Apart from all the culture and adventure and food, men’s travel accessories are definitely the best part of travel. Packing for the plane the night before, you’re going to need certain things: a good men’s travel bag, a men’s toiletry bag, a leather travel wallet and travel shoes (yep, they’re a thing). In this article, we’re going to run through the most common men’s travel accessories, and how they can make your trip run smoother.

You don’t need all of these to travel, of course, but if you find yourself constantly losing your passport (always awkward on an overnight train between Hungary and Croatia – we speak from experience) or cramming all your gear into a bag that’s too small, this one’s for you. Bon voyage!

Hugo TD Moro Duffle Bag

Guys need a regular wallet, but they also need a dedicated men’s travel wallet. This is arguably the most important men’s travel accessory. There’s no way your classic bi-fold is going to hold all your flight documents, receipts, passport, luggage keys and old Euro coins you’ll never, ever spend. It’s worth investing in a good quality leather passport wallet here, because they’ll actually get better with age. Every trip, every adventure, every airport stopover – they’ll all add character, patina and warmth. It’s also nice to bust out some soft Brazilian leather at the airport check-in terminal. And if your wallet is starting to show its age (in a bad way) you can always bring it back with some gentle leather polish, just like a pair of shoes.

A men’s toiletry bag (also known as a wash bag) is an essential bit of travel kit. It should be made from sturdy, water resistant canvas, and it should be big enough to hold your razor, aftershave, travel deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste and anything else you need to stay fresh abroad. Throwing all these things into your backpack, loose, is a recipe for minty disaster. Just a tip: don’t bring your wash bag in your carry-on luggage. Most airlines won’t take kindly to razors and mysterious liquids. Always stash it in your check-in bag. A leather toiletry bag is also a useful travel accessory for weekend trips and overnighters, so you’ll get plenty of use out of it. Just stash it under the bathroom sink between adventures.

Most guys just shove their shoes into their check-in luggage without too much thought. And that’s fine most of the time. But if you’re travelling to a wedding, and you’re packing your $500 hand-made Italian leather lace-ups, you don’t want to risk them getting squashed or scuffed in transit. Same goes for muddy hiking boots. That’s why a dedicated shoe bag is a good idea (honestly, we’re recommend a shoe box for really expensive dress shoes, but that’s not always practical). Shoe bags are an often-overlooked men’s travel accessory, but they can make the difference between showing up in shiny, uncreased loafers and something that looks like it’s been sat on for 48 hours.

Most people think suitcases and vertebrae-crushing backpacks when it comes to men’s travel bags, but they’re only necessary for month-long jaunts across South America. For shorter trips, you probably only need a leather overnight bag, a canvas duffle, or a tumbled leather travel bag. Heck, if it’s a business day trip interstate, you can usually get away with a simple briefcase. Have a think about the minimum amount of stuff you need to pack, and the general conditions where you’re going, and pick the smallest, lightest bag for that purpose. Travel bags for men are all about planning ahead: you need to balance form and function as much as possible.

Cruiser Navy Briefcase

Are there such a thing as travel shoes? Well, not really. But if we’re talking shoes that will stay comfy on a 24-hour long-haul flight with multiple stopovers and 17 time zones, then yeah, you need to wear ‘travel shoes’. For comfy travel, we personally love driving shoes, boat shoes, or any kind of moccasin. They’re lightweight, gentle on your feet, and you can easily kick them off on the plane when no-one’s looking. What you really want to avoid are heavy, lace-up boots, or anything too constricting. Some comfy sneakers are also an excellent choice. Most ‘travel shoes’ don’t really need a shoe bag (see above), especially as you’ll be wearing them in transit. But if you’re packing anything leather and high quality, it’s best to protect them as much as possible.

Men’s weekend bags are an article in themselves. If you’re doing an overnight stay, a canvas weekender or leather duffle is a good bet. But if it’s just a day trip, consider a leather travel backpack. Leather travel backpacks combine the practicality of a backpack with the luxury feel of quality leather, and they’ll match well with pretty much any outfit. We wouldn’t recommend stuffing a whole weekend’s worth of clothes in there (too much bulk can disfigure the leather and put strain on the zips), but for a jumper, tablet, camera and charging gear, these are perfect. They’re also the best choice if you’re going to be walking around all day. No-one wants to lug a big duffle halfway across the city. Text