Five Fishing Travel Gadgets I Didn’t Know I Needed
I like trinkets but I also like them to be useful, particularly when it comes to travel. Every square inch of packing space matters, and I also want to protect all of my gear. Over time, I’ve learned about some inexpensive items that fit that description – like the five below -- and now they go on virtually every trip.
Kemimoto UTV Roller Bar Drink Cup Holder
Like many of you, I often carry a water bottle with me when I travel, as I want to stay hydrated and paying for water in the airport or elsewhere is highway robbery.
When getting in line to board the plane, hands full, phone or boarding pass or both in hand, purse, backpack, suitcase, where do you put your water bottle?
The Kemimoto UTV Roller Bar Drink Cup Holder is the perfect solution. It holds most 12 to 32 oz bottles and has a cord lock so you don't have to worry that the bottle will fall out when you tip your suitcase back to roll it. It's washable, has a drain hole and stores flat. It's not only good for your suitcase but also for your golf cart, bike, scooter, wheelchair, stroller or walker.
It has two pockets on the front for smaller items such as keys, change or your cell phone. The Velcro straps ensure you can secure it to anything. Cup holders, in general, are never in a convenient spot so this solves that problem, too.
Universal In-Flight Phone Mount
When I fly, I find that I am moving my phone every time someone needs to get up to use the bathroom or when we are served a drink. Just when you finally get it balanced, turbulence arises or the person in front of you moves their seat and it falls again. My Perilogics hands-free phone holder solves that problem by clamping to the back of my tray table.
The clamp opens 1 ½ inches wide. Not only can you use it in flight, but you can also use it on your kitchen island to read recipes or vlog your latest concoction. I can also clamp it to the handle of my roller carry-on during layovers, which allows me to continue binge-watching shows without interruption.
I find that I use it outside of travel too. I clamp it to my desk so my phone is at eye level. I clamp it to my night table so I can watch videos in bed because I certainly don't want to disturb Pete while he is getting his beauty sleep. I also fold it into a kickstand on the table so I can read or browse for more items like this on Amazon. Recently I used it as my phone mount in my car and it worked like a charm.
I haven't used it during a workout yet, but I’m pretty sure doing an outside workout is on my list of places to test it out. I'll clamp it to a chair or table and at that point I won't have many excuses not to exercise. That’ll help me keep fit in order to reel in those huge fish.
One nice feature is that it twists and turns into different configurations once attached. My body doesn’t work like it used to, so by looking forward instead of down I’ll protect my neck. At just under $13 this is a must have.
Makeup Brush Holder
I don’t care if you call me vain -- I wear makeup most of the time, even when I fish. That way I look better in all of those trophy grip-and-grins. Getting it all to a distant location in one piece can be tough, but I found a great travel makeup brush holder that I use for all of my travel cosmetics. It's portable, lightweight, waterproof and the sides fold down for easy access. It helps me keep organized.
It stands up on its own, has nine elastic bands slots to hold all my makeup brushes, eyeliners, nail files, tweezers, blush and eyeshadow. Once zipped, everything stays in place and it's compact enough to put in my purse or carry-on bag. If you think about it creatively, you can also use it for something else, such as a standing pen holder or craft tool holder. It’s water resistant and easy to clean, no problem.
Yisau Nikon D3500 Camera Housing
The Yisau Nikon D3500 Camera Housing may have been my smartest purchase of 2020. It's silicone rubber case protects my camera from scratching, scraping and abrasions. After all, what good is a camera if you drop it and destroy it?
With the housing in place I can still use all of the camera’s functions: the buttons, memory card, battery doors, strap hooks, and the lens. It fits snug. My only complaint is that the piece that covers the flash tends to come loose and flaps around, but that’s not a deal breaker. With the housing on, the camera is safer and will last longer, which provides peace of mind for the bumps and bruises it may gather on any bumpy boat ride.
I chose the color red. It makes my camera unique and less likely to get lost. People ask about it all the time. For a mere $17.88, it’s cheap insurance against camera damage or destruction.
[NOTE: this link is specific to my model camera ONLY – make sure you add your camera model when ordering]
Lewis N. Clark AM/PM Folding Pill Organizer
The Lewis N. Clark AM/PM 16 Slot Folding Pill Organizer has a pretty clever name, one that’s perfect for your future off-the-grid explorations.
We get up really early when fishing, tend to stay out late and come home exhausted. If my pills aren't easily accessible and organized, there’s a pretty good chance I will forget to take them. This gizmo solves that problem by reminding me exactly what I need to take each day. Each organizer is clear, numbered and has a slide lock for easy access. The pouch has a Velcro fastener so it won't pop open. It's lightweight and very portable, fits in my purse, carry-on or suitcase.
I like that it has enough slots for a trip that lasts longer than a week and that each slot is big enough to hold an entire day's worth of vitamins and prescription pills.
We’ve reviewed plenty of fishing equipment and clothing in this space, and that’s a lot of fun, but sometimes it’s these inexpensive gadgets, trinkets and devices that make your trip a success. They may not be sexy, but they provide a lot of bang for the buck by making our travel simpler and more efficient.
