The Best Travel Gear of 2021, According to Our Readers

A favorite of former Traveler editor Stephanie Wu, who brought it on a 16-hour flight, this face shield extends from the neck up, rather than the forehead down. Wear it over a mask for extra protection in crowded spaces.

Another popular face shield: this Polaroid style, which you can find at Nordstrom. It has an adjustable strap to secure it around your forehead, decorated with Polaroid’s signature rainbow logo on either side, and a curved design to reduce fogging and up the comfort level.

Face masks were unsurprisingly a much-purchased item last year, with Jaanuu’s leading the pack. Made out of the same antimicrobial-treated fabric as the brand’s scrubs, these fabric masks come in a set of five, and have soft, stretchy ear loops.

There’s no doubt Traveler readers love Away—in fact, it was ranked number one in the 2021 Readers’ Choice Awards’ luggage category. The brand’s larger carry-on was the crowd favorite; it’s a great size for long weekend trips, and fits into most any overhead bin, even on smaller planes.

A personal favorite of mine, this Béis bag is the ideal weekender with plenty of thoughtful details: There’s a separate bottom compartment to store shoes, toiletries, or dirty clothes, a padded laptop sleeve in the main compartment, and a trolley sleeve that zips closed to use as a pocket when you need it.

To avoid mask fog, Traveler readers turned to this $15 Amazon buy. A few spritzes every couple days will keep your glasses or sunglasses clear.

Traveler contributor Ashlea Halpern turned us on to these affordable cleats, which wrap around any kind of shoe to give you more traction in snowy, slushy, or otherwise slippery conditions. She’s worn them everywhere from Alaska to Niagara Falls and Norway.

Another very 2021 buy: a vax card holder. This vegan leather Vida case was a popular pick; its metal clip allows you to loop it onto a backpack, purse, or keychain for easy access. For the minimalists out there, this clear sleeve was a hit, too.

As part-working, part-leisure vacations become much more common, we all needed to keep our cords organized as we moved our work-from-home set-up to a hotel or vacation rental. Bellroy’s tech kit does so beautifully, with a mix of slip pockets and elastic loops that give each item its own place.

One of our top picks when it comes to lightweight jackets that will keep you warm, this 32 Degrees jacket hits mid-thigh, giving you more range of mobility than a full-length parka, but still that extra bit of coverage you want on chilly days. Lucky for you, it’s also majorly on sale right now.

A basic black legging will always be a travel essential, and while some of our favorites come from well-known athleisure brands (Lululemon, Outdoor Voices), this $20 pair from Amazon—well-suited for lounging, flying, or sitting in the car—stacks up against the best of ‘em.

Recommended by Traveler contributor Emily Price for side sleepers that need more secure earplugs, this pair is made of a soft silicone that she says is super comfortable to wear overnight.

One more popular style pick last year: this Caslon V-neck from Nordstrom, a loose-fitting shirt that comes in all the classic neutral colors—black, white, grey, and navy—plus a few patterned options.