We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. A LifeStraw which could turn out to be a life-saver because it can filter bacteria, parasites, and micro-plastics from water. You'll be happy you have this when you empty your Hydroflask sooner than expected or get dehydrated on a walking tour.
Promising review: "This thing is no joke! I took it backpacking on Maine's Bigelow range. When I ran out of the water I brought, I was A-OK with this. Just bring a wide mouth bottle to fill with water you find. On top of one of the lower peaks, I drank from the most disgusting-looking crevice filled with brown scum. I thought, this is going to be safe, but taste horrid. WRONG. TASTED LIKE THE FRESHEST SPRING WATER. Better than any tap. I'm from Maine, and I've tasted plenty of water right from mountain springs, so take my word. One caution: it can be a little challenging to start. You have to prove it by soaking. If it still doesn't work, blow into it a bit." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $15.66+ (available in four colors and in multi-packs up to five).
2. Charcoal odor absorber bags so you never have to worry about your shoes emitting an unpleasant odor in your hotel room or luggage.
Promising review: "Stinky shoes be gone! These guys are on the smaller size (1”x3” each) so I put two each in my size 10 Women’s shoes when I pack them up for travel. I LOVE that they make the stinks go away. They don’t add any particular scent either. It’s just a neutral sucking up of the 'stop wearing those shoes' scent blues. I’ve used them in my favorite ballet flats and shiny sneakers. My dog approves." –Izzi
Get a set of 12 from Amazon for $13.98 (also available in a 24 pack).
3. A mini wallet emergency kit which comes with almost every item you would need to fix little problems on a family trip. If anyone has a hangnail, chapped lips, deodorant stains, or any other disaster that can occur while out of town, they'll be forever indebted to the genius who brought this adorable zip bag along.
Anne Cate is a woman-owned small business founded by Anne Catherine Skoch in 2016. The brand specializes in handmade accessories and home decor items.
Each mini wallet emergency kit comes stocked with a hair tie, ChapStick, two floss picks, a sewing kit, a bandage, an emery board, two safety pins, two earring backs, a makeup wipe, two bobby pins, two mints, a deodorant wipe, a Shout wipe, a tampon, hand sanitizer, and OTC pain relief pills.
Get it from Anne Cate for $25.
4. A 4-in-one makeup pen that includes an eyeliner, lip liner, brow pencil, and highlighter — just click and apply. This means you won't have to worry about your powders breaking or liquids exploding in your luggage.
5. Wireless noise-cancelling headphones so you can tune out distracting background noise on the plane and catch some ZZZs or get extra work done. The headphones come with a built-in microphone and one charge gives you 30 hours of use.
Promising review: "Now that I’ve had these headphones for a couple of weeks, I can’t imagine my life without them. I chose them because they were the highest rated noise cancelling headphones in this price range reviewed by Consumer Reports. These headphones work SO well at blocking out the noises I was getting so distracted by. I also listen to podcasts and meditations on them, but not really music so I can’t really speak to their sound quality there. I use them for work (Teams meetings or listening to live broadcasts) and they work well. The battery life is great and I could probably get through two full days on a charge." —Kelly
Get it from Amazon for $59.99 (available in three colors).
6. Portable soap paper sheets that get instantly sudsed up with a drop of water. These can clean your hands on-the-go when you're on a camping or road trip and can't get to a traditional washroom.
Promising review: "Exactly what I wanted! Hands feel very clean after wash! Highly recommend! I read other reviews and decided these had the best reviews, and those reviews did not disappoint! Each sheet of soap produces enough soap to give the comfort of knowing your hands are throughly clean. We liked our first order so much that we bought 10 packs for my fiancé's work crew to help make keeping their hands clean during this pandemic! (He’s a delivery driver/repair tech.) If you have wanted to try something like this product, I highly recommend this brand!" —Clippin4You
Get a four-pack from Amazon for $6.59+ (available in multi-packs up to nine).
7. Traction mats to help your car get unstuck if you get trapped in mud, snow, or sand. Instead of paying loads of money for a tow truck, you can get yourself out of a sticky situation for a fraction of the price — they're lightweight so they won't weigh down your car and you won't need to push or pull. Just line them up in front of your tires and start driving.
Promising review: "If you're on the fence, just do it. They are half the price of MaxTrax and just as good, I haven't used them as a bridge, but they literally saved my and my wife's lives in a recent Colorado Blizzard on a horrible mountain pass. Good tires, and 4LO couldn't get me up the 12% grade in about 1' of fresh snow on top of 1-2" of ice and we were just sliding sideways toward the literal cliff. We got these babies out, wedged them against the front and rear opposite corners and it got us out of the terrible situation and back home." —Tony
Get a pack of two from Amazon for $135.20+ (available in three colors and four sizes).
8. A waterproof satin-lined Hairbrella hat that will protect your wash and set (or wash and go) from unexpected rain and humidity while traveling. It comes with a visor, carrying case, has an adjustable strap, and offers UV sun protection.
Hairbrella is a Black woman-owned small business that has been creating fashionable hats that protect hair from all kinds of weather since 2016.
Promising review: "Traveled to London last month with a raincoat that did not have a hood, and wanted something that would protect my head/hair/blowout without lugging an umbrella. This definitely did the trick. 2 of the 3 days were rainy (some quite heavy) and my hair stayed totally dry. It stows nicely, too." —Miss Information
Get it from Amazon for $39.99+ (available in eight colors).
9. A bottle of Poo-Pourri because there is no amount of love that can mask the unpleasant odor coming from the bathroom after they go. This will come in handy whether you're sharing a hotel room with your family, friends, or partner.
Promising review: "I have this one, a travel size one, and an extra one to refill all my travel size ones. I keep one in the house bathroom and one with me at all times. I even bought one for each of my relatives. I was always too subconscious about pooing in any public or private bathroom unless it was my own. When my friend heard about it and knew of my shy problem, he ordered it for me. I gave it a try and it honestly masks almost all of the scent. It has helped me regulate myself by allowing me to get comfortable enough with going when I need to despite where I am and who's around." —AriQuinn
Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in 20 scents and 11 sizes).
10. Disposable silicone ear plugs that can help with that painful feeling that happens when your plane is landing.
Promising review: "This product has changed my life. I travel fairly frequently and always have issues with ear pressure on the plane. My ears will be clogged up, and it is painful to swallow for a day or two after short-distance flights. But now, I use these and fly incident-free. You are supposed to insert them before the plane takes off and then before landing. I have found that it works best if I leave them in the entire flight from before takeoff until landing, but they work almost as well if you take them out once you reach cruising altitude." —Thomasina
Get a pack of one from Amazon for $7.50 (available in multi-packs up to 10).
11. A refillable spray bottle which will help you avoid spills or getting your favorite perfume tossed out of your carry-on by TSA.
Each time you fill the atomizer you'll get 60 full sprays before needing to add more fragrance.
Promising review: "I took this atomizer on a two-week vacation to Europe. It never leaked!!! Now I can bring my favorite perfume anywhere." —Lorraine
Get it from The Grommet for $15.95 (available in five colors).
12. A portable espresso maker so you can have a fresh cup of joe while on a road trip, at a festival, hiking, camping, or wherever else you end up this summer. Just add the coffee of your choice to the filter, put water in the tank, and press the button to release it into the included cup.
Promising review: "The best thing for traveling ever!! I have to have espresso every morning and most small hotels and gas stations don't have espresso coffee so this is perfect! Easy to use. The cleaning takes 30 seconds; just rinse with water and let it dry." —Joanna Verdeja
Get it from Amazon for $54.90 (and here are some Nespresso pods to go with it).
13. A portable charger because a dead phone is one of the worst things that can happen while traveling. You could miss out on amazing photos or worse — get lost!
Promising review: "This is an amazing rapid power charger! It charges an iPad faster than plugging it into AC, even while using it! The size is very manageable — about the size of a deck of cards. I travel frequently, and I'm not always near a power source. I just make sure to charge the Anker each evening and then none of my devices will be without power during the day. I was so happy with it, I purchased two more — one for my husband and one for my sister who can't seem to remember to keep her devices charged." —Cathy K
Get it from Amazon for $34.99+ (available in four colors).
14. A mask bracket that allows you to be fully and safely covered from the top of your nose to the bottom of your chin during your travels, but still able to comfortably breath.
A lot of reviewers also mentioned this was great for saving their lipstick or when fabric from masks gets wet in the rain!
Promising review: "These make it so much easier to have a conversation since your mask isn't right on your mouth and you don't sound all muffled. Another benefit is I don't have to speak as loudly. I'm not so sure about being cooler with this because it always feels hot when I have my mask on. There are some clips on both ends of these but I'm not sure how they are used. I find they stay in place if my mask is nice and snug, which it should be. Very satisfied with this product." —Duarte Lady
Get a set of five from Amazon for $9.74.
15. An eight-pack travel organizing set which comes with labeled bags for your laundry, shoes, socks, underwear, a miscellaneous bag, and three unlabeled cubes. This will ensure your soiled clothes and footwear don't touch anything clean.
Bag-all is a woman-owned small business that specializes in travel and organization products.
Promising review: "I used to have trouble unpacking from a trip after I returned home. Now, whether I’m packing to go or unpacking upon returning, it makes my life so much easier. Everything has a special place and it looks sharp!" —Heather L.
Get the set from Bag-all for $120 (available in three colors).
16. An anti-blister balm for your feet that provides a barrier between your skin and shoes. The vitamin A and C blend helps soothe dry, cracked feet after a long day of sightseeing.
Promising review: "I purchased two of these for our one-week Disney World trip. I knew I’d be walking around A LOT, and my feet aren’t used to the many miles of walking a day in the hot and humid environment, so I didn’t want to be uncomfortable. I'm happy to say I put it on once in the morning, slipped on some socks and comfy shoes, and I didn’t get one blister or issue with my feet! I wish I knew about this a long time ago!" —Michelle
Get it from Amazon for $8.99.
17. A travel checklist notepad that has every essential you'll need to pack for your trip on it. It even includes empty spaces so you can add personal items to the list.
Promising review: "So helpful! I travel a lot, and so does my husband, and this pad makes packing so much easier and stress free. The list is quite extensive, while I probably will never need to pack all of it for one trip, but it covers everything for a business trip or a pleasure trip. I don't worry about what I forgot to pack anymore. Use a pencil, erase it when done, and one sheet will last three to four trips." —Cktine
Get it from Amazon for $7.
18. A Tide To Go pen which will especially help those who pack light. If your clothes or your only pair of sneakers get dirty, just scrub the stain with this. Then you'll avoid paying tourist prices or walking around with a coffee spill.
Promising review: "These were a lifesaver. I was walking to the bus and decided it was a great decision to drink coffee while walking. Like a scene from an infomercial, I spilled coffee all over my white shirt. Yes, the classic coffee on the white shirt. Luckily I had one of these in my bag (I put one in each of my most-used purses in anticipation of my clumsiness). I went into a store bathroom and quickly scrubbed the Tide To Go on my shirt. All of the coffee blobs went away and once the awkward wet splotches dried up, my shirt was perfectly white again. You've got yourself a big fan, Tide." —NAD
Get a pack of three for $7.74.
19. A TSA-approved fingerprint lock that will allow all of your valuables to remain safely in your luggage. You can load up to five prints on it plus you can unlock it with a code.
BenjiLock by Hampton is a small biz that uses biometric technology to use your fingerprint as the key to the lock. The lock is pick- and water-resistant.
Get it from Hampton for $39.99.
20. A car clip sauce holder — now you can enjoy your food during your roadtrip without ruining the car *or* your outfit. This double dipper allows you to conveniently dunk your fries or nuggets without worrying about short stops or unsteady hands getting in the way.
3D Printed by Brian is a small business based in Fate, Texas that sells 3D printed products.
Promising review: "My husband rolled his eyes at me that I bought it but I have no regrets! Never again will I spill sauce on myself in the car. Has an even nicer cleaner look than the picture in my opinion." —MadisonElaine98
Get it from 3D Printed by Brian on Etsy for $6.50+ (available as a single or double).
21. Weleda Skin Food Cream so your skin won't be flaky and dry from all the hand-sanitizing while traveling. This keeps skin moisturized with a blend of sunflower oil, sweet almond oil, rosemary, chamomile, and pansy extracts.
Promising review: "I am a flight attendant and this is my go-to hand cream! It is a little greasy when you first start rubbing it in, but it absorbs quickly and that along with the smell (a bit medicinal) dissipates before you know it. It doesn't take much of this at all. I rub a little on my tired feet at the end of the day as well, and trust me I have tired feet after being on them for 14-plus hours. This stuff works great for this as well. Win-win, Weleda!" —Lauren
Get it from Amazon for $9.39+ (available in three sizes).
22. A zipper scrunchie that you can stuff your essentials and money into. It will allow you to leave your heavy bag in your hotel room. Plus, it's almost impossible to lose because it'll be secure on your arm or your hair.
Hustle Sew Shop is based out of Oregon and hand-makes different goods like face masks and scrunchies.
Promising review: "Love this scrunchie! This is perfect for when I walk my dog; it fits my house key, chapstick, and treats, and STILL holds my hair up! I will be buying more for friends in the future. Highly recommend." –Sarah Dickinson
Get it from Hustle Sew Shop on Etsy for $6 (available in 14 fabric colors and three zipper options).
23. A beach blanket made from parachute nylon that is water- and sand-proof! After your sunbathing session, just shake it off and roll it back into the sack attached to it.
The blanket comes with four securing anchors.
Promising review: "I recently purchased this blanket for a family vacation to Florida, and everyone LOVED it! It's lightweight, big enough for the whole family to lay out on, and the sand rolled right off. One of the things I loved most about it is that it rolled up super compact and light so it was easy to pack! When you are going to the beach with kids, you drag along a lot of equipment! It was nice that this was easy to pack and travel with. Fun fact: If you have one of those canopies to bring to the beach, this blanket fits perfectly under it!" —Megan
Get it from Amazon for $28.97+ (available in three colors).
24. A portable luggage scale — now you'll never have to choose between leaving your favorite items behind or paying an overweight bag fee.
Promising review: "This luggage scale is so handy and is great for weighing your luggage. I was a little concerned before I got it because I wasn't sure how accurate it would be. When I used it when I went on vacation, it was dead-on to what the airport said, so I highly recommend this. Plus, it’s easy to pack in your bags." —Teresa Daniels
Get it from Amazon for $10.99+ (available in four colors and as a two-pack).
25. A travel contact lens kit which includes a solution bottle, tweezers, stick connection, case, and mirror. Any contact wearer knows the pain of rubbing an itchy eye and accidentally popping out a contact — avoid the headache and blurry vision by staying prepared with this adorable compact.
26. A portable fan that will help keep you cool during any outing despite the high temperatures. It's perfect for theme parks, Caribbean vacations, or festivals.
Promising review: "I have ZERO complaints!!! My sister got married outdoors and I decided I needed a fan as I sweat a lot. Suffice to say I LOVE IT! I was cool the entire time in the sun, it has a handle and is not too big which makes it easy to tag along anywhere and everywhere. You won’t regret this purchase." —DIONNE HOOK
Get it from Amazon for $15.99+ (available in four colors).
27. Hypoallergenic plant-based body wipes which will allow you to freshen up on any excursion where you don't have a tub — they basically pack a refreshing shower in each swipe.
Promising review: "I wish I had a funny review here, but B.O. is no joke! I work out hard, I sweat hard, and sweat stinks! I also run my own incredibly busy business and have two small kids. Every minute of my day counts and showering early in the day is a luxury that I don’t always get to indulge in! But that leaves me smelling 'straight out the locker room' for a large part of my day before I get to shower — no good! Enter these — they're a game changer! I work out, sweat like a boss, wipe down, and voila: no longer offensive! In fact, I actually smell and feel fresh! Big fan!" —Anna Palestis Frenkel
Get a pack of 10 from Amazon for $12.44 (also available as a pack of two).
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