9 Travel Products You Don’t Really Need

Alarm Clock

Odds are that if you're staying at a hotel it will have an alarm clock (or a free wake-up-call service). If not, bring your cell phone. You don't need to have the data on to use it as an alarm. Just make sure you adjust it to the correct local time before dozing off.

Money Belt

Money belts make you stand out as a tourist … a tourist with a weirdly shaped torso. Try one of these Best Ways to Carry Money While Traveling instead. Or, at the very least, wear an updated version of the money belt, such as an item from the Clever Travel Companion clothing line.

Camera

If you have a newish smartphone, consider leaving your traditional camera behind and using your phone to take pictures instead of lugging around bulky equipment. You'll have less to carry, and your photos will be easier to upload and share. Not convinced? Download some of these camera and video apps and see if you can't be persuaded to lose the camera.

Travel Towel

The "quick-dry" material of travel towels not only seems to never adequately dry you off, it also remains wet enough to be gross when you have to carry it around in your luggage. Even the most budget of budget hostels will usually have a towel you can rent for a few bucks—and you won't have to cart around the soggy towel in between showers while you're on the road.

Packing Cubes

Ziploc bags are lighter and cheaper for organizing your luggage than packing cubes. Plus, you can throw away the ones you used to separate your dirty clothes after the trip is done. If you're tight on space or weight in your bag, packing cubes tend to take up too much space to be worth it and prevent you from utilizing the space in an efficient way. Think: rolling clothes, stuffing things in corners, etc.

Passport Cover

You'll just have to take your passport out of its pretty holder at customs anyway. And while you're fumbling to take it out of its cover, you'll be annoying everyone in line behind you. Plus, most covers won't protect your passport from significant damage if, for example, you drop it in water or spill a drink in your bag.

Guidebook

In this era of smartphones, tablets, and e-readers, do you really need to weigh yourself down by carting a guidebook on the road? Download an electronic version of a guidebook or a guidebook-replacing app—your back will thank you for lightening the load. Don't have the gadgets? Photocopy or print out the pages you'll absolutely need for a much smaller, more personalized guide.

Non-TSA Lock

It's always a good idea to bring a small lock with you when you travel. Use it to keep your bag's zipper closed if you're checking a bag or to secure your valuables in a hostel. But don't waste your money with a lock that's not TSA approved. Locks with the TSA-approved symbol can be opened by baggage screeners with a master key, but regular locks can't. Don't think that will stop an agent who needs to check out your bag—he or she will simply break or cut the lock open.

Traveler's Checks

Traveler's checks have long been touted as the best choice of payment for jet setters. However, they're now widely considered outdated and a hassle. You run the risk of wasting time looking for a place that's actually able to cash your checks, and you'll be hit with hefty fees and poor exchange rates when you do. As consumer advocate Ed Perkins says, "Rely primarily on plastic for travel money—credit cards for big-ticket items, debit (ATM) cards for cash."

More From Smartertravel:

• Seven Things That Are Cheaper to Buy Than Pack
• 10 Things You Should Never Pack in Your Checked Bag
• 10 Things to Pack That Will Save You Money