zipOns Featured in TRAVEL + LEISURE Review

My parents had been dreaming of visiting a holy site in southern France for decades when the opportunity to go finally arose. After attending a wedding in Barcelona this fall, they elected me to drive them from the eastern coastline through the Pyrenees mountains to Lourdes. I knew the 5.5-hour journey would be tough on both our bodies and our minds, which is why we worked together to create the perfect list of travel gear that would keep us comfortable the entire time.

On our list, I included many practical travel essentials that my 70-year-old parents needed for international travel, such as a collapsible wheelchair for my dad, who has Parkinson’s disease, and compression socks, helpful for preventing blood clots when sitting for long periods of time. But I also added items that would help with overall comfort, like noise-blocking earplugs to block out overwhelming sounds and slip-in sneakers that require zero effort to put on.

Dad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease more than a decade ago, which can make dressing particularly challenging for him. Because he manages tremors on a daily basis, we found that the befree's zipOns pants were easy for him to use thanks to the zip-on design. They were also comfortable enough to wear them for the entire drive.

Read on for the 14 essentials we packed, starting at $4.