What can you possibly get your favorite traveler as a gift? Whether they're a backpacker, photography nut, a frequent flyer, or just your run-of-the-mill travel addict, we've got some ideas that'll help you out this holiday season.
Want to help keep your favorite traveler on the road, but can't spend a lot of money? These gifts can have a big impact, with a small cost.
Water, water, everywhere.
If your traveler is still buying disposable water bottles during heir travels, a great gift idea would be an aluminum Sigg water bottle. They can carry it with them on the plane (fill it up after security), tote them around during the day, and never have to buy bottled water again. It's the gift that keeps on giving. Ours have survived countless trips, bumps, drops, and still hold up. We never leave them at home.
Sigg Bottles
Everyone loves cute notebooks
How many times have you gone on a trip with a lunky travel journal in tow, promising yourself that you're going to log every thought, every experience, every joy? I've found taking a small, attractive, and portable notebook makes it much more likely that you'll actually use it on your trip, whether it's for notetaking, accounting, or just brainstorming. These little Writersblok notebooks ($12 at Amazon)
When all else fails.
What do you do when you've got absolutely no clue as to what your traveler may want? Groupon allows you to buy special deals in cities all over the world, saving money at restaurants, shows, shopping, and many other things. You can get a Groupon giftcard, so they can pick out their own favorite things to do (and save money on) for their next trip. Both Kelly and I have taken advantage of many a Groupon special here in Seattle, from cupcakes to film festivals, so we wholeheartedly recommend it.
Do you have to get gifts for a traveler who won't leave home without their camera(s)? (We're a special breed.) Not just any travel gift will do, I think these would all make fine additions to their camera bag.
Play traveling spy.
I can't tell you how many times during my travels I've wanted to get a great photo of a person near me, but haven't been able to get the photo without them noticing (or haven't had the guts to try.) This lens adapter solves all those problems by allowing you to take a photo of someone beside you, without them knowing (see the video below for a demonstration.)
Spy Lens for SLRs (with adapters) - $50 - $85 at Photojojo store.
Get a dreamy shot.
Why not give your traveling photo-nut something that will make their travel photos more unique, less snap-shotty (without paying for classes)? The Diana lens will not only make their camera look cooler, but it will give their photos a retro, softer, dreamier quality.
$60 at Photojojo
Carry the camera with style.
If you've got to carry a camera around when you're traveling, it needs to look good, right? The Tokyo Dreamer Strap($20/$35) at Photojojo would be an excellent, and easy to pack, addition to anyone's camera bag.
Not just still shots.
Sometimes, a still shot just isn't enough when you're on the road. We like to use our handheld Kodak video camera on the road, and the newer model, the Kodak Zi8 ($120 at Amazon)
When all else fails.
If you're still at a loss, a gift card from their local camera shop would be a great idea for repairs & cleaning (we all need a reminder to keep our cameras in good condition.) A Flickr or Smugmug membership is also a good idea to help them share their trip photos.
A bag for every trip.
There's not much that is more important to a traveler than their bag. I've been happily using (see our review) the Blackhawk 3-Day Assault Pack for several years now and would readily recommend it to any traveler. It's small enough to carry on, but can hold everything you need for a multi-week trip.
$110 at Amazon
Always have a clean pair of undies.
It's every mother's nightmare that their child will end up somewhere and be caught without a fresh pair of underwear on. For travelers, this can be a pain unless you either pack a ton of clothing, or have a magical pair of underwear that you could wash and dry quickly enough to only need a few pairs. Both Kelly and I rely on Exofficio underwear on our travels (see our review); we typically only take 2 pairs per trip, washing every day, and never going without a clean, dry pair.
$20 @ Amazon
When all else fails.
Would your backpacker turn down a chance to get some new gear for their next trip? Why not get them an REI or Zappos gift card, so they can get some new shoes or whatever gear they may be "missing."
Keep them entertained.
Ever since Kelly got her iPad, it has never left her side, especially on flights. Besides the fact that you can watch tv shows, movies, and listen to your music on a large screen, you can also get apps to read magazines, play games, and read books. Whether you get the 3G ($675-$900)
I have the power.
But what about keeping your gadgets powered (and entertaining) you during extra long flights? An extra battery back, which can charge a variety of devices, can give you hours upon hours of extended movie watching, book reading, or (if you've got wifi on the flight) Facebook reading. I've been itching for one of these, I might just have to get one for myself.
Newtrent IMP500 Battery Pack - $40 @ Amazon
Airtunes
If you're looking for an easy, relatively inexpensive gift for someone who's got to endure long trips on airplanes, a good set of tight-fitting earbuds is a great option. I love my Skullcandy earbuds for watching movies, listening to music, and (in my experience) easing the pressure transitions at takeoff and landing. Plus, they do a good job at blocking out noise on the plane.
$20 @ Amazon
When all else fails.
What if your frequent flyer already has all the things they need? Consider setting them up with a gift account on Boingo (for wifi in airports, hotels, etc) or Gogo Inflight (for Wifi on flights).
Still looking for more? Check out our past gift guides:
2008 Roundup
2009 Fred Flare Favorites
2009 Etsy Favorites
A great list of gift ideas you've got there! I don't often look at these lists, as it's impossible to buy anything other than the bare necessities when we're permanently on the road. To buy something means to discard something else. But if I could, I'd certainly turn to this list for ideas... thanks!
I love my Sigg bottle, though I can't remember them all each dent and scratch has a story :)
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