[TECH AND FINANCIAL]
More than 45 million people will travel this coming Memorial Day, according to a report from AAA. Although I’m a full-time digital nomad who’s usually on an airplane, I log a lot of my miles by car when in the US to visit family and friends.
Last year, I took a cross-country road trip from Sarasota, Florida, to Waukesha, Wisconsin, then drove to Washington, DC, New York City and finally back to Florida. I drove over 3,000 miles to visit my children in Wisconsin, attend business conferences and catch up with friends and colleagues along the way.
I found that what you pack in your car can help make road trips smooth, efficient and enjoyable. Here are nine gadgets I took that helped me prepare for every scenario and enjoy the journey.
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Gear for your next road trip
Everyone knows spending long hours in the car gets messy, especially if you’re traveling with children. That makes a mobile cordless vacuum an absolute must for road trips. I purchased the Drecell Handheld Vacuum Cordless, and it has changed my life, especially since I transport grandkids and have a dog.
This under-$50 mobile vacuum has a brushless motor and LED light, is lightweight and cordless and has a USB-C port for power and a HEPA filter. It’s small enough to fit in a glove box but powerful enough to vacuum up dirt and keep your vehicle from turning into a dumpster on wheels.
America is a huge country with roads that vary dramatically in condition and upkeep. You’ll also encounter radically different weather, including certain types — like cold weather — that are rough on tires. You’ll want to be prepared, and a mobile tire inflator is a gadget you’ll use repeatedly. You can also use this device to inflate pool tools, sports balls and more.
I purchased the ROCGORLD R8 Portable Air Compressor. This under-$20 mobile tire inflator is light and small; it will fit in a middle car compartment or a trunk. The 150PSI tire inflator portable air compressor offers fast inflating and a digital gauge that fills your tire to exactly the right level. You can power the inflator by plugging it into a 9V car jack.
Just like tires, your battery could need a jump-start for a number of reasons. Modern vehicles offer roadside services, and you can purchase those services separately, but a mobile battery jump-starter is still a useful gadget for road trips.
The HPBS 2000A Jump Starter Battery Pack is a $60 mobile dual-use battery pack that you can use to restart your battery and recharge tech gadgets. The device is small but powerful, with 59.2 Amp hours. It also has a digital display so that you know how much power you have.
Most modern vehicles are equipped with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, but older models may not be. One tech gadget to consider for your road trips is a wireless device to connect your phone to your car’s display or audio system. The TERUNSOUl Wireless Carplay Adapter is great for Apple users: It lets you tether your phone to the drive to listen to audiobooks and music, take phone calls and fully use your phone’s screen.
