The Big List of Travel Essentials: Great Travel Products for Disabled Travelers
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The Ultimate List of Travel Essentials for Disabled Travelers and Travelers with Chronic Illnesses.
Let’s face it, packing can be stressful even under the best of circumstances. But if you’re someone with a disability or chronic illness you have the extra added pressure of making sure you correctly pack all your medications, medical equipment, and mobility aids, plus plan for any medical emergencies that may arise. All of this can leave you feeling stressed and overwhelmed before you even leave the house. This is why I’ve created the ultimate travel packing guide, filled with items to help you stay as healthy and comfortable as possible away from home.
Whether you’re packing for a beach vacation, packing for a weekend getaway, looking for road trip essentials, or planning an international getaway, this list of travel essentials has all the must-have travel items to make travel more enjoyable and less stressful. I’m skipping standard packing tips like purchasing packing cubes, travel insurance, and travel photography gear since those aren’t disability-specific and there are plenty of sites to get that kind of information. These are all items specific to those of us with disabilities and chronic illnesses.
Ready? Let’s roll!
A wheelchair user admires a beautiful canyon view.
Toiletry Bag for Your Prescriptions
If you’re anything like me, you’re probably sick and tired of lugging around loose prescriptions bottles in your purse or backpack when traveling. I used to walk through the airport with so much rattling it sounded like I was there to call BINGO. But it doesn’t have to be this way!
Sure, if you’re traveling domestically you can get away with a pill sorter, but if you’re flying internationally your medication must stay in its original bottles so as not to be flagged at customs and risk your arrest or deportation. But carrying all these prescription bottles can be cumbersome. Enter the toiletry bag. The number one item on my trip packing list.
This toiletry bag from BAGSMART pulls double duty, offering four compartments for your bath and beauty items while also allowing you to keep your medications safe and organized. It also has room to hold copies of your prescriptions. (Which I highly recommend bringing if you’re traveling internationally.) Eight elastic rings inside the two main compartments provide plenty of room for pills and creams, keeping them upright, organized, and easy to access. The bag is made of water-resistant fabric, comes in four color options, and offers a non-slip hook for hanging.
2. Prescription Timer Caps
Sticking to your prescription schedule can be difficult while traveling. Crossing time zones and dealing with the effects of jetlag can really mess up your timing. It’s easy to find yourself wondering, when did I last take my meds? And when should I take them next? This is why I love prescription timer caps. With these handy caps, I don’t have to use my jet-lagged brain for math. I can focus on important things like blogging about prescription caps.
Word of warning, do not switch your medication to these unmarked bottles if you are traveling internationally. You can replace your pharmacy’s caps with these timer caps, but all medications MUST remain in their original labeled bottles.
3. Noise Cancelling Headphones
I used to wonder if noise-canceling headphones were worth the money. Then I got a pair as a gift and wondered how I’d ever lived without them. They’re not only great for watching videos and listening to podcasts, audiobooks, or music, but they help prevent sensory overload and assist in relaxation by blocking out annoying noises around you. They’re great for those on the autism spectrum, people with fibromyalgia, and those with chronic pain. And if like me you suffer from social anxiety noise-canceling headphones are a great way to signal to your seatmates you’re not interested in chewing the fat. You’re just here for the ride and the complimentary stroopwafel.
I personally recommend Bose Quiet Comfort II Wireless Bluetooth Noise Cancelling Headphones. I’ve had mine for 2 years and flying has never been so peaceful.
4. Invisible Earplugs
If you have sensitive hearing but need a less expensive option than headphones to reduce noise, check out Vibes High-Fidelity Earplugs. Vibes attenuating filters actually lower volumes around you via filter-specific frequencies versus outright noise cancellation making them far superior to traditional earplugs. They’re ideal for air travel, concerts, and other loud environments. These handy plugs are barely noticeable when worn and help protect the wearer against hearing loss. And the best part? For every pair purchased Vibes makes a donation to Hear the World Foundation.
Each Vibes package comes with a carrying case and three different earbud sizes to ensure a snug, yet comfortable fit. Of course, I wear the small on account of my teeny tiny, delicate, lady-like ear holes.
5. Anti-Chafe Balm
Having Ehlers Danlos Syndrome can sometimes feel like my entire body is made of delicate eyelid skin. My skin is so fragile it often splits open with even slight chafing. The gentle grazing of my shoes against my ankles, a sports bra on my sides, or my own thighs as they chub rub together can cause blisters, rashes, or outright wounds.
I’m happy to say since I discovered Body Glide for Her Anti Chafe Balm, my skin has been flawless. I apply it to my thighs and ankles before I go walking and it has never disappointed. The balm is packed with vitamins, fragrance and allergen-free, and clothing, footwear, and wetsuit safe. It’s also vegan, child-safe, and never tested on animals. I seriously cannot recommend this product enough. They even make a unisex version and one specially designed for feet.
6. The Ultimate Packing List
Thanks to chronic illness, gone are the days when I could wake up on the day of a flight, grab a few things, throw them in a bag, and be on my merry way. Brain fog now makes it incredibly difficult for me to remember everything I need to pack. If left to my own devices I could easily end up at my destination with 14 pairs of socks a jaunty hat, and a copy of Burt Ward’s “My Life in Tights.”
Conventional wisdom says, to make a packing checklist. But I often have a hard time even remembering everything I should put on a travel packing list. This is why I love these handy vacation packing list notepads.
7. Luggage Straps
If you use a cane you know how frustrating it is to try and balance all your possessions with your one available hand while navigating a busy airport. Thank goodness for luggage straps! These luggage straps will have you looking like a well-organized, professional traveler instead of a tantruming toddler carrying all their toys to grandma’s house for the weekend.
8. Vaccination Card Protector
I don’t know whose idea it was to put this vital bit of health information on a flimsy, easily forged, 4”x3” slip of paper, but they’re terrible at their job and are probably the type of person who leaves their glass of red wine precariously balanced on the edge of a table so it’s inevitably knocked over, ruining the host’s rug.
If like me, you hate having to dig around for your vax card and struggle to protect this magical pass to bars, restaurants, events, and international travel, you need a vax card protector.
9. A Repair Kit… For YOU!
Abrasions, bumps, blisters, burns… all things that can be a big, bad bummer. But not if you’re traveling with the Welly Human Repair Kit! Take it from me, a human being with a chronic illness, bad things can sometimes happen to your body and it’s good to be prepared when they inevitably do. The Welly Human Repair Kit contains 30 brightly colored latex-free bandages in two sizes, three single-use antibiotic ointments, three hydrocortisone anti-itch ointments, and six single-use hand sanitizers. It’s a must-have bit of travel gear for every traveler.
10. Heated Seat Covers
Long car rides can be torture if you battle chronic pain. As a resident of Los Angeles and the soon-to-be recipient of my second spinal fusion surgery, I know hard it is to sit in traffic with back spasms, muscle aches, and nerve pain. Sometimes the only way I can do it is with help from a heated seat.
If you have back pain but your car doesn’t come with heated seats, you can still experience the decadent joy of a toasty tush and back with Sunny Color seat warmers. Sunny Color heated seat cushions plug directly into your car, are easy to install and offer three temperature settings. Best of all, they automatically turn off when you leave the car so you won’t risk draining your car’s battery. Another great bonus for those of us with brain fog.
11. A Doctor Recommended Neck Pillow
I’ve tried a lot of neck pillows as a frequent flyer who battles neck pain. From cooling neck pillows to massaging neck pillows, to inflatable neck pillows, I’ve tried them all. But the Cabeau Evolution S3 is the best overall travel pillow on the market. It’s doctor recommended, been featured on CNN, and has rave reviews on Amazon.
What I like most about the Cabeau neck pillow is that it attaches to any plane seat or chair to prevent slouching or falling forward. This is particularly useful if you find yourself stuck in a middle seat worried about dozing off on the shoulder of your seatmate. It also comes with a washable cover and a carry bag that allows you to compress your neck pillow down to half its size.
12. A Relaxing Eye Massager
If like me you struggle with anxiety, tension headaches, vision strain, dark eye circles, jetlag, and or insomnia, an eye massager is a must. The Renpho Eye massager not only massages but also offers heat and Bluetooth music options. It’s lightweight and folds up for easy storage when traveling. This little gadget really helps with headaches, dry eyes, insomnia, and jet lag. Don’t worry if you don’t have your own playlist of relaxing spa sounds. The Renpho massaging eye mask even comes with pre-recorded relaxing sounds to help you drown out the stress of life.
13. A Kindle
I used to be the type of smug jerk who only read actual books because I enjoyed the tactile experience and signaling to other travelers how smart and well-read I am. But books give you papercuts. They’re also heavy and there’s no way I’m going to break my back carrying around a copy of The Fountainhead. If only because I have zero intention of reading The Fountainhead. But I digress.
Get a Kindle. The paperwhite screen is so much easier on your eyes than a tablet or laptop screen. You can hold up to 32 GB of books, magazines, comics, and audiobooks. The device is waterproof, lightweight, glare-free, and offers a battery life of up to 10 weeks on a single charge! Try finding that in a traditional book. You can’t.
14. A Foldable Cane With an Attached Seat
I’m in love with foldable mobility aids. They’re there when you need them and pack up easily when you don’t. They’re like transformers for chronically ill adults. I don’t need a robot that doubles as a semi-truck but show me a walking stick that’s also a chair and you’ve got my attention!
15. Stylish Compression Socks
I recommend compression socks in all my buying guides. But if you’ve ever experienced the pain of edema from flying, you’d also never stop talking about the importance of compression socks. A good pair of compression socks will not only ward off painful swelling in your legs but also help prevent potentially fatal blood clots. Look, you’ve got to wear socks anyway, why not choose a pair that also protect your health?
16. Cleaning Wipes
In this post COVID world, one can never have enough cleaning wipes. They’re especially helpful to those of us with chronic illnesses and autoimmune diseases. I’ve always been the type of person who wipes down her area before take off, but it’s nice to see the rest of the world finally join me. Later germs!
17. Smart Luggage That Pulls Triple Duty
As a disabled traveler, I love products that have multiple uses. The less I have to carry in my hands the better. This is why I love the Wrangler Smart Luggage Carry On. It features 360-degree spinner wheels, a USB port for charging your devices, and a cup holder to carry your overpriced airport coffee. Who could ask for anything more?
18. Medical Wristband
As the owner/operator of a body seriously affected by chronic illness, I like to carry a warning label when I travel. A medical bracelet is an essential bit of travel gear. It’s a great way to alert paramedics to your allergies, illnesses, and other pertinent medical information if you for some reason cannot communicate this yourself.
19. A Humorous Book or two to Keep You Entertained
Let’s face it, a lot of traveling is waiting. Waiting at the airport, waiting to get there, waiting to check-in, waiting for your waiter… it never stops!! Why waste that time scrolling through Facebook when you can actually be entertained? Whether it’s a book on your kindle, a coloring book, or some crossword puzzles, a good “book” can help ease anxiety and distract from the monotony of waiting.
20. Lidocaine Patches
If you struggle with chronic pain it can be extremely difficult to keep your joints moving. Aspercreme patches are fast-acting and fragrance-free so you don’t walk around all day smelling like a big tube of Bengay. I always slap a few of these on under my clothes before leaving the hotel.
21. Collapsible Water Bottle
Stay hydrated AND save space? Thank you, collapsible water bottle! No matter where I go, water is always on my packing lists. It’s important to have not only hydration but to take my many medications throughout the day.
This bottle is BPA-free, shatterproof, leakproof, and best of all it attaches to your bag for easy carrying,
22. A Travel Wallet
I recommend a travel wallet like this one because it’s not only a great place to store obvious things like credit cards and your passport, but it also has space to keep copies of your prescriptions and allergy cards. When I travel overseas I like to keep a laminated card that has my allergies listed in English on one side and in the language of the place I’m traveling on the other. This is really helpful when dining out. Why spend time playing charades with your waiter when you can simply pull out your chic travel wallet and show them you’re allergic to shellfish and wheat?
23. K95 Masks
We’re still living in a world where COVID is an issue. Especially for those of us with chronic illnesses for whom COVID and other viruses pose an elevated risk of serious complications. K95 masks provide excellent protection against viruses. Plus, if you’re like me, you can enjoy wearing them as you fall asleep on the plane and not worry about passing out with your mouth wide open for all to see.
24. TSA-Approved Insulin Travel Cooler Case
An essential item for diabetics, this TSA-approved Insulin travel case comes with 2 TSA-approved ice packs to keep insulin cool for up to an impressive 12 hours. But it’s also useful for other medications that must remain chilled before use.
25. Collapsable Stool
If you require frequent rests you have to be prepared. This collapsible stool holds up to 400 lbs and is easy to carry. It folds down in a telescopic style for easy transportation on all your travel adventures. It also comes in a variety of colors.
So, there you have it, my big list of travel essentials; great products for disabled travelers. If you have any travel tips or items to add, drop them in the comments below. I’m always interested in expanding my list to be as helpful and inclusive as possible.
