When the guy sitting next to you on the plane says that he loves to travel, you smile and nod politely. When Shaun White says it, you pump him for details.
It turns out that the three-time gold medal-winning snowboarder always loved reading about faraway places as a kid and never thought he’d have the chance to see destinations such as The Great Wall of China and European battle sites in person. Now he never passes up an opportunity to see and do. “Traveling is the coolest thing,” he says, adding that he used to spend up to two-thirds of the year away from home.
He puts his expertise to good use in the hotels.com web series ”Perfect 10,” in which famous guests reveal their favorite stays. In White’s episode, he raves about locales ranging from the St. Regis in Aspen, Colorado (“It has an amazing steam and sauna and they encourage you to bring your pets”) to the Patina Maldives in the Fari Islands (”You can eat world-renowned food and look at art installments all over this tiny island”). As he astutely notes, “I have insane frequent flier miles, so I know what I’m talking about.”
Indeed, even after he competed in his last Winter Olympics in 2022 and announced his retirement, he and his girlfriend, actress Nina Dobrev, spent the summer jet-setting around the world: They attended a Formula 1 race in Monaco, attended the Cannes Film Festival in France, relaxed in the Maldives and stopped by the quaint town of Avignon, France, to visit her mom. “Those are just the trips that jumped out at me last year,” he says.
White currently splits his time between New York City and Los Angeles. “I’m learning to be cool with downtime,” he says. Ahead, White unpacks his eight travel essentials for CNN Underscored.
To ensure a good night’s sleep, White totes a small device that drowns out all those pesky nocturnal noises (and features a night light). “It’s little, but it works,” he says, adding that he dreams away to the soothing sounds of the rainforest. The chargeable machine offers 14 audible options — three white noises, three lullabies, three fan sounds and five relaxing nature sounds.
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“Nina has been asking me to do the face mask thing on flights because my skin gets so dry,” White says. He’s happy to oblige using this one-time-use sheet mask. Thanks to rich ingredients like finger lime extract, niacinamide and Kakadu plum extract, this product leaves your skin with a refreshed glow in just 10 minutes flat.
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The snowboarder pops these babies in his ears to listen to music and movies on his iPad and tune out the world while he sleeps. “They’re amazing because of the sound cancellation,” he says. With its charging case, this second-generation pair can provide up to 30 hours of total listening time.
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White likes these walking shoes because of their cushioned midsole and lightweight and breathable fabric. “They’re comfy and super cozy because it feels like I’m wearing velvet slippers," he says. "I wear them when I’m cruising the airport.”
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Though White is admittedly partial to his own Whitespace brand, he can’t help raving about this comfortable and durable outerwear. “I bring it everywhere,” he says of the jacket, which features thermal insulation, a helmet-compatible hood and a media pocket to prevent phones from freezing and stalling. “I like it because it’s light. It’s the worst to be bogged down with heavy luggage.” And on long-haul flights, he adds, it doubles as his pillow.
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White reasons that if he’s going to be spending hours (and hours) on a flight, he may as well maximize his time. “You’re on that plane for so long and it would be nice to not just watch 10 movies,” he says. “So now we’ll watch two movies and then learn stuff.” He proudly notes that he uses the Rosetta Stone program to pick up Spanish.
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When White embarks on all these amazing travels, he documents his experiences in style. “The phone is cool, but when you pull out the real deal, it’s pretty fun,” he says. Enter his camera, which he and Dobrev received for the holidays a few years ago. “They’re little but very advanced.” This advanced waterproof model captures all the action and is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.
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White stuffs the overhead bin with his prized chrome Rimowa suitcase, which is made from high-end aluminum and is easily mobile, thanks to its mounted wheels. “My clothes and laptop and charger cables and all that extra stuff goes in there,” he says. But he keeps his monogrammed duffel bag — part of a special 2022 luggage set collaboration between his brand and Louis Vuitton — under his seat and easily accessible. “I should probably put it away soon,” he says. “It has too much wear and tear on it.”