Christmas is right around the corner folks…whether it’s your favorite time of year because of all the festivities or perhaps a time when you get ready to relax away from work for a while, we all have one common problem – what to buy for friends and family! It’s a million-dollar question and frequently this phrase has more than one connotation associated with it because Christmas gift purchases can be extremely expensive! Well, folks, it’s time to change that, particularly if you have friends and family that are avid travelers. We are ready to share some of the best gifts for world travelers that we think are perfect for the upcoming holiday season.
Forget the stereotypical gift ideas that generally include a pair of socks or gift card to their favorite restaurant and instead, get ready to think outside the box a little bit and provide your loved ones with something they will always cherish. We have a collection of awesome products that we think every aspiring (or seasoned) traveler will love!
Whether you are looking for something trendy, useful or perhaps something just a little bit different, we think that the products below will have everyone heading to the nearest stores or websites and filling their baskets with them.
We have been extremely fortunate to utilize all of these, so you are getting first-hand recommendations based on our own personal use! We all too frequently read travel gear reviews or recommendations from folks that have never actually used them so we hope you will appreciate our honest judgments and perhaps inspire you to buy one or more of these for this Christmas season.
Best Gifts for World Travelers
Let’s start by dividing our recommendations into two separate categories – travel gear/apparel and travel accessories!
Who doesn’t want something from all of these categories? I know, we can’t be too greedy but come on guys, it’s CHRISTMAS! We think that our recommendations will not only appeal to every type of traveler, you could, in fact, argue that all of these ideas could be potential gifts for those awkward individuals who prefer “staycations!”
Travel Gear and Apparel
If you are a frequent traveler, whether it’s a long weekend road trip or a vacation overseas, having the right travel gear (backpacks and luggage) and apparel (rain gear, shoes etc.) is critical. I am generally a proponent of finding a great deal but when it comes to this area, I am firmly in the mindset that you get what you pay for!
There are a lot of brands out there that offer high-quality products but we have a few favorites that we want to share with you if you are looking to buy a loved one something in this area.
Here are the products we will be featuring in this guide:
- The North Face GORE-TEX Terrain Rain Jacket
- The North Face Surge Backpack
Travel Accessories
When it comes to handy travel accessories, the market is saturated! It’s a known fact, wherever you look for gadgets or cute gifts in the travel domain, the list is endless. From travel journals to passport holders to packing cubes, you cannot help but stumble across something that all travelers are going to love.
However, we want to take it a step further and look for the ultimate “unique” product or perhaps something that will always be handy regardless where you are in the world!
Why not find something unique to a traveler that has been to a certain country or perhaps state if they travel only within the United States? Or maybe something a little more generic (one of which we will be recommending shortly) that can satisfy everyone’s travel desires!
Here are a couple of products we are going to cover in this category:
- The Qottle
- Personalized Push Pin Map
The North Face Terrain Jacket
When you live in the UK for the first 23 years of your life, you quickly realize that finding a reliable rain jacket is critical. It may be a stereotype that it always rains in England but let me tell you, it’s a reality!
But a little rain is never going to stop the British from heading outside and exploring and having a great rain jacket is definitely something we all look for.
Let us introduce you to the awesome Terrain jacket by The North Face. We have been avid users of The North Face products for quite some time now and yes, it’s a “name brand” but it’s one that is reliable, affordable and definitely one we will continue to use in the future.
Lightweight, durable, breathable and most importantly, comfortable. These are all key characteristics what we look for in a rain jacket and this is undoubtedly the perfect Christmas gift for anyone heading to the UK or a destination renowned for wet weather.
Match your go anywhere attitude with this technical, all-terrain jacket from The North Face (Millets)
We will be providing a more detailed review of this product in the near future but we strongly recommend heading over to Millet’s website to take a look at their portfolio of The North Face products.
The North Face Surge Backpack
I don’t know about you but I carry a backpack everywhere I go! Whether I am heading to work and need to carry my laptop, heading to Starbucks to enjoy my favorite espresso or on our travels, I take a backpack everywhere. When I stumbled across The North Face 33L Surge Backpack, I knew we were on to a winner.
Heather also carries a backpack when we are traveling so if you are looking for the perfect “daysack,” look no further than this awesome option.
Everything you need on a daily basis can be held inside this lightweight backpack while at the same time offering a durable and secure option knowing that your valuables will be kept in a safe place.
Combine this with the above Terrain rain jacket and you can see why we are so in love with The North Face product line!
You may have noticed that I recommended visiting the UK website, Millets. This company is part of the Blacks Outdoors Retailers and headquartered in Bury, England. By the way, Bury is my hometown, hence the reason I am particularly fond of this outdoor company!! For the UK readers out there, head over and check out the nearest store which carries a range of awesome products by The North Face.
Don’t worry though, international delivery is also available at incredibly low prices!! For only £9.99 ($13), you can get standard delivery to the United States – that’s cheaper than many domestic US companies!
The Qottle
Looking for a slightly cheaper alternative but equally useful? Check out the awesome Qottle water bottle! This double-wall vacuum insulated water bottle comes in a variety of colors and sizes and is the perfect stocking gift this Christmas.
One of our top travel tips for travelers is to take a water bottle everywhere. Not only is this cost-efficient, rather than paying for bottled water, it can also prove to be a life-saver.
If you are heading to remote locations, it’s critical to carry enough water with you to stay hydrated. The Qottle is a stainless steel bottle that will keep your water cold or alternatively, your coffee hot for up to 24 hours.
The selection of vibrant colors in either a 24oz or 32oz option is definitely something you should consider this Christmas if you are short of ideas for folks that tend to already have everything.
Personalized Push Pin Map
We mentioned that we were going to recommend something a little “different” and “creative” and that is exactly what we associate with Push Pin Maps.
Create your very own personalized map of the world or the United States and share with a close friend or family member. With a variety of sizes and canvas options to choose from, these maps are undeniably a gift EVERYONE is going to love.
When owners Ashley and Eric started this business, their intention was to create a product unlike anything else on the market. I think it’s fair to say they have achieved this goal! What better way to create memories of your travels than by being able to keep track of every stop on your adventure around the world.
Not only can you track previous travels, it’s a great way to plan your future endeavors.
A family business based on a love of travel.
Each map is “ready to hang” the moment you unpack it from the box. As Ashley and Eric perfectly indicated, “We hope our travel maps and apparel provide a source of inspiration for you to see more of the world and, along the way, discover parts of yourself that you never knew existed.”
A variety of designs and sizes are available so dependent on your budget and preference, there is something for every world traveler on your shopping list.
Summary
Rather than giving you a long list of travel products, we wanted to focus on a select group of awesome options that everyone is going to love. Each option offers something a little different, so dependent on who you are purchasing for will surely determine which works best for you.
Do we have a favorite item? Honestly, all of them! I think it’s fair to say the Push Pin Map is the most “personalized” option so we are going to have a real soft spot for that, particularly when we admire our “A Brit and A Southerner” world map every day in our living room.
However, in terms of practicality, The North Face products are going to be traveling with us everywhere we go. And don’t forget that all important Qottle water bottle that is the most affordable and definitely a perfect stocking stuffer! We hope that we have inspired a few ideas as you prepare for your holiday shopping season but perhaps we have just encouraged you to buy these for yourselves!
Do you have a favorite item that you would love from our selection of Christmas gifts for world travelers?
Disclaimer – We would like to thank Millets, Push Pin Maps and Qottle for providing us with sample products in exchange for consideration of a blog post review. These are solely our personal opinions/experiences and we were not financially compensated for this post.
That push pin map is so awesome, I love that it’s personalized! And products by North Face are always a winner in my books. Durable backpacks and jackets that will last a long time! Great for travelers 🙂
Great photos. The backpack looks cool. I can certainly stay hydrated with 2 water bottles.
I’m ordering the push-pin map for Christmas. Any chance you have a discount code? Love it!
If you wait a couple more days, you may well have the opportunity to win your very own Judy!! Watch this space and I will let you know!!
I intended to do my Christmas gift shopping on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. I got too involved with work and so didn’t go to plan.
The Qottle looks slick and also it’s a good size I prefer to have warm tea or water during the winter, so it satisfies my need.
The push pin map is special too, can highlight the places we aim to travel to in the future.
I wouldn’t go anywhere without a Gore-tex rain jacket. That’s a great recommendation. They breathe for those hot travel days yet add a layer for the cold. Hubby has worn his for skiing in sub-zero winds and also in tropical rainforests. If you want to travel light, it is an essential.
I would love that backpack. I am crazy organized, so I always get excited when I can find bags with lots of little compartments. Also, I love that personalized map! I’ve seen scratch off maps and such before so that you can show where you’ve been, but the ability to personalize it makes it all the better. Makes it more unique than just your average push pin map!
That map! Definitely tops on our list for Santa this year. Although…pretty much anything North Face is always welcome. 😉 Fun list, guys!