Popular items from this list include:
- 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.
- 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.
- A luggage drink caddy for anyone who considers the Starbucks mermaid a copilot — this sticks right into your wheeled luggage and has two roomy pockets for drinks, water bottles, your snacks, your phone, and whatever else was taking up room in your hands on the go.
A hands-free (rotating!) phone mount
Promising review: “I used it for the first time this week, when I was on three flights. I was able to comfortably sit back and watch TV, check the Internet, and even play a game on my phone. Guess what several friends are getting for Christmas from me ♥️.” — adiaphora
A vacuum-free space-saving compression bag
A set of affordable, highly popular wireless Bluetooth earbuds
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
A set of Sea Bands
A luggage drink caddy
Or a leather passport case with a protective side sleeve
Promising review: “Shipping was impeccable! The holder is sleek looking. It is nice and large. My COVID vaccine card fits snugly.” — Alexandra Tino
A portable cordless phone charger
A dry shampoo powder
Promising review: “I was a little unsure about this product but wanted it for vacation to limit aerosols or liquids. I am mind blown! It smells great, doesn’t leave a residue and both volumizes and keeps my hair looking fresh. It also lasts for much longer than an aerosol if you’re someone who uses this daily or every other day. The bottle is small enough to not take up space, but I’ve had my first bottle for months and am barely through half. This will be my go-to from now on.” — E
A waterproof pouch
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
A pack of Neutrogena makeup remover towelettes
A set of wax ear plugs
Promising review: “I have always bought earplugs based on the decibel ratings, but none of them have ever worked very well for me, because they don’t stay in my ears. These have a lower decibel rating than any of the foam earplugs I have used in the past, but they are much more effective. They really block noise, and they don’t go in your ear canal; they just cover the entrance to the ear canal. I find this much more comfortable. I am really glad I found these, and just wish i had found them sooner.” — Portlandia
A pair of super-comfy period-proof underwear
Psst — reviewers love these undies, but suggest sizing up!
Promising review: “My job requires traveling to places that may not always have a bathroom, so when I’m on my period I wear these as a fail safe in case my tampon or pad is at a max and I’m not somewhere I can change them out. It’s worked great so far and it makes it far more comfortable on the job.” — Sam
A backseat hook perfect for road trips
A blister-preventing balm
A reviewer-beloved travel laptop backpack
Promising review: “Love how well made this is. I’ve spilled things on it many times and it is easy to clean off. All the pockets are amazing. Fits everything I need for work — laptop, small keyboard, headphones, charging cord, etc. very comfortable even though I have it fully stuffed.” — Denise Wells
Plus a Baggallini, aka an anti-theft vacation backpack
A hybrid travel planner and journal
Promising review: “I loved the journals I received. They are gorgeous. They’re well-made and fun to use!” — Kristy
Tushy’s travel bidet
Plus a roomy duffel bag
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
A beloved grocery bag carrier
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).
A popular water-resistant Under Armour face mask
Promising review: “Like everyone else we’ve been using masks of varying quality. We work from home so I haven’t thought much about airborne pathogens in close quarter environments, until my first business trip in 18 months, yikes. Bought this mask after great testimonials from colleagues who also travel, it worked perfectly for me. Continuous wearing up to seven hours in airports and multiple flights was no problem, very comfortable with great airflow. Is this an N95? No, of course not, but it is an effective barrier that you will use without ‘taking breaks’ and risking exposure. Highly recommended!!” — T. Martin
Type Of Fit: Around-the-ear loops
Pocket For Filter: No
Fabric Type: Iso-Chill fabric
Shipping Time: Standard shipping
Available in five sizes and 10 colors; for reference, I’m wearing the Small-Medium above.
A fully waterproof, super lightweight Columbia travel jacket
Promising review: “The jacket is waterproof and very comfortable. I like the bill on the jacket hood that keeps water from dripping into my eyes. A surprise was discovering that there are ‘secret’ inside mesh pockets perfect for securing things you don’t want to fall out of your pockets or get snatched.” — Paula Renfro
A set of DripDrop hydration packets
Promising review: “This was my first experience with DripDrop or any electrolyte powder for that matter. I ordered these to try them out for a beach vacation this summer and it truly made a difference! My family and I noticed we didn’t feel sluggish from sitting in the sun and sweating for hours. I wasn’t sure what to expect with the flavor but the fruit punch flavor reminds me exactly of Hawaiian Punch!” — Mary
A transparent TSA-approved toiletry bag
An always handy international travel adapter
A five-compartment snack spinner
Promising review: “I bought these before they were on Amazon. I’m obsessed. My kids think it’s a game, and they’re so intent on eating all the food inside. Even my picky eater. As a mom who absolutely hates to hand wash things, I’m so grateful that a) the entire thing comes apart for washing and b) it’s completely dishwasher-safe. This thing is awesome. One of a kind. I own five right now. Will probably be getting more in the future for when the baby is old enough to snack independently.” — Jordan Christman
A set of storage scrunchies
Promising review: “I got these scrunchies so I could stash away money, lip balm, and car/house keys while enjoying a hike, at the beach, or going to festivals … basically places where you don’t want to be worried about carrying a lot or you don’t want people to know where your stuff is. I have very long thick hair and the scrunchie will go around my hair twice while in a ponytail or bun and it is comfortable.” — Amazon customer
A set of homeopathic jet-lag pills
Promising review: “I heard about this product from my cousin who used it for a trip to Japan and it was very effective. I used it for a trip to Washington DC that had multiple stops and delays — total of 15 hours to get to my destination. I was comfortable upon arrival. The next morning I was ready for a work day.” — ELEANORE
A nifty leakproof, portable pet water bottle with mini dish
A backseat car video monitor
Promising review: “I saw this product on TikTok and knew I wanted to try it. I LOOOOOVE this product! I hate trying to use my rear view mirror to look into her mirror to make sure she’s okay. The quality of the video is great for the price, and I can easily see if my infant has spit up or I can see her mouth to shove a paci in if needed. I can see details like if her eyes are open or closed. The night vision isn’t too bad but not as detailed but you can see enough. But overall for the price, I would buy this product again hands-down.” — Michael Giblin
A memory foam seat cushion
A 50-count set of super-handy laundry soap sheets
A trusty Tide To-Go stain removing pen
A quick-release vegan leather travel belt
Promising review: “I try to go on trips with just a carryon and backpack. The issue is my backpack always gets so heavy and hurts my back in king travel days. This belt completely solves that problem! It is high quality, comfortable, and looks super sleek! It’s my favorite travel precut hands-down! — Benjamin
A pair of compression socks
An ultra breathable memory foam neck pillow
A pack of Dr. Frederick’s Original Better Blister Bandages
As a blister-prone human, I swear by these. A few years ago, before I invested in these running socks that prevent blisters, I got a blister on my big toe so unspeakably large and painful that I am cringing even TYPING about it, and no amount of rest from running seemed to heal it; it just kept coming back. I finally used one of these bandages, and the pain was virtually gone from the moment I put it on. It was also so airtight that nothing got inside, and it didn’t loosen in the shower. You’re supposed to take it off when it loses adhesive so it can come off gently without disturbing the blister if it hasn’t fully healed yet. After using two of these in a row over the course of a week and a half, my blister was finally healed up enough that it stopped coming back.
Promising review: “So glad I thought ahead to buy these before going to Italy. I had new fashionable shoes and low-cut socks and we did 10 times more walking that I had anticipated. I tried the shoes on for an hour and got a blister. Wore these for 10 days in Europe and had zero issues, total comfort, left them on for multiple days through showers. I’ll never travel without these again.” — Paul Hinman
A packing checklist