One of the things I enjoy doing most with my family is traveling. Annually, we go on two or three domestic trips (at least one of them to Hawaii to visit relatives). We try to go on a big international trip every 18 months or so—I went to South Africa in 2024, and I just got back from a trip to Iceland in August to see the eclipse. And I always take a lot of gear with me.
Every great trip requires planning, whether it’s an overnight stay an hour away from home or a grand vacation in a country I’ve never visited before. Besides all the travel logistics (that my wife handles), there’s the tech you need to bring, which is my responsibility in my household.
Over the years, I’ve figured out what tech I absolutely need to take with me. There’s an art to figuring out what to bring. You don’t want to overdo it, because you’ll end up lugging around stuff you aren’t using. But you don’t want to be left without that thing you absolutely need and don’t really have a means of obtaining that item where you are.
While I now rely on my iPhone for all the photos and videos I shoot, I need other items to ensure a successful and enjoyable trip. Here’s a list of the gear I bring with me on my trips. This is the stuff I almost always bring no matter where I’m going. Hopefully, you can use this list to help you figure out what you need to bring on your next trip. If you have suggestions, drop me a line at rloyola@macworld.com. (Note: Prices stated here are MSRPs, but Amazon often runs sales and discounts on many of them.)
There was a time when I would bring separate video and still cameras on every trip, but the iPhone has gotten so good, I don’t need any other camera. With some practice and knowledge of iOS’s features and settings, or with third-party camera apps, you can replicate the capabilities of cameras that cost hundreds more. Before the iPhone 17 Pro Max, I used an iPhone 16 Plus, but I really prefer to the Pro’s telephoto lens.
Learn more about the iPhone 17 Pro at Apple
On longer trips where I’ll shoot a lot of photos and video, I bring a MacBook so I can browse and manage my shots after each day is done. I used to bring an extremely old MacBook Pro instead of the MacBook Pro that I use daily, so if it was lost, stolen, or damaged on the trip, I wouldn’t sweat it that much. But it’s also extremely slow and heavy. Even with a recent $100 price hike, the MacBook Neo is such a delight–lightweight, fast, and durable. And as I point out in my review, it doesn’t need to be a secondary machine—the Neo is extremely capable of being a daily-use Mac.
My carrier offers international connectivity by partnering with carriers in other countries. I’ve mostly had success with it, but sometimes there are gaps in coverage or the speeds are slow. On my last trip abroad, I tried a different approach: I took advantage of the iPhone’s dual eSIM and used Saily to get a second eSIM for the country I was visiting. With a second eSIM, I switched between it and my carrier’s offering to get the best possible connection. Overseas eSIMs are affordable–sometimes they’re really cheap, making it worth a try. Learn more about using an eSIM when traveling and about using two eSIMs in an iPhone.
More and more hotels, especially those that cater to international clientele, are starting to install wall outlets that can be used with the different types of power plugs. Hotels are also starting to have USB charging ports next to those wall outlets. But they’re not everywhere, so when you travel outside of the country, it’s good to have a power outlet adapter. The $26 Anker Nano Travel Adapter works in over 200 countries (it is not a voltage converter), and it can charge five devices at once.
I try to rely on wireless connectivity/charging when I travel, but at some point, a cable is needed. I like bringing coiled cables because I find them easier to manage, especially when I have to connect a few phones for several people in my travel party who need to charge. I have a USB-C cable ($14.99 two-pack), but I also pack a USB-A to USB-C cable ($14.99 two-pack) because I’ve yet to be on a plane with USB-C ports. And I pack a USB-A to Lightning cable ($16 two-pack), because people I travel with have older iPhones.
It’s not difficult to find smaller, more capable chargers than the ones Apple sells. The $40 UGreen Nexode 65W GaN USB-C Wall Charger can charge three devices at once. See more chargers in our USB-C charger guide.
UGreen Nexode 65W GaN USB C Wall Charger on Amazon
You know what sucks? When you’re on a transcontinental flight and the outlets near your seat don’t work. That’s one of the reasons why I got the UGreen Nexode Power Bank 20000mAh 100W power bank. I’ve used it countless times when I couldn’t find a working outlet. It has enough juice to charge a laptop, and its 72-watt-hour capacity falls under the airline limits, so you can take it on a plane. Check out Macworld’s best laptop power banks for MacBooks for more options.
UGreen Nexode Power Bank 20000mAh 100W on Amazon
I keep a MagSafe battery with me when I’m out exploring, just in case. This Ugreen model (I’m a fan, if you haven’t noticed) supports MagSafe and USB-C 20W charging, but I mostly stick it to the back of my iPhone with MagSafe. Read Macworld’s best picks for magnetic power banks and MagSafe portable chargers for iPhone if you want something with more juice.
