Photo99999

Hello,

I'm currently doing about 6-10 business trips a year through major international cities (mostly in business class or premium economy). I'm also a bit obsessive about hacking my travel with the "perfect" kit, although I realize there isn't one.

I'm always looking for something I've missed; wondering what accessories you've become obsessed with? Any unique discoveries of something that made your life much easier?

My kit includes:

• Briggs & Riley BRX carry-on
• Eagle Creek packing cubes
• Think Tank Photo cable bags (very tough)
• Victorinox document holder + mini travel pens
• Marmot stuffable windbreaker
• Pacsafe fanny pack
• Extra zipper pulls, mini caribiners, and stainless cable rings
• Tufftaag Tags + business cards

Technology

• Dual-boot Macbook Pro with USB XBox controller + GTA V / PC games
• iPad Pro for movies, games, work
• Verizon Jetpack MiFi
• Short mini USB and lightning cables
• Anker USB charger
• Bose Quietcomfort earbuds
• Anker spare battery pack
• DxO One iPhone camera + iPhone-compatible lenses
• Nest products at home for remote monitoring

Starting to look at TSA-friendly clothing (slip-on shoes, etc.)... Also, I've never used the Lug Loc, but have considered it.

What's your list? What did I miss?

- Photo99999

lwildernorva

Probably this thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...highlight=brag.

Photo99999

Hello,

Thanks! Very close to what I was thinking with lots of good information in there (albeit unexpectedly a lot about shaving). Definitely turned me on to a few things I didn't know about, like Bluffworks pants. A lot of what I was hoping for was to uncover products that were a "eureka" moment for folks.

I can consolidate into that thread. Thanks for taking the time to call it up.

Dianne47

Items not already on your list include:

• Accessories tray from Magellan's, Tom Bihn, or Red Oxx
• Small flashlight (many to choose from)
• Small accessories pouches from Waterfield (sfbags.com)
• Scottevest travel vests, jackets, pants, etc. for men and women
• eBags.com also makes great packing cubes in many colors, slightly less expensive than Eagle Creek
• Shoe protectors, many brands, I use stretchy ones that must be 30 years old, again eBags makes nice ones
• Wallets and day bags from PacSafe
• For women: Baggallini purses and totes

lz8028

A few more hacks I though of:

- Shoe protector - use a pair of socks and roll it up the shoe. Bonus feature: it actually makes the shoe more compact for packing. I use the socks they give away in international business class.

- Cable pouch - again, the toiletry kit they give away on business class is just the right size for charges and cables. (since I ditched my laptop in favour of iPad I've also given up the massive power adaptor and the back pain)

- A drawstring bag that can be used as casual walk around backpack and a laundry bag when packing.

- zip ties and duck tape: I keep a travel size roll of duct tape and a handful of zip ties. Haven't need it often, but when the need arises I'm bloody thankful.

chx1975

Also see http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...ne-thinks.html

flySFO

1)ScotteVest Enforcer Jacket, when you can not take a second carry on bag.

http://www.scottevest.com/v3_store/E...r_Jacket.shtml

2) For shoes, simple put on and take off without laces: Viking Anaconda Boa. It's also Gore-tex, so you get to keep your feet dry, too.

https://www.vikingfootwear.com/produ...iv-gtx-28.aspx

OnTheRoad99

There are some great answers here and references to useful threads. I'd flip the question and ask, "What can I do without?"

For many years I tried to find the perfect kit to take with me and worked constantly to carry items for any situation and contingency. Then I got passed 50 and developed a pinched sciatic nerve. I came to the realization that I can no longer carry as much gear without risk of injuring my back. I also realized that I never used many of the items I carried. So my exercise became one of subtraction. I now travel easier and happier knowing that I have what I need and not what I thought I needed.

Here's what I take for a one week business trip.

• Enough business clothing (basically 2 suits, 4 dress shirts, 5 ties; if business casual destination, I get rid of the suit jackets and ties)
• Casual evening clothing is usually what I wear on the plane on the way there plus another pair of slacks. I will wear the shirts I wore during the day in the evening
• Marino wool underwear. It weighs very little. Some people (not me) take only two pair and wash them in the hotel sink at night because it dries super quick
• I wear my dress shoes on the plane. I sometimes will pack a pair of New Balance Minimus sneakers to work out and in black they are passable for going out in the evening (if I will hit the gym I add a light nylon shirt and shorts)
• Grooming items: Very small quantities of solid items, toothbrush, razor, etc. A few meds and first aid items
• Small travel Transcend CPAP machine since I unfortunately have sleep apnea
• 11" MacBook Air with power supply, VGA adapter cable and memory stick
• Kindle for reading and taking pdf copies of any business reference documents
• iPhone charger (actually 2 since they are so light) and Mophie Powerstation XL with micro USB cord to recharge from Mac or iPhone charger
• Misc office items: a few pens, business cards, light soft cover Moleskine notebook, etc.

All of this weighs about 15 pounds and fits easily in a Tom Bihn Tri-Star and I cram the business items and computer in a Tom Bihn Co Pilot bag which easily fits inside the Tri-Star for one bag travel and a useful breifcase for going to client sites

Ryvyan

Carrying a Osprey Farpoint 40 with Eagle Creek packing cubes and a small Muji toiletries bag. Nothing fascinating there.

Cheap hack of sorts: I have a few bottles of facial care products that I hate just leaving on any given space because they never stand up for long before falling over (too tiny, too light). To organise them somewhat, I bring along a light metal container I got from gifts (in particular - mooncakes; not too tall or too short along the sides). The bottles never fall over; I can put my hair brush and other small items in it, and it keeps all my things in one place without the clutter. A toiletries bag doesn't cut it for me in this case because they are usually either floppier, or are too tall up the sides.

I had a Flexoline laundry drying line, but it's honestly only useful in a hostel with bunk beds (where, if you're on the bottom bunk, having all your cleanish laundry and towel hang next to your bed makes for some privacy). In a hotel room, I just ask for lots of clothes hanger and start hanging my wet clothes everywhere.

I'm probably adding a space saver vacuum bag to my packing list because I'm anticipating travelling to two distinctly different climates soon.

lathiat

The Crumpler Squid is surprisingly amazing, got one as a conference bag of all things and it is great. Who needs yet another laptop bag from a tech conference, so it was a nice pick-up.

They don't show it on the site for some reason, but it folds up inside of it's own front pocket to make it super small for storage. Probably about a 5cm cube.

lathiat

One of my other favorites is the Bellroy Note Sleeve (old version, sadly.. don't like the new 3.0 version nearly as much). Super small wallet which puts most of your cards in a single wallet with a pull tab, makes it much thinner than most wallets.

LiveOak

I can't see any possible way that you can fit that entire list of clothing & gear into the Tri Star. A suit, alone, seemes like it would gobble up most of the payload capacity. Not to mention tossing in the Co-Pilot, too.

hachkc

Agree. I have a TS and anything beyond 3 days, 2 nights is tight let alone the weight (25-30lbs). Of course I have a larger laptop and tend towards the XL size of the spectrum.

OnTheRoad99

Two suits starts to get very tight in the Tri-Star but it works. I use an Eagle Creek 18" Medium folder for all clothing but the suit jacket(s) & underwear and it fits easily in one side pocket of the Tri-Star (my suits are 46 long, so my clothes are not tiny). Jackets go on the other side pocket in a Large Tom Bihn packing cube. The underwear goes in a 2 gallon ziplock bag in this compartment too. The larger center pocket holds everything else. With two suits I generally carry the co-pilot separately, but it will fit (again, only an 11 MacBook Air). If there are two suits, shoes won't fit inside without the bag getting too fat, but the Minimus fit ok with 1 suit.