With much of my work being remote, I take the opportunity to travel whenever I can, and bring my work with me. This requires bringing my "office" with me everywhere. Here are some accessories I never travel without.
It probably goes without saying that I'm always going to bring all of my Apple products with me, my current kit is the iPhone 14 Pro, MacBook Air (M2), iPad mini 6, Apple Watch Series 6, and AirPods 2.
Though they aren't shown in the photo above, I do always have my precious mobile devices in one of the best iPhone 14 Pro cases and best iPad mini 6 cases. Which cases will depend on which outfits I'm packing; I've got to coordinate! I change up my best Apple Watch bands to match as well.
Here's the tech in my travel bag
You need a great bag to hold all of your important tech. Of course there are plenty of great laptop backpacks out there, but this is my current favorite due to these important features: It's lightweight enough to be portable, yet it's roomy and sturdy enough to trust with my tech. The padded straps are comfortable to wear, and the bag is well-balanced. There's a roomy padded compartment for my MacBook. It has a horizontal strap on the back, so it easily slides onto the telescoping handle of my rolling suitcase. And finally, it has two water bottle pockets on the outside of the bag. To me, this is one of the best MacBook Pro Backpacks you can find.
I probably don't strictly need a sleeve since my backpack has a padded laptop compartment, but the MOFT Carry Sleeve is more than just protection. It also folds into a stand that can be adjusted to two different angles, depending on your personal preference. I like my laptop slightly elevated this way, as it brings my screen closer to eye level. This makes working on a laptop more ergonomic, since I don't have to angle my head down. Using the sleeve this way also makes a sort of a "desk" anywhere, such as my lap. An elevated laptop is also less likely to get in the way of spills, if you're working in a coffee shop, for example.
You can bring a whole bunch of different wall chargers, or you can bring just one. With this one, I can charge my MacBook Air, iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods. Plus I can charge the power bank and SleepBuds coming up later in this article. I can't charge all seven at once, I still have to rotate, but at least I can charge up to three at a time. And I don't have to have a gazillion chargers in my bag. Like other OtterBox wall chargers we reviewed, this is fast-charge compatible and does the job elegantly. It's smaller than a single-port MacBook charger. The folding prongs are a nice touch, making it even more portable.
I still have to pack my Apple Watch charging cable, but for everything else I travel with, this is it. One end of the extremely sturdy inCharge 6 Max cable has both a USB-A and USB-C tip, while the other end has a USB-C and a Lightning tip. You can mix and match how you use these tips six different ways, so you're covered for any Apple product and quite a few others.
This version of the handy mophie powerstation plus is made specifically for Apple products. It has two built-in cables that fold neatly into the power bank when not in use. One cable has a Lightning tip for charging devices such as your iPhone. The other cable has a USB-C tip for charging all of your other Apple devices (and more.) The powerful battery gives you up to 43 hours of video playback. The integrated cables with PD output deliver up to 20W of power so you can charge your device at optimal speed. The versatile USB-C port can be used as both input and output so you can charge other devices as well.
As one of the co-hosts of the iMore Show, traveling with a professional-level microphone is a must. Using my trusty Tula Mics USB-C Microphone, I've podcasted from many locations besides my own home office. The sound quality is excellent. It's tiny, lightweight, and couldn't be easier to pop into a travel bag. You can mount it on its own flip stand (which folds flat for travel) or mount it onto a boom arm or other mic stand. It's a mobile recorder with 12 hours of battery and memory. You can choose from four different color options.
Bose Sleepbuds II earned the only five-star rating I've ever given to any product I've reviewed. Yes, they are that good. As someone who struggles with sleep under the best of circumstances, my Sleepbuds are in my ears every night both at home and while traveling. They come with a bunch of ear tips so they fit snugly and comfortably in your ears all night. Noise-masking Sleepbuds do not play your music or anything else in your collection, only the relaxing sounds in Bose's accompanying app. Whether you're trying to sleep on an airplane, a noisy hotel room, or next to a snoring partner, these will go a long way towards getting you that much-need sleep.
Best travel accessories
Each of us will put together their own travel kit, but these are the items that are currently in mine. What you choose will depend on your own needs, but I highly recommend investing in a good-quality travel bag as well as great cases and chargers for each of your devices. Choose any of the best portable batteries for your iPhone so you're not caught without power on the go. If you have trouble sleeping on airplanes, trains, buses, or even in hotel rooms, I highly recommend picking up a pair of the Bose Sleepbuds II.
