Digital Nomad Packing List for 50+ Travelers (Not a One-Bagger)

• Briggs & Riley Medium Spinner (Expandable) - Checked Bag - 2017 (link to new version).
  I love Briggs bags, but wow have they got pricy now! They last forever, have a fantastic warranty and are very well built. After a few years the wheels on my spinner blew up and broke down. A quick message to Briggs, and they mailed me (to Canada)a complete set of new wheels for free, which took me about 20 minutes to replace). That’s one reason why I like premium bags.

  If I was having to replace it now, I’d compare with Travel Pro, Samsonite etc. My focus would be: a) light weight (20kg isn’t a lot!) b) durability again c) having the expansion option is nice for times your packing in a hurry. d) four wheels, so nice!

  I’d also look at the newer “vacuum pack compression” inserts being advertised now. Could I go with a “Small Spinner” for less weight and bulk, and still it all my stuff in it (20kg total weight). That would be really nice.

  • Packing Cubes - I use 4 packing cubes (generic ones from MEC) to help organize the bag. 2 for Misc stuff, 1 for socks and underwear, 1 for fitness/workout gear. Lightweight and durable are key here, plastic pull tags suck (They break down over time).
    • If I was replacing them today, I’d check out the compression ones on the market now.
  • Airtag - I unzipped the inner lining of the bag and glued an AirTag in place near the top corner of the bag (metal size down so you can still change the battery). It’s out of the way and works great in Airports etc. Added this after my bag missed a transfer in Amsterdam a few years ago.
  • Travel Bag Scale - Rechargeable - 2017 - Mine has been great, but it’s one of the last items I have that is USB Micro, which is annoying! But having a scale that is rechargeable is key, as you know the batteries will be dead at 5am when you’re doing your final pack to head to the airport! The scale helps me make sure I’m not overweight before getting to the airport, especially when I’ve changed up my kit a bit, or have full toiletries etc.. those grams and milliliters add up fast!

• Minaal Carry-On 2.0 & Daily 1.0 Backpacks (Yes 2) - 2022 (New)

  • Minaal Carry-on 2.0 Backpack - This bag is my “travel” backpack for flight and relocation days. I just need the extra space for my CPAP, gear and what not. If I could I’d just use the Daily, but I like my toys and stuff. The 2.0 is great, and the 3.0 has some nice upgrades if I was replacing it.
    My previous bag (Dueter Transit 40L) was great, but salt water nuked the zippers and over packing it wore it out after 5 years or so (I was a bit surprised it didn’t last longer). I really liked it and went to buy another one, but discovered it was discontinued with no real replacement. So I went down a rabbit hole on backpacks and checked a ton out, but couldn’t fine one I liked really. They were all a) too heavy b) too cluttered. The main “nomad” ones were too bulky, expensive, weird etc. Eventually I found someone selling a set of Minaal Carry-on 2.0 and the Daily 1.0 that I could check out locally, which was great, as I’m not sure I’d have ordered them blind. They seemed a bit to “minimal” compared to most bags. But seeing them in real life, I was hooked.
    • Light weight, 3-4 main pocket areas, well built, clean lines, awesome laptop suspension system and a good reputation. Yes they are pricy, but the have some great promos around “sale seasons” like Black Friday, New years etc. The also have a great Refurb section for deals too.
    • It came with 3 of their packing cubes, the bigger one is an odd size I’ve never used, but the 2 smaller ones are great for my hoodie and for my CPAP funnily enough. They get used with the Carry-on 2.0 mostly.
    • I’ve been tempted to order the hip belts, but have never pulled the trigger on them yet.
    • I wish it had a “handle pass through” for using with rolling suitcases, this is my one complaint about the Minaal bag.
    • Otherwise, if I lost this one, I’d likely just buy whatever the new version is (Carry-On 3.0 as of 2025)
  • Minaal Daily 1.0 Backpack - 2022
    • Why two backpacks? Well this one is just so nice for running around town with. Before getting this, my only option was the Dueter 40L, which worked but it was big and heavy to head to a coffee shop with. The Daily is pretty much perfect.
    • Awesome laptop suspension, only 0.98kg, nice straps, well thought out. Built in rain cover is great.
    • It goes in my checked bag when I’m flying/traveling.
    • I’d buy the Daily 3.0 if replacing it today, but would check other sub 1kg bags too.

• Sling Bag for Day use - Holds iPad Pro 11

  • When I started traveling in 2017, I bought a great Sling bag from MEC in Canada. I was perfect for flying and out and about during the day. It could hold my Kleen Kanteen water bottle, iPad (Pro 9.7 at the time), bug spray, passport etc) with no problem. It finally wore out in 2022 after heavy use. Unfortunately MEC discontinued it, I loved it as it had an external water bottle pouch, which I dearly miss. I researched like crazy to find one, to no avail. I even looked into getting one custom made for me (still might do that one day and commercialize it). Options either didn’t hold a 11” iPad Pro, or had had a weird design, looked cheap etc. My feed on Facebook and Instagram got flooded with ads during my searching, and once day a reasonable replacement showed up, big enough to hold the iPad Pro and water bottle (inside). It’s been decent and held up so far. But I still check out other options.
  • Today in day to day use it’s great for heading out to a cafe or restaurant for a meal, running around town etc. Flying its my personal item to keep passports and papers easily accessible. Daily it usually it holds:
    • iPad Pro 11 M4
    • Kobo Libre 2 e-Reader
    • Anker foldable 30W USB cube, 2m USB-C, 1M lighting (for other people)
    • Mosquito repellant spray (dengue sucks, you really don’t want to catch it!)
    • Eye glass cleaner & cloth
    • Eye Glasses case
    • Toothpick (90 degree dental pick for a molar gap I have)
    • Meds as needed
    • Pen (blue ink for travel reasons, thanks France)
    • Mints, balm etc

• SlimFold Micro Soft Shell Wallet - Blue/Orange - 2023

  • After my custom made leather wallet (modelled after a commercial design that was no longer made, I used the same design for over 20 years) finally died after 8 years of use, I had a few criteria for the new one.
    • No external money clip, I loved that design in North America, when cash was still used a bunch. But thing like Apple Pay, Credit Cards etc meant less cash used and flashing cash while travelling is not such a good idea.
    • I liked the leather, but in humid, wet countries, near oceans, where you get caught in rain sometimes, is not so great for leather. So while I like natural products, synthetic was the way to go.
    • Slim, minimal design. Carrying less cards and cash, means my wallet can get even more minimal, and my old once was pretty slim as it was.
  • It was actually pretty hard to find what I was looking for, until I found SlimFold wallets. Their Micro model checked a lot of boxes for me. The only concern I had was taller international bills (as it was made for US bills). It hasn’t been an issue, but I do wish they would add an International Slim Fold. They do make other smaller and larger models and a passport wallet too.
    • Waterproof Soft Shell material
    • Holds 8-10 Cards
    • Internal pocket to put less used cards in and tuck bigger bills into.
    • RFID block built in.
    • 5 Year Warranty.
  • 2 Years in and I’m quite happy with it, it’s standing up well, the blue/orange color is fun, while still reserved :)

• MacBook Air M2 13” - 2023 (Used but mint) I loved my M1 Air (still the best battery life, but the M2 brought enough to the table to grab one shortly after they came out.

  • Roost v3 Laptop Stand
  • Magic Keyboard Touch ID
  • Magic Mouse 2
  • Apple 35w Dual Port USB- C charger
  • Apple Power Adapter Extension cable (wall plug to USB brick - 6 ft)
  • Wanty Neoprene Keyboard & Mouse Case

• Apple Vision Pro M2 (Used)) - 2025

  • Amazing for productivity as a huge monitor for the MacBook using Mac Virtual Display, fantastic for movies, shows and games anywhere. A game changer for flying (immerse yourself in a fun world and the plane disappears!).
  • Magic Trackpad (under review, not sold on the combo yet)
  • Sony PSVR 2 Controllers
  • Resmed Kontor Headband
  • Anna Pro 2 Headstrap (TBD)
  • StarTRC Hard Shell Case
  • Generic Battery Case/Clip

• iPad Pro 11 M4 OLED (2024)

  • Apple Pencil Pro
  • Finte Slim Case with internal pen holder. I preferred the ESR Rebound, but they never made it for the M4 sadly.
  • Primary Uses for the iPad:
    • 2nd monitor with my MacBook Air using the MacOS Sidecar feature, with it on my Roost stand. Recently my friend Duane Storey helped me 3-D print some custom brackets to hold it at the right angle etc on the Roost. I’ll do a post about that with pictures etc. We will see if the Apple Vision Pro replaces this need with its Mac Virtual Display mode.
    • TV on the road - (I’m using this less for this since I got the Vision Pro) It is (was) my “TV” while traveling, in rooms with crappy TV etc. That is why I upgraded to the M4 (from M1 iPad) with the OLED screen, it looks amazing for movies and shows.
    • Journaling/Newsreader etc - I also use it for journaling (I moved from paper journals to the iPad around 2019). It’s just nice to have it all digitized, save weight and space, and it’s all backed up to iCloud (private enough for me). It’s also great for reading news, blogs, socials etc.

• iPhone 16 Pro - Used (skipping 17 Pro so far due to adding the Apple Vision Pro $$$$)

• Apple Watch Ultra - 2022 (New) - I’ve owned Apple Watches since the launch of the Series 0, and loved them. The Ultra was a no brainer as it let me sell my Suunto D5 Dive Computer, and my Apple Watch Series 7. Replacing both with one Ultra. The Ultra 2 and 3 so far have not had enough for me to warrant upgrading, but if I find the right deal on one, I would for gestures and the brighter screen. But really I could probably go another 2-3 year one this one. Battery is great, it’s fast. The big want is blood sugar tracking of some kind in watch :)

• AirPods Pro 3 - AMAZING (New) - had the APP2 and 1 before.

• Jabra Evolve 75 Headset (for calls, video conferences etc) - USED - fantastic for calls, add some cheap foam covers for the mic to reduce wind and pops. Combine with with Krisp.ai app for unreal noise cancelling on calls. It really is an amazing combo.

• Kobo Libra 2 e-reader with Kobo Libra SleepCover - 2023 - New

  • After years of on/off owning various Kindle Paperwhite models, I loved the format of the Libre 2 with dedicated page buttons, a side section to hold it nicely, direct access to the files etc. The case has been OK, but not great, the “leather” wore off, and the magnets for sleep don’t always line up right. So at some point I’d like to find a better one.

I’ve used a CPAP since the mid 2000’s, and traveling with a full size machine was a pain! But I did it, and yes even used it on planes! When the Air Mini came on the scene it was a game changer. Now combined with a travel battery, life is much easier :) I’m sure I get some interesting looks on planes with I have it on with my eye mask on too!

• Resmed Air Mini - 2018/2024 - Fantastic piece of equipment. I used my last one almost 7 years of sleeps (over 25,000 hours on it I think), and I’m sure it would have lasted 7 more, but given it’s critical to my sleep, it felt prudent to replace it with a newer (used) one with 100 hours I got for a great price off Craigslist in 2024), and sold mine to someone who only needed it for travel, rather than as their full time machine.
• Medistrom Pilot-Lite 24 Battery (Airline Compatible) -2018 - A must have for flights (they are very wiggy about you not using airplane power for a CPAP these days, and areas with unreliable power! I see they have a new model too that would be worth checking out: Pilot Flex (it seems like it’s not super well thought out, can’t run CPAP & charge off USB-C at the same time, USB-A out is useless these day). Hopefully someone designs a battery for real travelers.
• Medistrom 90w Power Adapter - to charge and power the battery and machine at the same time, the stock Air Mini power brick will “cut out” when the power goes out or comes on, triggering the machine to restart, waking you up. It’s big and clunky and I’d love to find a better battery & brick combo.
• Collapsible Aluminum Hose Stand (like this one)
• Minaal Small Packing cube to put it all in, fits in my Minaal Carry-On 2.0 when traveling and flying. Light and minimal.

• Portable Desk Fan - Battery Powered - LOVE THIS THING!!
• Laser Lite LL-1 Earplugs for sleeping, flying, buses etc
• Eagle Sleep mask (want to find something better)
• Klean Kanteen 18 oz Classic Water Bottle with Flip Seal Sport Cap & Straw - I love Kleen Kanteen, and after having my last one for 8 years and many great travels, and lost it on a train in Spain this year (farewell old friend, I hope someone scooped you up for more adventures!). I replaced it with the same thing, just with the new Flip Sport Cap, which I’m really liking!
• RENPHO Travel Scale - 2023 - Trying to lose weight on the road can be hard. Having a portable bathroom scale has been really helpful. I see now (2025) they have a new model that is only 500g and is USB-C rechargeable, so will have to investigate that one!
• Leatherman Wave with Bit Kit - I’ve carried a Leatherman since may Car Audio Sales rep days, over 30 years now. I’ve lost a few over the years to theft and airport security, but I’m always glad I have one when I need it. The Bit Kit set is key when traveling too. Now I’d get the new Wave Plus, Wave Alpha or Arc model I think. I would love a light weight model with the screw drivers, scissors and a couple blades. Hopefully I never have to replace mine now, but if I do, I’ll research other brands and models.
• Universal Power Bar (Thai Style) 4-port 3m cord (2017) - This is super handy in all countries. The receptacles on the bar are universal, so I can plug anything into it in any country pretty much. The plug part is US standard, so my travel plug adapter lets me plug it into the wall. So if I need to unplug a lamp, clock etc to plug it in, I can just plug that device into the powerbar. The long cable is great for rooms with less than optimal plug locations near the bed for my CPAP, and in airports you are everyone friend turning 1 plug into 4 etc. You might be able to order them off AliExpress if you’re not in Thailand or SEA soon.
• Zendure Passport III Universal Travel Adapter & Charger 4xUSB-C 65w - This adapter brick covers all the bases and when I bought it, it was the only one that had 4 USB-C ports (most had more USB-A ports). It’s a great adapter, and havn’t seen one better yet. Ideally now I’d want one with pure USB-C, and 100w probably, and slimmer. This combined with the Thai Universal PowerBar covers off all the plug needs I’ve ever had in weird countries.
• Silhouette Frameless Glasses
  • I’ve worn Silhouette frame(less) glasses for over 14 years now, and in that time, it’s only been 2 frames. I was unsure about them at first, thinking I would break something so small and light quickly. But they have proved to be very durable. One nose bridge broke after 7 years of use, and it was replaced using a matching part my optometrist had in stock.
    The only other thing I’d say is to go for the full metal frames vs plastic ones. The plastic near my ears has started to crack over time. This could be just my skin acidity though. Like most other quality things, they are not cheap, but they have lasted, and I really like the look.
  • I travel with 2 pairs, just incase I loose or break a pair. When I’m in transit, the spare pair goes in my checked bag, so if I’m “separated” from my glasses/carryon by a thief or accident, hopefully I can still get to my checked bag at some point fairly quickly.
  • I keep a copy of my prescription in 1Password incase I need to get it for an emergency pair of glasses to be made.
  • I should get a set of prescription sunglasses made, but I’ve never had a habit of wearing them or swapping frames, so it’s always been forgotten to get and try.

• DSLR/Mirrorless Camera - I used to carry a really nice Olympus M4/3 Mirrorless camera and several nice lenses, which is already a compact kit compared for full frame cameras. I really loved it, but as the iPhone cameras got really good (iPhone 12 Pro and up), I found I was using it less and less. Combined with the size and weight, it was time to move on. As well the saying “The best camera is the one you have with you” wins, we usually always have our phones with us (and charged etc).
• Pacsafe Portable Safe - this makes so much sense, but it adds weight. I bought one in 2018 and really liked it for a few years, but it broke apart and Pacsafe doesn’t have a repair program or a way to fix it. Which is a shame as this really should be a “lifetime” product you buy once and use forever (or at least a couple decades). The wire mesh netting on mine broke free of the bag material and “collapsed” in on itself.
• Over-ear Headphones (Full size headphones) - After years of carrying high quality noise cancelling headphones from Bose and Sony like the XM-1000 series and Bose QuietComfort series, the Apple AirPods Pro 3 earbuds are so good, I’m taking the full size ones off my packing list. My most recent long haul let me test out the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultras vs the AirPods Pro 3, and I was blown away at how much BETTER the Pro 3 were than the Ultras. Another benefit is you don’t have to worry as much about touching the ear cup to the plane or bus seat surface and it “breaking” the noise cancelling effect.

A list of the old models (not current ones), for fun and memories.

• AirPods: AirPods, AirPods 2, AirPods Pro, AirPods Pro 2 Lighting (mic’s died), AirPods Pro 2 USB-C
• Laptops: (since nomading) MacBook Pro Retina 13” 2012, MacBook Pro Retina 2015 15” Quad Core + GPU, MacBook Air M1
• Phones: (since nomading) iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone X (died while snorkeling in salt water on Koh Tao by accident), iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro
• iPads: iPad Pro 9.7” with Pencil, iPad Pro 10.5” with Pencil (died slowly after I somehow bent it slightly), iPad Pro M1 with Pencil (would still have it if Apple hadn’t released the OLED M4 displays, which are gorgeous).
• Roost Stand v2 - really liked it, but the higher height of the v3 works better with the newer MacBook Airs for monitor height
• Logitech K380 Keyboard (x2) - one the space key died after a few years, but the release of the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID got me, it’s just so convenient.

• 2025
  • Apple Vision Pro M2 - Used (Added) - and all the accessories - case, PSVR2 controllers, headbands etc
  • iPhone 16 Pro - Used (replaced 15 Pro) Got the right price for both during the 17 upgrade cycle so it was a no brainer to upgrade)
  • AirPods Pro 3 - New (replaced AirPods Pro 2) I use them all the time, and the reviews of the APP3 were strong enough to make it worth it, and they are 100% worth it).
  • Bose QuietComfort Ultra - Used (replaced my Sony WH-1000XM5) The XM5 were good, but I never loved the fit or case size). The mics on the Ultra worked better, they felt better, and the noise cancelling was better than the XM6 when I tested)