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cogs and gears

Travel gear: how to choose packs, luggage and tech

Compare backpacks, luggage, clothing, cameras, packing lists and tech by the criteria that decide which one fits your trip.

Travel gear is the bags, clothing, cameras, packing lists and tech you carry on a trip. The right choice depends mostly on how long you travel, how you move between places, and what you can spend. A two-week trip with trains and walking calls for a different bag than a week of driving between hotels. Start by fixing those three points, then compare the options in the subcategory that matches your next purchase: backpacks, luggage, clothing, cameras or tech.

Clothing and packing lists answer how much room you need, while cameras and tech cover the devices and power you plan to carry. Check each option against your route and the conditions you expect, such as cobblestone streets, airline bag size limits or few outlets. A bag that fits one trip may be the wrong size for the next, so choose it for each trip.

What we test

a piece of luggage sitting on top of a wooden floorLuggageCompare carry-on and checked bags by size, airline fit, and how they handle the parts of a trip beyond the airport.A row of mossy concrete blocks leading through a sunlit forest of thin treesClothingCheck what you can wear at religious sites and in public before you pack or head out.white and blue coated wiresTechCompare portable power and travel routers by how you plan to use them on the road, especially during long train journeys.black DSLR camera near sunglasses and bagPacking listsFind a packing list by destination, season, or trip length, and decide what to bring, wear in layers, and leave at home.black DSLR camera near sunglasses and bagCamerasCheck how to pack camera batteries for a flight and where to find the rules for taking a drone abroad.hiking backpacks on grass with mountains backgroundBackpacksCompare a backpack’s size, empty weight, and carry comfort to find one that suits your trip.

Tested by us

The Burj Khalifa and skyscrapers above a multi-level highway interchange in DubaiRulesDress laws for tourists: what the law says you can wearUpdated Oct 13, 2026The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque reflected in a pool at low sun in Abu DhabiHow toWhat to wear to temples, mosques and churches: nine dress codesUpdated Oct 13, 2026drone flying in skyRulesTraveling with a drone: rules for visitors in six destinationsUpdated Oct 13, 2026black dslr camera on black computer keyboardHow toCamera batteries on a plane: carry-on rules and watt-hour limitsUpdated Oct 13, 2026cherry blossoms line the trees along a river at nightPacking listWhat to pack for Japan in spring: a checklist by layer, shoes, tech and documentsUpdated Oct 2, 2026a man and a woman walking through an airportBest ofCarry-on bags for budget airlines: how to check, pack and avoid gate feesUpdated Oct 2, 2026grey and black hiking backpack and cyan tumbler on grey rock during sunsetBest ofBest travel backpacks: how to choose one that fits your airline and your tripUpdated Oct 2, 2026A black leather bag and iced coffee on a tableBest ofTravel routers and power banks for long train days: what to check before you buyUpdated Oct 2, 2026

Stories

a man and a woman walking through an airportField reportTwo weeks carry-on only: what I stopped carrying by day threeDana Kowalski · Updated Oct 3, 2026gray hardside luggageData storyTwenty carry-ons against six budget-airline sizersOwen Whitfield · Updated Oct 3, 2026black hiking backpack near white Fujifilm instax mini camera near black leather boots, red half-zip jacket, gray pocket watch on white mapData storyWe weighed 40 travel backpacks: real weights vs claimedSamuel Adeyemi · Updated Oct 3, 2026
DestinationsWhere to go, when to go and how to get around in 221 countries. Every practical fact shows the date we checked it and who checked it.Where to stayNeighborhoods walked end to end: who each area suits, how far it is from the airport train, and the hotels we would book ourselves.PlanVisas and entry rules, travel insurance, eSIMs and rail passes, explained in plain words and rechecked when the rules change.EventsFestivals, concerts and tours with confirmed dates, rooms near the venue and the fastest way on to the next city.StoriesField reports and data stories from the road. We time the queues, count the costs and say what changed since last year.

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