Foxtongue
Who actually needs another luggage tag or passport cover? This year, go beyond the basic travel gear and give the travelers in your life something truly useful. Check out these 10 affordable, fun -- and at times totally genius -- options. We'll understand if you can't resist buying a few of these great travel gifts for yourself.
Editor's Note: This article was posted in 2014. To see Frommer's 2015 Gift Guide (also with gifts for under $100, with 2 exceptions), please click here.
Photo Caption: Put these 10 great travel gifts on your holiday wish list.
Head to the build-your-own-bag section on Timbuk2.com, and create a custom envelope sleeve for a tablet or laptop. With a choice of four sizes and a selection of more than 57 fabrics in various patterns and colors, there's something for everyone.
High-density foam and a scratch-resistant liner will protect your gadgets. Plus, this TSA-friendly sleeve is a smart travel accessory because you can get through security checkpoints without needing to remove your laptop from the case.
Photo Caption: Timbuk2 Custom Envelope Sleeve, from $40, www.timbuk2.com
Hard-sided luggage -- while extra-durable and long-lasting -- can easily cost hundreds of dollars. At $99, Delsey's Helium Colours 21-inch spinner is less expensive than most hard-sided suitcases on the market. But don't let the fun colors or the weight of the carry-on (it clocks in at just 7.5 pounds) fool you -- with a polypropylene shell, four sturdy wheels, and a roomy interior, this Delsey suitcase is seriously well-made and smartly designed.
Photo Caption: Delsey's Helium Colours, from $99, www.delsey.com or Amazon.com.
With Thule's 15- or 13-inch laptop bag, you'll always be prepared for rugged situations or inclement weather. Whether you're headed off on safari or just planning to lounge by the pool, the case's foam padding offers shockproof protection and the heavy-duty zipper keeps water out. You don't even have to take your computer out of the case in order to use it -- you can keep it strapped in while you work for worry-free use.
The laptop bag is also roomy enough to fit all of your accessories, with multiple pockets and an extra-wide base to store your power cords. Though these add-ons mean the laptop bag isn't TSA-friendly, having to remove your computer at the airport security checkpoint is a small trade-off for all the other conveniences you'll enjoy while on the road.
Photo Caption: Thule, $79.95, www.apple.com
If you're looking for gift ideas for the techie traveler who has everything, this portable Bluetooth keyboard from Brookstone is a great bet.
It pairs with an iPad or iPhone 4G (it also works with Windows Mobile 6.0+ and Android smartphones) in less than 30 seconds. And unlike other travel-friendly Bluetooth keyboards that are made out of plastic, this silicone keyboard is lightweight, completely flexible -- and waterproof. Just roll it up, and go.
Photo Caption: Bluetooth Silicone Keyboard, $19.95, often available at www.brookstone.com but frequently sold out, so try Amazon.com
There's no need to risk frostbite in order to answer a phone call or send a text if you have these Conductive Tip Knit Gloves from Freehands. The gloves are knitted with conductive silver thread running through the thumbs and index fingertips, so you can keep your hands warm while using your touchscreen device.
The more snug they are, the better; be sure to check out the size chart before ordering a pair (available in black or fuchsia). About 10% of the proceeds from every fuchsia pair sold will benefit the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
Photo Caption: Conductive Solid Knit Glove, $22, www.freehands.com
Grace Digital Audio's Eco Pod lets you take your iPhone, iPod, or Android phone anywhere — literally. Made of a polycarbonate casing with an exterior pressure release valve, the EcoPod is made to keep up with the most adventurous travelers by providing water-, sun- and sand-proof protection for your gadget. Even the earbuds are waterproof (they plug into an audio jack that's completely weatherproof, of course).
Other smart features include an internal storage compartment that will protect and organize keys, credit cards, cash and more. The two-inch carabiner allows you to clip it anywhere.
Photo Caption: Grace Digital Audio's Eco Pod, $49.99, www.gracedigitalaudio.com
Looky here: They have finally come up with reading glasses so thin and flexible that you don't need a bulky case or to baby them like eggs. ThinOptics are made from polycarbonate and fit neatly in flat slots on the back of the smartphone or device you're already carrying. They fit iPhone and Android, and there's a version that will stick to any other device such as an iPod. They're also bulletproof, but we wouldn't try to test that if we were you.
ThinOptics, from $25, www.thinoptics.com or Amazon.com.
Frequent travelers can never have enough refillable bottles, and Go-Gear's Travel Tubes will become your latest go-to for toiletries. Made of BPA-free silicone, the squeezable tubes have openings that are wide enough to fill without creating a huge mess. Take your pick of TSA-friendly sizes -- 1.5 oz, 2 oz or 3 oz. Handy sticker labels make for easy identification, and they're dishwasher safe, making them a cinch to reuse. Individual bottles start at just $2.97 -- that's about half the price of similar brands.
Photo Caption: 3pack of 3oz. Go-Gear Travel Tubes, $11.99, www.amazon.com
Editor's Note: This article was posted in 2014. To see Frommer's 2015 Gift Guide (also with gifts for under $100, with 2 exceptions), please click here.
Photo Caption: Put these 10 great travel gifts on your holiday wish list.
High-density foam and a scratch-resistant liner will protect your gadgets. Plus, this TSA-friendly sleeve is a smart travel accessory because you can get through security checkpoints without needing to remove your laptop from the case.
Photo Caption: Timbuk2 Custom Envelope Sleeve, from $40, www.timbuk2.com
Photo Caption: Delsey's Helium Colours, from $99, www.delsey.com or Amazon.com.
The laptop bag is also roomy enough to fit all of your accessories, with multiple pockets and an extra-wide base to store your power cords. Though these add-ons mean the laptop bag isn't TSA-friendly, having to remove your computer at the airport security checkpoint is a small trade-off for all the other conveniences you'll enjoy while on the road.
Photo Caption: Thule, $79.95, www.apple.com
It pairs with an iPad or iPhone 4G (it also works with Windows Mobile 6.0+ and Android smartphones) in less than 30 seconds. And unlike other travel-friendly Bluetooth keyboards that are made out of plastic, this silicone keyboard is lightweight, completely flexible -- and waterproof. Just roll it up, and go.
Photo Caption: Bluetooth Silicone Keyboard, $19.95, often available at www.brookstone.com but frequently sold out, so try Amazon.com
The more snug they are, the better; be sure to check out the size chart before ordering a pair (available in black or fuchsia). About 10% of the proceeds from every fuchsia pair sold will benefit the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
Photo Caption: Conductive Solid Knit Glove, $22, www.freehands.com
Other smart features include an internal storage compartment that will protect and organize keys, credit cards, cash and more. The two-inch carabiner allows you to clip it anywhere.
Photo Caption: Grace Digital Audio's Eco Pod, $49.99, www.gracedigitalaudio.com
ThinOptics, from $25, www.thinoptics.com or Amazon.com.
Photo Caption: 3pack of 3oz. Go-Gear Travel Tubes, $11.99, www.amazon.com
Flight 001 sells some of the funkiest, most colorful travel accessories on the market. Its 4-in-1 electrical plug adapter set compresses most of the shapes you'll ever need into two interlocking Playskool-colored pieces—hard to misplace, easy to stow. If you’ve ever juggled bags of adapter pieces or fiddled with boxy all-in-ones, you’ll appreciate the finesse.
4-in-1 Adapter, $25, www.flight001.com