If you haven’t yet started your Christmas shopping, it’s time to get in the game! Of course this list will be helpful at any point in the year when you’re faced with finding the perfect gift for the traveler in your life, but it will be particularly helpful for the Christmas season when it seems that finding the right gift is an almost impossible task. From outdoor gear to travel tech, to things designed to make your journey more enjoyable, here are some of the best travel gift ideas we’ve seen this year:
1. Sumo Air Inflatable Lounger
Chances are you’re familiar with this type of inflatable air lounger already as it became a huge sensation this past summer. As such, it was pretty difficult to get your hands on one as suppliers were barely able to keep up with the demand. The Sumo Air is a fun and practical gift and it’s great for a few reasons; firstly, it travels well since you can fold it up, pack it in its travel bag and bring it virtually anywhere you go, including camping, cottaging, picnicking and to festivals. The second reason is that it’s super easy to use, simply hold the bag into the breeze and let the wind do the inflating for you. Roll it up and sit back and relax. The Sumo Air also has some cool features to note including a cup holder, phone pocket and bottle opener.
2. Fly Legs Up
One of the biggest challenges with long haul flights is getting comfortable. We all know this, and traveling with children can add an extra twist since you’ll help them get comfortable as well. Many companies are looking to help make air travel easier but one product called Fly Legs Up has taken a creative approach to air line comfort. Essentially a flight hammock, the product attaches to the tray table in front of you and includes inflatable pillows which elevate your legs and legs allowing you to achieve a more comfortable flying position. A children’s version is also available that allows little ones to sleep in an almost flat position. Perhaps the best thing to note, is that Fly Legs Up is super compact as the pillows deflate and can be stuffed into the hammock and stored in its small travel bag for easy portability.
3. Skross Power Adapter
It’s a consideration that we sometimes forget until the last minute before a trip, but it’s an important one to remember; what’s the power situation where you’re going? If you’re heading to a different country, chances are you’re going to need a power adapter in order to use or charge your electronic devices. Rather than starting a personal collection of global adapters consider the Skross Power Adapter Pro Series World and USB. This universal adapter makes a great gift since it’s compatible in over 220 countries and features not only an electrical outlet, but also a USB port so you can be charging your laptop and phone all at once.
4. Heys 5 Piece Packing Cube Set
If you know of a meticulous traveler in your life, consider this the ultimate gift for travel organization. Packing cubes are becoming increasingly popular because they allow you to organize and easily access your belongings without having to tear your whole suitcase apart. This five piece packing cube set from Heys is great not only because it offers 5 different sizes of cubes to organize all your clothes, shoes, tech and more, but their Ecotex material is made of 100% recycled water bottles so you can feel good about your purchase.
5. Sand-Free Beach Mat
Everyone loves a trip to the beach, but if we had one complaint about the whole experience it would be the sand getting in everywhere. For the beach lover in your life, give them the gift of a sand-free beach experience (well, almost) with this Sand-Free Beach Mat from CGear. The unique weaved design allows sand to fall right through the mat which means to piles of sand build up on your mat while you enjoy the sun and sand. The sand-free mat comes in four beachy colors and you can even buy a beach tote made of the same weaved material for the ultimate beach-lovers gift.
6. Scrubba Wash Bag
The ultimate travel accessory for the nomad in your life, the Scrubba Wash Bag ensures that wherever you go, you won’t have to be without clean clothes. Essentially a portable mini washing machine, the Scrubba is a waterproof bag with a flexible internal washboard that allows you to scrub your clothes clean using only a few liters of water and some liquid soap. It makes for a practical gift for anyone that loves to do any camping, hiking, trekking, cruising or any other situation where laundry amenities are limited.
7. Travel Wine Bag
For the traveler who can’t be without their vino, the Baggy Winecoat by Scandinavian design company Menu makes for one thoughtful gift. This design company clearly knows it can be difficult if not completely inconvenient to try to bring glass wine bottles to places like camping trips or picnicking, so the bag provides an easy and attractive solution to this problem. A must have for the traveler and wine aficionado in your life.
8. Portable Power Bank
Finding power on the go can often be a travelers worst nightmare. It always seems the the airport charging stations are either occupied or completely isolated from where you need to be. The solution to this problem can be found in a portable travel power bank, a perfect gift for anyone who travels or takes their electronic devices on the go frequently. The Mophie Powerstation XL is at the forefront of portable charging technology and is currently the longest lasting battery available today. It’s so powerful in fact, that you could actually charge up to two tablets simultaneously with the fastest output possible.
9. Zagg Pocket Keyboard
Sometimes when you’re traveling, it’s easier not to break out your laptop and instead just try to get some work done or emails sent using your phone. The only problem with this is trying to be productive with that teeny tiny keyboard, let alone the possibility for some embarrassing auto-corrects to be sent to important contacts. For the frequent business traveler, consider the Zagg Pocket Keyboard which is a foldable pocket keyboard that connects to your smartphone via wireless Bluetooth technology. This pocket keyboard uses 85% of the space of a normal size keyboard making communication quick and easy, yet it folds down to a slim profile that you can fit right in your pocket on the go.
10. Away Carry On Luggage
There have been many advancements in air travel in the past few years and this includes upgraded design and features for airline luggage as well. If you really want to spoil the traveler in your life this year, consider giving them one of Away’s pieces of carry-on luggage. These pieces are all designed with ease of travel in mind and include features like a break-proof hard shell exterior, built in battery and USB charger, an included laundry bag for dirty clothes, a built in TSA approved lock and 360 degree spinning wheels for an effortless glide.
