Travel Essentials
Looking for that perfect gift for your traveling friend or family member? Or maybe an addition to your travel kit? We have a growing list of essentials, from ways to minimize carry-on liquids to keeping your phone secure, your gift will be thoughtful AND useful. This list is continually growing as we are inspired to share, so keep checking back.
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Last Minute Gifts for Christmas
These essential travel items make great gifts for men or women.
They can be in hand in a few days. Click on each to learn more.
Solid Shampoo and Conditioner -- a great way to free up liquid space when flying carry-on only. Additional benefits are these products are eco-friendly and sustainable. A great stocking stuffer!
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Ethique has a range of options for different hair types. I use the Sweet and Spicy for volumizing and found the fragrance gentle on the senses, not the overpowering "holiday spice" smell you might imagine from their description. The company also makes fragrance-free products. Ethique claims that the shampoo bars are equivalent to 3 bottles and conditioner equivalent to 5. I haven't counted how many shampoos I've gotten out of the product, but I've been using this every morning for 2.5 months and have only used up about 1/3 of the bar. I do like the square shape for travel.
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If Ethique starts running short of stock, another great favorite for solid shampoo and conditioner is made by Hibar. Check them out here.
Small Jewelry Travel Case -- There are many similar cases by other brands, but we like this one because it is high quality, faux leather with a soft cloth lining plus has a removable partition to alter the inside to your needs.
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At 3.9 by 3.92 inch (10 by 10.5cm) it's small enough to toss in your carry-on bag and know you have the essential valuables on hand. Shown here in light pink, it also is available in many other colors. $6.99 as of this writing, with a $1 off coupon possibly available.
Phone Tether Tab (2 pack) --A great stocking stuffer or gift to yourself. Used in combo with a wrist lanyard, this eased my concerns with pickpockets trying to grab my new smartphone and my dropping the phone on cobblestones (ask me how I know!), having it swept over the edge of a windy cliff (almost happened in Ireland), over the side of a boat, etc. I've used this constantly since returning home, as we have a dog and it keeps my phone secure while walking her on a leash.
These are inexpensive and worth their weight in gold. You receive two tether tabs for $6.99. I placed it under my phone cover, but do not actually attach it to my phone by removing the adhesive cover. With my Otter Box Commuter cover, the fit is tight enough you can pull substantially on it and it stays put.
Wrist Lanyard​ -- I use this with the phone tether and it has on more than one occasion prevented me from dropping the phone onto hard rock and cobbles or having it blown out of my hands off a cliff or hillside. My son dropped his relatively new phone at the Rock of Cashel. Don't do that. This pack includes 6 different colors for $6.49 or less (available in different color combinations). Just as with the phone tether tab, I've used this constantly since returning from our trips.​
Reusable Shopping Tote with Pouch ​-- We never travel without a few of this type of bag stashed away in a purse or luggage. We use them for everything from grocery shopping (especially if we are staying in an apartment) to reconfiguring our carry-on items to bring home an extra special souvenir. Sometimes we will use this to carry branded store bags for items we just bought so we don't look so much like tourists.
This is a pack of 6 that are somewhat gender neutral, so you can treat a few of the people on your gift list, or keep some for yourself and stash them in your car. Each bag holds up to 35 lbs. Price is generally under $10.
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If you prefer some fun floral bags, check THESE out.
Powerbank Portable Charger -- Never wonder again if your phone will hold a charge through the daytrip on your vacay! This is slim and light for a powerbank and is compatible with iPhones, Samsung, and Pixel phones plus the iPad mini. Click through to check for compatibility. Available in several colors, all around $20.
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If you want to explore different types of powerbanks, click here.
Collapsible Water Bottle​ -- Tired of throwing out water bottles before you go through airport security? Then find yourself hustling to get a connection or out on a day trip and without your hydration? We wish we'd had this bottle in Andalucia (Spain). We would have frozen it overnight and taken it with us on those hot days of walking. It comes with a nice carabiner, so I could see this hanging it from my travel purse. It's foldable, durable, freezable, stands when full and can be washed in the dishwasher! I'm buying one now, in one of the fun colors. Also getting one for my hubster for his stocking. (Shhh, don't tell). Around $12-$14, depending upon color.
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The potential for losing your luggage is real. But if you have an Apple device, recovery may be at hand quicker than you think. Toss an Apple Airtag in your suitcase and you'll be able to track it, be it near or far. Requires iPhone SE, iPhone 6s or later, or iPod touch (7th generation) with iOS 14.5 or later, or iPad Pro, iPad (5th generation or later), iPad Air 2 or later, or iPad mini 4 or later with iPadOS 14.5 or later.
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It's a smart investment of about $23.99 (as of this writing), even if you mostly use it to find your keys at home.
Carabiners ​-- We know how useful these little devices are for campers and backpackers, allowing so many things to be attached to a pack or hung from a line. But when traveling in major cities, they are equally as useful. They can attach a water bottle or flashlight to a day pack, purse, or belt. Use them to secure a zipper closed on a purse, to thwart potential pickpockets. Hang your airline neck pillow to your roll-on bag.
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This set of 6 multicolored 2" carabiners are big enough to do the job, but small enough to be more discreet. Made of aircraft aluminum alloy which makes them durable and rust-resistant. Currently priced at $6.29 for pack of 6.
Scratch Off Map of The World with Flags-- It's not a stocking stuffer but it's so cool we had to include it here. Show off your travels or inspire someone you love to begin filling their own map.
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This scratch off map was featured on CNN, is made in Europe, and is highly-rated on Amazon. It's large but also a size that easy to find a frame for. As of this writing, it's 20% off at $31.99.
Foot Massage Ball -- I don't care what your age is, traveling means walking and walking miles a day can bring on tight and overworked muscles. I have found this type of ball a necessity when traveling to relieve and avoid my tendonitis. Best yet, the ball is small and works better than the tennis ball some folks use. You can also use it on other parts of the body.
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As of this writing, it's on sale for $8.99 but worth it at its full price.
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AccuRelief Wireless Portable TENS Unit and Massager--Back pain is very real for many of us. I have herniated discs that can flair up at home or on the road. I own this device and use it at the slightest sense my back is on the way to bad. You can get bigger units with more pads but those units generally have wires connecting them to the main unit and are difficult to travel with.
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I have worn my TENS unit in public, under my clothes, and no one is the wiser. Generally I use it back in our home or hotel room, just before bed. The great thing about this one is that it does several different kinds of pulses (the patterns of the electrical stim) and while the TENS works great on my issues, the massage setting is a great way to get tight muscles to relax.
I'm not a doctor (nor have I ever played on on TV), so talk to yours if you have a question about whether this is right for you. For me, it's made a big difference in enjoyment of my activities.
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At $64.46 as of this writing, it's worth every cent because it allows me to stay active, doing what I want. ​