I love gadgets and any sort of technology. I’ve spent so much money on items that have then just lay gathering dust for years. These are the items that have passed the test of time and those that I still regularly travel with. In no particular order, here are the 6 essential travel tech items for travellers.
Amazon Kindle
The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (pictured at the bottom of this post) is probably the best value travel tech item I’ve ever bought. The Paperwhite can hold around 1,000 books and weighs less than a standard paperback, what’s not to love about that?! This helps you meet those annoying weight limits with ease! There are various options for Kindles but the Paperwhite also comes with a back lit and anti-glare screen making it perfect for the beach or for lying in bed.
The battery life on Kindles is also fantastic so you’ll have no problems even if you’re on holiday for a couple of weeks without the charging cable. There are so many free books available through Amazon too so you’re never going to struggle for books. This is definitely one of the first items in my travel bag.
Drone
Only recently have the cost of drones come down enough to make them a viable travel tech item. Now you can get the kind of pictures that just weren’t possible 5-10 years ago while you’re travelling. The pictures from above are amazing but you do have to be careful where you fly it. Be sure to check out local laws and only take it where you’re allowed to take it!
One of the biggest brands producing drones is DJI. I purchased the DJI Mavic Air and absolutely love it. The Mavic Air is such a great size as it folds together and fits comfortably in a small case. Whether you’re travelling with a backpack, small hand luggage or a suitcase you’ll definitely be able to fit the drone in your bag. When you buy your drone be sure to buy multiple batteries too and some filters to make sure that you’re able to get as many shots on the road as possible!
Top Tip: Download the app ‘UAV Forecast’ to check when it’s safe to fly your drone. It looks at weather, wind, visibility and various other things that will impact the ability to fly your drone.
Noise Cancelling Headphones
We’ve all been on a plane or a train and we’re sat next to a noisy person. Someone talking loudly, someone on a phone call. It’s something that happens to everyone. Fortunately there’s a way to block the noise out! I was travelling to India a couple of years ago and decided to treat myself to the newly released Bose QC35 noise cancelling headphones. They’re wireless and are excellent at silencing the noise around you.
Wherever I go I take them just in case, they can connect to any device by bluetooth or you can use a cable to make them ‘normal’ headphones. The Bose QC35s are quite expensive but definitely worth it. There are so many noise cancelling headphones out there so do some research and pick the ones right for you. They’ll get you through those long haul flights so you only hear who you want to hear!
Camera
This one is essential for me. I love to get some photos wherever I travel but I have great difficulty finding the right camera for me. Wherever I am I always have my mobile phone with me so that’s become my go to camera. The latest iPhone is excellent and much better than some other travel cameras that are recommended. I get some fantastic photos and I can easily edit them on the device too so they’re ready to post.
Having said that, there are other great options for travel cameras. You can go for a point and click camera, a mirrorless camera or even a DSLR. The options are endless so, again, do some research to find out what suits you the most. It depends what kind of traveller you are what space (and money) you have available to play with.
I’ve heard some amazing things about the Canon PowerShot G7X Mark II point and click digital camera which is used by the majority of vloggers. The mirrorless cameras I’ve seen get good reviews are the Sony A6000 and the Fujifilm X-T20. There are also some great DSLR options which give you much more control over your photos. Some to look out for are the Canon EOS 6D Mark II and the Nikon D3300.
GoPro
I deliberately left the GoPro out of the camera section as I felt it deserved it’s own part! The GoPro range is fantastic for adventure travels or even documenting your visit to a city. I was given the GoPro Hero4 as a gift a few years ago and I’ve only just replaced it with a GoPro Hero7; I can’t fault them one bit! You do need a case for the GoPro Hero4 if you want to use it underwater but it’s a cheap way of getting in to GoPro products.
The GoPro Hero5 and the Hero6 are other options too. You can use the devices underwater without the need for a case and they’re so small you can carry them everywhere and get all different kind of videos. The newly released GoPro Fusion is also available which allows you to get 360 degree footage! It looks like an amazing tech item for travellers!
Whilst the majority of the GoPro range does come with image stabilisation features, I would definitely recommend the GoPro Karma Grip. The Karma Grip gimbal is brilliant for keeping your videos steady and you can get some really professional looking footage. The Karma Grip also charges your GoPro while you’re on the move which is really useful for those long days.
Portable Chargers
I couldn’t list all of those battery draining travel tech items without mentioning portable chargers! If you’re anything like me then you’ll be out and about for most of the day and that can really take its toll on your tech. I always carry at least a couple of portable chargers with me. You can get some really cheap Anker ones that will charge items two/three times so if you have enough room, I’d definitely recommend a couple with an assortment of charging cables!
Top Tip: Travel with a reward credit card too. Make Air Miles when you travel. Check out my American Express Platinum Card review here!
What are your must have travel tech items for travellers? What can you not live without while you’re travelling? Let me know in the comments below.
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Thanks for this great list of travel items. We recently purchased a portable charger and love it. It’s great to be able to charge our phones on the go and not worry about the battery dying before Google maps gets us to our destination. Thanks for sharing!
We don’t have a drone yet. We are thinking of renting one to try it out before investing. Amazon Kindle is a great way to carry a lot of books around without the bulk. It is surprising but we only recently got a portable charger.
This is a great list. I am not a very techie person but I am glad your post covers the basic must-haves for every traveler. I am an amateur photographer so I do travel with my camera but I love the concept of noise-cancelling headphones. Not into a drone yet. But maybe someday!
Loved reading your post, especially the section about drones. How long have you been using your drone for? And how long did it take you to ‘learn’ how to fly them properly and take good shots?
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I got the Mavic Air in January and I love it but it did take me a little while to get used to flying it. Got the hang of it now though!
We have all but the drone (and don’t use the GoPro much anymore). Kindle is definitely a must for me!!
Great list! I only have a kindle from it but guess I have Christmas ideas now 🙂 I really want to dabble in drones in my travels!
I own all five of the items on your list! I must be doing something right haha I might need to upgrade my drone to a diji maverick pro though because it’s so nice and way better quality then what I currently have.
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I have to say the new DJI drones look amazing! I’m happy enough with my Mavic Air for the moment though!
Kindle is a must and so helpful to keep one occupied during travels.I am planning to purchase a Go-Pro soon.Hope it just works out. Ah..these digital items have made travels easier and annoying too, isn’t it? 😀
I love having a GoPro for all my water activities. It would be fun to have a drone for the amazing pictures, but I would be a little scared to use it at first!
A portable travel charger is an absolute must! I recently bought myself a GoPro and though I haven’t used it as yet, I cannot wait to. I really want to get a drone, that’s next on my list 🙂
So I definitely agree with a good camera and the right chargers both wall and portable. I even like the idea of adding the GoPro as a must have. But I keep seeing so many travelers at airports getting their drones confiscated forever and being held up by security long enough to miss their flights. So I don’t know if I would consider a Drone as a must have at all.
Definitely agree the GoPro deserves it’s own dedicated section! We are avid divers and after recently purchasing our GoPro we love watching our dives back, aswell as being able to share with family!
Noise cancelling headphones would be an amazing gift! Not too sure about the drone after the Gatwick airport incident, but they’re still cool! A great list of gifts.
Very important list – power bank is an important electronic to carry when you are traveling .However, camera and drone are also important but you must research priorly if camera or drone is allowed on the particular site. But it’s important to carry them for great content creation.
Great article on tech items for travellers. I did not know that the battery life on a Kindle was so good. My ipad and iphone dont have that type of battery life sigh! Thanks for the tips on the cameras too!
I’ve been debating a drone, but Im nervous it’s too much of an upfront investment and also worried about liability when flying in different areas. Also need to get a Go Pro at some point, but so far using Lightroom / Snapseed / VSCO has worked pretty well with my iphone8 plus. May need to upgrade soon though
I would have to agree- all of these have become a must have for tech travelers. I have all the items on the list except for a drone but I am definitely getting one this year. Another item I could add to this list would be a VPN/portable wifi as I often travel off the beaten track to places where internet connectivity isn’t really a thing.
You are absolutely right, 10 years ago we couldnt get the pictures like now, technology ahs improved so much. I am curious about traveling with a drone, I guess it depends of the brand, but how much place does it take. I mean what can be the smallest version?
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I have the DJI Mavic Air and it’s surprisingly small actually. It fits in a small case and doesn’t come with too much else. You should definitely have a look at that one!
I’m really all about the GoPro this year. After trying out a cheaper version last year, I love the quality and the compactness of it. The drone is still a little out of my price range, and techie skills too! I do love the results however!
This is a great list. I particularly love that you included portable chargers on this list. I would also link to add the international converters are also a necessity. Nothing is worst arriving to your destination and having to drop precious vacation money on a charger, ugh!
These 6 items are essentially a necessity for long term travellers, digital nomads and content creators. I agree that while the camera does the work in capturing the moments, having a GoPro in hand opens up a lot more of avenues of capturing the memories.
This is a great list. I have been wanting to buy noise cancelling headphones since quite some time. Will buy them soon. GoPro is another tech item I feel is essential while on the go.