If you’re someone who carries plenty of tech gear while traveling, you’ll already know it’s important to transport it properly, protect it from damage, and keep it all organized.
Of course, knowing it and doing it aren’t the same thing. How well do you really keep your tech (and all its cables and accessories) nice and tidy?
Is untangling charging cords a half-hour game of skill every time you arrive somewhere new? Do your SIM cards live in the bottom of your backpack, hanging out with the sandwich crumbs and old boarding passes? When was the last time you even saw that little USB dongle?
Traveling is unpredictable enough without adding to the chaos. If you’re constantly hunting for the right cable or misplacing the Wi-Fi extender you need to get online, you’re just adding to the stress levels.
Fortunately, there are several products out there that help Type-B travelers tap into their underutilized Type-A personality. Here are five of our top tech travel organizers for keeping gear intact and under control on the road.
ProCase Travel Gear Organizer
Flash drives, cables, earbuds, dongles. Some days it feels like half your carry-on bag is full of little pieces of tech paraphernalia. It’s far too easy to misplace and break these small yet essential items when they’re floating around in your backpack.
Rather than shoving them into a random carry-on compartment or your coat pockets, keep them safe and organized in the ProCase Travel Gear Organizer instead.
With two open pockets, three mesh compartments, and six elastic bands, the ProCase has plenty of flexibility. It can comfortably hold a range of cables, earbuds, flash drives, and SIM cards, plus a few larger items like travel adapters, mice, or portable hard drives.
Expanding out to 17” wide when you’re filling it up, the ProCase tech travel organizer rolls up to just 4.5” so you can easily stow it in a backpack, laptop bag, or briefcase. It’s a simple, practical, and inexpensive way of keeping all your smaller accessories safe in one central location.
Buy on AmazonAmazonBasics Large DSLR Camera Gadget Bag
Amazon has greatly expanded its “Basics” range of gear and gadgets in recent years, and travel photographers haven’t missed out. The AmazonBasics DSLR Camera Gadget Bag is available in a couple of different sizes, but we prefer the larger version for its sheer usefulness.
To start with, it can comfortably hold a DSLR or mirrorless camera body plus up to three lenses. You’d expect that from a large camera bag, but it’s the extra storage space that makes the difference.
An interior padded sleeve holds a small tablet like the iPad mini or Amazon Fire. There’s an exterior pocket on the front with room for most smartphones or other small accessories. If you travel with a tripod, you can secure it to the base of the bag with the adjustable straps.
There’s also a zip-away section with a couple of open pockets, and a pair of mesh compartments that run the length of the bag and hold anything from documents to cables and memory cards.
What we particularly like about this bag is the removable, adjustable padded interior that lets you organize your equipment as you see fit.
There’s also a padded shoulder strap to help distribute the weight if you pack the bag full to the brim. It’s not the most comfortable strap we’ve ever come across, but does the job, and is easily replaceable in any case.
With so many features for the money, we can’t think of a better gear bag to recommend for travel photographers on a budget.
Buy on AmazonLTGEM Hard Headphone Case
We’re huge fans of noise-canceling headphones around here, and they’re a traveler’s best friend on loud flights or bus rides. While over-ear headphones of any sort help keep outside noise at bay, though, they tend to be quite bulky, breakable, and hard to pack.
Expensive models tend to come with a protective case, but if yours didn’t (or you’ve lost it already), this LTGEM model will keep your favorite set of cans intact on the road.
Whether you’re big on Bose or a Sennheiser supporter, the case can accommodate a wide range of makes and models. It’s shock-, dust-, and water-resistant thanks to its hard EVA exterior, with 360° zippers and a top-mounted carry handle.
Chances are you’ve paid good money for your headphones. Why just cram them into a backpack when you can transport them safely in their own protective case? It’s also the ideal place to store your headphones while they’re not in use — no more dangling them over the hotel desk lamp!
Buy on AmazonECO-FUSED Memory Card Case
A surplus of memory cards is never a bad thing if you’re a photographer or videographer. You never know when you’ll break, lose, or just fill them up on a long shooting day.
To manage and protect those handfuls of SD cards, however, it’s worth investing a few bucks in the ECO-FUSED memory card case.
Inside you’ll find 18 pockets that can accommodate microSD or full-sized SD cards, plus four larger (43mm wide) pockets that can fit CompactFlash cards. You’ll also get two sheets of labels to let you add a description to each pocket, and a microfibre cloth for… something. Keeping your camera lens clean, maybe.
The pockets are useful for storing other small, easily-misplaced items as well, from button cell batteries to SIM cards. The case zips closed, and the nylon exterior provides at least some protection from dust and water.
This small carrying case has a small price tag to match, so you can keep your cards and other tiny travel essentials in check without blowing the travel budget.
Buy on AmazonHSU GoPro Case
We can’t forget the travelers among us who use GoPros and other action cams to give audiences a glimpse into their adventures. It’s easy to keep that video gear safe with HSU’s GoPro case, compatible with most GoPro models and similar cameras from several other brands.
The interior is made of high-density foam, with slots for a camera and accessories like chargers and batteries. There’s a mesh pocket in the lid for small items like cables and memory cards, and on the larger version, a cutout for a selfie stick or tripod as well.
The rugged exterior is made of a weatherproof hard shell, and there’s a carry handle on the top, plus a carabiner for attaching the case to a backpack or other larger bag.
This case keeps your expensive camera and gear well-protected without adding much bulk. It’s available in three different sizes, letting you choose the best option for the number of accessories you’re traveling with.
Buy on AmazonA Little Something for Everyone
For general gear management, we can’t recommend the ProCase Gear Travel Organizer enough. It provides plenty of useful storage in a small space, keeping all those tiny essentials protected and under control.
For photographers and videographers, the AmazonBasics Large DSLR Camera Gadget Bag is a solid, inexpensive option that’ll keep your expensive equipment safe, organized, and easy to transport.
While the above camera bag does have a small compartment appropriate for memory cards, those who record large amounts of footage on the road will do themselves a huge favor by picking up the ECO-FUSED memory card case for an extra layer of organization.
Audiophiles should treat their over-ear headphones with the love and care they deserve, especially if they paid a pretty penny for them, with LTGEM’s Hard Headphone Case.
Finally, adventure travelers will want to transport their action camera (and all its random accessories) in a case that can handle rough conditions. The rugged yet compact HSU GoPro Case fits the bill perfectly.
Keeping your gear and accessories organized on the road helps make your travels easier and less stressful. Avoid hassle, and the cost of replacing missing and broken equipment, by getting your tech in order.
How do you keep your gear organized while on the road? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Main image via StockSnap
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I have a Peak Design Tech Pouch (https://amzn.to/2zI9RCX) and I love it!!!! It has room for cables, plugs, memory cards and so much more. I took mine on a two month RTW trip, and it kept all of my tech in one spot. I carried a Moment anamorphic lens, lens filter, multiple cables and plugs, plug adapters, memory cards, remote shutter button, and other gadgets. It was so useful.