Long experience has taught me that a trip’s success hinges on preparation: smoothing out logistics, researching itineraries, and most crucially, packing properly. Few things are as annoying on a vacation than having to buy something you forgot to pack, wasting precious time and money in the process.

Take, for instance, a trip I planned to Latvia, one of Europe’s most underrated gems. My itinerary revolved around camping, hiking, and kayaking in Rāznas National Park, a stunning preserve of lakes, meadows, and boreal forests. But when I arrived in Riga, the Latvian capital, I became so charmed with its restaurants, nightlife, and museums that I extended my city stay by three days. The only hitch? I had packed exclusively for hiking. A dinner at the acclaimed 3 Pavāru and a performance at the Latvian National Opera left me feeling woefully underdressed in my boots and cargo pants. The mild embarrassment did instill a valuable lesson: pack clothes versatile enough for both outdoor adventures and nights on the town. 

I also prioritize quality sleep when I travel. Over the years, I have discovered a handful of indispensable travel products for ensuring sound slumber on long flights and in hotel rooms. Whether you’re planning a ski trip in the Swiss Alps, a culinary tour of Riga, or a wild weekend in Ibiza, these items are worth their weight in gold on a Eurotrip.

Luggage and Bags

Before discussing what to put into your suitcase, let’s talk about suitcases themselves. If you’re a seasoned traveler, you’ve likely encountered brands like Rimowa and Tumi. However, the crème de la crème of luggage—the Bugatti of baggage, if you will—are the gleaming aluminum valises crafted by Sterling Pacific. 

Originally founded in 1907 as a jewelry company in Reno, Sterling Pacific approaches suitcase design with the artistry of a silversmith weaving the filigree on a diamond tiara. The Roman philosopher Horace extolled the virtue of utile dulce, the union of the practical and the beautiful. Were Horace alive today, he might well point to a Sterling Pacific suitcase as the embodiment of this ideal. 

The suitcase’s shell is crafted from 5000-series aluminum, also known as aircraft aluminum. This metal is lightweight, durable, and resistant to corrosion. With plastic suitcases, I’ve dealt with denting or warping caused by the rough handling of baggage crews. In contrast, my Sterling Pacific suitcase is virtually indestructible. Hell, you could eject it from the baggage hold mid-flight, let it hurtle to the ground, and your belongings would likely emerge unscathed. The trim and handles are fashioned from full-grain Italian leather, sourced from a tannery in Veneto, Italy—leather as plush the seats of a brand-new Mercedes-Benz.

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I needed a bag for carrying my camera gear on hikes and urban walking tours, but a backpack felt like overkill. The Incase Cross Body Bag turned out to be the perfect solution: a sleek, discreet satchel spacious enough to hold my camera, tripod, water bottle, and other essentials. Thoughtfully designed, the Incase Cross Body Bag also features interior pockets for storing items like a passport, wallet, or business cards. Best of all, when it’s empty, the bag folds down easily to fit into my suitcase. 

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Based in Utah and founded by outdoorsmen, WANDRD makes travel and photography bags that look sharp and keep expensive photography safe and sound. The Rogue 6L Sling easily fits my camera body, two lenses, and chargers, but it’s small enough that I can comfortably sling it over my shoulder while wearing a backpack. For the serious photographers among us, WANDRD also makes larger photography bags spacious enough to carry a drone, spare batteries, and several camera lenses (#goals). 

Buy at WANDRD

Sleep Essentials

To sleep well in hotel beds or airline seats, I always bring my eye mask from Dagsmejan Sleepwear. Hotels and airlines often provide flimsy eye masks, but compared to high-quality masks, the difference is night and day.  Donning a Dagmejan eye mask is like entering a sensory deprivation chamber. Plus, it’s so lightweight you’ll forget it’s even there. Their masks come in a variety of colors, and after llosing several black ones, I opted for hot pink to spot it more easily.

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Taping my mouth shut before sleeping was the best life hack I discovered in 2024. While the science behind the health benefits of nasal breathing versus mouth breathing is above my paygrade, the results speak for themselves: I wake up feeling like a champ. And I’m not alone. Mouth tape has become a trend among elite athletes, UFC fighters, and high-octane corporate types.

In a pinch, you can cut a strip from a roll of generic athletic tape, but Hostage Tape is specifically designed for the job. Each strip comes pre-cut to the ideal length and width to cover your mouth completely. The material is slightly breathable (as a precaution) and even works on the bearded. Here is a product with such a high ROI that you’d have to be a mouth-breather to ignore it.  

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I have spinal problems from college wrestling, and have spent hours researching neck pillows for cross-continental flights. I’ve learned that any neck pillow that can’t attach to a headrest is about as useful as a screen door on a submarine. Unsupported pillows let my head fall forward as soon as I drift off, jolting me awake with pain. Cabeau solved this problem with a design that straps to the back of any airline seat, keeping my noggin comfortably supported throughout the flight.

The Cabeau pillow also features a front buckle to fasten the ends snugly around my throat. On one grueling 16-hour flight, I managed to sleep through more than half the journey thanks to this pillow. When you’re not in the air, it folds neatly into a compact satchel that conveniently straps onto the handles of a suitcase or backpack. 

Buy at Cabeau

Must-Have Footwear

Much to the chagrin of my girlfriend, I practically live in my Kane active recovery shoes. They’re like Crocs with a college degree—slip-on footwear with a sturdy sole and smart design. They take just seconds to put on or take off and are durable and comfortable for running errands or walking the dog—even in winter, depending on the model.

Kanes are a godsend on long flights, as I discovered on a recent 16-hour journey from New York to Japan. I paired them with socks to keep my feet warm, slipping them off for sleep and effortlessly putting them back on to stretch my legs in the cabin.

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A sturdy pair of boots is a traveler’s best companion. Amberjack, a newer footwear company out of Brooklyn, reimagines classic boot and shoe styles with cutting-edge materials. While Amberjack is fond of using space-age material in shoe’s soles and linings, all of their leather comes from a small tannery in Portugal. 

Chelsea boots are rugged enough to brave urban streets or foul weather, yet elegant enough to wear at an upscale restaurant. They pair handsomely with denim and khakis, and they’re easy to slip on and off. For trips to Europe focused on cultural and culinary draws, my Chelsea boots from Amberjack are my stalwarts. 

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A Versatile Wardrobe

A great travel shirt should be stylish enough for any occasion and durable enough to endure the inevitable wear and tear of the road. Bonus points if the shirt has extra pockets for stashing knick-knacks like ticket stubs, Zyn, or a passport. For cold-climate travel shirts, I favor flannels from Schott NYC. The material keeps you toasty and looks dapper with jeans or khakis. 

Buy at Nordstrom

For trips to St. Tropez, Mallorca, or other sunny European isles, my go-to travel shirt is a guayabera. Known in Texas as the “Mexican wedding shirt,” guayaberas are usually made of linen and equipped with four frontal pockets—extra cargo space for cigars, a flask, or passport. The guayabera has long been synonymous with men of leisure in tropical climes, a shirt favored by the likes of Hemingway during his Cuba days, Johnny Depp, and Compay Segundo. For the finest off-the-rack guayaberas, look no further than San Cristobal, a celebrated clothier from the Lone Star State. 

Buy at San Cristobal

Like a crisp white button-down or a navy blue blazer, lightweight sweater is a versatile staple in a man’s wardrobe. On the road, it’s vital to have an extra layer for a chilly evening—or a splash or color for a dinner date or business meeting. For sweaters that are as stylish as they are impeccably crafted, I am partial to B. Draddy, a haberdashery based in New York City that ships nationwide. B. Draddy sweaters come in both wool and cashmere and in an array of colors. 

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The last thing I do before leaving my apartment for the airport is throw on my bespoke bomber from The Jacket Maker. With roomy interior and exterior pockets, the jacket is as handy for the international wayfarer as Google Translate. When I wear my bomber on the road, I can’t help but pretend I’m Bourdain off to shoot an episode of No Reservations. 

For the full effect of a leather jacket’s edgy panache, you need to nail the fit. Off-the-rack leather jackets I bought tended to be too long in the sleeves or too loose around the waist. That’s where The Jacket Maker stands out. Their tailors take detailed measurements—submitted via email or through their website—to craft a bespoke jacket that fits like a glove. They offer a range of timeless styles, but I’m partial to the bomber, the jacket James Dean rocked in Rebel Without a Cause.

But at The Jacket Maker

Since I usually wake up with dead, bloodshot eyes, sunglasses are an essential travel item even in cloudy cities like Edinburgh or Copenhagen. The magic of a sharp pair of shades is that, no matter how schlubby the rest of you looks, they instantly make you appear halfway put-together. 

My reverence for James Bond knows no bounds, so when Barton Perreira, a boutique sunglass designer from Los Angeles, released the 007 Scaramanga in honor of cinema’s favorite spy, I couldn’t resist the splurge. Named after the villain in The Man with the Golden Gun, the sunglasses include subtle homages to the Bond series like a golden gun decal on the arm and a bullet logo on the lens visible with a warm breath. They say the sun never sets on a badass, and by this logic, I rock my Barton Perreira’s no matter the hour.  

Buy at Barton Perriera