5 essential products that should be in your everyday carry backpack

Your everyday carry (EDC) backpack is more than just a place to stash your lunch and keys; it’s your mobile command center, your lifeline for productivity, and your source of peace of mind. But a great bag is only as good as the essential technology inside.

After years of commuting, working remotely, and traveling, I’ve refined my daily payload down to the non-negotiables — the gear that offers maximum utility and rock-solid reliability without weighing me down. Whether you’re a heavy commuter or someone who can’t risk a dead phone, these are my top five recommendations to help you be truly prepared for any occasion.

One product every backpack needs is a reliable power bank with a large enough capacity to charge your phone at least once. That’s always been my rule, and anything that comes after is a huge bonus. Secondly, the power bank must have fast charging to quickly top up my devices and prevent me from being stranded without my gadgets.

The UGREEN Nexode Power Bank has a massive 20,000 mAh battery. It’s relatively affordable, portable, and it even has a display — which is impressive, given it also shows you the charging speed — which I always want to know — and an adorable animation.

It’s a compact power bank, and it can fit in most backpacks. It’s not too heavy, so it can even fit in smaller handbags, and it can simultaneously charge three devices, including a laptop, at up to 100W. It’s a true powerhouse, and the first thing I pack when I leave the house, go on a work trip, or on a holiday.

Charging cables often don’t get enough attention, and most people just use the one that comes with their devices or pick up a well-rated one from Amazon. We often look at the cable’s length, depending on what and where we want to use it, but never take a very close look at the standards it supports.

It’s important to remember that not all USB-C charging cables are the same. These can support many standards, various power outputs, and even display outputs. It took me a long time to figure it all out, and I still have to use cheat sheets to avoid getting confused due to lousy naming schemes. Once I got the fundamentals, all my cables lasted several years and actually served a purpose.

My main cable choice for my backpack has been Anker for several years. The company makes reliable, robust cables that can withstand the toughest users — yes, those who bend the ends of ports in unimaginable ways — and last several years before showing any signs of malfunction.

I often buy a bundle of two, making sure I always have a spare at home and with me. My preferred length is about 6 feet (2 meters), which is often enough to provide plenty of headroom, and I always pick a cable that supports 100W of power output, so it can be used with all of my devices. For short trips or holidays, a simple 3 feet (1 meter) cable will be compact enough to rely on in emergencies.

The Apple AirPods Pro 2 might not be a popular option among many Android fans, but as someone who often juggles between a Mac, an Android phone, and an iPhone, the AirPods have been nothing short of an amazing experience. They seamlessly connect to all my devices, including my Galaxy Z Fold 6, for a flawless experience.

The sound quality is nothing to write home about, but the active noise cancelation (ANC) still holds its ground as one of the best on the market, even with the newer AirPods Pro 3 now available. They’re one of the best earbuds when I’m editing a video, playing music, or playing a game.

The microphone quality isn’t amazing either, but the party on the other end of the line can still understand me, and thanks to ANC, I can hear them clearly too. The battery lasts more than enough to make it through a full workday, and its intuitive interface makes it a great option, especially for those who, like me, use multiple devices and platforms on a daily basis.

Apple devices don’t always work seamlessly with Android devices, though, and if you don’t want a fiddly experience, you might want to look for better options. As a viable alternative, you might be interested in the Beats Powerbeats Fit, which work seamlessly on both platforms, have a long battery life, and an excellent audio quality to keep you in the zone.

There’s no way around it. I’m a power user, and some could even say I’m addicted and glued to my phone’s display. I always consume content, read the news, or do something on my phone. It’s not just a tool for work, but also a device that lets me escape the real world and learn something new.

I like watching documentaries and reading, and sometimes my hands are full. It’s not always possible to hold the phone, and that’s where this ring holder comes into play, providing a true hands-free experience.

It can easily attach to the back of your MagSafe-compatible phone case or your Pixel 10 series phone with Qi2 built in. I usually put it on the table and use it in a propped-up mode, which is the most convenient for me. But it can also be used as a popsocket, enabling you to get a firmer and safer grip over your large device.

It’s a tool I’ve used for over a year and one I’d recommend for most households. Whether you’re showing a video or a clip to someone, or simply want to read or watch some videos, it’s one of the best and most affordable gadgets you could get to make your experience more hassle-free.

Wireless headphones, especially those with good ANC, can set you back hundreds of dollars. And while the sound quality for most of those priced between $300 – $500 offers an immersive experience, it’s still costly. That’s where my favorite pair of affordable wireless headphones comes into play, offering a lot of high-end features for a fraction of the price.

I must admit, I’m not an audiophile, even though I know what a good pair of speakers and wireless headphones sound like. I simply don’t need that much clarity for everyday tasks. The JBuds Lux won’t blow anyone’s ears off, but they will provide a decent enough audio quality that everyone will appreciate, especially at the price of $80, which often goes even lower during promotional periods.

JLab says these can last up to 40 hours with ANC enabled. I used them on a 7-hour trip just last year, and they never seemed to run out of juice, even with ANC on. It’s worth noting that the noise cancelation will not be as effective as that of higher-end headphones, but given the cost, it will still cancel out most high-pitched noises from the plane’s engines, making the trip far more pleasant.

These are my picks for some of my favorite accessories in my EDC backpack. They don’t solve all the problems I may face on a daily basis, but every item serves a purpose that I can rely on. Whether my phone is low on battery or there are loud people around me, these items help me isolate and focus on the tasks at hand.

But everyone’s needs are different. You could further simplify this or add in a few extra devices to the mix to make your everyday life more comfortable and easier to manage. For example, you might want to add an even larger capacity power bank or bring an Android tablet along. Whatever you decide to keep in your backpack, my recommendation is to ensure you plan ahead and have the right tools at your disposal.