With the Thanksgiving holiday behind us, the Christmas shopping season is now in full swing. And today, Black Friday, is one of the largest shopping days of the year in the U.S. But what do you buy your friends and family? Guess that depends on their preferences. But travelers, frequent or not, are a unique breed. So here’s some Christmas gifts for travelers 2016.
Lifehacker has put together a short list of recommendations for traveler gifts:
- Nomad leather wallet with boil-in iPhone charger
- Packing cubes
- A good mobile hotspot (like the Karma Hotspot)
- The Grid-It Organizers
- Mobile Battery Pack
- Portable laptop lock
- Cable shortener (spool)
- Travelpro Maxlite3
- TSA Pre-check
- Trackdot luggage monitor
That list has some interesting stuff on there. Ok, so I honestly don’t like packing cubes. Maybe I don’t have enough of them, or maybe I don’t use them right. But I’ve used my packing cubes only once and never again. I should probably at least use a large one to pack my alternate pair of shoes, but otherwise, I wouldn’t use them.
The Grid-It is another one I don’t quite see as useful. I guess that’s because my backpack/camera bag has sufficient organization spaces built-in. So I couldn’t see spending $15 on this, but hey, 500-something customers seem to like it. Same with the cable shortener. I don’t really see why you’d buy one, because I always spool my wires on themselves. But that’s just my personal opinion. And even the laptop lock isn’t so useful anymore, especially if you have a new MacBook Pro. For it’s latest iteration, Apple has opted to remove the Kensington lock port.
The Nomad wallet is pretty cool, though I bet that’s best used for emergency recharges, as I’m sure something that size is good for only one recharge. I do love Travelpro bags, so that’s a recommendation I can get behind. TSA Pre-Check, or even Global Entry is an interesting idea. I would totally get this for my parents since they seem to travel at least a few times a year, but never got it themselves. Of course they already told me what they want, so…
Trackdot is another interesting and possibly great idea. Yes, I know, a real frequent traveler shouldn’t check a bag. I’ve heard this argument time and time again. But, I like to check a bag because doing so doesn’t limit what I can bring back home with me. Yeah, you can ship stuff separately, but say you’re bringing home wine or beer. Shipping (for me in Hawaii) can be unreal expensive. So a checked bag is an easier option, especially if you get it for free. Unfortunately the Trackdot seems to get some really mixed reviews. Perhaps it needs more refinement?
To add to that list, here’s some of my christmas gifts for travelers recommendations:
- wearable device (Pebble, Apple Watch, etc) so you never have to worry about changing time zones ever again
- home automation (Philips Hue, WeMo, etc) to keep tabs on your home while away and to simulate someone being home
- Amazon Prime subscription to download/stream videos on the go
- Netflix subscription for in-room viewing at participating Marriott hotels
- AAA membership for roadside assistant and discounts
- VPN service for those that travel to countries like China often
This list can go on, and on really. If you really love the person, you could also buy lounge membership, a good camera, or even the fantastically small and powerful DJI Mavic Pro (I’d love one, by the way). And for leisure travelers, like airline and/or hotel gift cards are always appreciated too. Can’t always redeem points for everything after all!