Stock up on the best travel accessories while you’re busy planning your upcoming trips! To help you prepare for your adventures we’re kicking off our best of 2021 Travel Gear Guides with the must have travel accessories to get the most out of your trips.
Get ready to hit the roads, skies, and seas with the best travel accessories of 2021!
Highlights
Here are the best of the best; the top products in each category for 2021. To get the full details, top products in subcategories, and to see how we came up with this list check out the rest of the article.
Best Toiletry Bag: Peak Design Wash Pouch Travel Toiletry Bag
Great looking design, built in organization pockets, and included hanging hook for flexible use.
Best Travel Water Bottle: Fifty Fifty 3 Finger Vacuum Insulated Water Bottle
An ingenious carrying handle makes this water bottle a traveler’s best friend, combined with all day insulation and long lasting durability.
Best Packing Cubes: Tripped Travel Compression Packing Cubes Set
Easy to use compression system guaranteed to help you pack more efficiently and stay organized on the road.
Best Dry Bag: Overboard Dry Bag Tubes
When you need 100% confidence your gear won’t get wet. Available in a range of sizes to suit your travel needs.
Best Power Bank: Naztech 10,000 mAh Lightning + USB-C All-In-One Power Bank
Taking cable management to another level with built in Lightning and USB-C charging cables.
Best Sustainable Accessory: Asobu Reusable Straws With Case
Extremely portable with the included case so you can eliminate the need for wasteful single use plastic straws.
Coolest Overall: Hilx Folding Sunglasses
Solves the ultimate traveler dilemma of what to do with your sunglasses when you’re not wearing them, plus they look incredible.
How we Decided on the Best Travel Accessories
Selecting the best travel accessories of 2021 ultimately comes down to which items provide the most thoughtful design with high quality construction and materials. There are 6 primary areas we consider when determining whether an item is thoughtfully designed and worthy of a spot in our best travel accessories of the year. Through our hands on use & testing plus customer feedback we’ve gone through all of our travel accessories to highlight the best ones in 2021. Here is why these products made the cut:
- Solves a Traveler Problem: Every great travel accessory should make travelers’ lives easier or more fun. All of these products solve a challenge we’ve experienced on the road.
- Long Lasting Durability: Quality items that are well built and stand up to countless bumps and bruises on the road are paramount. We value high quality gear that can be relied on for countless adventures.
- Practical Use: There’s a place for novelty or purely aesthetic accessories but this best of list isn’t it. The best travel accessories are practical. If we’re adding weight to our bag it should be for something that will get used to make our trip better.
- Design & Style: Purely functional isn’t enough, the best travel gear is wrapped in a great design and style. Travel accessories should look good and elevate the overall style of your travel gear collection.
- Flexible Use: There are plenty of highly niche, purpose built accessories available but our best of list features travel accessories that can be used on just about any trip. The more often you can use an accessory the quicker you get your money’s worth. It also makes packing for a variety of trips easier when you know your best gear will work wherever you’re heading.
- Innovative Features: The top travel brands are designing exciting new products with innovative features. Our best travel accessories include unique and innovative features to help you enjoy your travels to the fullest.
Best Toiletry Bags
Our best toiletry bag of the year is a versatile stand out for any traveler and will keep you organized on any type of trip. We have also included two honorable mentions for travelers looking for more specific styles.
Best Leather Toiletry Bag
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Jack Foster Wide Leather Toiletry Kit Made with a beautiful full leather exterior and interior that softens with age, this leather toiletry bag exudes style and flare. Made from the highest quality leathers in the US, this handmade kit is wider and flatter than normal so it's easier to pack in any bag or suitcase. It will immediately add an edge of style to your travel gear and be with you for years. |
Best Hanging Toiletry Bag
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Lewis N Clark Hanging Travel Toiletry Bag Never dig around your suitcase for an item or deal with a cluttered vanity again. This kit packs flat for easy transport then unfolds and hangs from a hook or towel bar with all your items neatly organized and displayed in the array of pockets. |
Best Toiletry Bag Overall
Peak Design Wash Pouch Travel Toiletry Bag
Organization, ease of use, and a sleek design all in one package. This travel kit is split into multiple pockets and compartments so you can easily organize and find your items. It stands upright on a counter or hangs with the built in hook. This is our 2021 best travel toiletry bag thanks to the great looking design, easy to use organization, and the flexible use with the built in hanging hook.
Best Travel Water Bottles
A great travel water bottle will be at your side through years of trips and adventures. We’ve highlighted 3 honorable mentions in specific categories along with our top water bottle of the year.
Best Stainless Steel Water Bottle
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Eco Vessel Boulder Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle This travel water bottle boasts premium construction and durability with silicone bumpers to protect it from drops. The top of the line insulation keeps your drinks hot or cold even on the longest travel days. Dual openings make it easy to fill or sip; this water bottle checks all the boxes. |
Best Collapsible Water Bottle
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Vapur Wide Mouth Collapsible Water Bottle A collapsible, portable, freezable, and flexible design lets you take this travel water bottle absolutely anywhere. It rolls up into a compact cylinder when not in use taking up virtually no space in your bag or pocket. Incredibly lightweight and portable with a built in hook to clip onto your backpack for easy access. |
Best Filtered Water Bottle
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Asobu Insulated Water Bottle With UV Purifier When you’re camping or traveling in a region with unsafe drinking water this Asobu water bottle can be a gamechanger. We love the all in one design blending a great insulated water bottle with the water purification functionality through a built in UV filter. You’ll never have to stock up on purification tablets or replacement filters again! |
Best Travel Water Bottle Overall
Fifty Fifty 3 Finger Vacuum Insulated Water Bottle
The water bottle that should be on every traveler’s gear list, this is our best water bottle of 2021 thanks to incredibly durable construction, all day long insulation, and an innovative handle that’s perfectly suited to travelers. The unique 3 finger handle makes it the best travel water bottle to carry. The contoured finger grooves are comfortable and easy to hold on long days exploring. The elevated handle also makes it simple to unscrew the wide mouth opening for easy filling or cleaning. Vacuum insulated and non leaching stainless steel construction keep you refreshed wherever your day takes you.
Best Packing Cubes
The space saving packing accessory that should be on every traveler's packing list. Our best packing cubes overall is a set but we included two honorable mentions that offer great individual options.
Best Individual Compression Packing Cubes
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Peak Design Compression Packing Cubes These luggage packing cubes not only look great, they’re incredibly well built and practical to use on any trip. They offer expansion and compression so you can adjust it to suit your clothing volume. We love the tear away opening to get at the contents in one quick motion and the internal divider to separate your clean and dirty clothes. |
Best Stuff Sack
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Peregrine Ultralight Compression Sack These no nonsense stuff sacks come in 6 sizes ranging from 3 liters to 20 liters. Perfect for jamming your gear into a backpack for treks and camping. The 4 external compression straps keep them compact and ultra light material adds virtually no additional weight to your pack. |
Best Packing Cubes Overall
Tripped Travel Compression Packing Cubes Set
This six piece set, available in two sizes and six different color styles, is our best packing cubes set in 2021. The simple and effective compression system works incredibly well to save space and pack more efficiently. We’ve taken these cubes on dozens of trips and the durable materials continue to hold up incredibly well. They easily adapt to wherever you’re heading and you’re guaranteed to pack better with them!
Best Water Protection
Protect your valuables and keep electronics safe with the best water protection accessories. We split this category into 4 different sub-categories so you can find the best water protection based on what you need to keep dry.
Best Dry Bag Backpack
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Peregrine Tataro Dry Bag Backpack Brightly colored, packable, ultra lightweight, and 100% watertight, the Peregrine Tataro checks all the boxes for a great dry bag backpack. It packs down to smaller than a fist and weights only 4.7 oz, which means it can easily be stowed into your primary backpack and utilized when needed on day trips or excursions! Once unpacked this backpack has comfortable shoulder straps that can be adjusted, a zip pocket, and an external drawstring compression system to keep it compact or stash a jacket. |
Best Dry Bag
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Overboard Dry Bag Tubes No matter what you’re hauling, if you need to guarantee it stays 100% dry you can trust the Overboard Dry Bag Tubes. Available in a range of colors across 5 sizes from 5 liters to 40 liters, you’ll find the right waterproof dry bag for your travels. These bags are incredibly tough and you will feel confident your gear is safe inside. Use the included carrying strap to sling it across the back and hit those beaches, paddle boards, kayaks, or waterfalls. |
Best Waterproof Pouch
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Aquapac Waterproof Pouch The Aquapac Waterproof Pouch has consistently held up in our hands on testing and we’re confident it will keep your essential items like keys, wallet, passport, documents, and phone dry, even if you aren’t. The Aquapac patented seal is incredibly easy to use and locks down tightly to keep water out. Sturdy construction, a built in lanyard, and rated to a submersion depth of 30 ft. |
Best Waterproof Phone Case
Pelican Go Case G40 Waterproof Phone Case
Pack the Pelican Go Case when you need to know with 100% confidence that your device is protected in every situation. Purpose built to hold a cellphone, but with room for extra valuables, this hard-shell case is TOUGH. It's built to withstand drops and shocks with a crushproof design. This case will hold up to just about anything life (or off road adventures) throw at it and it's backed by Pelican’s lifetime guarantee.
Best Power Banks
Staying connected on the road is more important than ever and a power bank is an essential travel accessory. The 2021 best travel power bank is versatile and portable. We’ve also included two honorable mentions offering more specific uses.
Best Solar Power Bank
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HyperGear 10,000 mAh Solar Powered Power Bank When you’re headed out for long hikes, camping trips, or treks and need reliable power, the HyperGear Solar Powered Power Bank is our top recommendation. This device is rugged and built for the outdoors. The 10,000 mAh capacity provides plenty of charges to your devices and the built in solar panel means you can recharge the bank without using an outlet. Enjoy the great outdoors while ensuring you’ve got backup power when needed! |
Best Laptop Power Bank
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Naztech 20,000 mAh Laptop Power Bank When you need reliable backup power for all of your devices the Naztech Laptop Power Bank should absolutely be included in your packing list. A digital nomad must-have, this power bank is a great looking device in a sleek and portable design that’s easy to travel with. The large capacity 20,000 mAh provides up to 6 iPhone charges or one full laptop charge - perfect for keeping your computer going when you need it most! |
Best Power Bank Overall
Naztech 10,000 mAh Lightning + USB-C All-In-One Power Bank
When we’re traveling, any piece of gear that saves space, eliminates clutter, or helps us pack more efficiently is a winner in our books. And the Naztech All-In-One Power Bank does all of this by solving a common problem for travelers - storing, finding, and keeping track of your charging cables. This device has all the great features of a reliable power bank including a portable design, dual device charging, and multiple charges but it really shines with the built in cables. The Lightning and USB-C cables are built into the device and fold out when needed so you’ll never be digging around for a charging cable again when your battery light is blinking red.
Best Sustainable Travel Accessories
The environmental impact often feels unavoidable as a traveler but more companies are producing sustainable travel accessories & gear that either helps eliminate waste or uses recycled materials. These accessories will all help you cut back on single use plastics when traveling so that all of our small efforts can add up.
Best Utensil Set
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To Go Ware Premium Bamboo Travel Utensil Set We used a set of these during a 7 month trip in Southeast Asia and they have since become a staple in our daypack. Night markets, hotel room takeout, and travel day meals all require wasteful single use plastic cutlery and the waste adds up quickly. These bamboo utensils were not only incredibly convenient but eliminate the need for single use plastic cutlery. |
Best Travel Containers
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Go Travel Squeeze It Trio Travel Size Bottles The little bar of soap or shampoo bottle in the hotel gets thrown away even if it was just used for one shower and this waste adds up quickly. Plus, we all love our shampoo and body wash from home better. The Go Travel 3 set of travel containers has a leak proof non-drip lid so you can always travel with your favorite cleaners and arrive spill free. The built on suction cups allow one hand dispensing and colored rings help you remember what's in each one. TSA compliant and dishwasher safe silicone material are just some of the reasons these are a must have. |
Best Reusable Straws
Asobu Reusable Straws With Case
Many businesses and countries have taken steps to eliminate plastic straws that end up in oceans and harm wildlife. This is great news but sometimes that beachside cocktail goes down smoother with a straw. These metal straws come in pairs with a compact carrying case and included cleaning brush. Packed up it's really no larger than a Sharpie so you can pop it in your pocket or keep it in your daypack. We love how portable and easy to clean they are (and that they stay clean in the case!).
Coolest Travel Accessories
The 3 coolest travel accessories that really stand out this year. These top travel accessories hit the mark for thoughtful design, practical use, durability, and regularly make our travels easier or more fun.
Best Travel Apparel Accessory
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Flashpacker Hat We can’t write a whole article on the top travel accessories of the year without giving a shoutout to our tried & true, best selling hat! It has become a go to accessory for countless travelers over the last two years. The snapback closure makes this hat adjustable to any size, while the mesh back is lightweight and breathable. The laser engraved leather patch looks great so you can represent your enthusiasm for travel! We’ve put these hats through their paces on salty dive boats, rainy treks, and muddy bike rides and they continue to hold up and look better with age. |
Best Digital Nomad Accessory
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Codi Folding Portable Laptop Stand A portable laptop stand instantly improves your workstation when you’re away from home or the office by elevating your laptop to eye level to reduce back and neck strain. The Codi portable laptop stand ingeniously collapses into an ultra compact cylinder that easily fits in any suitcase or backpack. It's super lightweight so you never have to decide if it's worth bringing, but durable enough to hold up when getting bumped around in a checked bag. It's sturdy to hold your laptop, looks great, and makes work & travel a whole lot easier! |
Coolest Travel Accessory of the Year
Hilx Folding Sunglasses
Our best travel accessory of 2021 is Hilx Folding sunglasses, available in two styles; Unfold and Switchblade. These innovative sunglasses check all the boxes for must have travel accessories. They solve a real traveler problem we’ve all faced - what to do with your sunglasses when you’re not wearing them. The intuitive hinge system lets you fold them up into a compact square then stash them in your pocket or bag. No more bulky hard shell cases, cheap travel sunglasses that break, or keeping track of expensive sunglasses when you’re out after sunset.
They’re incredibly practical to use and make sense to bring on virtually any trip. We’ve put them through their paces with hands on testing and remain impressed by the durable and lightweight design. If you want to ensure you’ve got the best travel gear this year, look no further than a pair of Hilx Folding Sunglasses.
The Best Travel Gear
Gear up for 2021 with these innovative and unique travel accessories. To see more styles and options check out our Travel Accessories Collection. If you want more info on our best selling and top rated products check out our Travel Gear Guides that feature detailed product reviews, packing tips, and additional best of lists.