What’s In Our Bag: October Edition

From Seattle to Spain: Travel backpacks and TikTok finds top the list this month.


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A backpack with a broken strap. Haggard jeans that practically scream “I’m from America!” when you’re trying to blend in at a Parisian café. When you spend this much time on the move, you really learn to appreciate the art of finding the right gear over settling for the not-so-great stuff. 

With Ari preparing to move to LA and me getting back to my digital nomad roots in Europe, we’ve laid out some of the most crucial things in our bag right now — from the literal lifesavers to the little touches of home.

Just don’t call us influencers.

– Zach and Ari

Pepper Bras

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Vuori Sunday Performance Short

Guys, I finally get it now and I’m never going back. After years of envying the ease and comfort that come with women’s leggings, I finally found my equivalent. These shorts aren’t just the most comfortable thing I own. The fit is also stylish enough to wear around the city. I personally love the khaki-esque look of the Tobacco Heather option.

— Z

Parks Project Beanie

 

Look good, feel good, do good. We’ll all need to re-up our beanie collection before the cold weather hits and these fabulously funky ones from the Parks Project, which donates part of its proceeds to America’s beloved national parks, are my current obsession.

Along with 95% of their other stuff…

— A

Halara Corduroy Pants

Fine, call me impressionable. I’ll admit that I easily caved and bought these viral TikTok corduroy pants by Halara — with absolutely no regrets.

They’re super comfy, warm enough to travel in as the temperatures begin to drop, and they’re a lot more exciting to wear than my same old jeans. Consider me influenced.

— A

Peak Design Travel Backpack

4 packs, ~$1000+, 6-8 weeks, and a shameful amount of returned items from various brands is what it took for me to find what is probably my favorite travel backpack ever.

PeakDesign’s 45L Travel Backpack stood head and shoulders above the other copycat packs I tried. Clearly designed by travelers, this pack is made with top quality materials and even has the ability to ‘shrink’ down to a 35L pack.

— Z

Nutrafol Hair Care

Few things can ruin your mood like a bad hair day. Nutrafol gets right down to the root of the problem and improves hair health with natural ingredients that prime, purify and balance your scalp. Help your scalp by trying out their physician-formulated curated set of essentials, including mini sizes of their new Build-Up Blocker Scalp Mask, Root Purifier Shampoo, and Stress Reliever Scalp Essence.*

Dosey Pill Case

You might say I’m too old to also be falling for viral TikTok products. And who knows, you’re probably right.

But being “old” also means that I take about 10 pills worth of daily supplements and need a more efficient way to bring them on the go than my current method of a disheveled ziplock covered in Sharpie scribbles. Enter: Dosey.

— Z

Anihana Shower Steamers

Finding these steamers for less than $4 at Target is only the start of why I love these. Being that I’m not exactly an essentials oil person, nor am I a #SelfCare guru, these have been the perfect way to get a bit of a pick-me-up on the road without a 13-step skincare routine.

Pro tip: Toss one in your bag before your next hotel stay and turn that Ramada Inn shower into the freakin’ Four Seasons.

— A

Yeti Rambler Insulated Bottle with Chug Cap

It definitely wasn’t easy, but I ditched my beloved HydroFlask right before this trip once a friend showed me their Yeti Rambler bottle. As silly as it sounds, it was the trademark ‘Chug Cap’ that sealed the deal for me. Easy to drink from and stays clean all day. 

Best of the Rest

A few more of my current under-the-radar favorites.

  • Magnesium helps me sleep on the road (and at home) but most options are low-quality junk. I personally swear by Natural Rhythm’s Triple Calm.

  • Back in 2018, I bought a Spigen phone case in Malaysia and, after roughly 3,479 face-down drops, I’ll never look back. All the protection with none of the unnecessary bulk.

  • $1,000s spent on pricey travel gear and my $35 Herschel toiletry bag (5L) is still one of my top 3 travel purchases. By the looks of its near-perfect 5-star rating, I’m not alone.

  • This one’s for the homebodies. Once I got over the price tag, these customizable memory foam pillows make sleeping in my own bed 10x better than any night spent at the Ritz. 

  • It only took one instance of my phone running out of battery in a dodgy area for me to understand how crucial a portable power bank is. For price, quality, and durability, I’m a huge fan of Anker.

  • I was a huge skeptic when it came to packing cubes. Now, I’m on 4 years and countless miles with these Amazon Basics packing cubes and they’re still goin’ strong.

 

— Zach

*This link is sponsored.

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone. This post contains references to products from one or more of our partners and we may receive compensation when you click on links to those products.

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