While you probably won’t be able to buy a vacation for your traveler friends this holiday season, you may be able to pick up one of these cheap travel gifts, all under $25. Ranging from a packable day pack to a portable blender, these travel friendly gifts are sure to make you or your friends’ travels easier and more enjoyable.
Some links found in this post are affiliate links, meaning I may receive a commission if you decide to make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
1. Packable Day Pack, $18
During the highly likely scenario where you buy souvenirs at a destination, you may need to bring an extra bag to hold your extra goods. That’s when the Outlander Packable Backpack comes in handy.
This day pack weighs just a little over 7 ounces and can be packed into its own pocket, meaning that it will barely take up any space in your suitcase. When unfolded, the Outlander Backpack can hold your camera, guide books or any small to medium sized things you’d need to access while on the go. Use it as an extra day pack for the trip home, or as a pack to use while at your destination.
Get the Outlander Packable Day Pack here
2. Foldable Travel Sized Hair Dryer, $15
This is a lifesaver for those with long and thick hair. The Conair Folding Handle Hair Dryer has 2 heat and speed settings with a 5 foot power cord. One feature to appeal to travelers is that it is dual voltage, allowing you to use the hair dryer worldwide without any complications with foreign voltages. The dryer weighs around 1 pound and has a foldable handle making it easy to stow away.
Get the Conair Travel Hair Dryer here
3. Personal Travel Sized Blender, $15
Ever wanted to make smoothies while traveling? The Hamilton Beach Personal Blender can do just that in an impressively compact package. This personal blender can be used for making smoothies, shakes, marinades and more, in a 14 ounce jar and lid.
When you’re done blending, you can drink directly from the blending jar which doubles as a portable travel cup. Take this with you in your check in luggage, and you’ll be good to go.
Get the Hamilton Beach Personal Blender here
4. LifeStraw Personal Water Filter, $18
In countries where tap water is dodgy, or when hiking in the wilderness, the LifeStraw personal water filter is meant to remove waterborne bacteria without iodine, chlorine, or other chemicals.
First, place the LifeStraw into a questionable puddle or stream, then drink the filtered water directly from the straw. The LifeStraw weighs around 2 ounces and won’t take up much space in your carry on. According to LifeStraw, the straw can filter up to 4000 liters of contaminated water.
Get the LifeStraw here
5. Wine2Go Foldable Wine Flask, $12
The Wine2Go flask is a travel friendly container which allows you to bring wine without having to carry it in a heavy and fragile glass bottle. When flying or going on cruises, using the the Wine2Go flask instead of a glass bottle can help to make your check in luggage lighter. The flask barely takes up any space, is washable and completely reusable.
Get the Wine2Go Flask here
6. Moleskine Travel Journal, $20
Sometimes a good old fashioned travel journal can be the perfect gift for the traveler wanting to document their adventures. The Voyageur Notebook from Moleskine has detachable packing lists, budget pages and sections for planning and recording your journey and more. The journal is also durable enough for you to be confident it won’t fall apart while going through the rigors of travel.
Get the Moleskine Voyageur Notebook here
7. eBags Small Packing Cubes, $23 (now $27)
This set of 3 eBags packing cubes will help you organize your clothes and accessories in your luggage while keeping your clothes compressed. The cubes are basically zippered mesh drawers for your luggage. You can organize your clothes inside the cubes by placing one outfit in one cube or pants in one cube, shirts in another, etc. Plus, you could buy sets of packing cubes in different colors to color code the clothes of each family member.
Read more: Pros and Cons of Packing Cubes
Get the eBags Packing Cubes here
8. Anker Astro E1 6700 External Battery, $24
Smartphones can do pretty much everything, ranging from telling time, contacting people around the world, taking pictures, and accessing infinite amounts of information. But when they run out of battery, that’s it. Game over.
Thankfully, the Anker Astro E1 battery can recharge your iPhone 8 about 2 full charges, and your iPhone X about 1.5 full charges.
While the external battery can hold 6,700 mAh of power, it’s extremely portable, about the size of a candy bar (3.8 × 1.7 × 0.9in). The Anker Astro E1 comes with a micro USB cable and travel pouch.
Read more: What does mAh mean: How to determine the amount of recharges based on the mAh of an external battery
Get the Anker Astro E1 here
9. Eagle Creek Pack-It Folder, $19
What looks like at first glance a binder or a fancy stationery holder, is actually an ingenious packing aid which compresses your clothes while preventing wrinkles. The Eagle Creek Pack-It Garment Folder works by holding shirts using its velcro closure. Similarly to packing cubes, the Pack-It Folder helps to organize your clothes and makes traveling out of a suitcase simpler.
Get the Eagle Creek Pack-It Folder here
10. Sea to Summit Travel Towel, $25
Budget or adventure travel may take you off the beaten path, but with the soft and somewhat plush Sea to Summit Travel Towel, you can still bring the comforts of home. This travel towel weighs just 5 ounces and can be folded into a super compact pouch. The towel is large enough to cover your body and is perfect for adventure camping trips or when staying at a hostel without towels.
Read more: Full review of the Sea to Summit Travel Towel
Get the Sea to Summit Travel Towel here
11. Travelon Money Belt, $13
If you’re a broke traveler, the chances are you can’t afford to lose any money while traveling, which is why getting a money belt is so useful. Money belts are like normal belts, except the inside of the belt contains a secret zippered compartment for holding high denomination bills. The Travelon belt can hold up to 12 bills, which you can access in emergency situations. Also, the clasp of the Travelon belt is made of plastic, meaning you won’t have to take the belt off when going through airport security.
Read more: Full review of the Travelon Money Belt
Get the Travelon Money Belt here
12. Etekcity Travel Scale, $11
This is a sleek travel scale designed to save you from hefty luggage fees. The travel scale is extremely easy to use and hooks onto your luggage to weigh it and also includes a temperature sensor.
Get the Etekcity Travel Scale here
13. Travelon Inflatable Hangers, $10
What do you do when your hotel doesn’t have hangers? You buy inflatable ones!
These inflatable hangers from Travelon are lightweight and extremely compact. Just blow them up when you arrive at your destination and deflate them when packing up. The hangers are great for long term travelers and those who hand wash their clothes while traveling. You can air dry your clothes on these hangers or hang them out to prevent wrinkles.
Get the Travelon Inflatable Hangers here
14. eBags Toiletry Kit, $25 (now $30)
Using a toiletry kit is the best way to keep your toiletries and other cosmetics organized, and the eBags toiletry is one of the best kits on the market. The eBags Toiletry Kit packs flat, making it take up less space in your backpack or luggage. There are tons of pockets on the bag to help you easily access and organize your toiletries.
Read more: The full review of the eBags Toiletry Kit
Get the eBags Pack-It Flat Toiletry Kit here
15. riemot Luggage Travel Cup Holder, $13
The riemont Luggage Travel Cup Holder is the perfect gift for travelers, commuters and coffee addicts. The drink holder is machine washable and made of premium oxford cloth. It can be adjusted to fit your luggage to free up your hands while strolling through the airport or when rushing to work. It can hold most mugs, bottles and cups, such as water bottles, soda cans and coffee cups, while the second pocket can hold your passport, phone or other small item.
Get the riemot Luggage Travel Cup Holder here
16. Resistance Bands, Approx. $10 to $21 each
Staying fit while traveling is always a challenge, but with the Black Mountain Products resistance bands, you can still workout while on the go. This resistance band is a travel friendly replacement for dumbbells and can be used for numerous workouts. Different colored resistance bands have different levels of resistance, for example the purple band is similar to a 45-50 lb weight. You can do bicep curls, shoulder presses and more while in your hotel room.
Get the resistance band here
17. Belkin 3-Outlet Travel Charger, $13
This tech savvy traveler must have protects your electronics from surges and allows you to charge up to 5 devices using one outlet. The charger contains two USB outlets and 3 AC sockets, allowing you to charge all of your electronics at once even if your hotel room or airport terminal only has one outlet.
Read the full review of the Belkin Travel Charger here.
Get the Belkin Travel Charger here.
18. Sea to Summit TSA Travel Lock, $19
This simple lock doesn’t require any keys or combinations. The Sea to Summit TSA Travel Lock uses a provided card, similar to a credit card to be unlocked. The cards can be kept in your wallet or passport holder, which is convenient for travelers who don’t want to bring cumbersome keys or those who tend to forget combinations. It’s also TSA approved.
Get the Sea to Summit TSA Travel Lock here
19. JOBY GorillaPod Action Video Tripod, $25
The JOBY Gorillapod is a unique tripod which can support your GoPro and similar cameras by attaching to trees, railings and more. Due to it’s grippy and flexible legs, the tripod can fasten your camera anywhere for slow shutter speed photos or time lapsed videos. Unlike bulky full sized tripods, the Gorillapod is perfect for travel, since it is both lightweight and easily fits in carry-on bags.
Get the JOBY GorillaPod Action Video Tripod
20. Inateck Felt Laptop Sleeve,$15
With its unique felt exterior and hard to beat price tag, the Inateck laptop sleeve is a sleeve to consider using when traveling. The laptop sleeve is made of a soft light grey felt and fits a 13.3 inch MacBook Air snugly. The sleeve was made specifically for MacBooks, however will fit most ultrabooks and other thin laptops in the 11 to 13 inch range. The sleeve has a front pocket for holding a tablet and two small pockets on the back of the sleeve and includes a small pouch for holding your charger.
Read more: Inateck Sleeve Review
Get the Inateck Felt Laptop Sleeve here
21. Buff Headwear, $16
A Buff is a versatile headwear accessory that can be used as a cap, neck gaiter, and more. Buffs are incredibly useful when traveling since they can be used for multiple purposes. Buffs are basically seamless tubes of polyester microfiber which are stretchy and can be used in both hot and cold climates. By folding the Buff, you can turn it into a cap, face mask and more as depicted in the diagram below.
Read more: Buff Headwear Review
Get the Buff here
22. Vagabonding, by Rolf Potts, $12 (paperback)
Vagabonding, by Rolf Potts can get you inspired to travel, and keep you entertained during a long flight or layover. This book explains the ‘whys’ of traveling long term. In Vagabonding you’ll learn about the benefits of travel and experiences in addition to the importance of giving back while traveling.
Get the book here
23. World Map Global Travel Motif Scarf, $13
Scarves are versatile pieces which are great for traveling, since they are lightweight, stylish and serve practical purposes. The Global World Map Ombre Scarf from Bucasi has a global map print which will get you into the travel spirit. This travel themed scarf is made of a thin polyester sheet, making it both soft and light.
Get the global world map scarf here
24. Bluetooth Selfie Stick/Pole, $20
This device capitalizes on the selfie fad by allowing self-photographers to extend the distance between their phone’s camera lense and themselves. The extra length allows for great self portraits while on the move and can also be used to take pictures from higher points, such as above crowds.
One problem which most selfie pole users come across is being able to take the picture while the phone camera is out of reach. This pole solves it by utilizing bluetooth to capture photos. Once your smartphone is paired with the pole, you can press a button on the handle of the pole to take a picture. You could also use the timer feature on your phone’s camera.
Get the Bluetooth Selfie Stick here
25. Travel Utensils, $5
If you ever find yourself in the middle of nowhere, or in a place with dirty utensils, you can always whip out your travel utensils. The colorful cutlery set from Sistema is BPA free, collapsible, and travel friendly. Two handles are included, which can be attached to different tips, turning them into either a fork, spoon, knife or a pair of chopsticks.
Get the travel utensils here
Bonus: The J Pillow, $30
This product isn’t below $25, but I had to add it anyway.
The J Pillow is a revolutionary travel pillow which breaks the traditional U shaped pillow mold. This “J” shaped pillow supports your head with it’s unique shape and makes you feel as if your head was propped up against cushy a wall. The pillow’s unique shape makes it useful for road trips, plane rides and more. It’s also machine washable.
Read more: J Pillow Review
Get the J Pillow here
All of the links to where you can buy the products found in this post are affiliate links, meaning that I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. This helps fund the site 🙂
What gifts do you usually give to your travel friends (or keep for yourself)? Leave your comment below.
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