The Best Gear for Travel in 2023

We’re currently seeing stock problems with the Uniqlo men's travel underwear we recommend; we’ll continue to monitor the situation.

Traveling well can be one of life's great pleasures, whether you’re alone or with family and friends—and this is true now more than ever. But what does it mean to travel well? Along with, of course, traveling safely, we’d say it involves avoiding hassle, packing a single bag if possible, and bringing only the necessities. "Traveling well is a fine balance between finding inspiration in the unknown while being grounded in something," said Wirecutter founder Brian Lam. "Sometimes that is a memory of home, a family, a significant other, friends, etc. Sometimes it's just the familiar, reliable stuff in your bag."

Over the past nine years, we’ve spent hundreds of hours researching and testing dozens of products to find the most dependable items to help you travel well. On top of that, we sought the advice and wisdom of Doug Dyment, the author of OneBag; he's logged millions of miles as a traveling businessman and public speaker over the past few decades. We also ran our picks by travel gear reviewer Eytan Levy, the Snarky Nomad.

And we relied heavily on Wirecutter staff experiences, since this is an especially mobile group that has worked remotely from every continent except Antarctica—the five most frequent flyers among us travel about a half-million miles in any given (normal) year.

After 120 hours of research and 1,500 miles behind the wheel, we’ve singled out the gear that's absolutely essential for your next journey on the open road.

A well-packed bag is one that contains less than you think you need but everything you actually need. If possible, fitting everything into one carry-on and personal item will give you more freedom compared to checking a bag or two. You’ll be glad you did if (and when) things don't go according to plan. Consider this example from OneBag's Doug Dyment: "I’ve been in situations where I’ve landed in Chicago on my way to New York and everything was snowed in, no flights were flying anywhere, but I was able to rent a car or take a train whereas everyone whose bags were being held hostage by the airlines were simply stuck." While carry-on-only isn't feasible (or advisable) for every trip—especially extended business trips or weddings where you need multiple outfits to maintain appearances—if in doubt, it's better to cut.

The Allpa's clamshell design makes organizing your things simple. The strap design lets you easily wear this durable bag on your back or carry it in your hand while you’re on the move.

This bag was built with photographers in mind, but most travelers will appreciate its easy accessibility and clever tuck-away straps, and the elegant way the bag expands and contracts depending on how much you’ve packed. The accessory cubes cost extra, though.

We spent six months testing 22 bags, and in the end we chose two as our top picks for travelers determined to never check luggage again: the Cotopaxi Allpa 35L (for most trips) and the larger Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L. Both bags are exemplary carry-on travel backpacks that are designed for comfort, durability, and organization.

The Cotopaxi Allpa 35L features an easy-to-pack clamshell design and highly adjustable straps that make it a great all-around bag for any traveler who's dedicated to packing light, or for a smaller person who wants less to carry. Handles on all four sides of this bag make it easy to grab no matter where you’ve stowed it, and the Allpa's straps are contoured to comfortably fit people who have large or small chests. It's not a specifically gendered design, but our female tester noticed the improvement right away.

The bag is protected by a full lifetime warranty and has the build quality to back that up. Its front panel is made of a waterproof, TPU-coated 1,000-denier polyester (a strong fabric covered in a flexible plastic coating), which means you can lay it on its back in a wet field or in gravel without worrying about moisture soaking through or jagged edges ripping the fabric. The rest of the paneling is made with 1,680-denier ballistic nylon, which feels similar to a strong canvas but with a more prominent weave. After four years of testing, this single backpack (plus a personal item to store under the seat) has replaced nearly every travel bag or piece of luggage that Kit Dillon, Wirecutter's senior staff writer who covers luggage, uses.

One caveat: The Allpa has a minimal amount of administrative organization—places to keep pens and papers, spaces to hold tickets, and so forth—which is where the personal item comes in handy. As the name suggests, "personal items" are very, well, personal, and no one bag will work for all travelers; we offer a range of recommendations in our full guide to them.

The larger Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L is the Swiss Army knife of backpacks: adjustable, customizable, and (if you spring for the extra cubes and organizers) an almost perfect system for a photographer or gearhead on the move. Most bags’ expanding mechanisms aren't worth the extra zipper they’re built on, and they look about as attractive as a boiled ham splitting out of its plastic packaging. Not so with the Peak Design: It looks just as good fully packed at 45 liters as it does compressed to a 30-liter daypack. You can access the bag through a back panel, which doubles as a computer and tablet pouch, as well as through a front one, if you unzip the pass-through divider. You can also get into the main compartment via two wing-like trapezoidal flaps that run along each side of the pack. In its natural shape, the Travel Backpack holds 35 liters, but an expansion zipper lets the bag swell to 45 liters.

If you want to use the bag as a daypack, you fold in the top corners and snap them down, reducing the bag's volume to a slim 30 liters. It still feels larger than a normal daypack, but we think that's a small compromise for the ability to use one backpack as both your travel bag and your daily explorer. The bag itself consists of 400D nylon and polyester fabrics—it feels tough, but not as tough as the Cotopaxi Allpa. As for flaws, it is expensive, especially if you commit to the entire system of packing cubes and camera cubes. The adjustable design and multiple zippers do add complexity, and complexity adds potential weaknesses, though Peak Design covers all of its bags with a lifetime warranty.

Finding the right bag is a personal choice, and no single bag will appeal to everyone. That's why we have picks in our full review of carry-on travel bags that can double as traveling offices, bags that are easy to carry while you’re walking long distances, and budget options for travelers who want to give the one-bag strategy a try.

This spinner carry-on offers the best balance of size, value, reliability, and durability, with high-end details. It's backed by a lifetime warranty.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $370.

Since 2015, we’ve researched several dozen suitcases and gone hands-on with the 47 most promising candidates in a variety of tests—including having active flight attendants test bags for us in a fake plane fuselage in their training facility. We determined that for most people the Travelpro Platinum Elite 21″ Expandable Spinner offers the best balance of features, durability, and price for most flyers who log less than 25,000 miles annually.

It's relatively light—at 7.8 pounds empty, the Elite is about a half pound lighter than the previous model, the Magna 2—the wheels are built to last, and it's big enough to easily fit five days’ worth of clothes. Though the Elite is similar to the Magna 2, it has a smaller stowed handle, an added second zippered exterior pocket, and a USB pass-through extension that lets you insert your own battery pack for charging your phone. Compared with other bags in this price range, you also get surprisingly high-end components and a warranty that covers anything (even airline damage) for the life of the bag.

If you fly more than 25,000 miles a year, invest in a bag with unique features, superior details, and plenty of expandable room. This manufacturer guarantees your satisfaction.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $649.

If you fly more than 25,000 miles annually and you’re willing to invest in a higher-quality product, we recommend the Briggs & Riley Baseline 22-Inch Domestic. It can fit more clothing than any bag we tested, thanks to a cavernous interior and clever expansion and compression system that can adjust to variable levels beyond open and shut. Wirecutter's founder, Brian Lam, has put more than 75,000 miles on his so far, and it's held up great. His only complaint is that longer pants will need an extra fold, or to be rolled. In taller bags, pants will only need to be folded over once.

If you need to pack more stuff than a carry-on and a personal item can hold, our first piece of advice would be to reconsider whether you need that extra outfit "just in case." But you’ll have times when you need to travel with several pairs of shoes, formalwear, a winter coat, special equipment (like diving or camping gear), or all of the above. In these cases, there's no way to avoid checking a bag.

This squeeze bottle is leakproof and light, so you can throw it into a carry-on bag for a flight. And the Podium is cheap enough that if the TSA makes you ditch it, you won't be heartbroken.

The spout on this bottle is easy to drink from (and simpler to use than a sports cap), and the flip lid stays secure and out of your face. And the bottle has a wide mouth, so you can effortlessly add ice and supplements.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $34.

If you’re going someplace where you’ll need to walk a lot (or if there's dirt or cobblestone roads), we recommend a travel backpack. Specifically, the REI Co-op Ruckpack 60+ Recycled Travel Pack - Men's for men (and tall women) and the REI Co-op Ruckpack 60+ Recycled Travel Pack - Women's for those with shorter torsos. The Ruckpack's thickly padded, stowable straps are fully height-adjustable. The bag is made from rugged, recycled ripstop nylon and is guaranteed for up to a year. And it holds about 60 liters, which gives you noticeably more space than our other picks while still keeping the overall dimensions manageable. You can read all about why we like the Ruckpack in our review of the best travel backpacks.

The bag provides a luxury feel at a reasonable price, with a capacity, warranty, and reliability that should suit most travelers. The 25-inch model should offer plenty of room for most people without going over airline weight limits.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $0.

If you don't plan on walking around while carrying all your stuff, the 25-inch Travelpro Platinum Elite Expandable Spinner Suiter is our favorite piece of checked luggage for all of the same reasons we loved the carry-on size: It has excellent organizational features, it's especially durable, and it has a better warranty than anything in its price range.

Rugged silicone and a metal cable mean this tag (which comes two to a pack) may well outlive your luggage. The brightly colored case displays its owner's name but keeps other personal information out of sight.

A good luggage tag should be durable, simple to use, and discreet. Ultimately, a tag should allow someone to get your luggage back to you quickly and easily, and it should withstand the wear and tear of being thrown onto conveyor belts time and again. After researching the top-rated and best-selling models, reading existing luggage-tag reviews, and comparing four tags, we recommend the Ovener Silicone Luggage Tag for most travelers because it's the only one we’d trust to survive being smashed by other bags, jammed into walls, and generally abused by baggage handlers. It's the most durable tag we tested, and it comes in a wide selection of colors to help any bag stand out from the rest.

The Ovener tag's silicone body seems nearly indestructible and is available in four bright colors (you get two tags per pack). Whereas other tags also feature metal cables, this tag has a metal grommet to keep the cable from eventually wearing through the silicone case. Meanwhile, the Travelambo Genuine Leather Luggage Bag Tag broke when we pulled it, and the cheap hard plastic of the Travelon Luggage Tag easily snapped in two.

Should you lose your bag, the Ovener makes it easy for a Good Samaritan to find your contact information. To fully access the info card, you have to unscrew and remove the metal strap; this lets the card slide out of the case. Most luggage tags we tested secure their info card in this way. It isn't a difficult or time-consuming process, but it is an extra step compared with using a tag that displays all of your information openly. Still, for anyone who wants to keep their contact information out of view, the extra step is worth it.

Another approach to increasing privacy is to hide information in a QR code, as the Dynotag Smart Deluxe Steel Luggage Tag does, or to provide a user ID number, as the Okoban UID Luggage Tags do. But these seem like overly complex solutions to a problem that doesn't really exist. The Dynotag requires a scanner app that many phone owners don't want to bother with, and the Okoban requires going online and entering a code, which might deter otherwise-willing Good Samaritans.

Originally designed for reducing the bulk of lofty sleeping bags, compression sacks are stuff sacks modified with additional nylon end caps that can be pulled together by strings or straps to remove air and create a smaller, denser package that's easier to pack. Most travelers use compression sacks to condense socks, underwear, and other stuff you don't mind getting wrinkled into a package with half as much overall volume. For example, an 8- to 12-liter sack can compress a fleece jacket and a long-weekend's worth of socks and underwear into something that fits in one hand. They also make a decent pillow in a pinch.

It has a full-length zipper on its side that allows access to the bag's entire contents. However, it doesn't compress as tightly as traditional designs.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $25.

Most compression sacks require you to empty out the stuff at the top to get to the stuff below it, but the side-zipper design on the Osprey StraightJacket allows access to the entire contents of the bag at once. The compression straps attach sideways, and are less likely to get tangled and twisted like on most compression sacks with lengthwise straps. It can also sit up on its own, and the handle design lets you break it out as a last minute carry-on to avoid an overweight-baggage fee. However, it doesn't compress down as compactly as the traditional designs we tested so it's not the best option if compression is your top priority.

GobiGear's SegSac takes a different approach to solving the same access issue: It has four inner dividers that run the length of the sack in order to keep your socks separate from your underwear, winter accessories, towel, what have you. This means you don't have to take out your T-shirts to get to your socks. Unlike the Osprey, it compresses just as much as a normal compression sack, but it loses points for versatility because the segmentation prevents it from handling large items like a down jacket or sleeping bag.

Packing cubes could change your life. (Okay, maybe just your traveling life.) Packing cubes are basically bags to hold your clothes that you organize within your luggage. Though seemingly superfluous, they’re brilliant in action. If you imagine your suitcase as a dresser, you can think of these cubes as individual drawers: Put all your underwear and socks in one container, all your shirts in another, and your workout clothes in yet another. Then pull out only the cube you want. They make packing and repacking wonderfully simple.

The three-piece Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Cube Set keeps a week's worth of clothes organized and moves easily from suitcase to hotel dresser. We’ve been recommending the previous version of these cubes for five years, and after testing this newly updated set, we now recommend this version.

The full-size cube is great for shirts, shorts, and insulating layers. The half-cube and quarter-cube are perfect for underwear, socks, and other thin fabrics such as stockings or sleepwear. These cubes are made of 300-denier polyester (a strong fabric) and stay upright when empty, so they’re easy to pack. The Pack-It cubes’ windows are made of the tightest mesh link we tested—better for resisting snags—and the smooth zippers close easily around all corners, even when a cube is overstuffed.

The Eagle Creek cubes have the ability to unzip fully to allow full access to their contents while sitting in a dresser drawer. That means your clean clothes stay protected against some potentially dicey motel dressers. In 2022, Eagle Creek updated the design of these cubes, and now the company no longer uses YKK zippers, which are widely accepted as the best around. That said, we couldn't tell any difference between Eagle Creek's zippers and other brands’ YKK zippers, even with a magnifying glass, and their performance was indistinguishable. (For what it's worth, an Eagle Creek product manager assured us that the proportion of zipper-related warranty claims hasn't changed since the company made the switch from YKK.)

Most travelers are likely to be well served by the Reveal set. But if you value lightness above all, the more expensive Eagle Creek Pack-It Isolate Cube Set is about 50% lighter than similar-size competitors (just over 1 ounce for a medium cube, whereas the Eagle Creek classic style weighs about 4 ounces). Unlike the Reveal set, this set is water resistant. However, the Isolate design's thin sides—which don't allow the cubes to stand up on their own—make those cubes a bit more challenging to pack than the Reveal cubes.

Buying the right gear can help organize your existing travel kit, but it's a red herring if your goal is better portability. "It's mostly the clothing that allows you to reduce what you need to carry," explains veteran traveller Eytan Levy, better known as the Snarky Nomad. That's because clothing, which is very voluminous, makes up the bulk of what's in your bag. He recommends traveling with basic-looking clothes because you can always buy or rent something nice in a pinch, whereas lugging around formalwear just in case will always be a pain. It also helps if you can avoid cotton and stick to merino and synthetic fabrics, which dry faster. This allows you to do laundry by hand in the sink as needed to reduce the amount of clothes you need to carry.

Durable, quick-drying, and relatively inexpensive, this soft-fabric version of ExOfficio's time-tested Give-N-Go undies will get the job done for years.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $32.

Good travel underwear keeps you feeling fresh and clean, even when your destination is gritty. To find the best, we researched an array of underwear designed for men and women to find 34 pairs meeting our criteria: moisture-wicking and breathable, quick-drying, odor-resistant, stretchy, stylish, and cut to fit a variety of body types.

We then conducted rigorous pretesting (wearing the underwear for two days at a time, machine-washing them repeatedly, and tracking their drying speed when hung on a clothesline) before taking them out into the real world. Our testers went backpacking 215 miles throughout Portland, Oregon; hiking in the Canadian Rockies, including walking from the lowest point in the Continental US to the highest; and road-tripping to the national parks of the West. Testers who flew to their destinations wore the underwear on the plane, too.

Afterward, we checked for signs of wear, such as seam breakage and pilling on the fabric. As we continued to test the finalists, we repeatedly checked for durability problems. In addition to comfort and fit, we noted whether each pair seemed lightweight and packable.

Durable, quick-drying, and relatively inexpensive, this soft-fabric version of ExOfficio's time-tested Give-N-Go undies will get the job done for years.

The ExOfficio Give-N-Go 2.0 Sport Mesh 6″ Boxer Brief is the best men's underwear for travel because it balances fit, comfort, odor-proofing, and value better than anything else we’ve tested. The Sport Mesh fabric excels at breathing and wicking and has better odor-resistance than other fabrics. It feels soft on the inside and smooth on the outside so it slides against your pants instead of creating friction, reducing potential for chafing. It also features a sculpted crotch area that gives wearers some much-appreciated support, without feeling stifling. These boxer briefs dry quickly, pack compactly, and weigh less than almost all the other boxer briefs we tried—basically they’re everything you’d want from a pair of excellent travel underwear.

These light, stylish, quick-drying hipsters stay in place whether you’re walking, flying, or hanging upside down.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $24.

The Patagonia Active Hipster doesn't appear special upon first glance. Only after trying everything else and living through their failures to stay put did we remember what "special" really means in a pair of underwear: Feeling as if you’re wearing nothing at all. The Patagonias have the best fit, comfort, and style out of all the panties we tested. The nylon material is fast-wicking and better than most synthetics for odor-proofing, making it well suited for athletic activities. The Active Hipster is lightweight and packable, and is the fastest-drying underwear we tested—making them perfect for minimalist travelers who go weeks at a time with just one or two pairs. But these same characteristics make them great for any traveler looking for comfortable, packable panties, regardless of where you’re going or what you’re doing.

Comfortable, compact, and fast-drying, these are a great value but don't fit quite as nicely and aren't as supportive in the crotch.

Similar fabric to the Men's Airism, with a no-ride cut for women, these underwear are the least expensive of any we tested and among the best performing.

If you want to spend as little as possible without sacrificing performance, the Uniqlo Airism line has long been a great choice for men and women who can wear sizes small and medium. In recent years, both lines have expanded their size range somewhat (men to 3XL, and women to XL). If these fit, you can replace an entire underwear drawer on a tight budget, as long as you can deal with the slightly odd cut and less-effective odor-control treatment.

If you’ve never traveled with merino wool socks, you’re missing out. These aren't the scratchy wool socks your grandpa wore in the army; they are soft and stretchy ones that have natural sweat-wicking and odor-resisting properties that keep your toes comfortable under all conditions—even when wet. This combination of odor, moisture, and temperature regulations makes them ideal for traveling. "Because of its natural anti-bacterial properties, washing merino wool on a daily basis isn't absolutely necessary," explains Snarky Nomad, "after letting it air dry overnight while you sleep, it’ll seem brand new." The only major downside is that merino tends to be a bit pricier than synthetic counterparts. But it's a worthy trade-off, since you can go for longer with fewer pairs.

The same great versatile sock as the women's model, but in different color options and more sizes.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $22.

The best mix of comfort, durability, and cushioning in a versatile height.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $22.

Darn Tough socks made their name through their quality guarantee: Our socks are guaranteed to be the most comfortable, durable, and best fitting socks you can buy. In a nutshell, if you wear a hole in them, we will replace them free of charge, for life. Pacific Crest Trail thru-hikers (hardcore backpackers who walk from Mexico to Canada in one continuous trip) praise them for their durability, comfort, and blister resistance. When you hold a pair of Darn Toughs next to a pair of Smartwools (which only have a two-year guarantee), the difference is clear. The Darn Toughs are more tightly knit, the yarns are finer and feel sturdier, and the stitching is tighter.

Wirecutter's Michael Zhao once wrote of his Darn Tough socks: "While I haven't yet owned mine for life, my oldest pair is coming on three years old and I have trouble telling them apart from the newest pair I bought last month. During those same three years, I’ve worn through the heels of two pairs of Smartwool hikers and runners, had three pairs of Icebreaker ankle socks start to unravel, and developed holes in the heels and toes of six pairs of Stoic trail socks. Meanwhile, the Darn Toughs look as good as new. And unlike cheaper socks you can get from Costco or military surplus stores, they’re not so thick that you can't wear them in warmer climates."

Not as durable but much lighter and faster-drying. A dual-layer design prevents blisters better than any other synthetic sock.

If you prefer a vegan product, have a wool sensitivity, or if you’d like something a bit cooler and are willing to sacrifice some durability, WrightSocks (both men's and women's sizes at that link) made from synthetic Coolmesh are a great choice (we like them better than Darn Tough's synthetic option, which felt stifling). Like most synthetic socks, they’re lighter weight and dry quickly, but what sets WrightSocks apart is their dual-layered design, which prevents blisters by diverting friction between your shoe-lining and the sock onto the inner layer of the sock as opposed to your skin. This combination of blister prevention and light weight makes them particularly popular amongst runners in addition to travelers. Popular women's travel gear review site HerPackingList calls them "the perfect sock for active travelers who will be on their feet for hours or days at a time." Wirecutter writer Geoff Morrison switched his whole sock drawer out for these since he started traveling seven years ago and hasn't looked back. "I've never gotten a blister, even after walking over 30 miles in a day during the 2014 Le Mans," wrote Morrison in an email interview.

But with the WrightSocks, what you lose in weight, you also lose in durability. After just three trips through a washing machine, both the women's and men's versions we tested had substantial pilling in several locations. Morrison notes that his tend to start looking worn after about six months and that he replaces them about once a year. Also, avoid the dryer if you can because multiple user reviewers state that they’ll shrink in the dryer over time. (They dry quickly enough without the dryer that this isn't really a huge issue.) And because they’re not merino, they really start to stink after a full day of walking around; bring extra.

Durable, grippy, and squeak-free when wet.

Same shoe in women's sizes.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $0.

A good pair of travel flip-flops should be lightweight, cheap, and flat. That way they’re easy to take wherever and it won't matter if you lose them. After testing the super popular Havaianas, Ipanemas, Crocs, and Old Navy flip-flops, our pick is the Havaiana Top (for men and women). These high-density PVC Brazilian classics are world-renowned for their durability, affordability, and reliable traction, even when wet. They weigh just 150 g, compared to the 220 g Ipanemas. They pack down to almost nothing, unlike the big and boaty Crocs. And while other cheap flip flops can get squeaky when wet, the Havaianas stay mostly silent, which is why they’re so popular in beach towns all over the world. Ultimately, this is what earned them the pick over our previous pick from Old Navy.

While doing laundry at home can be a large weekly event, OneBag author Doug Dyment recommends approaching travel laundry as a part of your daily routine, especially if you’re trying to pack as little as possible: "The laundry should be more like cleaning your teeth—something you do everyday. It only takes about five minutes to do it. Every night, do your socks and underwear and you’ll have clean socks and underwear everyday."

The Flexo-Line attaches easily to a door handle or faucet and grips garments securely between its loops.

Check out OneBag's laundry packing list if you want specific tips on how to do it and what you’ll need, but it's a pretty simple setup: All you need is a toiletry bottle of powdered detergent, a towel to help expedite drying, and a travel clothesline to finish the drying process while you sleep at night.

Specifically, you want a braided—not twisted—surgical latex clothesline with looped ends, which means you want a Flexo-Line. The Flexo-Line can stretch up to 7 feet long, which is enough to span most hotel bathtubs, and it has loops that you can attach easily to a door handle, bath spigot, or faucet. The braided construction is superior to twisted designs made from other materials because the latex does a better job of gripping garments securely between the loops, which means you don't need any additional clothespins.

Dyment has tried them all, but the Flexo-Line is the one he comes back to. As he explained to me in an interview, "There are others that are fine, but there are far more that are not fine." More specifically, Dyment says to avoid anything that's not made of latex, because clothes will inevitably slip out of them. He also says to never, ever trust a suction cup: "They don't work, period." If the Flexo-Line is unavailable, Dyment says that the Rick Steves collection from Kiva Designs also makes a nice braided line that is a bit more expensive. If you have a latex allergy, Dyment recommends going with a length of cord (paracord is nice because it's durable and you can use it for other things as well) and stainless steel safety pins meant for cloth diapers, because they take up far less space than a clothespin and won't rust. In fact, it's worthwhile to get these items even if you can use a latex line because they’re great for making luggage repairs and performing other MacGyver-ish tasks in a pinch. To hang up the clothesline, we recommend using a bowline knot on one end and a taut line hitch on the other. These knots work well together because the bowline creates a simple, slip-proof loop to anchor one end while the taut line hitch allows you to adjust for tension and locks tightly in place. If you could commit any two knots to memory forever, these are the ones to learn.

Perfect for traveling because you don't even need to rinse it out.

When you’re washing your underwear in a hotel sink, you want a fast and easy experience. For this, we recommend the no-rinse detergent Soak. That's right, we said no rinse. You just add a drop to the sink, fill with water, and leave your garments to soak. Then press out the water and hang. Done.

In our tests of delicates detergents, Soak cleaned almost as well as our top laundry detergent, Tide; plus, it comes in individual packets of powder that are great for traveling, as well as in travel-size bottles of the liquid version. In addition to unscented, it's available in a variety of scents, although Lacey and Celebration are not the most descriptive of scent names (we have an overview in our full guide). They all smell nice, not overpowering. Soak also comes in an assorted travel pack with two single-use packets of each scent, if you want to test-drive one or two before you buy. In that mini size, you get eight packets for $11 currently, but you really need only a squeeze, not the the whole packet, to wash a couple of pairs of socks and underwear.

One downside to Soak is that you won't find it in a grocery store or big-box store. But it is available online at Soak's site. And if you really want to walk into a store and put your mitts on a bottle, you can find it at most local yarn stores.

Don't feel like buying Soak or bringing along a bit of your own detergent? Shampoo also works pretty well for cleaning garments in a pinch, so make use of that free bottle from the hotel. But a caveat: Neither Soak nor shampoo contains enzymes, which are biological molecules in laundry detergent that break down certain stains. If you have especially stinky or stained clothes, you might need to break out the Tide.

When we first published this guide, this section addressed only toiletry kits and bottles, razors, and packable towels. The times, and traveling, became more complicated. One thing we've learned in the past few years is that face masks can be useful whenever you’re sick and don't want to share your misery: with a cold, the flu, Covid-19, whatever. Fortunately, compared with early 2020, medical-style N95s and KN95s (which many experts recommend as the best protection) are widely available. They’re easy to tuck into a bag, which we do now whenever we travel.

We’ve researched dozens of travel toiletry bags and dopp kits over the past several years, and we tested 23 of the top-rated contenders in our most recent round of tests. After packing and unpacking a week's worth of travel-size toiletries, conducting spill tests, and living out of the top performers on the road, we have a few different picks that stand out thanks to their style, packability, and quality of construction.

This lightweight, well-organized bag fits a week's worth of travel-size toiletries into a compact package. It's meant to be hung, which makes it good for tight spaces, but it doesn't have much in the way of internal structure.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $0.

The Sea to Summit Hanging Toiletry Bag (small) is compact and durable. It's small enough to stash in a backpack or laptop bag, but it holds enough travel-size toiletries to keep us supplied for a week. You can open it and hang it from a shower curtain or towel rod to easily see and grab your items. It comes with a shatterproof mirror, two micro-mesh zip pockets and an open pocket for toothbrushes, lip balm, and tweezers, and a large compartment for bulky lotions and hair-care items.

With a 6.4-liter capacity and over a dozen compartments, this toiletry bag has a place for everything—and everything will stay put during transit, too. It can also accommodate non-travel-size bottles.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $30.

The L.L.Bean Personal Organizer (medium) is a great option for longer trips and people who travel with full-size bottles. Its 6.4 liters of storage spread across a dozen compartments means there's a dedicated place for pretty much everything you could want to bring on a trip—it even has a removable mesh shower caddy for shampoo and body wash. This level of organization is crucial for larger toiletry bags because, as we discovered after years of traveling with our picks, contents that aren't securely fastened can shift around in transit, which increases the chance of spilling. The downside of all this organization is that the L.L.Bean weighs 14 ounces when empty, so it's not ideal for carry-on travel.

If neither of these bags seems right for you, read our full review of the best toiletry bags and dopp kits to learn more about our picks and everything we tested.

These six TSA-friendly bottles are sturdy and smartly designed, dispensing liquids more precisely than any of the other bottles we tested.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $27.

For traveling with liquids in your carry-on, the Sea to Summit set is your best bet. All six bottles conform to TSA size limitations; three of them can hold 3 ounces of liquid each, and three can hold 1.5 ounces each, for a total of 13.5 ounces. Despite the set's name, the bottles themselves are made not of thermoplastic polyurethane—"TPU" refers to the zip pouch—but a high-density polyethylene material, much like what you’d see used in most plastic milk jugs. It has an almost-smooth, semi-transparent surface just textured enough that it's not slippery when wet. The plastic is also flexible enough that you don't have to squeeze very hard to get your shampoo or liquid soap or whatever going. An insert at the mouth of each bottle helps regulate the flow, and the screw tops prevent liquids from leaking in transit.

This classic razor's three widely spaced blades provide the best balance of speed, smoothness, and safety. Its handle is comfortable and well designed, and replacement blades can be had for a fair price.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $14.

We researched and tested 100 manual razors for our full razor guide, concluding that the Gillette Mach3 is our top pick for manual razors. Although the three blades require a little extra time for a closer shave, it performs comparably to the latest and greatest offerings for as little as half the price.

The Gillette Mach3 provides the best balance of speed, smoothness, and safety. The Mach3's simple, round handle is easy to grip and maneuver, and its three blades offer a close shave without over-irritating the skin or getting clogged with hair. And the price of Mach3 blades—$2 per cartridge or less, whether you buy them online or in a store—came close to, or even beat, the pricing of shave-club rivals, and the Mach3 shaved better than those competitors.

Five of our eight testers named the Mach3 among their top three razors, and two named it a favorite.

This classic Venus is one of the easiest razors to grip and maneuver and its three-blade design keeps the blades remarkably free of hair.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $20.

Disposable razors (both the completely disposable and replaceable-cartridge variety) are fine to take through airport security, and among them we like the Gillette Venus Original best. After testing 21 top-rated body razors and panel testing the five best of them, we prefer its capable, three-blade head and easy-to-maneuver handle to the competition's. Plus, as with any Venus, the Original's body is compatible with any other Venus head and many heads from Gillette's facial razors, making it exceptionally versatile.

The Original's head has three blades separated by considerable slats of space, making it far easier to clean the head between strokes. And it includes simple aloe strips above and below the blades, allowing the lubricant to ease the shave without transforming your razor into a swamp. The Original is intuitive to hold and secure to maneuver, thanks to a contoured handle with corrugated chevrons of rubber. Though our testers have a wide range of hand sizes, no one found the Original difficult to grasp. Despite the significant ribbing, it doesn't feel too bulky. Gillette claims its razors have lasted for five weeks; we think one razor for a weeklong trip should be fine.

(Know that, confusingly, the Venus appears for sale on some retail sites under the name Venus Close and Clean or Venus Smooth. It's the same razor. If you’re unsure which Venus model you’re looking at, check for the Original's three blades and trademark sea-foam blue color.)

The PackTowl Personal Towel is lightweight, soft, absorbent, quick to dry, and odor-resistant.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $29.

We put 20 top-rated towels through a battery of tests including regular shower use, a trip to the beach, camping, and a 48-hour stay in a ziplock bag under the hot Hawaiian sun. After all was said and done, the Packtowl Personal Towel is still the best all-around travel towel for most people. In addition to being the softest lightweight towel we tested, it was more absorbent than competitors made of similar materials. It had the best odor-resisting abilities and comes with a convenient mesh carrying pouch. We also have alternate picks for ultralight and all-natural towels below.

The Personal Towel's suede-like material was the softest of the thinner towels. The Personal Towel also had superior absorption when compared with other similarly constructed towels such as the Sea to Summit DryLite and the Shandali UltraSport—in our tests, it absorbed 2.8 times its weight in water, while the others absorbed between 2.3 times and 2.7 times.

One of just two we tested that featured an added antimicrobial treatment, the Personal Towel was only a little musty smelling after 24 hours in a sealed ziplock bag, and remained unchanged at 48 hours.

If you’re looking for a budget option, consider the Rainleaf Microfiber Towel, which is a tad smaller than our other picks and is made from a seemingly lighter-feeling fabric. Unlike most budget options, it has an antibacterial coating and still managed to carry a pleasant smell after being testing in different environments.

Regardless of how you get to your final destination, it's likely you’ll be stuck in a seat that's less than ideal. Travel gadgets that claim to reduce this misery, such as compression socks, are popular. But when they take up precious luggage space for the duration of your trip—not just the flight or train ride–they need to be worth every cubic inch of space. The less you can make do with, the better off you’ll be.

Its tall memory-foam walls let it offer more support than any other pillow we tested. It's also shaped to sit flush against a headrest, and it compresses to a manageable size.

The uniquely angled back on the Travelrest Ultimate sets it apart from other travel pillows we tested because it can lay flat against the seat back. Most other pillows have a rounded back, which pushes your head away from the headrest. The Travelrest also has rubber grip dots to prevent slipping while sleeping. This pillow's spongy memory foam cushions the entire circumference of your neck, preventing your head from leaning far in any direction, and its adjustable Velcro strap ensures it can fit most necks. The pillow's cozy velour exterior is removable and machine-washable. Although it doesn't pack flat, the Travelrest weighs less than a pound and compresses to a quarter of its size when rolled into its Velcro-strapped carrying case. Our only complaint is that the Travelrest's high walls, though supportive, can push over-ear headphones off of the ears of people with shorter necks.

The Bose 700 headphones deliver excellent noise cancellation in a comfortable, lightweight design that's traveler friendly—but they carry a high price.

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 over-ear set has the most versatile active noise cancellation we’ve ever tested. With 10 levels of noise reduction to choose from, everyone should be able to find a setting that meets their needs. We also enjoyed the lightweight and comfortable design and the easy-to-use controls. What distinguishes the Bose 700's ANC is the amount of adjustability it gives you: Most noise-cancelling headphones offer controls for only on/off or maybe high/low/off, but with the Bose 700 pair you can set the ANC level from 0 to 10, so you have more flexibility to dial in the ideal setting for your comfort. The 20-hour battery life, while not the best we’ve seen, is more than sufficient to get you to most destinations. We have additional options—including earbuds and surprisingly good budget options for over-ear headphones and earbuds—in our full guide to noise-cancelling headphones.

These blocked the most noise in our controlled testing and got the most votes from our subjective sleep panel.

When you’re traveling, it can be difficult to fall asleep to unfamiliar noises. That's why we spent several hours researching new contenders and tested four top-rated models while sleeping in a house that was next to an airport in order to determine that Mack's Ultra Soft Foam earplugs are the best earplugs for most travelers.

The Mack's 37.1 dB noise reduction rating was the highest among the models we tested. According to Cooper Safety, that's enough to reduce the volume of a gas lawnmower to that of a normal conversation. What made the Mack's earplugs so effective is the fact that we could insert them and rest assured that they would stay in the whole night. Meanwhile, the Howard Leight MAX1 might be a favorite from crowdsourced sleep-aid review site Sleep Like the Dead, but the earplugs would inevitably fall out in the middle of the night. Thus, they failed to block out the noise of planes landing and taking off throughout the night, despite the MAX1's 33 dB noise reduction rating. The Howard Leights also made our ears ache on occasion, whereas the Mack's has a tapered shape that was consistently comfortable night after night.

The Mack's Slim Fit Soft Foam Earplugs cost about 20¢-35¢ per pair when purchased in a 50-pair pack. They come in a plastic case is about the size of a large coffee mug, which is small enough to toss in a large bag or suitcase. Many other ear plugs like our runner-up, the 3M's E-A-Rsoft OCS1135, can only be ordered in industrial-size lots that, while perhaps appealing to those who travel constantly (or run a hostel), are annoying to store and often lack a reusable container of any sort.

The lightweight and contoured Nidra mask is a light-blocking win for most face shapes, with deep eye cups that allow the wearer to blink freely and arrive feeling refreshed.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $18.

When bright lights hamper peaceful shut-eye, we recommend the light-blocking, contoured Nidra Deep Rest sleep mask. Of the 20 masks we tried over two rounds of testing, the Nidra blocked the most light on the most faces. It's contoured to rest on your face like a pair of soft goggles, with fabric lenses that sit around your eyes (instead of directly over them). This design provides more space for your eyes to flutter during REM sleep, ensuring that you come through red-eye flights with less redness in your eyes. Makeup wearers will also appreciate that, with the Nidra's elevated eye cups, there's a smaller chance of smudging.

A silken exterior material, a flat design, and an adjustable strap make this mask a fit for almost any face, but it puts pressure on the eyes.

May be out of stock

If the Nidra Deep Rest doesn't fit your face quite right, we also recommend the Alaska Bear Natural Silk Sleep Mask. It lacks contoured eyecups and thus applies some pressure to the eyes overnight like any regular eye mask does. But its flat design easily conforms to fit your face, and its silk exterior feels smooth and soft against skin (the padding is made of cotton). Its relative lack of structure makes it more difficult to knock off when you’re tossing and turning. Testers also liked that the Alaska Bear's unobtrusive buckled strap didn't snag on long hair the way a Velcro strap could. We think the Alaska Bear is a terrific eye mask for sleeping while traveling or in bed—regardless of your preferred sleep position—but we find the Nidra mask's roomier eyecups more comfortable.

The Sea to Summit silk liner wicks moisture, doesn't retain smells, packs down to the size of an apple, and even weighs less than one. It makes scratchy motel and hostel linens a lot more bearable.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $170.

A silk sleeping bag liner is a great way to insulate yourself from scratchy, cheap, poorly maintained linens you might find at a hostel or motel. On top of the obvious bling appeal of sleeping in silk, it's the best performing material, too: absorbent yet quick-drying. This makes silk superior to cotton, which becomes uncomfortable as soon as it gets moist, and synthetics, which retain smells more readily. Silk is also super strong, and its light weight means manufacturers can give you full body coverage in a compact package.

Our favorite is the Sea to Summit Premium Silk Travel Liner, which is available in a variety of sizes, including regular, long, and even double for sharing. Whichever you pick, it will pack down to about the size and weight of a medium-sized apple. You won't need it everywhere you sleep, but you’ll be glad you have it the next time you run into a set of scratchy sandpaper sheets at a cut-rate boarding house. (We have also used this for sleeping on long plane flights with great success.) Cocoon and Rab are the only other options when it comes to 100 percent silk liners backed by a real company with a warranty, but those come in only one size. (Western Mountaineering makes silk liners as well, but they’re mainly available only through independent retailers.)

Few things are better than landing at an airport, turning on your phone, and having it just work. No hassles, no stress, no worries about brutal roaming fees. You can check in with loved ones, scope out the route to your lodgings, and maybe post an Instagram story or two—because your phone works just like it does at home. This is especially freeing, and it makes travel so much easier. (Of course, phones aren't the only useful tech to bring: Check out our accessories reviews for guides to the best cables (USB-C, Lightning, and Micro-USB), Wi-Fi hotspots, Bluetooth speakers, and more.)

One of the most useful gadgets for international travel is an unlocked smartphone that's compatible with cheap, prepaid phone plans you can sign up for at your destination. Unless your carrier offers plans including high-speed data that you can access internationally (i.e., you’re with T-Mobile or Google Fi), traveling with a phone under contract with a major carrier means paying an arm and a leg for data. Being able to access data-guzzling apps like Google Maps or Google Translate on the fly is worth the hassle to unlock a phone. Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp are free, easy ways to communicate with people you meet on your trip and people from home. Plus there's checking email, TripAdvisor, banking, social media, and so on.

An "unlocked" phone means you can buy prepaid SIM cards in the country you’re visiting, letting you access their local network for significantly less money than the roaming fees incurred by your home carrier. With a prepaid SIM, your phone effectively becomes a new phone with a new (now local) phone number. Instead of seeing "Verizon," "AT&T," or "Sprint" at the top of your phone, you might see "Vodafone," "Yes Optus," "M1," or whatever provider you choose in the country you’re visiting. The first thing to check is if your phone will work where you’re going. If you’re unsure if your phone will work where you’re going, check the Wikipedia page for your phone or contact your provider.

Your phone will also require a removable SIM (which most newer phones have). Most countries require a passport or other ID to buy a prepaid SIM without a contract, but switching the SIMs is easy. Most stores will do it for you while you’re there. Depending on the country/provider, this could take as long as 10 minutes but is often faster. The next question is easily the most complicated: Can you unlock your phone? Each carrier has different rules and criteria. Generally, if you have a brand new, expensive phone, they may not let you unlock it (there's usually a waiting period after the purchase date). But if it's a little older, or if you’ve paid it off, they probably will. The thing to remember is that a provider can deny an unlock request without giving a reason. You might be lucky, though; certain phones on certain providers are unlocked by default. Here are Verizon and AT&T's pages on unlocking. Alternately, you can buy a pre-unlocked phone just for travel. Amazon and Best Buy, for example, sell unlocked phones. This is also a good option if you think you might lose your expensive phone and a cheaper one will suffice while you travel.

With four plugs that will work in most countries, plus faster-charging USB ports (and more of them) than its competitors, this adapter is the best all-around choice.

In a sea of almost-identical travel adapters, the Epicka Universal Travel Adapter stands out, combining the best of the features we look for. It contains the three most common international plugs and a US-style plug, which should cover you in the majority of countries around the world. It has the most USB ports—four of the standard USB-A and one USB-C—of any universal adapter we tested, and it charged more of our devices faster. A replaceable fuse and an included spare should take the brunt of any accidental, unfortunate, or shockingly bad connections. The Epicka is fairly compact and well built, and it even comes with an extra USB cable and a nylon case.

However, no universal travel adapter is truly universal, and they’re all a lot bulkier and more expensive than simple plug adapters. If you want the smallest adapter possible, or if you’re going someplace where a universal adapter won't work (more on that in a minute), a plug adapter could be what you need.

Individually, these tiny plug adapters are smaller, lighter, and cheaper than any universal travel adapter. To juice up multiple devices, though, you’d need a separate multiport charger too.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $0.

The tiny plug adapters from Ceptics are barely larger than the prongs they convert. Small, simple, and cheap, they’re perfect for someone who wants to carry only the adapter they’ll need and who already has a multiport USB wall charger they like. Like our universal adapter picks, this set contains the three most common international plugs and the US plug. However, it also includes a somewhat rarer plug used in some European countries that has two thick, cylindrical prongs. This means that the Ceptics set will likely cover you in even more places—as long as you pack the appropriate plug adapter. These charts should help you find the shape you need before you order.

However, getting your gear to work in different countries isn't quite as simple as it should be, and there's no single solution that's guaranteed to work for everyone. Our picks should work for you, but you may have some random piece of equipment, or be traveling to some country, for which our "good for most" picks just won't work. (Case in point: One Wirecutter editor visited Iceland recently. The house she stayed in had outlets unlike anything on those charts, and the plug adapters she had used elsewhere in Reykjavik didn't fit at all. It turns out the mystery sockets belonged to an obscure Italian system from the 1960s that was popular in Iceland for a time. Luckily, the hosts had power strips in the house that her adapters fit into.) The world is a big place, and when it comes to electricity and wall outlets, there's a lot of variation. That's important to keep in mind.

Whether two-prong or three-prong, an adapter just changes the shape of your plug, not anything about the electricity coming through the wires. However, this usually isn't a problem because almost every power brick that comes with modern electronic gear is capable of accepting both the 110-volt standard used in the US and the 240-volt commonly used abroad. If your device has a power block on the cord, it likely says something like "100-240 V ~ 50/60 Hz"—that's the all-clear to use it without a voltage converter so long as the range covers the voltage of the country you’re visiting. This includes the vast majority of modern laptop and USB chargers. Products without some sort of power block at the end or with a non-detachable cord—in particular, things with heating elements like hair dryers and curling irons—are more likely to need a voltage converter. Putting 220 V through a US 110 V device would be like attaching a firehose to a drinking fountain—you’re likely to blow your face off. But voltage converters are tricky devices, and most of the inexpensive ones have awful (or dishonest) reviews. Since hotels and hostels will often have hair dryers and most newer gear can do the full range of voltages, we strongly recommend that, whenever possible, you only bring items that work with a much simpler (and more reliable) adapter.

A slim, light, and water-resistant bag that keeps your gear organized, accessible, and secure when you’re on the go.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $50.

Now that every device has a battery, every battery has a charger, and every charger has a cable—never mind power-plug adapters if you’re traveling abroad—the sheer quantity of accessories needed just to keep your gadgets running can take up more space than the devices themselves. And unless you organize them, you can bet on having to blindly fish them out of the least convenient spot at the bottom of your bag. Sturdy and lightweight, the Incase Nylon Accessory Organizer is our pick for carrying tech necessities; it zips closed, so items won't get lost or fall out, and it's water repellent. The Incase bag is roughly the size and shape of a large paperback (it's 2 inches thick), and like a book it opens flat from a spine. It has two medium-size loops that can hold two 5W USB power adapters or multiple pens and an external zip pocket with a cable-sized hole leading to the inside. We love this feature because it's great for charging a phone without removing the external battery pack from the main compartment. It also has a large, padded pocket lined in faux fur that won't scratch delicate phone screens. The bag's inside flaps have a mesh pocket that is big enough to store a MacBook power adapter (with the cord in a different pocket), five more mesh or solid pockets of various sizes, a small zip pocket ideal for SD cards, a pen loop, and three small elastic loops that are the right size for earbuds.

The Incase cable organizer is a poly-nylon blend, so it's durable. It is a soft-shell bag, however, so its contents can distort the bag's shape when it's full. But the bag's edges remain rigid—so the seams don't pucker—its contents don't fall out, and zipping and unzipping the bag is still easy. Even so, everyone has different carrying needs, which is why we have picks in our full guide to bag and cable organizers to suit a variety of needs, including a customizable mesh-pouch setup and a stylish duo of cosmetics travel pouches.

A USB battery pack (also called a power bank) can keep your small electronics—from phones and cameras to tablets and more—going while you’re on the road. Although the length of your trip will determine exactly how much extra juice you’ll need to have on hand, whatever your requirements, we have a couple of good USB battery recommendations for you. The Anker PowerCore 10000 PD Redux is rated 10,000 mAh—that's enough capacity to juice up most smartphones up to three times. It's a little larger than a deck of playing cards, but definitely heavier, at 6.8 ounces. The Redux has a USB-C PD port capable of charging a smartphone or other handheld device (and recharging themselves) at top speed, as well as a USB-A output port. If you want a power bank that doubles as a wall charger, get the Anker PowerCore Fusion 10000. It has an easily pocketable shape, a handy fold-up plug, and convenient battery-status lights that tell you when it needs to be recharged. It too has a rated capacity of 10,000 mAh. It's bigger and heavier than the Redux, weighing a whopping 9.6 ounces. But if you want a wall charger too and can live with the extra bulk, this is your best bet.

If you’re traveling for leisure, try not to get too wrapped up in technology because you might miss what you’re actually there to do: experience a new place. OneBag's Doug Dyment said in an interview, "Wearing headphones and staring at a screen is like putting a digital wall around yourself when you’re traveling. It makes you seem unapproachable and uninterested in what's around you." That may be a good thing if you do truly want to be left alone, but Dyment went on to say that some of his most memorable traveling experiences were the result of just looking lost and getting help from the locals. "One minute, you’re a lost foreigner in an unfamiliar village, then someone asks if you need directions. Before you know it, you’re eating dinner with his family."

Amazingly affordable with great optics, these binoculars have performance comparable with that of many models that cost thousands more.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $257.

Our top pick for binoculars is durable and great for near-home hikes. In hot or dusty environments that may call for a clearer optical boost, the Athlon Optics Midas ED 8×42 binoculars deliver top quality. Its focus dial offers a wide range of depths that makes it easier to see whatever it is you desire—birds, grass or darkened areas of the forest. Our recommendation comes with the assistance of a professional ornithologist who spent over 100 hours putting 17 pairs of binoculars to the test in the mountains of Southern California and the rain forests of southern Mexico.

Although the Celestron TrailSeeker ED binoculars don't offer a clear edge-to-edge view to the same degree of the Athlon Optics Midas EDs, they’re a comparable runner-up model that’ll be lighter on your wallet if having binoculars while traveling is a must. The TrailSeekers are equipped with great light-gathering qualities, close focus, and impressive optical resolution.

The Kids version improves on the Kindle Paperwhite's great display, adjustable color temperature, even lighting, and waterproofing with a cover, a longer warranty, and no ads.

Getting a Kindle Paperwhite Kids for traveling is worth it just to be able to read books on the go without having to carry them. The device's 6.8-inch screen has the same 300-dots-per-inch pixel density as every comparable and premium ebook reader, meaning it displays crisp, easy-to-read text and clear images. Our favorite ebook reader (even for adults), the Kindle Paperwhite Kids is light and small, with a side-lit screen that allows you to read in dim lighting and adjustable color temperature that may be easier on your eyes. Amazon also offers the most impressive catalog in terms of scope and price, as well as partnerships that, for example, let you check out free books from many public libraries. This model is waterproof and includes Bluetooth so you can stream audiobooks, both nice extras. The Kids edition of the Paperwhite is identical to the standard Kindle but comes with a case, a two-year warranty (versus the standard's one-year), and no ads, for only $20 more.

Even if you don't have time for pleasure reading on your trip, it's worth investing in a Kindle because all major travel guides are available in fully searchable ebook formats now. While traveling in Southeast Asia a few summers ago, Wirecutter's Michael Zhao used a paper copy of Lonely Planet's guide to Cambodia and the Kindle version for Bangkok. For all the benefits of having a hard copy—easier to mark up, cheaper to replace if you lose it—ultimately, he said, he wished he had gone with the Kindle version for both places, because nothing compares to the ease of universal search when it comes to quickly finding the information you need. Furthermore, e-texts will also work on your phone, tablet, and computer thanks to the Kindle ecosystem. With a Kindle, you also gain access to countless self-published guides written by locals and expatriates that are super cheap and unavailable in dead-tree formats.

This squeeze bottle is leakproof and light, so you can throw it into a carry-on bag for a flight. And the Podium is cheap enough that if the TSA makes you ditch it, you won't be heartbroken.

If you’re tired of paying for a liter of water every time you take a plane trip, try a lightweight water bottle that you can stuff into your bag and then refill once you get past airport security. For years, we looked for a reliable collapsible travel bottle, but we were disappointed so many times: The HydraPak flopped, the Hydaway tasted plasticky, the Vapur and the Platypus collapsed (in a bad way), and the Nomader didn't pack down very small. And in our experience, the implied way to carry a full one correctly—clipped to a backpack or belt loop—always left them swinging around haphazardly. We’ve recommended all of these bottles in the past, but we’ve always been left wishing there was a better way.

Basic, light, and cheap, a squeeze bottle made for cycling is now our sincere recommendation for airport travel, and we like the CamelBak Podium in particular. It has a twist lock that provides extra assurance that it's closed tight when you toss it in a bag—plus, it's dishwasher safe. In addition to its being light and relatively compact, if the TSA takes it, you’ve lost only a few dollars instead of your investment in an expensive insulated bottle. The lid on this bottle is not covered, though, so if you dislike the idea of this bottle swimming around in a bag with the drinking surface exposed, you may prefer another of our water bottle picks, the Thermos Hydration Bottle, although some of our testers didn't like having to fuss with the lid or flip lock on the Thermos.

Toss this lightweight, phone-sized packable bag into your luggage or coat pocket, and you’ll never get caught without a spare bag again. If you need something to carry every day, though, we think you’ll prefer one of our more-structured picks.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $40.

Packing a stowable daypack, one that stuffs down to fit in your luggage when not in use, is a relatively small investment of space in exchange for a high return of function and flexibility. After researching dozens of packable daypacks across a spectrum of portability, features, and prices, and then packing, unpacking, loading, wearing, and drenching the top-rated finalists during multiple rounds of testing, the Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Travel Day Pack is the smallest and lightest packable backpack we recommend. Packed up, it is very discreet: nearly the size of a keychain accessory. The bag itself is a no-frills sack made from a paper-thin siliconized Cordura nylon, which means it's very light and water-resistant. It has reinforced stitching at stress points, allowing the Ultra-Sil to carry more weight than you would expect. That said, since this pack is made of such thin, light material, carrying large or awkwardly shaped loads is somewhat uncomfortable, especially when compared with our more structured picks.

If comfort or waterproofing is important to you, check out the alternative picks in our review of packable daypacks for travel.

Field Notes are cheap but contain high-quality paper that earns praise from pen and stationery geeks across the web.

*At the time of publishing, the price was $12.

For writing your adventures as you travel, you can't beat the portability, practicality, and romanticism of a pocket notebook. There's nothing better in that category than Field Notes (three-packs available in a variety of styles and types). These pocket-sized notebooks are widely praised for their excellent paper quality, and the Pen Addict's Brad Dowdy tells me "Field Notes is pretty much the runaway pocket notebook champ." Dowdy has praised it for the lack of feathering or bleedthrough with almost any pen, as well as for the light brown ruled lines, which are easier to write over than solid black. Austin Smith of Art Supply Critic told us in an email that his recommendation is "Field Notes has it, no question." The Well-Appointed Desk has reviewed a slew of different Field Notes variants for those looking for something a bit more interesting.

Weather-resistant Expedition Field Notes are great if you’re writing in wet conditions, but don't get them if you don't need them. The synthetic paper feels weird and can cause some inks to smear.

If you think you’re going to be writing in foul weather, Field Notes also has the waterproof Expedition version with pages made from a synthetic water-and-tear resistant paper. You should only get these if you really need them, because otherwise, they just feel unnaturally slick and are more prone to smearing ink. At least one user has said that the paper shows less soaking through when wet than the similar Rite in the Rain books. The one caveat is that the synthetic paper will only work with pencils and certain inks; thankfully, the Uni-ball Jetstream RT, our pick for best pen definitely makes the grade.

Things can go wrong while you’re traveling, both where you are and where you’re not. Though you can't prepare for every worst-case scenario, the peace of mind that a little bit of preparation grants will allow you to focus on what's in front of you, instead of having to worry about what could go wrong. But preparation doesn't simply mean buying more stuff just in case; it also means making efficient use of what you already have.

The Merchant & Mills Rapid Repair Kit is the only travel kit we found that had objectively high-quality thread and scissors.

There's nothing quite like a wardrobe malfunction to put a damper on vacation, especially when traveling with limited clothing. A good travel-size sewing kit allows you to mend a popped button or ripped seam on the fly—or even tackle more pressing issues like fixing a tent, sleeping bag, or backpack. After 15 hours of research, interviews with sewing teachers and avid home sewers, and tests of six travel and full-size kits, we found the Merchant & Mills for Purl Soho Rapid Repair Kit had by far the best tools and was the easiest to keep organized. Standard travel sewing kits usually contain mediocre thread and plastic-handled scissors that break easily. They can also be hard to keep organized (a truth we confirmed when testing six top-rated travel and full-sized kits). The Merchant & Mills set was the only one that had high-quality thread, all-metal mini scissors (don't worry, the TSA shouldn't stop you), and a durable tin case (about the size of a deck of cards) to keep everything well organized.

Because the sewing pins are neatly stuck into paper inside a slim envelope and the three needles are housed in a mini glass vial, this kit also limits the risk of losing a sharp object in your bags. We found the Merchant & Mills needles easier to thread than others (no need for a fussy needle threader!) and we also like the vintage-looking safety pins that come clipped together along with two small white buttons. Although this kit only comes with black and white thread, the thread is strong and there's more of it than you’d get in a flimsier set with shorter strands of multiple colors. We do think it would be nice if the kit included a more durable measuring tape than the paper one included, but overall everything about this kit is leagues ahead of anything else we considered. We didn't find editorial reviews for any of the kits we tested, but the Merchant & Mills rapid repair kit was recommended by several sewing bloggers and is sold in many reputable indie fabric shops.

This is a solidly built, easy-to-find umbrella that holds up in high winds. It also comes in a variety of colors.

price may vary by color or style

price may vary by color or style

*At the time of publishing, the price was $27.

An umbrella you take traveling should be small, light, sturdy, and affordable. After putting in 66 hours of research and evaluating a total of 48 umbrellas across five rounds of testing (including one thunder-snowstorm), we found that the Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella is the best umbrella for most people. Its durable, nine-rib construction held up admirably against gale-force winds, and it's as sturdy as umbrellas that sell for more than twice as much.

The Repel folds up to an 11½-inch long, 14-ounce package that fits easily into most bags and glove boxes. And it forcefully expands at a touch of a button to reveal an ample 37-inch-diameter canopy that protects your head and torso from precipitation in all but the windiest of conditions. Its lengthy, textured handle is easy to grip for hands of all sizes. We also appreciate that the Repel comes in a wide variety of colors, so it's easier to pick yours out of a crowded umbrella bucket. Finally, despite its affordable price, it's backed by a lifetime replacement guarantee, but only if you purchase directly from Repel and register the item under the company's warranty.

The AmazonBasics Automatic Travel Umbrella's vented design and solid build shrugged off even the toughest gusts during our testing, and it's available for less than the Repel. However, it can sometimes be hard to get. AmazonBasics reps have assured us that it remains in the company's product line, but it goes out of stock frequently, and we’ve often seen no online indication that it would be back.

While packing cubes and other organization tools are helpful for maximizing your bag's usable space, efficient packing is also achievable without the aid of tools and compartments. One Bag's Doug Dyment tried all manners of folding aids and compression products but was unsatisfied with their claims of compression and wrinkle prevention. Frustrated, he developed his own method of packing clothes compactly called the Bundle Method, which he's used and perfected over several decades of traveling.

The Bundle Method involves layering your shirts and pants at opposing angles on a flat surface, then wrapping them around a small "core" parcel (e.g. a packing cube full of underwear and socks). We won't get into details, but Dyment does on his website; you can watch this easy-to-follow video from NBC. The resulting bundle is compact and has no sharp creases that will require ironing out later on. Additionally, Dyment explains that "the slight tension created in the fabric by the wrapping process, along with the anchoring of the resulting bundle, greatly reduces the chances of wrinkling." You then put it in your bag and use the tie-down straps to provide just enough pressure to keep it together.

While simple to perform, this packing method isn't something you can master in one go. It takes a bit of practice, but once you get it, it's like riding a bike. The downside is that you can't just leave your clothing packed and expect to be able to access your underwear without fully unpacking your clothes first. But unpacking is a good habit to get into anyway, as it allows your clothes to breathe and avoid wrinkles or mildew. Wirecutter founder and frequent traveler Brian Lam says that unpacking the moment he enters a room has a grounding effect that allows him to feel a bit more at home in a new environment.

If this sounds like too much of a hassle for you, you can do what we did before we found out about bundling: roll up your socks and underwear tightly and place them in packing cubes, then put your wrinkle-prone items (shirts, pants, skirts, dresses, jackets) in a garment folder—we used the Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Garment Folder because it's the lightest option. This is also travel guru Rob King's preferred method of packing. Though the garment folder is not quite as space-efficient as the bundle method due to the added bulk of the folder and folding board, the plastic backboard does go a long way towards preventing wrinkles. Just be aware that if you leave your clothes in there for longer than a day, they’ll begin to develop unsightly creases that require an iron to get rid of.

A big thank-you to the Hotel Lucia in downtown Portland, Oregon, for lending us a suite to use for the photos in this guide.

This article was edited by Ria Misra and Christine Ryan.

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