Store your gadgets: Delta One Travel Kits (Photo by Delta Airlines)
In this post I’ll tell you what gadgets you can find in my travel bag that make my life on the road easier.
I travel a lot and being on the road is not always fun. Especially not if you don’t have the right gadgets. So I decided to write a post about what gadgets you can find in my travel bag. I prefer to travel as light as possible, so I constantly review and re-evaluate what to bring along and what to leave at home. Below is a list of gadgets I have in my travel bag and a short description of what I like and dislike about each of them.
1. Wenger 17″ SwissGear Pegasus Computer Backpack
Wenger 17″ SwissGear Pegasus Computer Backpack
It’s technically not in my bag – but it is the bag I’m using most often, especially for air travel.
The Wenger Pegasus backpack is light, has plenty of storage compartments for all my gadgets and is extremely comfortable to wear over longer periods of time. For shorter trips I very much like to use the leather messenger bag my wife gave me a couple of years ago.
The downside of any backpack is that it doesn’t look very classy compared to a messenger bag. But fortunately backpacks have become more common in the IT world.
2. Apple MacBook with Retina Display
Apple MacBook with Retina Display
I used to travel with a 15” MacBook Pro with Retina Display, then with an iPad (paired with a Microsoft Bluetooth Keyboard). Since its introduction earlier this year, the new 12” MacBook with Retina Display is my go-to travel companion. It is super light, powerful enough to get the job done and the battery lasts all day. You can check out my full review on the 12” MacBook here.
I don’t enjoy reading very much on a MacBook and I sometimes wish I brought my iPad with me. That was especially true before I got the iPhone 6S Plus, which I now use to read.
3. iPhone 6S Plus
iPhone 6S Plus
I used to have an iPhone 6 but decided this year to go with its bigger brother. So far I haven’t regretted my decision. The larger display makes it incredibly easy to read, even for longer periods of time. I used to bring my iPad on longer trips, so I could read books – that’s no longer necessary. The only thing I can’t do on my iPhone 6S Plus is to read magazines I subscribed to via the now obsolete Newsstand app.
4. Beats Studio Wireless Headphones
Beats Studio Wireless Over-Ear Headphone
I’m a huge fan of Bose and love my Bose Noise-Cancelling Headphones. The only thing I dislike about the Bose headphones is the cable. Unfortunately Bose doesn’t make wireless noise-cancelling headphones. In fact, there aren’t many over-the-ear wireless noise-cancelling headphones available at all. One of the few brands that make them is Apple’s Beats and I decided to give them a shot. The Beats headphones look slick and the sound is great. The only problem is that the ear cups are slightly smaller than those of the Bose and as a result they feel uncomfortable sooner. As of this writing, I’m midair, on my way from Atlanta to Las Vegas. Three hours into the flight I had to take them off because my ears started to hurt.
After arriving in Las Vegas, I had to take a couple of calls and the Beats headphone’s built-in microphone worked perfectly. Especially in loud environments like an airport I truly enjoyed making calls with them while they cancelled out the background noise.
5. ZeroLemon SolarJuice 20000mAh Battery
ZeroLemon SolarJuice 20000mAh Battery
I don’t use this battery pack very often but I wouldn’t want to leave home without it. You never know when you run out of battery and can’t find an outlet. The nice thing about this particular battery pack is that you can partly charge it using solar power. You can’t charge it fully but enough to that it can keep your iPhone running for a while longer.
6. Twist Plus World Charging Station
Twist Plus World Charging Station
I saw this adapter on Cult of Mac and ordered it immediately. You can use this thing pretty much anywhere in the world and it has 4 USB outlets and a connection for a MacBook power adapter. I didn’t get a chance to use it yet but I will on this very trip to Vegas and on my next trip in December to Europe.
7. Tumi Travel Kit (Delta Airlines Edition)
Tumi Travel Kit
I scored this hard-shell bag from Delta on my last Business Class flight. It is perfect for keeping all my adapters and cables secure in one place. Unfortunately I couldn’t find the same bag for purchase, but the one I linked above is very similar to the one I got from Delta.
8. Cloop Magnetic Cable Loops
Cloop Magnetic Cable Loops
Keeping cables organized can be a nightmare. I tried everything from real cable binders to velcro. Getting them on and off is usually a pain but not so with those magnetic cable loops. The magnet is strong enough for them to stay closed and they are a breeze to put on and take off. I ordered a batch of small and large Cloop Bands and wish they had an even larger version.
9. Various Cables and Chargers
Traveling light means traveling with the least amount of cables. That’s not an easy task with the ever-growing amount of battery-powered devices. Right now I have reduced my cables to the following:
Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Cable (2 m)
Apple USB-C Charge Cable for MacBook
Apple Lightning Cable for iPhone
As far as chargers go, I only carry my Twist Plus World Charging Station, the power adapter for my MacBook and a standard iPhone charger as a backup.
10. Kenu Stance for iPhone
Kenu Stance for iPhone
I love the Kenu stance and take one anywhere I go. It is perfect for making FaceTime calls, keeping your iPhone on your desk or nightstand and for taking low-light photos. Everyone in my family has one and even some of my co-workers.
The Kenu Stance works best with an iPhone 6 or 6S. I use it with an iPhone 6S Plus and it’s not super stable, probably because the swivel has already worn out a bit.
What’s in your travel bag?
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