As seasoned travelettes, our days of overpacking are pretty much numbered; we are far too professional these days to bring tons and tons of useless stuff on a trip. Instead, we’ve trained ourselves to focus on what truly matters – and I can assure you that clothing is not among those things (besides, it’s usually way more fun to shop for clothes in the travel destination of your choosing!).

That’s not to say that one should just bring a tiny backpack with nothing but a credit card in it. Choosing carefully and knowing what gadgets and gizmos the current market holds can really improve any trip – and in turn, the memories of it – by so much. So, without further ado, we present to you some of our favorite travel hacks to pack for your summer trip which we guarantee will make it that much better!

1 Pixter Lens

Pixter lenses are the camera phone accessory we’ve all been waiting for: a super portable little lens that clips onto either the front or back of any smartphone camera, enabling you to take photos far beyond the usual capabilities of your device. The lenses (which are compatible with all smartphone brands) come in a variety of effects including macro, wide angle, polarizer – but our favorite is the Fisheye. Offering a viewing angle of 180°, with a real “Fish-Eye” effect, this lens will revolutionize your vacation selfies, making it far easier to capture a whole picture around you rather than the usual composition of just your face and a tiny portion of the background. The characteristic rounded aesthetic of a fisheye lens will also add a really special effect to any landscape or cityscape shots, turning your ordinary smartphone snaps into something entirely more professional looking. A Pixter lens is also a great way to travel light – it means you can leave your bulky DSLR at home, but still return from any trip with high quality photographs. A no-brainer, as far as I’m concerned!

Pixter Fisheye Lens, 29,90€ incl. tax – buy it here

 

2 Turbopass

Available for 11 major destinations (London, Rome, Mallorca, New York, Cape Town, Paris, Berlin, Venice, Hamburg, Barcelona and Athens) the Turbopass is an all-inclusive city travel pass that you can use to access public transport networks, hop-on, hop-off tour buses, boat rides, museums and tourist attractions for a one-off payment. You can purchase a pass for 1-4 days, and within the selected dates all travel and entrance to various sites (such as museums, historical monuments, and galleries) is included in the price. Some attractions won’t be free but the pass will entitle you to a sizeable discount so you can visit them affordably, and the price also includes maps and travel guides to help you plan your day and decide what to see. This is a great option if you’re going to take a city break with lots of sightseeing around town; it means you get to skip queues, save money and time, and it frees you up to just hop on any bus or train and duck into any intriguing museum without having to calculate whether you can afford it.

Turbopass, prices start at approx. $80 – browse the options here

3 Blue Ridge Camping Hammock

photo via facebook

Weighing in at just 4.25 lb (approx. 2 kg), this hybrid tent-hammock is a game-changer for travelettes who love a bit of adventure, giving you the ability to set up camp pretty much anywhere you like. Backpacking solo and need a nap or shelter from the rain? Planning an overnight excursion from your city break? Fancy spending a few nights under the stars on the beach? String up the Blue Ridge camping hammock between a couple of suitable trees, or assemble it as a tent flat on the ground, and relax in your own bug-proof, rain-proof little home-away-from-home. Anyone who’s been backpacking will know how freeing it feels to carry everything you need on your back, and there’s nothing more exciting than heading off on a solo trek knowing you could literally sleep anywhere. The winner of several prestigious accolades and awards, the Blue Ridge has a spreader bar and arch pole system to keep the bed of the hammock flatter and more taut, eliminating much of the uncomfortable “cocoon” effect that we all know and hate, making it the ultimate piece of equipment for comfort and shelter in the wilderness.

Blue Ridge Camping Hammock, $199 inc. tax – buy it here

4 Kapten & Son Sunglasses

The perfect pair of shades is a must for any summer trip. If you’re heading towards sun, sea, sand and sightseeing, you’ll need to protect your eyes from all that UV – and any travelette worth her salt knows you can’t just wear any old pair… well, luckily Kapten & Son have got you covered! If you’re an Instagram addict like me, you may have seen their cute shades popping up all over the place; available in a huge variety of colors, frames and lenses and with an unmistakeable rounded aesthetic, these sunglasses are the hot commodity this summer. They’re also easy on the pocket without compromising on style or quality – prices start from 69€ (around $75), which is pretty reasonable for a product which looks and feels indisputably high-end. The ranges are named after famous cities all over the world, and the website helps you pick a style based on your face shape. Check out their collection – there’s something for everyone!

Kapten & Son sunglasses: prices start from 69€ incl. tax – browse the full collection here

5 A Tinggly experience

Technically, Tinggly is supposed to be bought as a gift for someone else, but personally I can’t see why we can’t buy a present for ourselves now and then! You buy a “gift box” which gives you a huge selection of different experiences in different countries to choose from, and then you have 24 months to decide which one to take. Every seasoned traveler knows that the things you remember most are always those standout activities unique to a particular location – and Tinggly’s got a lot of them! I mean, who wouldn’t find ziplining over the Nevada desert unforgettable? Or truffle hunting in the South of France? Or seeing the parts of Bangkok that tourists never normally find? There are lots of different categories of experience to choose from – cultural, sustainable, flying, water, pampering, European, Asian – and three differently priced collections to choose from. Some experiences are also designed for two people, meaning that you can still give a gift to a friend, relative or partner at the same time – if you’re feeling generous.

9 Stowaway Makeup

Remember the last time you actually finished a mascara before it went stale and clumpy? Nope, neither do I. Most cosmetics are much bigger than they need to be, meaning that they start to accumulate bacteria and dry out well before they’re finished. As a result, we end up paying more for a whole lot of product that’ll only go to waste. Stowaway cosmetics aim to change all that; their lipsticks, mascaras, concealers, blushers, liners and eyeshadows are a neat, compact little size – and the prices are smaller to match. The added bonus for a travelette is that you’ll save much-needed space in your luggage without having to leave any essential products at home. You can pick and choose individual products, bundles or buy pre-prepared kits with a range of key items, such as the Every Day Kit, which come to a discounted price for the amount you’re getting. Stowaway products are cruelty free, mostly vegan, free of harmful chemicals such as parabens – and once they’re finished, Stowaway will provide you with prepaid shipping labels so you can send away your empties for recycling! Oh, and did I mention that the whole range is beyond gorgeous?

Stowaway cosmetics prices start from 10$ – shop the range here

10 Scrubba washbag

Clothing shortages can be a real issue on any trip – packing space is always limited, and you can’t take your whole wardrobe and/or underwear collection along. Washing facilities aren’t always available, and who wants to spend precious vacation time at a launderette anyway? That’s where the Scrubba wash bag comes in. Compact enough to fit into the palm of your hand when deflated, and weighing in at only 5 oz (142 g), the Scrubba is basically a tiny, portable washing machine for your clothes that can be used anytime, anywhere – as long as you’ve got some water and detergent. Simply pop your dirty clothes into the bag, fill with water and a cleaning agent, expel any air and seal the bag – then rub your clothes clean on the internal washboard, rinse and dry. It’s twice as effective as hand washing and much more hygienic and efficient than washing your items in a hotel sink. It’s also perfect for camping, backpacking, road tripping – in fact, any travel off the beaten track.

Scrubba wash bag, $55 incl. tax – buy it here

 

Do any of these items tickle your fancy? Which gadget should be added to this list?

 

*This post was created in partnership with the above quoted brands

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