I wanted to seek the opinions of top industry insiders, asking them which things, costing over $100, they consider necessary for their travels.
The insights I gathered was not only enlightening but also quite practical, cutting across a wide range of cutting-edge gadgets to versatile devices that enhance safety and convenience on the road.
In this piece, I'm excited to share the top four recommendations from those discussions—whether it's must-have noise-canceling headphones or cutting-edge GPS watches that do more than just tell time.
- Invest in Noise-Canceling Headphones
- Use Your Smartphone as a Multi-Tool
- Take a Chromebook for Versatile Travel
- Utilize a GPS Watch for Running and Safety
Invest in a Good Pair of Noise-Canceling Headphones
One travel accessory you actually need to splurge on is definitely a nice pair of noise-canceling headphones.
Actually, they will not only make sure that you have a good time, possibly listening to some nice music or watching a good movie on your laptop or iPad, but also, the features of the noise-canceling headphones will actually assist you in cases that may be too noisy or blaringly loud, such as the crowded aeroplane or bus.
Giacomo Piva, Travel Industry Analyst and Co-Founder, Radical Storage
Use Your Smartphone as a Multi-Tool
The simplest answer to this question would be a smartphone. It provides most of these in one package and eliminates the need to carry separate devices, like a camera, watch, map, and many other things.
It's hard to justify buying an additional gadget unless you have a specific reason to bring it—say, a high-quality camera that can capture much better photos than a smartphone would take for a professional travel blogger.
Eric Novinson, Founder, This Is Accounting Automation
Take a Chromebook for Versatile Travel
So, for travel, I had to buy a cheap Chromebook with a detachable keyboard because of the limitation. With regard to my personal laptop, this will mainly have the advantage of easy carrying and lessening risk whenever I use this Chromebook.
That does somehow terrify me, the idea that I might lose it, but that is in no way as scary as losing my main laptop. The detachable keyboard feature on the Chromebook makes it so flexible for me, given that I can either use it as a laptop or sometimes just as a tablet. Basically, this is good to run most of my frequently used apps comfortably.
In fact, the multitasking capability of the browser on the Chromebook is much more than that of my iPad, as windows can pop open with no limits at the same time. This makes it a great travel companion for work and play.
Anam Barkan, CEO, HireGO Minibuses
Utilize a GPS Watch for Running and Safety
I am a running coach, and an essential part of my travel gear is a good quality GPS running watch, which I use not only when I go for my runs but also when I travel to races or training events.
It follows my location, and performance with precision, but it also doubles as a travel companion that guides me through new running routes safely from wherever I take off, so I actually never end up running "blind" into unfamiliar territory.
The very latest models often include contactless payment and an emergency location-sharing function, all adding both increased convenience and safety to my travels. Suddenly, those watches were not only one kind of running accessory but had become a multi-functional, useful gadget that was actually supporting my lifestyle and at the same time being very helpful for lots of stuff during traveling.
Finally, the durability and long battery life these watches provide are of utmost importance for long trips and back-to-back days of events.
Joshua Bartlett, Running Coach, Your Next Run
In our endless pursuit for new horizons, travel is so much more than transcendence from the physical borders we cross.
Far rather, it is a deep dialogue between our inner selves and the exterior world—a journey about discovery, as much as it is about reflection. These are the gadgets that we bring into this great exploration—nothing more than enablers of our extensions and augmentations of the senses and the mind.
Ultimately, they prompt us that every step taken in the outside world is mirrored by strides within as we traverse not only the geography of lands but the vast landscapes of our thoughts and dreams.
Alex Cornici
