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 hands-free (rotating!) phone mount designed for use on all airlines — not only can you mount it to the tray table of an airplane seat, but to the arm of a chair or any flat surface, so you'll be able to stream content easy as pie wherever you roam. Reviewers have used it on everything from their car dashboards to carry-on handles to office desks to bedside tables.
Perilogics is a small business creating hyper-functional tool holsters and bags for carrying your stuff on the go.
Promising review: "I bought this nifty gadget about six months ago for a multi-leg, ultra long-haul trip and it more than held up the entire duration. I was able to finagle it to fit the tray tables on different planes and like others, I find the height just nice when clamped onto a stowed tray table. It also works on my roller carry-on handle during layovers." —Earendil
Get it from Amazon for $12.97.
2. A vacuum-free space-saving compression bag so easy to use that all you have to do is stick your clothes inside, zip up the bag, roll the bag, and watch all the excess air get squished out of them until your clothes magically shrink. Yes, maybe it's only a weekend trip, but some of us need OPTIONS!!
HELLO, I AM OBSESSED WITH THESE. Despite all the rave reviews I was definitely skeptical of space-saving bags that didn't require a vacuum, and even as they were actively squishing my clothes into oblivion I still couldn't quite believe it. I had easily two suitcases worth of clothes I wanted to pack for a three-week trip to London, and I managed to neatly pack the entirety of my wardrobe in one roller carry-on bag. Truly all I had to do was put my clothes in the bag, push them to the bottom, and then sit on it to get the air out before sealing it up. I had tons of extra bags and make a habit of taking them with me in case other people joining me on trips need them to be able to pack souvenirs on the way home. I'm never taking a long trip without these again — these are worth every damn penny.
Get a set of eight from Amazon for $14.97.
3. A set of Sea Bands, which target an acupressure 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 carsickness. 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. 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 $8.53.
4. A set of affordable, highly popular wireless Bluetooth earbuds reviewers compare to AirPods, but better — not only are they noise cancelling and waterproof, but but you can listen to music during your flight, car ride, or even while you're sleeping *without* your ears feeling like they've been beaten up. These come equipped with several sizes of earbuds so you can get your perfect, painless fit.
These come with a wireless charging case that provides up to 14 hours of charge (with the earbuds able to play for four-plus hours with each full charge). The earbuds are also sweatproof and waterproof so you can use them during workouts or runs or even in the shower, and have a built-in mic so you can chat on the phone. Psst — these are also a great option for going outside in a mask, since they don't have wires that'll get tangled in the mask straps.
Promising review: "So many things to rave about with these! Quality of the design and feel of these is amazing. I could literally wear these all night while on vacation with a roommate who snored, they were that comfortable and good at noise cancelling. I use these most often to listen to music and the sound quality is superb. I have a pair of AirPods that I was *thankfully* gifted and I hardly ever use them because they just aren't as good as my Tozos!" —Alexis Arnold
Get it from Amazon for $18.99 (get price by clipping the $5 off coupon on the product page; available in five colors).
5. A pack of Neutrogena makeup remover towelettes, which are a great solution for anyone who is a stickler for getting their makeup off at night and might not have access to their usual ~skincare routine~ on the road. These are also just super easy to pop into a carry-on without worrying about them exploding all over your underwear mid-flight.
Promising review: "I always have a few of these in my purse as well as using them for travel. It is perfect for removing makeup and making your face feel fresh. I love that it is great for sensitive skin and the individual packets make it perfect to always have some with you." —Bonnie Review
Get a pack of 20 from Amazon for $6.84.
6. A folding pill organizer with conveniently visible pill windows for easy access. Each has six small compartments for little pills, plus a large compartment for capsules and vitamins, making it ideal for trips where you might need a lil' emergency pharmacy in your backpack but don't want to take up space.
Promising review: "If you travel, I suggest buying several of these! They organize pills very well and always stay shut and are easy to pack. I also use one for my jewelry when I travel. They stay closed with a strong magnet and fit into a corner of your luggage very easily. I also used a label maker and labeled the individual spaces with the name of the supplement to help organize my partner!" —Anna Zucker
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
7. An oh-so-chic adjustable mini belted pack (aka ~fanny pack~) you can wear around your waist or shoulder for a lightweight bag alternative when you're on the move. A lot of reviewers mention how genuinely *stunned* they are by how much this little bag can secretly carry.
Promising review: "TikTok told me this compared to Lululemon, and it’s true, it is. Love this little bag! And the price — you can’t beat it." —Jolie
BuzzFeeder Elizabeth Lilly also owns this — she packed it as her only bag for a trip to busy trip to Iceland, and not only did it hold a ton and keep her hands free, it easily fit around her waist over her outerwear.
Get it from Amazon for $16.98 (available in 31 colors).
8. An easy adhesive phone card holder to keep all your credit cards and cash on your person, because if there's ONE thing you know you'll never lose, it's your phone. (Listen, it's your sworn civic duty to the public to Instagram story every hour on vacation!!)
Wallaroo Wallets is a small business that specializes in uniquely-designed minimalist wallets.
I've used these wallets for four years now, and they are worth every penny! Mine last about six months at a time before they get dingy enough to replace, and easily hold three cards and a five dollar bill. I've never had any issues with them un-sticking off the phone case, and they're super easy to pull off. It makes my life so much easier not to carry a wallet around, plus I never lose my ID!
Promising review: "The Wallaroo phone wallet is a must have for any cell phone owner. The quality of the leather and design of the wallet is superb. I recently went on vacation and purchased my Walleroo before my trip. It was so convenient to carry my ID, credit card and hotel key and not have to carry my actual wallet. This is a great product that I highly recommend." —Todd Smithson
Get it from Amazon $14.80 (available in 14 colors).
9. A reusable, *delightfully* portable gel lint roller for quick lil' touch-ups both at-home and abroad, because you just plain never know when you're going to experience the full-body serotonin of a furry friend pouncing on you. Not only is this little sphere cute as a button, but all you have to do to restore its stickiness is wash the interior.
Promising review: "I saw this on TikTok a bunch of times and finally decided to get it. I hate the paper lint rollers, they never seem to work that well and I hate that I have to throw them away. This is awesome because it fits right in my bag, and I’m able to reuse it over and over. It’s super sticky and works great!" —Ella
Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in four colors).
10. A collapsible leakproof water bottle because yes, traveling is fun, but traveling while looking like a magician every time you whip this gizmo out of the tiniest pocket in your purse?? So much better.
Promising review: "I just bought this bottle and I’m already obsessed. I even ordered four more to bring with me on vacation and share with my family. I love how easily it folds back up and it doesn’t leak at all. I just wish it came in more colors and can’t wait to show everyone my cool new bottle!" —Brittany
Get it from Amazon for $11.99 (available in multiple styles, colors, and sets).
11. 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 also you can still use the touchscreen with it, meaning you can take underwater travel photos galore. 🐠🐟🐡
It fits any phone up to 100 mm x 170 mm (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).
Here's what BuzzFeeder Elizabeth Lilly has to say about it: "With these, I find that they're good for about a day due to condensation. I've used this case to take underwater pics, on boat rides, and have worn it with the lanyard jumping off a boat into water. So I really trust these!"
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. 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 $7.99 (available in 14 colors).
12. A roomy duffel bag that's just as handy on a weekend trip as it is on a trip to the gym — 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.
Promising review: "I recently went camping and was able to pack a lot into this bag. It zipped up easily. I love the color, it's almost a 'neutral pink' and not too 'look at me, I'm Barbie in the woods!' The shoulder strap was comfortable, the handles were comfortable, too. It was snowing while unloading from the truck to the cabin and despite this bag getting wet (and VERY cold) everything inside was very dry." —Smile Saurus
Get it from Amazon for $21.49+ (available in five colors).
13. A ridiculously beloved, Shark Tank-featured Click & Carry Grocery Bag Carrier to help you lift bulky, heavy bags while you're traveling so easily you'll put Superman out of business. With this gizmo you can hook your bags to it and lift up to 80 pounds while comfortably resting the carrier on your shoulder instead of letting all the straps cut into your palms.
Click & Carry is a Shark Tank and QVC-featured small business that specializes in easy carry accessories.
Promising review: "TikTok made me buy it. This is great when you have a few bags and a box — for example, if you balance the bags, you can throw it over your shoulder and walk inside and have two free hands to carry the box, which is great. Product seems well built, and is comfortable on your shoulder or hand because of the padding." —Hung
Get it from Amazon for $13.99 (available in seven colors).