Yet another gear guide for digital nomads
Last week marked six full months on the road for my wife and I. As someone with a life-long addition to gadgets, gear and generally well-made things, I’m sharing what I’ve learned about what to bring and what not to bring should you decide to embark on an adventure of your own.
To give credit where it is due, much of this was inspired by or taken directly from Andrew McDermott and his wife’s blog as we prepared to leave in the beginning of 2018.
BAGS
Backpack. One of my goals in traveling was to simplify my life and I have been largely successful at this. Realizing that you don't need the majority of the stuff that takes up room in your closet is well worth the price of a 1 way ticket to wherever. Being able to walk on and off the airplane with all of your belongings on your back is an admirable goal. However, even with a relatively small backpack, the urge to fill every available liter and then some will be too powerful for most. It certainly was for me and despite my best efforts to cram a year’s worth of needs into a carry-on, I found myself well over the weight limit that many international airlines impose. That said, I travel with the 45L Tortuga Outbreaker, which is a well-made, well designed piece of luggage. While you definitely look like a traveler with it packed full and on your back, because it is all black and sleeker than the typical hiking/camping pack, you look less like a “backpacker” which may or may not be a good thing. After our second month, realizing that I was going to have to check it on most flights, I purchased an Aarn pack protector which not only keeps the Tortuga from getting destroyed while navigating conveyer belts and aircraft underbellies, but it gives us another 15 or so liters of space to store extra stuff (more about that below). I did not plan it this way, but it is the perfect size for the Tortuga.
Convertible rolling backpack. I am thinking about switching to this or this (depending on the size I need) the next time we are in the US. Solidly built for rolling, but with backpack straps for cobblestone streets and beachside bungalows.
Day pack. Having looked at many, the Tortuga Outbreaker daypack is by far my favorite. It is no-frills, not particularly padded and very simply made, but it is also very well designed. On travel days, I can fit 2 pairs of shoes, a sweatshirt, my laptop, iPad, e-reader and paper notebook, a cable/tech bag, my camera, 2 sunglass cases and my neck pillow, earphones and eye mask (all key for long flights). Because it is basically weightless, you can stuff it full and its still relatively light. This thing made it through the Salkantay Trek as the only bag I carried with me throughout the day, so it is tough as well.
Packing cubes. These are a must have for any travel, from a week or two all the way to a year or more. Like magic, they allow you to fit 2-3 times the amount of stuff in your suitcase or bag. They also make unpacking when you arrive much easier and more organized. Doesn’t really matter which ones you get as long as you use them.
Gadget and cable bag. I like the Minaal mobile toolcase, which is small enough to slide into a backpack. I also have another one that fits a handful of cables plus a few larger items like a mouse or speaker.
ELECTRONICS & GADGETS
Phone. My wife and I both have iPhone X’s, mostly because I always buy the newest of whatever Apple comes out with. It is the one tool I use more than anything in my life so I have no qualms about paying for the best.
Computer. This ones pretty personal so you should get whatever suits your needs. I have the latest 12 inch MacBook, which is incredible for size and weight but gets stuck when importing or editing photos of any quantity.
Tablet. I debated between the iPad mini and iPad Pro for weeks and ultimately went with the pro with the keyboard and pencil. Glad I did as when I use it, I appreciate the larger size and it can double as a workstation in a pinch.
e-Reader. I don’t like being tied to the Amazon ecosystem so I travel with the Kobo Aura One, which is definitely the best e-reader not made by Amazon. It is waterproof and the battery will last at least a month with regular use.
Apple Watch. This is a great thing for anyone managing multiple timezones, and while a Rolex GMT would definitely do the same thing, the Apple Watch is completely customizable (I have 5 different bands which gives the effect of traveling with 5 different watches) and is a hell of a lot cheaper.
Mouse. I have had a version of this Logitech mouse for the past decade or so and it has never let me down. Built for power users so if you don’t feel like configuring all the buttons, skip it and find something simpler/cheaper.
AUDIO
Noise canceling headphones. In the unlikely event I am ever invited on the Tim Ferriss show and he asks for my favorite $200 or less purchase of the past five years, I would reference my Bose QC20 in-ear headphones without hesitation. I’m anxiously awaiting an upgraded version that loses the physical cable, or at least the little charging box embedded within the cable, but even before that happens this is a must have. You can take calls in the nosiest of coffee shops or coworking spaces and while the people on the other end will certainly hear the background noise (simply mute yourself when not speaking), they will come through crystal clear in your ears. These are pure magic.
Apple AirPods. Everyone who uses Apple devices should have these. They are amazing - especially for exercising - and well worth the seemingly high price.
Bluetooth speaker. If you like listening to music at home, on the beach, etc, this is an item worthy of taking up precious luggage space. I got the Bose Soundlink Micro and its great. Light, easy to pack, black and unobtrusive and sound quality is superb for the size.
CONNECTIVITY
Google Voice. Maintaining mobile voice and (more importantly) data is one of the more complicated things to figure out when planning a long term trip, especially one in which you will be working full time and need to remain available. There are many articles on the subject so I won’t go into it in depth here, but we opted to cancel our existing phone contracts (with Verizon) and port our numbers over to Google Voice, which was very easy to do and while it was painful given early termination fees, it was well worth it in the long run. Google Voice allows you to text using your number from any device as well as forward your number to any other, meaning you can have your “home” number ring on your phone even if you change SIM cards regularly (see below).
Local SIM cards. Usually the cheapest and most reliable way to receive voice and data in any new country. Can usually be picked up in the airport upon arrival, but do some research on prices before you get there so as not to be ripped off (as we royally were in Peru).
Skyroam Solis. We purchased this thinking it would save us in situations where wifi was unavailable. The concept is great and the device itself is small and unassuming. The service and performance are quite another thing and we definitely would NOT recommend this device as it is currently sold. What they dont tell you is that even with the monthly “unlimited” plan, there is a daily limit on how much data you can consume (500MB currently), after which your speed is throttled so as to be unusable. The speed in general is also hit or miss - in the middle of Lisbon, while our phones were doing 40/50Mbps, the Skyroam was consistently under 10Mbps. You are better off getting more data on your local SIM card and simply hotspotting from your phone.
POWER
Universal adapter. Anyone who has ever traveled internationally has bought or borrowed one of these. I like this one because it also has 3 USB ports and a USB-C port which allows me to charge (in truth it simply maintains the current power level) my MacBook.
Power strip. This is a must have. When we get to any new apartment, I immediately set up our “command center” around this device, which easily plugs into any wall socket world wide with one of the included adapters. The Bestek we purchased makes an extremely annoying buzzing/whining sound when powered on, but they now offer an upgraded version that claims to be silent.
External battery. I bought the biggest and baddest one I could find and it is one thing I would probably leave home if I could do it again. For every time it has actually saved us (being on the move and needing to charge my computer/tablet/phone), it has spent 10x more time sitting in my bag or a drawer. While its nice to have one that can charge your laptop, it may make more sense to get a smaller version that is lighter and easier to carry.
CABLES
Lightening cables. Obvious.
Lightening to HDMI adapter. For a while, I debated getting a Chromcast or a Roku stick, but ultimately decided to stream content from my iPad because it is so easy to configure the VPN needed for US-only apps like Amazon Prime Video, HBO, ESPN, etc. As long as the WIFI is strong enough, you can simply plug in and go. Be warned that some apps play nicely with streaming to TVs (filling the screen, allowing you to shut off the iPad, etc), but many do not so the experience isn’t always perfect.
HDMI cable. The above will not work without this and international apartments often do not have these.
Apple Watch charging cable.
USB mini cable. For charging e-readers, mice, external batteries, non-Apple phones.
CLOTHING
Im not going to go through this as I think its too personal a decision and any recommendations are largely useless without being tailored to the individual and their lifestyle. For example, is it really helpful to know that I wish I had brought four pairs of workout shorts instead of three? Didn't think so.
KITCHEN
Tupperware. We bought a few Tupperware containers during our second month because we lucked into having a grill and wanted to be able to save our leftovers. Surprisingly, these are still with us over 5 months later and have proven incredibly useful. On travel days, we can stuff things like salt and pepper shakers, tea bags, protein powder, etc into them.
Ziploc bags. Another surprisingly useful item. If you do any cooking, the use case is obvious but you can also use them for toiletries, storage of food items you don't want to spill during travel and much more.
Salt, pepper and olive oil. These are just annoying to have to buy over and over again. Worth the trade off of space in your bags.
Kitchen wish list:
Chef’s knife. Knives in furnished apartments and AirBnBs suck. Simple as that. I love to cook and using shitty knives is just not acceptable. If you are going to check bags, then theres no downside to having this.
Immersion blender. I drink a lot of protein shakes and the one thing I miss most from my previous life is my Vitamix. A small immersion blender would allow for shakes but also soups and other things that require mixing. The other option would be a portable smoothie maker but they tend to be really weak and too big to travel with.
Sous-vide. If I can find one small enough, it may be worthwhile for those apartments with virtually unusable kitchens. All you need is a pot, heat source, some ziplocks and access to water.