Packing & Kit
Travel gear that earns its weight.
Packing kit for British travel doesn't need to be expensive — Decathlon and Mountain Warehouse cover 90% of what most travellers need at a fraction of the high-street price. The premium brands matter only if you're going somewhere extreme.
These are the UK retailers travellers use most. Decathlon for backpacks and base layers; Mountain Warehouse for waterproofs in their constant sales.
Where to look
- DecathlonCheap reliable travel gear. Their own-brand backpacks are excellent.
- Mountain WarehouseSales rotate weekly. Waterproofs and base layers especially.
- Amazon Basics TravelPacking cubes, adapters, padlocks at the bottom price.
- NomaticPricier but cabin-friendly bags that survive years of use.
- GO OutdoorsUK chain with strong sales on tents and sleeping bags.
Articles
The £2.50-a-day roaming trap, and the eSIM that replaces it
Most big UK networks now charge £2–£2.60 a day to use your phone in Europe — £35 a fortnight per person. A £5 eSIM or the right SIM at home makes it £0.
4 Jul 20264 min read
Hand-luggage-only: the kit that dodges every Ryanair fee
Ryanair, Wizz and easyJet make most of their money on bags, not seats. The right 40-litre backpack and a packing method turn a £90 round-trip of baggage fees into £0 — for a week away.
14 Apr 20262 min read