Travel Essentials Editors Swear By
Quality carry-on
1/26Carry-on luggage is a place to really invest because this bag is your constant companion. Choose one that’s sturdy, sleek and smart, like the Australian-made July Carry-On . It has an unbreakable polycarbonate shell, the handle adjusts to exactly the height you require, the wheels are especially designed to glide – and it can charge your devices to boot.
RRP $325
A space-saving water bottle
2/26Packing a handy roll-up Nomader water bottle means you don’t have to buy single-use plastic at the airport. Fill it up on the other side so you can sip at your leisure in the terminal and on the plane, then take it on the road to refill while you’re exploring.
RRP $94.95
Versatile leggings
3/26These Arc’teryx Oriel Leggings have a cult following because they’re ultra-thick and durable. They’re tough enough for rock-climbing but comfy enough for a long-haul flight. The narrow stitching and strategically placed seams eliminate chafing and the Powernet Stretch mesh keeps them from slipping and wicks moisture.
RRP $130
A double-duty raincoat
4/26The silky, lightweight ReNew Anorak by Everlane is made entirely of recycled materials. It’s water-resistant with a hood and double-zipped front and is also super-easy to roll up and carry around. Its oversized fit means it can work as a last layer over your jumper, or on its own over a summer dress.
RRP $224
Skin-loving sunscreen
5/26 The sun becomes even more intense the higher you go, meaning damaging UV rays are streaming in the plane window while you’re at altitude. This cult favourite Supergoop! Everyday Sunscreen is lightweight and super-moisturising so slather it on before you raise that plane window.
RRP $36
Wear anywhere shoes
6/26A walking shoe that takes you from day to night without breaking your stride? The holy grail. Made in Italy from soft, supple leather, Everlane’s Day Glove moulds to your foot and has a bouncy rubber sole, making it a reliable and stylish companion for both day trips and night excursions.
RRP $219
A reliable moisturiser
7/26Weleda’s Skin Food comes in a 30ml tube, making it perfect for travel. This ultra-moisturising balm is made to be used anywhere dryness strikes, whether it’s your forehead or your elbows. Carry a tube on-board to keep skin moist and keep it with you throughout your journey to use as a hand-cream.
RRP $16.95
A tiny umbrella
8/26Never get caught out without an umbrella again. The diminutive Davek Mini brolly is small enough to fit into a pocket or a clutch but tough enough to withstand whatever the weather throws at you.
RRP $85
Comfortable sneakers
9/26If sleek flats aren’t your bag then a supremely comfy trainer is a suitcase necessity. Enter Allbirds Wool Runners, an ideal shoe for travel thanks to the lightweight sole and stylish minimalist design. The superfine New Zealand merino wool upper. It’s temperature-regulating and moisture-wicking – you don’t even need to wear socks, which makes slipping them on and off at the airport a breeze.
RRP $160
A smart laundry kit
10/26At the end of any trip, the suitcase has become a glorified dirty-laundry basket. However, with this kit from The Laundress, you can keep clothes clean, fresh and wrinkle-free for longer. Remove a red-wine stain with Stain Solution, watch wrinkles fall out with Crease Release, give that handy silk shirt a sink wash with Delicates Wash and remove the scent of last night’s Korean barbecue with Fabric Fresh.
RRP $60
A tiny keyboard
11/26The clever Keys-to-Go is so small you can fit it in your pocket. If you’re travelling lightweight, leave the laptop and tablet at home and make your smartphone handle all your needs. With this keyboard attached via Bluetooth, you can respond to emails, write reports or post witty quips on Twitter.
RRP $109.95
A warm, lightweight scarf
12/26Doing triple-duty as scarf, wrap or blanket, a good-quality scarf stands travellers in good stead for many situations. Find one in a lightweight merino or cashmere, like Uniqlo’s Cashmere Blend Stole – it's super-warm and breathable.
RRP $59.90
In-flight beauty supplies
13/26Turn your plane seat into a day-spa with a kit from Long Haul Spa. Developed by a former flight attendant, each of the eight products helps combat the of ravages cabin air, where the humidity is 10 to 20 per cent. Housed in a handy cosmetic bag, it includes cleansing micellar water, serums, masks, moisturisers, face spray and more.
RRP $129
A signature roll-on scent
14/26This gorgeous Ellis Brooklyn scent, Myth, with notes of pink lotus and jasmine, now comes in a special Hydraparfum formula. Created without alcohol, the fragrance oil droplets are suspended in a hyaluronic acid water-based gel, making for a long-lasting scent that also moisturises.
RRP $107
Extra juice for devices
15/26What’s more frustrating than edgily watching that little battery symbol depleting? Avoid this modern horror with Anker’s Portable PowerCore 26800mAh. This one has two USB ports and lasts ages before it requires a little charge-time of its own.
RRP $90
A space-saving backpack
16/26This Lite Daypack by Bellroy is lightweight, durable and collapses in on itself and rolls up to a surprisingly tiny package. It’s an excellent daypack, carry-on bag or stand-by for when you’ve made some unexpected purchases and your suitcase refuses to cooperate.
RRP $149
A bag clip
17/26The Go Travel Carry Clip allows you to attach extras to your bag – a jacket or a hat, for example – that you can’t quite fit inside. It’s ideal for wandering around cities that experience four seasons in one day.
RRP $19.95
Some serious earplugs
18/26Sometimes it’s imperative to get a little shut-eye – and you’ve inadvertently got a room next-door to the city’s busiest late-night club. Whatever’s creating the noise, block it out with some high-quality earplugs. The Z Zone earplugs from Go Travel come with four size adjusters and they’re made from silicone so you can get the right size to block out as much noise as possible.
RRP $99.95
A packable hat
19/26Gone are the days when it was customary to travel with a hatbox and collection of millinery. Fortunately, with foldable, packable hats like Barmah’s Squashy Kangaroo, you can flatten a hat into your suitcase and it’ll spring out at the other end, good as new.
RRP $72.68
A next-level sleep-aid
20/26Bose Noise-Masking Sleepbuds take the earplug concept a step further. Instead of blocking sound, they come preloaded with soothing sleep sounds that work to neutralise any annoying noises. Simply select your sleep track – cascading water, gentle rain, a crackling fire – and your wake-up time on the app then drift off.
RRP $379.95
Packing cubes
21/26To the uninitiated, packing cubes seem like a bridge too far. For the packing-cube enthusiast, they’re a game-changer. Packing cubes allow next-level organisation of your luggage – use separate ones for tops, bottoms, underwear and gadgets. This four-piece Standard Issue Travel System from Herschel should set you on the road.
RRP $55
A light source
22/26If you’re planning some time in the great outdoors, a solar light is a very handy investment. The Luci Outdoor 2.0 Pro from MPOWERD not only provides 50 hours of light on a single solar charge, it also has a USB port so you can charge your devices, too.
RRP $69.99
A smart speaker
23/26The Mino speaker is seriously tiny – but never tinny. Surprisingly big sounds come out of this small package (it weighs just 54 grams and is less than 4cm tall). The speaker can connect to your phone for wireless calls and it also functions as a remote control for its camera via a button at its base.
RRP $39.90
Multitasking slides
24/26Take a pair of slides on the plane to shuffle down the aisle to the bathroom in so you don’t have to lace up your shoes. They'll also double as poolside slides, shoes to wear in the shower if you’re at a gym and they’re ideal for the beach. Birkenstock Arizona is a classic and this version, made from EVA, a lightweight, flexible synthetic, is water-resistant.
RRP $72
A USB hub
25/26The cute Lexon Peas Hub has four USB ports for charging multiple devices at once.