Seasoned travelers have a standard checklist that they work off of when packing. There are a few “must haves” that make traveling easier, whether it be getting to the airport or getting settled in an international hotel.
In addition to all of the other necessities, travel adapters from RS are one of the items that you definitely need for international travel. As simple as they seem, there’s a lot to know about adapters so that you can make the right pick.
Standard travel adapters
There are different standards to follow for travel adapters, but the British standard is typically one that is followed. Knowing the standard is important because there are some cheaper travel adapters that aren’t safe for your devices.
The standard – BS8546 – is actually the first one established. There isn’t any other standard out there as this is the first one that has been set for travel adapters. Given that much of the technology we use for travel is less than 20 years old, that might not be as shocking as you think.
Having that standard provides reassurance for travelers. Without them, buying some off-brand adapter can wind up costing you in the end.
Facts About Travel Adapters
There are also some basic facts about travel adapters that can give you some reassurance about what you’re buying. For starters, pretty much any adapter that you find is going to be rated 5A. Unless you buy from a friend or some shady site, you know what you are working with when you buy an adapter.
There’s another reason to buy the standard and that’s the materials used. When you buy a standard travel adapter, you are getting a better quality of material. Those materials are better suited to stand up to things like humidity, heat, exposure to UV rays, and sudden impacts that can cause damage to the plug.
Finally, steer clear of outlets that just don’t look safe. That might seem kind of silly and obvious, but using anything but a safe, standard outlet can be a danger to both you and your device. Make sure the port has proper shielding to ensure better safety standards.
Types of Adapter by Different Areas
You will find that outlet types go by letter. It starts with A and goes all the way through the letter O. Let’s take a look at each of them so that you have a better idea of what type of plug you are going to be facing when traveling internationally.
Type A and B are the standard in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Japan, supporting 100-120v up to 240v. Type C, which is for 220-240v, can be found predominantly in Europe, but in some parts of South America & Asia, too. Type D is mostly for India, supporting 220-240v.
From there, we start getting a little more niche. Type E is for Belgium, France, Czechia, Slovakia, and Poland, supporting 220-240v. Type F works for just about all of Europe and Russia except for the UK, also supporting 220-240v. Type G is what you’d want to use for the UK, Ireland, Singapore, Malta, and Malaysia. Type H goes for the Gaza Strip, West Bank, and Israel.
You get the idea by now. The cool thing is that type C adapters are compatible with most different types of outlets. Having one of those type C adapters will set you up nicely when you travel, keeping your devices charged safely wherever you are. Adapters might seem like a simple thing but can wind up being far more important than you ever realized.
