Favorite Travel Gear for Families

Our family brought a ton of stuff on this trip. We filled our luggage with perhaps too many things. Some of the stuff we brought is working out far better than we could have expected and has become some of our favorite travel gear for families. This is the list of our favorite travel gear for families.

Electronics:

USB Charger – This has been a life-saver for us to set up a charging station and it fits 4 USBs and 1 USB-C chargers. Once you are on a different type of plug, this helps minimize the number of power adapters that you need. It is one of the first things we take out of our bag. Check prices here

HooToo – Ever been to a hotel where you can only put a few devices on the wifi? It is always a pain! With this device, we can setup one connection to the HooToo, and everyone else can connect to the HooToo. It is great because instead of setting up a millions devices on the new wifi when we go to a new place, we just setup one. Also this is a battery backup and we can charge device on the go. Check prices here

Durable cables – These double braided durable cables are the best. No cables are kinked or being bent in strange ways and the kids are really abusing them. I would recommend these to anyone. We have some in the 3ft and 6ft variety. Everyone in the family has a different color cable as well which helps when it comes to keeping track of who the cable belongs to. Check prices here

Kindle Paperwhite – The Kindle Paperwhite E-Reader has made such a huge difference to us. The kids can have all their books on one small lightweight device. The battery lasts weeks. And we can check out books from our library at home for the kids school or for fun pleasure reading. This is one of the best things we own and would highly recommend it! Check prices here

Cable Organizer – This organizer has made an impact on our packing. No loose cables, all our digital needs are in one place. Our cables, charging bricks, backup hard drives, and miscellaneous adapters fit in here nicely. Check prices here

Packing:

Ultra light Packing Cubes – These have made packing a cinch. Everyone has a different color, so we know at a glance to whom things belong. It has allowed us to divide our summer and winter clothing. When we have a single night somewhere, we pack up one cube with a day’s worth of things for everyone so we don’t need to unpack more than that. These packing cubes are super light and weigh practically nothing, so worth it! Check prices here

Backpack – Both adults are carrying this backpack. It is light, TSA friendly, and fits a laptop and a tablet easily. It has RFID protection and plenty of places to lock up the bag. One of our favorite features it that it slides right over the handle of our suitcase. So you can just roll it with your suitcase. Check prices here

Backpack – Both boys are using these backpacks. This is very strong, water repellant, has a laptop section, and isn’t too big for the kids to carry. They are holding up remarkably well considering the lack of care from the kids. Check prices here

Small Backpack – This Pacsafe Backpack is small but secure. RFID, steel mesh and wires that can’t be cut through, and locking mechanisms on all the zips. I always feel like my things are secure when we are walking around town. The straps are adjustable so that anyone in the family can carry it. Check prices here

Tolietry Bag – We loved this bag so much, we bought a second one in a different color. It is very light, but the fabric is strong. We fit 90% of our toiletries in 2 of these. Check prices here

Misc:

PJs / Long underwear for the boys – These 32 Degrees Legging set have been pulling double duty. They have been both long underwear and pajamas for the boys. They are light, super soft, and dry quickly. I think my kids would hang out in them all day if they could. These have been available the past couple years at Costco during the holidays. Check prices here

Pajama Jeans – These pants look like jeans, but feel like pajamas. They have a drawstring waist and are very comfortable. They are great for travel, especially for long trips on planes, trains, or ferries. You can look nice, but feel like you are in pajamas! They make these for men and women. Check prices here

Universal Sink Stopper – This has been so handy. Sinks or tubs in hotels never seem to hold water. This allows me to give the kids a quick bath without worrying that all the water will disappear or do wash a few things in the sink. It is small and just slips in the suitcase, but we have used this way more times than we expected. Check prices here