10 Travel Essentials.
Images by Nikita Kozin
After years of traveling 50,000+ miles a year for jobs I've found a few things that have been essential to add to my kit. Below, I share some of the highlights and how they made their way into the kit
This one has been a great addition and combined with the standard cube tap it can replace the need for a bulky power strip or just save you space on an existing power strip. I've found these to be very useful in the office also. Some power supplies love to block other outlets no matter what orientation your power strip has. This extender offering a passthrough outlet makes this two for one a great addition to any kit.
- Sony WH-1000XM4
I can't fly without these anymore. The noise cancellation is amazing and sound quality is great. The battery life is ~30hr per charge so I don't have to be too worried about if I've kept the battery topped off. Sometimes, I just put them on for the noise cancellation. If you aren't flying with some nice noise canceling headphones you're cheating yourself. I've heard the newest Bose QC45 are a great step up for Bose from the classic QC35s that got surpassed by the Sony's in my opinion.
- Binder Clips
I'm always finding uses for these. Whether it's keeping receipts or travel documents together. Holding cables in place in the hotel room. Pinning back a curtain in a hotel room or helping keep stubborn curtains closed if you need another hour of sleep after some rough travel.
- Spork
The spork, in my opinion, is the superior implement for food consumption, The fact that when you're equipped with a spork you are never subjected to being responsible for using disposable cutlery again it worth it in itself. This thing has been around the world with me. It gets just as much use on local jobs as it does abroad. Avoiding one-time use items is important to me and having a spork has allowed me to not use hundreds of plastic items. It's one of the simplest things you can do to minimize your waste.
- High output car charger
It's become standard for vehicles to have USB-A and USB-C ports but they offer quite low output. Having one that can offer 60-100W PD is a huge advantage. Being able to charge a laptop with one can save the day. You can have power in the 2hr rode back to the hotel while you process images. Don't expect the rental car to have what you need. Having a charger like this one hand is a definite plus.
- Cable Ties
I always keep some cable ties around that can help do a quick repair, hold something out of the way or add a bit of security to a case when when traveling like I've mentioned before. Just something that should be standard for any jerry rig tool kit.
- USB LED light stick
When I found these I bought a dozen of them. I keep one of these in almost every case. You can turn any USB-A port into a flashlight with them. I always have some form of power bank around and that means I have a decent flash light or work light when packing up. Keeping a small flashlight on hand is still a great option but this offers a nice backup/addition to the kit that you don't have to worry about having batteries for.
- Power Bank
Everyone should have one of these already. They are just indispensable and can save you or someone on the crew. The only issue with these is that if loaned out they rarely make it back to you. I suggest getting one that charges via USB-C in 2022 and onward no one should have to deal with micro-usb again.
- Tenacious Tape
This stuff is great for small repairs to clothing and bags. I've found it useful many times especially if working in cooler climates and wearing puffy jackets. The fabric on those can be delicate and if you get small tear this stuff will take care of it for you. It's Patagonia's choice for field repairs for their clothing. and the little pre-cut pieces take up virtually no space in your kit. Additionally, it's just a strong tape to have on hand.
- Travel pill case
After many last minute runs to a pharmacy to grab things that managed to disappear from my toiletry kit this has made itself a permanent fixture in my everyday kit. I've also had a hard time finding certain things when traveling in other countries. I fill my case it with some of the standard things you might need like, Benadryl, Imodium, Aleve, ibuprofen, Sudafed, Claritin, digestive enzymes. I have one of these in my toiletry kit as well as location kit so I'm not caught off guard. I also keep a couple ear plugs in one of the cases as those have found lots of use in some situations on set.
Have anything that you've found to be a great travel essential? Share it here.
