On a Personal Note
Greetings from Taipei. Returning to Taiwan always comes with lots of nostalgia. So, I will share some reflections on my impressions in the next newsletter. For now, however, we’re continuing the End of Year cycle. After the Reading Update two weeks ago, it’s time to dive into my favorite items of the year. And then it’ll be almost time for the annual review and the infamous predictions newsletter. Better get going!
BTW, the IAF Christmas Countdown (featuring yours truly) and this one are the only acceptable advent calendars out there. Just saying:
Gear List 2024
It’s the return of the popular series: The Gear List. For some reason, I skipped 2023, but here’s the 2022 Edition—which tbh still features many of my all-time favorites. Definitely worth a look. But now, it’s time for some updates.
(This might also serve as a handy ‘Gift Guide’ for your favorite travel tech bro. We all know how notoriously hard they are to shop for!)"
// Clothing
Shaping New Tomorrow Classic Shirt: Whenever I’m working, I stick to plain white shirts as this makes everything else (read: capsule wardrobe) easier. These are the best out there and hold up well during intense travels. You won’t be disappointed!
K-Way Le Vrai 3.0 Claude: Rain jackets are one of those categories I find super annoying to shop for. Because it’s way easy to get baited into the over-engineered, multi-purpose trekking/hiking world of Jack Wolfskin-style jackets. But FFS, I don’t want to survive the Monsoon season in the troops; I just want a basic rain jacket! So this one takes the opposite direction: stylish and easily packable. It takes up no space and can be thrown into any bag. I picked one up from their collab with Maison Kitsuné—so cute, especially when you compare it to Jack Wolfskin lmao
Uniqlo AIRism Cotton Oversized Crew Neck T-Shirt: In case you’ve been living under a rock: This is the best T-Shirt in the game—especially considering the price. I own 20+ of them. Plus, an underrated advantage is that you can easily restock them almost anywhere in the world.
Uniqlo JW Anderson Socks: Whenever JW Anderson drops a new collection, head straight to the socks section for the best deals. Trust me on this!
// Electronics
Ricoh GRIII HDF: On long travels, I don’t always have the space to pack my DSLR and lenses, so I needed a point-and-shoot alternative that wasn’t the Fuji X100V (expensive and hard-to-get). That’s where the Ricoh GRIII shines: it’s smaller than my iPhone, delivers incredible image quality, and, due to its form factor, is made for street photography. Sure, the Fuji has better built-in film simulations, but I’m getting better at cooking my own.
Tula Mic: Traveling while co-/hosting two podcasts and multiple web series means that you either compromise on audio quality or invest in the Tula mic. Incredible performance in the smallest possible form factor. Truly an amazing product.
NEEWER Light Panel: One of those products that make me think: “Why doesn’t everyone own this?” Will instantly boost your Zoom meetings (and confidence)—while taking literally no space.
DJI Mic 2: Maybe my most recommended product of the last two years. If you do any form of content production (YouTube, TikTok, etc.), this is a no-brainer.
Withings Scanwatch 2: I’ve tried experimenting with other watches and step counters after my old Withings model was discontinued; but I eventually gave in and went back this year. It’s simply the best smartwatch that doesn’t look (or even act for that matter) like a typical smartwatch. Sure, it doesn’t do all the fancy stuff, but since I only care about activity and sleep tracking (and want zero notifications!), it’s perfect. Plus, it’s an insane compliment-getter. People ask me about this watch more than they ask about my fragrances :-/
Logitech Pebble 2 Combo: I used to think carrying an external keyboard and mouse was a waste of space. Oh boy, how wrong I was. In fact, this Logitech makes me avoid my MacBook keyboard. Total productivity booster. Pair it with a travel stand for the perfect on-the-go setup.
Sony WH-1000XM5: I’ve owned all the previous models, and this one is even better. We all know that noise-canceling is an absolute must, and no matter what they tell you, AirPods just don’t cut it. Sure, they filter out airplane noise, but they won’t save you from that random stranger who will eventually come up to you. Over-ears are the only way to scare people off, and these are the best in the game.
UGREEN Uno USB-C Charger 100W: I finally upgraded all my tech to USB-C, and this charger just completed the picture. It’s super fast (3 USB-C slots & 1 USB-A slot), super compact, and super cute. Having this, I can’t even think of a reason to carry multiple chargers anymore—this is the only one you’ll need. (And yes, it can charge your laptop too!)
// Apps
Airalo: Avoiding the hassle of buying random SIM cards at airports all around the world has been a major life upgrade. Now, I just buy an eSIM before my trips, activate it, and the moment the plane touches ground, I’m ready to get back into the late-stage capitalism E-Mail grind. But jokes aside, if you’re still buying physical SIMs, you’re lost.
Reader: One of my biggest productivity boosters. Whenever I find something interesting, I save it here and then use my weekly reviews and topical searches to organize deep dives. Much better than the mess of 100+ open tabs. Plus, great UI and excellent overall product integration!
Bitwarden: No need to buy an expensive password manager. This one is secure, free, open-source, and gets the job done. Bonus: You can even host it on your own server!
ChatGPT Plus: If you understand consumer surplus, you’ll know that $20/month is an absolute no-brainer. I’d go as far as saying that not being subscribed to ChatGPT Plus is the ultimate red flag on a first date—right up there with not having YouTube Premium. That’d mean you’re either a total NPC, a boomer, or worse...both lol
Perplexity & Claude: This is a 50/50. While I love them right now, I am afraid that ChatGPT will eventually overtake both—sooner rather than later. At the moment, I use Perplexity as my go-to search engine and Claude as a more eloquent version of ChatGPT. However, I’m not sure how long they will be able to stay ahead of OpenAI.
Bear: Best note-taking app in the game. So clean!
TikTok: Okay, I confess: I’m converted. This is currently the best search engine for product reviews, restaurant tips, and travel recommendations—and it’s not even close. This (not Perplexity) is what killed Google for me. Took me way too long to realize this. Shoutout to all my GenZ friends for patiently preaching this to me!
Tezza: Of course, Lightroom is still the absolute gold standard; but if you can’t be bothered with overly complicated presets, Tezza is the ultimate 80/20 solution—you’ll get 80% of the Lightroom results with only 20% of the effort. Not a bad deal.
// Travel & Carryology
Travel Steamer: I never thought I’d say this, but: You need this. No more wrinkles, and yet no more dealing with those stupid hotel irons. Sometimes, you really can have your cake and eat it too.
Travel Atomizer: Stop carrying bottles of your expensive niche perfumes around. (If you break Dior Sauvage and your entire suitcase smells of it, you kind of deserve it though). These travel atomizers are the ultimate life hack that too few people know about. And don’t worry, they are super easy to fill.
Matador Flatpak Toiletry Bottles: The 3-in-1 crowd might not get this; but for anyone with a bit of self-respect, these slim travel containers might be handy. Don’t go for the cheap, leaky ones. You’ll regret it and end up packing your full 500ml shampoo and conditioner set again.
Aer City Pack X-Pac: My travel companion for over two years now. As a self-proclaimed backpack connoisseur, I’ve tested countless bags over the years; but this one is my favorite. Clean, minimalist design—though admittedly, some might say that it gives off SF tech bro vibes. But those are probably still rocking Herschel lol
Rimowa Check-In L: Jaja, go ahead and judge me. I’ve been a Rimowa-stan for years (way before they were sold to LVMH). They just make the best suitcases—full stop. And while I’ve been happy with my Check-In M (battered and bruised as it is), I recently upgraded to the bigger version. While the M caps you at 20-23kg, which is great for avoiding those airline surcharges, the L lets you fully take advantage of that Turkish Airlines 30kg limit. In other words, it is much less hassle if you are on the go for a long time.
Bellroy Tokyo Wonder Tote: The perfect companion to your cabin trolley. Its luggage pass-through feature is criminally underrated and will instantly elevate your travel experience. I usually pack my newspapers and books in it, so they’re always ready to grab and go.
Rains Wash Bag (Small & Large): You didn’t know that you needed a wash bag upgrade until you upgraded. Mark my words. Those Rains ones are fully neoprene and, hence, super forgiving. Sure, the large one is a tank; but it’s perfect for a bag-in-bag solution to keep your fragrances separate from your skincare, etc. (Don’t judge, fam)
Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Prestige 9900: If you have some money to splash, make sure you do it on an electric toothbrush with a USB-C travel case. It’s one less thing to worry about…and that’s what life is ultimately about, right?
// Fragrances
I will limit this to my top three of the year:
Louis Vuitton Imagination: The perfect “out of the shower” clean & fresh scent w/ notes of black tea, bergamot, and citrus. Great projection and performance; but not too overpowering. In other words, perfect for professional settings.
Le Labo Thé Matcha 26: I get my Santal 33 babes; but Thé Matcha feels more intimate, elegant, and creamy. Naturally, that makes it a more delicate and less flashy scent. In other words, NPCs might not notice; but those who know will know.
Tom Ford Vanille Tobacco: My fav fragrance for autumn and winter—and a true statement scent. Decadent, almost opulent, and unapologetic. Definitely not for everyone.
// Random
PopSockets: PopWallet for MagSafe: The revival of the PopSockets, it seems. I upgraded my MOFT Wallet to this one. If you’re using an iPhone Max version, this is the upgrade you didn’t know you needed. Makes everything so much more convenient!
Simple Modern Trek Tumbler (1.2l): Okay, we don’t want to come across as Stanley moms, but we still care about staying hydrated, right? Well, here is the better version of the Stanley Cup: leakproof, minimalist & unbranded design, cheaper.
Peace,
SG