Top 10 Must-Pack Travel Essentials for Athletes: Expert Tips from Nuun CEO

As the CEO of Nuun hydration tablets, avid traveler and recreational athlete Kevin Rutherford often finds himself on the road. We asked for a list of his travel essentials, the ones he swears by to stay fit and feel healthy on the go.

Travel is one my favorite activities in life. The idea of exploring new worlds, new people, and new customs expands my mind to see things in a different way. With all of that discovery, it’s comforting to bring some routine along, which I do through athletics. Frequently, I will travel with a triathlon race as the anchor, and use exploration after the race as a reward. I travel often for business and on a personal level, and holding true to my training regimen gives me grounding and momentum, which frees my mind to be in the moment when exploring. These are the products I always have in my go-bag.

Garmin 920 XT

Traveling with my Garmin keeps me on time, ensures that I’m always ready to train, and tracks steps to motivate me to be in motion. It is simultaneously part of my athletic and travel uniform recording of all my training data while keeping my incoming emails and texts at a quick view. ($450)

Jaybird Run XT Wireless Headphones

Travel can be a bit chaotic and tiring when things don’t go smoothly. These headphones make answering and taking calls on the move easier. These are also designed for running, so they work really well for workouts and rushing to make connections. ($145)

Nuun Sport and Immunity Tablets

Traveling likely means you are not hydrating enough and are surrounded by unwanted germs. I always have a tube of Nuun Sport tablets in my bag for ultra hydration and a tube of Nuun Immunity tablets to help support my immune system on airplanes. Of course, it’s also a good chance to share my work with my seat neighbor on the plane. My favorite travel tip: the tubes can be re-used for storing vitamins or headphones. ($22 for a box of four tubes)

MiiR Water Bottle

To foster the habit of consistently hydrating, carry a water bottle. Not only are you doing good things for your body, you will save money and reduce your impact on the planet by avoiding those single-use plastic water bottles. Every Miir product funds a traceable funding project and water bottle purchases help create more clean water across the globe. ($30)

Picky Oats Organic Performance Oatmeal

If this nutrient-dense oatmeal is good enough for star triathlete Jesse Thomas, then surely it’s good enough for me. Being a plant-based eater, I need to start my day off right. I just add water to this deliciousness and it’s go-time on the road. My favorite flavor is Game, Set, Matcha packed with eleven grams of plant-based protein and caffeine from Japanese green tea. ($20 for a pack of six cups)

Bobo’s Oat Bars and Vega Sport Protein Bars

If you are what you eat, then nutrition is an important part of every day. I always carry bars for energy and to keep my high-quality protein intake up. My go-to choices are nut-filled Bobo’s Bars and Vega Sport for protein and BCAA’s (branch chain amino acids). (From $25 and $27)

Xpand Bungee Laces

Security can be a pain at the airport. Bungee laces are not only helpful on race day transitions, they can make the airport experience much easier and quicker. Slip on and slip off. My go to’s are Xpand laces with neutral running shoes. ($10)

Lululemon ABC Pants

As a CEO, I need to adjust my attire to the norms of my destination. Lululemon pants are both comfortable and universally accepted in office environments around the globe. Made with materials found in my best performing athletic wear and tailored like my favorite dress pants, these pants seamlessly transition from speaking engagement to “working out” with the team in the booth at trade shows. ($128)

TRX Pro 4

Getting to a gym for resistance training can be challenging based on time constraints, proximity, and availability. Bringing a TRX with me on the road allows me to convert my room into a personal fitness studio anywhere at any time. (From $199)

Rad Rounds

The more we train, the more we need to focus on recovery. These recovery balls are portable and can release tension points in almost any part of your body allowing you to press hard when it matters. ($16)

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