Unearth The Voyage
We’ve all been there: standing in the travel aisle, convinced we need every gadget and gizmo to make our trip perfect. But here’s the truth: many popular travel products are overhyped, overpriced, and underperforming. Some take up precious luggage space, while others solve problems that barely exist. This guide will help you skip the tourist traps in the gear world and invest in smarter alternatives that actually work.
1. RFID-blocking wallets & passport sleeves
Advertisers love to scare you with stories of high-tech thieves scanning your credit cards from across the room. Reality check: contactless card skimming is incredibly rare in the real world. Experts at AARP confirm that this threat is blown way out of proportion.
Modern U.S. passports already have anti-skimming protection built right into the cover, so you’re protected without buying anything extra. That fancy RFID-blocking sleeve is solving a problem you probably don’t have.
Save your money and luggage space. Grab a normal, slim wallet that fits comfortably in your front or zippered pocket. Practice basic anti-theft habits like staying aware of your surroundings, and you’ll be just fine without the marketing hype.
2. Bulky U-shaped airport neck pillows
Those giant memory-foam donuts dangling from everyone’s backpack look comfy in ads, but they’re space hogs. WIRED editors tested dozens of travel pillows and found that wrap-style designs actually support your head better while taking up way less room in your bag.
Traditional U-shaped pillows push your head forward awkwardly, and they’re impossible to pack efficiently. You end up clipping them to the outside of your luggage like a neon sign saying “tourist here.”
Switch to a compact wrap or scarf-style support pillow instead. These clever designs stabilize your neck from multiple angles, fold down to almost nothing, and slip easily into a side pocket. Your neck and your luggage will thank you on every flight.
3. Money belts
Money belts promise security but deliver discomfort and an obvious tourist vibe that pickpockets recognize instantly.
AARP points out that since RFID skimming risk is already extremely low, money belts don’t address the real danger: old-fashioned pickpocketing. Thieves know about money belts and watch for people awkwardly reaching under their shirts.
A better strategy? Use a slim wallet tucked in a zippered front pocket or carry a cross-body bag positioned in front of you where you can see it. These simple habits keep your valuables secure without the sweaty hassle or tourist target on your back.
4. TSA-approved padlocks for real security
Here’s an uncomfortable truth: those TSA-approved locks with special master keys aren’t as secure as you think. The master keys leaked online years ago, and copies are now available to anyone with an internet connection and a 3D printer.
WIRED security experts confirm these locks might deter casual snooping, but they won’t stop a determined thief. Relying on them to protect your valuables is a false sense of security that could cost you.
Smart travelers keep all valuables in their carry-on luggage where they maintain control. If you want a lock on checked bags, use any basic one mainly as a tamper indicator. You’ll know if someone opened your bag, but don’t trust it to actually prevent theft of important items.
5. Huge travel first-aid kits
Those massive “everything kits” sold at travel stores weigh a ton and contain supplies you’ll likely never touch. If you’re heading to a modern city or beach resort, you’ll find pharmacies everywhere stocked better than your overpacked kit.
The CDC actually recommends building a small, personalized first-aid kit tailored to your specific destination and planned activities. Cookie-cutter mega-kits include redundant items that add weight without adding real value to your trip.
Build a minimalist pouch with your prescription medications, a few over-the-counter basics you know you use, and maybe some bandages. Customize it based on where you’re going and what you’ll be doing. This approach is lighter, smarter, and actually useful when you need it most.
6. Disposable rain ponchos
Cheap plastic ponchos seem like a bargain until they tear apart in the first real rainstorm. Hidden Lemur travel experts note these flimsy single-use options create unnecessary trash and rarely survive an entire trip intact.
You pull one out when the clouds open up, and within minutes you’re dealing with rips, leaks, and a soggy mess. Then you toss it in the garbage and buy another one, wasting money and hurting the environment with each downpour.
Invest in a lightweight, reusable rain jacket or a quality poncho built to last. Modern options pack down incredibly small, weigh almost nothing, and actually keep you dry through multiple storms. You’ll save money over time and won’t contribute to landfill waste with every sprinkle.
7. Selfie sticks (for everywhere)
Selfie sticks had their moment, but now they’re banned at countless attractions worldwide. Disney parks don’t allow them, major museums turn you away at the door, and venues from stadiums to galleries have added them to prohibited-items lists.
You’ll waste time at security checkpoints explaining, storing, or worse, hiking back to your hotel to drop off gear you can’t bring inside. Walt Disney World and numerous other destinations specifically call out selfie sticks in their rules, so don’t learn this lesson the hard way.
Grab a compact tripod that stays under venue size limits instead. Many fold down smaller than a water bottle and work perfectly with your phone’s timer or gesture shutter. You’ll get better group shots without the hassle or the bans.
8. Voltage converters for modern electronics
Most travelers lug heavy voltage converters around the world without realizing their devices don’t need them. Apple Support and other manufacturers confirm that virtually all modern phone, tablet, and laptop chargers already handle 100 to 240 volts automatically.
Check the fine print on your charger: if it says “100-240V,” you only need a simple plug adapter to fit the wall socket shape. Converters are bulky, expensive, and completely unnecessary for these devices, yet stores keep pushing them on unsuspecting travelers.
Buy a quality universal plug adapter that covers multiple countries and add a small GaN USB-C charger if you want fast charging. These two items are lighter, cheaper, and actually useful for powering all your modern gadgets wherever you roam around the globe.
9. Giant paper guidebooks
Remember lugging around those thick guidebooks that weighed down your daypack? They go out of date the moment they’re printed, and they’re terrible for quick navigation when you’re standing on a busy street corner trying to find your way.
Paper guides have their nostalgic charm, but they’re impractical for modern travel. You can’t search them quickly, they don’t show your real-time location, and good luck reading tiny maps while juggling bags and dodging crowds in an unfamiliar city.
Download offline maps and save your must-visit spots before you leave home. Google Maps works perfectly without data once you’ve saved the area, giving you turn-by-turn directions and updated information. Your back and your navigation skills will both improve dramatically with this simple switch.
10. Oversized toiletry bottles
Packing full-size shampoo bottles is a rookie mistake that ends with TSA agents tossing your expensive products in the trash. The 3-1-1 rule is strict: containers over 100 ml that aren’t in a quart-size bag won’t make it through security.
Even if you’re checking bags, big bottles add unnecessary weight and risk leaking all over your clothes. TSA regulations exist for carry-ons, but smart travelers downsize regardless to save space and avoid potential messes that ruin trips.
Decant liquids into proper travel-size bottles, switch to solid options like bar soap and solid shampoo bars where possible, and keep everything in one clear quart bag. This system works for any trip length, passes security smoothly, and prevents luggage disasters from leaky caps.
11. Full DSLR kit (for casual travelers)
Unless you’re shooting professionally or printing giant wall art, today’s smartphone cameras are remarkably good. Computational photography has changed the game completely. Amateur Photographer magazine confirms that for most casual travel memories, phones deliver results that rival entry-level DSLRs without the bulk.
Hauling multiple lenses, a camera body, chargers, and accessories eats up luggage space and weighs you down. You’ll find yourself leaving the heavy kit in the hotel room and using your phone anyway because it’s always in your pocket and ready instantly.
Stick with your smartphone and add a tiny clamp tripod for stability and long exposures. Only bring a dedicated camera if you’ll actually use its specific lens and sensor advantages. Be honest about your photography goals before packing pounds of gear you won’t touch.
12. Packing cubes (as a space saver)
Regular packing cubes are fantastic for organization, keeping your socks separate from your shirts and making unpacking a breeze. But here’s what many travelers misunderstand: standard cubes don’t actually save space or shrink the volume of your clothes at all.
Tortuga Backpacks travel experts explain that if your goal is fitting more into your luggage, you need compression cubes or bags specifically designed to squeeze air out. Regular cubes just organize the same amount of stuff into tidy rectangles, which is helpful but not space-saving.
Buy one or two compression cubes for bulky items like sweaters and jackets where squeezing actually helps. Add a couple of regular cubes for organization of smaller items. This combination gives you both space savings where it matters and organization throughout your bag.
13. Gigantic wheeled duffels for Europe’s old towns
Cobblestones, narrow staircases, and tiny train aisles are everywhere in European old towns. Rick Steves warns that huge rolling duffels with small wheels turn into anchors on these surfaces, rattling apart and exhausting you as you drag them up endless stairs.
Those oversized bags look convenient in airport terminals, but they become your worst enemy the moment you hit a medieval street or try boarding a regional train with tight luggage racks. You’ll curse every extra inch and pound you packed.
Choose a true carry-on size with robust wheels that can handle rough surfaces, or consider a quality travel backpack you can comfortably carry when wheels fail. Either option gives you mobility in tight spaces and saves you from luggage-related meltdowns in beautiful but challenging historic districts.
14. Hand sanitizer for every situation (and nothing else)
Hand sanitizer became everyone’s favorite travel companion, but the CDC is clear: it doesn’t replace actual handwashing and fails on visibly dirty or greasy hands. Sanitizer is convenient, but it’s not a complete hygiene solution for travelers eating street food and touching everything in sight.
Alcohol-based sanitizers work well for quick cleanups between proper washes, but they can’t remove all types of germs or physical dirt. Relying solely on sanitizer gives you incomplete protection and a false sense of cleanliness when you really need soap and water.
Pack a small bottle of sanitizer for emergencies, but also plan for actual handwashing opportunities. Carry a tiny bar of soap in a protective case as backup. This dual approach covers all situations and keeps you genuinely clean throughout your adventures, not just sanitized.
