Effective packing is an art that all traveling teenagers should master early on. With some thoughtful planning and a little parental supervision, young people will find their journeys – whether it’s with family, friends or alone – more comfortable if they focus on the essential items, eliminate clutter and refine their organizational skills.
Of course, packing can be a challenge for even long-time players, so establishing good habits early will help teens feel more confident and knowledgeable about travel. more calendar as they begin to spread their wings and travel independently.
Sure, the outfit (and luggage choice) will depend on the destination, the type of trip, the climate, and the mode of transportation. However, whether it’s the first school trip to Europe, a summer camping trip or a family beach vacation, there are certain products that will help relieve unnecessary stress and challenges. for young travelers.
Sign up for our daily newsletter
Here are 10 essential items to help equip your teen’s travel for the journey of discovery.
Cotopaxi Allpa Travel Package 42L
If you choose well, a backpack should streamline airport processes, have plenty of pockets to stay organized, be extremely durable, and stow easily on planes, buses, and trains. It should also be comfortable enough to carry through cities as well as to be worn for more rugged off-road adventures.
Cotopaxi’s 42-litre Allpa bag is the kind of backpack a teenager can use. It has all the key attributes needed for both city breaks and outdoor adventures: comfort, durability, and multiple mesh interior compartments that help cluttered young travelers organize and access items. their item fast.
The fun, colorful design stands out on luggage carousels or in hotel lobbies, and with four reinforced handles, it can be carried a multitude of ways if you don’t feel like tying it on your back. It also has a sturdy, padded laptop sleeve (ideal for teenagers, who are often better off flying with just one bag to take care of). The 42-litre capacity comfortably holds everything a teenager needs for a two-week trip.
Beats Solo3 Wireless Headphones
Teens tend to lose things, especially when they’re not in their element, so an expensive pair of headphones can be a gamble. For under $200, the Beats Solo3 headphones have top-notch quality, over 40 hours of battery life, and “fast fuel” recharge, providing three hours of playback in just five minutes. With their cool and colorful design, they are also a nice fashion accessory for teenagers. The ergonomic fit works well on smaller ends, and it folds neatly into a large bag or the included soft case, which has a carabiner that can be attached to hand luggage if space is tight.
Beats Solo3 doesn’t have active noise cancellation, but if that’s your priority, you can upgrade to Beats Studio3 version – to do so, you sacrifice 18 hours of battery life (this is key for kids and teens traveling) and pay about $150 more.
Global Entry
Airports can be a stressful experience for everyone, especially teenagers traveling alone, who are concerned they will miss their flight due to long queues at immigration and security. . If your child travels internationally at least once a year, Global Entry is a worthy investment. It provides all the benefits of Pre-check TSA – zip through airport security without having to worry about removing shoes, coats, laptops and liquids – plus quick entry into the US through automated kiosks on arrival to an international flight.
To enroll your child (or yourself) in Global Entry, you need to create a Trusted Traveler account, complete an online application, and submit a $100 membership fee that will provide membership for 5 days. year, if you are approved. If your application is approved conditionally, you will be able to schedule an interview at the Global Entry admissions center. Membership is valid for five years, and if your child’s passport expires during that time, their Global Entry status can easily be transferred to their renewed passport.
Many credit cards will refund your Global Entry registration fee; usually every four years.
These are TPG’s top picks with low annual fees card offers Global Entry registration credit:
Here are some of the best premium cards that offer this benefit:
Children of all ages can apply for Global Entry and only one parent is required to participate in an interview, which includes a background check, interview and fingerprinting. For a teenager, you can expect that interview to last under 10 minutes.
Related: 13 things you need to know about Global Entry
BAGSMART CABLE ORGANIZER
When preparing for a trip, teens will prioritize their gadgets and tech gadgets over anything else. Ideas about packing block may not excite (or suit) teens, but they will appreciate a system that helps keep their cables and electronics organized. A compact cable organizer bag avoids the simmering frustration of trying to combine seven cables with one piece of equipment in a tent, on an airplane, or when lagging in a new hotel room away from home.
The market is saturated with products to choose from at a decent price (around $20). The main appeal of the Compact Bagsmart Cable Organizer is that it is lightweight, durable, and has multiple pockets of different sizes to fit cables, plugs, chargers and hard drives.
Headlights Petzl Tikkina
Whether your teen is camping or staying at a luxury resort, a headlamp is a simple yet indispensable item. It prolongs outdoor exploration, it can act as a reading light, and it helps them navigate unfamiliar hotel rooms in the middle of the night when they can’t find the light switch.
It’s also a great safety net if there’s an unexpected power outage or they need to navigate poorly lit roads at night. Petzl Tikkina is an especially versatile option for teenagers. It has a simple on-off button, a 60 meter beam and a really comfortable headband (which is key for teenagers). Additional accessories are also available, such as a bicycle helmet mount and a rechargeable core battery, which further increase its versatility.
ThermoFlask
It’s weird, but teenagers can forget to drink water…until they really need it.
A reusable water bottle that stays hot and cold provides a much-needed hydration boost and is one of the small but meaningful ways teens can get involved in eliminating used plastic. used once. There are many options on the market, including price, weight, size and material. Of the many that we tested, the most durable and functional is the ThermoFlask. It comes in a variety of sizes and colors and it comes with two interchangeable caps and a handle. Made from stainless steel, its double-walled vacuum insulation keeps drinks cold for up to 24 hours and hot for about 12 hours.
4-in-1 multi-port charger
If you travel with teenagers, you know that scrambling for stores and arguing over which phone is more important is a battle you don’t need. This 4-in-1 multi-port charger consolidates all your charging needs into one durable and convenient cord, and lets you charge multiple devices (fast) at the same time.
There’s a Lightning port, USB-C, microphone, and a magnetic Apple Watch charging dock. It is universally compatible, so you can charge iOS, Android and Bluetooth devices at the same time. It’s significantly more durable than your average cell phone cable, and with a 4-foot cable range, it’s especially useful on road trips.
Carhartt Tourism Department
With a simple and durable design, the Carhartt cleaning kit is the perfect size for teens to store and organize their grooming essentials – especially when they’re traveling alone. me. Made from polyester, it’s affordable, waterproof, and designed to last through spills, bumps, and harsh conditions. It’s especially useful for camping trips, bed and sports camping, and a priority when packing light stuff.
It will easily fit four Transportation Security Administration-approved 3.4-ounce travel-size bottles, as well as combs, toothpaste, and toothbrushes. It’s compact enough for teenagers to carry, and the waterproof lining makes it easy to clean up any leaks.
Bose SoundLink Flex Bluetooth Speaker
Bluetooth speakers are great travel accessories for teens who love to stream music and audiobooks from their tablets, phones and laptops, wherever they roam – at the beach, the park camping or even in their hotel bathroom. For traveling teens, durability, portability and sound quality are key, and Bose’s latest SoundLink Flex Bluetooth speaker has it all.
It adjusts to have a spacious base, about 12 hours of battery life, and is dustproof and waterproof; It even floats in the water and continues to play. It has excellent connectivity and can be paired with a second device in “Group Mode”.
Apple AirTags
We wrote a lot at TPG about how Apple AirTags (a digital tracker) is a must-have travel accessory, especially in the case of lost luggage and airport mishaps. For teenagers, AirTags can provide peace of mind when traveling alone with valuable personal items or certain pieces of equipment that require checked baggage, such as snowboards or diving gear. sea.
In addition to tracking luggage, AirTags can be attached to anything they own – keys, wallets, headphones – and their device will track its location whenever it orbits a vehicle. nearby Apple device.
Additionally, if they lose an item and know it’s nearby (at home or in a hotel room), there’s a “Find Nearby Items” feature that will direct them to their AirTag. Teens and parents should take note safety concerns has arisen in recent months with AirTags.
Key point
Certain items can be a game changer for teens who are packing, carrying, and taking charge of their own baggage. Trips for the first time, whether close to home or abroad, can be challenging enough for adults who love to travel, especially amid the turmoil that travel has become the new normal in the world. this year.
These tested travel products can help teens become much more efficient packers and enjoy a more positive airport experience. They can also give them much-needed organizational tools that free them up so they can focus on the fun of traveling.
For Amex Platinum Card rates and fees, click here.
For Amex Business Platinum Card prices and fees, click here.
