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1. A hands-free (rotating!) phone mount designed for use on all airlines — not only can you mount it to the tray table, but to the arm of a chair or any flat surface, so you'll be able to stream content easy as pie.
2. A handy RFID-blocking travel wallet complete with *deep breath* a passport pocket, boarding pass compartment, three credit card slots, an ID slot, a slim card pouch, slim pocket, a ticket slot, a cellphone pouch, a coin zippered pocket, key holder, and a pen holder, all in one itty bitty place so you're never scrambling to find anything when you're on the move.
Promising review: "I absolutely love this wallet. I needed a new travel wallet, and this holds everything I need all in one place, and it still closes nicely and stays flat! I can fit my boarding pass, passport, ID, credit cards, money, checked baggage tickets, receipts, and more in it, yet it doesn’t bulk up or look like an overstuffed mess. It's just amazing. The description says it only holds US money, but I just used the boarding pass flap to hold all my Japanese Yen (¥), which are larger. I didn’t use the zippered pocket for coins as I much prefer a separate coin purse for that sort of thing. I definitely recommend to anyone who travels a lot!" —Anthony Luu
Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in 35 colors).
3. A travel laptop backpack with plenty of room for everything you need, plus protection for your tech that has truly ... thought ... of everything?? It has soft, ventilated padding for a comfy fit, a luggage strap to fit on a suitcase, a whole slew of pockets (including a hidden anti-theft one), plus a built in USB charger outside and built in charging cable inside. OH! And it's also water-resistant. If this backpack were a person, it would be the safest, smuggest person alive.
Promising review: "This little backpack got me through 12 days of traveling Europe! I used a few space saver bags as well, but was able to bring four pairs of pants, seven shirts, and one dress, then wore a few things twice. It held up really well throughout, and fit dimensions for WOW, Vueling, and EasyJet." —CM
Get it from Amazon for $39.99 (available in seven colors).
4. Plus a roomy duffel bag that's practically *screaming* "take me on a weekend road trip — this durable, water-resistant duffel comes with long handles for easy maneuvering, a side panel to hook it to a roll-on suitcase, and even has compartments to separate dry clothes from wet/dirty clothes.
It's water-resistant and has an adjustable long strap.
Promising review: "Exactly what I was looking for in a weekend bag. It is very well made, good construction from zippers to straps, inside and out. I was able to pack all my needed items for the weekend, including laptop. Extremely happy with this bag. Will gladly use this bag on longer trips as well. I purchased the light pink color and it's perfect." —pixie trinket
Get it from Amazon for $26.99+ (available in five colors).
5. A popular water-resistant Under Armour face mask designed to sit off your lips, giving you plenty of room to breathe without getting fabric sucked into your mouth — a perfect mask for anyone looking to relax on a long plane flight. It's also made with the company's Iso-Chill fabric, so it doesn't overheat despite being bulkier than other masks.
FWIW, if you're planning to exercise in a mask while traveling, this mask also has the approval of a *ton* of runners and athletes in its reviews, but also runners IRL. I run in Central Park four days a week and I am constantly seeing other runners in this mask. I have two of them in my own run rotation, and I'm impressed not only by how well they stay in place and don't get over-sweaty and gross on long runs, but by how well they wash up and maintain their shape. The straps are super soft on your ears, too. I've gotten to used to straps chafing on longer runs that I was surprised by what a difference this made. I gifted one of these to my dad for Christmas, too, and it's his go-to for walks and errand running. It's just an overall easier mask to breathe in (while still maintaining a tight fit and keeping the people around you safe!).
Promising review: "I love this mask. It's comfortable and fits well on the sides. It's multi-layer which gives me peace of mind, but it's not hot nor does it trap my breath making it uncomfortable when I'm working out. It washes and dries well, but just make sure you give yourself time for it to completely dry before planning to wear again...as I mentioned, it's multi-layer, so it takes a little longer (to air dry). I also wore this mask on recent plane trips that I took for the extra peace of mind. So glad I spent the money on a better-made mask. I'm thinking of ordering another one." —Kristi S.
Type Of Fit: Around the ear loops
Pocket For Filter: No
Fabric Type: Iso-Chill fabric
Shipping Time: Standard shipping
Get it from Amazon for $15+ (available in five sizes and six colors; for reference, I'm wearing the Small-Medium above).
6. Plus a soft silicone ear-saver and mask-extender you'll be grateful for on long flights, train rides, and bus trips — not only does it take some of the pressure off your ears, but it helps make a more personalized fit on masks with elastic straps that don't *quite* fit your face, making them much comfier and more secure.
People are also using these to prevent their hearing aids or earbuds from falling out and getting lost while they're taking masks on and off. Plus this silicone ear-saver is anti-slip to keep it locked in place, and designed not to get tangled in hair.
Psst — a lot of reviewers mention this worked great for kids' masks, especially since sizing for kids' faces is all over the place and difficult to measure out when you're buying masks online!
Promising review: "I bought these for my second 10-hour plane ride because the back of my ears hurt so bad from the mask the first time! These are supper comfortable easy to use!! Love that it has three notches to adjust it better! Overall love the product!" —Carlee Wilson
Get a four-pack from Amazon for $6.99 (available in eight different color combos).
7. A set of Sea Bands, which target an acupuncture point on your wrists meant to help reduce nausea — a must-have for anyone who gets motion sick on long car rides, cruises, buses, and trains.
Promising review: "These were awesome! My entire family suffers from motion sickness, especially car sickness. My little one gets sick in the car on a regular car ride through the city. So I knew that a long road trip was going to be a disaster. I was amazed at how well these bands worked for everyone! Not one single person complained about being sick for 12 hours in the car. At one point I did have one child remove their bands because they said they were getting too tight. But after only a few minutes without them, a headache started to come on, so they immediately put them back on and the relief was instant. I have suffered for decades and now I know better. I will never travel without mine again!" —1SmartCookie
Get a set of two from Amazon for $7.73 (available in adult and children's sizes).
8. A 50-count set of super handy laundry soap sheets you can use to hand wash your clothes right in the sink, whether you want to refresh your undies or you sweated out some workout clothes and want to go on round two with them after letting them air dry. TBH, one of these tiny things might save you a whole BUNDLE of packing space for extra clothes you don't need!
Promising review: "This came SO in handy during my vacation to Europe! I was making lots of different stops to places with different types of weather. With these laundry soap sheets I was able to wash my clothes in the sink — letting me pack just the right amount of clothes for all the different places I went." —Katie Fujarski
Get a set of 50 from Amazon for $7.19 (available in four other styles, including hand soap and shampoo).
9. A ridiculously soft Essential Hoodie from Pond LA, which is basically what happens when a cozy sweater and and a sleeping mask join forces to create the ultimate lightweight piece you can use for everything from light naps to full-on workouts. Not to mention...it's got a secret kangaroo pocket 🦘.
Pond LA is a California-based woman-owned, Asian-owned independent product design studio that produces in small, handmade batches from fabrics sourced in Los Angeles.https://pondla.com/collections/essential-apparel-collection
Promising review: "I fly a lot and am constantly trying to find a hoodie with a big hood to cover my eyes so I can catch up on some beauty sleep on flight. I saw this product on Instagram and knew it would be a game-changer. I was able to use it recently for the first time on an early morning flight and let me tell you, it is EVERYTHING I was looking for and more. It’s comfy, cozy, oversized and the eye covers make you feel like you’re in a whole other world and not packed like a sardine on a plane. My over ear headphone fit perfectly under it and I got the best sleep I’ve had on a plane — EVER! Like other reviews have said it is big so size down if you want something a little more snug. I have been wearing it everyday at home and can’t wait to get the black and blush one!" —Heather G.
Get it from Pond LA for $128 (available in women's sizes S-L and three colors).
10. A waterproof pouch to keep your phone and other "doesn't play well with water"-type gadgets safe. Not only does this keep it safe, but you can still use the touchscreen with it, meaning you can take underwater photos galore 🐠🐟🐡.
It fits any phone up to 100mm x 170mm (or about 3.9 inches x 6.7 inches). It's also a great fix for keeping out sand and dirt (and a great option for runners, if you're caught in the rain but still want to be able to toggle through your music options).
Promising review: "I purchased this case in July for an upcoming canoe trip with a friend, and as luck would have it, we flipped our canoe. Being the rebel that I am, I chose not to wear my phone around my neck, and so it, my ID, and my debit card ended up at the bottom of the river and I just assumed it would be discovered a thousand years from now and placed in a museum as an ancient artifact. Fast forward to this week. I was contacted via FB by an Alachua County Sheriff’s Office diver and guess what he found? Yup, my phone case with all of the contents intact and dry as a bone! He had to cut the case open, but there was not one single drop of water in it and he ended up purchasing a case for himself because he was just that impressed!" —Julie McDonald
Get it from Amazon for $6.79+ (available in 14 colors).
11. A handy as heck sunburn soother you'll probably want to stock up on before any kind of vacation involving a lot of ☀️ — it's made with aloe and coconut oil to hydrate skin and gently relieve pain from the sun's unforgiving rays within just a few hours.
Psst — a lot of reviewers mentioned this also helped prevent peeling and itching!
Promising review: "I bought this product to take on our vacation. I am so glad I did. I got burnt on my lower legs and tops of my feet. I thought I had put enough sunscreen on. I didn't. That night I woke with my legs and feet both burning and itching. The instant I put this on I had relief. OMG I cannot say enough about this stuff. Buy it. Keep it on hand. Great product. Thank you Burt's Bees!" —D.S.
Get it from Amazon for $7.69.
12. A set of cooling towels that get chilly the moment you soak them in water and wring them out — a godsend for when you're looking for quick ways to cool down when the temperature outside starts to spike on hot trips and hikes.
It also keeps its chill for hours and will immediately get chilly again when you soak it in water and repeat the process.
Promising review: "These are wonderful and work! Purchased to use for Disney trip and they were perfect. They have no chemical smell. You just add water and ring them out. Each comes with its own case and clip. Stayed cool for hours. Great for heat and nausea. Just wrapped around neck and instant relief!" —Christina Hatfield
Get a set of four from Amazon for $15.99.
13. A mini steam iron you'll *definitely* want to invest in if you pack tight and you've got formal occasions or ~dressy outfits~ to show off. This is a much easier solution than wrangling a hotel iron or trying to run the shower steam over your clothes.
Promising review: "The best travel item I have purchased this year! It irons so well. I took it on a trip to Germany a few weeks ago. I just placed a towel on the counter or on the bed, and it took minimal effort to iron out the creases. The steam works very well. I hardly had to use the max heat option because it’s pretty powerful. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who does business travel and are going to areas that don’t have irons available in the hotel rooms or for leisure travel as well. It doesn’t take up much room. It fits in the palm of my hand. I also had no problem getting through security in Germany, London, or the US."—Erica Kowsari
Get it from Amazon for $21.69.
14. A delightful little tool called the "Bug Bite Thing" – it suctions on all kinds of bug bites to reduce swelling, itchiness, and redness, so you can go on hiking and camping trips without itching like you're trying to start a new TikTok dance.
This works on mosquitoes, bees, wasps, biting flies, sea lice, and more (although TBH, if this list of bugs gets any longer I may just stay indoors forever!!).
Promising review: "I bought this before a NH trip with my nephews because one of them had seen it advertised (on YouTube?) and thought it was wild. I thought maybe they'd use at some point on the trip — but instead, I got absolutely massacred by mosquitos on a hike (THROUGH YOGA PANTS) on the one day I didn't use bug spray. I swell up like crazy when I'm bit, and this zapped the itch. My bites also faded much faster than they usually do on my skin. Wildly effective product. Went well beyond my expectations." —Kate S
Get it from Amazon for $9.95.
15. A stick of Body Glide anti-chafing balm you can apply between your thighs so you can wear all your fashionable vacation dresses to touristy spots or hike in your more active excursions without worrying about extra ouchies.
16. Plus a foot blister-preventing balm that basically magics an extra layer between your skin and your shoe, so you can go on all your hikes or long walks around new cities without worrying about getting big ole blisters on your feet without a Band-Aid in sight.
Promising review: "Wow. I took this on vacation, during which we walked about 20,000 steps daily. And of course my shoes being to rub against parts of my feet, terribly. But I smeared this on and it was amazing. I did have to reapply a few times a day, in public, but I highly recommend this!! I used it on my toes, ankle area, etc., and my feet felt great (normal)." —Y.
Get it from Amazon for $8.
17. An expandable dirty laundry bag that packs in a tiny zip-up and extends into a bag that can hold a week's worth of laundry, made with moisture-resistant fabric so your dirty clothes don't muck up your nice clean ones.
Promising review: "I love this bag for travel. It's the perfect size. Unlike so many travel laundry bags, this one is the perfect size for clothes and undies. So many are too small like a lingerie bag or too big like a bag to take to the laundry mat. This is cute and folds up into itself." —N. Newman
Get it from Amazon for $10.69+ (available in five colors).