11 Must-Have Gadgets for The Savvy Digital Nomad
So you’re prepping to become a full-fledged digital nomad — or perhaps you already are one. Either way, the first thing you’re likely to do is take inventory of your tools as you get ready to go remote. You have limited space and your trips are likely going to be long, so everything you take with you has to have a purpose. Digital nomads need a camera, laptops, and smartphones, but there are other must-have items that you don’t even know you need until you find yourself in a bind 1,000’s of miles from your homeland. Because there’s nothing ordinary about the digital lifestyle, remote travellers have to be extraordinarily prepared for anything.
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1) External Hard Drive
For videographers, especially, an external hard drive is a must. However, an external is necessary for all digital nomads looking to store files in a safe way. Keep that space free on your phone or camera and give yourself the peace of mind.
2) Plug Adapter
Having the best electronics for your work is obviously a big deal, but if you can’t charge them they literally become useless. That’s why having a plug adapter is essential for digital nomads and remote travellers. Get a small universal adapter that will convert your plugs for many different outlets around the globe. While it’s good to be unplugged here and there, it’s even better getting to choose when you get to be. As an added bonus, like the external hard drive, the plug adapter won’t take up much room in your bag.
3) Portable Wifi Router
Wifi is just as important nowadays as roads and the other infrastructure we view as necessary to modern life. And yet, wifi can be scarce in different parts of the world — a lesson I learned particularly in Lebanon, where lack of wifi and power outages are frequent. A savvy digital nomad must have a portable wifi router. These small devices are easy to carry around and allow you to truly work remote by creating your own personal wifi signal. Charge it, pop in a local sim card, and connect to your signal as if it were any normal wifi hotspot. Alternately, make sure your mobile phone is unlocked before leaving the place you’re staying at. You could get a local SIM card and turn on the hot spot as needed.
4) Power Bank
A rechargable power bank is a godsend for remote travellers. If you can’t find a regular outlet nearby, you’ll still be able to give your laptop the charge it desperately needs. Since power banks can be on the pricy side, check with your airline to figure out which ones are acceptable. Most airlines only permit a maximum of MAHs.
5) Extension Cord and Surge-protected Power Strip
An extension cord may seem like a puzzling item for this list, but I include this one based on firsthand experiences. Whether I was in a cafe in Paris where my cord wouldn’t reach the outlet or in an AirBnB where the setup wasn’t conducive to work, I’ve had countless moments when I regretted not having an extension cord — so I finally got one.
As a writer, especially, I don’t like worrying about my computer being charged while I’m in the flow, so this has been a game-changer for me. No more scrambling to a new location for a charge.
6) Anti-glare Filter
When you ditch your office job, you’re still going to need to be behind a screen in some capacity. An anti-glare filter will help reduce eyestrain and double as a privacy screen, which you’ll want if you’re working in a public space. As a remote traveller, you understand well why you need to stave away prying eyes.
7) Portable Document and Photo Scanner
This is another one of those items that you don’t realize you need until you need it. If you run your own business or just deal with contracts ever — which you probably do — you’re going to want something compact and wireless. The Epson Workforce Portable Sheet-scanner allows you to organize, scan, share, and translate content with ease.
8) Mirrorless Camera
Digital nomads find their share of great photo opportunities and when you do, you’re going to want to have a camera with you. But you may not want to haul a Digital SLR. The Samsung NX3000 Wireless Mirrorless Digital Camera is a fantastic alternative. It produces high-quality images and its light and compact with interchangeable lenses.
9) Anti-theft Backpack
Getting an anti-theft backpack is a wise investment for savvy digital nomads. For one thing, it’s a way to store your belongings, but most importantly, it’s a way to keep your items protected from the covetous. The Pacsafe Metrosafe backpack is equipped with six anti-theft features that guarantee nobody lays a finger on your valuables. The eXomesh material its made of is slash-proof, so thieves can’t slash it open or break in. Additionally, it has an anchor lock, which allows you to lock multiple compartments together to make it more difficult for people to open it up or detach the Pacsafe from a bedpost or a table leg. Perhaps the most exciting feature of the anti-theft backpack is the RFID safe fabric, which prevents would-be-thieves from using card readers when they are near your credit cards or passports.
10) Camera Lens Kit
A picture says a thousand words, so make them count. Professional photographers understand that the lenses are the surest way to do this. Yes, the lenses matter as much if not more than the camera body. Get one with a wide angle, a fish eye, and the other image-making essentials.
11) Water Purification
Water scarcity is a serious problem. Even in countries that you wouldn’t necessarily think struggle from it, it exists. During my time in Lebanon, I learned that the only potable water you’re going to have available to you consistently is bottled. What’s worse is that in some places, water simply isn’t available at all. That’s a hard concept to imagine coming from a first world or developed country, but it’s the reality.
Check out the Steripen USB, which can sterilize up to 800 liters of water. For the purest water, I’d recommend Kangen, but it does get pricey.
