Peak holiday season is upon us, and to help you pack smarter, we asked readers for the one item that always makes it into their suitcase. From tried-and-tested luggage to day-to-night sandals and long-journey entertainment for kids, these reader recommendations and Filter favourites offer inspiration for your next trip.
The holiday heroes that go the distance
Morwenna Ferrier opts for a linen throw over a towel for the beach, noting that towels are 'too bulky and slow to dry.' She also carries an extra baby muslin for drying herself. The Toast Stripe Linen Throw costs £135.
Ali Payne recommends kids' anti-UV sun tops from Decathlon at £6.99, saying, 'Rash vests: always pack these as they can be expensive to buy at the beach. Decathlon’s are great.'
Payne also swears by a waterproof speaker: 'We love to put music on around the pool (if we’re in a private villa) or in the room. We’ve had one for years, and it still works perfectly.' The UE Wonderboom 4 costs from £57.16 at John Lewis.
Mark uses simple open-heel bodyboard fins from Decathlon (£24.99) 'for most unspectacular bodysurfing or just any fun in the water.'
Sylvia found Nescafé instant cappuccino sachets (12 for £2.50 at Asda) invaluable: 'On my last holiday in Greece, the most useful thing I remembered to take was a few sachets of instant cappuccino. I cannot do without a coffee when I wake up.'
Anna recommends a pop-up laundry basket (£4 at Argos) that 'flattens down and keeps the hotel room tidy from piles of washing. Essential when you have small children going through three-plus outfit changes a day.'
Monica Horridge invested in Bicycle waterproof playing cards (£12.99 at John Lewis) for a Cyprus holiday: 'They kept happily us entertained for hours.'
For children too big for a travel cot but too small for a single bed, Rose Stokes recommends the Stokke CloudSleeper inflatable travel bed (£89). 'It packs up small and inflates in less than a minute with its built-in pump, plus it comes in prints that kids are bound to love.'
Journey essentials
Pete Wise rated the KeepCup Commuter travel mug (340ml, £32) as the best overall in his test of the best travel mugs, thanks to its 'impressive temperature control,' easy-to-use design and spill-proofing.
For sleep on the go, the Infinity travel pillow (£42) came out on top after Wise's comprehensive tests on buses, trains and arcade machines.
KH suggests a microfibre pillowcase from Dunelm (£2): 'You can stuff it with extra clothes for a pillow on the plane or a spare pillow on holiday.'
Jane Hoskyn awarded top marks to MyHalos blackout sleep mask (£9.99) in her trial of the best sleep aids, achieving nine hours of blissful shut-eye.
AP recommends prepacking snacks for kids on the plane in clear bags: 'Clear bags give the kids ownership of their snacks, so they don’t disturb you as much! Speaking of which: noise-cancelling headphones!' The Bose QuietComfort headphones cost from £209 at John Lewis.
Pete Wise rated the Anker Nano power bank (£19.99) best for portability in his test of the best power banks, making it ideal for on the go.
The Kindle Paperwhite (£159.99) has a 7in screen, water resistance and is a 'beautiful canvas for novels,' landing it the top spot in Andrew Williams's review of the best ebook readers.
Rebecca Goodman's guide to surviving long family car journeys recommends the Melissa & Doug reusable sticker pad (£3.99) as a portable activity to keep kids occupied.
Rachel Stirling always carries a Quechua 20l cooler backpack (£24.99 at Decathlon): 'Always have an emergency picnic with you – this could be a baguette, or crackers and some picky bits you can eat without too much mess. This is handy on long journeys, and it’s also a lot cheaper than the train cafe or service station.'
Rose Stokes says a Lego Classic creative suitcase (£14.99) is 'a brilliant addition to your parenting arsenal when you’re far from home.'
Luggage
When Pete Wise tested cabin bags, the Tripp Holiday 8 cabin suitcase (£42) was his favourite budget option: 'The Holiday 8 is my top pick for solo travellers who need to pick up a decent cabin bag for a good price.'
For larger needs, the Tripp Holiday 8 Large (£75) survived Wise's brutal drop test and earned a top spot in his guide to the best suitcases. 'The Large is a lovely suitcase to use in every respect, from adjusting its glossy compression straps to wheeling it around on its nimble casters.'
Jess Cartner-Morley says the Antler overnight travel bag (£125) has strangers stopping her in the street. 'The clever thing about this bag is the integral back strap, which allows it to slide over the pop-up handle of your wheeled suitcase.'
Peter Bevan recommends the Stubble & Co travel bag (from £77) for men: 'It’s time to swap your cross-body for a shoulder bag. This has enough space for your laptop, your gym gear and a couple of essential toiletries.'
Les Shu found the Eagle Creek packing cubes (£35 at Rohan) 'near perfect' in his test for Filter US.
AP loves the Eastpak Tranverz suitcase (£99): 'The two compartments inside make it easy to fit packing cubes.'
Rose Stokes praises the Trunki suitcase (£49.99) as a favourite among small kids and parents: 'I mean, who among us has never had to get somewhere on time with an uncooperative small person?'
Toiletries
Anita Bhagwandas recommends the Jo Malone London fragrance set (5 x 1.5ml, £20) for travel: 'Something for every destination.' For men, Peter Bevan suggests the Le Père discovery set.
Bhagwandas also recommends the Every Drop spatula (£13.36) to transfer full-size products into travel pots, saving money and packaging waste. 'It’s also useful for getting the last smears of product out of a jar.'
KH uses a flat foundation brush (£2.97) for applying sun cream to children.
Rose Stokes recommends the Solar Buddies refillable sun cream applicator (£7.98) for kids: 'Not only does this help get an even spread, but my son actually enjoys it so much, he asks to do it himself.'
Sarah Matthews rated Beauty of Joseon relief sun rice + probiotics SPF50 (50ml, £12.40) as the best overall face SPF: 'It sinks in quickly, leaving a soft, natural finish that’s neither too oily nor too matt.'
Sarah Matthews also rated Naked Sundays hydrating glow face mist (75ml, £24) as the best spray SPF: 'Perfect for SPF top-ups, while the skincare actives will keep you glowing all day.'
Charlie Allenby recommends Horace face and body sunscreen SPF50+ (100ml, £19) for low-fuss protection: 'It protects against harmful UVA and UVB rays but isn’t chalky like the factor 50s of old – it feels more like a moisturiser.'
Lise Smith reviewed the Dyson Supersonic Travel hairdryer (£249.99) as 'a smaller, lighter, travel-friendly dryer offering the same powerful airflow and heat-control technology as its full-size sibling.'
Alan Martin says the Suri 2.0 toothbrush with charging travel case (£105) is 'the best choice' for sustainability: the case charges the toothbrush and cleans it with UV light.
Women’s holiday accessories
Chloe Mac Donnell suggests the Oas camel brim canvas hat (£80) for windy islands: 'Swap your baseball cap for a canvas sun hat.'
Jess Cartner-Morley recommends Le Specs oval sunglasses (£38.50) for effortless chic: 'No mere mortal can make 1990s minimalism look as good as Carolyn Bessette Kennedy.'
Jess Cartner-Morley also recommends Clarks Ravina sandals (£38): 'Holiday sandals need to be comfy enough for a hot walk but nice enough to wear with your going-out-for-dinner dress.'
The John Lewis twist front swimsuit (£45) is highlighted as a great option for bigger busts, with eye-catching blue and tasteful twist detail.
Charlotte Gornall recommends Archies arch support flip-flops (£35): 'Archies – as the name suggests – makes flip-flops with proper arch support, something you’d normally only get from a chunkier shoe.'
Morwenna Ferrier suggests Pro11 flip-flop toe posts (£4.99) to protect tender skin between toes.
Men’s holiday accessories
Charlie Allenby recommends Uniqlo bold square sunglasses (£19.90) with yellow-tinted lenses: 'Bold designs are still in vogue this summer, and the tinted lenses of this Uniqlo pair will evoke the 90s.'
Peter Bevan says a Carhartt WIP canvas hat (£27.50) is the only hat you'll ever need: 'It protects your face from UV rays and stops you from squinting. Plus, it looks cool – even when your hair’s not playing ball.'
Marks & Spencer quick-dry patterned swim trunks (£20) are quick-drying with a fun tropical pattern.
Peter Bevan recommends Autograph leather flip-flops (£32) for a dressier look: 'They’ll look great with a pair of tailored trousers come holiday season.'
