Where I've Been

Where I've Been
Where I've Been

Sunday, August 13, 2017

My Travel Kit

One of the common questions I get asked when I'm at a customer and the discussion of travel comes up is, "So, what are your favorite gadgets to travel with and why?" My kit started off based on fantastic suggestions from my friend Nick who also travels a lot for work. I've refined things over the years and what I carry now are all essentials, and as light weight as I can pull off.

Let's take a closer look and break it all down.


Starting in the top left and going right and then down:

External Hard Drive - This is a 1 TB USB external drive that serves a duel purpose--large file transfers and stores my music, books, and video library. You'll notice that it is in a hard shell case as well. After replacing my previous external drive, I really took a look at it and saw how banged up it was, and decided that a case would be a good idea for my new drive.

5 Port USB Charging Hub - This is my newest addition, and has proven essential for bulk charging tasks of all my gadgets. Unfortunately, it isn't a true USB hub so I can't use it for connecting devices to my laptop. But it does have the exact number of ports I need to charge up everything at once. It will come in very handy on my next two week trip. If I were to replace this, I would try to find one that is also a connectivity hub because there are occasions when I connect at least four devices to my laptop at once.

6x8" Cocoon Organizer - When you have a lot of cables and little gadgets, you don't really want them rattling around in your bag, so this elastic mesh organizer is the perfect solution. The elastic bands make a web of varying lengths and sizes allowing you to find the perfect position for whatever you need to hold in place.

Various Cables - Just all the cables I have to haul around.

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones - These would be the most expensive item in my bag other than my laptop. They are not cheap, but man do they live up to their reputation. These are essential for blocking out noise on flights and for listening to that movie or tunes that are helping the time fly by. I prefer the ear buds rather than the over-the-ear model because they are significantly lighter, easier to tote around, and can be easily thrown in a pocket when you need to run.

Hand Sanitizer - I work in the healthcare industry so this has become something I'm always aware of. It has a holder that hooks on to backpack making it always accessible whether I'm on the plane, or at a customer site. I actually buy a large bottle of it and use that to fill the small bottle. Saves on the landfill and the pocket book.

Towel - Yup. That's a towel. I actually travel with two of them. The small one you see here and a larger one that can also serve as a small ground cover or a bath towel. The larger one is stored in my rollaboard. This is a super absorbent towel kind of similar to the famous "Sham Wow" towel. It has various uses--go read Hitchhiker's Guide if you don't know why towels are so important. ;)

Multiport Video Adapter - As a technical trainer, I run into just about every type of video setup you can imagine so this adapter is essential allowing me to connect to just about every type of video connector I could run into.

Google Chromecast - When I want to watch Netflix, videos in my library, or have a customer that doesn't have the necessary cable for me to connect to, this things makes it all more enjoyable and easier to deal with. Most TVs in modern hotels have HDMI connections and a USB port or plug nearby. This is the Ultra model which allows for both USB or outlet power options.

Miniature Gripping Tripod - This doesn't get used all the time, but comes in handy when I need a steady shot, want to take a selfie at distance or even serves as a phone stand for watching the screen. The legs are flexible and can be positioned in all sorts of ways.

Microsoft Arc Mouse - I love this mouse! It lays flat until you need to use it. Then you simply snap it into an arc and it turns on. Super light weight, easy to transport, and can be used on any surface. It uses a Bluetooth dongle instead of a wire which is also nice.

Gorilla Gadgets Battery Pack - This bad boy packs 16800mAh, and has two output ports. It is also one of the heavier gadgets I have, but it now lives in my rollaboard attached to the external USB connection giving me a convenient charging option rather than depending on an outlet to be open.

Belkin Power Adapter - This is my most used and second favorite gadget. It has three standard AC outlets and two USB outlets. I am always running into situations where this comes in incredibly handy whether it is a customer site, or the departure gate at the airport. That last situation has earned me some friends when people were looking for a plug to charge up their phone but all the plugs are filled. I swoop in and offer to extend that one plug to allow four more people to charge their devices.

Wi-Fi AC750 Portable Router and Charger - This is my favorite gadget. This was actually given to me by my work's IT staff. I can not rave about this router enough. I use it during my training classes allowing up to 15 people to connect to my laptop's VMs. I also use it in the hotel room to give all my gadget's a single connection to use, rather than logging in from each device, including my Chromecast, which solves the problem of not being able to use a Chromecast in a hotel room. Plus this thing has a built-in DLNA server so I can plug my external hard drive into it and stream videos and music directly off it. Oh, and it is also a rechargeable battery for my devices should I need another one. Did I mention how much I like this thing?

Verizon 4GLTE JetPack Mi-Fi - Another work issued gadget. This thing is my safety net for connectivity. You have no idea how many hospitals have horrible WiFi networks. This also provides a safer connection than the typical public network you find in airports.

ASUS Nexus 7 Tablet - I use this tablet primarily for consuming media--books, videos, music--when flying. It is big enough to watch a movie on comfortably even in cramped airplane seats, but small enough that it can be slipped into a back pocket. I also play an occasional game on it.

Tripp-Lite Keyspan Projector Remote - (Not pictured) This isn't so much a travel gadget, but it is my "tool of the trade." As a professional trainer, I need a good remote for interacting with PowerPoint and my computer from a distance. This remote has an integrated mouse, presentation buttons, volume control, and laser pointer. Basically, it has everything short of a keyboard integrated into it.

So that's it. There are a other things I carry that aren't gadgets, but are quality of life things for the hotel room, work, etc. like sleep mask, PostIt notes (that's another post for another day), and water bottle.

I hope this post helps you plan for your own tech filled trips, and if you have any suggestions that you've found useful, please share in the comments below.

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