Chris and I have traveled extensively and in our journeys we have come across some of the most amazing and helpful travel accessories and products. These items have helped to make us more comfortable, healthy and more efficient at work while we travel the world. They have helped to enhance our overall travel experience.
While we fully understand material things aren’t the solution to all our problems, we have put together a list of all the travel accessories that have made a difference in our day to day. We hope to provide you with useful information and give you plenty of ideas that help to enhance your next travel experience.
While we provide our own personalized description of how we use each product, you can click the header of each title of each item if you’d like to learn more.
Olympus OMD-EM5 Mark III
If you like to capture the amazing places you visit, this is the best camera to take on all of your adventures. My dad and I have actually spent hours upon hours extensively researching cameras for their portability, professional capabilities and durability. The winner is this one! Let us save you the time on all the research. I promise you won’t be disappointed with this camera. Many professional photographers have made the switch to this new camera and technology, which now comes in the most compact form ever..
The specifications are ideal for digital nomads, travelers, bloggers, and vloggers. It does 4K video, and is weather sealed. The body of the camera along with the 12-200mm lens weighs no more than 2lbs together and is a very compact travel size. We don’t need to lug around multiple lenses or super heavy gear! This one lens does it all! The technology in this camera allows it to be 60% smaller than more traditional cameras.
Also, you can compare the image quality yourself. The photos of this camera were taken with my IPhone X while every other photo on this page has been taken with this camera.
M. Zuiko 12-200mm Lens
Every good travel camera needs a lens. This size lens is the best all around lens for travel because of its incredible range. This lens coupled with the Olympus camera body from above acts as a 24-400mm. It is great for wildlife photography, landscapes, walking around town and I have even photographed Chris surfing from football fields away! The quality of the images are fantastic too. It is amazing to never have to change lenses on this travel camera and lens setup.
Geekoto Travel Tripod
The Geekoto Travel Tripod is the lightest-weight, most compact, quality made tripod that I could find at a reasonable price. Another bonus, it does not break the bank! I spent a ton of time researching for the best priced and most quality product. This tripod can also be converted and used as a monopod or walking stick. I have used this on the beach to film and capture images of Chris surfing. It is very stable and easy to setup/takedown.
Thule Vea Laptop Backpack
I use this backpack all the time. It holds my laptop, Chris’s laptop, a change of clothes should we need it, and all of my digital nomad gear. There is a bottom compartment for gym shoes, a lined side pocket that acts as a sunglass holder, and lots of compartments to separate all of your items within the backpack.
Pristine Hydro Portable Water Revival System
Chris and I have traveled with this portable revival system around the world to ensure that we always have the best quality drinking water. It is one of the only systems of its kind. Essentially it strips out all of the things you don’t want in your drinking water and puts the good stuff back in. This is why they call it a water revival system.
Save the Fishies Water Bottle
This is one of the best containers for water we have found. It is glass with a stainless steel/bamboo style lid. The wide opening of the bottle makes it easy to clean which is especially important in the tropics. We love carrying these around with us in Costa Rica. In addition to making stylish water bottles and products,, Sandcloud contributes portions of the proceeds to causes that we believe in like marine conservation and saving the fishies. No more plastic bottles!
HydraPak Collapsible Water Bottle
This is also a favorite water bottle for us. We love it because it holds 1L of water and is super lightweight. It is BPA free and collapses down into a very compact and convenient travel size. Great for traveling and hiking!
Macbook Pro 13″
I love my macbook pro. It is a 13inch which is compact and slim. It is a powerful computer. I have used this computer for years and have been happy with the speed, performance and size. It is a great lightweight and compact size that makes it easy to travel with. We are all about compact and lightweight. Macbooks have a great reputation in that they stay relatively virus free compared to other brands of computers. Knock on wood, I have had zero problems in this department.
Roost Laptop Stand
This laptop stand has allowed me to setup my workstation in a way that is ergonomic and efficient. It is very portable and lightweight. It raises the laptop up so I can see it at eye level and sit with good posture and a straight back. It has also helped me with carpal tunnel, after 5 years of virtual assistant work. No more hunching over the laptop.
Sea to Summit Computer Sleeve
This computer sleeve is made out of lightweight foam that is covered in a water resistant material. It provides cushion to protect your laptop or tablet. We have been hard on these sleeves, and they are very durable. It has worked really well for us as a protective sleeve especially in the humid tropic environments we live in and travel to.
Sea to Summit Accessories Cable Cell
This cable cell matches the computer sleeve above and holds all of your extra computer accessories such as a computer charger and phone charger. It has helped us stay organized on the go, and prevented any future arguments about who has what charger, haha.
Felix Grey Blue Blocker Glasses
Digital Eyestrain stinks. Since Chris and I work online so much, we find that we are constantly staring at screens. Digital eyestrain can cause headaches. I got Chris a pair of these glasses as a birthday gift. He loved them and said that the glasses helped him so much so I ended up getting a pair too. They are a stylish version of blue light blocking glasses, and come in many different frame types for men and women. You can get clear lenses, readers, or custom prescriptions. They block blue light, reducing eyestrain and headaches. They can also improve your sleep, especially if you wear them while looking at a screen or phone within a few house of going to bed. They really make a difference!
Ellis James Travel Jewelry Case
I used to pack my jewelry in a tackle box like storage container thinking that would do the trick, but everything got all tangled up and I would never wear it or take the time to untangle the items. I found this solution after some research and it has worked so well keeping all of my necklaces and bracelets and earrings separate. There are zipper compartments for everything and it is always visibly organized. Seems like such a trivial thing, but it has made a huge difference in how I pack and what I bring. I actually use my jewelry now in my travels, and it’s so much more convenient. What an improvement, at such an inexpensive price! It has been a big hit when sharing with friends and family, and we have been giving them as unique gifts during the holidays.
Osprey Backpack + Hydrapak Bladder Combo
We love to go for long hikes in the Costa Rica jungle and these are the best packs to hold your gear while hiking. We fill a hydrapak bladder and are able to put extra water bottles in the side pockets if we need them. There is enough room in this pack to hold a rain jacket, water, emergency first aid gear, sunglasses, sunscreen, bug spray and all of your extras for when you are planning a day trip. The airspace on your back is a huge plus in the tropics. Shifting the weight to your hips with the comfortable hip straps is essential on longer hikes. We carry these packs on during our flights, and they fit under the seats. The top pocket is good for easy access to passports, phones, wallets, keys, etc. We love these packs.!
Ironcore Athletics/REP Fitness Weight Bags
We travel with our portable weight bags everywhere we go. We still use our Ironcore athletic bags but they are hard to find replacements for now and I am not sure if they are continuing to make them? We have since found another brand that works just as well and its the REP Fitness bags. We use these bags with the Ironcore Athletics Sand/Water fillers which they have continued to produce. You can do all major lifts with sandbag training. You get more core stabilization in your workouts than with traditional weights. We fill our weightbags with water quickly and easily from anywhere. You can get in good strength training workouts no matter how remote the location is. You can also avoid the expenses and inconveniences of drop ins to local gyms in the less remote travel destinations. When it’s time to travel to the next place, they drain and fold up quickly into a very lightweight, compact form. We have found that the 35 pound version is the most functional and versatile for travel. This is the single most useful travel item for fitness that we have ever found, and we use it multiple times a week.
Ironcore Athletics Sand/Water Fillers
You can fill these tubes with sand or water. In our experience for frequent travel, it is easiest to use water. They do not leak and have allowed us to take our workouts with us wherever we go! We went backpacking through Thailand and Indonesia and brought the bags with us on our trip to the most remote locations.
Cabeau Evolution Cool Travel Neck Pillow
Our favorite neck pillow has been the Cabeau cool travel pillow. It is made out of memory foam and has ventilation in the middle so you don’t get hot and sweaty on the plane. This neck pillow is unique because it is designed for hotter climates and the tropics with a lot of breathability and moisture wicking materials. The pillow is a great height and provides lots of support so you neck remains still but comfy while you sleep . The cover on it is removable and washable too.
Baubax Travel Jacket
We know this may seem like an ultimate luxury and novelty item, and maybe it is…but it has made our travel experience way easier. There are so many pockets and places to safeguard your things during the hustle and bustle of travel. There is a passport pocket so you’ll never lose track of your import ID. There is also an RFID blocking pocket for your wallet. There is a collapsible pen for filling out paperwork if needed on the plane. Many more interesting and fun features for comfort and convenience while traveling.
Samsonite Luggage
For those who travel frequently, you know that TSA and airlines can be really rough on your things. We recently switched to hard case luggage for this reason and found a brand that we really like. Our Samsonite luggage is lightweight but durable. If it get’s tossed around a bit, it is less likely our things inside get compressed and damaged.
We believe that we have saved the future of our travel items by purchasing a set like this one. We have sadly opened our luggage to find that items had been damaged. Since we’ve made the switch to the Samsonite brand it has been so far, so good. We have had a really positive experience with this new set.
This particular set also has a simple inside liner that can be unzipped for fully open storage in the tropics. This is an important feature in the tropics to prevent mold during storage.
These are a good value compared to most other options. They are lightweight, strong, and functional at a reasonable price.
I also had to add a photo of our personalized luggage tags. I ordered these for Chris as a Christmas gift and he absolutely loved them!
Coalatree Trailhead Adventure Pants
These have been the best hiking pants. They are tried, tested and true in the jungles of Costa Rica. They are water resistant and repellant and very lightweight. They stuff into a pocket for easy packing which can double as a little pillow if you need it!
GoToob Travel Bottles
These travel containers are TSA approved and easy to use and clean! We fill the bottles with all of our favorite natural products before we go on a trip. You can even label them with the built in label panel, soap, shampoo, lotion.
Ubeesize IPhone Tripod
The Ubeesize travel tripod for your Iphone is a great travel companion. We have used it for getting group shots and I have filmed time-lapse yoga videos using this tripod. What we love about it is that the legs are moldable and bendable allowing it to attach easily to many different surfaces. It packs down and can fit in the nooks and odd spaces in your suitcase.
Travel Chairs REI
These travel chairs are very lightweight and compact. They are a luxury item when backpacking, but don’t add too much weight to your pack. They are so worth bringing so that you don’t have to sit on the cold hard ground after a long day of hiking. Otherwise, they are a very convenient item to keep in the back of your car. Chris and I use ours frequently for watching sunsets in Dominical. It’s nice to have something to sit on when you get to a rocky stretch of beach that is easy to setup and take down.
Travel Beach Towels
My sister got Chris and I these towels as a Christmas gift and it ended up being one of my favorite items! The surfer towel is super absorbent and fast drying. Also, the sand literally falls right off of it!
REI Portable Shower
This is a great idea if you are going to be traveling to and from the beach frequently. This is a collapsible shower from REI it packs down and does not weigh very much. This is a staple item for us, and is always in our truck in Costa Rica. Great for rinsing the salt water and sand off after a day at the beach. Also useful for car camping. You can have hot water by putting it in the sun, and the small size gives you 7 minutes or more of continuous running water. The big size gives you even more. Packs down in a lightweight and compact form for storage or travel. Chris and I fill ours with water and keep it in the back of our truck. After every beach time stroll, swim, or surf we do a quick rinse. It’s great for getting all the sand off your feet and keeping it out of your vehicle. It’s also great to rinse off the salt water before you head out for a quick bite or great for cooling down.
Bose Soundsport Wireless Earbuds
My bose earbuds are some of the best value and quality earbuds I’ve found. The sound quality is excellent. They last for years and I always take phone calls with these earbuds. I also use them at night to listen to the Calm App to help me sleep. They are very comfortable and lightweight.
Calm App
Sometimes it’s hard to decompress when you are always on the go. I love using the calm app to help quiet the mind. I have used the music and meditations to help me focus and relax while at work, traveling through a busy airport, or trying to fall asleep at night. We have shared this app with many friends and family, and they have said that it helps them get to sleep, and to go back to sleep when they wake up in the middle of the night.
Patagonia Sun Hoodie
Since we travel and spend a lot of time in the tropics, it is important to have proper sun protection. Chris uses his hoodie all the time in between his surf sessions and for longer hikes on the beach. It’s saves you big time on boat trips. This is also a great way to use less sunscreen and be more environmentally friendly. It is a breathable material and 50SPF.
Patagonia Puffer Jacket or Northface Thermoball
The patagonia or north face thermoball have been one of the most handy travel items especially when traveling during winter months or colder climates. These have actually also come in handy at the airports because they are usually kept so cold, well, so are the planes for that matter. We have found that these provide the ultimate warmth to weight ratio for travel. They pack down into a pocket so that they don’t take up much space, and can double as a pillow.
Packsafe Luggage Lockers for Travel
This lock came in very handy for our Thailand and Indonesia trip especially. We stayed in budget places some of which did not have a safe in the room. We would use the netting around our backpacks for safekeeping at the hotel room or if we were traveling with important key items on the beach. These can give you an added layer of peace of mind in those kinds of situations.
Ladies the last two items are with you in mind:
Lena Menstrual Cup
This has been an incredible travel companion. It is also my preferred choice product for that time of the month and it works so well for me. It is a far more sustainable solution than most options out there. I use this along with the next product for some extra protection during long travel days. It makes traveling during that time of the month much easier and worry-free.
Thinx Period Panties
The Thinx panties have been my ultimate travel companion. They are a great backup protection for other feminine products. I am less concerned when waiting in long lines at the airport or waiting for the bathroom on airplanes. I also love that this is a sustainable and reusable solution compared to other products out there. I love feeling protected and like I am making healthy choices for the environment.
