Sure, traveling with other people is fun, but I also absolutely love a solo trip, when I can switch off and go completely at my own pace. But in order for things to proceed smoothly, there are certain gadgets I need. Over the years I've honed my essential solo traveler kit list, and I've shared it with you below — plus a few extras that I'm planning to add for future adventures.
Firstly and foremost, I need some kit to make sure no one bothers me while I am busy vacationing. On that front, my non-negotiable is a great pair of active noise-cancelling headphones — I have the Sony XM4, but the XM5 are now more widely available now. Sometimes I do need to be a bit more aware of my surroundings, though, so for that I have my eye on the Loop Switch 2 earplugs, which reduce background noise to your desired level, to minimize annoyances without blocking everything out entirely (unless you need them to).
I like to pack as light as possible, and for that, my go-to backpack is the Belroy Lite. It's under-seat sized but is full of useful compartments for keeping everything organized. In the name of traveling light, I never head anywhere without my Kindle. The basic one is my top pick, as it's also the lightest, and still fits the remit of being able to hold a whole library of books for me to choose from, depending on my mood.
Provided I'm not heading off into the wilderness, I'll also opt for a relatively small water bottle that I can refill at cafes or water stations throughout the day. Because I don't function well without caffeine, I always pair that with a Yeti Rambler with — this is important — the screw-down Commuter cap that won't leak, even if it's shoved upside-down in my backpack.
Finally, one of the main down-sides of traveling on your own — beyond having to pay twice as much for a hotel room — is that it does require you to be more organized. There are few things more stressful than trying to navigate a foreign city while your phone battery dwindles further and further into the red. I'm doubly sure to pack both a multi-port adapter and a power pack, to keep everything topped up whenever possible.
Solo travel essentials
Loop Switch 2 noise-reducing Ear Plugs
Ostrichpillow Molded blackout Eye Mask
YETI Rambler 12oz with leakproof Commuter cap
Sony WH-1000XM5 noise canceling headphones Apple AirTag
Amazon Kindle Ugreen Nexode 65W GaN Travel Charger 3-Ports Anker MagGo Power Bank (10K Slim)
