We all have that friend who travels with a literal electronics store inside their backpack. They pull out cables, little lights, and gizmos that look like they’re straight out of an 80s sci-fi movie. You laugh at them, you think it's overkill... until the day you run out of battery in the middle of Tokyo or your suitcase weighs 3kg more than allowed and you have to wear three sweaters in the check-in line.
At that moment, they’re the ones laughing.
To make sure you're not the one crying at the airport, Martin has put together a list of 5 travel gadgets that seem perfectly ridiculous but will be your lifeline on your next holiday.
1. The Digital Luggage Scale (The End of Shame) ⚖️
Have you ever had to open your suitcase on the dirty airport floor, in front of 200 people in line, to take out two pairs of jeans and stuff them into your backpack? It’s a humiliation I wouldn't wish on anyone.
A portable digital scale costs a measly €10 and is about the size of a large lighter. You hook it onto the suitcase handle, lift, and it tells you exactly if you have 22.9kg or if you’ve already broken the limit. It’s the end of the guessing game and the cold sweat on the boarding counter scale.
2. The "Alien" Neck Pillow 👽
Forget those "U" shaped pillows that let your head fall forward every 5 minutes. I’m talking about those giant pillows (Ostrich Pillow style or rigid support scarves) where you literally stick your head inside and look like a giant bee or a depressed astronaut.
Yes, people will look at you and laugh. But while they get a horrible stiff neck trying to sleep on the shoulder of the stranger next to them, you’ll be snoring for 8 hours straight in your private cocoon. Who’s laughing now?
3. The Magic Cube: Universal Adapter with USBs 🔌
Don’t be the person who carries 4 different chargers only to find out that in the UK sockets have 3 square pins, and in the USA they are two flat pins.
Buy a decent universal adapter, cube-shaped, that already comes with integrated USB and USB-C ports. You only need one socket in the hotel room to charge your phone, tablet, headphones, and camera at the same time. It’s peace on earth in the land of electronics.
4. AirTags or Smart Tags (The Anti-Stress "GPS") 📍
The airline lost your bag. The lady at the counter swears that "it should arrive on the next flight tomorrow." You don't have to believe her.
If you put an AirTag (Apple) or a SmartTag (Samsung/Android) inside your bag, you know exactly where it is. You can open the app and see that your bag isn't "on its way," but rather forgotten on the tarmac at Munich airport. It’s the best negotiation tool and peace of mind you can have.
5. The "Brick" Powerbank 🔋
Don’t take those thin batteries that look like a credit card and only charge 20% of your phone. Accept the weight and carry a 20,000 mAh "brick."
Does it weigh half a kilo? It does. But when you’re lost in a back alley in Rome, with Google Maps on for 6 hours, taking a thousand photos and your phone flashing 2% battery, that brick will feel like the lightest and most precious object in the world.
The Best "Gadget" to Avoid Airport Stress 🚗
Technology is there to make your life easier and take the stress off your shoulders. And do you know what the best technological tool is for a hassle-free trip to the airport? Your own car!
Instead of standing in the cold at 4 AM with your phone in hand, trying to figure out where the Uber driver went (or watching the dynamic pricing soar to absurd levels), use logic.
Grab your bags, put them in your car, turn on the radio, and drive independently and relaxed straight to Departures.
Once there, you open the window and hand the keys to our Multipark driver. Our Valet Parking service is like the best gadget in the world: it always works, saves you time, and takes away the headaches. We keep your car in a hyper-secure lot, and when you return from holiday, it’s waiting for you at the door.
Forget the taxi lines and the early morning cold. [Run a simulation and book your Valet Parking on the Multipark website] to start your trip like a true expert!