RavPower FileHub
A three-in-one device that is a power bank, a wireless travel router and a wireless storage device, RavPower’s FileHub is a handy device to have to hand when you’re away from home. It can create a 2.4- or 5GHz wireless network for sharing with up to five devices from an ethernet cable, offers one-touch backup of digital camera memory cards, and can wirelessly share the contents of USB drives up to 3TB in capacity and SD cards up to 256GB.
Read our full RavPower FileHub review
Master Lock Connected Padlock
If you’re always worried you’re going to lose your padlock key when you travel, tech it up with a smart Bluetooth padlock.
We particularly like the one from Master Lock, which strikes a balance between durability and aesthetics.
The simple design gives the illusion of being little more than a regular padlock, but a raft of features includes the option to provide temporary access and monitor activity.
Although it can be used around the home, this is particularly effective for travel, meaning you don’t have to rummage around for a key or try and input a 4-digit code.
There’s also the option to choose between indoor and outdoor versions, although the latter was £20 more at the time of writing.
Music Sleep Mask
We all know how tricky it can be to get any sleep on a long journey, or sometimes even in a hotel room that you’re not familiar with.
This Music Sleep Mask is a cheap and cheerful way to help get more shut eye. It is comfy, blocks light and can connect to your phone to allow you to play your favourite sleep-inducing tunes.
Sound quality isn’t amazing, but it’s good enough and even at a high volume there’s little or no sound leakage. While this version does need a 3.5mm cable to work, Thumbs Up has now released a wireless version , complete with 6 hours of playback.
You can buy it now for £24.99 / US$35 .
Car chargers & power banks
The one gadget we know you won’t be going anywhere without is your smartphone. Keeping it powered up on long journeys can be an issue, though, and for that you’ll need either a car charger or a power bank.
We’ve rounded up 20 of the best power banks on the market in our best power banks group test , and one of our current favourites for portability is the Zendure A2 . It’s a 6700mAh power bank that holds its charge incredibly well.
Zendure A2 power bank
- RRP: £39.99
- Buy from Amazon for £34.99
It’s also extremely portable, tough enough to drive over in a car, and has enough power to charge up your phone two- to three times (depending on its battery capacity).
But the problem with power banks is that eventually they will run dry, and then you’ll still need a mains port to recharge them unless you have a solar charger (see our round up of the best solar chargers here ).
If you’ll be driving a lot on your journey, also consider a car charger that plugs into the cigarette lighter port (just be careful not to leave it in with the engine switched off for long periods – been there, done that).
Read our full Zendure A2 review
Bluetooth speakers & headphones
We wouldn’t advise taking an expensive pair of headphones on holiday with you. It’s all too easy to lose them when you drunk drop them in the pool. We’ve reviewed a number of sub-£50 earphones in our best budget headphones group test , and a recent standout are the SoundMagic E11C.
SoundMagic E11C
- RRP: £49/$49.99
- Buy from Amazon
These in-ear headphones are another essential travel accessory for backpackers, business travelers and family tourists alike. The earphones look expensive, but more importantly they sound great for a pair of cheapies.
For when you’re less likely to annoy other travellers – and, in fact, are wanting to share your tunes – a Bluetooth speaker will be more useful. We’d recommend the Aukey Eclipse ( £43.99 / $49.99 ).
Read our full SoundMagic E11C review
E-readers & tablets
We all love a good break from everyday life, but we don’t half miss the big screen in our living room. Tablets are the next best thing: not only can you catch up on all the great TV you’re missing back home (you might need a VPN such as NordVPN to check in with UK services such as iPlayer), but you’ve also got all of the internet, social networks and games at your fingertips.
If you’d rather be looking up tourist spots, restaurants and nightlife though, check out round up of the best travel apps for Android and iOS .
iPad
- RRP: starting at £349
- Buy from Apple UK , Argos or Apple US , Best Buy
The iPad has become almost synonymous with the word ‘tablet’, and 2020 has only extended the gap between Apple’s slates and the competition.
The latest refresh of Apple’s entry level iPad added a bigger screen, smart connector and upgraded internals to what was already an excellent device. You can read our review on sister site Macworld here , or check out our best tablet round-up for more options.
- RRP: £119.99/$149.99
- Buy from Amazon
See more e-reader options here .
Mobile Wi-Fi
Data roaming outside the EU can be expensive , so the last thing you need is to have to pay out for internet on your phone, tablet and all the kids devices, nor do you want to pay expensive hotel Wi-Fi charges. MiFi lets you share a mobile connection from a single SIM with up to 10 devices, meaning you pay only once.
TP-Link M7350
- RRP: £70.59
- Buy from Amazon
We love the TP-Link M7350, which has a built-in LCD screen that shows you how much battery remains, how strong is the signal, how much data has been used, how many devices are connected and so on. It also has a microSD slot, which lets you share up to 32GB of storage across networked devices.
The beauty of the TP-Link is that it’s unlocked, so not only can you use it with any SIM from any mobile operator, but you can also take advantage of cheap PAYG SIMs abroad.
If you’d rather get a MiFi device for free and pay for it over a monthly contract as you would your phone bill, check out some of your other options in our MiFi buying guide .
Fitness trackers
If walking is your thing, tech can help you keep track of how far you’ve gone, how many calories you’ve burned and even how close you are to your daily goal. (In my case it can also show you how long – and how deeply – you’ve slept.)
Fitbit Charge 3
- RRP: £129.99/$149.95
- Buy from Amazon UK , Amazon US or direct from Fitbit
The Fitbit Charge 3 earned an excellent 4.5 stars out of 5 in our review . It has GPS tracking and a heart-rate monitor, it records fitness statistics, offers guided breathing sessions, and measures sleep. It probably gives you more insight than you may ever need on a holiday, but at least you can bask in the satisfaction of knowing you’ve burnt some calories (even if it’s a casual waltz over to the tiki bar).
Misfit Ray
- RRP: £79.99/$79.99
- Buy from Amazon or direct from Misfit
Another great option is the Misfit Ray if you’re on a tighter budget. Though it doesn’t have a screen like the Fitbit Charge 3, it is swim-proof, can send call and text notifications, and of course can track steps, distance, calories and sleep as well.
Check out the best activity trackers in our group test .
Read our full Fitbit Charge 3 review
Portable seat
Okay, so it might not be as techy as the rest of our roundup, but the Sitpack is a must-have gadget for those that do a lot of walking when travelling. Designed to be the same shape as a 500ml can, it’s portable and can be used almost anywhere to give you a quick break, whether waiting for a train or on a hike in the forest.
The real magic happens when you unfold it: the outer layer of the ‘can’ becomes a 13.5in polycarbonate seat, while the 34in telescopic leg is extended in seconds. While it may seem a little bit awkward at first, you get used to it within minutes and relax fairly quickly.
While admittedly it isn’t as comfortable as sitting down in a soft chair, Sitpack claims that “it embodies the positive outcomes of resting with the right posture” by increasing blood circulation and encouraging a natural upper body posture, amongst other things.
The Sitpack is available in five colours at the Sitpack website .
Author: Marie Black, Global Director of Content Operations, Foundry
Marie is Global Director of Content Operations at Foundry. A Journalism graduate from the London College of Printing, she’s worked in tech media for 20 years. These days she is focused on refining editorial processes and workflows, and on our evergreen, transactional and custom content strategy.
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