Hands-on: Here are 9 iPad travel accessories to supercharge your trips

I recently took a quick weekend trip, and I wanted to just bring my iPad Pro and the other essentials I needed. With just my iPad and a few accessories, I was able to get all the work I needed to get done while traveling light and not sacrificing power, comfort, or breaking the bank. I wanted to shed some light on these accessories because I believe they truly are essential.

Which iPad I use

I currently use a 12.9 M1 iPad Pro with 128GB of storage and Wi-Fi only. That means I am using the absolute base model. I do wish that I had opted for the 256GB or the 512GB, especially since my iPad is my one and only computer, but I use some SSDs to compensate. Even though I am using an iPad Pro, most of the accessories I mentioned will have an alternative to your specific iPad unless otherwise mentioned. I will also try not to mention the obvious accessories, but something like the Magic Keyboard is impossible to skip because it just transforms your iPad into a laptop.

The main accessories

This category of accessories is for the products that are usually always physically on the iPad. When I travel, I have five products always on my iPad:

• Origrid by TinyRigs – This is a relatively new product that I have been using for a few months. For travel, this thing is a lifesaver. It allows you to move around and travel with all of your iPad essentials without even needing to bring a backpack. The Origrid slides onto the back panel of the Magic Keyboard and adds storage to the rear of the iPad. The model I have has two zipper compartments and these tensive bands that can be manipulated to fit pretty much anything! I can easily fit a charger, cables, AirPods, SSDs, Apple pencils, a cleaning kit, and a few more items.
• Paperlike Screen protector – I have had this on every single one of my iPads. As an Apple pencil user, I love it for the resistance it gives, especially when you are shading something or even just taking notes. It protects the most important portion of the iPad, the screen, as well as gives you an anti-glare finish so you can use it outdoors. The display is the most important resale variable, so make sure to keep it scratch- and crack-free!
• Penoval A4 Pro Apple Pencil Alternative – I could have just mentioned the Apple Pencil 2 here, but that would be boring. The Apple Pencil is still $130, five years later! The Penoval pen gives you 99% of the experience for 1/4th of the cost. It has tilt sensitivity, and palm rejection, charges fully in 30 minutes to give you six hours of continuous use, charges via USB-C, still snaps on via magnets, and works with pretty much any iPad. Only thing is that it doesn’t magnetically and wirelessly charge, but it does everything else, including the double-tap shortcut.
• Pitaka MagEZ Case – I recently did a post about this case and the Pita!Flow ecosystem. But, in short, what this case does is add some side rail protection onto the iPad Pro, and it can stay on even when using the Magic Keyboard. It also allows you to wirelessly charge your iPad.
• Magic Keyboard – If you are an iPad Pro or iPad Air user, and you want your iPad to be somewhat of a laptop replacement, then you almost have to get this accessory. Yes, it is expensive, sitting at $350 for the 12.9-in. version (currently $50 off for the white version), but it truly transforms what the iPad is. The trackpad experience is amazing, the floating design is a conversation starter, and the keyboard is a delight to type on (currently typing this article on there). Some other options to consider for this are:
  • Logitech Combo Touch
  • Magic Keyboard Folio for iPad 10th Gen
  • ESR Rebound

Other essential accessories

Now that I’ve mentioned the accessories that are always on my iPad while traveling, there are a few other products that I bring with me to round everything off. I still need items like a USB-C hub, an SSD, and a way to charge. So here is the rest!

USB-C hub

The USB-C hub I have been traveling with is the 6-in-1 HyperDrive with media controls. What I like about this is that it is very compact, familiar, and has all the essential ports I would need on the go. It has a USB-C power passthrough, SD card, Micro SD, USB A, 3.5mm headphone jack, and an HDMI port. But what’s unique about this is the media controls on the front-facing portion of the hub. These work with any of the media that the iPad is playing, and it works flawlessly.

Power

To charge my iPad, I use Satechi’s new 108w GAN power brick. The 108w is very overkill because the iPad Pro can only take in 33W at max speed. But I like this one because it has three USB-C PD ports so it can charge even the 16in MacBook Pro if needed, and it has movable prongs, which are always a plus.

Miscellaneous accessories

For the final accessories, I like to bring a few things. I always bring my AirPods Pro Gen II anywhere I go. I know it’s boring, but these things just work and the new noise cancellation upgrade from Gen I to Gen II still baffles me. It cuts out airplane noise, subway noise, people’s noise, and pretty much anything else that isn’t a sudden high-pitch sound. It’s unreal how they do that in a small form factor.

I also carry a 500GB Samsung T7 to offload anything that does not fit on the iPad Pro. Then, lastly, I like to bring a little cleaning kit when traveling to make sure I am smudge-free and germ-free on the iPad. I use the Paperlike cleaning kit, which I like because of the form and function, but there are plenty of other cleaning kits out there as well.

Final thoughts

At the end of the day, you should use what works for you. Some people bring a bare-naked iPad wherever they go and others pack enough battery banks, cables, and chargers to last over a month, even though they are leaving for two days. These are items that I have tested for months or even years, and I stand by them as my iPad travel essentials. If I had to pick one of these items, I would have to pick the Magic Keyboard because it truly transforms what my iPad is for me. Let me know what you think! What accessories do you need to bring with you? What is something you could never travel without? Sound off in the comments which iPad you use, and your most recommended accessory to go along with it!