With two European trips and six countries under our belt, we have some tried and true items that we have now been using over and over. Our only splurge in the last two years has honestly been travel and the things we have bought to make it easier. Because we don’t buy a lot, we only buy items that we can use for other purposes which honestly requires some planning. If we’re going to shell out cash, we want it to last a long time and we want to use the items on a lot of trips.
These are my favorite travel gear recommendations that I honestly make to everyone because of our experiences here and abroad. Bonus: this is affordable travel fear for rainy weather too.
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1 // Osprey Porter 46 backpack
We have older versions of this backpack that are no longer available, but are the same size. This is the perfect size for overhead storage on a plane so that you don’t have to check luggage! A fear of ours is having luggage lost when we’re international because that could literally ruin a vacation. We love not having to worry about losing our luggage, we love packing minimally, and we now exclusively use these backpacks for when we travel.
When Devin travels for work, we road trip, or we fly to see family- you better believe we carry these! There are plenty of handles to grab and the chest and hip strap make things so comfortable!
2 // Fjallraven backpack
I raised my eyebrow at this product at first because of the price tag, but I needed something that would be waterproof and keep my camera gear dry! Guess what? It totally kept everything dry!
I was super impressed and the backpack is hardy. Besides that, the two little exterior pouches on both sides are the perfect size for mini umbrella (needed in Ireland) or sunglasses. I now use this little backpack for when I go walking to carry my water, keys, cell phone etc. because I don’t like the weight of a purse on my shoulders. However, I would not recommend wearing a backpack if you’re worried about theft where you are traveling.
3 // waterproof lightweight rain jacket with detachable hood
I needed a good rain jacket that would be light weight for Ireland, but also just for life in Georgia; I’ve kind of been asking myself why I went without one for so long?! This jacket was cute, comfortable, and does a great job cutting some wind too.
The jacket folded up easily into my small Fjallraven backpack along with other needed things for the day. I now use this jacket for when I go walking and for rainy southern days.
4 // Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II Mirrorless micro 4/3 digital camera with 14-42mm and 40-150mm lenses
This is my camera that I have been using since summer of 2016! I used a DSLR for many years, but the weight and size of the camera often found me not wanting to take it anywhere.
I have neck and back problems and I needed a little powerhouse of a camera with exchangeable lenses that would shoot in HD. After buying this camera, I realized I never took out my DSLR again! I love this camera and happily take it everywhere because it fits inside my purse!
5 // TruShield universal worldwide international travel adapter
We chose this electrical adapter because we wanted something that would be versatile in every country we would want to visit. We also loved that it has USB adapters so we can charge our phones at the same time! Tip: although we don’t purchase phone plans when we travel, we always charge a phone battery pack every night in case we do have a phone/ GPS emergency.
6 // Cougar Shoes Women’s Snack Boots
I absolutely love this brand because they are all made for a lot of walking and to be waterproof. Yup, you read that right! Being that we live somewhere where it rains a lot, I needed some nice waterproof shoes anyway.
These are absolutely worth the money because I can walk 6+ miles everyday without foot pain. These shoes kept my feet warm in Ireland too which is a huge bonus 🙂 .
7 // Cougar Women’s Swoon Rain Shoe
Here is another awesome shoe from my favorite shoe brand! I wore these when I was thinking we’d encounter some mud or a lot of rain and I’m so happy I brought them along. My only critique is that socks are absolutely necessary with these shoes or the shoes begin feeling like you’re wearing a suction cup with a sliding insert.
These shoes kept my feet dry, but I struggled finding socks that really did the trick with them. When it downpours here, I pull them our every time.
8 // Travelon Anti-theft Heritage Hobo Bag
I bought this purse in summer of 2016 to take to Europe and I have used it everyday as my purse since! Although I left this purse home in lieu of my fjallraven backpack for our Ireland trip, it was great for carrying my camera then and now. I picked this specific bag because it is metal lined to make it hard for easy pick pocketing, has a metal netting throughout the body of the purse, and has zippers that zip and clip into the purse.
All of these features are created to deter pick pocketing. While someone honestly could always pickpocket you, this made me feel safer after having been robbed in Mexico.
9 // silicone wedding ring
When we travel, I wear silicone rings because walking all day makes my fingers swell. Wearing travel rings also keeps me from worrying about my rings, losing them anywhere, and it is fun to be able to switch the colors out. Devin wears a silicone ring almost everyday!
RELATED // how do you afford to travel?
I love traveling and these items have certainly made it easier for us. I would recommend my favorite travel gear over and over again for traveling or just everyday life 🙂 . We don’t have any trips on the horizon anytime soon, but I’ll be loving on this stuff and our memories in the mean time.
