Small Electronic Organizers For Travel

	Product	Weight	Size
	LowePro GearUp Wrap	2.08 oz	7.48" x 0.03" x 4.13"
	BAGSMART Organizer	3.2 oz	6.3" x 1" x 9.5"
	Amazon Basics Universal Travel Case	9.6 oz	9.8" x 2" x 5.9"
	LowePro GearUp Pouch	3.17 oz	8.66" x 1.77" x 5.51"

Large Electronic Organizers for Travel

	Product	Weight	Size
	LowePro GearUp Case	7 oz	11.42" x 3.15" x 6.69"
	Matein Large	‎10.6 oz	10.5" x 7.75" x 3.5"
	iCozzier 13-13.3" Case	‎9.2 oz	14.17" x 10.24" x 1.57"
	BUBM Double Layer	‎8 oz	10.24" x 1.18" x 7.48"

The Best Travel Organizers for Cords, Cables & Small Items

So, here it is, my ultimate guide to the best organizers to keep your electronics in check while traveling. Let's start with the small items.

1. LowePro GearUp Wrap For Electronic Accessories

Dimensions: 7.48 x 0.03 x 4.13 inches (19 x 0.08 x 10.49 centimeters)

Weight: 2.08 ounces (58 grams)

The LowePro GearUp Wrap first travel organizer comes from LowePro's great GearUp range.

While LowePro typically offers accessories for camera gear, this range is useful for anyone looking to organize their small electronics while traveling. That's because their functionality goes way beyond just managing digital cameras and accessories. You'll find loads of organizational features for other electronic gadgets including small pockets, small elastic loops for your charging cables, and peace of mind with padded slots for valuables.

Furthermore, products in the GearUp Range are designed to be lightweight, are made from durable material, and feature semi-flexible covers for easy access.

I'm a big fan of wrap style organizers like the LowePro GearUp Wrap. This design keeps your travel essentials like small cables, USB chargers, memory sticks, styluses, pens, and memory cards tight in one easy-to-accessible location that's easy to pack.

Inside this wrap you'll find padded slots and elastic webbing, as well as a larger zipped compartment. Also, the whole thing closes up really well with the aluminum clutch on the outside.

I use this particular organizer to store camera batteries, SD cards, and a few small essential cables for my smartphone and laptop.

2. BAGSMART Organizer Case For Smaller Items

Dimensions: 6.3 x 1 x 9.5 inches (16 x 2.54 x 24.13 centimeters)

Weight: 3.2 ounces (90 grams)

The next small travel organizer is the Bagsmart. This isa useful zip-open tech case that can hold all your chargers, cables, and even small devices.

There are several webbed pockets and useful elastic bands that are great for keeping cords organized. This one is a little larger than some of the other travel organizers in this category, which is great if you have many chargers.

This electronics travel case is made of heavy-duty, water-resistant nylon. This is great for small spills but don't expect it to be a fully waterproof electronic organizer.

While this is certainly a great product with excellent reviews, some people have noted that the thin rectangle form factor isn't the most packable. However, this will depend on what kind of travel bag you are storing it in.

3. Amazon Basics Universal Travel Case For Small Electronics

Dimensions: 9.8 x 2 x 5.9 inches (24.89 x 5.08 x 14.99 centimeters)

Weight: 9.6 ounces (272 grams)

This next electronics organizer; the Amazon Basics is a real favorite, especially for fans of a hard case. This is a great option if protecting your small electronic devices and chargers are a priority. That's because this case is made from a hard molded plastic exterior, with a soft fabric interior. In turn, this offers great protection when stored amongst other hard objects.

This is a convenient size for smaller items and comes in at an affordable price. However, there is only one size and one color to pick from. As a result, you don't get much flexibility in terms of customization. But, if you like a no-frills approach, it'll have your bases covered for the general basics like your SD Card, USB drive, iPhone charger, and cables.

Just keep in mind this one doesn't offer much in terms of managing cords. Unlike other electronics organizers in this list, you won't find elastic bands to keep your wrapped cords and USB cables in check. If this is a priority, I'd recommend checking out the LowePro alternative.

4. LowePro GearUp Pouch Electronic Travel Organizer

Dimensions: 8.66 x 1.77 x 5.51 inches (22 x 4.5 x 14 centimeters)

Weight: 3.17 ounces (89 grams)

The LowePro GearUp Pouch is the next step up from the Wrap and is one of the best electronic organizers on the market.

Coming from LowePro, you already know the material is going to be strong and lightweight. The transparent top-case is also very useful since you can see the electronics inside the case without undoing the zipper.

Another benefit of this one is the fold-out, flip cable organizer card with sturdy elastic straps. This is optional, but I keep it inside mine as it allows me to arrange all of my charger cords in one place.

Again, this is a useful pouch for smaller electronic accessories like a small phone charger, SD cards, cables, and SSD drives. However, won't fit a large power bank or full-size hard disk in here.

The Best Travel Organizers for Laptops, Tablets, Power Banks, & Large Items

Looking to revamp your tech accessory management? Pick one of the below best travel organizers for larger electronics like laptops, tablets, power banks, and larger electronic chargers.

1. LowePro GearUp Case For Large Electronics

Dimensions: 11.42 x 3.15 x 6.69 inches (29.01 x 8 x 16.99 centimeters)

Weight: 7 ounces (198 grams)

Rounding up the top picks in small travel bags & organizers in LowePro's awesome GearUp range is the GearUp Case. This is the largest electronics organizer they sell and is perfect for most large electronic items. This one features a similar design to the GearUp pouch, but in a much larger build. There are also two large padded bags that replace the front of the cord organizer.

This section is perfect for hard drives, mice, or large power banks.

I use the GearUp travel organizer case to store all of my large electronic chargers including my MacBook charger, my universal power adapter, and my battery pack. Even with all of these bulky items, this organizer still manages to leave enough room for my cables and hard drive.

If you're looking for the perfect travel organizer for all of your chargers, cables, and other travel accessories like a compact digital camera, this is it!

2. Matein Large Electronics Travel Organizer

Dimensions: 10.5 x 7.75 x 3.5 inches (26.67 x 19.68 x 8.89 centimeters)

Weight: ‎10.6 ounces (300 grams)

The Matein Large is another solid contender for the best electronics organizers for travelers. This one features three main compartments, each with varying organizational features for different devices and accessories.

With a double layer design, the main compartment has enough space for most of your accessories. There are inner elastic straps for pens and cords, as well as large mesh pockets that fit a mobile device and bulky chargers.

What's great about the Matein is that it is made from durable nylon that is splash resistant. It's marketed as waterproof but I wouldn't exactly be submerging this one in water. Regardless, it will save your valuable electronic gear from a bit of rain or a spilled drink.

Again, this one won't store a laptop or a tablet. However, it should have you covered for most of electronics while traveling if you purchase a separate case for those items.

3. iCozzier 13-13.3" Case For Laptops & Travel Tech

Dimensions: 14.17 x 10.24 x 1.57 inches (35.99 x 26.01 x 3.99 centimeters)

Weight: ‎9.2 ounces (260 grams)

Finally, travel case that will also store your laptop and tablet. The Icozzier is a popular all-in-one solution that looks like a slightly beefier laptop bag. However, when you unzip it, you'll find various organizational features including durable elastic straps for cables, and webbed-pockets for large chargers as well as small accessories.

The laptop sleeve compartment is also padded, ensuring decent protection for your laptop. In saying that, I'm not a huge fan of putting my laptop in the same bag as other hard items like chargers. But, if you're set on a single organizer solution, this is a great bet that is cost-effective and lightweight.

4. BUBM Double Layer Electronic ORganizer for Travel

Dimensions: 10.24 x 1.18 x 7.48 inches (26.01 x 3 x 19 centimeters)

Weight: 8 ounces (226 grams)

The last electronics case for travel is the BUBM Double Layer. This borrows a similar design from the Matein, in a slightly smaller form factor. No, you can't fit a laptop in here, but as mentioned above, many people don't like to do this anyway.

Instead, the BUBM covers most of your devices and accessories from iPads, cell phones, charges, cables, hard drives and more. It's also very light for a larger electronics organizer, coming in at just 8 ounces. The minimal soft-case design with durable zip at a decent price makes it great bang-for-buck.

If a zippered case with adjustable dividers in a dual compartment setup sounds like your idea of the best travel electronics organizer, then the BUMB Double Layer is the one for you.

1. ND Filter Set For the Mavic 3

The most common filters, and the one that most aerial photographers purchase for their Mavic 3 is an ND, or Neutral density filter set.

The job of this filter is to modify the intensity of all wavelengths (light and color) equally. These filters work by using high-quality light reduction materials which don’t modify natural colors. What this means is that you’ll have precise control of the amount of light that reaches the Mavic’s 20MP four-thirds sensor.

Why Use ND Filters For Drone Photography?

The most common use of ND filters is to reduce the intensity of light, allowing drone videographers to use the correct shutter speed to conform with the 180-degree rule. This rule states that in order to create buttery smooth video, the shutter speed should be set to double the frame rate.

Of course, on a bright, sunny day, dialing in the correct exposure while shooting at 1/50 or 1/100 (25fps or 50fps) would be almost impossible, even at the narrowest aperture setting.

Snapping on the correct ND filter for the ambient light situation onto your Mavic camera will allow you to control the exposure and still have flexibility with your aperture setting.

Alternatively, a second use-case for an ND filter would be to block out a lot more light, giving drone photographer’s the flexibility to bring up the exposure time and create motion blur in their still images. While this has technically been possible on previous drones, none have been as stable as the Mavic 3 and long-exposure photography was usually a miss more than a hit for most of the time. However, thanks to the Mavic’s 3 improved stability, long exposure photography of up to 2-3 seconds usually results in great images!

ND strengths explained: the ND number refers to how strong the darkening effect is, correlated to f-stops. Say we want to reduce 1 stop of light, we want to halve (1/2) the amount of light reaching the sensor. In order to do this, we will use an ND2 filter. Conversely, if we want to reduce the amount of light by two halves, or stops, (1/4 the amount of light), we will use an ND4 filter. Again, on a very bright day, we might want to halve the amount of light six times (1/64), so we would use an ND64 filter.

The Best ND Filter Set for the Mavic 3

I’ve used many filter brands over the years, including brands like NiSi filters, PGYTECH filters, and Tiffen. However, none offer such a high quality of optical glass as PolarPro Filters.

1. PolarPro VND Filter Set

PolarPro is my go-to brand for all my drone filters and I’ve been using their high-quality, optical glass filters for the past two years almost exclusively.

This brand is well-known for creating some of the best variable ND filters on the market. And, their VND 2-Pack is one of the best neutral-density filters for the Mavic 3.

This pack comes with 2-5 and 6-9 stop filter variations, allowing for precise control of light in the majority of conditions. Variable NDs work by twisting the ring to increase or decrease the darkening effect. This is useful since you will be able to get a more precise lighting setting without carrying around a dozen filters.

Furthermore, I’m a big fan of the reliable fit of their lightweight aluminum AirFrame 4.0 clip-on design, which is sure to stay on the camera lens no matter the flying conditions.

2. PolarPro Vivid Collection

The majority of my photo and video work involves flying over water, snow, or other bright, reflective surfaces. While I’ve gone into detail a little more regarding the use of Mavic 3 filters for polarizing light, I’ll skip ahead a little and introduce my absolute favorite drone filters.

If you ask me what the most essential drone filters are, I’ll tell you it’s these NDPL filters. This combines high-quality Germanpolarizing glass with ND8, ND16, and ND32 neutral density options. The result is a single set of three filters that’ll have you covered for all the various shots you’re looking to capture.

3. DJI ND Filters

If you purchased the DJI Mavic 3 Fly More Combo, you’ll already have the awesome set of ND filters including ND4, ND8, ND16, and ND32 variants.

These DJI ND filters for the Mavic 3 are among the most popular, since they are affordable and of decent quality. If you didn’t bag the fly more combo, then you can also purchase these from DJI or Amazon.

Furthermore, DJI also sell an ND64/128/256/512 filter set for very harsh lighting conditions or for some serious slow-shutter photography.

While these standard ND filters will likely do the job, it’s hard to compare them to the high-end glass you’ll get with PolarPro filters.

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Related: Best Lightweight Tripods for Travel & Hiking

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2. Polarizer Filters (CPL Filters)

If there’s a single filter that I’d recommend for aerial photographers, it’s a CPL filter.

CPL filters, or circular polarizer filters, work in the same way that your polarized sunglasses do. Essentially, these filters, when oriented properly will filter out the glare, while still allowing plenty of light through the camera lens.

This is essential if you are shooting over water or harsh, reflective surfaces like roads or snow. Furthermore, reducing the shiny reflections naturally increases the vibrance and saturation of real colors, resulting in a beautiful image.

Filter tip: due to the way that polarizing filters work, you need to manually twist the CPL filter to ensure proper polarization depending on the sun’s angle. As a result, I don’t recommend regular PL filters without the option of dialing in the polarization effect.

The Best CPL Filter Kit for the Mavic 3

If you’re after bang-for-buck, then I highly recommend PolarPro’s Vivid Collection ND filter kit, which combines light-reducing ND filters with polarized glass.

However, below I’ll list some more top-of-the-range Mavic 3 CPL filters to give you some variety.

1. PolarPro CPL Filter

Unfortunately, PolarPro’s Vivid Collection doesn’t come with a CPL filter without any ND light reduction.

There are many use cases for a regular CPL filter for still drone photography. For example, imagine shooting stills of a fast-moving speed boat powering through the waves, or a snowboarder launching off a snowy ramp. In these situations, you want to maximize frame rate, while reducing glare.
The PolarPro CPL filter does just that, and is the filter that I use on my camera almost every day if I’m shooting stills or recording aerial video while trying to preserve low-light details.

This filter is very high-quality and built from the same glass and frame materials as their highly-acclaimed vivid collection.

2. Freewell CPL Filter

Freewell are well-known for making affordable, yet decent-quality drone filters. I’ve used Freewell filters on my previous Mavic 2 Pro and they performed quite well. However, while I’m yet to try the Freewell CPL filter for the Mavic 3, reviews seem to fit the bill from the previous generation.

For around $25, you can bag a decent CPL filter which does a great job at reducing glare and boosting contrast. However, just like the stock DJI ND filters, don’t expect cinema-grade glass on these cheaper Mavic 3 filters.

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Related: Finding the Best Camera Bag for Travel

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3. FX Filters For Unique Drone Shots

Other than a light-reducing ND filter kit and a CPL filter, there’s little else you really NEED to start creating amazing, professional aerial photographs and cinematic video with your drone.

However, advanced users, or those working in film production might be interested in FX filters. FX in the cinematography world essentially means effects, and when it comes to filters, usually work by adding some kind of cool, unique, or quirky look to the footage.

While I don’t use FX filters too much for my adventure travel and landscape content, I have listed some awesome filters below that might catch your eye.

Common Special Effects Filters for the DJI Mavic 3

1. Morphic Filters

Morphic looks are a very new concept in aerial filters. These work by adding long, cinematic-looking streaks and flares that really give a unique look almost impossible to replicate in post-production.

The only options I’ve been able to find are made by PolarPro, who sell a BlueMorphic and GoldMorphic for cold, or warm light streak looks.

2. Mist Filters

Looking to enhance your footage with that dreamy, cinematic look you often see on the silver screen? Mist filters work by giving your aerial shot a soft, atmospheric vibe.

Depending on the manufacturer, these FX filters come in various strengths, or densities. The best options are from PolarPro, Freewell, and NiSi, and sometimes even come integrated with neutral density coatings as well.

Quick Answer: Here are the Best External SSDs for Photography

Chasing delivery deadlines? After personally testing over 10 of the most recommended solid-state drives on the market, here are the 4 best SSDs for photographers.

Fastest portable SSD: Sandisk Extreme Pro Portable SSD V2

Highest capacity SSD: OWC Envoy Pro EX (up to 8.0TB)

Most Durable SSD: LaCie Rugged SSD

Most portable SSD: Kingston XS2000

Read on for a complete breakdown, including each drive's specifications and thorough reasonings for why I have selected these 4 portable hard drives for photographers.

Speed: Fastest SSD For Blazing Photo Imports, Editing, & Exports

When portable SSDs first entered the market, one of the most noticeable advantages was considerably faster transfer speeds than what was capable on traditional hard drives

But how does this speed increase translate to real-life benefits for photographers?

When choosing the fastest drive for photography purposes, there are two specifications that you will need to consider (both measured in megabytes per second (MB/s).

• Read speeds - how long it takes to open, edit, or move an image or video from your SSD.
• Write speeds - how long it takes to move images or videos onto your SSD.

Most of the portable SSDs on the market today have a read/write speed of at least 500MB/s, which is more than fast enough for storing a Lightroom library or for the temporary storage of a client's photos.

However, if you're importing a lot of files, doing some video editing, or previewing high-resolution RAW images on your mobile devices, the faster the SSD drive, the smoother the process will be.

When comparing disk speeds, photographers should know the difference between sequential read & random read (s read & r read, or s write & r write). When comparing data transfer speeds in this SSD roundup, I have prioritized sequential read and write as this is how the device reads and writes large files from the drive– for example importing RAW files from your SD Card. On the other hand, random write and read speeds refer to small files scattered throughout the storage device and is more applicable to boot drives storing things like your System OS.

Benchmarking: SSD Drive Speeds

Below are the average write and read speeds after benchmarking all four SSDs using Blackmagic's Disk Speed tool on the highest stress settings. All drives were newly formatted using APFS (Apple File System) on the same USB C port using the supplied cable.

SSD	Avg. Write Speed	Avg. Read Speed
Sandisk Extreme Pro V2	981 MB/s	917 MB/s
OWC Envoy Pro EX	920 MB/s	880 MB/s
LaCie Rugged SSD	791 MB/s	785 MB/s
Kingston XS2000	855 MB/s	901 MB/s

Sandisk Extreme Pro Portable SSD (V2)

Is speed your number one priority when searching for an external SSD for photography? I benchmarked over 10 different portable SSDs using BlackMagic's Disk Speed tool on macOS. And, in terms of objective speed results, the Sandisk Extreme Portable SSD (PRO V2) is the fastest SSD of the lot at constant 980+ MB/s write and 870+MB/s read speeds on my Macbook Pro M1 Pro 2021.

This is Sandisks' flagship portable SSD drive. This premium SSD drive features an IP55-rated durable body housing a blazing fast NVMe drive capable of 2000MB/s read and write speeds (if your computer has USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 support). While a little larger than some of the other drives on the market, including the cheaper SanDisk Extreme line, its thin form factor still makes it very portable.

In real-world tests over the past few weeks, I have found that significant imports move extremely quickly. Furthermore, when connected to my 2021 Macbook Pro M1 Pro's USB Type-c, editing large 4K video projects directly off of this drive is as smooth as any internal SSD in a desktop computer.

Capacity: Best High-Capacity SSD For Large Photography Libraries

Just a few years ago, portable SSDs lagged significantly behind HDDs when it came to maximum storage capacity. However, solid-state technology has improved dramatically in the past few years, with portable SSD drives now offering up to 8.0TB and even 16.0TB of pocketable storage space.

This revolutionizes the workflow for photographers and videographers on the go. We can now store our entire Lightroom library and even work on large projects with up to 12k RAW video files– directly from a portable drive hooked up to our laptops with a USB Type-C cable.

Although a high-capacity external solid state drive is usually quite expensive, these options can be much cheaper than paying for large capacity internal drives on a Macbook or other laptops.

SSD Capacity Options

Below are the available storage sizes for each drive reviewed.

SSD	Storage Capacity
Sandisk Extreme PRO V2	1TB, 2TB, 4TB
OWC Envoy Pro EX	240GB, 480GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 8TB
LaCie Rugged SSD	500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB
Kingston XS2000	500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB

OWC Envoy Pro Ex External NVMe M.2 SSD

If it's high capacity storage you're after, you cannot beat the OWC Envoy Pro EX. OWC is a very reputable American electronics manufacturer that's been around since the late 1980s. While OWC specializes in products for mac systems, their Envoy Pro EX external thunderbolt drive is compatible with any device sporting USB 3.1 Gen 1, Thunderbolt 3, or USB 3.1 Gen 2 technology.

This portable SSD is an intuitive solution for photographers, since the Envoy Pro EX is simply a high-quality, durable USB-C enclosure, with an NVMe M.2 SSD inside. The cases allow for complete customization, and users can even install their own M.2 drives as long as it is a 2280 form factor.

However, OWC also sells high-capacity M.2 drives already installed, with storage sizes of up to 8.0TB and speeds of up to 980MB/s. These speeds held up in my speed benchmarking tests.

I now personally use the OWC Envoy Pro EX as a high-capacity and high-speed storage solution for my Lightroom library, allowing me to save tonnes of space on my Macbook Pro.

Durability: Best Rugged SSD for Landscape & Outdoor Photography

We've all been there before. A corrupted hard drive is one of the most stressful experiences a photographer or videographer can endure.

Thankfully, the lack of moving parts in SSDs makes for a much more durable storage solution than a traditional hard disk drive. While still not completely impervious to failure, SSDs can withstand much more abuse than their spinning disk counterparts.

However, not all SSDs are created equal. Some photographers, including myself, take ruggedness and durability seriously when trying to narrow down the best SSD drives.

Some durability factors you'll want to consider in an SSD are:

• IP Rating (Ingress Protection) - defines how well your drive seals out solids (dust) and liquids (water resistance).
• Build quality - is the drive built with high-quality materials that won't break under pressure?
• Ruggedness - is the drive built with a protective rubber case?

So, when making a decision, consider where you will be using the drive, whether it will be stowed in your camera backpack on long shoots in the outdoors, or whether you will be carrying it day-to-day.

SSD	IP Rating
Sandisk Extreme PRO V2	IP55
OWC Envoy Pro EX	IP67
LaCie Rugged SSD	IP67
Kingston XS2000	IP55

LaCie Rugged SSD

If you work in the photography space, then you'll likely be aware of LaCie drives. I've been using LaCie's rugged line of external HDDs for years. So, when they released a smaller, more durable solid state drive, I was eager to test it out.

The LaCie Rugged SSD is by far the most durable SSD for photography. Although I'm reluctant to test their claim, LaCie states that these drives will withstand 3-meter drops and two-tonne car crush resistance! On top of that, LaCie also offers a 5-year Rescue Data Recovery service, which I'm yet to try out but has received a good wrap online.

Inside this impressive casing is a Seagate FireCuda NVMe SSD utilizing USB 3.1 Gen 2 throughput at claimed 1,050 MB/s maximum speeds.

I use LaCie's drives to store and deliver projects to clients since I know that the data will be safe.

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Portability: Lightest & Most Portable External SSD

SSDs by their very nature are compact storage solutions that are hardly noticed in a laptop bag or camera backpack.

However, photographers know that gear quickly adds up in both weight and size. So, from CF Express card readers to tripods, shaving a few grams off our gear where we can goes a long way, especially for travel photographers and those always on the go.

Comparison: Size & Weight

Below is a table comparing the size and weights of each SSD in their 1TB option.

External SSD	Size (dimensions)	Weight
Sandisk Extreme Pro V2	4.3 x 2.3 x 0.4 in. (110.3 x 57.3 x 10.2mm)	3 oz (85g)
OWC Envoy Pro EX	4.5 x 2.6 x 0.4 in. (115.0 x 65.0 x 9.0mm)	5.2 oz (148g)
LaCie Rugged SSD	3.9 x 2.6 x 0.7 in (97.8 x 64.8 x 17.0 mm)	3.5 oz (99g)
Kingston XS2000	2.7 x 2.3 x 0.5 in (69.5 x 32.5 x 13.5 mm)	1 oz (28.9g)

Kingston XS2000

So far in this roundup of the best SSDs for photography, we've seen excellent portable drives for a range of applications. However, none of these drives are as small, lightweight, or compact as the Kingston XS2000.

At not much larger than a traditional thumb drive, Kingston is able to deliver storage of up to 2.0TB! These portable SSDs weigh less than 29 grams (around 1 ounce) and are practically unnoticeable, even when in your pocket. The included silicone casing also adds a layer of drop protection that feels and looks great.

The speeds on this drive are also very impressive, with a maximum write speed of 2,000MB/s (again, only with USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 support). During my speed tests, the sequential write and reads constantly held up above 800-900 MB/s, even with the highest stress settings.

This is now my go-to drive when out on expeditions or when I need to offload or backup files without adding to my pack weight.

2. AirTags

This is another piece of minimalist and relatively inexpensive gear that is a true lifesaver for those of us living a digital nomad lifestyle. Best of all, they cost less than $30 (or $99 for a four-pack).

You've probably already heard of Apple AirTags. If you haven't they're basically a tiny tracking chip that pings a location to the cloud each time an Apple device passes its proximity (pretty much every square foot on earth).

But, why do digital nomads need them?

I pop one of these AirTags into every piece of checked luggage. This allows me to check that my bag is loaded on long-haul flights. Or, in the frustrating instance that the bag doesn't make it onto the flight, locating it is super easy.

I found out the amazing convenience of these little chips after a recent flight to Mexico.

By checking the app, I knew my bags never made it on board, even before I disembarked the plane! I checked the Find My app when I landed, and my backpack tag had pinged seven minutes ago– 1600 miles away back at JFK!

This made dealing with airline staff much easier because I had the upper hand. There was no excuse for their laziness. I could pinpoint exactly where the bag was. Safe to say, my bag was on the next flight to Mexico.

3. Packing Cubes

Yeah, yeah... Every digital nomad packing list on the internet includes packing cubes.

But, seriously, they make living out of a backpack or suitcase so much easier. The benefits are pretty self-explanatory, so I'll save the sales pitch this time.

I used to use cheap packing cubes but recently swapped to the compressible cubes by Nomatic. They cost a bit more than say, the standard Amazon Basics cubes, but they are seriously a step ahead in terms of quality and durability.

If you're searching for alternatives, just remember; packing cubes don't need to be fancy or have loads of features. But, they should be light and durable.

4. Grayl - the Ultimate Reusable Water Bottle (Filter)

Move aside Nalgene, the holy GRAYL of water bottles has arrived.

If you're going to invest in one bottle for life, make it the GRAYL GeoPress. This isn't a regular bottle, it's also a press filter that removes 99.99% of bacteria, viruses, and protozoa.

Basically, what this means is that it turns sh** water into fresh, clean drinking water.

The reason why every digital nomad needs this is that it allows you to drink tap water in every city in the world. This saves thousands of plastic bottles from landfill and saves you money as well.

I've used this thing to drink tap water from a $3-a-night hostel in Mumbai! I'm not afraid to say that I use this even when in countries where I don't really have to. It removes gross chemicals like chlorine and benzene, as well as micro-plastics and even heavy metals like lead, arsenic, and chromium.

The filter cartridges last for over 300 presses and are recyclable, cheap, and easy to replace.

More: Comparing the 10 Best Water Bottle Filters for Travel

5. Safetywing Remote Health (Digital Nomad Insurance)

Isn't it funny that if you work a conventional job, you're forced into taking out dozens of insurances that can total thousands of dollars every single month?

But, if you work online as a digital nomad, you can reduce that to just $42 a month with SafetyWing.

This company revolutionizes long-term travel insurance for people like us who travel full-time. For less than $50 a month, I'm covered for everything including:

• Medical: sudden accidents or falling sick and need medical attention.
• Travel: trip interruptions, travel delay, lost checked baggage, emergency evacuations.

Best of all, you're even covered for short trips to your home country. So, it's safe to say you can comfortably scrap all the other insurances and just narrow them down to one policy.

For semi-digital nomads who spend a lot of time in their home country and usually only depart on short trips, Safetywing also offers a Remote Health policy, which is a very solid health insurance policy without borders.

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Related: Safetywing vs World Nomads

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6. Wacaco Picopresso & NanoFoamer V2 - Portable Pro Coffee

Love living on the road but miss that perfect morning brew? The answer is Wacaco's new Picopresso, one of the best inventions I've ever seen in the coffee space.

Somehow, Wacaco has been able to take the heart of the commercial espresso machines and transformed it into an espresso machine that fits in the palm of your hand.

This is the world's smallest and most portable specialty coffee machine. If you've been disappointed by similar offerings in the past, let me tell you, the quality of the espresso shots pulled on this thing is incredible.

I pair this with the travel-friendly Exagrind coffee grinder and the NanoFoamer V2 foamer from Subminimal to create a portable latte machine with professional results. This milk frother is also very portable and charges by USB-C, making it a great addition to this portable travel coffee setup.

The quality of brew this combo creates definitely gets some heads turning in the co-work spaces and hostels!

7. Universal Travel Adapter

If you're going to pick up the same 65W international GaN charger I recommend above, then this next digital nomad accessory might seem pointless.

Unfortunately, not all portable electronic devices are USB-chargeable. That's why we still need to carry international or universal travel adapters.

I try to avoid the really cheap ones you find at airports. Instead, I prefer to invest in one that isn't going to roast my laptop or phone. Furthermore, there are plenty of decent adapters these days that include multiple USB ports and even USB C PD fast charging ports on the side.

I've been using the same trusty blue universal travel adapter for a while now. However, this universal adapter looks like a much more revamped version with great reviews and it features a surge protector.

8. High-Wattage Battery Bank - Anker 737 PowerCore

Whether you're working in stingy coffee shops without outlets or on a plane during a long-distance flight, you'll want to add a battery bank to your digital nomad packing list.

A battery pack, battery bank, power bank, portable charger whatever you want to call them– they're a serious digital nomad essential item.

However, don't make the mistake of buying a cheap power bank with only enough juice to charge your phone at the airport. This is especially true now that there are high-wattage power banks like the Anker 737 is out there and capable of fast-charging beasts like the Macbook Pro 16 inch.

Generally speaking, anything about 80W will charge a laptop while you're not using it. However, if you want a battery bank that can revive your laptop while using it, you'll be looking at at least 100W+.

These days, nothing comes close to matching the Anker 737's 140W max in and out charging capacity. It charges up in less than an hour when paired with a fast charger like the GaN MINIX 100W or your MacBook Pro charger and will charge your MacBook, tablet, or phone at the same speed.

And, at 24,000mAh, it's airline safe as well.

10. Helmetlok & Bike Lock System

I'm going to let you in on a little security secret that I invented.

It involves using a lightweight bike lock (a Kryptolock) and an ultralight combination lock carabiner (Helmetlok). This is a super light but reliable system that I use to secure my backpack when I leave it in a hostel or hotel cupboard.

Both items stow away in my backpack very easily and are much more secure than retractable wire cables and regular padlocks.

11. "Wise" International Debit Card & killer of Credit Cards

If I had a dollar every time one of my friends asked me what the best "travel credit cards" are...

Seriously, stop paying ridiculous international transaction fees or fixed costs just to use your own money overseas.

Every single digital nomad, business traveler, backpacker, or even just weekend vacationer should have a free Wise account. This is the best banking, credit card, and payment solution I've come across for digital nomads.

With Wise (formerly TransferWise), you can set up real bank accounts in almost every currency in the world. Again, these are real bank accounts, meaning you can receive payments into them, just like with conventional banking.

Sending and receiving money is free, but you will pay a tiny transaction fee on currency conversions. Regardless, these fees are always much, much cheaper than on any other platform.

I receive payments in USD, Euro, and AUD into my Wise account from my various income streams. Then, I use my free Wise debit card to spend my money, all over the world.

Yes, it's 100% legal, but I bet the big banks wish it wasn't!

12. Apple Airpods Pro 2nd Generation

I'm going to keep this one short. Everyone has their favorite set of earphones or good headphones. Personally, I sold my old cans on eBay as soon as I first tried the AirPods Pro.

The sound quality on these things is almost as good as full-sized headphones. For me, this is a no-brainer as keeping things small, lightweight, and minimal is so important as I'm logging everything I own around the world.

Nevertheless, the main reason why these earphones are just so good for digital nomads and travelers is that they have active noise canceling– in a tiny form factor. The active canceling is really up there with top-of-the-line noise-canceling headphones, and this has improved yet again on the 2nd Generation AirPods.

This means no more screaming airplane babies ruining your favorite tunes.

15. A Great Day Pack or Digital Nomad Backpack

I lived out of an Osprey backpack full-time for over 4 years (the Farpoint Trek 75). I move around a lot, so this backpack had many advantages over suitcases. However, I've recently swapped to using a rolling duffel as the amount of gear I was carrying just kept going up (sound familiar?).

However, whether you're a suitcase, backpack, or duffel kind of nomad, I think that everybody can agree on is that you need a good digital nomad backpack. This is your trusty bag you can grab at any time, whether you're heading to work in a café, meeting a client, or heading out to the mountains on your day off.

Consider it your day pack.

The most popular and well-reviewed backpack for digital nomads is made by Nomatic. The best is the Nomatic Travel Bag.

This backpack is designed for digital nomads, with pretty much every feature you could ever want from a day bag. It comes in minimalist neutral colors and looks like a regular backpack.

But, it's what's on the inside that counts. The organization in this bag is a stand-out winner, offering 22 compartments to allow easy access to all of your essential items.

Optional: Travel Backpack for Photographers & Content Creators

As a photographer, I use the F-stop Tilopa backpack to haul all my gear. This is my carry-on luggage for all flights and my go-to backpack for hiking or just generally walking around with my gear.

In my opinion, there's no better company in the world than F-Stop when it comes to adventure photography backpacks.

Designing a Photography Kit For Travel

One of the most common and obvious questions you hear from people first starting out with travel photography is "what is the best camera for travel?" This is a good question because the camera is the foundation of your travel photography kit.

Hence, everything you choose to buy from lenses to accessories will need to be compatible with the camera that you choose.

As you might expect, with the boom of smaller mirrorless and even micro four-thirds cameras, there are just so many options on the market these days.

To narrow down the search, I've selected a few that I believe are the best cameras for travel photography in 2023. Again, I've also included various options to suit different needs and budgets. If you continue reading, I've also included recommendations for the best lenses and accessories to craft your perfect travel photography kit around the camera of your choice.

I use Adobe Lightroom (Creative Cloud) to edit all of my photos. Use my link to get a free Photographer trial to Lightroom and Photoshop.

Camera Gear For Travel: Travel Photography Gear List

Here's a useful travel photography gear list with recommendations. A comprehensive kit includes:

1. Camera
2. Lenses
3. Drone
4. Action Camera/360 Camera
5. Essential Accessories

Remember you don't need to have all of these items to take great photos. You might decide that a simple GoPro or Insta360 camera is enough for your travel photography kit. However, I've included everything that I use every day to cover all the bases of a great travel photography gear list.

1. The Best Cameras for Travel

Best beginner camera: Sony ZV-E10

What I use: Canon R5

Camera	Type	Price
GoPro Hero 11	Action	$
Panasonic Lumix TZ220	Compact	$
Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV	Micro Four Thirds	$$
Sony SV-E10	Mirrorless (APS-C Crop Sensor)	$$
Sony A7IV	Mirrorless (Full Frame)	$$$
Canon R5	Mirrorless (Full Frame)	$$$$

Panasonic Lumix TZ220

The Panasonic Lumix TZ220 is Panasonic's flagship compact camera and is nicknamed the company's Ultimate Travel Companion. While it is technically a little more expensive than the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV, the in-built 15x zoom means that you won't need to spend anything more on lenses.

Best for: The Lumix TZ220 is probably the best compact camera out there for travel. This one is best for people who don't want to spend a fortune on buying different lenses and would like to keep their travel photography gear as lightweight and discrete as possible.

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV

The Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV is a 20-megapixel micro four-thirds camera with 5-axis in-built image stabilization and includes a great range of high-quality compact lenses.

This is the entry-level camera in Olympus' micro four-thirds range of compact DSLR-style cameras. However, I believe that it's best option in this price range with all the features you'll want in a low-budget interchangeable-lens camera for travel.

Best for: Olympus is a great entry-level camera for travel photography serving as a perfect platform to learn and grow as a photographer.

Sony ZV-E10

The Sony ZV-E10 is an interchangeable lens camera aimed at the vlogging market. However, it is also my recommended camera of choice for travelers starting off with photography, as well as and photography-enthusiasts looking to upgrade their gear to a purposed-travel kit.

While many of the features, including impressive "4D autofocus", 4K HDR recording (at full width of the sensor), and a convenient flip screen are great for creating video, this travel-friendly camera also packs in some great photography specs.

Best for: The Sony ZV-E10 is one of the best options, ticking nearly all the boxes for excellent travel photography gear. The images and video this thing produces are incredible considering just how compact this mirrorless body is. This is a great camera for beginners and enthusiasts serious about travel photography.

The only downfalls are that due to the small size, it is a little more difficult to use the buttons and controls than compared to some of the larger, pro models below.

Sony Alpha A7IV

These last two camera bodies see us step up into the pro-level travel photography gear. The Sony A7IV is a big step up from the super popular A7III, which I used to recommend in this constantly-updated article for several years.

This updated model is easily one of the best-performing full-frame mirrorless cameras on the market and more than capable as an excellent full-frame camera for travel.

Best for: The Sony A7IV came in very close to taking the top spot for the best camera for travel photography. While it's a little pricey, you Sony certainly offers great value for money through excellent performance and great features that make it the perfect camera for pros or those really serious about travel photography.

Canon EOS R5

The Canon EOR R5 is the holy grail of small form factor, full-frame mirrorless cameras. I've been a Canon DSLR loyalist for years, shooting on bodies like the Canon 6D and the Canon 5D Mark IV but this camera finally gave me enough reasons to swap to mirrorless.

This camera has incredible features and insane specs, but be prepared to fork out a bit of cash for it.

Best for: The Canon EOR R5 is best for professional photographers who make a living with their gear. This camera will give you the best image quality and more than enough features for all travel photography needs. However, this is by far the most expensive camera and is very overkill for beginners or hobbyists.

2. Best Lenses for Travel Photography

The next step in choosing your travel photography gear list is a lens or two to match your camera of choice. The truth is, there are way too many options to list and review for every camera body out there.

However, for travel photography especially, it's best to go for zoom lenses over primes. This will give you a more flexible focal range without doubling up or needing a whole bag of lenses for different shoot types.

To achieve good coverage of lenses for all shoots, consider purchasing:

• A good walk-around lens - a versatile lens for portraits, shots of people, landscapes, food, buildings, landscapes, etc.
• A wide-angle lens or ultra-wide - for landscapes, astrophotography, and architecture
• A telephoto lens - for wildlife and unique perspectives in landscapes (think blown up mountain backdrops)

A Walk-Around Lens (Kit Lens)

A walk-around or general kit lens is a versatile lens that photographers use for a wide range of subjects and shoots. The focal range will depend on the sensor size of your camera, but usually covers the fairly wide to near-telephoto focal range.

This is typically the type of lens that travel photographers use most. However, this varies depending on the style of photography you like. For example, I tend to shoot a lot more landscapes so I actually end up using my wide-angle lens more often.

Best option for the Sony ZV-E10: Sony 16-70mm f/4

What I use: Canon RF 24-105 f4L USM IS for the Canon R5 (cheaper and lighter than the better 24-70mm f2.8L)

Camera	Lens	Check Price
Panasonic Lumix TZ220	N/A	N/A
Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV	Olympus 12-45mm f/4	Amazon
Sony ZV-E10	Sony 16-70mm f/4	Amazon
Sony A7IV	Sony FE 24-105mm F4	Amazon
Canon R5	Canon RF 24-70mm f2.8L	Amazon

Wide Angle Lens

For my style of travel photography, a wide or ultra-wide lens is the most fun and captivating focal range to use. Wides and ultra-wides fit an entire scene into the frame, which is great for landscape vistas, action shots, night photography, and busy streets.

Below I've listed the best wide angle lenses for travel photography for each camera. Note that again, all but one are zoom lenses, allowing them to be more versatile. The Rokinon for the Olympus is a prime, but a great one that shouldn't be passed up if this is the camera you go for.

Best option for the Sony ZV-E10: Sony 10-18mm f/4

What I use: Canon RF 15-35mm f2.8L IS USM

Camera	Lens	Check Price
Panasonic Lumix TZ220	N/A	N/A
Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV	Rokinon 12mm f/2.0 NCS CS	Amazon
Sony ZV-E10	Sony 10-18mm f/4	Amazon
Sony A7IV	Sony FE 16-35mm F2.8 GM	Amazon
Canon R5	Canon RF 15-35mm f2.8L IS USM	Amazon

Optional: A Telephoto Lens

Telephotos aren't a necessary lens focal length for many travel photographers. Due to their large size and limited use cases, many seem to pass them up to save room in their travel photography gear bags.

However, I've recently started shooting with a super-telephoto by Canon and I absolutely love the unique shots that I'm able to get with it. For landscapes, you can get incredible blown-up backgrounds of mountains, city skylines, or even the moon or setting sun. I also love using a telephoto for wildlife photography, allowing beautiful, up-close photos without needing to get too close to the subject.

Best option for the Sony ZV-E10: Sony FE 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G OSS

What I use: Canon RF 100-500mm f4.5-7.1L IS USM

Camera	Lens	Check Price
Panasonic Lumix TZ220	N/A	N/A
Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV	Olympus 12-200mm f/3.5-6.3	Amazon
Sony ZV-E10	Sony FE 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6	Amazon
Sony A7IV	Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6	Amazon
Canon R5	Canon RF 100-500mm f4.507.1L	Amazon

3. Best Drone For Aerial Travel Photography

Drones have absolutely changed the game! I consider them one of the most useful bits of travel camera gear in my kit. More often than not, my favorite shot from a particular shoot will end up being captured from my drone. The unique perspectives are just too good to pass up.

Below are the best drones for travel photography.

DJI Mavic 3 Pro

The DJI Mavic 3 is currently the best travel drone you can buy. While it is a little bulkier and a bit more dated than some of the newer, smaller drones by DJI, it still offers the best image quality, range, and features like variable aperture and 5.1k 60p/4k 120p video recording.

Related:

3 Types of Filters You Need for Your DJI Drone

DJI Mavic Air 2S

The DJI Mavic Air 2S takes an excellent camera and turns it into a tiny drone. This thing is smaller than the Mavic Pro 3 and offers similar specs and image quality. The Mavic Air 2S is more than enough drone for most people's travel photography gear list and is cheaper than the Mavic Pro 3.

However, what it does lack is a variable aperture, which will be enough to turn many of the pros away.

DJI Mini 3 Pro

For amateur or enthusiast photographers looking to get into aerial photography on their travels, the DJI Mini 3 is going to be the drone for you. This thing is tiny and weighs less than 250 grams (8.5 oz). Additionally, it folds down to the size of a coke can, which is perfect for travel.

Unlike previous versions of the Mini range, the Mavic Mini 3 actually packs in a great camera! You'll get great 4K/60fps video and 48 MP stills!

4. Choosing an Action/360 Camera For Travel

Another great piece of camera gear for travel is an action camera. For some, you could easily skip this. For others, you might choose to replace your entire kit with a single, tiny, high-performing camera.

Personally, I'm a big fan of action cameras like GoPros. Similarly to drones, they've changed the game in travel and adventure photography. They allow photographers to get insane perspectives and capture quite good images and video with a camera that fits in your pocket.

Recently, the industry is changing once again. With the introduction of high-quality 360 cameras, many like myself will end up replacing their traditional GoPros with 360 cameras since they do it all, with the ability to create awesome, 360 images and video.

Below I'll include the best action cameras for travel for you to consider.

GoPro Hero 11

The GoPro hero range is the most-sold camera in history. And, the Hero 11 is the best yet. Its tiny size, waterproof construction, and excellent image quality with features like a front LCD screen, 5.3K 60p recording, insane hypersmooth image stabilization, and 27MP sensor make most really rethink whether it can replace a traditional camera altogether.

Insta360 One X3

I recently traded in my GoPro for the Insta360 One X3. This new camera is one of the funnest pieces of equipment I've used in years. 360 video and photo is really starting to take off, and I've even used this tiny camera to make professional 360 room tours for hotels!

Thanks to the single lens mode, the Insta360 One X3 is a great action camera as well. It can now record 4K 30p. Additionally, in 360 mode, it records a 360-degree view at all times, allowing you to trim and crop video to turn it into immersive perspectives even in traditional formats.

The Insta360 also has powerful 360 image capabilities at a whopping 72 megapixels!

GoPro Hero Max

The GoPro Hero Max is GoPro's answer to the 360 camera. While I believe they've made too many sacrifices in their attempts to create an "all-in-one" action cam, it's still one of the best action and 360 cameras on the market.

5. Essential Camera Accessories For Travel

By now, you'll probably have quite the shopping list or Amazon cart. But I'm sorry to break it to you, it doesn't end there. When it comes to crafting a perfect travel camera gear list, you can't go past some of these accessories.

Again, as I mentioned at the start of this article, the goal is always to keep things as minimalist as possible. There are loads of nifty accessories on the market but the hardest part for travelers is sifting through what you actually need. For example, if you're also looking to create travel videos, with your camera equipment, you'll want to consider getting a good shotgun microphone and even a gimbal. But, if you stick to taking photos, your kit will be lighter.

Below I've listed travel camera gear essentials that I couldn't live or work without.

Lens Filters

Lens filters are arguably the most-used photography accessory. Usually, these screw onto the front element of the lens so you'll need to buy filters to fit your lenses. Below are the most commonly-used filter types and why you should use them for travel photography.

• UV-filters: UV filters reduce UV light rays slightly but are better used to protect your lenses. They are fairly cheap so if you drop or scract your camera, you can just replace a filter rather than your expensive lens.

Find UV-filters for your lens on Amazon

• ND-filters: Neutral Density filters reduce the amount of light hitting the sensor. The good ones achieve this without affecting the image. This is useful for videographers to maintain the desired shutter speed for their frame rate and for landscape travel photographers taking long-exposure photos.

Find ND-filters for your lens on Amazon

• CPL filters: Circular Polarizing filters reduce glare and increase saturation. If you've ever worn polarized sunglasses, you already know what I'm talking about. I often use CPL filters when shooting over water or if I want to make lush forest greens pop.

Find CP-filters for your lens on Amazon

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Peak Design Camera Clip

A camera clip is my personal favorite travel camera accessory. These clips are made by Peak Design and allow you to easily clip your camera on and off your backpack or belt. This is a game-changer for long hikes and outdoor shoots and I honestly couldn't live without it.

Camera Backpack

Of course, you're going to need a camera backpack to store all of your gear.

Recommending the best camera backpack for travel is a difficult task as there are just so many variables to consider. Generally, backpacks are better for travel than sling bags or big pelican cases. That's because are easy to transport, more comfortable and more secure, and discrete for traveling.

Below are my recommendations for camera backpacks based on what I've used and reviews from photographers.

My camera backpack: F-Stop Tilopa 50L Duradiamond

F-stop makes some of the best outdoor camera backpacks in the world. They're tailored for outdoor conditions and are comfortable for long hikes.

The Tilopa has great features with loads of pockets and a huge back-access pocket for all of your gear. The great thing about F-stop backpacks is their modular ICU systems. This means you can change up your backpack depending on whether you need lots of camera gear or more space for clothes and other things.

What makes the F-Stop Tilopa my favorite travel camera backpack is that I can store my gear, as well as many other things I use day-to-day when living on the road.

Great All-Round Camera Backpack For Travel: WANDRD PRVKE

The PRVKE by WANDRD is a very popular backpack for travel photographers with excellent features. What's great about this bag is that it doesn't look like a camera backpack, but still has the accessibility of one.

The PRVKE comes in three sizes; 21L, 31L, and 41L. I've personally tried one on and consider it pretty darn comfortable. However, it's just not as comfortable as the Tilopa, especially if you spend a lot of time hiking.

I'd say that the PRVKE is the best camera backpack for most travelers, especially for cities and transit.