Since everyone has been asking, I decided to compile a list of items that I can’t travel without!
Travelling light and smart is important for me, so I like my gear to be compact or multipurpose whenever possible. Most things have to be versatile a well, as I enjoy travelling both in a rugged way, and in the normal way. There’s a mixture of stuff here, some sponsored, most not, but everything here are items I love and use regularly on my travels.

Hope you find these useful!

Electronics

Probably the most important section for me when it comes to work.

Sony α6300 –

As a travel content producer, it’s important to have a good enough camera. This versatile semi-pro does everything from shooting 4K videos to taking awesome pictures. Almost everything you see online from me is taken using the Sony α6300 and it’s my camera of choice at the moment. It has an insanely fast autofocus for the unexpected moments. It’s also light, compact, and really durable.

Currently my fav lens is a10-18mm, f/4.0 wide angle.

Review on the Sony α6300 camera for the professional amateur.

 

GoPro Hero 4 Black –

For the action packed moments. Whether it’s diving with sea lions, or climbing a steep rock face, I can’t always carry my semi-pro around. The GoPro allows me to mount my camera on myself for an interesting POV, or on surfaces you wouldn’t dare to place your other camera.

For a camera so small, it packs a huge punch. Plus I really like their marketing (can’t help it since I was an advertising major) and ecosystem of supporting products. Not to mention they take really nice selfies!

More info about GoPro.

 

MOGICS Power Bagel –

This started as a Kickstarter project, and is probably one of the most useful things for me to ever bring around. Since I travel for work, I have a lot of gear that needs charging. Handphone, laptop, camera 1, camera 2, spare batteries, and the list goes on. The problem though, is that hostels and hotels often do not have enough charging points for my needs cause I’m a little more extreme.

The MOGICS Power Bagel however solves all these with a ring design that can fit 4 universal plugs + 2 USB plugs (fast charge) + 1 US plug! It even has a safety fuse for power screw ups. At only the size of your palm, it’s very compact as well so you don’t have to lug an extension cord around. A little expensive but worth the price in my opinion!

More info about MOGICS Power Bagel

 

Mi Power Bank –

Since I use my smartphone a lot for work, research, and to update stuff on social media, my battery never lasts more than a day. It’s worse in cold weather though. I remember my iPhone going from 80% to 30% before turning off within 5 mins of taking it out of my pocket during our Iceland Winter Roadtrip!

Getting a power bank is common sense, but the Mi Power banks are one of the cheapest, most reliable, and value for money in the market. They are also pretty compact and light.

More about the Mi Power Banks.

 

Wearables

The North Face Tiberius Jacket –

I’ve always been a big fan of The North Face and it’s a brand I always recommend to others for their quality control and reliability. When you’re in the outdoors, it’s important to have equipment you can trust to do it’s job.

My favourite all purpose outdoor jacket is the North Face Tiberius. There are two parts to it, a waterproof yet breathable outer shell, and an inner 300 weight gridded fleece jacket. This makes it extremely versatile, especially on treks.

At Mount Ijen in Indonesia, I needed both layers when we started climbing at 1am as the weather was cold at around 8°C. But as I climbed and the body warmed up, I took off the inner layer and unzipped the side underarm vents for even more ventilation.

While climbing Triund in India, the jacket kept me very dry despite the constant rain.

Bonus points for it looking so good as well!

Find out more at The Planet Traveller outlets.

 

Baubax Travel Jacket –

Another awesome Kickstarter project, the Baubax Travel Jacket is the one I use for every non outdoor situation (other than winter of course). Said to be the world’s best travel jacket, there are 4 types – sweatshirt, bomber, windbreaker, and blazer.

I got the sweatshirt version as a gift, and found that it’s perfect for flights. In fact it has so many compartments you can literally travel without a bag if you don’t have a lot of camera gear. There’s a built in neck pillow, eye mask, gloves, pen, microfibre cloth, sunglass pocket, water resistant phone pocket, double lined hand warming pockets, and more pockets than I can remember

I especially like the neck pillow that can inflate in just 2 seconds!

Check out this video on the Baubax Travel Jacket.

 

Kapten & Son Watch –

While smart phones have made telling the time convenient, nothing beats having a classic and stylish watch. Other than looking good, you reduce the risk of petty crime by not having to whip out your smartphone every time you need to check the time.

I personally love the watches from Kapten & Son for it’s minimal and classic look. There’s a huge variety of colours and designs, so I’m sure everyone can find something they like. Customise the strap, watch face, or even the watch dial. I got the “Silver Black Brown Vintage Leather” and have been wearing it almost everywhere I go!

More info for those who want a stylish Kapten & Son watch for your travels.

 

Bags & Luggage

Sea to Summit Carve 24L Backpack –

Bag of choice whenever I have check-in luggage or will be doing a short 2D1N hikes. This waterproof bag is designed for water sports, but I find it useful in all terrains outdoors. You never know when it might rain and it’s important to have a bag that can keep your clothes and equipment dry. It’s abrasion resistant and has an ergonomic backing to protect your back. The white interior makes it easy for you to find your stuff in the dark with your torch. There’s also space for a hydration bag.

This is really the ultimate outdoors day bag.

Even when I’m travelling in the city, I find it useful because it’s kind of thief proof as well. The material is very tough to slash, and the strong aircraft alloy buckles make it impossible for pickpockets to take anything without you noticing.

Specs of the Sea to Summit Carve 24L Backpack.

 

CabinZero 44L Backpack –

Since I travel budget a lot, I often travel with only my carry-on bag without any check-in luggage to save on flights. The problem though, is that I also have a lot of equipment to bring along. The CabinZero solves this issue by maximising all the available space allowed for your carry-on baggage. The dimensions fit the carry-on bag requirements for almost every airline, so you won’t have to worry.

At 44L, it’s an understatement to say that it’s big. It’s actually very big for a carry-on bag and it’s easy to overload the bag. While it’s durable enough to handle well beyond the allowed 7-10kg, the challenge is to not exceed that amount as it’s the limit for your carry-on luggage on flights. That said, I’m sure you can think of some creative ways to manage that extra 1 or 2 kilograms.

Check out my review on the CabinZero backpack.

 

Decathalon Foldable Bags –

Cheap and very handy. For the times when you wanna bring a smaller bag for the beach, or day hike but do not have the space to squeeze a proper bag into your check-in or carry-on baggage. These foldable bags are super small, and hardly take up any space. Very useful for impromptu shopping as well!

They aren’t as comfortable as they don’t have back support, but still super useful for times when you just need something to hold stuff.

Look at more Decathalon foldable bags.

 

Gaston Luga Backpack – The Everyday Bag

While I’m always on the road, I do spend about half my time back in sunny Singapore. I’ve tried a couple of stylish (and budget) bags from Bangkok, but they never seem to last! I guess you can’t always get stuff cheap and good. If you’re like me and love minimalistic designs,
you’d fall in love with the Scandinavian Gaston Luga Backpacks too. When the good people at Gaston Luga reached out, I knew this would be a great fit. In fact, their Clässic Black & Black backpack is the one I use daily for meetings and casual days out back home! The minimalistic look makes it perfect for everyday use. Not too formal, and not too casual. Of course there are lots of other colours and designs to suit your taste too.

Other than looking good, their bags are also really durable and functional. There are enough compartments for your laptops, passports (for trips where I bring a luggage), and other small random items. The thick cotton canvas and metal clips gives it a very sturdy feel, and the metallic feet at the bottom of the bag helps protect it further.

Get your Gaston Luga Backpacks here. Use <pohtecktoes15> for an additional 15% off + free shipping!

 

Useful travel accessories

Quick Dry Towel –

Another must have item for all travellers. While travelling, it’s sometimes inevitable that we might need to move from place to place quickly. The problem with normal towels is that it can take too long to dry. Quick dry towels are compact and can soak up a lot of towel. I always travel with a small one even if I plan to stay in better hotels. You never know when it will come in useful even as a scarf!

Amazon or Qoo10 has a good selection.

 

Eagle Creek Pack-It Starter Packing System –

Ever been in a situation where you have to remove everything from your travel bag in order to find something? Packing cubes help organise your stuff so you can find them easily while keeping them compact. While zip-lock bags also keep your clothes compact, I find packing cubes do the same job much faster. You also save the effort from having to squeeze all the air out of the zip-lock bag, and don’t have to regularly buy new ones. There’s even a mash top so you can see what’s inside while ensuring breathability.

I also have a pretty cool packing folder for dress shirts and pants to minimise wrinkles from rolling. It looks small, but can easily fit 8-12 items!

More options for your packing needs here.

 

Lewis N Clark Wrinkle Wiz Remover –

Probably the most underrated item in my bag. I always bring along a long sleeved shirt when travelling because you never know when you might need it. The obvious problem is that despite my best efforts at folding, it’s inevitable that it gets wrinkled. This amazing bottle may not give me 100% pressed shirts, but it easily removes most of the wrinkles and leaves the shirt smelling fresh. It’s fast and I don’t have to bring an iron around.

Combine this with the Eagle Creek Garment Folder and you’re bound to look sharp even while travelling.

You can easily buy it online but I got it from The Planet Traveller.

 

Silicone Travel Tubes –

The ultimate solution to travelling light and carry-on only trips. I honestly find it silly to waste money buying overpriced travel sized toiletries. Why do that when you can pack your favourite products into travel friendly tubes and containers. After trying a couple of types, I found that the silicone travel tubes work the best. These refillable tubes are safe and easy to use, with a reliable non leak valve design. It’s also a lot easier to get your products out because you can simple squeeze it instead of letting to flow out slowly.

Such a simple but useful invention.

You get it from Qoo10. If the link expires, just search for “Silicone Travel Tubes”.

 

PACSAFE Pro 750 Padlock –

If you tend to forget password and codes for your number locks, this is your best bet. This cool lock uses a coded key card instead of a physical key to unlock the padlock. While you may say padlocks with keys do the same thing, using a card is a lot less conspicuous as people don’t expect it. You can also slip it easily into your wallet or bag. Definitely a good to have.

Read more about the Packsafe Padlock.

 

Travel Applications & Services

Klook – activity booking app

Gone are the days where we have to print out e-vouchers or email tour companies back and forth to buy tickets. Klook is a handy travel app that allows you to manage all your tours and entrance tickets in one place. The price is usually similar to the original, and you get a fuss free experience. In my recent trip to Universal Studios Japan, we managed to get our tickets easily without having to navigate the Japanese website for the tickets. The app allowed us to skip the queues at the entrance, saving valuable time at the theme park.

If you’re downloading it for the first time, do use my referral code “KLOOKTTI” on the mobile app (that’s a zero btw)! Simply key that in under Promotions in your account settings before your first booking and both of us get a US$3.50 (or SGD$5) credit! It’s a win-win. :P

Click here to download Klook!

 

Airbnb – home away from home

If you haven’t heard, Airbnb is disrupting the hotel industry by allowing people to rent vacation homes with locals. I love the concept of staying with a local and experiencing life a different way. It’s the best way to discover a new place really. For security and other concerns, there’s a lot more info on their website.

But for those who aren’t that comfortable with that, there are also many listings that are by companies that are simply renting out vacation homes. Think of it as a one-stop location for room rentals and vacation apartments.

Again, if you’re a first time user, get $40 off your first booking with this link!

 

Hope you found this list useful. I’ll be updating it regularly as I discover more products so do check back regularly!
Meanwhile, do follow me on Facebook and Instagram if you haven’t for more travel inspirations and adventures. :)