Travel Must-Haves⎜17 Gift Ideas That Make Every Trip Better

Whether you are shopping for the traveler in your life or just treating yourself, finding the perfect gift can feel like navigating a crowded airport. Overwhelming. But not to worry, I've got your back. Hi, I'm Ian from The Travel Coaches. In today's video, I will be sharing 17 must-have travel products that are guaranteed to make every trip better. From essentials to splurges, this gift guide will have something for every budget and every type of traveler. All of these products have been travel tested by me over the last few years and are things that I actually use. Keep in mind that all of the products mentioned in today's video will be linked below. And if you are shopping during the holiday season, you might find some good deals. Let's kick things off with comfort and travel must-haves. These are items you'll thank yourself for having on those long flights or even long train rides. We have our turtle neck pillow. Now, I'm not one to travel with a neck pillow all the time. Actually, most of the time I don't. But when I do travel with a neck pillow, it is this turtle neck pillow. I really like the material on it. I really like how it packs in my bag comparatively to your traditional neck pillow. As well as once you get used to it, it supports your neck in so many different positions. So, if you're looking for a neck pillow, this might be the one for you. Next, we have headphones. I have my AirPod Pros, but if you're a traveler and you don't have noise canceling headphones, I would highly, highly recommend getting a pair. Like I said, I use the AirPods Pros being that they're really small and compact. They work well with my phone and computer. Also, they have that noise canceling feature, which is a must on those long flights. Next, we have water bottles. I have quite a few different options to show you today, starting with this collapsible water bottle. It's kind of like this plastic material, but it rolls up really small in your bag and is great for long-term travel if you don't want to carry around a big water bottle. The only thing is, though, that this takes a little bit of getting used to drinking out of, being that it's a little awkward. But really affordable and great for saving space. Next, we have a Nalgene. This is another great option that isn't super expensive, really strong, and basically indestructible. I bring this with me on most camping and backpacking trips, but can be great just for your normal air travel as well. Then, we have a shaker bottle, another cheap option. This is nice because Meg and I like to work out when we travel quite often, and we can use this for protein shakes and things like that. Also, again, it's cheap, so if I lose or break one, it's not that big a deal. Then, we're getting into our insulated options. I just have this hydro flask. I've had this one for years. I like the size of this one. It's a little bit smaller, as well as it keeps your water nice and cold. And last but not least, we have our probably most expensive option. This is the Awala one, but this one is great for travel, being that it's really strong and built well. Also keeps it really cold. You can hear the ice in this one. Also has a double feature on the top here, where you can drink out of this straw or sip it, which can be nice when you're on airplanes and not have to tilt back your head. You can just suck on the straw. It also has this nice lock feature so you don't spill. But having a good travel water bottle can not only be a great gift, but also something you should probably invest in for yourself as well. Next up is organization, because nothing kills the travel vibe faster than rummaging through your bag for just that one thing. Packing cubes are a great way to help you stay organized while traveling, as well as save some space in your suitcase. The two brands that I typically use are Trip Travel Gear, this one over here, and then Peak Design. Both of these are really high quality packing cubes. Trip Travel Gear is a great option if you're looking for something a little bit more affordable, something that's not going to break the bank, but still has some really high quality. And then Peak Design, on the other hand, is going to be your more premium option. This one has all the features and it's just built with really high quality materials. Both of these are compression packing cubes, meaning that there's an extra zipper to help compress all of your clothes together, helping you save some space in your suitcase, which I would highly recommend if you plan on getting packing cubes, investing in compression packing cubes, which both of those are. A fanny pack or crossbody bag can be another great way to stay organized. It's great for things like chapstick or maybe even some of your valuables like your wallet, credit card, phone, things of that nature. Stuff that you need quick access to. This is from a company that I'm not going to know how to say, so I'm just going to put it on text here on the screen, but this is a great option that I found on Amazon that's much more affordable than some of the higher end ones that you see, in my opinion, that are quite overpriced. This has great quality and does the trick for all of our trips. I also travel with a money belt. This is very similar to that of a crossbody bag or fanny pack. It's just that it's a little bit more secretive, so it's great for your things like passport, cash, and wallet. It sits right underneath your shirt, so you can't even barely tell that you're wearing it. You just got to remember to take it off for security, but this is another great option to help keep you organized. Last but not least in this category, we have a travel backpack. In my opinion, if you're going to spend any money on anything, it's going to be a high quality travel backpack, being that it's arguably our most used piece of gear. I want to show you some of the travel backpacks that are in our rotation, starting with kind of our main driver right now, which is our Peak Design backpack. Really nice backpack. I like the design. I like how it's all black, really high quality materials, great for organization, whether you're just a weekend warrior or somebody that carries a lot of tech or a photographer, this is a great option. Next, we have this one from Tortuga. This is great for weekend getaways. It's great for packing clothes. I don't necessarily like packing my tech in here, though there is a nice laptop sleeve. It's really lightweight, really comfortable, another great option, though it's a little bit more expensive. Next, we have the WANDRD backpack. This has got the most miles on it for me. This is 15 countries, and this used to be my main driver. A nice roll-top compartment at the top here, really good materials, great organization, especially if you're somebody that brings camera gear. This last one here is from Cowpack. This is actually Meg's. They have some fun colors, another really well-built backpack, really lightweight. This one actually made it all the way to Everest Base Camp, though I wouldn't necessarily recommend that experience for this backpack. This can be a great one, especially if you're somebody that likes the fun colors, and just an overall good travel backpack. All right, now for the adventure seekers. Here's gear that will take your trip to the next level. A day pack can be a great item to bring on really any trip. There's nothing worse than wanting to go for a hike or just walk around a city, and all you have is maybe your big carry-on backpack. Packing this in your, say, personal item or carry-on bag can be really beneficial, so that way you don't have to lug around this big backpack, and you can bring just what you need, like maybe a change of clothes or some snacks or maybe even a water bottle. I have this one from REI. It's the Flash 18. I love REI products. They're really thoughtfully made. It's super lightweight, and it packs down really small. This is a really great gift item, too, because the price point is right in that sweet spot when it comes to giving gifts. Next, we have a water bladder. That's what this is. I can throw this in pretty much any backpack, so I can stay hydrated. It's obviously great for things like camping and hiking, but it can be a great item for just walking around a city as well. That way, you always have access to water as well as you can hold a lot more than a typical water bottle would hold. This actually holds two and a half liters or 85 ounces. This one looks not like it's in the best condition being that I've had this for years, but I promise when you get it new, it won't be like yellow and tinted. But this is another great gift item at a great price point. A dry bag. It may seem like a fairly specialized piece of travel gear, but let me tell you, it is not. Any traveler could utilize a dry bag. I use this a lot for my valuables, really any time I'm out and about, because you never know when all of a sudden it's going to start raining. A lot of times when we were traveling in Southeast Asia, it would just start pouring rain, and I would put my phone, my wallet, my valuables in here. So that way, even if I was soaking wet, I knew my valuables weren't, which is really nice. It's also great for activities like kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding. Maybe you're just going to the beach and you want to keep the sand out of your valuables. This one is from Sea to Summit, is a five liter bag, which is perfect for things like that. I also have another option. This is a much bigger option that I travel with way more than you would think. This is a huge dry pack. This is from Sea Line, a similar company. This is, I believe, 30 liters or 31 liters. This is an awesome product if you plan to travel to tropical climates. So that way you can put a change of clothes in here. You can put more stuff in here and keep everything really, really dry. Let's talk about clothing and some footwear, things that could be good on pretty much any trip. A lightweight puffy jacket. This is great because it packs down super small. Also, it's super lightweight. This one actually is from Patagonia and it actually packs down into its own pocket, which is really nice for travel. Also a piece of gear that is great for spring, fall, and winter weather being that it keeps you really warm, but you can also kind of leave it unzipped and it'll just keep you kind of warm. So it's really versatile piece of travel gear. Then we have a rain jacket. I think I've taken a rain jacket on pretty much every single trip that I've ever been on because you never know when it's going to rain. Also, it can be great for wind as well. I've learned this one is from Black Diamond. I would really encourage you to not short yourself on price when it comes to a rain jacket. Sometimes they'll say that they're waterproof, but usually the cheaper they are, the worse job they do at that. So I would recommend spending a little bit more money to get a little bit higher quality product when it comes to a rain jacket. But a rain jacket, in my opinion, is a must-have piece of travel gear. Footwear when traveling can be somewhat subjective, but I'm going to show you three options today that I travel with quite often, starting with my Blundstone boots. These are really versatile. They're insanely comfortable, nice leather boots. I've got the brown and black ones. You can hike in these. You can go out to dinner in these. They're just really versatile. Next, we have Birkenstocks. Now, mine are pretty beat up and pretty wore down, but these are awesome because they're really lightweight. You can dress them up. You can dress them down, especially, obviously, if you're in a warm location. They don't take up a ton of space in your suitcase, so Birkenstocks can be a great option. Next, we have our adventure sandals, Chacos. I haven't found something quite yet better than Chacos. They're really comfortable. I like the big, thick rubber sole so I can hike in them. I can go in the water in them. I don't have to worry about damaging them too much. As you can see, mine are pretty worn out. I will say, though, they're a little bit stinky if you get them wet and don't let them dry, so make sure they dry fully. Another great piece of travel footwear. Now, we have a couple bonus items, and one of them is right here. This is my Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar. Now, this is a little bit older variation being that I think they just came out with the 8, but getting yourself a smartwatch, particularly a Garmin, is a great move. Now, it is a bit more of an investment, but I use this all the time. I use it to track my fitness. I use it to track my sleep. It's great for travel if you're more adventurous, like hiking and biking and kayaking. An awesome, awesome travel tool. It also helps you keep track of different health metrics. The thing I really like about the Garmin specifically is the battery life. I get, like, two weeks charge on this, so when I'm traveling, I don't have to worry about... Sometimes I don't even bring a charger. That's how good it is, so I don't have to worry about charging it all the time comparatively to an iPhone. Nothing against an iPhone... Or not an iPhone. Nothing against an... What the heck are the iPhone? Nothing against the Apple Watch, but the battery life is just not as good, so I would highly recommend a Garmin. I would also recommend not paying full price. Garmins are always on sale, so wait till there's a good sale, then snatch one up. This is a little bit more expensive version. They have some other variations. Just take a look at what you want to do with the watch and then get the model that is going to best fit your needs. This next one is great for the beach goers. This is a sand cloud towel, or sometimes known as a Turkish towel. Like I said, if you're someone that goes to the beach, this is a must. It's a great towel that isn't huge, isn't super bulky. It dries you off really well, and also the sand does not stick in this towel. It's overall, all around, just a great travel towel for all those reasons. Also, it can be great if you're somebody that likes to work out when you travel. It's honestly just a great piece of travel gear that can be used in a lot of different situations. If you're looking for a good travel towel, try sand cloud. And there you have it. 17 amazing gifts for the traveler in your life, or for yourself, because let's be real, we all deserve a little travel upgrade. Whether it is for comfort, adventure, or staying organized, these picks are sure to make any trip better. What's your go-to travel essential? Drop a comment below and let's chat. If you found this guide helpful, please give it a thumbs up, as well as share this video with somebody who is hard to shop for. Also, subscribe to our channel for more content like this. We will see you in the next video.