9 Essential Travel Gear Items for One Bag Travel

I made the switch to one bag travel in 2020 with a travel backpack. I am never going back. I love how easy it is to transition from stairs to subways to trains. I love never having to do that awkward pause to close the handle of my suitcase then the awkward struggle up the stairs. And never having to deal with lugging suitcases up hills or pulling it on cobblestoned roads. Most importantly, I will never check a bag again. No more fear of the airline losing my bag or waiting by baggage claim. However, one bag travel does require some investment. Not just on the bag but on some sort of organizational system. This is where you need to invest in some travel gear. Essential travel gear items like compression packing cubes will help organize your one bag and maximize your space! I have 9 essential travel gear items for my one bag travel backpack and you can find it below. So keep scrolling for 9 essential travel gear items for one bag travel.

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Favorite Travel Backpacks for One Bag Travel

Osprey Fairview

The Osprey Fairview is by far my favorite travel item, ever. It is ideal for one bag travel.  It makes navigating cobbled streets, subways, trains, planes, etc. so easy. The design of the bag is perfect for a woman’s body and allows for distribution of weight so it is comfortable.  I have used it for 3 weeks in Europe and was able fit everything in it. It has plenty of pockets for easy organization including a laptop sleeve. (I don’t actually like the laptop sleeve.) The main pocket has plenty of space for clothes and shoes. There is also a mesh pocket for storing things like undergarments. It easily fits in the overhead compartments on planes like British Airways. BUT when it is fully packed out, it will not fit the carry on requirements for budget airlines like EasyJet.   

For a more in depth review check out my favorite backpack resource page: Pack Hacker-Osprey Fairview review.

Peak Design’s 45L Travel Backpack

My husband recently upgraded to this bag and I love my Osprey but I am jealous. Peak Design has created what could be the best travel backpack for one bag travel. The thoughtful, quality design of this bag makes it worth every penny. Some of the highlights include massive water bottle pockets, can expand to 45L or compress to 35L, easy to tuck away straps, quick access pockets and excellent padded laptop sleeve. It is an aesthetically pleasing bag and less hiker looking then my Osprey. OH and there are these great side zippers that allow quick and easy access to the main compartment. The two major downsides of this bag is if you pack it to the full 45L it will be a struggle to find an airline that will consider that ok as a carry on. The second downside is the price. It is just under $300.00 but it is a quality investment that will last you.

Check out Peak Design’s website and the Pack Hacker review of this bag.

Favorite Collapsible Daypack

Waterfield Packable Backpack

The Waterfield Packable Backpack is one of the best purchases I made (aside from the Osprey). It is stylish, packs small and doesn’t wrinkle from being folded up (which still blows my mind). When the bag is expanded it carries a, surprisingly, large amount of gear. The customer service is quick and ready to help. I will warn you it doesn’t pack as small as other bags so it takes up some room inside your main travel backpack. I still prefer it since it carries and has the structure of a regular backpack. Finally, it is not cheap. It is definitely a splurge. BUT the splurge is worth it as I love how stylish and comfortable this bag is.

Pro Tip: To save space in my Osprey, I add a carabiner to the bag when it is collapsed then attach it to the outside of my backpack.

For a more in depth review check out Pack Hacker’s review.

Pro Tip…Again: When flying with budget airlines use your collapsible daypack as your personal item. So move some of your gear from your main backpack to your daypack. This will help your main backpack better fit the carry on requirements for that airline. I know this strategy goes against one bag travel but it is only for budget airlines who will definitely charge you more for a backpack that is larger then their size requirements.

Favorite Toiletry Bags for One Bag Travel

This is one bag that can get tricky if you are someone who brings a lot of toiletries. The bigger the toiletry bag, the more stuff you bring…the harder it will be to fit everything. Plus the beauty of using a backpack is not checking a bag so everything will have to be 100ml/3.4 oz or smaller. I recommend bringing small or less toiletries and storing them in a flat shapeless toiletry bags. Thus making it easier to organize/pack your bag. Here are my favorites:

GOX Carry On Zipper Pouch for Toiletries

So for my backpack, I didn’t have a great toiletry bag that didn’t take up a ton of room. I had this rather puffy one that even when empty took up too much space. In comes the GOX Carry On Zipper Pouch. It is so slim that it barely takes up any room. It is perfect for my non-liquid items. It is a much more affordable version of the Matador FlatPak toiletry bags. (Matador is $30 vs GOX which is $13.00) So far I really like it and it fits my needs

BORSALI Clear Toiletry Bags TSA Approved 

For years, I would just use a quart sized zip lock bag for my liquids on  international trips. It was just less hassle then transferring from one bag to the next. I didn’t really see a point. I decided to upgrade to something more durable and would use less disposable plastic. I stumbled upon Borsali Clear Toiletry Bags that is TSA approved, quart sized and flat. I love it. It is exactly what I am looking for. Something that is very flat, won’t take up much surface area,  is TSA approved and fits my liquids. It does all that!  My husband even ordered one for himself. I am really happy with this bag and highly recommend it. 

Favorite Compression Packing Cubes for One Bag Travel

Gonex Compression Packing Cubes

Gonex Compression Packing Cubes: I am happily impressed with this affordable option for compression packing cubes. Most packing cubes can come in around $20 to $30 each whereas with these it was $35 for four! The material and zippers are durable. The compression feature worked perfectly and saved me so much room! The large and x-large are not so massive that you can’t use them in your backpack. I am very happy with these compression cubes. 

Favorite Entertainment Accessories for One Bag Travel

Your entertainment gear is essential for those long international flights however bringing all your tech is not a good idea with one bag travel. Only bring the essentials or the items you know you will use. I rarely bring my laptop with me while I am traveling. I just don’t use it that much whereas my husband brings his for work. One bag travel does require you to be intentional with your packing.

Kindle

If you enjoy reading on your vacation, a Kindle is a must. I was so stubborn because I love physical books. Which meant I was taking up a ton of space in my backpack and adding quite a bit of weight. I realized I was being a silly and switched to a very slim Kindle. It takes up such little space that it is perfect for one bag travel. Like I said, a Kindle is an absolute must for one bag travel. 

Nimble Champ Portable Charger

This Nimble Champ Portable Charger is a great phone charger. It charges up to 80% in 30 minutes. The size is 10000 mAh, works with nearly all devices and is TSA approved. It is super compact so it easily fits in your pocket or purse. It can charge two phones at the same time. Plus it looks sleek and I love the turquoise color.

Bagsmart Electronic Organization Bag

The Bagsmart Electronic Organization Bag is slim yet large enough to fit all of your tech gear. It easily slides into my backpack and doesn’t take up much space.  It has plenty of mesh pockets and organization features for all of your gear. I can fit my portable charger, headphones, charging cables, my kindle, charging boxes, pens glasses cleaner and even my passport in this bag. I usually pack it with everything I need for the plane and slide it right into the pocket. This is not the most attractive bag but I love it.

Travel Gear Tools

• Best Travel Gear and Accessories for 2023
• Cruise Packing List(s)
• Nimble Champ Portable Charger Review
• Rocking Curly Hair while Traveling

Your Thoughts…

We would love to hear your thoughts about our 9 essential travel gear items for one bag travel. What is your favorite travel items? What questions do you have about one bag travel? Comment away.