Planning a trip and wondering what travel tech is actually worth bringing? After multiple long trips (including a 4-month trip through Europe), these are the travel tech essentials we consistently use. Not everything here is necessary, but each item has made our trips easier, more organized, or less stressful.
We have included lists for: phone accessories, photography, and other tech we love.
If you’re still planning your trip, you can browse our detailed itineraries here.
Who This List is For
This list is based on how we travel: longer trips, mostly carry-on, and a mix of city exploring and day trips. If that sounds like your travel style, here’s a quick look at the tech we always bring:
Quick List
Organization & Safety
Devices & Entertainment
Photography & Content Creation
We also put together a full list of non-tech travel essentials here.
Connectivity & Planning
eSIM Card
When you travel internationally, having reliable data makes a huge difference for navigation, bookings, and communication. Unless your home country has awesome phone plans that include international roaming, (unlike our Canadian garbage plans), you’ll likely want an eSIM card. You might be able to get by with Wi-Fi and pre-downloading maps, but we like to have easier and less restricted access than that. The advantage to an eSIM is that you don’t have to remove your usual SIM card (ie. no risk of losing it!).
We’ve used Airalo for eSIMs across multiple countries, and it’s been the easiest way to get data as soon as we land. We have used these successfully in Greece, Italy, Egypt, Switzerland, France, UK, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Hungary, Czech Republic, Mexico, and the US.
SD Card Reader to USB-C
If you’d be heartbroken to lose your photos, consider an SD card reader to USB-C. An SD card reader lets you transfer camera photos to your iPad/tablet. This makes it easy to back up your photos while traveling instead of waiting until you get home. The one we’ve linked only works with newer iPads and Android devices with USB-C.
Cloud Storage
Backing up photos while traveling is important, especially on longer trips. We use cloud storage to make sure our photos are safe in case anything happens to our devices. We have used Microsoft 365 because we already had accounts and it just happened to have storage as well, but have also used iDrive as it is just dedicated to storage and provides an extra backup.
Charging & Power
Travel Charging Adapter
If you’re travelling in a continent or region, a universal travel adapter is essential. We recommend getting one with multiple USB ports so you can charge your phone, camera, and other devices at the same time instead of rotating through outlets. Our favourite also works with many types of power outlets, which is a bonus.
Power Bank
Long travel days drain your phone quickly, especially when using maps, tickets, and translation apps. A portable power bank means you’re not stuck searching for outlets in airports, trains, or cafés. Our favourite is from Anker, which also serves as an in-wall charger for devices. The only downfall with the Anker one is that it only works with North American plugs. If you’re bringing it elsewhere, you’d need to first plug it into an adapter to charge it.
Organization & Security
Electronic Organizer
Cables, chargers, and accessories can get messy fast. A small pouch or tech organizer will help keep your extra SIM cards, charging cables, and extra batteries organized so you’re not digging through your bag every time you need something. We have one from BagSmart, but there are many available online. Even an old makeup bag or such will be better than nothing!
Air Tags
With everyone’s luggage getting lost so often, AirTags add peace of mind. Yes, we followed the trend and bought Air Tags for even our carry-ons (you just never know if they’ll make you check them!). We luckily didn’t have anything get lost, but we do have family friends who used an Air Tag to track their lost luggage all over the world before it was finally returned to them. Now, we don’t travel without putting one in at least our checked bags and larger carry-ons.
Phone Lanyard
If you tend to have your phone out a lot to take photos, a phone lanyard adds an extra layer of security. It helps prevent drops (if you’re clumsy like Suzanne) and makes it much harder for someone to grab your phone in crowded areas. We bought two types: ones that go around your neck and ones that go around your wrist.
Waterproof Phone Protectors
A waterproof phone case is especially useful for beach destinations or boat trips. It lets you bring your phone, cards, and hotel keycard into the water without worrying about theft or damage. It also lets you and your travel partner both want to go in the water at the same time, without the risk of having your valuables stolen from the beach. Get one that floats, like we did!
Devices & Entertainment
iPads (or other tablet)
Not all planes have screens on the seat back in front of you anymore, and watching movies on your phone for hours is not our idea of fun. A small tablet makes long flights much more comfortable, especially if you download content ahead of time.
Photography & Content Creation
If photography is important to you, your camera setup will depend on your style and how much gear you’re willing to carry. We typically travel with at least one camera and a couple of lenses, and sometimes bring additional gear like a GoPro or drone depending on the trip.
Camera
Ahmed’s go-to camera is anything from the Sony A-series. He’s had the A5, A6, and A7, and likes them all for different reasons. He’s currently using the A6 as he finds that’s a good hybrid (a bit more lightweight but also does what he needs it to do).
Lenses
We don’t travel without at least one camera, plus the necessary lenses. Ahmed is always trying to squeeze in just one more lens or camera accessory. Our compact camera bag only fits two lenses, so often we can only pack two. In this case, Ahmed will choose an all rounder lens and a zoom lens. Make sure you have adequate batteries for the camera, and the correct charger. Nothing is worse than running out of battery mid-excursion!
GoPro (or other sports action camera)
We didn’t use to travel with a GoPro, but now we love packing this little guy. It’s small, compact, and great for road trips. You can suction cup it to the windshield and have it record your drive! You can also buy a floating handle if you want to bring it in the water with you on a beach trip. It doesn’t have to be the GoPro brand, any other sports action camera you’re in love with will work.
Drone
Okay, obviously don’t bring a drone with you if you don’t already own one and/or don’t know how to fly it. Maybe that’s not obvious, I don’t know. If you need a license to fly, make sure you have one. If you need a permit to fly, make sure you have one. If you’re going to bring a drone with you, make sure flying is legal in the country and area(s) you’re visiting.
Ahmed’s drone has been his new best travel friend. He brings it anywhere he knows he’ll be allowed to fly (and have the chance to). For example, we did not bring a drone to Egypt because they are not allowed and will get taken away at the airport.
Tools We Use to Plan Our Trips
These are the tools we personally use when planning and booking our trips:
