My 15 Must have travel items for every Trip

Packing for a trip always comes down to the same question for me: what do I actually use, and what just takes up space? The list below is the honest answer — the gear I carry on nearly every trip, tested over years of European travel including my #8Days6Countries challenge through Scandinavia.

These items are part of my personal packing list, and they're all things I'd replace with the same model if they broke tomorrow. If you're shopping for someone else, my more comprehensive best travel gifts guide covers gift-style picks too.

Let's get into the items that earn their space.

Must-Have Travel Items for Every Trip

1. Nomatic Backpack

I've carried the same Nomatic backpack for years — it's the bag I reach for on most trips because it swallows a camera body, a couple of lenses and enough clothes for a long weekend without feeling like a suitcase on my back.

The thing I like most is the padded waist belt: after a full day of walking a city, my shoulders don't hurt the way they used to with my old backpack.

It isn't cheap, so read my full Nomatic Travel Bag Review before you spend the money — I go through all the pros and cons there.

2. Travel Locks

One thing I never skip is a TSA-friendly lock. When I'm hostel-hopping across Europe I usually book shared dorms, and most hostels give you a locker — but they don't give you the lock.

That's where a set of TSA-approved cable locks comes in. They're resettable, and airport security can open them without cutting them if you check a bag. Honestly, I still don't leave money or a passport in a dorm locker — the lock just makes a thief pick an easier target.

3. My GoPro

I vlog a lot of my trips — you can see the results on my YouTube channel. The camera I've used for years is the GoPro HERO10, and it's still a great little camera for travel video.

The thing that changed my day-vlogging setup is the GoPro Volta battery grip. It adds hours of recording time and doubles as a tripod and remote, so I stopped carrying spare batteries entirely.

4. My Sony A7C

It goes without saying that everyone travels with a camera — and for me, a smartphone camera doesn't cut it. My main camera is the Sony Alpha 7C. If you're choosing a travel camera, my detailed guide to the best travel cameras covers who each option suits.

The lens that stays on the camera most of the time is the Samyang AF 24-70mm F2.8, alongside Sony's kit lens. The 24-70 range covers everything from a cathedral interior to a street portrait without swapping glass — ideal when you don't want to change lenses at a busy tourist spot.

This is a mirrorless camera, and I don't miss carrying my huge DSLR one bit. The autofocus and low-light performance genuinely surprised me.

5. Gimbal

Which gimbal I carry depends on the trip. For a longer trip with the Sony A7C, I bring my full-size gimbal — I compared the Zhiyun Crane M3 vs Zhiyun Crane M2s if you're choosing between them.

For shorter trips where the phone does the filming, I use the DJI Osmo Mobile 6 — a small three-axis phone gimbal that folds down to pocket size and has been a reliable travel companion.

6. Joby GorillaPod

While I'd prefer to travel with a full-sized tripod, it's not always convenient — especially when I'm flying with no check-in bag (tripods often aren't allowed on board). That's where the Joby GorillaPod 3K comes in.

Its flexible legs grip railings, fences, tree branches and uneven rocks, which opens up angles a normal tripod can't do. It's also light enough that I sometimes leave it attached to my camera while hiking, ready to set down on any surface for a stable shot.

This is embarrassing to admit, but I've even propped it on my stomach to stabilize hand-held shots. Whatever works.

7. DJI Osmo Pocket

A recent addition to my bag is the DJI Osmo Pocket 3. It's now my go-to camera for travel B-roll — the built-in gimbal means I don't need a separate rig to get smooth footage.

I wrote about whether it can replace a bigger setup in Can the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 Be Your Next Cinematic Travel Camera, and on most days I now reach for it instead of the best gimbal for Sony A7C rig.

Full disclosure: the full camera, lens and gimbal kit only comes along when I'm travelling for more than a week. On a weekend city break with a budget airline, the phone and the Pocket 3 are enough.

8. Travel Pillows

A travel pillow is one of those items that feels optional until you need it — I use one on every flight, even two-hour ones. My picks for different budgets are in my best travel pillows guide, and it should definitely be on your list if you fly overnight (see my long plane ride essentials too).

9. Travel Adapter

Now that you know I travel with a lot of electronics, it won't surprise you that I never leave home without a universal adapter. Hostel dorms are the worst for outlets — one socket for four beds is normal.

I always carry a Tessan universal travel adapter plus a short extension strip, so I can charge my phone, camera and battery pack from a single socket. I compared the best options in my best international travel adapter guide.

10. Portable Travel Charger

When you're in a new city, your phone does everything — navigation with Google Maps, translation, booking. Phone batteries die fast, and that's when a portable charger saves the day. I usually carry a 10000 mAh power bank, which is enough to top my phone up twice and still fits in a jacket pocket.

11. Noise-Cancelling Headphones

When I'm hopping between cities in a single week I sleep on flights — and the difference between arriving rested and arriving wrecked is usually noise. I love kids, but a crying baby at 30,000 feet is exactly what noise-cancelling headphones solve.

My current pair is the Sony WH-CH720N. They're lighter than Sony's flagship 1000X line, sound great for the price, and I regularly see them around $100 on sale. I sometimes switch to my AirPods Pro when I want something smaller, but over-ear headphones are more comfortable on a six-hour flight.

12. Reusable Travel Bottles

Stay hydrated on the go with a Vapur collapsible water bottle. It rolls flat the moment it's empty — which matters when you're packing with only a backpack — and the carabiner means I can clip it to my daypack and actually remember to drink.

It also saves money: European tap water is safe to drink in almost every country, so you're mostly paying for the bottle once, not for a new plastic one every day.

13. Quick Dry Towel

Hotels give you a towel, but hostels often charge to rent one — and on a budget trip those charges add up fast. I've carried an OlimpiaFit microfiber towel set for years: three sizes, dries overnight, and packs smaller than a water bottle. Pair it with my travel-size toiletries for Europe list and you're set for hostel life.

14. Travel Size Toiletries

Same story when you're staying in hostels: bring your own. See my travel-size toiletries for Europe guide for the full list of what passes security and what's actually worth the space in your bag.

15. Taking a VPN

One more thing I never skip is a VPN. Imagine you're watching a series on German Netflix and the new episode drops while you're in Italy — suddenly it's not available. A VPN fixes exactly that kind of geo-blocking, and it also makes public Wi-Fi in hotels and cafés much safer.

I've been using Private Internet Access for years and it's been rock solid.

Conclusion

These are the items that earn their spot in my bag trip after trip — nothing here is filler. If there's something you'd never travel without, tell me in the comments. I'm always testing new gear.

Read More:

• Long Plane Ride Essentials