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ZDNET’s key takeaways 

• The trick to an effective mobile office is having everything you need – not everything you want.
• A decent charger and a power bank are vital to get me through the day.
• I also have a few random but highly useful bits, including things I’ve 3D-printed.

It’s getting a bit too hot in the office now — the mercury hit a whopping 92 F here in the UK the other day, so we’re already whining and wishing it was winter again — so I’m spending less time in the office and more time out and about. But there’s always work to do, so that means the trusty laptop often comes along.

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Just the other day, I cleaned out my laptop bag, threw out a fair bit of detritus I’d collected over the past few months, and streamlined what I was carrying. (I really didn’t need a handful of USB-C cables!) Now I’ve got a lightweight load that lets me travel the world and still get work done.

Here’s the essential gear I’m taking along.

1. Laptop bag

The bags that we carry our stuff around in are so unique to us — determined by everything from personal style to the shape of our bodies to how much we need to carry — that there’s hardly any point in listing a specific bag. But in case someone’s interested in what I use, here are my bags of choice. 

Yes, bags. I have two that I use regularly, depending on what I’m carrying and where I’m going.

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The first bag is from premium accessory maker Aer, and it’s the Travel Sling 2 X-Pac bag. Big enough to hold my 16-inch MacBook Pro along with everything else I need, tough enough to not rip or tear or let in water, and lightweight and comfortable so I’m not whining about it. At 18 liters, it’s got plenty of storage space for everything I need, but not so much that I’m taking everything I want.

Also: I didn’t think it would work, but this anti-theft tech bag actually stopped a pickpocket

If I’m taking my iPad Pro with me, I go with the 10-liter Pacsafe Vibe, a great bag that packs a whole host of anti-theft features, from lockable zips to anti-cut fabric — and these are features that actually work. I’ve had pickpockets try to get into this while I was wearing it, and they failed. This is the perfect bag for your valuables if you’re going anywhere dodgy.

Both bags are sling-style, which means you can wear them on your back or front, depending on where you are. Having the bag on your back is perfect for comfort, but for security or when getting on and off public transport, a front carry style is great because you can still sit down, and everything is totally accessible.

2. Hub

Because no laptop comes with enough ports anymore, a hub has become a must-have bit of kit. 

And when it comes to hubs, Satechi is the brand for me. There are two hubs that I tend to swap between — the 8-in-1 USB C Hub Multiport Adapter V2 and the USB-C Hub Multiport Adapter MX hub. 

Both are great hubs that offer everything I need in terms of extra ports without being overkill. And since both are powered direct from the USB-C port, there’s no power supply to carry around.

I’ve been using two docks for quite some time with my laptop and tablet, and they’re both excellent. 

3. Charger

Because I use a MacBook Pro, the stock 140W single-port USB-C charger is a decent, lightweight option. (Be careful if you buy it anywhere other than Apple, because there are a lot of fakes out there.) However, if I need to charge several gadgets, being restricted to that single port becomes somewhat limiting. 

Also: This 205W GaN adapter has effectively replaced my other travel chargers

Although I have no shortage of chargers, for traveling, I’ve selected a universal travel adapter, which enables me to charge whether I’m in the UK or abroad, offers a good array of ports, is plenty powerful for even a laptop, and allows me to attach a plug so I’m not taking up an AC outlet. For me, they’re the perfect charger when out of the office.

Tessan makes a range of universal travel adapters, with USB power outputs ranging from 35W to 140W. These are great adapters, and despite being travel adapters, mine have withstood months of daily use. Another universal travel adapter that I’ve been using a lot lately is the monster Momax 205W 9-in-1 unit. If you have a lot of stuff to charge up, and you want it charged up fast, this is the charger for you.

4. Encrypted storage

There’s no way that I’m ever going back to carrying data about on an unencrypted drive. It’s just asking for trouble.

Also: Can hackers break encrypted USB drives? I tried to find out

I’m quite partial to the Apricorn Aegis Fortress encrypted SSD, but it’s quite big, and whenever or wherever I bring it out, the keypad and blinking LEDs just draw attention. So, unless I need a big drive, I go for the Kingston IronKey Locker+50 G2, which looks like a standard USB flash drive and is about as secure as drives get. 

The Kingston offers a high level of security — more than I need, really — and doesn’t draw attention to itself.

5. Power bank

I allow myself one power bank. I really want to carry at least two, but I know I don’t need that much power. 

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And to compensate for the fact that I only allow myself one, it’s a pretty big unit: the Ugreen Nexode 20,000mAh 130W power bank. This portable power beast has two USB-C ports, a single USB-A port, and more than enough power for the MacBook Pro and my other devices. 

It’s also airline friendly: It’s below the 100Wh (approximately 27,000 mAh) limit, so there should be no issues taking this on a commercial aircraft.

The only drawback is that it’s rather large. If I want something a little smaller, I’ll go for the carbon-fiber-clad Nitecore NB10000 which is light, powerful, and built to take a hammering. This is one of the power banks that I took with me on my Camino trek last year, and Mother Nature gave it a serious beating, everything from rain to frost and freezing conditions. 

6. Cables

Along with the MacBook’s own MagSafe charging cable, I now use the ChubbyCable Tri-Flex 3-in-1 cable which charges my Apple Watch or AirPods on the charging pad and two other devices. Despite the rather goofy look, it’s a great cable that does the work of three cables without compromise. 

Also: This 3-in-1 USB-C cable replaced every other cable in my travel bag – here’s why

Also, the vivid color helps it not get lost in a random Airbnb or hotel room.

I also keep a data-blocking cable from Plugable for those times when I have to use a suspect charging power source. This cable allows charging, but blocks all attempts at data transfer. 

7. Multitool

You don’t think I’m leaving home without a multitool, do you? And since I’m carrying it, I need a tool that offers me a lot of bang for the weight. I have a Bibury Multitool Pliers Pro and a NexTool “Black Knight” 11 in 1 multitool. 

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Each offers full-size pliers, a decent pair of scissors, a blade, and screwdrivers. And they’re both at the budget end of the spectrum, so if one gets lost, stolen, or confiscated for whatever reason, I’m only down a few bucks.

But the day I try to get either of these past security onto an aircraft (or a train, ferry, or cruise ship) is the day I’m down a multitool; for those occasions, I have my trusty NexTool Mini, which has one of the best pairs of tiny scissors I’ve used, and it costs under $25.

Random bits and bobs

• Pen and paper: Old-school! I’ve tried a lot of pens, but I keep coming back to the Fisher Space Pen. 
• Meshtastic LoRa radios: These two-way radios are handy when there are two of us on a site and we want to communicate, using LoRa, a free, decentralized, off-grid communication network. 
• A 3D-printed table dewobbler: You’ll be surprised how annoying a wobbly table gets after a few minutes. I 3D printed a handful of these special wedges last year, and they’ve been great.
• USB power meter: I have one of these USB meters in my bag for all those “Is this outlet working?” moments. It’s also great for testing if cables are working. 
• Earbuds: I love my AirPods Pro and they go everywhere with me. However, there are times when I’ll switch to my Suunto Wing 2 bone conduction headphones since they’re nicer for prolonged use in warm weather.
• Key-Bak retracting keychain: I’ve had these heavy duty retracting keychains for years. A few years ago, I decided that I needed one clipped to my laptop bag. That was a good decision. If you’re buying one, don’t waste your money on anything other than Key-Bak.