Best Glucose Meter for Travel: Things to Consider

Traveling with diabetes can be a challenge. Having to check your glucose in unfamiliar environments multiple times a day adds stress to what was supposed to be a relaxing vacation. The inconvenience could even keep you from checking as much as you should.

Choosing the best glucose meter for travel gives you back your freedom by making it easy to check your blood sugar regularly. If a standard glucometer makes you worry about staying on track away from home, an all-in-one glucometer may be a better fit.

Traveling with a Standard Glucose Meter vs. an All-In-One Glucose Monitor

Knowing what to expect from different glucometers can help you determine which one offers the most flexibility and the best fit with your lifestyle.

Loading Test Strips and Lancets

Standard glucose meter: A standard meter requires separate glucose strips and lancets, which means carrying several things with you and having them readily available when it’s time to check your blood sugar. Smaller meters and strip vials will save you some room in your suitcase, but they might make the strips harder to handle. This can be inconvenient anytime, and especially so when you’re testing on the go.

All-in-one monitor: An all-in-one monitor uses a single 10-test cartridge that contains built-in glucose strips and lancets. You don’t have to keep track of separate components and load them into your device individually. Everything you need is in one place and readily available all day.

Discreet Testing

Standard glucose meter: Using separate glucose strips and lancets along with your meter can make it difficult to be discreet. Juggling multiple components to perform glucose testing in a public place can feel uncomfortable and embarrassing. Without a private place for testing, you may avoid checking your blood sugar altogether.

All-in-one monitor: The simplicity of an all-in-one 10-test cartridge makes loading your device fast and easy. With only one thing to load, you can lance and test in seconds, often without anyone else noticing. This lets you plan your day around what you want to be doing, not whether you can find a private place for testing.

Disposing of Materials

Standard glucose meter: Separate test strips and lancets must be disposed of after use. You have to find a sharps container to safely dispose of a lancet. Finding somewhere to safely dispose of used lancets and test strips or keeping them with you for later disposal can be difficult when you’re traveling.

All-in-one monitor: An all-in-one 10-test cartridge with both the test strips and lancets concealed inside is easy to dispose of safely. A sharps container is not required. A cartridge designed for multiple tests is also ideal for travel because it greatly reduces the number of times you need to dispose of used materials during your trip.

So, What’s the Best Kind of Glucose Meter for Travel?

Managing your diabetes away from home doesn’t have to be hard. An all-in-one glucose monitor that can be used quickly and easily on a hike, on a plane, or in a restaurant ensures that routine blood glucose checking doesn’t disrupt your travel plans and helps you stick to your treatment plan no matter where you are.

Jaclyn Owens Jaclyn Owens is a product director specializing in diabetes management tools. She is committed to using technology to empower people with diabetes and help them take control of their health.

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