There’s a time and task for our everyday tools, but there’s one category that’s equally important to prepare for these days. Between smartphones, laptops, and all the different ways to work, enjoy media, and communicate, having the right tech—especially while on the move—is essential. But we’ve got you covered. In this list, we take a look at awesome and useful tech you can add to your EDC to make your modern commute both practical and fun.
The Best Tech for Traveling in 2019
Tile Slim
Losing your passport or your wallet is one of the worst things that can happen when you’re abroad. But with a Tile locator you can find it in a pinch, whether you left your ID on a taxi or even just finding where you set it down in your hotel room. You can trigger a locating beacon that helps you locate your gear via sound, and Tile‘s extensive user base comes in handy when you’ve well and truly lost what you’re trying to find. The best part: their updated Slim model is sized just right to slot into a standard credit card space, letting you integrate this super-useful tech into your travel workflow easily without adding too much bulk.
Apple AirPods Pro
With their shorter, less visible stems and the introduction of active noise cancelling technology into the mix, Apple’s new AirPods Pro should be your truly-wireless earbuds of choice if you’re an iPhone user, as they are a worthy step up from the previous generation. They also fit in ears better than the last model, which is something you should check out if they didn’t work for you the first time around.
Apple Watch Series 5
From contactless payments to health tracking in emergency situations, the Apple Watch definitely does more than tell time. It lets you keep your hands free when checking messages and notifications, letting you avoid getting your precious phone from getting snatched out of your hand when you’re in sketchy locations. And it just straight-up looks good, with a stylish aluminum case that pairs well with whatever outfit you choose and an always-on display that lets you check time discreetly like a traditional watch without standing out like a sore thumb in awkward situations.
Sony WH1000XM3 ANC Headphones
If earbuds aren’t your thing when it comes to wireless Bluetooth headphones when you travel, Sony’s WH1000XM3 over-ear headphones are your best bet, with superior sound quality over their earbuds brethren and class-leading active noise cancelling to boot. And with 30 hours of playback on a full charge, you can kick back and enjoy your music on even the longest flights.
RAVPower 20100 mAh 45W PD Power Bank
When you’re a techie on the go, running out of power is tantamount to complete shutdown of your day. With its huge 20100 mAh battery, this RAVPower power bank lets you go for long periods of time without having to find a wall charger. And because it supports a full 45W of power delivery over USB-C, it can power your bigger tech hardware as well, including laptops, tablets, and even gaming devices like the Nintendo Switch.
Kindle Paperwhite Waterproof
You know the Kindle and how it gives you access to an extensive library of books in your hand without the bulk and weight of traditional paper, of course. Two things set this new model apart from its predecessor: a clear backlit display that reads like a traditional book, and an impressive IPX8 waterproof rating that will definitely handle the next time turbulence hits and drinks fall on your device during beverage service on a flight.
DJI Mavic Mini
Drone technology has come quite far recently, and DJI’s brand new offering shrinks things down to a size that can fit in your bag so that you can use it everywhere you go. And at just 8.7 ounces in weight, it won’t add unnecessary bulk to your travel ensemble, not to mention being right under the legal limit for major locales so you don’t have to register it. With one of these in your toolbox you can enjoy the ability to take high-resolution 2.7K videos and still images from vantages you’d need a helicopter to take otherwise. The possibilities are endless with a drone camera, and you can let loose your creative energies in entirely new when you add the DJI Mavic Mini to your kit.
Sonos Move
Let’s face it: most Bluetooth speakers available right now nor are just downright bad at playing music. Sure, some of them can get loud, but that comes at the expense of quality, with lots of unwanted distortion at high volumes. The new Sonos Move is different, because it’s a smart wireless Bluetooth speaker that’s made to play music well, even at high volume, while still being immensely portable. And because it’s designed to interface directly with Amazon’s Alexa smart AI assistant, you can use the Sonos Move to control other devices or accomplish tasks that a standard portable speaker just cannot do.
GNARBOX 2.0
When you’re on the move, it can be hard to stop and take stock of the photos and videos you’re talking during your travels. And if you’re trying to travel super-light, you might not even be able to justify having a laptop on you for editing your work in the first place. The GNARBOX 2.0 offers you portable, rugged SSD storage that takes things an extra step: it automatically pulls your photos and videos from your memory cards and it lets you edit them directly from your mobile devices via WiFi. Adding this bit of gear with absolutely change your workflow, especially if you often find yourself in remote locations without power or internet access.
GLAMFIELDS Travel Adaptor
There’s no point carrying around a bunch of tech if you can’t use or charge your devices when you eventually get to your destination, all because you don’t have the right power plugs for your gear. This universal adapter solves this problem, giving you every single plug you might encounter in your travels, in a package that won’t take up too much space in your luggage. And as an added bonus, the adapter itself lets you plug in four devices including a USB Type-C port for the latest modern hardware.
RovyVon Aurora A28
If you leave your EDC flashlight at home when you travel because it’s too big, consider picking up a RovyVon Aurora A28. It packs a powerful 600 lumen Nichia 219C LED module within a small 3″ frame. There’s an auxiliary side UV light built in as well which lets you verify the authenticity of hard currency and also see whether or not your hotel housekeeping actually cleaned things up from the previous occupants if you’re adventurous. And because it’s micro-USB rechargeable, you won’t have to worry about hunting around for rare proprietary batteries to power this light while you’re abroad.
Ricoh GRIII Compact Camera
Since the halcyon days of film, the Ricoh GR series has been a popular pick for compact street and travel photographers who live a fast-paced lifestyle. With 24MP restoration and a wide 28mm lens with bright f/2.8 aperture, the GRIII offers photographers a powerful creative platform to get great shots wherever they they find themselves. But this isn’t just a photo camera for enthusiasts, as the quality of the camera and its ease of use make it a good choice even if the user isn’t as skilled. At the very least, the random person you’ll hand this over to so you can join a group shoot will be able to use it with little to no problem. What’s not to like?
What are your travel tech essentials? Sound off in the comments below!