TRAVEL GEAR AND ACCESSORES

Roam Pocket WiFi

$149.00

We recently traveled to Japan and South Korea and we’re looking for a way to stay connected while we were traveling. We considered getting Sim cards and also renting a pocket Wi-Fi device when we arrived in Japan. We looked at some other options as well. We ultimately decided to purchase the pocket Wi-Fi device from RoamWiFi.

My wife and I both have Apple iPhones but different versions and my wife’s on a different plan than mine, and I believe her phone was probably locked and mine was unlocked. We weren’t really sure if an eSIM would work on both of our phones and we also both have iPads and wanted to be able to use those while traveling as well. We also travel internationally multiple times a year and we’re looking for a solution that would solve our connection problem, no matter where we went. So rather than getting Sim cards in every country we travel to, we decided to look at the pocket Wi-Fi solution. We briefly considered renting a device while in Japan, but since we were arriving in Tokyo and leaving from Seoul Korea, we were unsure how we would return the device to the original location we rented it from.

We looked at several different options online for pocket Wi-Fi devices and the associated plans and ultimately decided on the RoamWi-Fi device. The Principal reason we decided on this was that it had good reviews was one of the lower quest pocket Wi-Fi devices in terms of the initial purchase price. It also seemed that the plans were more competitively priced. We feel that he advantage of owning the pocket Wi-Fi device is that we don’t have to worry about getting eSIMs every time we travel to a new country. Also, since my wife and I both have phones and iPads and this device allows for up to four simultaneous connections it was a better option for buying multiple Sim cards.

In full disclosure, we’re not experts on this and we didn’t purchase and test multiple devices. This is just the one we decided to get and that we have used for multiple trips now and we’re sharing our honest impressions and review of that device.

We purchased the device in January 2024 for about $125 from Amazon. Checking Amazon‘s website now which is May 2024 it appears that the price is a bit higher at $149. So clearly if you’re not going on multiple trips or don’t plan on traveling internationally multiple times a year for next few years maybe spending this kind of money on your own device doesn’t make sense. My wife and I travel internationally multiple times a year and plan on doing that for several years to come so investing in this device seemed to make sense for us.

Set up was super simple after turning the device on and downloading the app to our phone and entering the devices ID number and password. It was quite easy to connect to this device. Once connected, you can review all the various plans for the countries that are covered and purchase a plan in advance of your trip. While on the trip you can purchase more data if you need it.

When you arrive at your destination Activation is super simple. You simply turn on the pocket Wi-Fi. Once the device powers up It will search for the network and eventually connected to that. Take a few minutes to do that. Once your mobile pocket Wi-Fi is connected. You can go into your Wi-Fi settings. Select the Wi-Fi device and connect to the Wi-Fi.
My wife and I use this device on a three week trip that started in Tokyo and ended in Seoul Korea. Our trip included a 10 day cruise and also for days at Tokyo Disney. We found it whenever we were in the Disney parks or on land in Japan. We got excellent service. We were able to use our phones and iPads simultaneously we were able to work on YouTube videos, FaceTime our family, talk to people on WhatsApp and really had no issues at all with the level of service or speed.
We were on a 10 day cruise off the coast of Eastern Japan. There were days when we could not get coverage because we were too far from land and those days we took advantage of the free minutes offered by Norwegian on our cruise. However, we did find if we were at port or close to shore we were able to use our RoamWi-Fi device.
We typically would plug it in overnight and it would be fully charged by the next day. I would say it doesn’t charge really fast so this is probably a good routine. However, we often started our days before 7 o’clock in the morning and sometimes we’re using the device till we went to bed at night at 10:30 or 11 and would find that the battery still had something like 40 or 50% battery life. So we were very impressed with the battery life.
The device is extremely portable. I often carried it just in my pocket or in my shoulder bag. And as long as we were within 50 feet or so from the device it worked great.

Packing Cubes

$38.00

My wife and I recently started using these packing cubes for organizing our clothes and other items in our luggage. We found them to be extremely useful, especially when we’re on tours and moving every couple of days. They help our items separated instead of becoming a jumbled mess in our suit cases. They also allow you to get more in your suitcase because you can roll up your clothes, put them in the packing cubes and then press them down and zipper them shut pressing everything into a smaller space.

Collapsible Laundry Basket

$7.00

Ever wonder what to do with your dirty laundry while you’re traveling? A family member gave us one of these collapsible laundry baskets on one of our trips and now we bring it everywhere we go. It takes up almost no space in your luggage. When you get to your hotel room, you pop it out and set it up and you have a handy place to dump your dirty clothes.

Backup Charger

$ 21.00

If you like us, you take lots of pictures and videos and like to be on your phone to get directions and look up things on Google. That’s great, but it takes up a lot of battery life and you never want to run low. We especially like this charger because it’s powerful lightweight, let you know how much battery life is left and includes cords for both fire wire, and USB-C. That’s nice because you don’t have to worry about having cables with you.

Inflatable Seat Cushion

$ 19.00

I sometimes find the seats on airlines hard and uncomfortable, especially on long flights. I started using this inflatable seat cushion last year and now bring it on every flight. It’s has helped me be more comfortable on flights. It self inflates when you open the valve and you can add air with your mouth to make it more firm. When deflated and rolled up it’s a little larger than a soda can and fits in the side pocket of my backpack. It’s also great for sporting events or concerts where the seats are hard.

Hydroflask Water Bottles

$Various

My wife and I are both both have

Hydroflask water bottles in multiple sizes. We like to use the larger ones for when we’re out all day hiking or cycling, and we like to use the smaller ones for when we’re traveling. After you go through security at the airport, you can put water or whatever beverage you would like in your water bottle (except alcohol) and then you don’t have to depend on the flight attendants when you want to have something to drink. We like the Hydroflask water bottles because they keep our beverages nice and cold all day long, and are extremely durable.

Waterproof fanny packs

$15.00 for 2

Depending on where you are sometimes you just don’t feel safe leaving your cell phone, wallet and keys on your lounge chair at the beach or by the pool. That’s why we purchased these inexpensive plastic waterproof pouches that we can wear around our waist when we go swimming or snorkeling and keep our cell phones and other items safe with us.

Waterproof Bag

$10-25

Waterproof dry bags come in various sizes and are great when you’re going out on the water for an excursion or kayaking, or any situation where you’re worried your cell phone, wallet or other valuables might get damaged if they get wet. We usually keep one in our backpack when we’re hiking in case it rains. We can put our cell phone and other valuables in the dry bag and be sure they’ll be safe.

Inflatable floating chair

$15-30

My wife just loves these inflatable floating chairs, and purchased them for our entire family. We bring them on every trip where there’s going to be a swimming pool or we’re going to have a chance to be in the water. They fold up to almost nothing in your luggage, and are quite easy to inflate. You can either sit in them or lay on them and it’s great to just float around in the water and relax.

Fold up Duffel Bag

$27.00

Especially when we’re going to a resort that’s close to the beach and we know we’re going to be bringing towels and maybe some snorkeling gear and other things that we want to have with us at the beach or pool , we always bring along one of these fold up duffel bags to carry all our stuff in. When we’re not using it, it packs up really small in our suitcase. It can also act as an additional checked bag or carry on for dirty laundry if we go shopping and need more room in our luggage on the way home.

Travel Mini Rummy Game

$ 20.00

When we have a long layover at an airport or just some downtime while traveling or by the pool we like to play this easy to learn but challenging Rummy Game. We have even played on the tray tables on the plane a few times. You can play with 2 to 4 people. The game comes in a nice case and is easy to toss in your luggage or backpack.

Travel Mini Rummy Game

$ 20.00

When we have a long layover at an airport or just some downtime while traveling or by the pool we like to play this easy to learn but challenging Rummy Game. We have even played on the tray tables on the plane a few times. You can play with 2 to 4 people. The game comes in a nice case and is easy to toss in your luggage or backpack.

Full face snorkel mask and life jacket

$ 22.00 Life jacket

$ 75.00 Full face mask

We love snorkeling, but don’t always want to depend on the resort to get our snorkeling gear. Having your own life jacket and facemask gives you the freedom to go snorkeling whenever you want. We love these inflatable life jackets. They work great and take up almost no room in your luggage.

These full face snorkel masks are great, especially for kids and beginner snorklers, because you can breathe normally through both your nose and mouth. There is a built-in check valve in the snorkel that keeps the water out of your mask and you don’t have to worry about holding a mouthpiece in your mouth. 

Noise Canceling wired headphones

$ 29.00

We like these low cost Sony headphones. We use them mostly for watching movies on the plane, since we have Bluetooth ear buds for our devices. They are so much better than the cheap earbuds the airlines give you. They run off 1 AAA battery that will last for a couple of trips. They also don’t take up a lot of room in your backpack.