Our Must Have Travel Gear

What We Travel With

The question we get asked all of the time is who takes our pictures and video. Do we have a photographer everywhere we go. Unfortunately we don’t always have a photographer traveling with us, we love working with amazing photographers too! What we do the majority of the time is use a tripod and self timer. We have upgraded our gear over the years and feel like we finally reached a point we have the perfect lightweight gear to get us through a content creation trip.

Our Must Own Luggage

Your gear can change a good trip to a great trip. As a couple we hate traveling with large luggage and bags. Our goal is to never check a single bag so we can move faster and easier. The gear listed was developed and placed together after countless trials and error.  Every piece of gear we review here is only after heavy usage and actually living with the items. These items received top reviews based on durability, functionality, and appearance.

Vessel Bags

Vessel is new company that is really ahead of its time. We first discovered these bags at the 2017 Pebble Beach Food & Wine event and immediately fell in love. Vessel is the go to brand for luxury bags. They make everything from Totes, backpacks, and carry on bags. They separate themselves by using the best materials available while recreating a lighter and more durable version of the typical bag. Each bag is designed for traveling by creating new compartments, pockets and designs. 

We chose to use the Garment Duffle bag in matte black that comes embroidered with your initials. This bag changed our travel experience from day one. The bag is a secret garment bag that looks like a typical high end duffle, but completely unfolds. I was able to keep a full suit and dress shoes in the bag plus extra clothing in between. The bag opens flat and you can store your suit/dress without wrinkling it (see pictures). Everywhere we go I get complements on this bag. This is by far our favorite travel item and we plan to purchase more from this great company. Oh did we mention you can customize each bag.

Check out these great Vessel bags here!These are just a few other bags from Vessel that we have and swear by.

*Update now 4 years later we love our Vessel bags more than ever

Luggage by Away

Away luggage is a brand that is relatively new, but they are making premier luggage at a good price. The brand really focuses on the customers needs and desires while ensuring top quality materials are used.  

The bags we chose were the Bigger Carry-On in asphalt gray and one in blue. The bag is extremely lightweight and durable. The luggage feels high end and made with quality materials. The best part of these suitcases is that they come with a USB charger for your must have gadgets, and a unique locking system to secure your belongings. {*After having these bags for a few years this is not a favorite thing anymore. Airlines do not like this and even having this bag as a carry on we have had to open up our bags in the airport right before boarding to remove the battery or they weren’t going to let us board} The luggage is equipped with 4 way rolling wheels. Doesn’t sound like a big deal until you roll one of these bad boys. They are so unbelievably smooth its satisfying. {Years later and the wheels have still held up}

These bags have seen it all with us and they have held up great. In Venice one was exposed to a little water and not a single garment was wet. Also the 4 way rolling wheels held up to many rough cobble stone roads. This luggage is a must own for any occasion.  

*Update a few years later they have held up but there are a few things we are not crazy about.

-So many people own these same exact bags that we have been involved in checked luggage mix ups. We’ve actually had two, on one occasion a woman grabbed my blue away bag that I put a red ribbon on. Apparently that is not novel so she grabbed it off the conveyer belt and we had to stop her. Sue enough hers came right after with an almost identical bow placement lol. The second time was our fault we grabbed someones bag and they immediately came over as we were checking the name tag. There was also once that I asked a women if she grabbed the right bag and yes she did, ours was just the last to come off the belt!

-The outside plastic has scratched up a bit especially on the lighter colors (Not a deal breaker at all, but it happens). Ive seen white and pink ones that have looked awful after one trip.

-The charger in the bag has become a bit frustrating with airlines asking you to remove it. We basically just keep it out now but a bit of a negative since that was the reason we purchased it.

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