5 gear items in my backpack that I could never travel without

These items are simply not needed to travel, but without them you would be wasting a small fortune. The only reason why these 5 items are in my backpack is because of the amount of money I’ve saved using them around the world. Have these items in your backpack and you will be travelling way smarter around the globe.

100ml Soap bottle

Go Toob Liquid Travel Bottles (Pack of 3)

When airlines started to introduce 100ml liquids in plastic bags things got a little bit more tricky. Why are you taking more than a 100ml on a trip anyway? It’s actually a perfect size for travelling with and saves carrying bulky bottles (like the one in the above picture). You already have a lot of these bottles lying around the house so why not top up these bottles instead of paying a small fortune for the mini size branded bottles. A lot of hotels already offer complementary soap, even the hand soap at the airport is free so why not keep these bottles topped up along the way to save having to buy soap all together. Best of all, This is not just any Soap bottle, this is a Rubber pressure proof designed bottle that can take a lot of push to ensure that it will not pop open in your bag. Don’t you just hate it when this happens? Make bottle leaking a thing of the past in your backpack with these smart little travel bottles.

Pack towel

Quick Dry travel pack Towel

How many times have you been stuck without a towel on your travels? It happens a lot, especially at hostels where they charge you for the privilege. Beat this fee and bring your own. I have also been to hotels or Apartments that Haven’t even offered a towel, its a pure nightmare and something you don’t want to be stuck without. Especially after a long flight the first thing you think about is a nice hot shower. This small pack down towel is so light that it fits in the palm of your hand so it really takes up no space at all and can sit in your backpack until needed, perfect! The best thing about this towel is it quickly drys within an hour, so it’s easy to travel with and won’t be wet and moldy in your backpack when on the move. It actually comes with a clip so if you haven’t finished drying you can secure it on the outside of your bag to keep drying on the go.

Number lock

Combination Padlock

Many hostels these days offer storage units, but in order to lock them require you to purchase one of their return locks, Simply bring your own and then you never have to pay this unexpected fee, best of all you can keep all your stuff safe and secure as you sleep. I use a number lock so you never have to worry about keys you can just lock as you go with ease.

Water Bottle

Platypus Soft Bottle with Push-Pull

You need to drink a lot of water, especially when you travel and the climate is different. Water is great and in many countries its drinkable and free from a tap. Save yourself having to buy soda or bottled water which can quickly cut away at your travel funds when you add it all up. Keep your bottle filled and you will never have to worry about buying drinks. I use a platypus water bottle as they stand the test of time, I’ve even seen a car run over one and it still works, they really last a long time. A small long term investment thats worth taking. Best of all, at airports, you can empty it, pack it down to nothing and fly with it in your hand luggage, Simple.

Last but not least, Compression bag

Travel stuff sack Bag

The amount of space This item saves in my bag allows me to take all the clothes I need for a trip and avoid checking in luggage which has saved me a lot of money over all the flights I have taken. It works by sucking all the air out of your clothes which takes up most of space, works just like those vacuum bags but without the need for a vacuum cleaner, its perfect for also organising laundry and keeping clothes dry on the road, an all round great product that I can’t travel without it.

This sums up my list and I hope you found it useful and informative, I hope maybe that you might even start to pack some of the above items yourself to travel just that little bit smarter on your next trip.

Do you agree with my list? Do you pack any of these items for the same reason? Any items you would add to my list? Feel free to leave a comment in the section below, happy travels!