5 Travel Accessories You Need

     1. Joby Gorillapod

If you aren’t familiar with these little buggers, get on board! Essentially it is a tripod with flexible limbs, and you can wrap it around anything! It stands up straight as a regular tripod, or you can bend the legs to wrap around just about whatever. I took this photo by wrapping mine around a tree branch in the backcountry.

They range from teeny tiny to huge. They make them for go-pros, DSLRs, small point and shoots, and even have an attachment you can buy for any smartphone.

2. Buff

These things are great. There’s nothing I love more than a product with multiple uses. You can use this as a headband, hairtie, neck scarf, balaclava, etc. They are wind and sun resistant so you can product yourself from sunburn or cold conditions. Some even include insect repellant. Plus, they come in a lot of awesome designs and colors.

3. Passport Cover

Assuming that your travels are of the international variety, you’ll have a passport, and I definitely suggest a passport cover! You can find anything from a really cheap one that’s essentially an plastic envelope, to the more expensive leather varieties. You can find them on Amazon, and some particularly adorable ones (like the one shown above) can be found on Etsy. They’re great for keeping the edges of your passport from getting bent, and they’re also more discreet if you’re traveling in an area populated by sticky fingers. 

4. Digital Luggage Scale 

If you have ever had to pay extra for your checked luggage being over the limit, you know the pain, and you know that this little guy is necessary. Instead of having to guesstimate how heavy your bag is, you can simply hold it up with the hook of this scale and get an exact weight. It will save you the trouble of moving things from your checked bag to your carry on, and it's small enough to take with you so you can use it on both ends of your trip. 

5. Phrase books

Again, if you're venturing far enough that the locals will speak a language other than your own, phrase books are amazing. My favorites are by Rick Steves. They're specific to travel, so they tell you all you need to know to book hotels, find train stations, etc. Not only do they give you the English sentence with the correct translation, but they sound it out for you in parentheses so you don't completely butcher the pronunciation. Plus, they're pocket size!