Video Overview

Big thanks to Jon Gadget for another real-world travel gear rundown — this time filmed on a family trip to Mauritius. Instead of a packing-list fantasy, he walks through gear that actually rode in the cabin, sat by the pool, and survived long-haul economy sleep. Backpacks, hats, a packable sling, a travel shaver, and a few clever comfort tools make the cut. If you want tested travel EDC rather than shelf queens, start here.

Items & Gear List

• Aer City Pack 2 (16L) – View at Aer (~$150)
• Bellroy 3L Hanging Toiletry Kit – View at Bellroy (~$75–$79)
• Borges and Scott Signature Panama Hat – View at Borges and Scott (~£150)
• Tilley T5 Adventure Hat – Purchase on Amazon (~$75)
• Graphene-X XCAP Packable Cap – View at Graphene-X (~$99)
• Bellroy Lite Daypack 20L – View at Bellroy (~$95–$99)
• CuloClean Bottle-Top Portable Bidet – Purchase on Amazon (Under $10)
• CuloClean Portable Bidet with Soft Bottle – Purchase on Amazon (Under $15)
• CuloClean Compact Portable Bidet (6g) – Purchase on Amazon (Under $10)
• PAKT Stash Packable Sling 4L – View at PAKT (~$70)
• FLOWZOOM Air Inflatable Flight Pillow – Purchase on Amazon (~$27)
• Philips Norelco 500 Series Compact Travel Shaver – Purchase on Amazon (~£75 / ~$70+)
• FEATHERSHADE Compact Beach Sun Shade – View at Feathershade (~€70)
• Ahlem Eyewear (Blue Glasses) – View at Ahlem (Varies)

Editor’s Insight

Jon Gadget earns a second shoutout for keeping this list honest. He is not chasing one-bag purity for its own sake. He is sorting what worked on a sunny island trip with family luggage, overnight flights, beach days, and resort walks. That framing helps everyday carry readers, because travel kits fail in the middle — when pockets are full, the sun is high, and the plane seat will not recline.

The bag lane is the backbone. The Aer City Pack 2 is the cabin bag: 16 liters, Cordura shell, YKK zippers, a hidden tracker pocket for an AirTag, and a suspended 16-inch laptop sleeve. It is tight on purpose. Jon used the front pocket for snacks, the zip pocket for passport and wallet, and the bottle pocket on one side. At about $150 it sits in the sweet spot for people who want real materials without jumping into a 30-liter travel pack.

Bellroy shows up twice for good reason. The 3L hanging toiletry kit is the luggage version of a wash bag — water-resistant nylon, wipe-clean interior, metal hook, shelf pouch, and a soft body that compresses in a suitcase. The Lite Daypack is the fold-flat day bag: about 350 grams, 20 liters, Aquaguard top zip, padded straps, sternum strap, and a front zip pocket with a key leash. It is not an ultralight tissue bag and not a stiff everyday pack. That middle ground is why it earned so much Mauritius walking time.

Hats cover three jobs. The Borges and Scott Panama is the looker — Ecuador-made toquilla straw, light, dressy, and not a fan of salt water. The Tilley T5 Adventure is the hard-use hat: vents, fold-flat packing, crown pocket, chin and rear straps, DWR finish, and a hydrofil sweatband. The Graphene-X XCAP is the emergency packable baseball cap — 35 grams, Fidlock buckle, water and UV resistance, reflective detail, and a $99 price that only makes sense if gram-counting is the hobby.

Small carry pieces punch above their size. The PAKT 4L packable sling is a pocket reliever for swim shorts days: double zip main, magnetic back pocket, mesh zip pouch with key leash, seat-belt strap, and a pack-into-itself finish. CuloClean remains Jon’s always-pack bidet tip — bottle-top adapters under ten dollars, a softer brand bottle option, and a new compact tip that saves only a few grams but still works. On the flight side, the FLOWZOOM Air pillow uses an H-shape with a flat back so your head can sit closer to the seat instead of being pushed forward by a classic U-shape. Jon got several hours of real sleep on the 12-hour UK-to-Mauritius hop with it.

Personal care and beach kit round it out. The Philips Norelco 500 Series compact travel shaver is USB-charged, magnet-capped, and case-protected so it will not turn on in a bag. One hour of charge covers about a week, and a five-minute top-up covers one shave. Feathershade is the anti-umbrella beach shade: under 600 grams, sectional poles, light canopy, and a carry bag that fits luggage better than a round patio umbrella. Ahlem sits in the “other items” lane for blue-tinted sun glasses if you want the fashion side of the same trip kit.

What this video does well for Everyday Carry Blog readers is the split between proven travel tools and nice-to-have specialty pieces. Aer + Bellroy + Tilley + CuloClean + a compact shaver can live in a real rotation. Graphene-X, Panama hats, and a German beach shade are optional upgrades once the basics already work. Watch with that filter and the packing list gets cleaner fast.

Closing Remarks

Want the full Mauritius context and the on-bag walkthroughs? Watch the Jon Gadget video above, then use the gear list to jump straight to the pieces you need. Tell us in the comments which item you would pack first — the Aer City Pack 2, the FLOWZOOM pillow, or the CuloClean — and what still fails on your own long-haul trips.