Best Minimalist Travel Gear of the Year 2023

[@Ducayneau]

Loads of really good ideas there. There's a reason you're the #1 KZbinr I recommend to people interested in one bag travel.

[@OneBagTravels]

Thanks for the shout out, happy holidays! =)

[@zing999]

Nice 2023 roundup! I'm with you on round water bottles. So hard to fit into pockets and round shape locks up a lot of space inside the bag.

[@OneBagTravels]

I still like this cheap rectangular bottle I got that is common for wildland firefighters, works great and costs like $4

[@zing999]

​@@OneBagTravels I didn't know about those. Thanks! Just googled it and found GSA / USFS Canteen for a few bucks! That's got to be one of the great deals!! I have Nalgene Tritan canteen (army canteen shape) and it's still a little too bulky for my bag, but holds a quart / liter I think. Just found a metal Stanley canteen in similar shape too.

[@OneBagTravels]

@@zing999 Yeah that looks right, Forest Army Canteen style, there are a few different brands out there.

[@nomap2161]

Great video as always. I just picked up a couple of the items you recommended that I don't already have. Your channel has truly been the most useful travel gear channel I subscribe to and my #1 travel gear channel. Keep up the great work!

[@OneBagTravels]

Great, thanks for watching, glad you like the recommendations =)

[@terrycoye3373]

Excellent vid, OBT! You are a treasure trove of useful info. Have a great holiday!

[@OneBagTravels]

Thanks so much, happy holidays!

[@kobietawdrodze]

Nice Gathets! thanks for sharing

[@KTNXD]

Hey mate. You the 🐐. I don't even care about the coffee section, but I watched that jawn for your algorithm.

[@OneBagTravels]

Niccceeeee...thanks for that!

[@brucekeefe]

Super helpful, thanks!

[@OneBagTravels]

Glad it was helpful!

[@commentsonthetube14]

I use that red coffee gizmo as a single-cup French press for ultralight backpacking. Works great.

[@OneBagTravels]

The Aeropress Go? That's a good one, I'm thinking of trying an aftermarket filter because I don't like the paper ones it comes with.

[@MrGeekPoop]

What a great video!!! Short, quick, and to the point. Awesome to see a reviewer, reviewing things they've had some time with :)

[@OneBagTravels]

Thanks! I try and test my gear as much as I can =)

[@AnnSarasvati]

Thanks. Useful information

[@OneBagTravels]

Glad you liked it!

[@vanquestgear]

Thanks for sharing great info on new gear! The Espro French press looks to make tasty coffee easy, anywhere you go.

[@OneBagTravels]

It does!

[@Cdnl4927]

The packing cubes are nice shaped, but I like the cheaper ones I got from Amazon that have different landscape pictures and colors for each compression cube, so I remember right away what's in each one.

[@OneBagTravels]

Color coded packing cubes is a great idea.

[@matthewwilson3673]

thanks for sharing, I will be traveling internationally for the first time this year and this helps

[@OneBagTravels]

Great, feel free to reach out if you have questions, enjoy!

[@Epickatech]

Thank you for the video

[@OneBagTravels]

Thanks for watching!

[@timor64]

Thank you for this video. It is excellent as usual. A couple of comments ± other items you might like to look at in those categories: Electronics - love the look of that torch! Was really surprised how much I used my torch when travelling. Toiletries bags: I found the hanging bag from MacPac better than anything from Osprey or Sea-to-summit Toiletry bottles: Refillable tubes from Muji are great. Wide mouth for refilling + a screw on poptop which is amazingly secure. No matter how hard I squeeze, it doesn't pop open by accident. 3 sizes, about $2-4 each Coffee: Thanks for showing that most of these are impractical gimmicks. Aeropress makes great coffee and aftermarket metal filters exist to save you mucking around keeping filter paper uncrumpled and dry. Thank you for all of your to-the-point no-nonsense reviews. I have learned so much from your videos over the years.

[@OneBagTravels]

I hadn't seen that MacPac bag, looks nice. Lots of other great recommendations, thanks!

[@Dan-qm7ho]

Eagle Creek makes a security pouch that hooks onto your belt and flips inside your pants.. It can hold up to your passport and currency... it can be placed where your pocket is and very comfortable to wear... especially in tropical locations.. around 15to 20 dollars depending where you buy it.. Also yes the Chum's Surf wallet is my go to wallet... secure two zipper sides ID view window and you can put your different currencies or split up the larger to smaller denominations.. very lightweight and easy to wear in your front pocket.. You have some very good ideas and can tell you are a seasoned traveler lightweight and smart.

[@OneBagTravels]

Funny that you mention that, the Eagle Creek Undercover wallet has been my primary travel passport wallet for years. I usually combine it with something like the Surfshort wallet. I should probably include it in my next gear roundup since I use it everytime I travel internationally.

[@martylovejoy]

I think you both must be referring to the Eagle Creek Undercover Hidden Pocket... they make multiple items that use the term Undercover in the title.

[@OneBagTravels]

@@martylovejoy That's the one! Yeah, I didn't realize they called all their wallets "Undercover" they have so many! I've been using that wallet for years, it's great.

[@WanderThisWay]

Picked up the Epicka adapter this year after my last one finally bit the dust - looking forward to trying it out on a trip to Germany in the new year.

[@OneBagTravels]

Nice, have a great trip!

[@rapidpheasant]

Great video. Love how you say what needs to be said and move on. So many KZbinrs waffle on for ages.

[@OneBagTravels]

Try to keep the fluff out

[@martylovejoy]

Matador's FlatPak Soap Bar Cases and bar shampoos, conditioners, soaps, moisterizers, etc are the way to go! Surprised you didn't include these!! Less space than those liquid containers, never leak, and better for our planet too - no brainer. I'd also add reuseable silicone Stashers instead of Ziplock baggies for sandwishes, salads, nuts, leftovers... all different shapes and sizes.

[@OneBagTravels]

I've heard great things about those but I haven't tried them yet. Perhaps they'll make it on my 2024 gear list. Yeah Stashers are good, I have a few of those, good idea.

[@harveychapman3843]

1) I'm going to try reusable cheesecloth bags for coffee. I should only need a travel grinder, cloth pouch, and beans for a French press style immersion brew. 2) I have a 20+ yr old Eagle Creek hanging toiletries bag. It's large, but has the advantage that if you need to use a shared restroom or shower, you can fit clothes and a travel towel inside the bag. But it collapses down when barely filled. 3) I'm really surprised that none of the travel KZbinrs seem to know about Clipa. It's like a hero clip, but styled like a bracelet. It holds about 40 lbs and can hang on the tiny edge of a bull nose tile. If you have small wrists, you could wear it. I've had mine for years.

[@OneBagTravels]

Cheesecloth is a good idea. They make little cloth/muslin bags for tea that would probably work just as well for coffee, might be a little harder to clean though. I hadn't heard about Clipa until now, but that thing is genius, thanks for the recommendation!

[@russellintahoe]

Hawbuck makes my favorite wallet. I use it daily and I have their international model for travel. It is so thin you sometimes can't feel the wallet in your pants.

[@OneBagTravels]

That's a good suggestion, I hadn't heard of them before but I'm going to try one of those wallets out. I like that they have options for wide and long bills, great for international travel.

[@jaymeez]

I’ve been using Chums Surf Short wallets for almost 10 years, they are Excellent 👍🏽

[@OneBagTravels]

Yes they are!

[@laurasingh7356]

Curious what you eat when traveling. That is always a budget killer for me

[@OneBagTravels]

Depends on where I am and how cheap the food is. In cheaper countries I will eat out more, carry snacks and cook in airbnb/hostel for convienence. In more expensive areas I try and get an Airbnb with a kitchen, buy groceries on arrival and cook breakfast and dinner in the kitchen. Prepare sandwiches and carry snacks for the day, bring reusable ziplock bags and a utensil set. Cooking your own food as much as possible is about the easiest way to cut down on the cost of eating out. But I don't want to miss out on the culinary experience either, so if I do eat out it will usually be lunch. Tends to be cheaper than dinner, the food is just as good and you can usually find good deals/specials. Bring a resuable bottle, drink water when out and save drinks for home.

[@unregistered436]

While I like and agree with much of this video, that lockable carabineer will stand up to picking for about one second....

[@OneBagTravels]

Probably most travel locks wouldn't stand up to a lock picker that knew what they were doing, also most backpacks with nylon zippers you can just open with a pen. I think travel locks are more about making your bag look just that much less attractive to steal out of than a bag with no lock.

[@alex-paris]

Thank you very much, do you know where to buy this cable. at 18:45 thanks

[@OneBagTravels]

That's the Matador Betalock Accessory Cable. The link is in the video description under Carabiners and Gear Straps.

[@alex-paris]

thanks ! @@OneBagTravels

[@TheseUncertainTimes]

If you watch only one “Best the year travel gear” video this year, make it this one. I like the Anker 511 Power Bank because it has built in folding prongs to charge itself directly from an outlet and can be used as a battery bank and a wall charger brick. It’s not very high wattage or capacity but it’s fine for emergency backup for phones.

[@OneBagTravels]

Thanks! That's a nice power bank option, I have a lot of Anker gear, it's always great.

[@RockyMountainGearTester]

Have you ever had the face trimmer rip your hairs out? I have the same one and it does it all the time. Don’t even use it anymore because of this. Wasn’t sure if mines defective or it’s just that underpowered.

[@OneBagTravels]

I think it's just underpowered in general. I've never had it rip hairs out, but I usually am only trimming stubble, not a full beard, and I go slow.

[@RockyMountainGearTester]

Thanks good to know, maybe I’m just moving too fast.

[@deerbeau]

Either you or I have a wrong understanding of minimalism.

[@OneBagTravels]

Minimalism is about owning what is useful and adds value to your life, not just about having less stuff. I try to focus on gear that adds a lot of value to travel, often having multiple uses. Bringing everything I show here is probably not minimalist, but if someones trip can be greatly improved by adding or replacing a few pieces of gear, I'd consider that a minimalist attitude.

[@thomschreck]

Do you purchase all these items or are some of them sent by companies?

[@OneBagTravels]

I buy the vast majority of my own gear. I bought everything in this video except the larger Scrubba. I bought the mini last year and liked it so I reached out to the company for the larger one so I could compare them. I try not to feature gimicky gear, and test everything I feature as much as possible. I have affiliate deals with a lot of companies because that's how I keep the channel running and pay for the gear, but I also feature lots of gear that I don't make money on simply because I like it.

[@Whigu]

It's funny how all travel/gadget youtubers seem to sell... I mean review same things about the same time...

[@OneBagTravels]

I do reviews all year long, but the end of the year is a good time to do round-ups. They line up with the holidays which is when people are looking for gifts for others or themselves. I feature gear that I use personally and think is valuable for minimalist travel. I spend a lot of time researching and testing and I hope to feature gear that will add value to my people's travels. I spend a lot of time on this channel and a lot of money testing gear. Affiliate links help pay for this, and I hope my viewers get a benefit from my reviews and I appreciate the support of using my links if they do.

[@bearisland55]

I think this roundup is excellent! Concise and tested IRL.

[@avroml]

Minimalist… LOL :)

[@OneBagTravels]

Mediumalist?