Gear

The gear, camera equipment, and everyday items Derek Johnson uses and recommends for travel, work, and life.

Health & Longevity

• Oura Ring

  I wear it daily to track sleep, steps, recovery, and health trends. The form factor disappears on your finger, which is the whole point.

• Mito Red Light Panel

  I use this daily. We have the full panel and do 10 minutes most mornings for skin, recovery, and circadian rhythm. Medical-grade panels at a fraction of clinic pricing.

• Create Creatine Monohydrate Gummies

  I take these every day, and I love traveling with them. Easier than powder, no shaker bottle, and they don't trigger any TSA flags.

• LMNT Electrolytes

  I use LMNT when I do hard cardio or on planes. One stick in a water bottle on landing erases most of the dehydration grief from a long flight. I pack a handful in every trip.

• EmeTerm Anti-Nausea Wristband

  I get extremely seasick, especially in Antarctica, and these definitely help. Not the most comfortable to be shocked constantly, but better than throwing up from seasickness.

• Melatonin / Sleep Aid LiquiCaps

  Critical for resetting time zones. We use these when we travel.

• Sunwarrior Protein

  I use this daily. I mix a cup of fruit and two scoops of protein powder with water, blend it all up, and it's a great mid-day or late-day snack. Plant-based, clean ingredients, mixes well, and doesn't taste like chalk.

• Pure Encapsulations Vitamin D3 & K2

  My daily D3 and K2 stack. D3 supports immune function, bone health, and mood, especially when you're not getting enough sun. K2 matters because it directs the calcium D3 helps you absorb into your bones instead of your arteries. Third-party tested, no fillers.

• Neuro Energy & Focus Gum

  Sugar-free caffeine gum I keep on hand. Especially helps when traveling and you have to stay up until bedtime on a new time zone. When you feel like going to sleep but need to push through, pop a couple of these.

• IQ Bar Coconut Chip Protein Bars

  I travel with these. Plant-based protein bars I keep in the car, in the carry-on, and on the desk. Coconut Chip is the only flavor that's stayed in rotation.

• POPPI Sparkling Prebiotic Soda

  Sparkling prebiotic soda with apple cider vinegar. The variety pack is the easiest way to figure out which flavors you like. Lower sugar than soda, doesn't taste medicinal, and the gut-health side is a nice bonus.

Personal Care

• MasterMedi Tongue Scraper

  Stainless steel tongue scraper I use every morning. Medically, scraping removes the bacteria, dead cells, and debris that build up overnight, which is a major source of bad breath and can dull your sense of taste. Two seconds for a noticeably cleaner mouth and one of those things that's silly not to do.

• COSLUS Water Dental Flosser

  Water flosser that's cheaper and quieter than a Waterpik. Unfortunately it's too big to travel with, but it's part of my nightly routine at home.

• DUDE Wipes

  Individually wrapped flushable wipes. The travel pack lives in the carry-on. Glad I have them, not glad to talk about them.

• MANSCAPED Lawn Mower 5.0 Ultra

  Dual-head trimmer with SkinSafe blades. Waterproof, USB-C rechargeable, comes with a travel case. The grooming tool I actually use.

Apparel

• Lululemon ABC Slim-Fit Pants

  I love these pants, especially for travel. Look like real pants, feel like sweatpants, never wrinkle on a long flight.

• Cuts Clothing

  I only wear the T-shirts, and I only have black when I travel. Looks dressed up enough for nicer dinners, comfortable enough for a 14-hour flight.

• Richardson 112 Trucker Hat

  The cheap $5 baseball cap is my go-to. I buy a stack off Amazon and wear them primarily for sun protection. Bedhead solver, anonymity in airports. I treat them as semi-disposable so I never stress about losing one.

• Feetures High Performance Ultra Light Ankle Sock

  I wear these both for workouts and for daily wear, and they hold up the best and last the longest. A little pricey, but worth it.

• SAXX VIBE Boxer Briefs

  Super soft boxer briefs with the BallPark Pouch. The 3-pack in basics is what I rotate through every week.

Everyday Hardware

• Tesla Model Y

  We own a Tesla Model Y in both America and Europe. We've driven all kinds of cars throughout our lives, and the Model Y is by far the best. FSD, top-tier safety, clean aesthetic. Nothing else comes close.

• iPhone 16 Plus

  My daily driver. 128GB in Black. Big screen, great camera, and the ecosystem with iCloud and AirPods keeps everything in sync.

• Apple iMac M4

  The desktop in my home office. M4 chip, 24-inch Retina display, 16GB unified memory. Whisper-quiet, instantly responsive, and the all-in-one form keeps the desk clean.

• Kindle Paperwhite

  The 6.8-inch Paperwhite is the reader I travel with. Weeks of battery, glare-free display, adjustable warm light for reading in bed. Way less distracting than reading on a phone.

Home & Office

• Finnleo Sauna

  I do 20 minutes in the Finnleo sauna. Three to four sessions a week is one of the highest-leverage health habits I've kept. Finnleo is the gold standard for build quality and longevity.

• Moen Flo

  We use this when we travel to shut off the water and monitor for any leaks. Smart water shutoff that monitors flow and pressure and kills the supply if it detects a leak.

• Lyridz Rechargeable Night Lights

  We use these both in our house and while we're traveling. Best to put one in a bathroom or hallway in a hotel or Airbnb. Magnetic, motion-activated, USB-C charging, no wiring.

• Brother DCP-L2640DW Printer

  I've always struggled with printers, and this one has been working pretty well. Cheap monochrome laser, wireless, fast. You stop thinking about it.

• ELABEST Ergonomic Mesh Chair

  The mesh office chair in my home office. I love it. A fraction of a Herman Miller and most of the comfort. Holds up for full work days.

• SPRI Hanging Exercise Mat

  This is in our home gym, along with the Mito red light panel. Exercise mat that hangs to dry between workouts so it actually stays clean.

• Boll & Branch Towels

  I like these towels. Organic cotton, get softer with each wash, and last years instead of months.

• Snow Joe Shovelution

  Manual snow shovel with a spring-assisted second handle so you're not bending over. The shovel I reach for first when there's a couple inches on the driveway.

• Snow Joe 24V Cordless Snow Shovel

  Cordless electric snow shovel for when manual shoveling is too much. 13-inch clearing path, 24V battery, light enough to handle without strain. Saves my back on heavier snowfalls.

• Ring Wired Doorbell Pro

  Smart doorbell with HD video, motion detection, and Alexa integration. Replaced the old hardwired doorbell. Now I can see who's at the door from anywhere.

• Ring Indoor Cam (2nd Gen)

  1080p HD indoor camera with two-way talk and a manual privacy cover. Useful when we're traveling and want to check in on the house.

• Retro 51 Tornado Stealth Rollerball

  Matte black rollerball with a satisfying knock action. Smooth writing, weighty in the hand, and looks sharp on the desk. The pen I reach for day-to-day.

• AIMILAR Countdown Days Timer

  999-day countdown clock. We use it to count down to big trips on the calendar. Magnet on the back, big numbers visible from across the room.

Travel & Memberships

• Away Bags

  The luggage we travel with. Polycarbonate hardshells that take a beating, a built-in battery to charge a phone, and they look the same after a hundred flights as they did out of the box.

• Apple AirPods Pro

  The single best piece of travel tech I own. Noise cancellation is enough that I don't bother with bulky over-ear headphones anymore.

• Anker Power Bank

  When traveling, I never leave a hotel without this. If your phone dies in a foreign country, that's not good. Also great for long-haul flights, long airport layovers, or full days out without an outlet.

• EPICKA Universal Travel Adapter

  A multi-region one with USB-C and USB-A ports built in, so you can charge three things off one outlet in any country.

• Perilogics Universal in Flight Airplane Phone Holder Mount

  Clips onto the seat back tray table latch and holds your phone at eye level so you can watch downloaded content hands-free. Tiny, weightless, and one of those purchases you wonder how you lived without.

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack)

  We put one in each piece of checked luggage. Watching the bag move across the airport in real time has saved a lot of pre-pickup anxiety. The 4-pack is the move if you travel as a family.

• CAFELE Retractable Charging Cable

  Retractable 3-in-1 charging cable with USB-C, Micro USB, and Lightning. No tangled cables in the bag, and the three ports cover everything we travel with. We keep one in every backpack.

• Loop Quiet Ear Plugs

  26dB reduction with soft silicone tips. I use them on planes, in hotels, and any time I need to sleep through ambient noise. Reusable, comfortable enough to forget you're wearing them, small enough to live in a pocket.