Best gear for travel bloggers reviewed personally by the Executive Thrillseekers!

Updated: February 2020

In this article we want to focus first of all on the travel gear that will help you create content for your blog. Being a travel blogger (or planning to become one), you value the importance of high-quality pictures and video which you’ll receive with a Sony a6000. What will really help you get ahead of the game is a DJI Mavic Pro drone which rightfully takes the first place in our list of travel gear. Yes, this kind of equipment is not cheap, but if you are a professional travel blogger it’s totally worth it.

1. DJI Mavic Pro

Ever wonder what drone to use to get those awe-inspiring aerial shots? We highly recommend the DJI Mavic Pro if you're in the market for a drone. The DJI Mavic Pro takes top notch photos and 4k video, all the while being portable enough to fit into your daypack! You can control the drone with an app and attachment on your smartphone, and it will detect whether or not you're in a fly-zone and if the wind will prevent you from flying.

This DJI Mavic Pro package includes a durable carrying case, extra batteries and other accessories to get you flying in no time. And trust us, you WILL need those extra batteries, especially if you're using your drone on the road. 

Is the Mavic Pro out of your budget? DJI also offers the DJI Spark, an even more portable option for half the price.

Take a look at the newest model in the image to the right.

* We do not have the Mavic Pro 2 yet

We have never studied professional photography, but we are getting better and better using our camera for travel blogging purposes. When selecting the most suitable equipment for taking pictures, not only we were focused on the quality, but also were looking for a travel camera to be lightweight. And here is our choice:

2. Sony a6000 - the best camera for blogging

If you're going on an adventure and planning on documenting it, your smartphone simply isn't going to do you justice! You're going to need to invest in a high-quality, yet portable camera to do the job.

That's why we recommend the Sony a6000 Mirrorless Digital Camera to any traveler looking to take their photography to the next level without breaking the bank.

The Sony a6000 is a mirrorless DSLR - this means what you see in the viewfinder is exactly what you get. It also means you can purchase additional lenses depending on the kinds of photos you'd like to capture. The Sony a6000 also captures 1080p video.

They say the best camera for blogging is the one you have with you, and since this little guy weighs practically nothing and can fit in a small handbag, you'll want to carry it with you everywhere you go!

If you’re looking to add a bit more of a punch to the quality of your portraits we highly recommend you pick up the 50mm Lens we have purchased.

Sony a6000 lenses:

• Sony 50mm - Perfect for portraiture and a range of other subjects, the F1.8 maximum aperture and optical image stabilization provide impressive clarity and picture quality, even in low light. $350 Usd

• Sony E10 - 18 Optical Steady Zoom Lens - From expansive landscapes to striking interior shots with dramatic perspective, capture it all with precision even in low-light conditions. $800 Usd

• Sony 18 - 55mm lens The SEL1855 offers comfortable framing and capture of landscapes, snapshots, portraits…etc. Built-in image stabilization enables handheld shooting low light. $300 Usd

  *Image on the right is of current setup

Sony A6000 Accessories:

• Sony PCK-LM17 - is the end all be all way to prevent your screen from cracks, scratches, and finger prints! Although you can find plenty of screen protectors all over the internet, we’d must rather go with the name brand in this scenario and get the original from Sony. We’ve owned our Sony A6000 for 3 years now, and still have the same protector on the camera since we’ve started using it!

• SanDisk Extreme Pro Memory Cards - One of the best Sony a6000 accessories you can purchase on the market. While you can finder cheaper ones that’ll transfer slower, you can easily as well find more expensive and faster cards that the Sony a6000 just can’t handle…These Sandisk extreme pro memory cards fall perfectly in the middle and are extremely reliable. We carry a 32gb, 64gb, and 128gb for videos!

• Shure Lenshopper VP83F is a great investment for travel bloggers using a camera with no microphone jack and is one of our most recommended Sony a6000 accessories. However, if you’re looking for a cheaper alternative, there are several other options you can consider which we will go over in another article.

  • Pro Tip: We’ve also found that the Manfrotto Street Medium backpack is the perfect backpack to carry your camera, lenses, and Sony a6000 accessories. Read more about it further in the article!

See More… Sony a6000 accessories?

3. 2TB Seagate External Hard Drive

This 2tb external hard drive from Seagate has done us SUCH a service as we attempt to document as much of our travels as possible!

If you're planning on taking lots of photos and videos of your travels too, it's absolutely essential that you have an at least a 1tb external hard drive to store and back up your files. However, we recommend the Seagate 2tb drive because it's about the same price as 1tb with double the storage and superior quality. 

And yes, it's highly portable too - you can easily fit it in the laptop case.

4. DJI Osmo

Have you been seeing all these incredible hyper-lapse videos of people walking through cities?  Have you noticed that the video doesn't move around every time they take a step?  That's because they're using the state of the art DJI Osmo! It turns your smartphone into a smart motion camera, making every moment you shoot look smooth, professional and ready to share with DJI GO app. 

5. Macbook Pro

We've been avid Apple consumers for the better of 7 years now.  Jim’s last MacBook Pro lasted him five solid years, so it's no wonder he had to buy the newest model 2 years ago.  We both are currently traveling with a 13-inch late 2015 model MacBooks, the last model made with the original USB ports.  It was the biggest reason for making sure to have purchased this model, as we have so many different devices that would require many forms of adapters to make a simple connection to the newest model.

6. Manfrotto Lightweight Tripod

This one is crucial to us, as we've purchased three throughout our travels thus far.  But it became clear to us once we came across this tripod, that we had been doing everything wrong! This lightweight tripod took off all the excess weight we were forced to carry on our backs. The black Manfrotto BeFree Compact Travel Aluminum Alloy Tripod is a sturdy, compact tripod that extends to 56.7", supports 8.8 lb, and folds up to only 15.75". The tripod's legs can be spread independently, with two-position leg angle stops. The legs fold up and around the ball head, a feature that helps to make this tripod so compact.

7. Rainleaf

By far one of the best and most affordable purchases we made before our round the world trip. Not only only is this towel comfortable and lightweight, but it’s self-absorbing and quick drying. Making it perfect for all your travel needs.

Want to learn how to book the right accommodation?

Interested in the best snorkel gear? No better person to trust when it comes to snorkel gear other than Castaway Crystal! Her knowledge on the subject is impeccable and trustworthy.

8. Manfrotto Street Medium Backpack

It took me a long time to really find a backpack to actually include in this article. 3 backpacks and 2 years later it’s time that we can assure you, THIS IS THE ONE! It’s a bit pricier than all the other ones I’ve owned but it can successfully carry all of my gear without tearing apart a year later.

Inside my bag!

• Sony a6000

• 4 Lenses

• MacBook Pro

• Planner

• DJI Mavic Pro

• Tripod

• Gorilla Pod

• Power Banks and Chargers