I’ve rarely found that I need the specific sunscreen or pair of sunglasses that seem to occupy lists of Travel Essentials. But these items – I wouldn’t want to leave my hometown without them.
Clicking some of the photos below will take you to a purchase page for the product. These are examples, not product recommendations. Do your homework and choose the item that is right for you. Where purchase links exist, check the product and ‘similar items’ for search terms you can use to find more options.
1. Computer Condoms
Travel presents unique opportunities, and a commonly-overlooked vulnerability is charging your device in strange USB ports. It’s great that hotels, airports, and coffee shops are adding charging locations for travelers, but those ports can also be used to transmit malware to your phone, laptop, or tablet. before plugging in, consider adding a data blocker
What is it?
Properly called a data blocker, it’s a device that you should place over the end of your USB cable before plugging it in to any strange ports. It allows that tingly power to pass through and charge your device, but prevents any data from slipping through in the process.
Look For
If you’re charging devices with both USB-A and USB-C cables, you’ll need a separate device for each type of connection. And if you need to simultaneously charge multiple devices, you’ll need one for each device
2. Phone: Tether (Lanyard Anchor)
Snatching mobile phones is becoming nearly as common as pickpocketing in tourist areas. On top of that, if you’re like me, it’s an absolute certainty that if you stick your arm out from a castle battlement, cliff, or boat to take an awesome photo, you will immediately trip or be run into by something/someone. Being able to connect a wrist strap, lanyard, or D-Ring to a cell phone can help you keep your phone.
What Is It?
An insert that fits between your phone and its case. A small dongle shares the hole for your charging port, providing a loop that can be used to attach a strap or a D-ring that to clip your phone to a belt loop or bag strap.
Look For
Plastic and nylon are common, though I prefer metal, as it’s less likely to bend, warp, or break. While that won’t matter as much for drops, it adds strength if you’re playing tug-o-war with a pickpocket. For the same reason, I like sealed rings and sturdy D-Rings – weak connections can fail when you’re playing tug-o-war with a pickpocket. So clasps with little wire pins and rings with a gap in them can break or pull open, letting a thief get away with your phone
My unit (pictured) is all metal, has a sealed ring with the tab wrapped over its weld spot, and the tab itself is folded over and secured such that the weld on the tab is held inside the phone case, against the phone – making it difficult to pull on and pull apart.
Find It
Online or at big city mobile accessory stores.
Rectangular Tether | Butterfly Tether
Things to watch out for
3. Phone: Wallet
What Is It?
It’s a case with a few slots for ID and maybe cash. And if your cell phone is on a tether (see above), it can both save you when a pickpocket hits, and make it easy to leave your wallet locked in your hotel safe for some excursions.
Look For
This is really personal, so you’ll need to make some decisions. In my case, I don’t like “book” style covers – they get in the way of talking on my phone. (My husband, who doesn’t use his phone to talk, loves these, as they keep him from accidentally pressing things when the phone is in his pocket.) That said, consider a minimum of 3-4 card slots, or 2-3 slots and a pocket for cash/change, and examine form factor for whether it will make the case too thick for comfort or pocketing your phone.
Beyond that – what do you need to have with you? passport card, credit card, room key, cash. Count the items – you need that many slots. If you’ve rented a car, you can leave your driver’s license in your wallet – and carry more when you have the vehicle. But passport-level ID, ability to pay for a meal, and the ability to get back in your hotel room are generally sufficient for many tourist outings. having them in your phone case can reduce what you have to carry – and what thieves can easily steal. if they do manage it – your other ID, backup credit card and other essentials will still be in your room where you can use them to move forward while you work to replace what was taken.
Find It
Online retailers or some mobile accessory stores.
No links in these pictures – they’re there to give you an idea of the kinds of things that exist, but you’ll need to search for what works best for you. (Try starting with “phone model wallet case”.) Consider security as you browse – open pockets, or slots that make your card visible to passersby may not be preferable. Likewise, I’m wary of stick-on or magnet attachments that can fall or be knocked off.
4. Minimalist Wallet
What is it?
Slightly smaller than a normal wallet (or “slightly larger than a credit card”), these are designed to fit in a *front pocket, harder for pickpockets to get to without being noticed. For travel, you can bring just the items you need (I promise you won’t need that Safeway grocery card in Milan!). At home – you can put the essentials in here, and leave the store cards and non-essentials in a second case that can be dropped in a bag or pocket as needed.
Look For
Pop-ups seem strange, but make cards easier to get to. For sleeves/pockets, look for an opening in the bottom of the pocket that allows you to push a card out, rather than trying to fish it out from the top slot. Review the cards in your wallet and ask what you really need to have at all times; use that to set a minimum number of card slots
It may be a personal preference, but money clips and straps tend to be a pain. Look for a cash pocket! External money clips can be used to clip the wallet to a pocket.
Find It
Online. Starting to be available in department stores but not yet as common as it should be.
5. Pickpocket-Avoidant Bag
What Is It
This is more about what it isn’t. Purses or duffels that hang at your side or back, thin (easily cut) straps, and open-topped totes are an invitation to thieves.
Look For
Front packs, closed tops, thick straps with solid connections, sling bags that will hang comfortably in front as well as back (bonus: this is a lot more comfortable on buses, trams, and trolleys), crossbody straps that make it harder to snatch off your shoulder.
Find It
Online and in department stores.
6 & 7. Waterproof Bags and Cases
Phone Case: What It Is
Waterproof cases designed to allow you to take pictures of that awesome snorkeling trip, or just keep your phone afloat if it drops off the kayak. Sturdier cases provide protection from more rugged adventures, but remember that SCUBA depth will still put more pressure on your phone than it’s designed for.
Waterproof Bag: What It Is
A small bag designed to keep your kit safe on the boat, or float if it drops off the kayak. Water sport enthusiasts will search for higher quality ‘dry bags’ but for one time use, vacationers may also look for inexpensive watertight waist bags.
Look For
IP rating appropriate to your adventure. (liquid rating of IPx8 minimum for your electronics. at least x7 for your wallet).
If you’re on the water – kayaking, boating, and paddleboarding for example – consider paying the extra couple of bucks for a unit with flotation – this will keep your device on the water’s surface for a minute to help you retrieve it. If you’re snorkeling or diving, that my not be a desirable feature – favor a strong lanyard or wrist strap connection.
Find It
Online, in sports and watersports stores and boating accessory/supply stores.
8. Water Shoes
What Is It?
We’ve come a long way from the bedroom-slipper-like water walkers us old folks used to change into once we got to the beach. Unlike “waterproof shoes” which are designed to keep water off your socks, water or beach shoes are designed to drain the water out afterward, grip boat decks and ocean floors – and still be comfortable when walking on city streets.
Look For
All the things you look for in any shoes, plus non-slip soles and water drainage holes.
Shoes with no-tie laces. Slip-ons slip off too easily and if you’re river kayaking, for example, you don’t want to lose a shoe because you stepped off into thick mud.
Find It
Online or at sports and watersports stores
Every one of these is designed to either make your trip better, or prevent it from getting unexpectedly worse – and you may find that a few of them become an essential part of your everyday life.
