Do You Need a Technical Dopp Kit
Your traditional dopp kit ( or toiletry bag ) will be a useful travel companion. This is where you attach items such as a toothbrush, comb, deodorant, or other care items you need to avoid looking sloppy.
You will also need a technical kit for your electronic devices. The tech dopp kit contains all the keys, cables and adapters you will inevitably need on the road. This makes travel easier as you don’t have to worry about losing anything when packing and unpacking in your hotel room or at the airport security line. Everything is included.
What to add to your tech kit
Before adding anything to your tech kit, you should evaluate the devices you have and what you might need them for. If you don’t plan on giving any presentations while on vacation, feel free to leave your Mini DisplayPort-to-HDMI adapter at home. If you travel with both your iPhone and iPad, you can include a pair of Lightning cables that are compatible with the battery and power adapter.
Use a toiletry bag
Your technical dopp kit does not need to be filled with built-in cable organizers, multiple pouches or elastic bands. A regular cosmetic bag will do. You should opt for a waterproof toiletry bag, just in case you are like me and tend to spill water on every electronic device in your backpack.
Long (and short) USB cables
Your tech kit should be where you put your USB cables. However, instead of carrying this nifty three-foot cable, grab some longer six-foot cables. When traveling, you will inevitably be plugging into outlets that are not in the most convenient places. The extra few feet will really come in handy when the nearest outlet is halfway across the room. You should also include some very short USB cables to connect devices to something like a laptop. You can find cables up to six inches long.
Don’t forget the Velcro ties
Do you need to organize your cables when you insert them into a kit? Attach and cut to the desired size ties Velcro, which can be used to organize cable clutter and not to disturb them.
USB-C (and USB-A) adapters
The inclusion of USB-C and USB-A adapters in your tech kit means that new hardware won’t stop you from charging it or connecting to it using USB-A cables. They’re tiny, cheap ( Anker sells two packs for about seven dollars), and will extend the life of the cables you already have since you don’t have to replace them. Some models plug directly into your device and look like a flash drive with a USB port. Others look like really short charging cables , giving you a little more flexibility in cable or device placement.
If you decide to purchase small wireless adapters, you should put them in another bag, such as a coin purse. No one likes to rummage around for items the size of pocket change.
Accumulator battery
Of course, you should include a battery in your tech kit (especially if you don’t have one of those fancy battery packs). Which battery you include in your kit depends on what you charge. Some include built-in Lightning or Micro-USB cables so you don’t have to think about where you put the cable when you need to charge your phone. You can also get rechargeable battery packs with USB-C if you have more modern technology.
Bluetooth tracker
You probably won’t want to lose your bag with the key and cables you need to stay connected and online. If there is room left in your bag, add a device such as a tile tracker to keep track of your bag. The company’s newest trackers, Tile Pro, use Bluetooth LE to connect to your phone up to 200 feet away. Lost your kit? Report your tile as lost and other tile users in that area will automatically find and notify you of the location of your set.
2-port power adapter
It is recommended to use a dual-port power adapter so that you can charge without choosing which device deserves a little power. Just charge both your main device (such as a smartphone) and your portable battery. Everybody wins.