# TravelCriteria

> Travel gear reviews and buying guides: luggage, backpacks, packing gear and travel tech, plus tours and experiences, with reader codes from brands we trust.

TravelCriteria publishes travel reviews, buying guides and reader discount codes. Every review states who the product suits, the current price from the brand's own store, and any active reader code.

## Key pages
- [Reviews](https://travelcriteria.com/reviews): every product we recommend
- [Buying guides](https://travelcriteria.com/guides): how to choose
- [Glossary](https://travelcriteria.com/glossary): travel terms defined
- [How we review](https://travelcriteria.com/how-we-review)

## Topics
- [Luggage](https://travelcriteria.com/category/luggage): Carry-on and checked suitcases, hardside and softside luggage.
- [Bags & packing](https://travelcriteria.com/category/bags-packing): Travel backpacks, duffels, packing cubes and organizers.
- [Travel tech](https://travelcriteria.com/category/travel-tech): Plug adapters, power banks, trackers and travel gadgets.
- [Tours & experiences](https://travelcriteria.com/category/experiences): Tours, activities, hotels and experiences worth booking.

## Buying guides
- [Carry-On Packing List: How to Pack a Week in One Bag](https://travelcriteria.com/guides/carry-on-packing-list): To pack a week in a carry-on, plan outfits around one color palette, bring about 3 bottoms, 5 tops, 1 layer, 2 pairs of shoes (wear the bulkiest), and enough underwear and socks, then do one quick laundry if needed. Use packing cubes, keep liquids in a quart-size bag, wear your heaviest items on the plane, and keep essentials such as medication, documents and chargers in your personal item.
- [Checked Luggage Size and Weight Limits: What to Know](https://travelcriteria.com/guides/checked-luggage-size-and-weight): Most US airlines limit standard checked bags in economy to 62 linear inches (158 cm), the total of length, width and height, and 50 lb (23 kg). Premium cabins often allow 70 lb (32 kg). Many international airlines also use 23 kg for economy, though some use different weight or piece allowances. Bags over the limit cost extra, and very heavy bags may not be accepted, so weigh your bag before you leave.
- [eSIM vs Local SIM vs Roaming: Staying Connected Abroad](https://travelcriteria.com/guides/esim-vs-local-sim): A travel eSIM is usually the easiest way to get mobile data abroad: you buy a data plan online, install it with a QR code or app before you leave, and it activates when you land. A local SIM often gives the best value for longer stays and includes a local phone number. Carrier roaming is the simplest but often the most expensive. Your phone must be unlocked and eSIM-compatible to use a travel eSIM.
- [How to Choose a Guided Tour: 10 Things to Check Before Booking](https://travelcriteria.com/guides/how-to-choose-a-guided-tour): Before booking a tour, check the group size, exactly what is included, the cancellation policy, the pace and physical demands, and recent reviews that mention the guide. Small groups and free cancellation up to 24 hours before are worth paying a little more for. Book directly with a licensed operator or through a platform with clear refund terms, and confirm the meeting point the day before.
- [How to Choose Carry-On Luggage: Size, Weight and Wheels](https://travelcriteria.com/guides/how-to-choose-carry-on-luggage): For US domestic flights, a carry-on of 22 x 14 x 9 inches including wheels and handles fits most major airlines. International and budget airlines are often stricter, commonly around 55 x 40 x 20 cm, and many set a weight limit of 7 to 10 kg. Choose the lightest bag that fits, pick hardside for protection or softside for flexibility and outer pockets, and check your airline's exact limits before you fly.
- [Luggage Trackers Explained: AirTag, SmartTag and Tile](https://travelcriteria.com/guides/luggage-trackers-explained): A luggage tracker is a small Bluetooth tag that reports its location through nearby phones on a finding network. Choose an Apple AirTag if you use an iPhone, a Samsung SmartTag for Samsung Galaxy phones, and a tracker on Google's Find My Device network or Tile for other Android phones. Trackers with small coin-cell batteries are allowed in checked luggage under FAA guidance. They don't stop bags from being lost, but they show you where a bag is, which helps the airline find it.
- [Packing Cubes: Are They Worth It and How to Use Them](https://travelcriteria.com/guides/packing-cubes-guide): Packing cubes don't create space on their own; they keep a bag organized, so you can find things fast and keep clothes neat. Compression cubes do save space by zipping down to squeeze out air. A starter set of one large, one medium and one small cube covers a week in a carry-on. Pack one category per cube, roll or fold to the cube's size, and put heavy cubes at the wheel end.
- [Can You Bring a Power Bank on a Plane? Rules and Wh Limits](https://travelcriteria.com/guides/power-banks-on-planes): Power banks must go in your carry-on, never in checked bags. Under US FAA rules, power banks up to 100 watt-hours are allowed without approval, those between 100 and 160 Wh need airline approval (usually a maximum of two), and anything over 160 Wh is not allowed. A typical 20,000 mAh power bank is about 74 Wh, well under the limit. Some airlines now also restrict using or charging power banks during the flight, so check your airline's rules.
- [Travel Backpack vs Suitcase: Which Should You Take?](https://travelcriteria.com/guides/travel-backpack-vs-suitcase): Choose a travel backpack for multi-stop trips, stairs, cobblestones, public transport and budget airlines with strict size limits. Choose a rolling suitcase for business travel, smooth airports and hotels, heavier loads and keeping clothes neat. Many travelers use a carry-on suitcase for most trips and a 35 to 45 liter travel backpack for active or multi-city trips.
- [Travel Plug Adapter Guide: Plug Types and Voltage by Country](https://travelcriteria.com/guides/travel-plug-adapter-guide): A plug adapter changes the shape of your plug so it fits the wall; it doesn't change the voltage. North America and Japan use 100 to 120 volts, while most of the world uses 220 to 240 volts. Most phone, laptop and camera chargers are dual voltage (look for 100-240V on the label), so they only need an adapter. Hair dryers and other heating appliances are often single voltage and need a converter or a dual-voltage model.
- [TSA Liquids Rule (3-1-1): What You Can Bring in Your Carry-On](https://travelcriteria.com/guides/tsa-liquids-rule): In the US, TSA's 3-1-1 rule lets you carry liquids, gels, aerosols, creams and pastes in containers of 3.4 ounces (100 ml) or less, all fitting in one clear quart-size bag, one bag per passenger. Medications, baby formula and breast milk are allowed in larger amounts but must be declared at screening. Larger containers go in checked luggage. At airports with newer CT scanners you may not need to take the bag out, but the size limits still apply.

Contact: info@travelcriteria.com