Looking for the best travel gear for all your 2026 travel? Travis and Emily are joined by 10xTravel’s social media manager and resident packing expert, Lovan Edwards, to unpack the exact items they bring on every trip. The crew covers luggage picks, backpack setups, flight accessories, and more!

From heated vests to Bluetooth-enabled sleep masks to ultra-efficient backpacks, they're breaking down what actually works after hundreds of flights, international trips, and long travel days. Whether you're a carry-on loyalist or an occasional checker, you’ll walk away with practical, tried-and-tested ideas to upgrade your next trip.

What the episode covers:

Carry-on vs. checked bag strategies

Why the right luggage style changes everything

The backpack features that matter most when traveling

✈️ Essential in-flight comfort items

The travel tech we depend on (chargers, mounts, cables, organizers)

Our favorite wellness and sleep tools for long flights

Space-saving items we wish we had earlier

In this episode:

00:00 Introduction and Icebreaker

01:20 Travel Gear Fails

05:53 Debate: Checked Bags vs. Carry-On

11:04 Luggage Preferences: Clamshell vs. Top Load

18:48 Backpack Essentials

30:39 Travel Must-Haves: Headphones and Chapstick

35:04 Heated Vest Demonstration

37:20 Travel Gear Essentials

39:29 Packing Tips and Tricks

40:53 Travel Hygiene and Health

45:03 Travel Organization Debate

55:08 Tech and Gadgets for Travel

01:07:11 Final Thoughts and Recommendations

Links and Resources from this Episode:

Take Our Free Points and Miles Course

New To Points and Miles? Listen to Episodes 1-6 of the podcast

Our Best Credit Cards List (Updated Monthly)

My10x: Manage your points and miles in one place

Let us book your next award flight for you

Upgrade your next stay with our Luxury Hotel Program

Get free, personalized advice on choosing your next card

10xTravel+: Upgrade your travel by becoming a member today

Join us at an upcoming Meetup

Stay Connected:
Join our Community: 10xTravel Insiders
Follow us on Instagram: @10xTravelblog
Watch this and every episode of Takeoff on YouTube: @10xTravel
Subscribe for more tips on travel, points, and miles! Don’t forget to hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode.

Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the card links and other products that appear on this website are from companies which 10xTravel will earn an affiliate commission. 10xTravel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. The content in this video is accurate as of the posting date. Some of the offers mentioned may no longer be available.

0484 Daily Easy English Expression PODCAST—an 8.3 magnitude quake