TL;DR Following up on my 2023 post, what made the cut, and what have I changed about my mobile setup?

Changed

Phone

My Pixel 7 was having battery issues, and the screen improvements on the Pixel 9 Pro were just too good to pass on.

Pixel 9 Pro

To separate work and personal communications, I keep all work apps, accounts, etc... on a work phone. Previously I was using whatever was my last gen phone, but to stay abreast of the Apple ecosystem (and to replicate issues my parents may have with their phones) I decided to start carrying an iPhone. I picked up the iPhone 16 Pro and AirPods Pro 2 at the same time a few months ago. The AirPods just have too good an integration with calls on the iPhone and seamless connectivity between Apple devices.

Bonus is I now have double the amount of wireless audio hours carrying around 2x phones and 2x earbuds. It even saved me on a trip to Italy when the data on my Pixel suddenly turned off, but my iPhone was perfectly fine (they are on the exact same plan).

Backpack

I have upgraded from the previous Osprey daypack to the Peak Design Travel Backpack 30L. The overall build quality is crazy good.

Standout features include water resistant (proof?) zippers, the inner pocket organization, the stow-away straps, and a large main compartment that can open fully flat.

Peak Design 30L

Laptop

While I did love my M1 Max 14", 2025 is the year of the Linux laptop for me, and Framework has changed the game with its modular architecture, upgradeability and openness of components.

I also started daily driving Bluefin OS, which has very good support for Framework, and is a project I am very keen on supporting (I sponsor the maintainer on GitHub!).

Subsequently, I have upgraded to the Framework 13 with a ton of modules:

Framework 13 specs

And to store all of these modules while on the go:

Tech Pouch

The Peak Design Tech Pouch has added a good amount of organization to my backpack. Having a single place for all of my chargers and cables really keeps things neat and improves my sanity.

Peak Design Tech Pouch

In that pouch I have:

Charger

Still the 130W GAN charger from WOTOBEUS. I cannot stress how great it is to only carry a single brick for my laptop, phone, headphones, etc... Standardizing on USB C has revolutionized my packing.

130W GAN Charger w/ extension

Cables

I have changed from the Philips to the Anker Zolo USB C to USB C, Braided cables. A bit better turn radius and softer braiding, plus support for up to 240W charging. I keep three in the tech pouch and one smaller one in a more accessible pocket on the backpack.

For my USB C hub, I have swapped from the older Belkin to a uni 8-in-1 Hub. Much lighter, has rubberized sides for protection, and has modern ports for any of my needs. It also fit my need for a 4k HDMI hub w/ 100W power delivery.

Additionally in the pouch I have the USB C modules for my Framework laptop, some misc flash drives, micro SD cards, etc...

Health Supplies

Somewhere along the line I started getting older and taking my health more seriously, and it's quite amazing how much better travel is if you are prepared.

Inside my backpack I also keep a supply of:

  • Granola bars - My go-to travel food
  • Lotion/Sunscreen - I've used both CeraVe SPF 30 Moisturizer and Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen for dry hands, wind, sun etc...
  • Antacids - Tums/Mylanta/Pepto/Rolaids... take your pick, at some point you (or someone with you) will need em
  • First aid kit - Always good to have, mostly for minor cuts and scrapes
  • Disinfectant wipes - When you need clean hands, but don't have access to a readily accessible bathroom
  • Winter hat - Regardless of where+when you travel, its always a good idea to have a solution for keeping your head warm. I've been carrying the same hat from Eastern Mountain Sports for over a decade!
  • Toilet paper - You may laugh, but airport toilet paper sucks, and hotel toilet paper is not much better
  • Electrolytes - I've enjoyed either Liquid IV or LMNT, helps stave off dehydration from air travel
  • IEMs/wired headphones - I picked up a pair of Final Audio A4000 in Akihabara on a business trip to Japan. These allow me to connect to in-flight entertainment on flights that don't yet have Bluetooth connectivity.
  • Saline spray - I don't know about you, but planes dry my sinuses out. Your destination may also have less humidity than you are used to.

Unchanged

These items have been so good I have not felt the need to upgrade:

Categories removed

  • Mobile gaming - I don't carry my SteamDeck around as often as I used to, so that's off the list.
  • Second screen - Not using my M1 as often I got rid of my IPad Air as it was collecting dust, but still had some trade-in value.
  • Headset + case - Taking up too much room, and headphone mics are good enough now you don't sound like trash.
  • Mouse - Bluefin with keyboard shortcuts greatly eliminates overusing the mousepad.