50 Greatest Bits of Kit, Tech and Toys to Take on Holiday

The stuff you take on your travels can make or break your adventures. Take it from us – and some well-seasoned travellers – and be sure to pack like a pro

Fly-by spying

Unmanned drones aren’t just for dropping bombs on remote Afghan villages. Over the next decade, an estimated $10 billion will be spent on non-military drones and fellows in Mumbai have even used them for delivering Pizza directly to your door. It’s an as yet highly unregulated area, so what better time to take your own personal drone on a low-flying recce over that Greek nudist beach? Parrot AR Drone 2.0, ₹35,567, ardrone2.parrot.com

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Save your life

Dehydration doesn’t just affect those trekking in the Atacama Desert – a rectum-burning case of the squits after eating a piece of unidentifiable meat can seriously dehydrate you and ruin your trip. Pop a sachet of electrolyte-loaded SOS for a healthy kick equivalent to being hooked up to an IV drip. (Also works on hangovers.) SOS Rehydrate, ₹816, sosrehydrate.com

See it all

Millionaires cruising in their yachts under the Mediterranean sun, drinking champagne with an entourage of bikini-clad beauties – you might not be invited aboard, but you can at least watch it all unfold from the shore… Leica Ultravid 8x42 HD, ₹1,88,708, uk.leica-camera.com

Drink any liquid

In 2005, Danish manufacturers created a device that could remove 99.9% of waterborne bacteria for the 880 million-plus people without clean drinking water. Dip the LifeStraw into a lake, pond or even a puddle and suck up the purified H2O goodness. Genuine world-changing genius. LifeStraw, ₹3,061, firebox.com

Adventure time

Adventure holidays are in our blood. Unfortunately, so is getting lost – unless you have a GPS watch. Garmin Fenix 2, ₹36,737, garmin.com

Record the action

Whether it’s a 15,000ft skydive or a hand job from a stranger in a Croatian hostel, capture every second on this hardy action cam. Drift HD Ghost, ₹25,412 actioncameras.co.uk

Beach-proof your phone

Beaches are deathtraps for phones. Avoid ugly cases and invest in a phone resistant to water, sweat, sand and dust. Samsung Galaxy S5, ₹35,999, flipkart.com

Sound sleep

Get some shut-eye on that 5:15am Go Air flight and listen to your music, without leaning on your hurty headphones. SleepPhones, ₹3,573, firebox.com

Upgrade your pics… for big bucks!

This is a professional-quality camera – admittedly with a price tag to match – that’ll slot into your hand luggage and help you take the greatest holiday snaps of your life. Olympus OM-D, ₹71,599 olympus.in

…underwater!

If you’re pulling silly faces or pulling down cozzies, this will capture all the underwater action and survive any drops on dry land. Ricoh WG-4 GPS, ₹31,648 ricoh-imaging.co.uk

…on a budget!

You don’t have to spend a small fortune to come home with shots good enough to print out and stick on your wall. This Android-powered snapper is wicked-good value. Nikon Coolpix AW120, ₹15,255, amazon.co.in

Pimp your smartphone snaps

Voice control

The lenses on phone cameras are getting incredibly advanced, but sound recording on video mode still sounds tinnier than a Heinz factory. Plug in an external mic to take your sound to the next level. iRig Mic Cast Ultra Compact Microphone, ₹1,804 amazon.com

Perfect panoramas

Miles better than using an app, this tripod helps you take panoramic shots on your phone by slowly and steadily rotating around 240 degrees. Panoramic pod, ₹1,633, iwantoneofthose.com

Life through a lens

No app can replicate the lenses used by pro photographers quite like this four-in-one clip-on number, complete with fisheye, wide angle and two macro lenses. Olloclip 4-in-1 Lens System, ₹6,127, firebox.com

More kit

Open bottles with your flip-flops

There’s no greater feeling of disappointment than going to obscene lengths to keep your beers cool all day only to realise you’ve forgotten a bottle opener. The solution is simple: keep your opener on your feet. Reef Fanning Flip Flop, ₹4696, reef.com

Hit the ground running

Granted, sensible shoes are what your nan takes on her holidays. But don’t worry, there’s nothing sensible about these steel-capped, waterproof boots, just Mother Nature-stomping brilliance. Mammut boots, ₹16,335, blacks.co.uk

Cook up a storm

Disposable barbecues may be cheap, but if you really want to unleash a meaty flavourbomb for you and your mates, load a portable unit into the back of your car. Weber Smokey Joe Premium, ₹7,147, weberbbq.co.uk

Film the fishes

If you’re going Scuba diving, you’ll need your hands for important things like poking sharks in the eyes, rather than holding a big old camcorder. This facemask has an in-built camera so you can record HD-quality video at depths down to 40m, and keep your hands on shark-defense duties. Liquid Image Scuba Series 1080p 325, ₹35,642 actioncameras.co.uk

Get a fit foldy

Foldable bikes aren’t just for suit-wearing commuters in the city. If you want to explore the Great British countryside on two wheels, why strap your bicycle to a faff-tastic car rack when you can just fold it up and pop it in the boot? Tern Joe D24, ₹56,190 evanscycles.com

Keep your face clean

Growing a holiday beard is every clean-cut working man’s right. But be warned: a joint study by researchers in Canada and New Zealand found that women across the globe prefer their men free of facial fuzz. Braun MobileShave, ₹1,399, ebay.in

Polish your smile

Don’t let your oral hygiene go down the plopper, especially if you’re hoping for a holiday romance. Research by dating site match.com found 71% of women rank a decent set of gnashers as the most important characteristic in a date. Philips DiamondClean, ₹25,535, philips.co.uk

Shed some light

If all you need a light for is finding your tent in a festival field, you can use your phone’s screen. But if you’ve got serious nocturnal action planned, you need a pro-level bit of kit, like this quad-colour torch. LED Lenser P7QC Quad Colour LED Torch, ₹8,171 torchdirect.co.uk

What to pack: Joe Gebbia, businessman

“When packing for my trip, I always include gifts. I try to keep it small (as I like to travel light) but personal so it says a little about me. I love bringing unique San Franciscan treats like TCHO chocolates and Sightglass coffee. This way, my host gets to experience a piece of my home city while I’m a guest in theirs.” Joe Gebbia is co-founder and chief product officer of Airbnb. Check out airbnb.co.uk

Stare at the sun

Protect your eyes and look like a don in the process. Just be sure to take them off the second you step indoors. Cutler and Gross sunglasses, ₹31,663 cutlerandgross.com

What to pack: Ashley Horne, comedian

Pack vinegar. A friend went to Cyprus and got stung to fuck by jellyfish. His whole body seized up – it was red and he couldn’t move. He tried to get a girl to piss on him as well, but they weren’t as open about it as you would imagine. The vinegar helped of course.

Stylish headset

The travelling man needs cans that are more than just an expensive fashion accessory; he needs on-ear headphones that sound like a musical dream, are plush as pillows and fold up all neat and tidy. Harman Kardon Soho, ₹14,999, harmankardon.co.uk

Music to fill your ear holes

• Loudon Wainwright III, The Swimming Song: Good-time vibes combined with one of the catchiest verses you’ll ever hear.
• DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, Summertime: Twenty-three years after its release, this will bring the sunshine to even the greyest monsoon day.
• Redlight feat. Lotti, 36: Named after the number of times you’ll want to play this tune back to back. Or something.
• Biggie Smalls, Juicy: Possibly the most uplifting hip-hop track of all time.

Travel with telly

Getting the hell away from it all is one of the greatest joys a man can experience. Then again, you don’t want to miss the Golf Open, do you? Hook up this portable satellite kit and get 300 channels and the ability to pause and record live TV. HD Portable Satellite Kit, ₹6,123, aldi.co.uk

What to pack: Dr Javid Abdelmoneim

When travelling to places like Haiti you might have to wear insect repellent day and night. Jungle Formula is the one to get, as long as the DEET level is at least 40%, which lasts up to six hours. Anything around 20% you’ll have to keep putting it on every half an hour. It stinks, but for me, that smell evokes a sense of comfort and safety.

Keep your hands busy

While away long car journeys, airport delays and poolside hangovers with the greatest handheld console since the Game Boy appeared in 1989. The most fun you can have wiggling your thumbs. Nintendo 3DS XL, ₹16,909, amazon.in

Apps to download before you go

When you’re lost for words

Pop a phrase into the app and hear it translated into one of 80 languages. Google Translate, free on iOS and Android

When you’ve got a thirst on

Fancy a pint on foreign shores but don’t know where to go? Untappd allows you to find top beers and boozers nearby. Untappd, free on iOS and Android

When you want to start the party

Avoid stitch-up data roaming fees by setting up a Spotify premium account and saving all your favourite tracks, albums and playlists to offline mode. All the music in the world, wherever you are in the world. Spotify, free on iOS, Android and Windows Phone (requires premium account, ₹1,000 a month)

When you’re totally skint

However well you work out how much cash you need to take on your trip, you’ll inevitably find yourself short when you’re most in need. Find a nearby ATM in any of 220 countries with this super-useful app. PinPin ATM finder, free on Windows Phone

When you’re out in the sun

To avoid turning all lobstery, apply Sunscreen to your phone. It tells you the UVI rating at your current location and when you’re due to slop on more lotion. Sunscreen, free on iOS

What I pack: Armand Van Helden, DJ

“I find these really old books about the Odd Fellows and Freemasons on eBay and read them on the plane. I get funny looks from people because I’ve got an 80-year-old tome in my hands like a Harvard professor, but I’m dressed like some douche DJ. I always carry a highlighter pen too so I can highlight passages I find interesting.” Armand Van Helden is half of Duck Sauce. Their album Quack is out now

Brew up on the road

If you’re cruising across the continent with your slumbering mates in the back, you’ll need an industrial amount of coffee to keep you alert. Don’t pull over at a Happy Stopper and drink caffeinated piss. Plug this into your motor’s cigarette lighter and sup quality coffee on the go. A Modo Mio Espressgo, ₹13,277, lavazzamodomio.co.uk

Stay fully charged

It is a sad fact of science that as the technology we use gets more powerful, the batteries that fuel it stay as shoddy as ever. Research continues into battery tech, but until you’ve got a graphene supercapacitor in your smartphone, get yourself some emergency back up. Kit Universal Power Bank, ₹3,064 kondor.co.uk

Books to upgrade…

…your career

From Oprah Winfrey to Steve Jobs via Mark Zuckerberg, this profiles some of the most successful business people of our age. Inspiring stuff. 28 Business Thinkers Who Changed The World by Rhymer Rigby, ₹316 amazon.in

…your brain

This book teaches you how to think more creatively, make better decisions, boost your memory and get on top of your stress. Top brain food. Sort Your Brain Out by Dr Jack Lewis and Adrian Webster, ₹940, amazon.in

…your sex life

If you want to come home from your hols 500% better in bed, read this guide to lasting longer, making your penis larger (actually), and generally having great sex. Great Sex: A Man’s Guide To The Secret Principles Of Total-Body Sex by Michael Castleman, ₹1,091, amazon.co.uk

…your paper

Print’s not dead – but there’s a limit to how many paperbacks you can take on holiday. That’s where Kindles come in: with space for up to 1,100 e-books, you can carry all your Jack Reacher novels without a second suitcase to hold them in. Kindle Paperwhite, ₹9,999 onwards, amazon.in

Travel with your BFF

With a penchant for skinny-dipping, boundless enthusiasm for beach games and an unparalleled ability to attract the attention of attractive human females, your dog is the ultimate travelling companion. Also makes for a fine first mate on the high seas. Gaston, French Bulldog, Priceless

What I pack: Xzibit, rapper

“I always carry a suitcase packed with tons of underwear. You can’t afford to forget it.” Xzibit is a rapper and one-time host of Pimp My Ride

Work and play

If you just can’t leave the work behind, this Android-powered computer can’t be beat. HP Chromebook 11, ₹33,999, pricedealsindia.com

Teabag yourself

We have never, ever, had a decent brew outside the British Isles. Avoid disappointment and take your own. Teabag, your kitchen

Harmonise

Because anyone can play the harmonica (and you can’t fit a guitar in your hand luggage). Harmonica, ₹650, snapdeal.com

Beat water damage

Cannon ball! According to studies, two in three people will screw up their smartphone’s innards by getting it wet. When it comes to drying it out, shoving your handset in a bag of rice just might work, but these pouches are 700% more effective at giving your phone the kiss of life. Kensington EVAP Rescue Pouch, ₹2,041, kensington.com

Carry on wheeling

There’s a school of thought that suggests a man should never wheel, only carry. A school of thought, we imagine, with really sore shoulders. Prospero cabin suitcase, ₹19,287, antler.co.uk

Start a wireless pool party

There must be more Bluetooth speakers floating around than plankton in the sea, tea in China, or pictures of Kim Kardashian on Indiatimes. But these Bose bad boys are the loudest and crispest of the lot – and good enough to fuel your impromptu poolside parties. Bose SoundLink Mini Bluetooth Speaker, ₹16,875, boseindia.com

What to pack: Paul Rose, explorer

“I travel to the world’s most remote and challenging locations and always pack my ear plugs. I use custom silicone ones and they’re lifesavers. These wonderful inventions mean I can sleep when my tent is being battered by polar snow storms, when helicopters are dropping cargo loads into camp and even when I share a tent with a world-champion snorer.” Custom ear plugs, ₹14,186, acscustom.com

Paul Rose is expedition leader for National Geographic Pristine Seas (supported by Davidoff Cool Water)

From the August 2014 issue of FHM India.