I’ve driven across five continents — here are 15 tech items I bring on road trips

Thanks to AirTags, I can track my bags from drop-off to the plane to the luggage carousel. And even when the worst happens, and my bags end up in Orlando when I'm in Michigan (true story), I know where they are and how to find them.

"First, we bought one Apple AirTag for my husband's wallet. Then we bought a second one for his car keys," said this repeat buyer. "Now, we have a four-pack, which is cheaper, for our golf bags and checked roller bags."

Make fighting with your family members over power outlets a thing of the past, courtesy of this electrifying gadget. It's equipped with five AC outlets and four USB ports, enough for everyone to charge their iPads, iPhones, MacBooks (you get the picture) all at once. Oh, and it's so much sleeker than having a power strip on your floor — and you won't have to worry about tripping over it. 

No, it's not a massive discount, but this top seller is within a dollar of its all-time low (and it's retailed for as much as $20 in the past). 

More than 10,000 Amazon shoppers snapped up these earbuds in the past month, so calling them a customer favorite might just be an understatement. They come with more features than you might expect given the tiny package: active noise cancellation, transparency mode, USB-C charging and a snug, customizable fit.

Imagine this: You're stopped at a red light when the car in front of you starts to back up. Before you have time to think, let alone drive away, bam! They hit your car, but claim you rear-ended them. Unfortunately, these kinds of insurance scams happen all too often, and unless you have a dash cam that shows what actually happened, you might be shelling out a lot of dough to make this problem go away. Fortunately, high-quality dash cams don't have to cost an arm and a leg: For instance, this dash cam is on sale for its lowest-ever price thanks to this lightning deal. 

Planning any road trips? This popular power station is an absolute steal at nearly $400 off. With a massive 1,070 watt-hour capacity and multiple ports, it's perfect for powering everything from your camping gear to essential appliances during a power outage, and this is the best price I've seen in marked down to months.  

The newest iPad is an ultra-light, thin tablet that's powerful enough to replace your laptop for most tasks but slips into your bag with room to spare. With a spacious 11-inch Liquid Retina display, you're swiping and scrolling in vibrant color and sharpness that makes any screen that came before it feel like an old tube TV.

If you've got a habit of toggling among a dozen apps, streaming videos and replying to messages simultaneously, you're in for a treat. This iPad is ready to keep up with whatever you throw its way. And if you're into gaming, the graphics capabilities mean you can play even demanding games without dropping a frame.

With two USB ports and a soft light that makes them easy to find, this is a stylish charger that adds modern convenience to an older vehicle.

Stop keeping your phone in your lap or center console. Keep it on the dash, where you can easily glance at it — but mostly, keep your eyes on the road.

Maybe they're not the sentimental type — so how about something aggressively practical? This compact tire inflator is a go-to gift that our Senior Tech Writer, Rick Broida, calls "darn near perfect." Of course, it's good not just for tires, but balls, bikes and more, and it doubles as a power bank. 

A portable power bank like the Iniu is nice, but if you need more juice (grunts in Tim the Tool Man Taylor), a portable power station is where it's at. At $90 off, this Jackery is a fantastic option, and the exact one I use. It can charge while you drive (it takes no more than four hours to charge from zero to 80% using the car adapter) and, at less than 8 pounds, it's incredibly portable.

One of my favorite family vacations growing up was a trip out west to Yellowstone National Park. When we got to the hotel, my sister and I were horrified to find there was no TV in the room (this was long before smartphones and tablets). That week, my family went to nighttime ranger talks, learned how to play euchre and stayed up late staring at the stars — all things we probably wouldn't have done if we were inside watching Cartoon Network every night.

That said, there are places — like the middle of Iowa or Nebraska — where you're just stopping to rest. In those spots, it's nice to have a streaming device. On a recent trip to Arches and Canyonlands with my daughter, we spent every morning eating breakfast and watching an episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse together. It was perfection.

When I was car shopping a while back, I had my heart set on a Ford Flex — a turbocharged wagon that devours road trip miles like I devour waffles at breakfast. One of its standout features? An optional built-in refrigerator, perfect for keeping drinks cold on long drives. The problem? Finding one with that feature was nearly impossible, and when I did, it came at a hefty premium.

Thankfully, 12V fridges are way more common now than in the Flex's heyday. For a little over $250, you can get one that plugs right into the car, fits between the seats, skips the mess of melted ice and even comes with you into the hotel room.

Ever deal with a dead phone on a trip? Complete disaster. These days most cars have multiple charging options, but if you drive an older vehicle that night not be the case. For those who don't have third-row USB ports, consider a power bank like this one, which will keep phones going no matter how long the road stretches ahead.

One of the last longer road trips I took was up into the mountains in our little Subaru. As we started descending from a climb, the dashboard lit up like a Christmas tree. It was Sunday, and we were in a small town and nowhere near an auto shop — let alone one that was open. So we cut the trip short and headed home before the car broke down completely and left us stranded.

The problem ended up being a common one that I could've easily waited to fix. If I'd had an OBD II scanner, we'd have been able to stay and enjoy the rest of our time in the mountains. This little device acts like a translator for your car's check engine light, letting you know whether it's a “pull over now” issue or something that can wait until you're back in civilization.

This powerful little number is both a jump starter AND a portable car power supply with high capacity. It uses dual USB 3.0 output ports, and the charging speed is 75% faster than ordinary mobile power.

I used to throw half a dozen or so paperbacks in the back of the car before every camping trip. There's nothing like lying in a hammock or tent at a campsite, flipping through a book. When the sun goes down, it can get a bit harder to read, even when using a headlamp, so now I just bring along my Kindle. It houses almost my entire library, and the battery has no problem lasting all trip.

I couldn't tell you the last time I had to use a standalone GPS device; these days, most of us just use our phones for navigation. That said, I have found myself lost in the middle of nowhere without a signal more than a handful of times, and a GPS device with pre-downloaded maps would have come in handy. So now I keep one in the car at all times, even if I still prefer to use Apple CarPlay.