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Travel Gear
Honest reviews of the bags, shoes, organizers, and accessories I actually travel with — tested on real trips, recommended because they earn their space.
🧳 How I Start Packing Weeks Ahead
The gear I buy in the weeks before a trip — packing cubes, a luggage scale, compression socks, and organizers — spaced out so it’s never one big spend. Read the packing timeline →
🎒 Bags
The right bag changes everything. I focus on carry-on and personal item bags that work on planes, hold enough for real trips, and don’t destroy your back or shoulders by day three.
Carry-On Bags
The BAGSMART 35L Travel Backpack is what I use for carry-on travel. Huge capacity, detachable fanny pack, fits overhead and under seat. I looked at upgrading to the Bagsmart Blast Pro before Europe and decided against it — the 35L handled 12 days across five countries without complaint.
Personal Item Bags
The Baggallini Securtex Anti-Theft Daytripper Sling is my day-use bag on every trip now — zips closed, sits in front, and holds exactly what a day of city walking needs. The BAGSMART 35L doubles as a personal item for longer trips.
Toiletry Bags
The BAGSMART Large Hanging Toiletry Bag is what I reach for every trip. Hanging hook, water-resistant, holds full-sized containers. One of the most-used items in my bag.
🧳 Packing Organizers
A good packing system means you always know where everything is and you never have to dump out your whole bag to find one thing. These are the organizers I use on every trip.
Compression Packing Cubes
The BAGSMART Compression Packing Cubes are the most-used item in my kit. Real compression, mesh top, durable zippers, four sizes. These changed how I travel.
Tech + Meds Organizer
The MyTagAlongs Cloud Rectangle Double Detachable is my favorite way to keep tech and flight medications organized and accessible during travel. Available at Ulta or Nordstrom Rack.
Luggage Tags + Trackers
Anikathy Personalized Luggage Tags (privacy shield, floral monogram) paired with a Life360 Tile Slim Bluetooth Tracker for peace of mind if bags go missing.
👟 Walking Shoes
Shoes make or break a trip. I prioritize comfort, real-world walkability on uneven terrain, and options that work for wider or plus-size feet. No stilettos, no trendy sneakers that destroy your feet by noon.
Europe Walking
The Skechers GO Walk Flex slip-in sandals did most of the walking across 12 days in Europe — a nice open-toed sandal that stays comfortable on cobblestone all day. The REEF Neptune Women’s Shoe is my casual sneaker pick: it goes with just about any outfit and doesn’t look like a hiking boot. When I want maximum cushioning, the New Balance 1080 v15.
Waterproof Options
The Sperry Women’s Saltwater Duck Boot was essential for Scotland and Oregon — genuinely waterproof, comfortable for walking, and holds up in real wet weather.
🛫 Flight Comfort
Long-haul flights deserve real preparation. These are the items that have made a genuine difference on overnight and transatlantic flights.
Sleep
SARISUN Airplane Head Strap Travel Pillow — actually keeps your head from falling forward. Albatross Sleep Eye Mask — full blackout, side-sleeper friendly.
Circulation + Noise
COOLOVER Copper Compression Socks (6 pairs) — essential for long flights. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds — active noise cancellation that is genuinely worth every penny on transatlantic flights.
Nausea + Jet Lag
Bonine Motion Sickness, Allclair Nausea Inhaler, Chimes Ginger Chews, and Boiron Jet Lag Kit — the full travel medicine toolkit.
⚡ Electronics + Accessories
Charging
Baseus Retractable 100W USB-C Cable — charges fast, retracts to almost nothing, works with everything. One of those items I didn’t know I needed.
Tracking
Life360 Tile Slim — wallet-thin, works with iOS and Android, clips inside bags or slips in a passport holder. Good peace of mind on international trips.
🗺️ Gear in Action: 12 Days Across Europe
Reviews are easy to write in a living room. These are the posts where the gear above actually got used — Belgium, Luxembourg, a day in Germany, Alsace, and Switzerland, all out of one carry-on.
The Full Trip
A Summer Grand Tour of Belgium, Luxembourg, Alsace & Switzerland — the day-by-day itinerary, with links to every city.
What I packed for 12 days, carry-on only — updated after the trip with what actually earned its space.
Where the Shoes Earned It
Cobblestone, canal paths, and one genuinely brutal climb: Bruges, Ghent, Luxembourg City, and Trier.
Shopping Finds
My French pharmacy haul in Strasbourg — what I bought, what it cost, and what was actually worth carrying home in a carry-on.
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