These are the Six Road Trip Essentials We Never Travel Without
Note: Advertising is how we keep this site free for you to enjoy, and we earn a commission from affiliate links that may be included in this post. Thank you for supporting Back Road Ramblers!
Hey, fellow road trippers!
Time to prepare for another season of open windows, impromptu picnics, roadside attractions, and curated Spotify playlists. As you can imagine, road trip season is an institution around here, and we’ve got a whole lot of adventures planned for our tiny car this year.
Before we start gallivanting around Vermont in our tiny car, I wanted to share some of our favorite road trip essentials with you — products that have made our lives easier and more fun on the road less traveled.
The First Aid Kit That Earned a Permanent Spot in My Glove Compartment
From scraped knees at the campground to mystery bug bites at the rest stop, minor mishaps are practically guaranteed on any family road trip.
That’s why we’ve started carrying (and using) these incredibly organized First Aid GoKits in our vehichles. It’s compact (just 6.75” x 5” x 2”) but somehow fits 130 emergency essentials, including nosebleed plugs, blister pads, sting relief, tick removers, and even kid-approved bandages with stickers (yes, I proudly rock the woodland critter bandages myself!).
No more digging through your bag and realizing you forgot the tweezers. Keep the GoKit in your car, and you’ll always be prepared for the little what-ifs that come up on any road trip. Plus, there’s plenty of room to add your own medications and supplies.
This kit is water- and stain-resistant, latex-free, and HSA/FSA eligible, all wins in my book. I picked the Woodland version because, well… it’s adorable. But there are other fun patterns, too!
This Mini Jump Starter and Compressor is our Road Trip Hero
This little gadget has saved my butt more than once, and I’m not just talking about dead batteries.
The VTOMAN X7 Jump Starter with Air Compressor is like having a roadside assistant tucked into your trunk. I’ve used it to jump-start a completely dead battery and to top off my tires before a long drive.
It’s powerful enough to start everything from an SUV to a boat, with 4250A peak current, and it even works in the freezing cold or scorching heat.
The built-in air compressor is super easy to use and has a smart screen that shows real-time pressure and battery level. You can switch between PSI, BAR, and KPA, and it inflates a low tire in about two minutes. Bonus: it doubles as a power bank and flashlight with SOS and emergency light modes.
The VTOMAN X7 comes in a tidy carrying case with all the extras you need. It’s hands down one of the smartest things we’ve brought on our road trips because nothing ruins a family adventure faster than sitting in a campground with a dead battery and zero cell service.
This is also a go-to gift idea for just about anyone who drives.
Read Next: How to Plan a Cross-Country Road Trip on a Budget
The Best Noise-Canceling Headphones for Road Trips & Beyond
Whether you’re listening to true crime podcasts while the kids nap in the backseat or zoning out to your favorite playlist on a cross-country train ride, these H2O Audio RIPT Ultra headphones make travel more pleasant in so many ways.
They cancel out up to 30 dB of background noise (think: highway hum, campground chaos, hotel hallway chatter), so you get crisp, immersive sound without annoying the driver or your bunkmate.
Designed for active people (hello, washable silicone cushions) but comfy enough for all-day wear, they come with two cushion options, silicone for sweaty walks and leatherette for lounging on a long flight.
I’ve worn them for hours at a time: walking through busy campgrounds, on hotel treadmills, and even while trying to nap through rough turbulence. With 50 hours of battery life, they basically never die, so one charge will get us through a LOT of driving.
These headphones get bonus points for the easy-to-use controls, built-in mic, and dual-device Bluetooth connection. They even come in a sleek, sturdy travel case that fits right into your backpack or carry-on.
If you’re a podcast-while-walking, music-on-the-move, audio-loving passenger, you’ll want these headphones in your travel bag.
Read Next: Road Trip Picnic Ideas to Make Traveling More Fun
My Favorite Hands-Free Phone Mount for Road Trips
I’ve tried all the phone holders: the clunky ones that clip to the vent, the awkward arms that never quite stay put, the plastic cradles that launch your phone across the car on a tight turn.
Many years ago, I found the Nite Ize Steelie® Original Dash Kit, and I haven’t looked back. It’s sleek, simple, and ridiculously effective.
Just stick the low-profile magnetic socket to the back of your phone (or case), attach the steel ball mount to your dashboard with the included 3M® adhesive, and boom, your phone securely snaps into place with a strong magnet that actually holds.
You can tilt it, swivel it, rotate from portrait to landscape — all with one smooth motion and no fiddling.
I love that there’s no clamp to deal with and no wasted time trying to wrangle my phone in and out of a cradle. The magnet is powerful, phone-safe, and versatile enough to use around the house, too. I’ve stuck mine on everything from toolboxes to grocery carts.
You can grab extra mounts for all your vehicles or anywhere else you need hands-free access. It’s a small upgrade that makes every road trip (and daily drive) way more streamlined.
Read Next: 9 Best Camping Apps to Download Before Your Next Trip
The Camp Chair We’ve Used for 20+ Years and Still Love
Some gear comes and goes. But our Crazy Creek Chairs have been with us through two decades of road trips, picnics, beach days, and trailhead lunches, and they’re still going strong.
These chairs are the definition of grab-and-go convenience.
They pack totally flat, so they slide right into the car without taking up precious cargo space. And when it’s time to stretch out and snack somewhere scenic, there’s no setup involved, just open, sit, and relax. No sinking into mud, no juggling aluminum poles, no fuss. Just easy comfort.
The original Crazy Creek chairs are our favorite, made with tough-as-nails ripstop nylon, closed-cell foam padding (that won’t absorb water), and carbon-fiber stays.
These seats withstand rocky terrain, wet grass, and every kind of weather. You can adjust the straps to lean back or sit up straight, and with a 250 lb weight capacity, they’re sturdy enough for just about anyone.
Whether you’re perched on a mountaintop or sitting curbside at a parade, these chairs should live in your vehicle. I can’t imagine traveling without them.
Read Next: How to Pack a Small Car for a Big Trip
The Trail Mix That Smells Like Rain and Tastes Like Adventure
As most of you already know, typical road trip snacks are… forgettable.
GORP, granola bars, and mystery nut blends all start to taste the same after a few hours on the road. So when we discovered Wanderlands Snack Mixes, our snack game leveled up in the most unexpected, delicious way.
Crafted by a small but mighty team, a former winemaker and a neuroscientist, no less, Wanderlands snacks are made in small batches with New Mexico–grown pecans, puffed fava beans, pepitas, and the kind of bold, layered spices you’d expect from a fine-dining kitchen, not a trail bag.
Each flavor is inspired by a real landscape and captures the scent, taste, and vibe of the wild places we love.
There are currently three fantastic blends to choose from, and my favorite is Mesa After Rain, a mix that actually tastes like a desert thunderstorm smells with red miso, hatch green chile, fennel, and yuzu layered over smoky nuts and crispy beans.
It’s earthy, savory, and totally addictive. Yes, it’s a splurge (sold in 3-packs), but if you’re craving something beyond the same old road trip snacks, this is so worth it.
Wanderlands gets points for sourcing pecans from Stahmann’s Farm, a family-run estate in southern New Mexico that’s been perfecting the nut game since 1931.
If you’re looking for snacks that spark conversation, evoke a sense of place, and keep everyone reaching into the bag, you just found them.
Ready to Hit the Road?
Whether you’re cruising down scenic backroads or just heading to your favorite campground for the weekend, having the right gear can make your road trip memorable for all the right reasons.
These are the products I genuinely love and bring along on every road trip, from the grab-and-go first aid kit that saves the day, to the snack mix that actually sparks joy (and maybe a little envy from the backseat).
These road trip essentials are compact, reliable, and most importantly, tested on the road by my own family. So if your road trip gear is in need of an upgrade, consider the stuff we won’t leave home without.
Follow us on social media for more road trip inspiration!
