Every product recommendation in this section has been used by a member of our team on actual trips. We do not accept products for review without testing them, and we do not publish “best of” roundups assembled from manufacturer spec sheets and listings.
How We Review Gear
Our gear editor Jan Marek tests products across a range of travel contexts: city breaks in Europe, long-haul travel, adventure travel, and extended trips. Products are evaluated on build quality and durability (assessed over months of use rather than initial impressions), performance of their stated function, value for money relative to alternatives, and the specific trade-offs they make.
Every review includes an honest assessment of limitations alongside strengths. If a bag is excellent for weekend travel but too small for longer trips, we say so.
We accept affiliate commissions from some products we recommend. We only affiliate with products we would recommend independently of the commission.
The Core Gear Categories
Bags and Luggage
The bag you travel with has a larger impact on your daily travel experience than most single pieces of gear. A bag that doesn’t fit airline carry-on restrictions costs you money; one that distributes weight poorly causes physical strain over long travel days.
The best travel backpacks guide covers the bags that perform best for different types of travel.
The best carry-on luggage guide covers wheeled carry-on options for travellers who prefer a structured suitcase.
Tech
Noise-cancelling headphones are the single highest-impact item for improving long-haul flight comfort. The best noise-cancelling headphones guide covers the current top options.
Travel adapters are the unsexy essential that every traveller needs and most get wrong. The best travel adapters guide covers the specific options worth buying.
The best travel tech guide covers the broader category including portable batteries, travel routers, e-readers, and other tech that makes travel more comfortable and productive.
Clothing
Travel clothing needs to pack small, dry quickly, resist odour through repeated wear, and work in multiple contexts. The best travel jackets guide covers the outerwear options that meet these requirements best.
Organisation
Packing cubes are the most straightforward organisational investment for most travellers. The best packing cubes guide covers which ones are worth buying.
Gear Recommendations by Trip Type
City break (2 to 4 nights): A 20 to 30-litre daypack or small cabin bag, noise-cancelling headphones, phone charger and adapter.
One to two-week leisure trip: A 35 to 45-litre carry-on bag or a standard cabin-sized rolling suitcase, packing cubes, travel adapter, portable battery, noise-cancelling headphones.
Extended adventure travel: A 45 to 65-litre backpack, technical base layers, waterproof outer layer, trekking poles if hiking, and a rugged portable battery.
Business travel: A quality briefcase or laptop bag that meets carry-on requirements, noise-cancelling headphones, a multi-port USB charger, and a portable battery.
The Over-Purchasing Trap
Gear is one of the categories where the availability of reviews and enthusiast communities creates pressure toward over-purchasing. A well-equipped traveller needs fewer items than most gear-focused content suggests.
The test worth applying before any gear purchase: does not having this item meaningfully reduce the quality of my travel, or does its absence simply require minor adaptation? Most items fail this test.
Our Gear Philosophy
The gear guides on this site reflect a specific philosophy: fewer, better items provide more value than many mediocre ones. For noise-cancelling headphones, the difference between a budget product and a premium one is significant and the premium is often justified by the improvement in long-haul flight experience. For packing cubes, a cheap set and an expensive set perform similarly, and the premium usually isn’t worth paying.
We test every product on actual trips and include honest assessments of limitations alongside strengths.
A Note on Affiliate Links in This Section
Several product links in the gear section are affiliate links, meaning we may receive a small commission if you purchase through them. This does not affect our editorial recommendations. Full details of our commercial relationships are on the About page.