Gifts for Travelers
Christmas Gifts for Travelers for $20 or Less
Travelers come in many stripes, from minimalist backpackers to five-star jet setters. We've got holiday gifts for most any wanderluster on your list, all for less than $20.
EatSmart Precision Voyager
Gifts for Travelers Who Always Overpack.
Airline passengers who try to cram the entire contents of their closet into a suitcase risk steep fees for overweight baggage -- up to $100 or more on many major carriers. A luggage scale can alert them they're over the limit before it's too late. The EatSmart Precision Voyager ($20 on Amazon
) has a digital display and holds up to 110 pounds.
Another problem with overpacking: It leaves little room for souvenirs. Envirosax (starting at $7 on Amazon
Gifts for Travelers Who Love Wine.
For a loved one who's constantly seeking out new terroir, Magellan's sells packable wine glasses ($20) for both red and white varietals. That means no scrounging for cups before a picnic overlooking a vineyard -- or a toast in a bare-bones hotel. WineSkins ($7 for two on Amazon
) will keep a couple of spare bottles safe on the way home.
Packable Red Wine Glasses
Gift for Travelers Who Can Sleep Anywhere.
Where some require blackout curtains and 400-thread-count sheets, others are fine with a reclined seatback. For the latter group, there's the Grand Trunk Ultralight Travel Hammock (starting at $18 on Amazon
). It can cradle up to 250 pounds and comes complete with ropes, hooks, and stuff sack. Lest anyone get too comfortable, the Eddie Bauer World Travel Clock ($20 on Amazon
) includes an alarm and makes a handy stocking stuffer. It also doubles as a flashlight.
Gifts for Travelers Who Keep Journals.
You can't buy many first-class products on a coach budget, but Moleskine notebooks have a reputation for being among the best of their kind and start well under $20. Opt for a classic notebook (starting at $10), a dedicated travel journal ($20), or a city notebook ($18) with maps of New York, Paris, London, or Berlin. The Inka Pen from Nite Ize ($18) can record a thought wherever inspiration strikes -- at high altitude, at 30 below, or even underwater. It fits on a keychain for easy access and transforms into a full-size pen or touch-screen stylus.
Gifts for Armchair Travelers.
In the absence of a trip on the 2013 calendar, a subscription to a travel magazine can deliver vicarious pleasure. Popular titles including Backpacker, Budget Travel, Condé Nast Traveler, National Geographic Traveler, Outside, and Travel + Leisure all offer a year's subscription for $20 or less.Still don't see an ideal present? Our guide to unique gifts for men includes two more crowd-pleasing gifts for travelers (of both genders) that cost just $20.
Bonus tip: Add to the worldly appeal of any gift by wrapping it in a map.
