The best travel gadgets and gear

published 22 July 2024

The British summer has been reliably rubbish so far, with no immediate sign of improvement. If you’re heading off on your holidays in search of some proper sun, at some point you’re going to have to think about what to bring.

Boring essentials like sun cream and pants will likely be at the top of the list, but nothing elevates a holiday like a backpack full to bursting with gadgets.

Whether it’s a camera for capturing memories, an e-reader for tackling all those books you still haven’t read by the pool, or a pair of noise cancelling headphones to block out the sound of screaming toddlers on the plants, we’ve done the hard work for you and pulled together the ultimate list of travel tech.

(But seriously, don’t neglect the sun cream).

Best summer holiday and travel gadgets

Low battery anxiety is even more of an issue when you’re travelling, so a power bank is an essential addition to your carry-on. There are absolutely loads of great options out there for Android and iPhone users, but if you’re in the latter camp you can’t do much better than Anker’s Power Bank 10K. It uses 15W MagSafe charging to keep your phone topped up, making it a totally wireless solution if you want it to be. The charger has a capacity of 10,000mAh (clue’s in the name), which can charge your iPhone 15 Pro 1.8 times.

It’s likely the phone in your pocket right now is a more than capable camera for your holiday snapping, but if you take photography a bit more seriously you’ll want to step it up a notch. The Fujifilm X100VI is compact enough that it's travel-friendly, but it’s undoubtedly a premium camera too. It has an excellent 23mm fixed lens ideal for travel photography, a 40MP sensor and in-body stabilisation to help account for shaky hands. Autofocus is extremely good, with the camera able to detect the subject in the frame in stills and video. The X100VI is not the ideal camera for video, but with support for 6K footage you can capture an incredible amount of video if you are looking to dabble in that side of things.

most-played consoles, and its portable nature makes it the best travel buddy you can ask for. The Switch Lite might have a smaller footprint, but we just can’t get away from the beautiful 7-inch OLED display on the flagship model, which is where we choose to play most of our Nintendo games even when sat metres from a TV. It’s just that good. The much improved kickstand and decent speakers also make multiplayer on the Switch OLED a viable proposition, so you can play Mario Kart with your other half to kill time in the departure lounge or on the hotel balcony with a cocktail while the sun sets. What could be more romantic than that?

Kobo Libra Colour if you want full colour books) but we still think the Kindle Paperwhite is the best e-reader for most people. It has a larger 6.8in display than its predecessor, feels perfectly weighted in the hands, and has an adjustable warm light that can respond to the lighting you’re reading in. Waterproofing means you’ll be confident using it on the beach too. Factor in the affordable price and Amazon’s unrivalled library of e-books, and it’s easy to see why the Paperwhite remains so popular.

For big-sounding Bluetooth speakers that travel well, you just can’t go wrong with Ultimate Ears. It has churned them out in style for years. Its latest is the Everboom, which packs more features than ever into what is still a decidedly suitcase-friendly size. What makes this one more than just another rugged Bluetooth speaker? Well, you’re getting bassy 360-degree sound with an EQ that you can tailor to the situation and an Outdoor Boost button that pumps up the noise even more, NFC pairing for Android users, and, perhaps a bit terrifyingly depending on the company you keep, a feature that lets you broadcast your voice through the speaker using the Boom app. Live your superstar DJ dreams whether the kids like it or not.

If you’re going to pound the streets on your latest city break adventure, you’re going to need a bag up to the job. The Mous Day Backpack is both stylish and practical, sporting a low-key look with a padded back panel and water-resistant materials. The outer shell is going for minimalism, but you get nine compartments, including a laptop sleeve and a water bottle pocket. Perhaps the handiest feature, though, is a central zip that grants access to the entire main compartment so you don’t need to go rummaging. Ideal for airport security or quickly grabbing your headphones before stowing your bag on a flight.

Nothing sinks the good vibes of a holiday like losing something important. With one of Apple’s AirTags in your luggage this becomes a bit less terrifying. These clever little pucks are part of Apple’s Find My network, which shows you the location of your misplaced item. If it’s in your wallet and nearby you’ll be able to play a sound using your iPhone to locate it easily. Got an AirTag in a suitcase you’ve left in the airport? The Find My network utilises millions of connected Apple devices worldwide to help track it down.

Heading somewhere exotic? A drone allows you to admire the views from above, and gone are the days where bringing one with you would mean giving up most of your hand luggage space. The DJI Mini Pro 4 is the best small drone you can buy. It weighs just 249g and slips easily into a case. But don’t let its diminutive stature fool you into thinking it’s lacking in features. This is very much a high-end flyer, offering 360-degree obstacle avoidance to reassure clumsy pilots, up to 34 minutes of flight time, super sharp 4K HDR footage and a wide variety of shooting modes that’ll make you feel like Spielberg in your swim shorts. You won’t find a better drone in such a travel friendly size.

Smart glasses are no longer the stuff of science fiction. They’re now so established, Ray-Ban has released several versions of its own in collaboration with Meta. Available in three different frame styles (including the classic Wayfarer) and a wide range of lens types and colours, the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses really do look the part. That is typically the first hurdle for any product like this. As for the tech, you get an ultra-wide 12MP camera for high-res holiday snaps, with five microphones employed for your videos. Media captured on the glasses is easy to share to (particularly Meta-owned) social media apps, and you can even livestream. The camera is a big part of the experience, but you can ignore it if you want, and just enjoy the impressive built-in open-ear headphones with out-of-the-box Spotify support. Podcasts by the pool have never been so easily accessible.