Stuff We Love
Travel gear we've used, tested and love. No affiliate links, no sponsored posts — just honest recommendations for cameras, bags and travel essentials that earn their place in your kit.
Fujifilm X100F
We've shot with the X100F extensively and keep coming back to it for one simple reason: it gets out of your way and lets you take pictures. If your budget doesn’t matter, by all means, get the newer version; but from where we’re sitting, the cost of the latest model is not worth the upgrade. Not while the X100F can still be had at nearly half the price. Don’t get sucked in by the megapixel hype. The X100F’s 24.3MP X-Trans III sensor delivers files with beautiful color, strong dynamic range and clean high-ISO performance that’s still impressive by today's standards. On the used market it routinely runs $300–400 less than the X100V. You give up a tilt screen, 4K video and weather sealing — none of which matter much if you're here for stills. For street, travel and everyday carry, this is our pick without hesitation.
Think Tank Photo TurnStyle Sling Camera Bag
We've put our sling through the kind of travel that reveals what gear is actually made of — and it hasn't missed a beat. It holds a body and a couple of primes comfortably, which is all you really should be carrying on most trips. Beyond the camera compartment there's enough room for the real essentials: your passport, a small notebook, a spare battery, an SD card case, a charging bank and the other bits that tend to accumulate in your pockets. It travels light but it travels complete. Wear it on your back when you're moving, then rotate it around the moment you need to grab something. In a crowd, it can stay in front of you where you can see it and feel it. If you're looking for one bag that handles a day of shooting and a day of travel with equal ease, this is it
Side by Side Power Packer Tech Bag
We'll be honest — this one sat in a drawer for two years. It was a gift and we were skeptical enough about tech organizer bags in general that we just never reached for it. Then we finally threw it in a bag for a trip and haven't traveled without it since. The Power Packer does exactly what it promises. Charging cables stay untangled and exactly where you expect them, adapters have their own compartment so they're not rattling around loose and the whole thing opens up flat so you can actually see everything at once instead of digging. It's the kind of organization you didn't know you needed until you have it and then can't imagine going without it. One thing worth knowing: it's substantial enough that it won't fit into our sling bag comfortably. We slide ours into a backpack where it fits perfectly and essentially becomes a dedicated tech pocket for the whole trip.
Baleaf Waterproof Windbreaker
Nobody thinks about a rain jacket until they need one — and by then it's too late. This is the one we keep packed at all times. This does everything the big name brands do at a fraction of the price. It's held up through real use without peeling, leaking or falling apart at the seams. Packs into its own pocket, fits in a sling or a backpack and weighs almost nothing. As photographers, we love a light rain. Wet streets reflect light beautifully, crowds thin out and the whole scene takes on a mood that's hard to replicate in good weather. You want to be out in that, not hiding from it. For a pull-out-when-you-need-it raincoat, it does the job completely.