Gift Ideas for Travelers – 2022 Edition
As Christmas and other holidays approach, so do the deals. As full-time travelers, there isn’t much we need anymore, but I thought I would share a gift guide for those looking for items for family, friends, or if you just want to “treat yo’self”. This is not a hint for family or friends, just a few things we have found helpful in our travels, things, and other items that are just plain cool.
I will try to narrow things down a bit so it’s not too overwhelming, and also I will need something to write about for next year!
Gifts Under $25:
Since we stick to a tight budget, I will start with more budget friendly gifts. (Make sure to read til the end for stocking stuffer ideas.)
We have multiple devices, and just one of us can fill up four USB ports. Therefore we travel with two adapters, one for each of us. This style of plug is our favorite, as it tends not to fall out of the wall as easy as other ones that have flip-out prongs. You will still need a special adapter if you are going to India, South Africa, or Israel, but this adapter will get you through most other places in the world. It also can be used at home to charge multiple USB devices at once.
We have several devices we travel with, but probably the most important is our phones. We take a lot of public transport, and a lot of times we use the contactless payment on our phones to pay for our rides. Between maps, payments, and photos, our cell phone battery gets a lot of use. If we are out all day, or especially on long travel days, we definitely don’t want our battery to die. For that reason, we carry a power bank with us on the days we know we will be out for a long time.
I like this one by INIU because you can charge multiple devices at once. If you are tight on space, consider a smaller oner like this one by Anker. Additionally, if you are more the backpacker type and are known to go days without a place to recharge, a multi panel solar option like this might be better, though it will probably put you above $25 mark.
A tip for power banks: try to charge your device batteries before they get below 20%, and take them off of the power bank when they hit 80% charged. The first and last 20% usually take the most energy to charge.
We bought our Turkish towel from Turkey, but you can still get them in the States and other locations. Turkish towels (or Greek towels) are great. We have one oversized towel like this one by Deep Home. We have used it for everything from a towel (both at the beach and to avoid the towel fee at budget accommodations), blanket, shawl, skirt, curtains, and to pad our laptops during transport. These towels pack down much smaller than a normal terrycloth towel. They become more absorbent and softer the more you use and wash them.
Want to easily spot your bag at baggage claim? Get a luggage cover. There are so many designs to choose from to show off your personality. Not only do they help you identify your bag easier, but they help protect your luggage from getting dirty and scratched up.
Gifts Under $50:
Have a larger budget? These gifts will put you somewhere between $25 and $50.
During the summer of 2022, when it felt like the whole world was traveling again, we knew too many people who lost their luggage. Luckily we only had one case of delayed luggage. After that experience, we bought some Apple AirTags. You can pick up just one for under $30, but we bought a 4 pack for under $100 to go in each of our checked bags, and our carry-ons. It just adds peace of mind knowing where our bag is. We also picked up some fun silicone cases to help identify which tags belonged to which bags, and to make them easier to clip into hiding places.
AirTags are great if you have an Apple iOS device. The “Find My Device” network of iOS devices is huge, and they have been approved to go in checked bags despite rumors to the contrary. However, if you don’t have an Apple device, or you tend to jump back and forth, you will want to pick up a Tile instead by clicking here. Tiles can be used with both Androids and iOS, but just take a little more setup. The Tile network isn’t as large as Apple’s, but the range on a Tile is larger than an AirTag to help compensate.
Do you require coffee to get going in the morning? Check out the Aeropress. It pretty much allows you to make coffee anywhere you have clean water and some coffee grounds. We don’t drink coffee, but know several people who do, so this has been a go to gift. We know some friends who use their Aeropress now even when they aren’t traveling.
For packing cubes, it’s helpful to know if you plan to use a suitcase or backpacking style backpack. For us, we like compression packing cubes because they help keep things organized. The compression helps a bit with saving space as well.
Packing cubes with a side for dirty clothes: If you are using a standard suitcase, a clamshell backpack, or a duffle bag, these might be one of my favorite finds. They come from Tripped, a company with high recommendations and a great history of making quality items. My favorite feature? I love that there is a separate side for dirty laundry. No more commingling dirty laundry or trying to remember what is clean and dirty when moving from place to place.
Circular packing cubes/sacks: If you are using a larger, backpacking style backpack, the other packing cubes will work, but you might want to consider compression sacks instead. They are round like the inside of your backpack, and made by Sea to Summit, a brand known for its quality outdoor gear. There are several different sizes, but they recommend 15L for your clothes, 10L for a small sleeping bag, and 20L for a thicker sleeping bag.
With headphone jacks disappearing on our cellphones, more travelers have wireless bluetooth headphones. The problem is there isn’t a bluetooth option for the airplane screens yet, just an “old school” AUX jack. Enter in the AirFly. You can pair your favorite wireless headphones to it, then plug it into the AUX jack on the back of the headrest, or in the treadmill at the gym, or anywhere else there is an auxiliary output.
AirFly also has a Duo model that allows two headphones to pair at once, and a Pro model for newer Apple AirPods.
Gifts Over $50:
Okay, this is a huge price range, but I will try to keep things reasonable.
This is one item we have used more than expected in our travels. If you do checked bags, this is a great item, not just for traveling, but just all around. Before we became full-time travelers, this multi-tool lived in the car when not on a trail or traveling, and it got a lot of use. Everything from cutting up apples and cheese on our road trips to fixing luggage handles that broke.
Some airlines only allow one personal item, with strict size restrictions, when purchasing a basic ticket. This bag meets the requirements for most airlines’ restrictions. Additionally, the exterior USB port, paired with the above power bank, makes charging in the airport a breeze. We used this roller bag for a couple of years before we started our full-time travel, and past it on to another traveler. If you are a strategic packer, you can get your laptop, toiletries, chargers, and about 3-5 days of clothes in this thing.
I was never one for e-readers, and thought I would only want to read real books. Then some good friends gifted us their previous generation Kindles when they upgraded. I realized for traveling it is great. I don’t have to worry about damaging a book, it takes up less room than just one book, and I can carry many books with me. We have since upgraded our Kindles. The battery life is usually enough for many days to weeks of reading depending on how much you read. The newer generations do dark mode (white text on a black background), which is nice.
If you are deciding between with or without ads, we have the ones with ads, and it’s only on the lock screen. For us, we stuck with the ads, and spent the extra money on a cover.
Stocking Stuffers! Small items under $20
Need some smaller items for stockings? Here are some fun and inexpensive items you will love.
We love our luggage scale. Being international travelers, we know airlines very widely on the weight they allow for checked and even carry-on bags. Make your check-in process less stressful by using this luggage scale.
There have been recommendations for extra locks for hotel and AirBnB doors. The main issue with those devices is if there is an emergency, first responders may not be able to get to those inside. Also, some life insurance policies could be voided by these additional safety measures. Instead, get yourself a travel alarm. If a door or window opens without disarming the alarm, it will definitely deter an intruder, but also let parents know if their toddler is trying to make a break for it.
Don’t be an easy target for pickpockets. These locking s-biners make it so you can clip zippers closed, and easily lock and unlock them.
Designed to slip over your rolling carry-on, this caddy will hold your drink while you use your free hand to scarf down a breakfast sandwich on the way to your gate. It comes in a variety of colors and patterns as well.
A lot of budget airlines do not have screens in the back of the headrest, and no one wants to hold their phone up for the length of a movie. Make your flight more comfortable with this phone mount. It is not just for plane rides though. Clip it to other surfaces, or make a portable stand for video calls or even selfies.
So what will you be picking up for yourself or your travelers? Let us know if there are any fun gadgets you have found for travelers. If you want more gift ideas, you can check out this list on Amazon.
Disclaimer: we may benefit from links on this page, but prices for you will still be the same.
Shelley Minardo
I have the packing cubes and the turkish towel!! Multi uses for the towel and it grows softer each time you wash it! the Cubes keep things organized and compressed in the suitcase… and if you have to open the suitcase for some reason, all of your personal items aren’t out in view (especially at the airport!)… GREAT suggestions!!