I’ll Never Pack These 5 Travel Gadgets Again... Here’s What I Use Now

Hey, Johannes from GearUpYourLife here 👋

I’m writing this from Germany, or better said my small town near Cologne, where I’ve been back for almost two weeks now.
Even though I’m home, new trips and ideas are already coming together. I’ll share more about that this Sunday.

And honestly, travel planning often isn’t about where to go anymore
it’s about what to choose not to do, because there are simply too many incredible places out there to see them all.

And funnily enough, the exact same thing applies to travel gear.

Most of the time, the real improvement doesn’t come from asking
“What should I pack?”
but from asking
“What can I stop packing?”

That’s why today’s video is all about 5 hard travel items I don’t bring anymore and what I use instead.
No theory, no trends. Just real swaps that actually made my trips easier.

Quick disclaimer:
This newsletter is shorter than usual because my right hand is still broken 😅
I cracked my wrist last Saturday at the gym, so writing takes a bit longer at the moment I’m typing this with my left hand.

Here are 5 travel items I actively stopped packing — and what I use instead:

1. One single toiletry bag
For a long time, I traveled with just one toiletry bag and to be honest, it wasn’t ideal.
Now I split things up.
My main toiletries stay in my carry-on, and the essentials live in a clear pouch in my personal item.
That means toothpaste, deodorant, skincare always accessible on flights, layovers, or long travel days, without unpacking half my bag.
My current favorite setup is the Tripped toiletry bag, simply because it’s practical, flexible, and works perfectly for carry-on travel.

2. A bulky, classic travel wallet
This is something I only stopped doing this year.
I no longer travel with a big wallet packed with cards and stuff I don’t need.
Instead, I use a small minimalist wallet from Nomatic for around $20 and for me, that’s more than enough.
Fewer cards, less bulk, way more comfortable, especially when traveling light.

3. Classic neck pillows (most of the time)
For short trips, buses, trains, or shorter flights, I don’t pack a classic neck pillow anymore.
I just use foldable gear I already have with me a packable jacket, a foldable daypack, or even a hoodie.
That’s usually enough.
For long-haul flights though, I’ll be honest the TRTL pillow is still an exception. I still love it.

4. Heavy daypacks for day trips
I stopped bringing a full-size, heavy daypack just for city days or hikes.
Instead, I always pack a foldable daypack.
It takes almost no space, but once unfolded, it’s perfect for day trips, hikes, beach days, or groceries.

5. No solution for food leftovers
One of the smallest upgrades but one that taught me a lot.
I stopped wasting food while traveling.
Now I always bring collapsible food storage.
It helps with leftovers, snacks for hikes, long travel days, and Airbnb stays.
Less waste, less money lost, way more flexibility

I hope you still got value from this shorter edition.
From Sunday on, we’re back to the longer and more detailed issues again.

But for now if you want to see 8 more travel gadgets I no longer pack and what I use instead, make sure to check out the new YouTube video:

I’ll Never Pack These 13 Travel Gadgets Again… Here’s What I Use Now

And as always
Safe Travels,
Johannes 

PS: I also want to quickly use this space to say thank you.

Over 15,000 subscribers on the main channel,
1,000+ on the review channel,
and now 2,000+ people in this newsletter that honestly means a lot.

There’s a lot coming your way, and next month especially will feel very different in a good way.
So seriously, thank you for being here.