Over rated travel products

Quick dry towels

My gym has a no-towel, no-train policy, and I was lucky enough to find a quick-dry towel in the lost and found. Normally, I don't use them, but given that it took up zero space in my luggage, I stuck it in my bag and thought it would be useful to have.

Holy fucking shit, no. It's perfect for cleaning down gym equipment or wiping the sweat off your face, but that's it. This thing doesn't even remotely get you dr,y and if I didn't use it at the gym, I would have set it on fire weeks ago. If you haven't bought the right towel with you a lot of hostels will allow you to borrow a towel for a small fee, and some will give you one along with your bed sheets. And if all else fails, pop to the local store to pick one up. Anything to actually get yourself dry and prevent you from having to attempt to pull your clothes on with soaking wet skin. 

Conditioner bars 

I'm all for saving space in my luggage, and given that a lot of airpots still abide by the fitting-all-liquids-in-one-bag rule, I picked up a reusable conditioner bar to give myself more room for liquids. Probably one of the worst packing decisions I've made. 

Think of how your hair feels when you don't rinse the conditioner out of your hair properly, and then double it for grossness. Your hair will be vaguely passable for the first day, but the second will leave you feeling like you've washed your hair in a deep fat fryer. I  don't like to wash my hair every day, so I've been doing my best to rely on dry shampoo, but if it's not your thing, just decant your conditioner into a TSA-friendly bottle and be done with it. 

Hairdryer

It can seem obvious to bring electronics such as hair dryers or straighteners away with you, especially if you're the kind of person that doesn't like to let your hair air dry. While straighteners can be useful if you like to style your hair, hairdryers are often a waste of space. They may not be great quality but the front desk will usually have one you can borrow or they can often be found in the showers. Not only does it save space, but it's one less thing you have to worry about attaching to an adapter plug if you're travelling over seas. 

Multiple pairs of shoes 

Admittedly I'm struggling with this one at the moment because I lost my trainers and left a pair of sneakers that I'd left with my friend Katie at hers because they were kinda ugly and only have heels and flippy floppys, but for the most part I've got this travel footwear thing down. 

On my first trip I took so many options with me that I ended up leaving behind a pair of boots that I really liked because they made my bag to heavy. On another trip I ended up paying to dry my shoes in a laundrette because I only had one pair. You need to find a medium. Like heels? Take a pair but only one. Going to be walking a lot? Take some decent shoes but  make sure you have a spare incase they get wet. You might get lucky and find a pair of leftover shoes in the lost and found at your hostel but this isn't guaranteed, and there is nothing worse than having soggy toes. 

Blankets/sleeping bags  

It's tempting to bring your own sheets or sleeping bags to a hostel, but it can feel a tad icky sleeping on sheets that multiple people have slept on, even if they've been washed. But this can just take up extra room in your bag for no reason. 

A lot of hostels I've stayed in have prohibited bringing your own sheets or sleeping bag, possibly to prevent bed bugs or other vermin from being brought into the rooms. If you really don't feel comfortable sleeping on the sheets they've given you, either ask for a fresh set or wash them yourself before you make your bed. Feeling chilly? Ask the front desk for an extra blanket. Odds are they've got one and a lot of the time they'd rather you were comfortable and warm instead of cold and unhappy. 

Stay safe on the road

J