My god, some of those article suggestions are not just laughably bad, they are insultingly bad. “Forget bringing the phone and tablet you already own! Buy literally one of the most expensive...
My god, some of those article suggestions are not just laughably bad, they are insultingly bad. “Forget bringing the phone and tablet you already own! Buy literally one of the most expensive consumer tech devices on the market - but don’t forget our affiliate link!” Why would you buy a new tablet for a travel vacation anyways? Aren’t you leaving to get away from the everyday?
If you want to start a discussion, just start the discussion. You don’t need to link to anything.
It's deeply ironic that the "advice" to buy a $2000 phone because it has a novelty-sized screen is from "the Filter US: our newsletter guide to buying fewer, better products". Having too much crap...
It's deeply ironic that the "advice" to buy a $2000 phone because it has a novelty-sized screen is from "the Filter US: our newsletter guide to buying fewer, better products". Having too much crap is a hole you bought yourself into. You're unlikely to buy yourself out of it.
Yeah. Honestly I thought most of the suggestions were kinda just consumerist bullshit. Who doesn't own a water bottle at this point? Just... Bring the water bottle you have. I think at a certain...
Yeah. Honestly I thought most of the suggestions were kinda just consumerist bullshit.
Who doesn't own a water bottle at this point? Just... Bring the water bottle you have. I think at a certain point you realize that more stuff will not make traveling better or more enjoyable.
Just use the crappy stuff you already have, and realize that 250 dollar headphones won't magically make the flight that much more enjoyable.
That said... that Anker charger does seem pretty nice though, and if I didn't already have one, and traveled internationally a lot, that might make sense.
It does look nice, but I already have a multicountry charger. She says right in the article that she already had a multicountry one, not what was in the pic (4 different plugs). Then she calls it...
It does look nice, but I already have a multicountry charger. She says right in the article that she already had a multicountry one, not what was in the pic (4 different plugs). Then she calls it "frustratingly bulky". I'd estimate mine is 2x the size of the nice compact Anker one. Anker's website lists it as "43% smaller."
She just seems to be placing her total emphasis on packing small, without considering the things that might make you happy to have when you are - you know- on vacation.
My unusual must-packs - on a hot destination, I like to have a makeup wipe or two in my backpack to wipe off salty sweat and just feel cooler and cleaner. I bring a tiny bluetooth controller for playing games on my phone. I always bring a Ziploc bag with a few smaller Ziploc bags in it.
The two suggestions I agree with in the article are: Doing a load of laundry (or pay the hotel for it, I know it's expensive, but you're on vacation, splurge for it) mid-trip helps keep down the...
The two suggestions I agree with in the article are:
Doing a load of laundry (or pay the hotel for it, I know it's expensive, but you're on vacation, splurge for it) mid-trip helps keep down the amount of clothes I bring with me and generally I get home with a good portion of those clothes clean. Also throw a garbage bag in your suitcase and put dirty clothes in there.
Getting rid of a bulky laptop charger for a suitably sized GaN charger is a game changer. My tech pouch is about the size of my previous laptop charger now and contains a bunch of handy cables, cords, thumb drives, etc and the power brick can charge three things at once. However, per the article, leave your laptop at home as well, so why would you need to replace your laptop charger?
Laundry depends on how long and varied my trip will be, and what I plan on doing. I've been known to just head out with a spare shirt and pair of socks, quick-washing everything at night; and I've...
Laundry depends on how long and varied my trip will be, and what I plan on doing. I've been known to just head out with a spare shirt and pair of socks, quick-washing everything at night; and I've also been known to pack a full suitcase, and mail my dirty clothes home to make way for books I've found.
I used to have one of those collapsible water bottles that was recommended. I hated it. It's so hard to clean, and I noticed that it started to leak after a few uses. I would rather just bring a...
I used to have one of those collapsible water bottles that was recommended. I hated it. It's so hard to clean, and I noticed that it started to leak after a few uses. I would rather just bring a smaller reusable water bottle with me than my usual one and deal with that.
the charger block might be a good idea for folks whose work laptops are USB-C chargeable. I actually have one of the neck pillows and it's gimmicky at best. It's fragile - first trip with me one...
the charger block might be a good idea for folks whose work laptops are USB-C chargeable.
I actually have one of the neck pillows and it's gimmicky at best. It's fragile - first trip with me one of the internal support things have already snapped. And it assumes you want to sleep remaining perfectly still and upright. Nope that's why I get window seat to use the wall.
The laundry sheets idea is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. If I'm at work I can't launder work clothes in a sink, and I'd be way too busy. If I'm travelling for fun I also don't want to do hand washing laundry : i would have booked a hotel with guest self serve laundry and a tiny pack of detergent.
Perhaps this is good advice in an era where free carry on and free checked bags no longer exist. But I can't live/travel that way.
I also feel like folks who can casually throw down a thousand dollar's worth of travel gear aren't flying with just personal bag on cheapest ticket tier. Wouldn't they rather pay for an expensive travel perks credit card that gives them the free checked/carryon + priority bag handling + priority security boarding? Bulky isn't a problem when there are fewer line ups to wrestle with.
People just have different travel preferences. I used to pack a lot, but I've found that after editing things down quite a lot, I don't miss the extra stuff. I see people waiting at the baggage...
People just have different travel preferences. I used to pack a lot, but I've found that after editing things down quite a lot, I don't miss the extra stuff. I see people waiting at the baggage carousel or dragging large luggage around the city, and I think to myself "that looks like a burden I'm not interested in having." I prefer to walk and wander and take public transport rather than load up a car going directly to a destination, so I feel constrained if my luggage isn't small and light enough to drag around on longer walks, bring into restaurants, shove in a medium-sized locker, fit on the overhead rack on the train, etc. Regarding cost, I'd be much more willing to throw down more money to keep things lightweight and avoid having to check a bag. If I were going to just one place and staying there the duration of the trip (like a resort or something), then a larger bag could make sense, but that's just not how I travel.
I guess clothes are technically the exception, requiring some effort. I don't pack more than ~4-5 days worth of shirts, socks, and underwear. If I'm on a long trip, I don't mind spending 5-10 minutes every few days washing those items just to save a bit on luggage size and weight. I don't find it hard to find time for this, since a bit of downtime always seems to happen even if I have a decently full schedule. I don't bother with dedicated laundry detergent, because carrying around more stuff partially defeats the purpose. A few drops of hand soap in warm water works pretty well.
That's a good point : I'm a very different type of traveller now than when I was backpacking. And you're absolutely right, if I'm doing that kind of travelling I would miss out on so much by being...
That's a good point : I'm a very different type of traveller now than when I was backpacking. And you're absolutely right, if I'm doing that kind of travelling I would miss out on so much by being encumbered.
It could be that I'm rough on my stuff and packed too aggressively lol Maybe you're also taller than me (quite possibly), or that I prefer curling up even within my seat. (Last flight there were...
It could be that I'm rough on my stuff and packed too aggressively lol
Maybe you're also taller than me (quite possibly), or that I prefer curling up even within my seat. (Last flight there were two empty seats and I slept really well curled up across both with a rolled up sweater as pillow. Can't beat that)
I posted this less because I think the suggestions are brilliant (they are fine) than because it seems like a good starting point for a discussion on the items you always bring -- or never do.
I posted this less because I think the suggestions are brilliant (they are fine) than because it seems like a good starting point for a discussion on the items you always bring -- or never do.
These are the comment sections I came to tildes for. Thank you for your contribution to the discourse. I love just sitting and reading all the suggestions.
These are the comment sections I came to tildes for. Thank you for your contribution to the discourse. I love just sitting and reading all the suggestions.
IMO the #1 thing to bring is less things. Most of the items on the list I would recommend not bringing. Neck pillows, for example. They just take up an absurd amount of space. For things I would...
IMO the #1 thing to bring is less things. Most of the items on the list I would recommend not bringing.
Neck pillows, for example. They just take up an absurd amount of space. For things I would recommend taking,
Eye mask and eyeplugs. You can't know what your sleeping situations will be. Maybe your hotel happens to be next to a rave. Maybe there's construction. Maybe you're sleeping in an airport terminal.
A way to pay. This depends where you are. A useful thing to have here is a debit card from a bank that waives FOREX fees as well as atm fees. Schwab's debit card is a common suggestion. This is the best way to get local currency.
Mobile data. In most of the world, this can be done with an eSim on eSim supported phones, but for countries that aren't (mainland China, for instance), you can usually pick this up ahead of time on Amazon.
Battery banks of varying sizes. Of note, "varying sizes". If you only have a giant battery bank, and it's inconvenient to carry and you then don't carry it, then it's kinda pointless. Anker has battery banks of all sizes, make sure there's something that works with every mode of travel (e.g, something that works for "I'm taking a backpack", something for "a casual meal with no bags").
Plastic bags. Just normal plastic grocery bags. It's just always useful to have bags, and the lighter the better. You can put dirty laundry in it, or wet shoes, or whatever.
Things I don't think people should carry
A water bottle. It's just so much wasted size. Foldable ones just suck for usability and durability. I just buy a normal plastic disposable bottle of water at the destination, and then reuse it with tap water until it's inconvenient and throw it away.
Neck pillows and other overly specialized items. Too much wasted space, and only really useful on the plane.
Laundry detergent. Just buy it there.
Check-in sized toiletries. I think having carry-on sized toiletries is useful (<100mL), but once it needs a carry on, just buy it there.
Too many clothes. Stock up on underwear and undershirts, but for layers I try to just have one of each layer.
Books. Too large. Phone works. Also you're much more likely to get stopped by airport security, for some reason. Apparently books show up as giant voids?
I agree with the "less is more" philosophy. If it doesn't fit in my carry on, it stays home. But... I always bring a water bottle and snacks for the plane. I'm not paying $25 for a sandwich at the...
I agree with the "less is more" philosophy. If it doesn't fit in my carry on, it stays home. But...
I always bring a water bottle and snacks for the plane. I'm not paying $25 for a sandwich at the airport, and airplanes are dehydrating, so having access to a water bottle is always nice.
As for books, e-readers are significantly better than phones for reading, both in battery life and eye strain, though obviously you're now bringing an extra device. I think it's worth it, but I can see the argument for just leaving that at home too. I guess it depends how long your flight and vacation is.
Why not get an e-reader? There are great alternatives to Amazon nowadays, the displays are very different to a phone and much closer to the real page and the batteries last for weeks.
Why not get an e-reader? There are great alternatives to Amazon nowadays, the displays are very different to a phone and much closer to the real page and the batteries last for weeks.
I too travel with real books clogging up luggage space. For me the feel and the weight and the smell of paper are part of the experience of reading. Also I'm allergic to DRM. But I'm all ears if...
I too travel with real books clogging up luggage space. For me the feel and the weight and the smell of paper are part of the experience of reading. Also I'm allergic to DRM. But I'm all ears if you have a recommendation for a smaller, cheaper e-reader that I could load some free-as-in-stolen books on 😁
I'm a big fan of the Kobo Libra. I use calibre desktop software to manage my ebook library, plug the Libra into my computer, and hit sync. A handy plug-in also made it possible for my old Kindle...
I'm a big fan of the Kobo Libra. I use calibre desktop software to manage my ebook library, plug the Libra into my computer, and hit sync. A handy plug-in also made it possible for my old Kindle books to come along without any... allergens.
Even Kindles don't stop you from loading pirated books on nowadays. I went for a Pocketbook and am happy, but Kobo is also a often recommended brand. Pocketbook has e-reader starting from around...
Even Kindles don't stop you from loading pirated books on nowadays.
I went for a Pocketbook and am happy, but Kobo is also a often recommended brand. Pocketbook has e-reader starting from around 100€.
That being said, I absolutely prefer a real book when I can, but I move around a lot and it's just so much easier to have an e-reader in your backpack and not worry about a thing. Plus, I also don't feel so bad because the books get beaten up over time in the backpack.
Also, genuinely, reading in the dark is fantastic.
Another vote for a Kobo (the B&W Clara for me, so easy to fit into a pocket or bag <3). Great battery life, and it acts like a USB drive you can just drag'n'drop books onto if you're not by the...
Another vote for a Kobo (the B&W Clara for me, so easy to fit into a pocket or bag <3). Great battery life, and it acts like a USB drive you can just drag'n'drop books onto if you're not by the Calibre software - which is handy if you want to use a USB-C to C cable to download to, then copy books from, your phone when out of country.
I might if I run out of books to read. I really don’t read that much only like 2-3 a year, not enough to justify an e-reader. Ive got about ten books on my shelf still to get through.
I might if I run out of books to read. I really don’t read that much only like 2-3 a year, not enough to justify an e-reader. Ive got about ten books on my shelf still to get through.
Buying an eReader actually dramatically increased the number of books I go through. Seemingly infinite battery life, and being small and light enough to perpetually be on my person, made a big...
Buying an eReader actually dramatically increased the number of books I go through. Seemingly infinite battery life, and being small and light enough to perpetually be on my person, made a big difference.
Thats a good point. Are there any that provide downloadable books that I can own for life on any device? I never did too much research on it, but I had a first gen e reader and it didn’t format...
Thats a good point. Are there any that provide downloadable books that I can own for life on any device?
I never did too much research on it, but I had a first gen e reader and it didn’t format txt and pdf files properly so I gave up on the whole idea.
It looks like stripping Kobo ebook DRM is easy, but I can't comment with any authority having never done so. I've almost exclusively used Anna's archive or LibGen, with one or two pulled from my...
It looks like stripping Kobo ebook DRM is easy, but I can't comment with any authority having never done so. I've almost exclusively used Anna's archive or LibGen, with one or two pulled from my local library
Except deodorant when visiting East Asia (if you're non-Asian). Asians have less body odor due to genetics, so deodorant isn't a common product there. But they'll definitely be able to smell you,...
Check-in sized toiletries. I think having carry-on sized toiletries is useful (<100mL), but once it needs a carry on, just buy it there.
Except deodorant when visiting East Asia (if you're non-Asian). Asians have less body odor due to genetics, so deodorant isn't a common product there. But they'll definitely be able to smell you, the foreigner.
I also travel as light as possible, but I have realized that neck pillows can be game changers. I always thought they were dumb, but using one is the only way I can get any sleep on a long...
I also travel as light as possible, but I have realized that neck pillows can be game changers. I always thought they were dumb, but using one is the only way I can get any sleep on a long overnight flight. I dislike the bulk, but if I have to fly for 10+ hours and then drive for several hours afterward, it is worth it just for a little nap even.
I've always taken my own water bottle with me and found it useful when I was in a country with tap water that you would rather not drink so boiling water before you drink it is a must. Having my...
I've always taken my own water bottle with me and found it useful when I was in a country with tap water that you would rather not drink so boiling water before you drink it is a must. Having my metal water bottle that I didn't need to worry about the temperature of the water going in was handy.
Depending on where you travel you may want to check up on the local tap water before going in on a plastic disposable bottle or be prepared to buy multiple disposable bottles during your trip
Very solid list. But will agree to disagree on snacks :D I started bringing in flight snacks to gift flight crew and won't go back. ( I also stopped tipping at self serve cafes in a similar vein...
Very solid list.
But will agree to disagree on snacks :D I started bringing in flight snacks to gift flight crew and won't go back. ( I also stopped tipping at self serve cafes in a similar vein silent protest ) but also in flight snacks for myself obviously.
As for checked snacks, I live at the rural edge of the continent. Obviously when I travel to civilization, I will be silk-road caravan style flying snacks home.
I agree with you on principle but I disagree specifically on detergent. If we were talking about liquid or even powdered detergent I would agree but now that I buy sheets which take up nearly zero...
I agree with you on principle but I disagree specifically on detergent. If we were talking about liquid or even powdered detergent I would agree but now that I buy sheets which take up nearly zero space and don’t need a measuring device, they are a no-brainer. That’s assuming I will need to do laundry at all, though.
How has your experience been with laundry sheets? When I first heard about them they seemed like a great idea, but the third-party reviews and tests that I could find found their cleaning ability...
How has your experience been with laundry sheets? When I first heard about them they seemed like a great idea, but the third-party reviews and tests that I could find found their cleaning ability is somewhere between mediocre and no better than plain water.
I also use the sheets and they are firmly in the realm of "OK", not terrible. I did try some generic sheets and they weren't too much worse. We mostly tried them to avoid the heavy plastic waste...
I also use the sheets and they are firmly in the realm of "OK", not terrible. I did try some generic sheets and they weren't too much worse. We mostly tried them to avoid the heavy plastic waste of liquid detergent since they come in thin cardboard packaging and they didn't have the bad aftereffects of pods on the washing machine. We're not planning on switching away.
I bring my own water bottle because it fits perfectly into my fanny-pack carrier slot. I pack it with my medications so the space isn't wasted during the travel portion. Sometimes I bring books,...
I bring my own water bottle because it fits perfectly into my fanny-pack carrier slot. I pack it with my medications so the space isn't wasted during the travel portion.
Sometimes I bring books, mostly I bring magazines. I usually have a stack of magazines that I want to read, and I'll discard them in waiting rooms and lobbies as I finish them, for other travelers to read while they're waiting. The books are never ones I really want to keep, and a lot of the hotels I stay at have a little book of left-behind books where you can drop off the one you've just finished or pick up a new one if you've run short and want something to read
Are you trying to poke holes into the bottle? Could possibly work. I also have a portable bidet though. I think there’s 3D printed attachments that you can take with you. Lmao maybe I will design...
Are you trying to poke holes into the bottle? Could possibly work. I also have a portable bidet though. I think there’s 3D printed attachments that you can take with you. Lmao maybe I will design one myself
Probably. What would be nice about that option is that you could also regulate the power by squeezing harder or softer. But I imagine that solution wouldn't last for more than a handful of uses.
Probably. What would be nice about that option is that you could also regulate the power by squeezing harder or softer. But I imagine that solution wouldn't last for more than a handful of uses.
I nearly talked myself into that Anker charger before I realized it was meant for Macs and would not work for my mismatched giant MSI laptop and itty bitty ASUS Zephyrus :( Dang. That really would...
I nearly talked myself into that Anker charger before I realized it was meant for Macs and would not work for my mismatched giant MSI laptop and itty bitty ASUS Zephyrus :( Dang. That really would have tipped me into "I need it" territory. Honestly, my tech situation for travel is far from optimized and is more of a "well, I'm satisfied if the hotel has working outlets near my bed". Even in the nicest hotels the outlets seem a hit or miss...
In general, I'm far more interested in tiny...what would you call them? Creature comforts? I like things that smell nice, I like my soaps being organized, I like mini lint rollers that fit in my purse or blister bandaids for all the extra walking, etc. Those little things make traveling easier to bear when I'm very much a homebody. Traveling is great but I always miss my cat at the end of the day.
There's nothing about that Anker charger is that "meant for macs". It's a USB-PD charger that adheres to the USB-PD spec and will charge anything that accepts USB-PD (which, these days, ranges...
There's nothing about that Anker charger is that "meant for macs". It's a USB-PD charger that adheres to the USB-PD spec and will charge anything that accepts USB-PD (which, these days, ranges from everything from pretty much every modern smartphone to every tablet to the Nintendo switch to many laptops).
If your laptop charges over USB-C, there are absolutely alternative chargers available. You can do up to 100W over USB PD, and many laptops take advantage of this now. Everything in my travel bag...
If your laptop charges over USB-C, there are absolutely alternative chargers available. You can do up to 100W over USB PD, and many laptops take advantage of this now.
Everything in my travel bag can be charged by a single USB-C brick I keep with me (though I do keep 3 in my big backpack) and not having to stress about different chargers is fantastic.
Correct. Very few laptops support charging that fast - and those that do are usually gaming laptops with massive external power bricks that don’t use USB-C. But the latest version is way higher...
Correct. Very few laptops support charging that fast - and those that do are usually gaming laptops with massive external power bricks that don’t use USB-C. But the latest version is way higher than the previous limit.
I’ve found that (in the United States) a three-pronged plug will always fit snug into a hotel outlet, so a small power strip or grounded charger / extension cord will fix the loose hotel outlet...
I’ve found that (in the United States) a three-pronged plug will always fit snug into a hotel outlet, so a small power strip or grounded charger / extension cord will fix the loose hotel outlet problem. Bonus points if it also puts the electricity closer to where you need it.
I carry an Anker 5-foot extension cord when I travel. It's less of a problem these days but for a long time, hotels hadn't updated their rooms to actually have outlets (or more than one available...
I carry an Anker 5-foot extension cord when I travel. It's less of a problem these days but for a long time, hotels hadn't updated their rooms to actually have outlets (or more than one available outlet) where I wanted/needed them. It's a little bit of overkill, but I consider it part of my tech travel supplies.
I recommend the Starlabs laptop charger instead. I originally got it with one of their laptops, had to return the laptop but I love this charger and kind of want to buy another. It's so compact...
I recommend the Starlabs laptop charger instead. I originally got it with one of their laptops, had to return the laptop but I love this charger and kind of want to buy another. It's so compact and convenient, especially now that all my tech (except my toothbrush) charges via USB-C.
Ah, there it is: (I'm not complaining, since I think it makes an interesting Topic for Tildes discussion. But whenever I see lists like these with specific products recommended rather than general...
Ah, there it is:
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(I'm not complaining, since I think it makes an interesting Topic for Tildes discussion. But whenever I see lists like these with specific products recommended rather than general categories, I always wonder what's the angle.)
I've noticed on planes that very few people take advantage of the bendy parts of the head rest. There is a height factor, but if you are of the right height bending the sides forward is pretty...
I've noticed on planes that very few people take advantage of the bendy parts of the head rest. There is a height factor, but if you are of the right height bending the sides forward is pretty comfortable. It's not going to be as comfortable as a neck pillow, but you also don't need to cart it around.
I'm a big fan of packing cubes. I have one that fits my tablet, e reader, and a speed cube, then a smaller one inside that with a charging battery, a cable, a pen, some sticky notes, earplugs, an eye mask, a wallet, my hearing aid charger, and my medicine. Sounds like a lot of stuff, but it's pretty compact. I pull the nested cubes out of my backpack before sticking it in the overhead, and I have everything I have missed/needed in the past without giving up all of my leg room.
One travel trick on my e reader is to check out some library books before the trip and then shut off the Wi-Fi for the duration. The battery lasts much longer and I don't have to try to enter in a password on that stupid little keyboard.
I used to bring plastic bags for laundry, but have found those fold up nylon laundry bags to be far better if there's any chance of needing to contain wet or sandy clothes and shoes. Letting the air out and squishing them down doesn't take up much more space than the clothes originally did.
My wife introduced me to packing cubes and I'll never go back. Packing cubes for clean clothes, and separating adults and children's clothes. Also so handy to pack other stuff as well that needs...
My wife introduced me to packing cubes and I'll never go back.
Packing cubes for clean clothes, and separating adults and children's clothes. Also so handy to pack other stuff as well that needs organized depending on the bags I'm bringing and pockets/compartments available.
They're relatively inexpensive and barely weigh anything so you don't need to worry about them putting you over a weight limit.
Edit: Also thank you for the recommendation on those nylon bags. We ran into a sand issue in a recent trip and this looks much better than using the regular plastic bags
I'd never heard of packing cubes before your comment, but here as I'm Googling for them, they look pretty cool. (I usually just use a good-sized travel backpack in the overhead bin and/or a...
I'd never heard of packing cubes before your comment, but here as I'm Googling for them, they look pretty cool. (I usually just use a good-sized travel backpack in the overhead bin and/or a smaller laptop backpack for under-the-seat.) I might have to pay a visit to the local REI flagship store at some point.
My latest addition to my travel kit is a travel router, pi-hole, and a chromecast. I brought it on my last time away and it was great keeping the same ad blocking i had at home. It was also great...
My latest addition to my travel kit is a travel router, pi-hole, and a chromecast. I brought it on my last time away and it was great keeping the same ad blocking i had at home. It was also great setting up one device for the network and having everything else working.
I recently hosted a free ec2 pihole that is connected to my tailnet. So everywhere I go all my devices have pihole. It wasnt too tough either. I can give you some documentation if you think it’d...
I recently hosted a free ec2 pihole that is connected to my tailnet. So everywhere I go all my devices have pihole. It wasnt too tough either. I can give you some documentation if you think it’d work for you. (One less thing to carry)
Ok that sounds super interesting to me, but also not sure what you mean by tailnet? I’d love to be pointed at something if you’ve got docs. I’m a techy guy but I’m also very lazy and so haven’t...
Ok that sounds super interesting to me, but also not sure what you mean by tailnet?
I’d love to be pointed at something if you’ve got docs. I’m a techy guy but I’m also very lazy and so haven’t gotten around to ever setting up a pihole even though I’ve wanted to
I just need to get off my butt and set up wireguard at home, then i can get pihole and jellyfin. First, i need to switch my house over to linux though. Just so much to do. I swear, when people say...
I just need to get off my butt and set up wireguard at home, then i can get pihole and jellyfin. First, i need to switch my house over to linux though.
Just so much to do. I swear, when people say "get a life", its not an insult, it's a curse.
A few of these I hadn’t even considered, but they’re definitely upgrades. I’ll add to the list a recommendation for taking along an instant immersion heater, as well.
A few of these I hadn’t even considered, but they’re definitely upgrades. I’ll add to the list a recommendation for taking along an instant immersion heater, as well.
I like to check a large bag at the airport so I can use full size instead of travel size. I use a ziploc bags with the ez zip on it and keep wet separate from dry. The big game changer for me is...
I like to check a large bag at the airport so I can use full size instead of travel size. I use a ziploc bags with the ez zip on it and keep wet separate from dry.
The big game changer for me is packing my bed pillows. There’s always ample room in a checked bag and they make a huge difference on sleep quality.
It’s the complete opposite of minimalist travel, but I travel for work often and I find this strategy is the best balance of comfort and convenience.
I have started doing the same and it is an absolute game changer. I've got to assume it's to do with the familiar smell, however subconscious the awareness of that is
The big game changer for me is packing my bed pillows. There’s always ample room in a checked bag and they make a huge difference on sleep quality.
I have started doing the same and it is an absolute game changer. I've got to assume it's to do with the familiar smell, however subconscious the awareness of that is
That's funny. I have that folding keyboard and do use it with my ZFold 5 when I travel... Only I take my laptop too. Still nice to use on the plane where space is limited.
That's funny. I have that folding keyboard and do use it with my ZFold 5 when I travel... Only I take my laptop too. Still nice to use on the plane where space is limited.
Relatively niche, but I tend to pack all my small electronics in a microphone pouch.1 So I throw in my PSP, maybe a spare second game, charger for my PSP, earbuds, and phone charger. Then I just...
Relatively niche, but I tend to pack all my small electronics in a microphone pouch.1 So I throw in my PSP, maybe a spare second game, charger for my PSP, earbuds, and phone charger. Then I just have this pouch that I can reach for to grab my electronics while travelling. The mic pouch I use also has a thin amount of foam padding on the inside, which is uncommon for mic pouches but is a nice added feature. You could use any small pouch, but I have found that having a small zippered pouch for tech just helps keep things contained.
1 For those who are unfamiliar, a mic pouch is a pouch that you normally get when buying a new mic, that normally measures roughly 10"x5", with a single zipper on the long edge. They are normally just two flat pieces of fabric sewn together, so you lose length and width as you put in more objects. They are normally a pleather material, but I have occasionally seen other materials.
A few things not otherwise mentioned... I hate to be cold when I can't move around to warm up, and airplanes tend to run chilly for my taste. I bring a packable down jacket. It doubles as a neck...
A few things not otherwise mentioned...
I hate to be cold when I can't move around to warm up, and airplanes tend to run chilly for my taste. I bring a packable down jacket. It doubles as a neck pillow when in its stuff sack. I'll also bring a large gauze scarf - usable as an accessory, a head wrap to dull light and noise so I can sleep on the plane, and a lightweight blanket to keep the ventilation drafts off any exposed skin.
My day bag doubles as my tech bag. Staying well organized is half the battle when you're doing minimalist travel. Something that can safely carry the phones, tablet, cables, lightweight power adapter, identity documents, credit cards, currency, and other bits and bobs, each in its own accessible pocket, is a win. The whole thing is small enough to stuff into my backpack (and pull out again) quickly for those annoying "one carry-on personal item and we're going to be authoritarian pricks about it" situations.
If you might need to do a serious load of soiled laundry while on the road, a Tide pod fits in a small Nalgene jar and won't leak. I haven't been impressed with detergent sheets for anything but sink washing.
If you have to carry refrigerated medications, this is a reliable cooling case for trips up to 10 hours.
My god, some of those article suggestions are not just laughably bad, they are insultingly bad. “Forget bringing the phone and tablet you already own! Buy literally one of the most expensive consumer tech devices on the market - but don’t forget our affiliate link!” Why would you buy a new tablet for a travel vacation anyways? Aren’t you leaving to get away from the everyday?
If you want to start a discussion, just start the discussion. You don’t need to link to anything.
It's deeply ironic that the "advice" to buy a $2000 phone because it has a novelty-sized screen is from "the Filter US: our newsletter guide to buying fewer, better products". Having too much crap is a hole you bought yourself into. You're unlikely to buy yourself out of it.
Yeah. Honestly I thought most of the suggestions were kinda just consumerist bullshit.
Who doesn't own a water bottle at this point? Just... Bring the water bottle you have. I think at a certain point you realize that more stuff will not make traveling better or more enjoyable.
Just use the crappy stuff you already have, and realize that 250 dollar headphones won't magically make the flight that much more enjoyable.
That said... that Anker charger does seem pretty nice though, and if I didn't already have one, and traveled internationally a lot, that might make sense.
It does look nice, but I already have a multicountry charger. She says right in the article that she already had a multicountry one, not what was in the pic (4 different plugs). Then she calls it "frustratingly bulky". I'd estimate mine is 2x the size of the nice compact Anker one. Anker's website lists it as "43% smaller."
She just seems to be placing her total emphasis on packing small, without considering the things that might make you happy to have when you are - you know- on vacation.
My unusual must-packs - on a hot destination, I like to have a makeup wipe or two in my backpack to wipe off salty sweat and just feel cooler and cleaner. I bring a tiny bluetooth controller for playing games on my phone. I always bring a Ziploc bag with a few smaller Ziploc bags in it.
The two suggestions I agree with in the article are:
Doing a load of laundry (or pay the hotel for it, I know it's expensive, but you're on vacation, splurge for it) mid-trip helps keep down the amount of clothes I bring with me and generally I get home with a good portion of those clothes clean. Also throw a garbage bag in your suitcase and put dirty clothes in there.
Getting rid of a bulky laptop charger for a suitably sized GaN charger is a game changer. My tech pouch is about the size of my previous laptop charger now and contains a bunch of handy cables, cords, thumb drives, etc and the power brick can charge three things at once. However, per the article, leave your laptop at home as well, so why would you need to replace your laptop charger?
Laundry depends on how long and varied my trip will be, and what I plan on doing. I've been known to just head out with a spare shirt and pair of socks, quick-washing everything at night; and I've also been known to pack a full suitcase, and mail my dirty clothes home to make way for books I've found.
I used to have one of those collapsible water bottles that was recommended. I hated it. It's so hard to clean, and I noticed that it started to leak after a few uses. I would rather just bring a smaller reusable water bottle with me than my usual one and deal with that.
the charger block might be a good idea for folks whose work laptops are USB-C chargeable.
I actually have one of the neck pillows and it's gimmicky at best. It's fragile - first trip with me one of the internal support things have already snapped. And it assumes you want to sleep remaining perfectly still and upright. Nope that's why I get window seat to use the wall.
The laundry sheets idea is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. If I'm at work I can't launder work clothes in a sink, and I'd be way too busy. If I'm travelling for fun I also don't want to do hand washing laundry : i would have booked a hotel with guest self serve laundry and a tiny pack of detergent.
Perhaps this is good advice in an era where free carry on and free checked bags no longer exist. But I can't live/travel that way.
I also feel like folks who can casually throw down a thousand dollar's worth of travel gear aren't flying with just personal bag on cheapest ticket tier. Wouldn't they rather pay for an expensive travel perks credit card that gives them the free checked/carryon + priority bag handling + priority security boarding? Bulky isn't a problem when there are fewer line ups to wrestle with.
People just have different travel preferences. I used to pack a lot, but I've found that after editing things down quite a lot, I don't miss the extra stuff. I see people waiting at the baggage carousel or dragging large luggage around the city, and I think to myself "that looks like a burden I'm not interested in having." I prefer to walk and wander and take public transport rather than load up a car going directly to a destination, so I feel constrained if my luggage isn't small and light enough to drag around on longer walks, bring into restaurants, shove in a medium-sized locker, fit on the overhead rack on the train, etc. Regarding cost, I'd be much more willing to throw down more money to keep things lightweight and avoid having to check a bag. If I were going to just one place and staying there the duration of the trip (like a resort or something), then a larger bag could make sense, but that's just not how I travel.
I guess clothes are technically the exception, requiring some effort. I don't pack more than ~4-5 days worth of shirts, socks, and underwear. If I'm on a long trip, I don't mind spending 5-10 minutes every few days washing those items just to save a bit on luggage size and weight. I don't find it hard to find time for this, since a bit of downtime always seems to happen even if I have a decently full schedule. I don't bother with dedicated laundry detergent, because carrying around more stuff partially defeats the purpose. A few drops of hand soap in warm water works pretty well.
That's a good point : I'm a very different type of traveller now than when I was backpacking. And you're absolutely right, if I'm doing that kind of travelling I would miss out on so much by being encumbered.
Going to have to disagree on the TRTL… best sleep I’ve ever had on a plane. And no breakage at all.
It could be that I'm rough on my stuff and packed too aggressively lol
Maybe you're also taller than me (quite possibly), or that I prefer curling up even within my seat. (Last flight there were two empty seats and I slept really well curled up across both with a rolled up sweater as pillow. Can't beat that)
I posted this less because I think the suggestions are brilliant (they are fine) than because it seems like a good starting point for a discussion on the items you always bring -- or never do.
These are the comment sections I came to tildes for. Thank you for your contribution to the discourse. I love just sitting and reading all the suggestions.
What a great conversation starter :D great topic and an article where folks can critique hahaha
IMO the #1 thing to bring is less things. Most of the items on the list I would recommend not bringing.
Neck pillows, for example. They just take up an absurd amount of space. For things I would recommend taking,
Eye mask and eyeplugs. You can't know what your sleeping situations will be. Maybe your hotel happens to be next to a rave. Maybe there's construction. Maybe you're sleeping in an airport terminal.
A way to pay. This depends where you are. A useful thing to have here is a debit card from a bank that waives FOREX fees as well as atm fees. Schwab's debit card is a common suggestion. This is the best way to get local currency.
Mobile data. In most of the world, this can be done with an eSim on eSim supported phones, but for countries that aren't (mainland China, for instance), you can usually pick this up ahead of time on Amazon.
Battery banks of varying sizes. Of note, "varying sizes". If you only have a giant battery bank, and it's inconvenient to carry and you then don't carry it, then it's kinda pointless. Anker has battery banks of all sizes, make sure there's something that works with every mode of travel (e.g, something that works for "I'm taking a backpack", something for "a casual meal with no bags").
Plastic bags. Just normal plastic grocery bags. It's just always useful to have bags, and the lighter the better. You can put dirty laundry in it, or wet shoes, or whatever.
Things I don't think people should carry
A water bottle. It's just so much wasted size. Foldable ones just suck for usability and durability. I just buy a normal plastic disposable bottle of water at the destination, and then reuse it with tap water until it's inconvenient and throw it away.
Neck pillows and other overly specialized items. Too much wasted space, and only really useful on the plane.
Laundry detergent. Just buy it there.
Check-in sized toiletries. I think having carry-on sized toiletries is useful (<100mL), but once it needs a carry on, just buy it there.
Too many clothes. Stock up on underwear and undershirts, but for layers I try to just have one of each layer.
Books. Too large. Phone works. Also you're much more likely to get stopped by airport security, for some reason. Apparently books show up as giant voids?
Snacks. Just buy it locally.
I agree with the "less is more" philosophy. If it doesn't fit in my carry on, it stays home. But...
I always bring a water bottle and snacks for the plane. I'm not paying $25 for a sandwich at the airport, and airplanes are dehydrating, so having access to a water bottle is always nice.
As for books, e-readers are significantly better than phones for reading, both in battery life and eye strain, though obviously you're now bringing an extra device. I think it's worth it, but I can see the argument for just leaving that at home too. I guess it depends how long your flight and vacation is.
I'm gonna pass on the eyeplugs, thanks... /joke
Haha I always bring like three books. They don’t need to be charged.
Personal preference though. I’m with you on the neck pillow thing.
Why not get an e-reader? There are great alternatives to Amazon nowadays, the displays are very different to a phone and much closer to the real page and the batteries last for weeks.
I too travel with real books clogging up luggage space. For me the feel and the weight and the smell of paper are part of the experience of reading. Also I'm allergic to DRM. But I'm all ears if you have a recommendation for a smaller, cheaper e-reader that I could load some free-as-in-stolen books on 😁
I'm a big fan of the Kobo Libra. I use calibre desktop software to manage my ebook library, plug the Libra into my computer, and hit sync. A handy plug-in also made it possible for my old Kindle books to come along without any... allergens.
Even Kindles don't stop you from loading pirated books on nowadays.
I went for a Pocketbook and am happy, but Kobo is also a often recommended brand. Pocketbook has e-reader starting from around 100€.
That being said, I absolutely prefer a real book when I can, but I move around a lot and it's just so much easier to have an e-reader in your backpack and not worry about a thing. Plus, I also don't feel so bad because the books get beaten up over time in the backpack.
Also, genuinely, reading in the dark is fantastic.
Another vote for a Kobo (the B&W Clara for me, so easy to fit into a pocket or bag <3). Great battery life, and it acts like a USB drive you can just drag'n'drop books onto if you're not by the Calibre software - which is handy if you want to use a USB-C to C cable to download to, then copy books from, your phone when out of country.
I might if I run out of books to read. I really don’t read that much only like 2-3 a year, not enough to justify an e-reader. Ive got about ten books on my shelf still to get through.
Buying an eReader actually dramatically increased the number of books I go through. Seemingly infinite battery life, and being small and light enough to perpetually be on my person, made a big difference.
Thats a good point. Are there any that provide downloadable books that I can own for life on any device?
I never did too much research on it, but I had a first gen e reader and it didn’t format txt and pdf files properly so I gave up on the whole idea.
It looks like stripping Kobo ebook DRM is easy, but I can't comment with any authority having never done so. I've almost exclusively used Anna's archive or LibGen, with one or two pulled from my local library
I bring one, and one I'm happy to leave somewhere. First visit in the next town will be a bookstore anyway.
Except deodorant when visiting East Asia (if you're non-Asian). Asians have less body odor due to genetics, so deodorant isn't a common product there. But they'll definitely be able to smell you, the foreigner.
I asked about the book thing. The security person told me they're so dense the machine can't tell what they are.
I also travel as light as possible, but I have realized that neck pillows can be game changers. I always thought they were dumb, but using one is the only way I can get any sleep on a long overnight flight. I dislike the bulk, but if I have to fly for 10+ hours and then drive for several hours afterward, it is worth it just for a little nap even.
I've always taken my own water bottle with me and found it useful when I was in a country with tap water that you would rather not drink so boiling water before you drink it is a must. Having my metal water bottle that I didn't need to worry about the temperature of the water going in was handy.
Depending on where you travel you may want to check up on the local tap water before going in on a plastic disposable bottle or be prepared to buy multiple disposable bottles during your trip
Very solid list.
But will agree to disagree on snacks :D I started bringing in flight snacks to gift flight crew and won't go back. ( I also stopped tipping at self serve cafes in a similar vein silent protest ) but also in flight snacks for myself obviously.
As for checked snacks, I live at the rural edge of the continent. Obviously when I travel to civilization, I will be silk-road caravan style flying snacks home.
I agree with you on principle but I disagree specifically on detergent. If we were talking about liquid or even powdered detergent I would agree but now that I buy sheets which take up nearly zero space and don’t need a measuring device, they are a no-brainer. That’s assuming I will need to do laundry at all, though.
How has your experience been with laundry sheets? When I first heard about them they seemed like a great idea, but the third-party reviews and tests that I could find found their cleaning ability is somewhere between mediocre and no better than plain water.
I also use the sheets and they are firmly in the realm of "OK", not terrible. I did try some generic sheets and they weren't too much worse. We mostly tried them to avoid the heavy plastic waste of liquid detergent since they come in thin cardboard packaging and they didn't have the bad aftereffects of pods on the washing machine. We're not planning on switching away.
I havent had a single problem with the store brand stuff I have been using.
I disagree on books only because I think reading on a phone is awful with the extremely niche exception for e-ink phones like the Minimal phone.
I bring my own water bottle because it fits perfectly into my fanny-pack carrier slot. I pack it with my medications so the space isn't wasted during the travel portion.
Sometimes I bring books, mostly I bring magazines. I usually have a stack of magazines that I want to read, and I'll discard them in waiting rooms and lobbies as I finish them, for other travelers to read while they're waiting. The books are never ones I really want to keep, and a lot of the hotels I stay at have a little book of left-behind books where you can drop off the one you've just finished or pick up a new one if you've run short and want something to read
Portable Bidet, because a clean butthole is essential.
Can you accomplish the same thing with a disposable water bottle and a pen?
Are you trying to poke holes into the bottle? Could possibly work. I also have a portable bidet though. I think there’s 3D printed attachments that you can take with you. Lmao maybe I will design one myself
Probably. What would be nice about that option is that you could also regulate the power by squeezing harder or softer. But I imagine that solution wouldn't last for more than a handful of uses.
1000%!!!! Eat that greasy street food with confidence.
( ͡ʘ ͜ʖ ͡ʘ)
I nearly talked myself into that Anker charger before I realized it was meant for Macs and would not work for my mismatched giant MSI laptop and itty bitty ASUS Zephyrus :( Dang. That really would have tipped me into "I need it" territory. Honestly, my tech situation for travel is far from optimized and is more of a "well, I'm satisfied if the hotel has working outlets near my bed". Even in the nicest hotels the outlets seem a hit or miss...
In general, I'm far more interested in tiny...what would you call them? Creature comforts? I like things that smell nice, I like my soaps being organized, I like mini lint rollers that fit in my purse or blister bandaids for all the extra walking, etc. Those little things make traveling easier to bear when I'm very much a homebody. Traveling is great but I always miss my cat at the end of the day.
There's nothing about that Anker charger is that "meant for macs". It's a USB-PD charger that adheres to the USB-PD spec and will charge anything that accepts USB-PD (which, these days, ranges from everything from pretty much every modern smartphone to every tablet to the Nintendo switch to many laptops).
If your laptop charges over USB-C, there are absolutely alternative chargers available. You can do up to 100W over USB PD, and many laptops take advantage of this now.
Everything in my travel bag can be charged by a single USB-C brick I keep with me (though I do keep 3 in my big backpack) and not having to stress about different chargers is fantastic.
I think you can do up to 240W with USB PD.
Correct. Very few laptops support charging that fast - and those that do are usually gaming laptops with massive external power bricks that don’t use USB-C. But the latest version is way higher than the previous limit.
I’ve found that (in the United States) a three-pronged plug will always fit snug into a hotel outlet, so a small power strip or grounded charger / extension cord will fix the loose hotel outlet problem. Bonus points if it also puts the electricity closer to where you need it.
I carry an Anker 5-foot extension cord when I travel. It's less of a problem these days but for a long time, hotels hadn't updated their rooms to actually have outlets (or more than one available outlet) where I wanted/needed them. It's a little bit of overkill, but I consider it part of my tech travel supplies.
I recommend the Starlabs laptop charger instead. I originally got it with one of their laptops, had to return the laptop but I love this charger and kind of want to buy another. It's so compact and convenient, especially now that all my tech (except my toothbrush) charges via USB-C.
Ah, there it is:
(I'm not complaining, since I think it makes an interesting Topic for Tildes discussion. But whenever I see lists like these with specific products recommended rather than general categories, I always wonder what's the angle.)
I've noticed on planes that very few people take advantage of the bendy parts of the head rest. There is a height factor, but if you are of the right height bending the sides forward is pretty comfortable. It's not going to be as comfortable as a neck pillow, but you also don't need to cart it around.
I'm a big fan of packing cubes. I have one that fits my tablet, e reader, and a speed cube, then a smaller one inside that with a charging battery, a cable, a pen, some sticky notes, earplugs, an eye mask, a wallet, my hearing aid charger, and my medicine. Sounds like a lot of stuff, but it's pretty compact. I pull the nested cubes out of my backpack before sticking it in the overhead, and I have everything I have missed/needed in the past without giving up all of my leg room.
One travel trick on my e reader is to check out some library books before the trip and then shut off the Wi-Fi for the duration. The battery lasts much longer and I don't have to try to enter in a password on that stupid little keyboard.
I used to bring plastic bags for laundry, but have found those fold up nylon laundry bags to be far better if there's any chance of needing to contain wet or sandy clothes and shoes. Letting the air out and squishing them down doesn't take up much more space than the clothes originally did.
My wife introduced me to packing cubes and I'll never go back.
Packing cubes for clean clothes, and separating adults and children's clothes. Also so handy to pack other stuff as well that needs organized depending on the bags I'm bringing and pockets/compartments available.
They're relatively inexpensive and barely weigh anything so you don't need to worry about them putting you over a weight limit.
Edit: Also thank you for the recommendation on those nylon bags. We ran into a sand issue in a recent trip and this looks much better than using the regular plastic bags
I'd never heard of packing cubes before your comment, but here as I'm Googling for them, they look pretty cool. (I usually just use a good-sized travel backpack in the overhead bin and/or a smaller laptop backpack for under-the-seat.) I might have to pay a visit to the local REI flagship store at some point.
My latest addition to my travel kit is a travel router, pi-hole, and a chromecast. I brought it on my last time away and it was great keeping the same ad blocking i had at home. It was also great setting up one device for the network and having everything else working.
I recently hosted a free ec2 pihole that is connected to my tailnet. So everywhere I go all my devices have pihole. It wasnt too tough either. I can give you some documentation if you think it’d work for you. (One less thing to carry)
Ok that sounds super interesting to me, but also not sure what you mean by tailnet?
I’d love to be pointed at something if you’ve got docs. I’m a techy guy but I’m also very lazy and so haven’t gotten around to ever setting up a pihole even though I’ve wanted to
Probably referring to: https://tailscale.com
I just need to get off my butt and set up wireguard at home, then i can get pihole and jellyfin. First, i need to switch my house over to linux though.
Just so much to do. I swear, when people say "get a life", its not an insult, it's a curse.
If I had a nickel for all the projects I need to finish on my home network, I could buy another server, to do more projects with!
I carried a travel router before but I found it not worth it most of the time. I think it depends where you’re going tho
A few of these I hadn’t even considered, but they’re definitely upgrades. I’ll add to the list a recommendation for taking along an instant immersion heater, as well.
That is one of the most dangerous things you can buy! Where would you go where you have access to 120V power but not hot water?
I think it's to boil water, so you could make tea or coffee in a hotel room with no kettle.
I like to check a large bag at the airport so I can use full size instead of travel size. I use a ziploc bags with the ez zip on it and keep wet separate from dry.
The big game changer for me is packing my bed pillows. There’s always ample room in a checked bag and they make a huge difference on sleep quality.
It’s the complete opposite of minimalist travel, but I travel for work often and I find this strategy is the best balance of comfort and convenience.
I have started doing the same and it is an absolute game changer. I've got to assume it's to do with the familiar smell, however subconscious the awareness of that is
Head position and firmness? Hotel pillows are way too plush so they manage to be too thick and too thin at the same time.
I could argue that most of the things the article suggest you to take are not necessary either (beside the powerbank)
That's funny. I have that folding keyboard and do use it with my ZFold 5 when I travel... Only I take my laptop too. Still nice to use on the plane where space is limited.
Relatively niche, but I tend to pack all my small electronics in a microphone pouch.1 So I throw in my PSP, maybe a spare second game, charger for my PSP, earbuds, and phone charger. Then I just have this pouch that I can reach for to grab my electronics while travelling. The mic pouch I use also has a thin amount of foam padding on the inside, which is uncommon for mic pouches but is a nice added feature. You could use any small pouch, but I have found that having a small zippered pouch for tech just helps keep things contained.
1 For those who are unfamiliar, a mic pouch is a pouch that you normally get when buying a new mic, that normally measures roughly 10"x5", with a single zipper on the long edge. They are normally just two flat pieces of fabric sewn together, so you lose length and width as you put in more objects. They are normally a pleather material, but I have occasionally seen other materials.
A few things not otherwise mentioned...
I hate to be cold when I can't move around to warm up, and airplanes tend to run chilly for my taste. I bring a packable down jacket. It doubles as a neck pillow when in its stuff sack. I'll also bring a large gauze scarf - usable as an accessory, a head wrap to dull light and noise so I can sleep on the plane, and a lightweight blanket to keep the ventilation drafts off any exposed skin.
My day bag doubles as my tech bag. Staying well organized is half the battle when you're doing minimalist travel. Something that can safely carry the phones, tablet, cables, lightweight power adapter, identity documents, credit cards, currency, and other bits and bobs, each in its own accessible pocket, is a win. The whole thing is small enough to stuff into my backpack (and pull out again) quickly for those annoying "one carry-on personal item and we're going to be authoritarian pricks about it" situations.
If you might need to do a serious load of soiled laundry while on the road, a Tide pod fits in a small Nalgene jar and won't leak. I haven't been impressed with detergent sheets for anything but sink washing.
If you have to carry refrigerated medications, this is a reliable cooling case for trips up to 10 hours.