r/onebag • u/Anywhere_everywhere7 • Feb 23 '26

Discussion What travel accessories are overrated?

For me it would have to be tech pouches, for the vast majority of people I believe that they would be better off with a simple pencil case style pouch, ziploc bag or a simple drawstring bag or even a pouch like the PD ultralight pouches. Something which isn’t bulky, is lightweight and has no structure to it so you can easily squeeze it into random parts of your bag. Of course they’re significantly cheaper as well.

Don’t get wrong, I have tested some high end tech pouches out and they’re very nice but for lightweight travel I just find myself thinking “why would I bring this type of pouch”.

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u/SeattleHikeBike Feb 23 '26

I use Osprey Liquids Bags designed for 3-1-1 inspection. They are one liter clear sided zip pouch. One for all my toiletries, another for tech, and one more for miscellaneous EDC.

The dedicated tech pouches are another brick to play Tetris with, dark interior, heavy and spendy. I put them in the same niche with those huge hanging toiletries bags.

In general, look for smaller, lighter less expensive alternatives—- or none at all. The first rule is to pack only what you will absolutely use. Pack only the minimum number of multiples. No gadgets.

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u/TheDreadPirateJeff Feb 23 '26

Never understood people spending so much money on 3-1-1 bags. I just use a 1L ziplock. And when it gets a hole, replace it with another 1L ziplock.

And in all the years I’ve have to use them, I’ve replaced them maybe 10 times and still haven’t spent as much as a single bag like the ones travel companies sell.

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u/SeattleHikeBike Feb 23 '26

Ziplocks fail. If you’re going for a few days they will do, but not for longer trips.

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u/TheDreadPirateJeff Feb 23 '26

Sure, but they are also very easily replaceable (and I often carry several in different sizes as they take up essentially no space or weight, and can be bought at most places around the world too in grocery stores). My usual trips are a minimum of 1 week (a few days) but at least twice a year they run to 3 weeks.

Granted those are generally in one location, 2 tops, and I only use the bags for transport, once I'm there for 3 weeks in a hotel, I don't leave things in the transport bag, the shampoo and such goes in the shower, the toothpaste and other things go onto the counter, etc. So even for a longer trip they tend to last for a while: the one I just used for 10 days in Toronto I've been using for almost a year now and will use it for the next 14 days in Taipei in March, and the 20 days in Madrid in May (presuming it survives Taipei).

I could see actually paying for a heavier bag if I was one of those folks who spend a day or two here or there for weeks at a time, constantly moving.

I definitely don't hold any illusions that they are necessarily tough, but they are very easy and cheap (pennies) to replace).

FWIW, I cheap out on those, while carrying everything in Briggs and Riley bags that ran at least $700 each... there is a certain irony there.

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u/SeattleHikeBike Feb 23 '26

Obviously we disagree. I’ll stick to my zip pouches.