For most of the last decade, my wife and I have worked as digital nomads on four continents. My wife is in senior roles in technology, and I am a travel writer. While the idea of being a digital nomad sounds quite exotic, and it can be sometimes, we often face the same issues that other workers face. How to set up a workspace that, frankly, doesn’t suck and can be productive.
Over the last decade of working and living on the road, we have found that the key to success lies in what we pack in our traveling offices — ones that travel on our backs from spot to spot. Since we don’t have a permanent home office to come back to, we need everything to be portable, as multi-functional as possible and able to work in a variety of settings.
There have been some missteps over the years (don’t buy cheap multi-plugs before flying overseas), but we have built a highly functional office that we can quickly set up in a wide variety of locations, from a coffeeshop in Copenhagen to a hillside house in Cape Town. Here are nine items we love that are perfect for the traveler on your list.
Osprey Nebula 32
Since we like to stay in places for longer periods of time, up to a few months, we are fans of packing our entire office into a pack and carrying it with us. That way, regardless of what happens en route, we have our electronics, important paperwork and a change of clothing on our backs.
The Osprey Nebula has been our office bag for the last several years. It is a remarkably durable bag that functions perfectly as a grocery sack, bike bag and day pack when not carrying our offices. At 32L, it is at the top end of what we recommend for use; anything larger and you will struggle.
This incredibly useful bag has side water bottle pouches, a roomy mesh outer pocket, internal organization pockets, a padded laptop sleeve and a large main compartment. Plus, it has a good suspension system that fits comfortably, something crucial when stuck in long passport control lines.
BUBM 3Pcs Universal Travel Cable Organizer
If there is one scourge to any traveling office these days, it is the preponderance of cords necessary to operate all our electronics. A good cord organizer is a must. We both swear by our BUBM 3 Pcs Electronics Accessory Organizer. Its two-layer design allows you to neatly store a wide array of cords on the top layer, and the roomier bottom compartment with movable partitions is ideal for storing flash drives, power adaptors and backup batteries. Best of all, it comes in three sizes, allowing you to pick the one best for you.
ASUS ZenScreen Travel Monitor
Working on the road usually means cramming all your work into your laptop screen. That’s less than ideal, especially if you are trying to multitask or do deep research, which is common with my job. That is easily solved with a travel monitor that quickly doubles your screen space.
We are huge fans of the ASUS ZenScreen monitors, which work for both Apple and Windows-based laptops. They skip all the extra unneeded features that seem to be the rage these days (speakers, battery, etc.) Instead, they offer high-quality graphics, a large 15-inch screen and automatic screen orientation; plus, it weighs less than two pounds, sets up in seconds and is less than a half-inch thick for easy storage in your pack.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
Being able to block out background noise, especially when you are in a Zoom meeting or presentation, is crucial for any remote worker these days. Our go-to for several years has been our Bose QuietComfort Headphones. While some swear by in-ear headphones, I have found that these over-the-ear headphones work perfectly and don’t leave my ears in pain.
They deliver immersive audio that you can customize through the Bose Music app, excellent noise canceling capabilities, is Bluetooth compatible and their built-in microphone provides crisp, clean audio to anyone we are talking to. Their 24-hour battery life means you only must recharge a few times a month. My favorite part is that they easily connect to most airline movie systems through a simple cord, so I can catch a flick in style when on a flight.
Anker 3-in-1 Portable Charger
Some people advocate always carrying a larger backup power bank with them. We don’t. We never head out anywhere without ensuring that our laptops and tablets are fully charged. Rarely have we found ourselves in a situation where we haven’t been able to plug in somewhere to recharge them if needed.
We have found ourselves needing help with our smaller electronics, phones, WiFi and such, especially if we are spending a day exploring a new location. To address this issue, each of us always carries a backup battery in our walkabout bags. They have bailed us out many times when needed, especially when we are using them to navigate and research while out and about.
The Anker 3-in-1 Portable Charger is another excellent product from one of the industry leaders in charging technology. At full capacity, this compact charger can charge most phones twice and even your tablet or laptop in a pinch. It has a built-in USB-C cord, another USB-C port, a digital display for its power level, and a built-in temperature monitor to ensure it doesn’t overheat.
Anker 332 USB Power Strip
We cannot tell you how incredibly helpful our traveling extension cords have been over the years. Each of us has one that we toss in the bottom of our backpacks. They allow us to plug in multiple devices, enabling us to set up our offices on just one plug.
The Anker 332 USB Power Strip is the latest Anker product we have loaded into our bags. It offers six AC outlets, two USB ports and a high-speed 20W USB-C port to fast charge anything connected. Lightweight and slim, it solves so many problems.
MOGICS Super Bagel
I started using the MOGICS Super Bagel a little over a year ago and have been wowed by it. Most multi-adaptors are poorly made and quickly fall apart, not this one. This universal adaptor offers a lot in its compact bagel-shaped package. All you have to do to tap into electricity quickly is pop out its multi-adaptor nestled in the center of a ring of charging ports (five AC sockets, one USB and one USB-C). It quickly adapts to U.K., A.U. and E.U. wall sockets. It even has power surge protection to prevent your electronics from getting toasted.
Logitech C920 Webcam
These days, we all spend a fair amount of time in online meetings, and if there is one thing you learn quickly, it is that your laptop camera leaves much to be desired. I upgraded to the Logitech C920s Pro HD Webcam and have loved it. It packs down into a small package for when we transport it to new locations.
Once there, it easily mounts on top of my laptop screen and connects easily through a USB port. HD autofocus and light corrections work to deliver superb video, and its dual microphones offer excellent stereo sound, so I look and sound good on calls. It also allows me to not worry about lugging around a light bar. My favorite part is the video cover, so I can avoid awkward situations when I don’t want to be on camera.
Linksys WiFi 6 Wireless Range Extender
While many people swear by portable WiFi hotspots, we have found them unnecessary. These days, our phones work at portable hotspots when we need them and don’t require reconfiguration every time we travel somewhere new. What has become a must-have in our traveling office is a WiFi extender.
We often stay at rental properties for extended periods, and their WiFi coverage is frequently lacking. Several years ago, we bought the Linksys WiFi 6 Wireless Range Extender and have loved it. It’s compact, plugs directly into the wall, has a gigabit Ethernet port and easily synchs with a WPS-equipped router. It has quickly solved a common complaint for both of us and allowed us to set up offices on the opposite sides of the place we are staying in so we don’t bother the other.
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