Once the plane tickets and hotel reservations are booked, it’s time to make sure your gear arsenal is up to the trip.
To help, we’re sharing some of our favorite places to find smart travel accessories and gadgets online. For all things luggage, for example, we always head to eBags, which seems to offer every type of bags and suitcase from brands we love. And speaking of brands, Tumi’s online store is also a favorite of ours, mainly because standard shipping is free and we can find every single item from their collections as opposed to only a curated selection in their physical stores.
There are a few more unconventional retailers where we always seem to find our new favorite travel essentials, too. Ahalife is a go-to for stylish packing accessories while the The Container Store is where we uncover the true organizational life-savers.
And of course, there’s always Amazon — which has everything from healthy snacks to take on a plane to cute sunglasses for your next beach getaway — and we highlight a way to weed through the immense amount of product available to find the true gems.
Here we rounded up the 9 best online stores to shop for all things travel.
L.L.Bean
L.L.Bean may be famous for its iconic duck boots, but the Maine-based brand has also become a go-to for any and all essentials you might need while exploring the Great Outdoors. From camping and hiking equipment to apparel made for adventurers, it’s the perfect one-stop-shop to stock up before your next trip into nature.
What We’re Shopping for: classic totes and toiletry bags
eBags
Colorado-based eBags has been around for almost 20 years and was acquired by Samsonite in 2017. The e-retailer specializes, as its name suggests, in all things travel bags and accessories — think: wallets, cosmetic bags, handbags, even diaper bags and specialized bags for golf and other sports activities. It has an in-house brand that makes quite popular suitcases and backpacks and carries hundreds of top travel brands like Briggs & Riley, Patagonia, and Eagle Creek, often at discounted prices. You can sign up for their emails to get 25 percent off your purchase and make sure to check out the Steals of the Week sale section for more great savings.
What We’re Shopping for: portable electronics and packing cubes
Tumi
Celebrities love Tumi and so do we. The company has been producing high-end luggage and accessories since 1975, and while its products are available in brick-and-mortar stores around the world, its website offers an incredible selection of its latest collections — as well as a great sale section where you can shop the brand’s signature suitcases and bags for a fraction of the original price.
What We’re Shopping for: lightweight luggage and backpacks
The Container Store
You may shop at The Container Store for bins and baskets whenever you run out of storage space in your closet, but the company also offers clever storage and organizations solutions for travelers. From toiletry bags to packing cubes to tech organizers, The Container Store has a ton of clever finds that will help to keep your belongings sorted and easy to find when you hit the road.
What We’re Shopping for: cord organizers and jewelry storage
Columbia Sportswear
Columbia has been keeping outdoor enthusiasts warm and dry for 80 years. The company produces everything from clothing and footwear for women, men, and kids to specialized gear for sports. We are fans for its made-to-last performance apparel, which is also sustainable in intention. After all, extending the life of a garment by making sure it’s produced with high-quality materials means consumers will buy fewer pieces in the future.
What We’re Shopping for: packable outerwear
Zappos
Zappos launched as — and continues to be — the premier online source for all things footwear. And while it’s still offering a wide variety of shoes, the site also has an excellent selection of luggage, handbags, travel accessories, and apparel from respected brands — all with free shipping and returns.
What We’re Shopping for: hiking shoes and RFID-blocking accessories
Ahalife
Ahalife curates finds from small businesses around the globe and has an extensive travel category that’s stocked with truly unique accessories and gear. You’ll discover new favorites that you can’t wait to tell people about, like a perfume that repels mosquitoes or an alarm clock that doubles as a Bluetooth speaker and reading light.
What We’re Shopping for: small leather goods and travel-ready beauty
Amazon
We’re sure Amazon doesn’t need an introduction, but the reason why we often shop there for travel accessories and gadgets is because you can find a large variety of items for any budget. Oh, and let’s not forget the feedback for each product in the reviews section makes for easy research. You can use the Best-sellers section, which is updated every hour and separated by category, to discover popular products that are making thousands of travelers’ trips easier and more comfortable.
What we’re shopping for: travel pillows and luggage scales
The Grommet
Looking to learn about new products that can make your travels smarter? The Grommetwill absolutely come through. The site tests innovative tech and accessories and then adds the most impressive innovations to its inventory. Expect solutions to your most annoying travel issues: blister-prevention spray, a light-blocking, weighted sleep mask and so much more.
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