Traveling this summer? Don’t go without these essential gadgets | The Verge
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Traveling this summer? Don’t go without these essential gadgets
A couple dozen tech upgrades to make this summer’s trip(s) the best they can be.
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There’s a chance that you’ve already taken your big summer trip. If not, August and early autumn are wonderful times to travel. No matter when or where you go, there are some products that can make the boring parts of your trip more fun, and the fun parts of your trip even better.
We picked a couple dozen products at a range of price points to best suit your budget. At the affordable end, we found a wearable reading light that’s great for reading on a plane or in a hotel while you’re adjusting to a different time zone. We also included affordable belt bags, sunglasses, item trackers, and other practical products (as well as picks that are just for fun).
Even though we’re recommending these gadgets for your upcoming trip, they’ll likely become staples that you bring on several adventures in the future.
Summer travels often mean enduring scorching temperatures while waiting in long lines or “enjoying” a meal on a patio. I like the refillable water reservoir on Nitecore’s izz Cool 10 Pro fan, which it uses to blast you with a fine mist that’s a more effective way to cool down. You can also swap that reservoir for a larger plastic water bottle with enough capacity to use the fan’s misting mode all night long as a makeshift humidifier.
Sitting in front of the TV isn’t exactly the best use of summer travel time, but sometimes it’s solace after a long, tiring day. For Switch 2 owners, the Jsaux Omni Centro dock will let you easily connect your console to any TV that has an HDMI port. It’s no bigger than many phone chargers, yet it can display your games at up to 4K.
The ability to beam video wirelessly from your phone, tablet, or laptop to any modern TV sounds like a far-flung idea of the future. Well, apparently we sort of live in the future now because Belkin’s wireless HDMI display adapter can perform the feat with ease. Once its transmitter and receiver are plugged into your video source (via USB-C) and TV (via HDMI and the TV’s USB-A port), you can view videos at up to 1080p at 60 Hz.
While many people may use their Nintendo Switch 2 at home, it really shines when you use it on the go. The console is a fantastic travel companion because its 7.9-inch screen is vivid and great at keeping up with fast-paced games. While it has only been on shelves for just over a year, the Switch 2 library of games is fantastic, and it’s backward-compatible with almost all original Switch games.
Hopefully, wherever you’re going has air conditioning or good air circulation to keep you cool while you’re resting. If not, well, one solid option we recommend is the Switch Bot Standing Circulator Fan. The battery-powered option is height-adjustable, comes with a built-in (but optional) nightlight, and best of all, has a sweeping 3D air pattern that is great at circulating air compared to other similarly priced fans.
Most of us have gone on at least one trip where the charger we brought didn’t have enough ports to keep everything charged. Ugreen’s Nexode Pro 160W five-port charger is an all-in-one solution if you’re traveling with many gadgets. It has four USB-C ports (two of which can supply up to 140W) and one USB-A port, foldable plugs, and a screen that shows how much power each device is receiving.
It’s not particularly difficult to find luggage that has a suitable number of pockets and good build quality. It’s not even that hard to find those features without spending a ton of money. Something that’s harder to find (and that Timbuk 2’s Copilot Luggage Roller does so well) is silent wheel movement. Whether you’re running through the airport or walking down the street, its skateboard-esque wheels don’t make a peep.
AR glasses are a luxury purchase if you really want to get immersed in your movies, TV shows, and games. Typically, they’re around
Traveling with a gaming handheld isn’t always easy. The likes of Nintendo’s Switch 2 and Valve’s Steam Deck are pretty hefty. If you’re a gamer who’s looking to travel lighter, but doesn’t want to resort to a cheap-looking handheld, Anbernic’s RG Rotate is a slick Android system with a clever rotating screen. The handheld is powerful enough to run modern Android games, along with plenty of retro titles via emulators.
The Wacaco Minipresso GR2 can turn between 8 and 12 ounces of ground coffee into espresso with the help of a hand-powered pump — no batteries or power required, just hot water. The espresso maker itself is just over half a pound, and everything you need to pull a shot fits neatly into the carrying pouch, making it a great choice for waking up properly while camping.
Nothing beats reading by the pool or at the beach, and the Kobo Clara Colour makes it easy to bring an entire library along. The lightweight, waterproof e-reader can hold thousands of books without taking up precious luggage space, while its color E Ink display makes book covers, comics, and magazines come to life.
Whether you’re catching flights or trying to find your car after a long day of sightseeing, the Pebblebee Clip 5 offers peace of mind. Attached to luggage, keys, or even left in the car, it taps into Apple’s Find My or Google’s Find Hub network to help quickly track down valuables. It can also flash its built-in light or ring your phone if it’s gone missing.
There’s something special about having photos you can actually hold before a summer trip is even over. The sleek Fujifilm Instax Mini 41 makes it easy to quickly capture and print memories from vacations, delivering solid photo quality with a built-in selfie mirror that helps you take photos with friends.
Packing light is a lot easier when you don’t need a separate charger for every device. The Anker Nano Travel Adapter (5-in-1, 20W) works in almost every country thanks to four built-in international plug types. It also features two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, and an AC outlet, making it easy to keep your phone, camera, e-reader, and other travel essentials charged from one small adapter.
If you don’t want to keep your travel companions awake, Glocusent’s neck reading light offers an easy solution. The wearable light provides adjustable luminance, making it easy to read in a shared hotel room, on an airplane, or anywhere else without relying on bright overhead lights that might disturb the person next to you.
The DJI Osmo Mobile 7P stabilizes your smartphone for smoother videos, making it easy to capture everything from walking tours to kids running on the beach without shaky footage. A built-in tripod and extension rod make hands-free filming easy, while it can automatically track your movements, adjust framing, and even start or stop recording with a simple hand gesture.
If your plans involve backpacking, camping, or heading anywhere cell service isn’t guaranteed, the Garmin in Reach Mini 3 helps you stay connected when your phone can’t. It lets you send and receive text messages, share your location, and trigger an SOS alert in an emergency via satellite, while offering multi-day battery life in a rugged, lightweight package.
Whether you’re sightseeing or relaxing by the beach, the stylish Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses let you capture photos and videos without constantly reaching for your phone. They’re useful in other ways too, with the ability to play music, make calls, livestream your adventures, and use Meta AI to translate languages and ask questions.
The Dyson Supersonic Travel offers many of the perks of its full-size hair dryer in a portable, TSA-friendly design that’s easy to slip into a purse. It’s also a much more capable alternative to most hotel hair dryers, automatically adjusting to the voltage wherever you’re traveling while remaining compatible with attachments from Dyson’s original Supersonic.
The Lululemon Everywhere Belt Bag is just as useful on vacation as it is for everyday errands. A zippered exterior pocket keeps your phone handy for snapping photos or checking directions, while interior pockets organize your passport, wallet, and other essentials. Its water-repellent design and adjustable strap also make it easy to wear as either a crossbody or waist pack.
Tired of using your phone’s flashlight to get the campfire lit? The Bouge RV telescopic camping light has a trio of 1,000-lumen LED bars that can spread light over 5 feet away. Even though the light weighs just 2.4 pounds, it has a 15,600m Ah battery for up to 102 hours of illumination, and options for daylight, amber, or red lighting.
While a premium pair of sunglasses may be worth it to some, you might not want to bring your finest set on a rafting trip. These classic sunglasses from Goodr have crisp polarized lenses, a snug fit for adventuring, and a price that won’t have you stressed about leaving them on a bus in a faraway city.
The compact Joby Handy Pod Clip Extend tripod easily slides into your carry-on in case you need help getting those perfect family photos. It extends to 14 inches for use on a tabletop or as a selfie stick, and the clip at the bottom can grapple onto ledges or railings. The kit includes a 360-degree swivel head, and has a classic 1/4-inch thread for other cameras and mounts.
Heading out on the road doesn’t have to mean compromising on coffee. As long as you have hot water and ground beans, the Aero Press Go will brew one 8-ounce cup right into the included travel mug. The Traveler’s Bundle includes a reusable stainless steel filter, saving you from having to stock paper filters on the road, and can be purchased separately as well.
The Anker Prime Charging Station may be overkill for a weekend in a hotel, but if you’re the kind of person who travels with a lot of devices, this can help you keep them all charged up from a single outlet. The compact power strip has two AC outlets, two USB-A ports, and two USB-C ports, with 140W of power shared across the ports, and a 5-foot cable.
The Moment Tele 58mm lens clips into compatible Moment cases and gives your phone’s camera extra capabilities. Portraits stand out in particular, with softer backgrounds, beautiful bokeh, and natural colors than it might otherwise be capable of. While it isn’t a zoom lens, it can give your phone an extra focus and tighter framing.
If your summer travel plans include cold drinks and funky beats, the Playmate Kool Tunes packs a pair of 5-watt Bluetooth speakers into the side of its classic 14-quart design. It’s IP56 dust- and water-resistant, great for a beach day or a picnic by the lake, and has up to 10 hours of battery life on a single charge.
The most expensive Apple Watch comes with the best features for travelers who want to hit the trails, go diving, or go hard in myriad other ways. The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is hefty but full of features, like a bright OLED screen, Emergency SOS satellite messaging, a loud siren, water resistance, dual-frequency GPS for accurate breadcrumb trails, long battery life, and more.
Not every item you want to take on your travels fits neatly into a case or sleeve, and that’s where a 3 Legged Thing Magic Wrap shines. These soft cloth squares are made of fabric that sticks to itself without any clips, tape, or glue, and can help protect your electronics, camera parts, or other precious items from bumps and bruises during travel.
Whether traveling or at home, I’m never far from an Owala Free Sip Sway water bottle. The vacuum-insulated walls keep drinks cold for up to 24 hours, and I’ve often picked mine up and been surprised to hear ice still rattling around inside the next day. The lid and straw can be disassembled for cleaning or replacement, and there is a variety of color and size options to fit your style and thirst.
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