Whether you are a digital nomad or a frequent business traveler, you are in need of some practical business travel essentials. This post will go over all the right tools you need.
After traveling full-time as digital nomads, we know what works and what doesn’t for practical working equipment. Unfortunately, you cannot pack up your desktop computer or the ergonomic keyboard and desk chair. But you can still work effectively and efficiently with some smart choices in what you bring and what you leave at home.
We’ll go over the best business travel essentials, travel job essentials, best business travel accessories, and more!
This post is all about practical business travel essentials you can easily carry and use on the go!
Best Business Travel Essentials
MacBook Pro
We are Apple fans because it all works so seamlessly together. We can easily connect our phones, our Airpods, laptops, and more with ease. The MacBook Pro is no exception it is a powerhouse when it comes to the programs we use (Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, and Premiere Pro). It is also the most secure option to protect us from unwanted viruses, especially while traveling abroad.
We did choose the 16″ screen and although it is slightly larger, it is so worth it. We are on our laptops every day for a large chunk of the day and having the extra screen space is a small luxury we were willing to pay for. Also, we have the perfect backpack that can actually fit a 16″ laptop (see below).
> Related Post: The Ultimate Travel Essentials List
WANDRD 31L Backpack 
Like I said above, this backpack is absolutely magic. Not kidding. We LOVE our WANDRD PRVKE 31L Backpacks. They easily hold our 16″ laptops (and can actually fit two in one if we need them!) along with all of our other travel working equipment and photography gear. We love the 31L size to add additional snacks or clothes to the top portion.
Airpods Pro
We recently upgraded our headphones to the Airpods Pro and are seriously upset we did not get them sooner! They are amazing! Not only do they fit in the ear so much better, but the noise canceling and transparency modes are life-changing. Plus the easily connect to our laptops and phones, making everything even more efficient.
LaCie 5TB Hard Drive 
Since we are content creators, we have thousands of photos, videos, and folders. It definitely is too much for our computers to hold. These LaCie Rugged Hard Drives are great for travel working equipment because they can take a beating and survive. We have 3 of them right now for all our backups and they are great. We actually had an issue with one (we dropped it while it was working) and LaCie was able to recover all our data and send us a new one quickly.
External Solid State Drive
For faster transfers of files, we turn to our solid-state drive. The SanDisk Portable SSD is a great option because it is so small and works so fast. We are able to move hundreds of GBs between our computers much faster than via AirDrop (although we do love it for small transfers) and the hard drives. If you don’t have a ton of data to back up, these 1 or 2TB SSDs are definitely the way to go.
Apple Magic Mouse
After working on a laptop for hours each day, your wrist can get pretty worn out. Having these small Apple Magic Mouses make it easy for us to switch it up when we have a flat table. The only downside of these is that they don’t work on glass surfaces so that’s why we purchased the SenseAGE 3-in-1 Travel Mousepads that double as a screen cleaner, keyboard cover, and mousepad.
iPad Pro
Depending on your line of work, the Apple iPad Pro can be a great addition to your travel working equipment. We had one for a short period of time and loved it (until it got stolen)! It’s great to pack up and take out to a cafe for the day or use for quick planning sessions while on the go in a plane or train. It fits perfectly into the tablet pocket on the WANDRD backpack with the laptop still.
Magic Keyboard for iPad 
If you are able to fully convert from a laptop to an iPad, the Magic Keyboard Case is the perfect accessory for you! I honestly wish I could but I am unable to use Adobe Lightroom or Adobe Premiere Pro on the iPad in the same manner you can on an iPad. But for digital nomads with teaching jobs or running a business from afar, you can totally get by on an iPad and it’s much lighter and easier to travel with!
Apple Pencil
My favorite part of the iPad was the Apple Pencil 2nd Generation. I was able to handwrite notes or travel plans without packing a notebook. I was using the Noteworthy app to take notes and loved its versatility. If you prefer handwriting or have any artistic ability the Apple Pencil is an absolute must. I saw a gentleman drawing on an airplane recently and it was really incredible work!
Travel Blazer
You probably aren’t packing a full suit or business wardrobe while traveling but you may need to jump on a few important business video calls. Unfortunately, it seems like we are moving into a Zoom-only culture so you have to look (somewhat) presentable when all the call. This lightweight Cicy Bell Blazer matches anything and can go over basically any shirt or dress you own to business it up. Since it is just a video call, you should be good with any bottoms, but this blazer helps in a pinch!
Notebook
Sometimes I just can’t type out some notes or don’t have my computer available to do so. Have a small journal to jot down brainstorm sessions or a to-do list can help so much! I love this small Lined Journal Notebook with Perforated Pages that we can throw in the backpack and rip out pages when we need it.
Receipt Pouch
I scan all our business receipts for tax purposes but truthfully I do it far less frequently than I should. That’s where this simple Canvas Zippered Envelope comes in handy. It fits nicely in the front flat pocket on the WANDRD backpack and can hold quite a few weeks of receipts. Much more organized than squished in the bottom of the backpack.
Mac Charger Extension
I hate to add more cords to our luggage but the MacBook Power Adapter Extension Cable is so helpful for ensuring we can work wherever. Often times plugs are in obscure locations in hotel rooms or restaurants and having a few extra feet for your charger can help so much. Even though it changes the Mac charger from a 2 prong to a 3 prong, we do have the perfect converter for it still.
Travel Adapter
This was a lucky purchase for us because I had no clue what we needed but this actually has it all. The BESTEK Universal Travel Adapter is also a surge protector and includes 4 USB outputs and 3 3-prong outlets. We can plug everything we need directly into this making it so convenient. It also comes with all the possible plug conversions so we can actually use it everywhere. And it acts as an extension cord for even more space!
