Top Travel Purchases and Travel Hacks For New Road Warriors

In almost every meeting I have, somebody notices that my business card has "Miami" listed as my address (that's the Redzone Production Systems HQ). Inevitably they ask me about it, and I laugh and say, "No, I don't live in Miami. I live in a Hampton Inn but own a home in Minnesota..."

That's a little ice breaker for ya. #boom

With Redzone Production Systems growing rapidly and consistently hiring dozens of new employees who work remotely and travel every week, I get asked occasionally what suggestions I have for outfitting new-to-travel folks with the right tools for success, living in a hotel and working in a lounge or Starbucks like so many of us do.

Top Travel Purchases

So here's an incomplete but helpful list of what I'd outfit myself with if I was starting a new traveling job. Hope you find it helpful. I'll provide exact examples of what I use every day when applicable for a frame of reference. Literally everything below is with me on over 130 flights and 90+ hotel stays a year.

1. Buy good wireless, noise-canceling headphones for music, podcasts, or audio books. Bose will run you about $300-$350 for consumer grade. Now hear me out, while I appreciate there are pros and cons for every over-the-head or in-ear versions out there, my preference is the Bose QuietControl 30 wireless earphones. Are they a bit clunky with the neck band? Sure, but I hide that under my collar and it's fine. They have terrific noise canceling, decent battery life, and I can use them to make a call in a pinch (although I have a suggested bluetooth for that later in the list below). I don't like over-the-head headphones because it messes up my hair (don't judge me) and they are too bulky to store along with everything else I need on the road. These make the airplane noise disappear and I sink into work mode, drowning out the world with my favorite tunes.

2. Get yourself a solid bluetooth for on-the-go conference calls, chats with customers, etc. Nothing worse than being the guy/gal with tons of background noise disrupting the call, or getting stuck trying to maneuver around with a phone in your hand when driving or walking through the airport when you could be handsfree. Now, I'm sure I'll get flack for this, because they are NOT attractive, but me and my team swear by the Plantronics Voyager 5200-UC. But frankly, the whole point is that they work, and work they most definitely do. Amazing battery life, clear audio even with significant background noise, and a battery-charging case make this bluetooth a no-brainer to me and something that'll pay for itself the very first time you're on a critical call with your customer that you might not have been able to take before having this gem in your arsenal.

3. Get a credit card that maximizes points and flexibility to use those points. I highly recommend the Chase Sapphire Reserve to take advantage of acquiring points as fast as possible, the Global Entry reimbursement, the airport lounge access, the travel insurance and reimbursement for lost baggage or delays, the upgrade to Executive Isle at National when you land and rent your car, and much more. Don't even waste your time with other cards until this is in your wallet. I take 2-3 vacations a year using the points I get on this card. Plus, the customer service that Chase provides is exemplary, which is helpful when you're on the road and lose the card and need a new one shipped overnight to wherever you are or will be. I have literally called, talked to a real person, and gotten a new card ordered to be shipped overnight to my house in less than one minute. ONE MINUTE.

4. Invest in a good carry-on. Yeah, everybody likes Tumi. They are quality. I've got a Briggs & Riley that I really love. The main concern I have is ensuring my dress clothes don't get too wrinkled, and the garment section does an admirable job. Generally, if I've got a couple dress shirts in there or a dress shirt and jacket I can just take them out after a long day traveling and hang them overnight and they are ready to go. Seriously, please don't skimp and go to Marshall's or something to find a discount bag. You'll thank me later. A good bag pays for itself, and many have lifetime warranties, just like the Briggs & Riley I carry every day.

5. Get TSA Pre and Clear when possible. You will radically decrease your time waiting in line at security. I’ve shown up during spring break travel when the lines for security are over a hundred yards long and with this pairing I’ve been through security in less than 5 min. No kidding. TSA Pre is reimbursed by many travel credit cards every 5 years when you need to renew, like with the aforementioned Chase Sapphire Reserve and others. It's also included with Global Entry, a convenient way to skip the international travel lines at many airports (something else included with a lot of cards). So definitely sign up for Global Entry and get TSA Pre included for free with that if international travel is on the calendar for you. Clear is not free but can be heavily discounted if you have status with some airlines, but even if you don't have status it's well worth the investment. If you happen to need to change your flight because of security lines being long it'll be $200 for a change fee in general, and Clear costs $179/yr at most, sometimes much less if you have status.

6. Get yourself a good travel-sized steamer and make getting your clothes unwrinkled and looking crisp quick and easy. I've personally found success with the iSteam Luxury Edition Steamer, and it has kept me from being late to meetings many times by speeding up my mornings and eliminating ironing (which can damage nice clothes anyway).

7. Invest in a portable charger and ensure your phone and tablet are always fully charged, even when there are no outlets available at the airport or airplane seat. Nothing causes a panic like a critical call coming in and you have just minutes or battery life remaining and you're frantically looking for a place to plug in. I use the Portable Charger Anker PowerCore 20100mAh - Ultra High Capacity Power Bank, and I have it in red, because #Redzone.

8. Save your demo and reputation with a portable pocket projector, like the APEMAN Projector Mini Portable Video DLP Pocket Projector. While you may never have to use it, the one time you do because your customer decided not to invest in a good TV display or projector of their own it'll be worth every penny.

Top Travel Hacks

Great, now that you've got all the gear, let me leave you with my top travel tips to maximize your effectiveness on the road and make your life as easy as possible.

1. Pack all the metal and items typically in your pocket in the front pocket of your carry-on or purse to rapidly go through security without having a thousand things to take out and throw in bowls or baskets. It’ll also ensure that the frequent fliers behind you aren’t ticked off! Business people in a rush find themselves getting antsy when you spend over 15 seconds emptying your pockets. Is it fair? Probably not. Is it real? Yes.
2. If you’re on an important call and you’ve invested in the good wireless headphones as suggested earlier in this post, slip them under your collar or in your pocket as you go through security and then pop them back in as soon as you’re through the other side to limit the amount of time you’re absent on the call. This travel hack alone has saved me many an embarrassing conference call gaff.
3. Whenever you have all your luggage (or if you don’t have any checked and are exiting the plane like a true traveling pro), hop on the Uber app and call for your Uber right away. Unless you’re in one of the largest airports like ATL, ORD, LAX, etc., you should walk out to the Uber right as it pulls up (they usually take 10+ minutes to receive your request and arrive). Even if you’re not quite there, most will just circle the airport and come right back a few minutes later.
4. Sweet-talk the front desk manager at the hotel. Explain that your life is hard and exhausting from whatever angle you want. "It's my 5th night away from my family", "My last hotel was terribly loud and I couldn't sleep," It's my birthday and I'm away from home on a work trip," or any number of other options exist. Ask politely and sweetly for a nice room upgrade. Many times you'll get what you're asking for (especially with your likely hotel status), and it could even be better than you expect. I once got the penthouse suite overlooking downtown Atlanta, with around 1000 sq. ft. of space and a private balcony (read: huge patio) with break-taking views. Just ask!
5. If you're a National Car Rental Emerald Club member and reach Executive status (as you would automatically have with a Chase Sapphire Reserve card) you'll notice that many times the fancier luxury upgrades make their way into the Executive Isle stock to fill in the gaps where needed. If you've got a few extra minutes and the vehicle options you want aren't there, just make a few phone calls or check some emails on your phone and wait. More often than not a good option or two, fresh from a car wash, will roll in. Just meet the driver and flag him/her down, and hop in. Easy.
6. Take your work notes on the GoodNotes app using an Apple Pencil on your iPad and have instant access to your notes as your phone and tablet sync over the internet, so regardless of accessibility of either device you're always able to retrieve your notes in moments.

Any other great travel hacks you use? I'd love to hear them and take advantage of the collective brainpower to make my life easier, just as I hope I may have given you an idea or two in this post. Leave a comment and let me know what I should try! Let's help each other out.

Happy travels, friends.