Invaluable Travel Items
I've been traveling on and off for many years now. My travels include the USA and abroad.
Here I wanted to list what I
feel to be the most invaluable items to bring with when traveling abroad and
in the USA.
My most invalueable items would
include:
1. Portable first aid kit.
2. Waterproof windbreaker.
3. Merino wool hooded sweater.
4. Merino wool neckwear.
5. Athletic shoes by Topo that
are comfortable for walking.
6. Aer hardshell carry-on.
7. Probiotic/prebiotic pills.
8. A cotton ball-cap.
9. A sling for everyday use.
10. Packing cubes.
Many of you may look at this
list and say, "No way!"
But for me, all these items
were super valuable to have with me.
I will explain my thoughts
following the list above.
Recently I traveled to Chicago,
Illinois with Plantar fasciitis in my left foot and sports tears in my opposite
leg muscles. My walking was a bit off due to the pain in my foot and my
leg.
Chicago is a city of walking
and taking public transportation. And so, my injuries were pushed to their
limit. With my walking being a bit off in my gait, I developed rubbing on two
of my toes. If they had been left for much longer, the rubbing would have
turned into painful blisters.
Bringing a portable first aid
kit gave me the ability to cover my toes with band aides that promptly stopped
the pain and rubbing. I bought the 30-piece Curad Mini First Aid
kit from Menards, which contained 24 various sizes of band aids, 2
alcohol swabs, 2 alcohol wipes, and 2 antibiotic ointments. The package is
about 3-4" x 3-4" x 1". The cost was about $2.00. Invaluable
item for any of our travels. (Swimming in a lake or ocean, I've cut my foot on
glass and coral!) For Eczema & skin issues, I'd include a small tube of hydrocortisone
cream in your luggage.
A waterproof windbreaker is
invaluable to have to stop cold winds and rain from chilling you to the bone! Also,
a Merino wool hooded sweater was pretty awesome to wear under the windbreaker.
Warmth with no bulk or itch. (Fleece is made of polyester, which does not keep
a person warm. It's like covering your body in empty plastic pop bottles and
expecting it to keep you warm.)
The first time I traveled to
England, (September) rain poured on us for about 30 minutes while we were
trying to find our hotel. The temperatures dip from the low 70's to 50's f
while raining. I had no umbrella because I could not fit the umbrella in my
luggage. And so, I relied on my waterproof windbreaker for rain protection and
my Merino wool hooded sweater to keep me warm.
My feet and legs were wet, but
my main body and head were dry and warm. I still became chilled due to my wet feet
and legs. But without them, I would of been a lot worse. Umbrellas work fine, but wind will break them, they become cumbersome, and they take up room in your luggage.
I have experience with L.L.Bean’s waterproof,
seam-sealed windbreaker https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/124300?page=womens-waterproof-windbreaker-jacket
and Columbia's waterproof,
seam-sealed windbreaker (Women's Long Valley Trench III)
https://www.columbia.com/p/womens-long-valley-trench-iii-2144371.html?dwvar_2144371_color=278
Both worked great! The L.L. Bean
windbreaker is a typical looking windbreaker, no belt and the Columbia
windbreaker has a belt which helps with warmth and provides a slimming look.
Both are reasonable prices.
To be completely protected from
the rain, look for:
-Seam sealed.
-Preferably no PFAS/PFC.
(Unhealthy for you and the environment.) Look for PFAS/PFC-free materials. I
would not purchase a PU material either due to cracking and sweating in it.
-Elastic or Velcro as wrists.
-Hooded with a drawstring to
hold it in place.
-Washable.
I have been super happy with my
Merino wool hooded sweater for trips. This sweater has rescued me in cold plane
rides! Zip the zipper all the way up, pull on the hood and pull the thumb-holes
over the thumb and the back of your hand. Quick warmth.
This sweater also rescued me
while I was sick, running a fever in a cold hotel room. Comfort!
The sweater I have is
from Merino Ridge company.
It is finely knit with a tight
weave. (Great for long lasting and a slimmer look to self.)
I believe it is called
the Hyde full hooded Merino wool sweater. I have this in two colors
now to wear every time I travel. This sweater stretches to form-fit my body. It
creates a barrier that keeps in warmth for my body.
Merino wool does not go
"stinky" while wearing it for at least 2 weeks! Some fabrics will
need to be washed everyday due to body odor in them. But my Merino wool sweater
did not keep in any body odors for the 2 weeks I wore it. Merino wool does not allow bacteria to grow in it.
What to look for in a Merino
wool sweater for traveling?
-Fine knit
-100% Merino wool. ( I noticed
many Merino wool sweaters have synthetic threads added in them like nylon
and/or polyester. Go for the 100% Merino wool. Also, you may not want to get
Merion wool with other wools added into it. Itchy!!!)
-A nice midweight is 275 GSM.
Less than this, it may be too thin for a nice warmth.
-Soft 18.5M Merino wool.
-Hand and/or machine wash in
non-twisting wash machines. (Line dry).
Merino wool neckwear has been another nice clothing article
that has helped me to stay warm and cozy.
I originally bought this for my
South Africa trip due to the cold nights there. The Merino wool neckwear can be worn
around your neck or as a seamless scarf/hood over your head and neck. The
Merino wool neckwear can be used anyway you can think of.
I remember a cold flight, where
I was shivering with my windbreaker on and my Merino wool sweater on. The
flight crew would periodically turn on the heat and then they would turn it
off! Brrrrrrr.
It's cold being up in the sky
40-60,000 feet with little heat. My Merino wool neckwear saved me from
shivering the whole flight. I placed my neckwear on top of my legs to act like
a blanket. It did the trick. I was fairly comfortable in this flight due to my Merino wool neckwear.
My Merino wool neckwear is from
the Buff company.
https://www.buff.com/us/neckwear/multifunctional-tubulars-and-snoods/merino-multifunctional.html
What to look for:
-100% Merino wool, stops
bacteria growth so no odors for weeks.
-Hand washable.
-Sold in two thicknesses.
Athletic shoes that are
comfortable to walk long distances in are a must!
While traveling around, I
remember seeing women with thin, unsupported sandals or shoes on that created
blistered heels and sore, tired feet. One lady who was in line and in front of
me had huge gauze bandages on her heels with open backed shoes on. Ouch! She obviously had brought some shoes that injured her heels.
I recently have found a
athletic shoe that allows my toes to spread a bit while walking, supports my
midfoot, has a healthy amount of cushion in them (not too much), and has a low
heel drop.
I have narrow heels and so,
it's really hard to find a proper fitting athletic shoe. My athletic shoes are
from Topo Athletic company. https://www.topoathletic.com/women/womens-shoes
This company has provided me
with great fitting athletic shoes that are healthy for my feet. In fact, the
zero drop shoes from here have stopped the pain in my foot with Plantar Fasciitis.
After many years of traveling,
pulling a suitcase behind me or wearing a backpack, I've decided "no
more." No more hurting my back and arms, lugging a suitcase behind me or
on my back.
After a lot of looking around,
I decided the Aer Hardcase carry-on suitcase would be great
for me.
https://aersf.com/products/carry-on?country=US
And I was not wrong. Finding a
suitcase that can take most of the work out of a trip can be hard.
What did I look for?
-Clam-shell opening with
closed-off sections. I have found if a suitcase opens up in a clam-shell way
(opens up and lays flat on the floor, giving an even amount of space on each
side of the suitcase to pack, it will hold more of my clothes and accessories.)
-The suitcase must have 4-8
ball-bearing wheels; thus, the suitcase can glide over the floors easily. Also
having the ability to pull the suitcase on 2-4 wheels when needed to walk
through rough roads, sidewalks, and elevator gaps.
-Polycarbonate Hardcase. I have
never owned a hardcase until now. I like how it helps to keep my clothes neatly
packed and protected. The day I was walking in the pouring rain in England, I
found in the hotel, my clothes and belongings to be all dry inside the
suitcase. (Be aware of thin, inexpensive polycarbonates. They crack when under
a little bit of stress.)
-An added built-in lock is a
nice feature.
One of the first times I used
my AER Hardcase carryon I was standing in a heavily crowded bus with no seats
traveling from one side of the airport to another. I had no hands to hold on to
my suitcase. With easy rolling wheels, I needed to stop it from rolling across the bus floor. And so, I remembered this suitcase has a built-in wheel lock. I
quickly switched my lock on and my suitcase did not move an inch, while my
hands were desperately holding on to a bus holding myself in place. I had read
reviews on this suitcase, some saying the wheel lock is not needed. I beg to
differ on this belief.
I do not use the wheel lock
very often, but when I have, it worked great, freeing up my hands to help
myself maintain balance in crowded, bumpy rides standing up.
My next item I feel is a good
idea to travel with would be probiotic/prebiotic pills. I'm not one to take
medicines very often, but taking a probiotic/prebiotic pill while traveling is
common sense to me.
In one of my longer travel trips to
England and Greece, I ended up with 2 different bouts of food poisoning and either COVID or the influenza. (One bout was from someone not washing their
hands really well whether handling my food or touching something I touched and the second time was from improperly refrigerated food in
a warm climate.) I tried helping myself by purchasing grocery store Kefir and
drinking it every day.
I have not tried using
probiotics/prebiotic pills before in travel, but they may help a bit to keep my
stomach/intestine environment balanced and healthy. This may beat running to
the grocery store every day and drinking Kefir. It may be wise to start the
probiotic/prebiotic pills about a week ahead of traveling time. This way, you
can travel knowing your stomach/intestine environment are fairly healthy.
Taking these pills will not
stop you from experiencing stomach bugs, flu, or COVID, but they may help you
to heal quicker!
-Make sure you purchase pills
that do not need refrigeration.
-I have used Fortify brand
with 50 billion live cultures in each pill.
-Make sure your brand says it
has live cultures in it.
A ball cap is a must! Or at
least some type of natural fiber hat to cover your head and face.
I used mine to help regulate my
body heat, whether it was hot or cold outside. The brim keeps my face from
sunburning and helps shield my eyes from the bright sun entering between my sunglasses and head. The natural fibers
such as cotton are soft and comfortable to wear in the heat. The ball cap is small
and easy to bend and pack.
I have bought two of these
cotton ball caps in different colors to match different outfits. I bought mine
from Walmart for around $7.00/each. I love them due to having
no writing/advertising on them, they are soft, comfortable to wear, easy to pack, and they
are 100% cotton.
Traveling, I really do not want
to use a purse most of the time. Why? When I travel, I want a bag small enough
to wear comfortably, but big enough
to hold my jacket, camera, brush, snacks, and water.
But other than all of that, I
also want it to be secure and look good. Secure as meaning inhibiting
pick-pockets. Look good meaning it would be a nice bag that doesn't deflect too
much from my outfit.
I have found a sling bag does
all of this.
What to look for:
-Zippers that lock.
-Nylon or polyester fabrics.
-Measure the sling to make sure
it is big enough to hold what you would want to carry. For example, my portable
camera holder is a certain size/ a bit bulky. And so, I needed to make sure all
of my stuff would fit in the bag I purchased.
-Straps that have a cable in
them.
-Anti-theft bags.
-Sling. A sling is easier to
tote around. It does not create so much heat on your back, creating alot of sweat. The sling bag has the ability to slide in front of you giving yourself extra
protection from crowded areas. Otherwise, I usually wear it on my back. It has
one wide strap that is comfortable. And it is easy to use.
I have experience with three
bags and I love them all. Hard-working bags that help to keep my husband’s and
my items safe.
Travelon Anti-theft Urban sling comes in two
different sizes. Buy them at Target or at https://www.travelonbags.com/category-shop.html
Sherpani Anti-theft Crossbody sling, purchase at
Scheels or Sherpani.
https://sherpani.com/products/esprit-at-3?variant=51206630834476
And lastly are packing cubes. I
just recently finally bought these and I'd say they are helpful.
I bought the Calpak packing
cubes that are non-compression. With compression, reading reviews about
the compression type, the edges of the cube are compacted, but the middle is
still tall.
https://www.calpaktravel.com/products/packing-cubes-5-piece-set
I was looking for
non-compression cubes with good zippers and good materials. I know there are
less expensive cubes out there. And I believe many of them do work pretty well, except maybe they may not last as long.
I have found by rolling up my
clothes in each cube, I am able to bring a fair amount of clothes.
I love how I can easily go in
my suitcase and just grab one packing cube out instead of rummaging through all
of my clothes. Definitely helps with organization. The cubes also help to keep
my clothes rolled up.
The cubes also are water-resistant. I like how the zippers unzip all three sides of the cube. And
so, the top of the cube can lay basically flat, out of my way of packing or
unpacking.
Well for now, these are my
invaluable items that I like to use for traveling.
Traveling light is always more
of a joy than packing too much. These items may help you do just that.
Cheers!
By Cynthia Bergsbaken
8/14/2025.
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