5 Essential Travel Gadgets To Maximize Your Next Trip

Whether you are planning a staycation this year or have the opportunity to explore some new places further afield, there are plenty of travel gadgets out there designed to make your trip special.

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Especially with limited luggage room, I always try to pack lightly to make sure that I’m not weighed down by even more electronics than I already need. That’s why I’ve whittled down the 5 essential travel gadgets that every traveller needs.

Binoculars

They might seem a little old fashioned, but binoculars are the one travel gadget I can’t go without. No matter whether you are going on a safari or city break, binoculars help you to see parts of your destination that you would otherwise miss out on.

Not to mention, binoculars have advanced a lot in the last few decades and they are now much more travel friendly. A high magnification pair of powerful binoculars can fit right into your hand luggage and are light enough to carry around all day.

A lot of people also worry that a professional pair of binoculars will cost them an arm and a leg but for under $500 you can choose from a range of options to suit your travel needs.

The great thing about binoculars is that they also help you see in low lighting as well as over long distances which is ideal for night safaris and stargazing when you go camping. What’s more, nowadays you can even take photos with them.

Camera

Whether it’s a simple phone camera or a professional DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex), most travellers wouldn’t set out without a decent camera to capture their holiday moments.

Although many mobile phone cameras now produce super high-quality images, for me there’s nothing better than having a professional camera to really deliver the images that I want.

Much like with binoculars, a lot of people worry that a DSLR will be out of their budget and that it will be too bulky to carry around. But there is actually a whole range of affordable options and many camera manufacturers are now trying to keep their cameras as lightweight as possible by switching to compact system cameras. These newer models are much smaller than your traditional DSLR.

No matter what your price range or how small you need your camera to be, there’s a perfect match out there for you. Personally, I rarely go anywhere without my camera and couldn’t imagine travelling without it.

Water Purifier And Travel Bottle

Whenever you are travelling outside of your home country, it is a good idea to drink purified water to make sure you aren’t ingesting any harmful bacteria. But buying bottled water everywhere you go can get expensive as well as being very harmful to the environment.

That’s where a water purifier bottle comes in handy. These bottles are available at a reasonable price and will certainly be worth the money when you avoid travel sickness.

As well as purified water, many travel bottles can keep your cold water cold for up to 24 hours and hot water hot for as long as 12 hours. This is great for long journeys, hiking or camping in hot and cold weather.

Most travel bottles can easily slot into your hand luggage and have anti-drip mechanisms that make sure that you never have to worry about liquid spilling onto your valuables and electronics.

Universal Travel Adapter

One thing that always frustrates me when visiting a new country is having to search the web for the correct information on plug sockets and figure out which adapter I need to buy. What’s more, it is often the one thing I forget to pack so when I arrive, I find that I can’t charge any of my devices. Having a universal travel adapter is super useful because you can take it wherever you go.

Instead of having to buy an adapter for each charger, you can also plug multiple chargers into one adapter, either via the plug or by just inserting USB cables. Some universal adapters will let you charge as many as seven devices simultaneously.

You also don’t have to worry about different voltages as most of these adapters have built-in voltage converters for hairdryers and electric toothbrushes for example.

Bluetooth Headphones

Wired headphones have been around for a long time but super stylish wireless headphones are starting to gain popularity and its easy to see why. Without the wires, you won’t have to deal with untangling your headphones every time you fish them out of your travel bag.

They also allow you to keep your phone safely tucked away while you still listen to music or take a phone call. Hiding valuable electronics is a good idea wherever you go and wired headphones provide the perfect opportunity for thieves to pull your phone straight out of your pocket.

There are also lots of more comfortable options of wireless headphone, whether you prefer a chunky set that you can put around your neck on a long train ride or flight, or a discreet pair that you can keep in your ears without anyone noticing. There are even waterproof options if you are planning on listening to some tunes while taking a dip on your next vacation.

Conclusion

Every year we see new travel gadgets that make our adventures easier. All these gadgets are lightweight and travel-sized for your convenience and there are options to suit every budget. So, wherever you are planning to explore this year, check out some of these must-have travel gadgets to take your adventures to the next level.

Obviously made with travel in mind, these adapters are lighter than they look and fold away neatly so you don’t end up breaking off the prongs by accident when you stuff them in with the rest of your luggage.