main interior compartment includes two zippered pockets and two net side pouches. One includes an optional hard-shell case for sunglasses, and the other has a built-in retractable keyring to keep your keys securely in one place.
But what I really love about this main compartment is that it can be opened two ways. You can access it from the front with dual zippers that allow a panel to open almost flat. Or, you can use a semi-hidden zipper on the side to extend the bag a few inches and unzip it suitcase-style! When you open it this way, you’ll have easy access to a shoe compartment, and you can pack the bag just like a small suitcase. It even has a zippered mesh panel to separate the clothes from the shoes.
The final compartment is a lie-flat laptop sleeve designed to lay against your back for extra security. This panel also has one open pocket.
Other features I like include the water-resistant material, padded back, chest strap, and interlocking zippers.
Depending on how you pack it, this backpack may be just over the personal bag limits (although you can likely get away with it). But it’s well within the carry-on limits and can fit a week’s worth of clothes with room to spare.
You can get the 14L Travel Pack for $280 on Amazon or the 20L version for $300.
WanderFull Hydrobag
I am terrible about staying hydrated–especially when we’re out and about. If I don’t have a backpack, there’s a good chance I didn’t bring a water bottle, which means I rarely drink enough water. 😅 So you’d think I’d be all over this water bottle-bag trend, but I wasn’t. At least, not until I saw these adorable versions from WanderFull!
In my opinion, these are the chicest water bottle bags around, and I love that they fit my 32 oz and 40 oz water bottles! I’m also a big fan of their built-in storage, with one phone pocket and one wallet-style pocket in the front. Each bag has an adjustable strap and high-quality hardware, plus there are over 30 colors to choose from!
If you need more reasons to try them, these Hydrobags made Oprah’s Favorite Things list in 2023, and they’re from a small, women-owned business.
Snag one of WanderFull’s Hydrobags for yourself on Amazon for $60!
COR Surf Packing Cubes
If you’re part of the chronic over-packers club, packing cubes are always a fantastic idea. But these COR Surf cubes take things a step further with compression zippers that squeeze your items down, saving even more space! I have three sets of these, and each one comes with a shoe bag, a laundry bag, a medium compression cube, and a large compression cube.
While they’ll save you some space with pretty much any travel wardrobe, they really shine with bulky items like sweatshirts, sweaters, and dresses. We used ours to fit a full week’s worth of clothes for two people into our medium Rollink suitcase when we went to Iceland. That’s no easy feat!
The 4-piece set is currently on sale for $12 on Amazon!
Best Travel Tech
LectroFan Micro Sound Machine
This sound machine was an item I didn’t know I needed, but now I don’t know how I lived without it!
Last year, I stayed in two hotels that ended up being in the party district. While everyone outside was having a blast, I was tossing and turning from the noise. I tried wearing earbuds and covering my head with a pillow, but I had some near-sleepless nights.
Enter this little sound machine. It hardly takes up any space in my suitcase, yet it’s powerful enough to drown out distracting noise. I took it to Iceland, and it worked wonders in Reykjavik! After a red-eye flight, we checked into our hotel around 6 a.m., right when the city was coming alive. So I turned this on and no longer noticed the car doors closing, vehicles driving by, people talking, etc!
The ‘LectroFan micro2 doubles as a sound machine and Bluetooth speaker, and you can even pair two at once for “surround sound.” It has 11 white noise settings, and the volume is adjustable. You can also tilt the speaker to direct the sound.
These cost less than $34 on Amazon and are so easy to travel with!
LovieStyle Phone-Charging Passport Holder
My favorite item of the year so far may just be this phone-charging passport holder from LovieStyle on Etsy. I didn’t realize how cool it was until I actually unboxed it, which made it that much more exciting!
These sleek passport holders come in 13 fun colors, with different phrases and symbols on the front. Inside, they have 3 credit card slots, a passport sleeve, and space for cash on the left. On the right are two elastic bands to hold your phone in place and a sleeve containing a charging block. The power bank has a built-in iPhone cord, a separate Android cord with a micro-B cord, and a micro-A adapter! So, no matter what kind of phone you have, you can use this handy little wallet!
It’s also made with water-resistant, RFID-blocking material to ensure your essentials stay safe!
Rechargeable Hand Warmers/Power Banks
While I love traveling at all times of the year, I don’t love being outside when it’s cold. I tend to get cold quickly, and that can make things miserable. So when I saw these rechargeable hand warmers, I knew I had to give them a try!
They come in sets of two and bundle together with magnets for easy storage. They have three different power settings and heat up within just a few seconds, which is significantly faster than disposable hand warmers. And here’s an added bonus: when you don’t need them to warm your hands, they double as power banks for your phone! Just don’t use them for both at the same time.
You can get this set off of Amazon for $13!
Luggage Scale
I don’t know how many times I’ve gone to the airport fearing that I’d overpacked our suitcase. Most of the time, it’s fine, but there have been occasions when we were just a bit over the weight limit. So, I literally don’t know why I haven’t invested in a luggage scale before now.
I got one from My Tagalongs, and it’s already saved me so much stress. For our Iceland trip, I was positive that we were overweight. Turns out, we had nearly 10 lbs to spare! I was sooo far off my calculations. But thanks to my luggage scale, I was able to go to the airport with confidence! Plus, it hardly takes up any space, and you can get one for less than $10 (mine cost $30, but I’m not necessarily tied to this brand).
You can view what’s available on Amazon or get the same one as I did here.
MiiKARE Airplane Phone Mount
Phone mounts are quite popular right now, but I haven’t seen one quite like this version from MiiKARE. This handy little gadget is incredibly versatile and adjustable, making it easy to use in nearly any travel situation! But honestly, the thing that 100% sold me was that I could also clip it to my kitchen cabinet and have my phone at eye level when I need an online recipe!
The phone clip expands for a perfect fit and swivels 360 to get that perfect angle. The top portion also pivots 360 degrees and can flip approximately 240 degrees. Lastly, the metal mounting clip expands with a slider to perfectly accommodate each surface and has a rubber cover for a little extra grip.
The best part? It only costs $14 on Amazon. Whaaat?
Best Travel Clothes
Stelle Activewear
Last but not least, I have a great clothing brand to share! Stelle is a women’s athleisure brand (sorry, guys), and I literally wear their clothes every single week. You may recognize their name from a couple of social media collaborations I’ve done with them. They have a wide range of women’s clothing, from dance and yoga to hiking, work, and casual attire. Everything is designed to be comfortable, stylish, and practical, and their prices are fantastic, too!
I’ve gotten great use out of their gear for passive and active travel activities. For example, these hiking pants have been all over the globe with me, from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado to a glacier in Iceland. This seamless tank top and leggings set is my go-to for road trips and long plane rides because it never gets uncomfortable. This adorable hiking skirt has UV protection and built-in undershorts for a cute yet practical fit. And this lightweight sun protection hoodie is an absolute dream for hikes, sunny destinations, or hot locations where you need to protect your arms from bugs and underbrush (i.e., the Amazon jungle).
Most of their items are available on Amazon, but you can also find some additional options on their website!
See These Travel Products in Action on My YouTube
For closer looks at all of these products, I recommend checking out my YouTube video! I cover all of these items in greater depth so you can see their ins and outs in action.
Closing Thoughts on These Travel Products
I hope you enjoyed this post and found at least one product to make your next adventure even easier! I’ve been having such a blast with all of these, and I’m sure you will, too.
As always, feel free to drop questions or comments below. And if you’re not a part of the Carried Away Travels community, I’d love for you to join us! Just leave your email in the form below to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and get some special bonuses for signing up.
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And if you’re looking for even more travel products to try, take a peek at my other travel roundups and stay tuned for more coming this year. (Spoiler: I have a beach vacation roundup coming in July that you won’t want to miss!)
- The Best Travel Accessories & Brands of 2023: Part 2
- The Best Travel Accessories & Brands of 2023- Part 1
- 10 Simple Yet Romantic Gift Ideas for Travel Lovers
- Traveling With A Dog? You Need These 10 Things!
- Holiday Gifts the Traveler on Your List will Love
- Our Top Hack for Dealing with Dog Fur: Uproot Clean
Thanks so much for dropping by, and I hope you’ll be back again next week for the newest adventure. In the meantime, I encourage you to follow along with my social media accounts for extra travel tips and inspiration. Until next time, happy travels!
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