Whether you’re going on a apps + write for us business or pleasure trip, having the right gadget at the right time can save your life, starting with getting some sleep on the plane.
I aspire to be like those who buckle up and fall asleep. I’ve never had a good flight sleep. Even when I’m dead tired and running on fumes, I want to cry because I’m so tired. I rarely get more than 30 to 60 minutes of sleep. Consequently, I have set a goal to test every airline pillow available to travelers.
I have more than a decade’s worth
ones that you blow up and put face-down on your food tray. Those bizarre Ostrich and Handy models with giant mitt shapes that make people laugh more than they sleep.
I have tried everything. I’m pleased to report that I’ve discovered one that works. In fact, after testing travel gadgets for Digital Nomad more than a decade on airplanes, trains, and automobiles in some of the world’s most remote locations, I’ve discovered a few that I’ll never leave home without.
Learn more about the Trtl, Cabeau, and Travelrest before you go to bed: Best insurance for traveling I just flew nonstop from Seattle to Dublin and slept most of the way. No, I wasn’t medicated, and indeed, I was pressed like a sardine in the economy seats.
The Trtl ($45), a sandwich-sized device that is basically a super-soft scarf with a pliable plastic neck support built in to keep your head upright while you sleep, was what made the difference.
Do you intend to not check your bag on your subsequent flight? This summer, one out of every six travel bags was handled incorrectly. I used it under my chin or to one side, and I didn’t feel the usual aches and pains from my head moving around. I even used the fleece wrap-around part to cover my eyes at one point during the flight to create a cozy, dark cocoon.
I slept through the majority of the flight after stuffing my ears with my AirPods Pro to drown out the noise around me. Trtl, which stands for “travel refreshed, travel light,” gets extra points because it fits easily in my day pack and weighs less than half a pound.
Cabeau’s Evolution S3 travel pillow ($30) and the Travelrest Nest Ultimate Memory Foam Travel Pillow ($40) are runners-up if you prefer a more conventional semi-donut design.
These use memory foam to keep your head and neck comfortable, unlike the neck pillows you can buy at the airport shop. The Cabeau model likewise has a lash you can fold over the seat back to assist with holding your noggin set up too.
Also, instead of using your travel pillow as most people do, try wearing it with the snap closure at the back of your neck and the thickest part under your chin. That is a little trick that not many people are aware of.
Using EPICKA, Einova, and Mophie I always look for gadgets that can do more than one thing because I am a big fan of keeping things simple when I travel. If it doesn’t cost a lot, you get more points. The EPICKA universal travel adapter, which costs $20, is an easy choice because it is small but has a powerful range of applications.
Plugs from the United States, Europe, the United Kingdom, and Australia are all compatible with it. Because the device itself contains all of the prongs, you won’t have to deal with a jumbled bag of extra adapters. When you plug it into a power source, it energizes to four standard USB gadgets and a USB Type C gadget all the while, alongside giving an extra AC outlet on the front.
Probably the most important travel accessory is a portable charger. Mophie’s $150 3-in-1 travel charger can charge your iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch simultaneously if you’re an Apple fan who carries them all.
It uses Apple’s MagSafe technology to lock your devices in place when you put them down, so you can be sure they will get the fast charge they need. It folds up to a third of its original size when you’re done using it, then slides into a stylish carrying case to store the charger, cord, and plug in one neat, compact case.
For fixing up in a hurry, the Zendure Powerbank Supermini ($60) is little and light to the point of squeezing into a coat pocket or little handbag however can charge a few models of cell phones up to half in under 30 minutes. It works for most laptops, tablets, and portable camera equipment, and it can power up most smartphones to 100% three times before needing to be charged again.
Carry it all with Pata You’ll need a simple way to carry everything, and Patagonia’s Ultralight Black Hole Pack 27L ($100) is fantastic. This useful day pack has surprising room and can be used as a backpack or tote. I’ve been lugging around my MacBook Pro, two smartphones, both of the aforementioned chargers, additional clothing layers, an umbrella, and a water bottle—you name it, it fits!
I like the smaller zippered compartment just inside the top, where I can keep chapstick and phones, and the zippered compartment on the outside, where I can keep sunglasses and other things I want to keep close at hand. The best part is that it can be stored away in a small carrying case that looks like a rucksack when not in use.