6 Essential Items for Smart Travelers

There's more to packing for a trip than loading up on travel-sized toiletries. Here are a few items that should be in every carry-on.

Light in the Dark
Whether you're a city slicker or a backpacker, a good head-mounted flashlight will inevitably prove its worth at some point. I've used my Petzl headlamp for a three-hour lava tube expedition - and for navigating the inky blackness of a hotel during a blackout in Dallas. They keep your hands free, too. Far superior to a regular flashlight.

Carry Your Water
I'm from Arizona, and I never roll out of the house without a reusable water bottle. My Nathan Tritan bottle helps me stay hydrated - without getting gouged for disposable bottles. When I travel, I use a slightly smaller version. I fill it at airport water fountains, soda fountains, hotel rooms. The clip also lets me attach it to a belt loop. Hands-free is always a good thing.

Get Your Reading On
Travel is all about "hurry up and wait." Why let downtime go to waste? An eReader like a Kindle or a Nook can fill the void while feeding your mind. Load it up full of books: The latest are cheaper than their hard-cover brethren, and some classics are even free. Great for long flights - my Kindle can endure more than a week without a recharge. Using the wi-fi drains the the batteries faster -- but you can also use it to check email. And an eReader takes up far less room than a stack of novels.

Pack it Small
If you wind up doing some shopping, you might exceed the limits of your original baggage. But several companies make ultra-compact backup duffels that take up barely any room in your pack. Whip one out, load it full of souvenirs, and pat yourself on the back for avoiding the expense and hassle of picking one up a bulky extra bag on the road. For some reason, REI seems to be on the verge of blowing out its Micro Duffels.

Get Stuffed
Don't pack air when you travel. Compress everything as small as you can. You can get some of those plastic space bags - but you'll find that they don't hold up to the rigors of frequent travel. Instead, consider compression sacks. Just fill the bag and pull the straps tight as you can. You'll be amazed by how much more room you'll have in your bag. Some are also water-resistant.

Plug 'em Up
From motorcycle conventions at your hotel to the noisy toddler in seat 16E, a good set of earplugs can block unwanted sounds. They're also small and cheap. Yet travelers still manage to overlook them. And carry extras - you'll become a hero for handing some out to fellow fliers.