Tiny Travel Accessories for Packing Light
If you’re a one-bag traveler then you know the importance of packing light. Even if you’re not a one-bag traveler, but have experienced lugging your 50-pound suitcase from the airport to your Airbnb (cursing your past-self with every step) then you likely understand why you want to pack as light as possible.
One great way to lighten the load? Choose the smallest available travel accessories. Not only will you end up cutting weight, but you’ll save space to boot. And, let’s be real, tiny things are super cute.
Now, you don't need to go out and buy every single item on this list—that would defeat the purpose, after all. Instead, see if you can swap any of your existing gear with a smaller version. You may be amazed at what we've been able to downsize—from that bulky laptop charger to beach towels, sunglasses, and more.
So, without further ado, let’s take a look at some tiny travel accessories.
Gear List
- Nite Ize QuikStand Mobile Device Stand
- TOM BIHN Cordura or Parapack Organizer Pouch
- RAVPower 61W PD 3.0 GaN Wall Charger
- Air Deck Playing Cards
- ROAV Eyewear Franklin Sunglasses
- Rumpl Original Beer Blanket
- Nite Ize S-Biner Microlock
- Matador Mini Pocket Blanket
- Muji S-Shape Travel Hook
- Heroclip Hybrid Carabiner Clip
- Sea to Summit Lite Line Clothesline
- Gerber Gear Shard
- TOM BIHN Nik’s Minimalist Wallet
- The James Brand Stilwell Collapsible Pen
- Trevel Micro Universal Travel Adapter
- Victorinox Swiss Army Nail Clippers
- Nite Ize ZipLit LED Zipper Pull
- Snow Peak Wabuki Chopsticks
- Final Co. FinalStraw 2.0
- Matador NanoDry Towel
- Quechua Ultra-Compact Packable Backpack
- Vapur Eclipse Water Bottle
- Gear Infusion Pry.Me Bottle Opener + Keyring
1. Nite Ize QuikStand Mobile Device Stand
A way to watch full-length movies on your smartphone or tablet without testing your arm strength or straining your neck. Best of all, this thing packs down to the size of a credit card—so stick it in your wallet and forget about it until your next 12-hour train ride or international flight.
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2. TOM BIHN Cordura or Parapack Organizer Pouch
Tom Bihn—a company regarded for its emphasis on organization—has a collection of accessory pouches, most of which are available in nano, micro, or mini sizes. And, yes, they’re as tiny as you’d expect. They’re a great place to hold all of the little things you travel with—earplugs, multi-tools, and a lot of the trinkets you’ll find on this list.
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3. RAVPower 61W PD 3.0 GaN Wall Charger
MacBook chargers are notoriously bulky, unruly, and hard to travel with. This charger from RAVPower is less than half of the size of an Apple MacBook Pro power adapter and significantly lighter too. It may get warm during long sessions, but it has enough juice to keep up.
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4. Air Deck Playing Cards
There’s a lot you can do with a deck of playing cards—pass the time on a long flight, make friends at a hostel, learn magic. These cards are tiny and lightweight, making them easy to pack. They’re also waterproof and tear-resistant, making them durable enough to keep up with all of your wild adventures.
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5. ROAV Eyewear Franklin Sunglasses
Able to fit in all but the tiniest of pockets, ROAV sunglasses are one of the smallest pair of folding sunglasses we’ve come across. Plus, they’re polarized and available in a huge variety of styles for every face shape and personality.
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6. Rumpl Original Beer Blanket
Do you need an insulated koozie for your beer? No. But is it nice to have? Absolutely. This beer blanket will keep your cold one, well, cold. And it’s so tiny and lightweight that you’ll hardly notice it in your pack.
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7. Nite Ize S-Biner Microlock
These teeny tiny stainless steel carabiners are surprisingly versatile. With a nifty locking mechanism, these are great for keys, securing zippers, or carrying (small) things externally on your pack.
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8. Matador Mini Pocket Blanket
When you see how tiny this blanket gets, your mind will be blown. It fits in the palm of your hand when compressed, yet expands large enough for two people to sit on. Keep in mind, it’s not designed to keep you warm, but as a place to sit on at the park, beach, concert, etc.
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9. Muji S-Shape Travel Hook
This plastic S-shaped hook isn’t the most durable one out there, but it’s a great way to secure stuff to the exterior of your pack or hang things off of questionable floors without adding much weight to your load. And it closes into an O-shape to easily slide into the nooks and crannies of your stuffed bag.
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10. Heroclip Hybrid Carabiner Clip
A Heroclip is essentially a carabiner on steroids. Not only does it succeed at all things carabiner, but it acts as a hook to keep your stuff off of disgusting floors. And this mini one is nearly as effective as its larger siblings, holding up to 40 pounds.
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11. Sea to Summit Lite Line Clothesline
This clothesline will take up almost no space in your pack, yet can be a game-changer when traveling. Use it on your Airbnb patio or string it between two trees in the woods to dry freshly-laundered clothes or those that just need to be aired out. No clothespins required.
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12. Gerber Gear Shard
A 7-in-1 multi-tool that’s nearly as handy as it is inconspicuous. Stick it on your keychain or throw it in your pocket for those moments when you need to open a bottle, pry some chewing gum off of an armrest, or fix a wobbly chair.
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13. TOM BIHN Nik’s Minimalist Wallet
This minimalist wallet holds between 6-10 cards and, as long as you fold it, cash of all sizes—including the wider currencies of Japan or England. But it’s tiny and lightweight. So much so, it’s almost a liability. (You may spend ten minutes looking for it only to remember you’ve stashed it in your back pocket.)
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14. The James Brand Stilwell Collapsible Pen
This collapsible pen expands into a full-sized pen that’s actually comfortable to write with. It’s even impressed the pen snobs on our Pack Hacker team (a difficult feat). Use it for customs documents, napkin doodles, and love letters alike.
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15. Trevel Micro Universal Travel Adapter
A travel adapter is one of those items that’s a must-have for most, if not all, world travelers. This one from Trevel is compatible in over 150 countries and compact enough to fit in a pocket. A great way to cut down on bulk in your pack.
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16. Victorinox Swiss Army Nail Clippers
Yeah, we know most nail clippers are already compact, but these ones from Victorinox take it to the next level. Their sleek shape also ensures they won’t cut up anything in your toiletry kit. And they’re affordable to boot.
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17. Nite Ize ZipLit LED Zipper Pull
A tiny light that can hook on to the zipper of your jacket, backpack, or wherever to ensure visibility while exploring the world after the sun has gone down. Which, let’s be real, is one of the best times for exploring.
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18. Snow Peak Wabuki Chopsticks
Carrying reusable chopsticks with you on the road is not only an eco-groovy choice, but a convenient one—helpful for eating noodles, ramen, sushi, or basically anything once you get the hang of them. These chopsticks from Snow Peak unscrew in the middle and come with a small carrying case for easy packability without sacrificing durability.
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19. Final Co. FinalStraw 2.0
The FinalStraw 2.0 is one of the most—if not the most—packable reusable straws on the market. The straw, which expands into the size of your average straw, folds into quarters and fits in a tiny carrying case that you can stick on your keychain or in your pocket. And, impossibly, the expandable cleaning brush also fits into its minuscule carrying case.
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20. Matador NanoDry Towel
You can pick up the Matador NanoDry Towel in two sizes—the smaller Trek and larger Shower—both of which are ultralight, quick-drying, and super-absorbent. Even with the silicone case, they’re some of the tiniest towels we tested, making them super packable and some of our favorites on the market.
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21. Quechua Ultra-Compact Packable Backpack
This backpack packs down to roughly the size of a tennis ball. Yes, you read that correctly—a tennis ball. Throw it in your pack and forget about it until you need it. We should also mention it’s extremely budget-friendly. Pick it up for less than the cost of a fancy-ish cup of coffee.
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22. Vapur Eclipse Water Bottle
Best for: Full-time Travelers
If you’re the type of person who expects the ice in your water to stay frozen for hours at a time, you won’t like this collapsible water bottle. But if you’re okay with a lack of insulation then you’ll love how small this 1L water bottle rolls up—making it easy to throw inside or attach to the exterior of your pack.
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23. Gear Infusion Pry.Me Bottle Opener + Keyring
We like to think of this bottle opener as an ant. Tiny, yet strong. It’s as small as a penny, but holds its own against most every bottle you throw at it. It comes with a key ring, which you can use or toss aside (although you will need some type of key ring or clip for leverage).
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Pack It Up
All of the gear you travel with can get heavy, bulky, and uncomfortable—especially when city-hopping across Europe with your life on your back. These are some of our favorite tiny travel accessories to help you save weight and space in your pack. You know what they say: “To save pounds, cut ounces.” Happy traveling!
Can’t get enough of tiny travel accessories? Find more in this video!
