Travel Hacks/Tips

[Flying Fox]

I thought that given the collective wisdom on this forum, we must all have some amazing travel hacks that we would like to share in order to make everyone's life easier.

Therefore, I thought that I would start this thread so that everyone can share and learn from the amazing experience on this forum.

My starting contribution is about power point usage overseas & powering/recharging devices -

1. When traveling overseas I pack one universal power adapter and a 6 gang power board for charging all my Australian powered devices. This saves me from packing lots of power adapters for all my devices.

2. I have collected a fair few devices that are USB rechargable from power points (ie. iPhone/iPads etc). In order to minimise the chargers that I pack, I purchased a single charger that allows 4x USB charging cables. Image below for reference and you can get them from ebay for very little.

I'm sure that others will have much better travel hacks than me!

 

[TonyHancock]

Check the output rating on the multi USB chargers before buying. The Korjo ones and similar are not great and won't actually charge multiple devices, particularly if you have a couple of iPads. (I have learnt this from experience and gone through two of them - I am now on the Anker 5 port 8A 40W charger which really does charge multiple devices.)

....and I am still yet to get over my power board being taken off me at DXB security because it was deemed a dangerous weapon - all to do with cable length apparently. I now have a "cut down" version.

 

[Cynicor]

Check the output rating on the multi USB chargers before buying. The Korjo ones and similar are not great and won't actually charge multiple devices, particularly if you have a couple of iPads. (I have learnt this from experience and gone through two of them - I am now on the Anker 5 port 8A 40W charger which really does charge multiple devices.)

....and I am still yet to get over my power board being taken off me at DXB security because it was deemed a dangerous weapon - all to do with cable length apparently. I now have a "cut down" version.

Great minds. First thing I thought of when I saw that picture is "better be 5A or higher!"

I just use a laptop to charge multiple items but each to their own

 

[SeatBackForward]

Yep a single power adapter for the laptop for me too, luckily the power adapter has a USB charge port on it, and the laptop has an always on USB port too, so usb devices can charge anytime even if laptop is not being used.

My USB devices are mobile phone, tablet, Bluetooth mouse, and noise cancelling headphones.

 

[Pushka]

This - for all my USB charged devices:

Its really small. No good for laptops though.

 

[Dr Bob]

This - for all my USB charged devices:
View attachment 55136
Its really small. No good for laptops though.

Need to get one of those

 

[eric2011]

I bought a solar power charger. Has 2 USB ports 1x1A and 1x5A does the phone, Ipad, my wifi unit and even my car GPS. Can be charged by solar or 240volt

 

[Denali]

Ive been using a multi USB charger for a while and now Im using 3mtr USB cables (thank you gamers!)

Got A 5mtr one as well but rarely use it but sometimes I get a hotel without points on both sides of the bed so it comes in handy.

 

[Pushka]

Travel Hacks

Ive been using a multi USB charger for a while and now Im using 3mtr USB cables (thank you gamers!)

Got A 5mtr one as well but rarely use it but sometimes I get a hotel without points on both sides of the bed so it comes in handy.

Being able to charge phone and still have it close to the bed is excellent but so few hotels seem to have outlets next to the bed. And even unplugging the lamp doesn't always work as sometimes they are low amp plugs.

We like to stream radio from the phones where there is free wifi and usually need to charge at the same time.

 

[shadrach]

This - for all my USB charged devices:
View attachment 55136
Its really small. No good for laptops though.

Great Idea!

Where can we get these?

 

[Pushka]

I bought mine through Amazon but a good electrical/travel gadget place should have them.

 

[Radio8tiv]

I find I never really need to charge everything at once, so I only bring an old school Apple charger (the pull apart type) and use a figure eight cable in conjunction with it for the country to where I'm heading, which gives me plenty of length. These chargers are fully switched from 110-240v and 50-60hz. I charge my iPhone, iPad, iPod, Sony video camera of it, and have a travel charger which also uses the same figure eight cable to charge the dslr, this time around I also brought one of those portable chargers (not sure what they are called) that you charge via usb and then can use anywhere, but I havnt had the need for it yet.

 

[LadyC]

Anyone used the Kogan version of this? Is it as good? Or other brands?

 

[SeatBackForward]

Anyone used the Kogan version of this? Is it as good? Or other brands?

I'm guessing they all come fro. Similar sources in China, just with differing branding, take the cheapest you can get, it's an equal gamble IMO.

 

[TonyHancock]

Anyone used the Kogan version of this? Is it as good? Or other brands?

I bought one of these from Officeworks and use it at home and it works just fine for me. It would also be good for travel if you have multiple devices.

 

[shadrach]

I bought mine through Amazon but a good electrical/travel gadget place should have them.

Thanks Pushka

 

[Mattg]

Another "hack" I've heard of is to plug the cable/s into the USB port on the hotel TV.

 

[Denali]

Anyone used the Kogan version of this? Is it as good? Or other brands?

Ive bought a couple, use them in the office and found them quick charging.

 

[SeatBackForward]

My hotel room hack is to use my phone as a clock radio while it's charging overnight. Install an app similar to "desk clock" that displays time in large characters but against a black screen.

I find that clock radios in hotel rooms are never convenient to look at when you're actually in the bed...

 

[amaroo]

I bought one of these from Officeworks and use it at home and it works just fine for me. It would also be good for travel if you have multiple devices.

Perfect! With four phones + other devices it's a PITA...