5 Best Travel Accessories

Planning a trip around the world, or just going on a weekend break? Here is our guide to the five best travel accessories.

Outdoors, Sustainable / Eco
 

Whether you are planning to travel around the world, or just going on a weekend break it pays to take the right travel accessories with you. Here is our guide to the five best accessories for travelling.

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5 Best Travel Accessories

1          Camera Bag

Choosing a Travel Camera Bag

I know that many of us now take all our photographs with our smartphones, but there still are those special moments where having a great camera pays off. But with all that lugging around is it worth it? We recommend either a Vanguard shoulder bag or Vanguard camera backpack. Both balance price and quality, and can hold a 70-200mm telephoto lens, compact tripod, a DSLR body, a couple extra lenses, and even a laptop. Strong and sturdy your shoulder will probably give way before the camera bag does.

2          Water Bottle
Water-to-Go
You can refill Water-To-Go’s water bottle with filter for travel anywhere, c. Giles Babbidge

One of the massive improvements in travelling in recent years has been the availability of water in airports. Even if they don’t have machines (water purifiers and filtration systems) invariably you can top up your water bottle at some café or coffee shop. But what happens if you go slightly off the beaten track to a place where the local water supply is untrustworthy? This is why we recommend you take a Water-to-Go filter water bottle on your travels. Its 3-in-1 water filter technology developed by NASA removes 99.99% of all microbiological contaminants in water, according to the company. It can filter up to 200 litres. Water-to-Go 75cl bottle £32.99. Filter £24.99 twin pack.

3          Binoculars
BEST TRAVEL ACCESSORIES
Swarovski Optik CL Companion 10 x 30 binoculars

A more recent addition to our best travel accessories is a good pair of binoculars. Until my recent trip to Tenerife I had always opted for the cheapest and lightest pair of binoculars, something you could throw in the bottom of your backpack, and forget about until you unpacked at the end of your trip. However, it was while birdwatching in Tenerife that I discovered how much easier it was to spot the local birdlife with a decent pair of lenses. This is why I recommend you pick up some Swarovski Optik CL Companion 10 x 30 binoculars. Or perhaps request them as a travel birthday present?

5          Battery Charger
RUGD Power Brick best travel accessories
RUGD Power Brick

Perhaps it’s a slight indictment of our current lifestyle, but when on holiday a battery charger still seems essential. Even if you are getting away from it all, and going off grid you will find a fully charged smartphone with online maps and torch pretty important. Recently, we acquired a RUGD Power Brick, which has the advantage of combining a power bank with camping light. Water, dust and shockproof, the power bank can charge a smart phone two to three times, and the light can be used either as a torch or in a tent. It costs £69.99 from Amazon.

5          Backpack

Patagonia Backpack
Patagonia Backpack

With all these accessories for travelling, you need somewhere to put them. There are so many backpacks on the market that you might be forgiven for plumping for the cheapest. Instead, we suggest you consider purchasing a Patagonia backpack. The company has the strongest ethical stance, minimising its own climate footprint, paying suppliers a fair wage and using recycled goods wherever possible. The Patagonia Unisex Black Hole-Pack 25L Backpack is a handy day pack which you can buy for £81.84 from Amazon.

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Mark Bibby Jackson

Mark Bibby Jackson

Before setting up Travel Begins at 40, Mark was the publisher of AsiaLIFE Cambodia and a freelance travel writer. When he is not packing and unpacking his travelling bag, Mark writes novels, including To Cook A Spider and Peppered Justice. He loves walking, eating, tasting beer, isolation and arthouse movies, as well as talking to strangers on planes, buses and trains whenever possible. Most at home when not at home. Mark is a member and director of communications of the British Guild of Travel Writers (BGTW).

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