Best Christmas 2020 gifts for travel and travelers

Have you got a bucket list, but sometimes can’t pin down where you want to go next? If you’re after some on-the-spot inspiration when planning an adventure, this coffee table book from Lonely Planet is the perfect starting point. When dipping into the 1st edition, TravGear put together a great trip to Namibia, which took us to some of the country’s most awe-inspiring places.

The welcome second edition of Ultimate Travel includes 200 new entries inspired by the latest travel trends and tastes. It’s not just iconic places, but experiences, too. Beautifully produced and with fabulous photographs, it’s the perfect gift for any travel enthusiast.

If you think buying underwear as a Christmas gift shows a lack of imagination, tale a look at the ExOfficio Give-N-Go boxer briefs. Easy to wash, quick-dry underwear is at the core of any capsule wardrobe for traveling light because it means you can pack two (OK, three) pairs of underwear. Comfy to wear – and TravGear should know – you can rinse these boxers in the shower at night and they’re dry for the next morning. Perfect for keeping your bag light, every traveler should have a few pairs of quick-dry underwear, and the ExOfficio Give-N-Go boxer briefs are among the best. 

A water bottle that shrinks as you drink makes this a TravGear favorite for traveling light. Reusable, foldable, durable, and easy to clean (and dry), the Vapor neatly folds into its own clip when empty, and that same clip can be used for securing it to the outside of a backpack. A flip-cap makes it easy to drink from while a wide screw cap makes it easy to clean and quick to air-dry. It’s also dishwasher safe. It’s available in several versions, though TravGear has been using a 1-liter model for more than three years with no leaks or spills to report. It’s now always clipped to our hand luggage for filling in an airport (just make sure it’s empty when you get the security).

A lot of people are planning lavish round the world trips, honeymoons, and remote working breaks for 2021 … or 2022. But where to go? Available in 5, 7, 10, or 12-inch versions, this novel globe allows you to plan a big trip with pins, or simply pin your bucket list for future inspiration. A great gift for travelers of any age, pair it with some pin labels and you can add notes and maybe even add suggestions. Maybe mark-out must-visit Unesco sites, theme parks, or movie shooting locations? Various designs are available, from original cork to colored, journal-style, or white.

Looking for the perfect portable battery for travel for iPhone? A portable battery is an absolute must for any trip, but surely anything with a USB slot is fine for when you run out of juice on the road. So why are we so excited about this one from Moshi? It’s expensive, for sure, but the built-in Apple Lightning make it possible at last to travel without cables – and with an attractive, high-quality metallic finish with a faux leather flap. 

The Kindle just got better. After years as a staple of travel, Amazon’s original E-Ink e-reader recently got a refresh that sees the addition of much more storage, a slew of new colors, and a new focus on Audiobooks. Now available in black, blue, plum, and sage, the Paperwhite is now waterproof – which has obvious advantages for anyone headed to the beach, the resort pool, or a hot hotel bath – and now comes in a 32GB version for storing more magazines, comics, and audiobooks. For the latter, it plays nicely with Audible audiobooks and podcasts, and it pairs with Bluetooth headphones. 

Weighing a mere 171g and folding-up to pocket-size, this super-light foldable keyboard for typing on to a phone is a delight to work on. Connecting easily with up to four phones or tablets simultaneously, it’s so responsive that typing on this travel keyboard feels just like a laptop. Just tuck it in a backpack and never travel with a computer again. 

Everyone needs good coffee, but despite the spread of coffee shops the world still isn’t blessed with baristas. If you love being at home if only for your dependable expresso machine just a few steps away then you’re really going to miss your morning caffeine fix on that next trip. Perfect for that morning cuppa when you’re traveling through countries that just don’t do good coffee, or when hiking and/or camping, the Wacaco minipresso is a compact, lightweight portable coffee maker. It lets you grind your own beans and then gives you a 50ml double shot of espresso. No more relying on the hotel breakfast to come up with the goods.