The One Travel Gadget You Really Need in 2022
by Robert McGarvey
I confess: I used to have drawers full of travel gadgets, from Swiss Army knives and Leatherman tools (the latter in multiple configurations) to a collapsible backpack. But over time my interest in travel gadgets has faded, mainly because most began to resemble suitcase clutter to me and as I have embraced smaller and smaller carryon bags there just was no room for much stuff and of course the TSA nixed some of the honestly useful tools I used to pack (Leatherman is a case in point).
In 2022 however there is one gadget you must have. In fact I have two already and a third is on its way to me. as I finalize my packing list for a month-long Iberian holiday.
The gadget that wins my praise: Apple AirTags.
Don’t leave home without them. Not in this year of lost and stolen luggage. In April, per DOT stats, US airlines “mishandled” 220,000 bags. In Europe matters may be worse as lost luggage almost has become a norm.
Of course I have no intention of checking a bag on any planned travels this year and believe the only time I checked a bag in the past five years was in connection with a fall 2018 cruise from Montreal to New York that necessitated packing inclement and cold weather gear,
So why do I want AirTags and I will travel with them installed in my backpack, shoulder sling, and also a day pack? Stuff goes missing this year. It just does. AIrTag is the finder tool.
You don’t think you need one? Read this piece about an airport baggage handler who stole bags and whose arrest came about in part because of an AirTag,
The Web is full, too, of funny/maddening tales of travelers using AirTags to follow the journeys of their lost bags. Here’s one. Understand: an AirTag will not prevent your bag from going missing. But if it does go AWOL, the device gives you a good chance of discovering its location.
You may have heard AirTags are out of stock and that was so when I looked at Amazon this morning. But the Apple Store said they would get the tags to me in 10 days and that works for me, so I placed the order.
The price: $29 per tag at Apple, or four for $99. You will probably also want to buy AIrTag keyrings for secure placement of the device where you choose to place it. Apple sells pricey, fancy keyrings. I have bought serviceable keyrings for about $5 apiece at Amazon and, hey, how I envision using the device is to secure it in a place where it won’t be seen by anyone who happens to pick up one of my bags, by mistake or on purpose. Remember: luggage thieves probably are dumb but are they so dumb they haven’t heard of AirTags? I wouldn’t bet on it. Conceal the tag in your bag to make it harder for a thief to discover it and toss it out.
Cautionary word here: AirTags need an Apple device (typically an iPhone) to track their location. Android users need an alternative and the NYTimes’ Wirecutter recommends Tile Mate, which runs around $20 apiece. The Points Guy shares the affection for Tile. Incidentally, Tile can also be used with an iPhone so if you are striking out in locating AirTags, that’s an option.
Both AirTag and Tile Mate work in essentially the same way. Apple tells how: “Your AirTag sends out a secure Bluetooth signal that can be detected by nearby devices in the Find My network. These devices send the location of your AirTag to iCloud — then you can go to the Find My app and see it on a map. The whole process is anonymous and encrypted to protect your privacy.”
In Apple’s case the AirTag rides the Apple FindMy network – which is robust and proven.
Per Wirecutter, Tile too has a large crowd-finding network.
Setting one up is fast. Activate the battery, hold the AirTag near your iPhone, tap Connect. You’re connected.
That’s it. Now you will know where your bags are.
AirTags will also help you find misplaced items. Case in point: a month ago I went looking for an AirTag to move it from one item to another and I could not find the thing. But Apple conveniently lets you get a beep from an AirTag and, instantly, I found the device. The funny bit: I had hidden it so well in a daypack that although I searched the bag twice, I didn’t see it.
May I be so successful in finding new hiding places for all my AirTags.