Fitness / April 4, 2024

Best Travel Accessories of 2024 You Should Never Leave Home Without

Whether you’re flying internationally to one of the best cities in Japan or staying domestic with one of the best vacations in the U.S., the rigors of travel are tough to shake. Those minor inconveniences that crop up can follow you around even after you deboard the plane. Thing is, you can lessen those grievances by investing in the best travel accessories.

No, you can’t avoid flight cancellations or de-icing delays, but you can mitigate the headache of screaming babies, dehydration, and a tweaked neck.

The best travel accessories of the year comprise affordable gadgets and smart investments that pay fast dividends. Each tested item on this list, part of Men’s Journal’s 2024 Travel Awards, ranks among our favorite must-haves to help make that next trip a happier, hassle-free experience. Other essentials include the best luggage and best carry-on luggage, depending on your trip’s duration.

If you’ve forgotten just how clutch it is to have the right travel pillow, silk eye mask, and noise-canceling earbuds on a brutally long flight, or haven’t yet experienced the benefits of a roving fitness membership, let us steward you.

Here are 16 indispensable travel accessories to have on-hand on your next trip, be it a family vacation to America’s best mountain towns, a bachelor party in Miami, a winter getaway to the best ski resorts in the U.S., or a summer vacation to the best golf courses in the U.S.

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Best Melatonin: Ritual BioSeries Melatonin Ritual BioSeries Melatonin is the best melatonin for its time-released capsules that regulate through the night for better sleep.

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Melatonin has been widely studied as a jet lag treatment, and science says it’s effective. This Ritual BioSeries supplement is among the best melatonin products we’ve tried. It uses a unique in-capsule technology that enhances melatonin release throughout the night, helping travelers adjust to a new time zone safely, soundly, and speedily. Like all of Ritual’s products, it’s made with traceable ingredients, and is vegan, Non-GMO Project-verified, and third party-tested.

Best Neck Pillow for Travel: Cabeau Evolution S3 Neck Pillow Cabeau Evolution S3 Neck Pillow is the best neck pillow for travel because its seat strap system and neck adjustable front clasp keeps your head perfectly aligned.

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Meet your new favorite train, plane, and bus companion for supreme memory-foam comfort and peaceful sleep while in transit. Cabeau’s Evolution S3 Neck Pillow is crafted with patented straps so you can attach it to your seat, while a customizable chin strap prevents your noggin from bobbing forward while dozing. Made with ergonomic memory foam, this travel pillow all but demands you get some proper Zs while on the road and in the air.

Best Eye Mask: Saatva Weighted Silk Eye Mask Saatva Weighted Silk Eye Mask is the best eye mask because it blocks out light while providing soothing deep pressure stimulation.

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Yes, we begin our list with a simple eye mask—but a masterful one compared to those wafer-thin cheapies. Saatva’s Weighted Silk version is your first cozy, darkened defense against jet lag on a flight or in a hotel room with crappy curtains. It feels wonderful on your eyes, makes things pitch-black, and its sine qua non—all-natural glass beads—offers gentle, therapeutic pressure. Choose from slate or sand colorways. If you prefer a non-weighted version, check out Saatva’s $60 Silk Eye Mask.

Best Noise-Canceling Earbuds: Google Pixel Buds Pro Google Pixel Buds Pro Noise-Cancelling Earbuds are elite for travel since they do double duty as a translation service.

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Google engineering is behind these noise-canceling Pixel Buds, which offer up to 11 hours of listening time and premium sound quality. Our favorite feature of all when globetrotting: the buds’ translation services. These little inserts can translate foreign languages directly into your ear with a Pixel or Android 6.0+ phone. Choose from two modes: “Conversation” helps you speak the language to the other party; “transcribe” translates what you hear directly into your ear while creating a transcript on your device.

Best Travel Water Bottle: Monos Kiyo UVC Water Bottle With just a press of a button, Monos Kiyo UVC Water Bottle eliminates 99.99 percent of bacteria.

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Press a button and this next-level water bottle activates an integrated purification system using ultraviolet-C light to rid your water of up to 99.99 percent of bacteria. What’s more, you won’t have to deal with lukewarm liquid, since the stainless steel vessel’s double-wall vacuum insulation keeps beverages cold for 24 hours. You can also enjoy hot coffee or tea out of the Monos Kiyo UVC Water Bottle for 12 hours. The bottle’s purifier battery lasts up to one month with typical use, and you can recharge it with an included USB-C cable. Choose from a 500 ml ($80) or 750 ml ($90) size.

Best Coffee Thermos: W&P Insulated Bottle W&P Insulated Bottle is the best coffee thermos due to its leakproof lid and double-walled, vacuum-insulated stainless steel core, which keeps drinks hot for 12 hours.

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Staying caffeinated during a day of museum-hopping or backcountry hiking is a non-negotiable for many. If you count yourself among that cohort, grab W&P’s 12-, 16-, or 20-ounce insulated bottle, which keeps drinks hot for 12 hours (or cold for up to 24 hours). The exterior is reliably temperature-neutral, so even if you have a 5 a.m. wake-up call to catch the sunrise in the Grand Canyon, you won’t whelp as loud as the hyenas when grabbing that first sip. Choose from seven colorways and the option to monogram for an additional $10.

Best Travel Toiletry Bag: Augustnoa The Dopp Kit Augustnoa: The Dopp Kit is among the best toiletry bags for its ingenious construction.

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Any perfectly designed Dopp kit made from seven recycled water bottles is bound to make you feel good. Available in navy or olive green, the recently released product helps jet-setters stay organized with two exterior zipper pockets and several more on the inside. We especially dig the Augustnoa Dopp Kit‘s two expandable mesh side compartments for easy access to your favorite cologne or deodorant.

Best Travel Adapter and Charger: Satechi 145W USB-C 4-Port GaN Travel Charger Satechi 145W USB-C 4-Port GaN Travel Charger is among the best travel adapters, chargers, and converters all in one package.