Gear Patrol Studios

Expert-Level Packing Essentials for Holiday Travel

Tips from photographer and travel pro Matt Sayles to help you handle holiday travel with ease.

Published November 22, 2022

When your job involves frequent travel, you become a travel pro without even realizing it. Unexpected flight changes no longer phase you and you even seem to develop an acquired taste for airplane food. Know-how is only part of the equation, what you pack is just as critical – the essential gear we travel with can boost well-being, calm and relaxation in some truly stressful situations.

With this in mind, we asked a seasoned travel pro to open up his own suitcase and share the gear that helps him stay rested, look good and feel comfortable.

Whether you are planning a trip home for the holidays or an overseas work trip to a far-flung destination, we hope this guide helps you make the most of your trip. Here’s to smooth and safe travels.

Meet Matt Sayles

Matt Sayles is a Los Angeles-based portrait and commercial photographer whose work takes him all over the world. When he’s not photographing icons such as Kamala Harris, Prince Harry and Beyonce or capturing moments at events like the Academy Awards and the Emmys, chances are he’s waiting in the TSA PreCheck line and heading to grab a bite on his way to a hotel before an early morning call time.

Sayles’ work is featured on countless magazine covers, and along the way, he’s become as much a pro traveler as a pro photog. He’s developed his own set of rules (no red eyes, ever), tricks for dealing with jet lag and efficient packing methods (he’s a folder, not a roller – mostly).

As a father, Sayles had adapted his jet-set hacks to family travel too (bottom line: when traveling with family, “it’s a lot easier to enjoy the moment”). In the last year alone, Sayles’ favorite part of traveling? “Exploring new places, foods, cultures, and the opportunity to learn how other people live,” he says.

“Every time I travel, I learn something new.”

Sayles is also a passionate member of the Exposure Project, whose mission is to “expose young creatives from underrepresented groups to the photography industry by providing them the opportunity to visit and work on sets alongside professional photo assistants and photographers.”

High-quality gear is critical to Matt’s travel routine. We caught up with him during one of his long layovers to get the rundown on his tips and tricks, just in time for the holiday traveling season, and to ask one of our favorite questions: What’s in your bag?

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