We’d love to hear from you! Please comment below with the travel accessories that your family can’t leave home without.
Reviewed by Christi
Simple outings with babies and kids can noticeably increase the amount of stuff you haul around. When you’re traveling, the amount of stuff swells to include extra entertainment, additional snacks, passports, laptop, etc. The key, whether you’re flying across an ocean or simply running errands close to home, is to have on-hand the supplies you’ll need to handle most situations… and to somehow lug all of those supplies comfortably.
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Jay was gifted a black DadGear backpack right before we had our daughter, and that bag has been our go-to diaper bag and travel bag ever since. Designed by two dads who wanted a diaper bag that appealed to dads in terms of function and style, the DadGear backpack is, as you might have imagined, not exceptionally flashy, though its functionality is stellar.
There are lots of pockets to keep you organized including a quick-access compartment for wipes. The zippers are holding up beautifully on our five-year-old bag which gets used daily, and the large compartment opens clamshell-style so you can pack and rearrange your items with ease.
There are hooks for keys (or pacifiers), hidden side pockets for snacks or bottles, mesh side pockets for water bottles, and easily adjustable shoulder straps. This bag is a workhorse, and we know it will serve your family well on whatever journeys you take!
Reviewed by Christi
When children turn two years of age, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires that they have their own seat on the airplane. As I prepared for a flight to Nashville, Tennessee, in 2017 when our daughter was 26 months old, I wondered and researched: would I need to lug her bulky carseat onboard? Is it safe for her to sit in an airplane seat using only the lap belt which was engineered for adults? Surely there was another option… enter: the CARES Harness.
The CARES Harness is an FAA-approved child restraint system that is designed for children age one and older who weigh between 22 and 44 pounds. It slips over the back of any airplane seat, (behind your neighbor’s closed tray table), and provides a four-point harness to keep those little bodies safe and secure throughout a flight.
It’s comfortable, easy to install, comes with a handy pouch for toting, and weighs only about one pound. And it eliminates the need to bring and install a bulky carseat onboard your flight. If you need your carseat at your destination, you can bag it and check it either at the check-in desk when you obtain your boarding passes or at the gate before you board. The CARES Harness is hands-down one of the best investments we’ve made in travel gear for our kids!
Related posts:
10 Toddler Airplane Activities
12 Essential Travel Tips with Kids
Reviewed by Jay
Wireless, waterproof, adjustable, lightweight, and eight hours of battery life! These are just a few of the reasons why I love my SENSO Bluetooth Headphones.
For many years I always traveled with my Bose Noise Canceling Headphones, (which I strongly recommend if you are looking for a quality pair of headphones for everyday use, amazing sound). However, given the fact that I love to run and of course travel, I wanted a pair of headphones that were lightweight, bluetooth friendly, compact, and most importantly, stayed in my ears comfortably while running!
As with most of my purchases, I did my research and read reviews before making a commitment. For those that know me, you know I don’t like to waste money!
What I love about my SENSO Bluetooth Headphones
- They are comfortable and fit securely with their flexible ear hooks and gel Flex silicone earbuds. Because of their flexible hooks, you can adjust them to your personal comfort!
- They are lightweight and take up virtually no room when traveling. I can literally fit the small, sleek case into the palm of my hand.
- They offer fantastic sound. As a fan of my Bose headphones, sound quality is important to me. While I would not compare the sound quality of the SENSO headphones to that of Bose, they do not disappoint and more than satisfy my expectations and needs.
- They have a long battery life– up to eight hours! I use my headphones for several workouts or other activities before needing to charge them. To charge, I simply connect them to my laptop using the USB lead provided.
- They have excellent bluetooth connection. I have had my headphones for over a year now and have not had any issues connecting to my phone where I store my music and podcasts.
- The manufacturer offers excellent customer service and a one-year warranty. Several months after purchasing my headphones, I had a slight issue with one of the flexible hooks. I contacted the customer support team, and they sent me a new pair, no questions asked. I was very impressed. They also offer a 30-day no questions asked, money back guarantee… Which makes giving the SENSO Bluetooth Headphones a try a no-brainer.
Reviewed by Christi
Road iDs might not be the first thing that comes to mind when packing your family travel accessories for a trip, but they are affordable, stylish, practical, virtually indestructible, and most importantly, they provide an extra layer of peace of mind.
Road iDs are wearable identification that you customize to include information like your name, home city, year of birth, emergency contacts, medical conditions or allergies, or even an inspirational quote. Originally geared towards runners, cyclists, and triathletes, Road iD now offers a wide product line that appeals to all. They have Road iDs for kids and pets, and they have products that are designed to fit an Apple watch or fitness watches like a FitBit or a Garmin.
Road iDs for Grownups
I purchased my Road iD in 2013 to wear while running so that I would have some peace of mind that if I had an accident, whoever found me would know who I was and could call my husband or father. To this day I wear my Road iD on every run. In fact, I’m wearing it right now as I type because I decided to make my Road iD a permanent fixture on my wrist while traveling. You never know what could happen!
Road iDs for Kids
Before we embarked on our travels, my husband and I talked about different ways that our daughter Chloe could wear our contact information so she would have it handy in case she were to get separated from us. (The thought alone gives me shivers.) We decided that a Road iD would be perfect.
I ordered her wristband in her favorite color, and I had her plate engraved with her name, her year of birth, the city she is from, my cell phone number and my email address. And on the fifth line, we chose a special quote just for her.
Her RoadID came with three wristband sizes so we could choose the size that fit her best. And I like how the text is small and not easily read unless you are up close. Like mine, her Road iD hasn’t left her wrist since we left home.
As a resident of Texas for nearly 20 years, I have been through my fair share of slides/sandals, and for whatever reason I have never been completely satisfied… until I found Oofos!
For the best part of my time living in the USA, I have worked as a soccer coach. Needless to say, a good pair of sandals to put on my feet after hours of training was an essential part of my daily routine.
While all of the sandals that I’ve worn over the years have provided my feet with air to breathe, none of them ever really made my feet feel comfortable and relaxed after a long day on the soccer fields.
Therefore, I would often have aching feet and lower back discomfort from hours on my feet. I wish I had discovered Oofos during my soccer coaching career.
In 2017 I started training for triathlons, and I ultimately signed up for the 2019 Ironman in Italy. Just a few weeks after registering for the Ironman, I discovered Oofos. Designed to effectively massage your feet as you walk, Oofos are marketed as “recovery footwear”.
At the time I was a little reluctant to buy them as I had never spent more that $20 on a pair of sandals. However, after reading some reviews online and some gentle encouragement from my wife, I splashed out on the Oorigionals. I was tired of my feet and lower back hurting so much after my runs. I was willing to try something new!
One of the best purchases I have ever made...
It took me a few days to get used to them, but now as I reflect on this purchase, it is easily one of the best decisions I have made for the heath of my feet and lower back. And to be honest, a $49 price tag, (after using a $10 coupon), is a small price to pay for the level of comfort I have received from them.
Over the course of 2019, I spent many hours running and putting stress my feet, knees and lower back muscles. I could not have found Oofos at a better time! After a long run, there was nothing better than slipping into my new sandals. My feet feel great, and I have not had any issues with my lower back in the past 12 months.
Oofos are comfortable, light weight, machine washable and with their revolutionary OOfoam™ technology, they are engineered to provide tired feet ergonomic support and recovery after hours of work, long runs or in my case many hours on the soccer field!
Christi recently got a pair and she loves them, too! We are now considering a pair for indoors and a pair for outdoors when we get home from our travels.
To enjoy a 10% discount just click here. I can’t recommend Oofos enough!
Reviewed by Christi
I’ve used my Tula Baby Carrier with both our kiddos from the time they were about six months old, and it’s absolutely a staple item for making life easier while enjoying extra baby cuddles. I love wearing my kids because it keeps us physically close while enabling me to operate hands-free. Whether I’m running a few errands close to home or trekking through busy airports, this lightweight carrier is just so comfortable.
Both my daughter and now my son truly seem content when being carried this way; what baby wouldn’t? They get to go everywhere we go and feel safe and secure cuddled next to a caregiver, (by the way, Jay also enjoys using this carrier).
The carrier is easy to put on and adjust, comes with a removable hood which is great for naps on-the-go, and has a pocket on the waistband which is helpful for storing my ID, a credit card, and some cash. The standard carrier can be worn in front or on my back.
There are so many soft baby carriers on the market, but I really can’t write enough praise for my tula! They have a wide range of products that can be used for infants through 60-pound toddlers.
Reviewed by Christi
Knowing that we would be putting the durability of our packing cubes to the test on a 12-month travel journey, I must have read hundreds of reviews on the top selling brands. We are very happy with our eBags!
Here are some of the features we love about eBags:
- Double zippers that are super sturdy
- Fully-finished interior seams for extra durability, (no stray strings to get caught in the zips)
- Convenient handles for easy toting and moving from room to room as you pack or unpack
- Shallow profile makes them perfect for popping into drawers at your destination
- Mesh windows on the lids allow you to see what’s inside without having to open the cube
- Multiple size combinations
- Tons of colors and patterns.
We selected a combo pack with four different size cubes, and we ordered a different colored set for each member of our family. And while eBags are not the least expensive option, they are far from the most expensive, (and I read some unfavorable reviews of other cheaper brands whose products broke or leached dye onto customers’ clothes).
Thank you for taking the time to read these reviews! Please leave a comment below if you have experienced any of these items. Also, please let us know if your family has any essential travel accessories that you simply can’t travel without!
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4 thoughts on “7 Essential Family Travel Accessories”
I love following your family travelling the globe! Makes me excited for my own adventures. I will be solo but I’m defo looking into your recommended packing cubes, I’ve ordered some cheap ones before online and they broke straight away so these sound amazing ! Keep doing what you do, you guys rock !!
Love these reviews! Need to get some packing cubes to help keep our fam organized! 😊
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