You can own the lightest laptop on the market, pack noise-canceling headphones, and roll with a suitcase of merino wool, but none of it matters when you check into a Lisbon Airbnb and the only outlet is behind a heavy wardrobe. Ask me how I know.
After three years of full-time travel, I have learned that the most underrated item in my bag is not a gadget at all. It is access to power—specifically, enough ports in the right place. Most hotel rooms, hostels, and Airbnbs were designed for short stays, not for someone running a laptop, phone, and portable hotspot simultaneously.
That is why I never board a flight without a travel power strip now.
The problem with the one you have at home is that it is bulky and usually overkill. On the road, you need something compact, with a short extension cord for hard-to-reach outlets and built-in USB ports so you are not juggling five different wall bricks. Bonus points if it includes USB-C, because most of us are charging everything from earbuds to tablets with a single cable these days.
Lately, I have been traveling with the BEVA Travel Power Strip. It is a compact black unit with 2 AC outlets, 3 USB ports, and USB-C ports, connected to a 4-foot extension cord. That 4-foot reach is the real secret weapon. It bridges the gap between the outlet hidden behind the hotel bed and the desk where you are actually trying to work. [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BNDGSXS4?tag=getwitty-20](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BNDGSXS4?tag=getwitty-20)
Marketed for cruise ships, dorms, and hotels, it is clearly built for travelers who are tired of outlet scavenger hunts. I keep mine in the front pocket of my backpack so I can set up a mini workstation within minutes of checking in, whether I am in a Tokyo capsule hotel or a beachside bungalow with questionable wiring.
If you are fine-tuning your digital nomad packing list, skip the seventh notebook and grab a travel power strip instead. It is a small, unglamorous item that prevents very big, very frustrating problems. And when you are racing to join a video call from a hostel common room, you will be glad you packed it.
