ESSENTIAL ITEMS TO PURCHASE BEFORE TRAVELING ABROAD

 Before traveling abroad, there are some items you should buy to make your travel experience as smooth as possible. This list of items is just my personal checklist of things that are essential to have. These items will include travel water bottles, locks, Money belts, Wallets, backpacks, packing cubes, and neck pillows.

PACKING CUBES

The first thing I would recommend for travel is packing cubes, they are useful for saving space in the luggage or backpack so you don't allow have to have so much luggage traveling. First and foremost, packing cubes for travel are used to organize the contents of your bag; they can also help save space, as a cube will compress your clothes together. When you’re cramming your life inside a carry-on-sized backpack, you’ll want to save space where you can, and packing cubes is one of the best ways to do that. On Amazon, there are varieties of packing cubes tailor-made to suit your wants and needs. 

Here are the most recommended packing cubes on Amazon:

BAGAIL 8 Set Packing Cubes Luggage Packing Organizers for Travel Accessories have high-performance features that make sure these packing cubes can bear high-density War and Tear during Travel; this item was highly recommended by Amazon users. Available in 13 different colors and costs $24.99 for both Cream and Black colored sets; the other colors are $25.99. It is lightweight & durable: Super Light Nylon Fabric and Considerate Designed Construction Ensure Storing Your Clothes Neatly in Luggage without Adding Extra Weight. Premium Sturdy & Smooth Double Way Zipper with Extended Cord ensures Fast & Easy Opening and Closing of the Packing Cubes. They are versatile and multi-functional: different Sizes of packing cubes for different packing purposes. Separating your clothes, such as jackets, sweaters, Underwear, and socks into Different Packing Cubes for Easy Access. 

Another highly recommended Packing cube is the BAGAIL 4 Set/5 Set/6 Set Compression Packing Cubes Travel Accessories Expandable Packing Organizers; this item is the #1 best seller in Travel Packing organizers. Available in 20 different colors, these compression packing cubes are available in 4, 5, and 6 sets, with the best option being the 6 sets costing $25.59 currently. There Is an Extra Zipper Outside Of Our Compression Packing Cubes which Can Be Zipped Up To Flatten The Cubes And Save The Space As Far As Possible.  It is lightweight & durable: Super Light Nylon Fabric anti-theft waterproof camera case laptop bags and Considerate Designed Construction Ensures Storing Your Clothes Neatly in Luggage without Adding Extra Weight. Premium Sturdy & Smooth Double Way Zipper with Extended Cord ensures Fast&Easy Opening and Closing of the Packing Cubes. They are versatile and multi-functional: different Sizes of packing cubes for different packing purposes. Separating your clothes, such as jackets, sweaters, Underwear, and socks into Different Packing Cubes for Easy Access. 

Travel Backpack/Bag

The next thing you will want to get is a travel backpack, so is not tough to carry around from city to city and make your travels as hands-free as possible. The Allpa Collection from Cotopaxi are durable, versatile packs built for adventure and travel. Their best-selling packs and bags make travel more convenient and fun, while long-lasting material ensures your bag holds up on every kind of adventure. Their Travel Backpacks come in three different sizes: 28L, 35L, and 42L; 28L costs 170 and is great for quick trips, 35L Travel Pack costs $200, is great for weekend trips, while the 42L costs $220 and is great for extended trips. Cotopaxi also produces some excellent duffel bags, which could be an alternative to a backpack. Cotopaxi has a 50L and 70L duffel bag; the 50L duffel costs $140 and is great for gear-heavy trips, while the 70L Duffel cost $160, and is their biggest duffel yet. There are also other excellent brands that produce travel backpacks like Peak Design Travel Backpack, Osprey Farpoint, Nomatic Travel Back, and the Matador Travel Pack, all of which are over 42L in size. 

Personal Backpack

It is also necessary to have a personal bag or backpack as well; because when you are traveling you don't know how safe the areas you will be going to are, it is a good idea to get Theft Proof Backpacks. 

When going to a city or country you are unfamiliar with, you will want to keep those valuables safe, so it's best to invest in a slash-proof/Anti-theft backpack. The personal backpack I recommend is the MATEIN Travel Laptop Backpack, Business Anti Theft Slim Durable Laptop Backpack with USB Charging Port, Water Resistant College Bag Computer Bag Gifts for Men & Women Fits 15.6 Inch Notebook. This travel backpack is the #1 Bestseller in Laptop backpacks, available in 23 different options. Only the Gray option is  $29.99, normally it is $41.99. The awesome thing about this travel backpack is it has Lots of Storage space & Pockets, is comfy & sturdy, Functional and safe, has a USB Port design built in, and is very durable. 

MONEY BELT & RFID WALLET

When traveling abroad, it is CRUCIAL to keep your money, credit cards, and passports safe at all times, which is why you need to invest in two things: 1. Money Belt, 2. RFID Wallet, both of which are important to protecting your valuables while traveling abroad. The purpose of a money belt is to keep your valuables hidden from pickpockets and keep cash, cards, keys, and travel documents concealed. The slim lightweight design ensures the pouch is discreet and invisible to others when worn under clothes. The Money Belt I would recommend is the VENTURE 4TH Travel Money Belt - Slim Passport Holder RFID Blocking Travel Pouch to Protect Cash, Credit Cards, and Travel Documents.

This item is the #1 best seller in Travel Wallets on Amazon, with a 4.5-star review from over 6,000 users; it costs $24.95 for a Black, Ash Grey, Beige, or Silver colored money belt, Turquoise and Green colored wallets are $21.95, the red colored money belt is $19.49, and both blue and brown colored money belts are $17.95. The VENTURE 4th Travel Money belt is comfortable to wear all day long, whatever the weather; its fully adjustable strap ensures a comfortable fit for men and women up to the 56-inch waist. Moreover, its large capacity can store  All Your Travel Essentials like currency, credit cards, keys, passports, tickets, and other important documents. 

When traveling, it is best to store the currency and credit cards in separate locations, you can put the majority in the money belt, but because you don't want to take the stuff from the money belt out, you should invest in an RFID Wallet, which allows you to carry small amounts of currency, some one or two credit cards, an atm card, and a hotel key card. The wallet i recommend is the TRAVANDO Mens Slim Wallet with Money Clip AUSTIN RFID Blocking Bifold Credit Card Holder for Men with Gift Box. The wallet is the #1 seller in Men's Money Clips and has a 4.4-star rating from over 110,000 users. Available in 12 different colors, the wallet costs $27.95 now, normally it is $27.95. The designer wallet offers 11 card pockets; The outside notch allows you to push out the cards easily; which is Ideal for carrying business, credit cards, and bills. Tested by an independent German quality control institute. These wallets block the 13.56 MHz band and protect against data theft by RFID scanners. 

TSA-APPROVED LUGGAGE LOCKS

If you are going to be staying in hostels, I would suggest buying TSA Approved luggage locks with braided steel cables. The luggage lock I recommend is the Lumintrail TSA Approved Lock for Luggage or Suitcase, Easy-to-Read 3 Digit Personalized Combination, Metal Travel Suitcase Luggage Lock, Red, with a 4-FT Braided Steel Cable (2 Pack). The locks have a 4.6-star rating on Amazon from over 1,000 users, cost $15.99, and are only available in red. Travel Sentry symbol lets TSA agents know that they can unlock and inspect your luggage without cutting your lock. TSA agents have to re-lock your luggage in order to remove their key. The powder-coated steel construction provides long-lasting durability. Braided steel shackle resists being cut or broken and contains a vinyl coating to prevent rust. The 3-digit combination can be customized to you with 1000 different combinations. Number lock mechanisms get rid of the need to fumble with keys. The locks can be used on luggage, backpacks, bags, small cabinets, briefcases, computer bags, toolboxes, and more. 

Travel Water Bottle

When traveling abroad it is important to keep hydrated, which is why you need to invest in a water bottle that has a built-in water filter. My personal recommendation is the Brita Insulated Filtered Water Bottle with Straw, Reusable, BPA Free Plastic, Night Sky, 36 Ounce. This bottle is highly recommended by Amazon users, with a 4.6-star rating from over 27,000 users; they are also available in Sea Glass and Sapphire colors and costs $28.00. Brita’s Premium 36-ounce Filtering water bottle is our largest Brita bottle yet; it holds 36oz of water and is designed with a Brita filter that fits in the straw and makes water taste great. Get great-tasting water without the waste; by switching to Brita, you can save money and replace 1,800 single-use plastic water bottles, a year. This 36oz Brita water bottle is car cup holder friendly, and features a built-in carrying loop and the easy open lid is top-rack dishwasher safe for easy cleaning; Height 10.6"; Diameter 3.8"; Weight 1 pound. The filter reduces chlorine (taste and odor) and more with every sip; compatible with Brita water bottle replacement filters. For the freshest-tasting water, the Brita water bottle filter should be replaced after 40 gallons or approximately every two months. 

Neck Pillow

The Last thing you should get is a memory foam neck pillow because when traveling long distances on planes, trains, and buses, you will want to have something to rest your neck on. The Neck Pillow I would recommend is the napfun Neck Pillow for Traveling, Upgraded Travel Neck Pillow for Airplane 100% Pure Memory Foam Travel Pillow for Flight Headrest Sleep, Portable Plane Accessories. This memory foam neck pillow is an Amazon Choice for neck pillows for travel with a 4.4-star review from over 8,400 users. Normally this product is $21.99, if you purchase the Light grey one now, it is only $13.96, the pink one is $16.98, Full black is $15.98, and Full Blue and Full Deep grey are $17.97; the rest of the colors are 21.99. This airplane pillow can better wrap your neck and free your chin, prevents the head from falling forward, and relieves neck pain during travel. Unlike other travel pillows, This flight pillow can provide perfect support to protect the neck when you are sitting in an airplane, car, train, or bus. napfun ERGONOMOR travel pillow was made of high-quality memory foam with 5 seconds return technology, comfort, and durability.  The headrest pillow was designed for portability and comfort. It comes with a portable travel bag that allows the travel pillow to compress down to a smaller size. 

These are ESSENTIAL THINGS THAT MOST BACKPACKERS AND NOMADS SHOULD BRING WITH THEM WHILE TRAVELING ABROAD. I will make a separate list for adapters, electronics, batteries, cameras, and chargers, you should bring with you.