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The Best Gear for Travel

By Wirecutter Staff

Traveling well can be one of life’s great pleasures, whether you’re alone or with family and friends.

But what does it mean to travel well? We’d say that along with traveling safely (of course), traveling well involves avoiding hassle, carrying a single bag (if possible), and bringing only the necessities.

“Traveling well is a fine balance between finding inspiration in the unknown while being grounded in something,” said Wirecutter founder Brian Lam. “Sometimes that is a memory of home, a family, a significant other, friends, etc. Sometimes it’s just the familiar, reliable stuff in your bag.”

Over the past 10 years, we’ve spent hundreds of hours researching and testing dozens of products to find the most dependable items that will help you travel well. On top of that, we sought the advice and wisdom of Doug Dyment, author and creator of OneBag—a traveling businessman and public speaker, he has logged millions of miles over the past few decades—as well as travel-gear reviewer Eytan Levy, the Snarky Nomad.

And we relied heavily on the experiences of Wirecutter staff, an especially mobile group of individuals. Our staffers have worked remotely from every continent except Antarctica—the five most frequent flyers among us travel about half a million miles in any given (normal) year.

The research

Flying/riding, just in case, travel tips.

A well-packed bag is one that contains less than you think you need but everything you actually need. If possible, fitting everything into one carry-on and personal item will give you more freedom compared to checking a bag or two. You’ll be glad you did if (and when) things don’t go according to plan. While carry-on-only isn’t feasible (or advisable) for every trip—especially extended business trips or weddings where you need multiple outfits to maintain appearances—if in doubt, it’s better to cut.

Carry-on backpack (non-roller)

Cotopaxi Allpa 35L

A versatile small pack for a week or a weekend.

The Allpa’s clamshell design makes organizing your things simple. The strap design lets you easily wear this durable bag on your back or carry it in your hand while you’re on the move.

Buying Options

Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L

An easily customizable large bag for long trips and expensive gear.

This bag was built with photographers in mind, but most travelers will appreciate its easy accessibility and clever tuck-away straps, and the elegant way the bag expands and contracts depending on how much you’ve packed. The accessory cubes cost extra, though.

We spent six months testing 22 bags, and in the end we chose two as our top picks for travelers determined to never check luggage again: the Cotopaxi Allpa 35L (for most trips) and the larger Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L . Both bags are exemplary carry-on travel backpacks that are designed for comfort, durability, and organization.

The Cotopaxi Allpa 35L features an easy-to-pack clamshell design and highly adjustable straps that make it a great all-around bag for any traveler who’s dedicated to packing light, or for a smaller person who wants less to carry. Handles on all four sides of this bag make it easy to grab no matter where you’ve stowed it, and the Allpa’s straps are contoured to comfortably fit people who have large or small chests. It’s not a specifically gendered design, but our female tester noticed the improvement right away.

The bag is protected by a full lifetime warranty and has the build quality to back that up. Its front panel is made of a waterproof, TPU-coated 1,000-denier polyester (a strong fabric covered in a flexible plastic coating), which means you can lay it on its back in a wet field or in gravel without worrying about moisture soaking through or jagged edges ripping the fabric. The rest of the paneling is made with 1,680-denier ballistic nylon, which feels similar to a strong canvas but with a more prominent weave. After four years of testing, this single backpack (plus a personal item to store under the seat) has replaced nearly every travel bag or piece of luggage that Kit Dillon, Wirecutter’s senior staff writer who covers luggage, uses.

One caveat: The Allpa has a minimal amount of administrative organization—places to keep pens and papers, spaces to hold tickets, and so forth—which is where the personal item comes in handy. As the name suggests, “personal items” are very, well, personal, and no one bag will work for all travelers; we offer a range of recommendations in our full guide to them .

The larger Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L is the Swiss Army knife of backpacks: adjustable, customizable, and (if you spring for the extra cubes and organizers) an almost perfect system for a photographer or gearhead on the move. Most bags’ expanding mechanisms aren’t worth the extra zipper they’re built on, and they look about as attractive as a boiled ham splitting out of its plastic packaging. Not so with the Peak Design: It looks just as good fully packed at 45 liters as it does compressed to a 30-liter daypack. You can access the bag through a back panel, which doubles as a computer and tablet pouch, as well as through a front one, if you unzip the pass-through divider. You can also get into the main compartment via two wing-like trapezoidal flaps that run along each side of the pack. In its natural shape, the Travel Backpack holds 35 liters, but an expansion zipper lets the bag swell to 45 liters.

If you want to use the bag as a daypack, you fold in the top corners and snap them down, reducing the bag’s volume to a slim 30 liters. It still feels larger than a normal daypack, but we think that’s a small compromise for the ability to use one backpack as both your travel bag and your daily explorer. The bag itself consists of 400D nylon and polyester fabrics—it feels tough, but not as tough as the Cotopaxi Allpa. As for flaws, it is expensive, especially if you commit to the entire system of packing cubes and camera cubes . The adjustable design and multiple zippers do add complexity, and complexity adds potential weaknesses, though Peak Design covers all of its bags with a lifetime warranty.

Finding the right bag is a personal choice, and no single bag will appeal to everyone. That’s why we have picks in our full review of carry-on travel bags that can double as traveling offices , bags that are easy to carry while you’re walking long distances , and budget options for travelers who want to give the one-bag strategy a try.

Carry-on bag (rolling)

Travelpro Platinum Elite 21″ Carry-On Spinner

Great features, great value.

This spinner carry-on offers the best balance of size, value, reliability, and durability, with high-end details. It’s backed by a lifetime warranty.

Since 2015, we’ve researched several dozen suitcases and gone hands-on with the 67 most promising candidates in a variety of tests—including having active flight attendants test bags for us in a fake plane fuselage in their training facility. We determined that for most people the  Travelpro Platinum Elite 21″ Expandable Spinner  offers the best balance of features, durability, and price for most flyers who log less than 25,000 miles annually.

It features smooth-rolling, user-replaceable wheels; solid and comfortable, telescoping handles; and a hard-wearing nylon exterior propped up by a solid internal chassis. The Elite only improves on past iterations in the Platinum line by reducing the size of the stowed handle (which used to jut out about an inch) and adding a second zippered, exterior pocket for easy access on the go and a USB pass-through extension that lets you insert your own battery pack for charging your phone. And at 7.8 pounds when empty, this carry-on bag is about half a pound lighter than its predecessor. Compared with other bags in this price range, you also get surprisingly high-end components and a warranty that covers anything, even airline damage, for the life of the bag (as long as you register the suitcase within 120 days of purchase, which is easy to do on any smartphone).

Upgrade pick

Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential 22″ Carry-On Expandable Spinner

For frequent flyers.

If you fly more than 25,000 miles a year, invest in a bag with unique features, superior details, and plenty of expandable room. This manufacturer guarantees your satisfaction.

If you fly more than 25,000 miles annually and you’re willing to invest in a higher-quality product, we recommend the Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential 22-Inch Carry-On Expandable Spinner. It can fit more clothing than any bag we tested, thanks to a cavernous interior and clever expansion and compression system that can adjust to variable levels beyond open and shut. Over a five-year period before the pandemic, Wirecutter’s founder, Brian Lam, put more than 150,000 miles on his. His only complaint was that longer pants will need an extra fold, or to be rolled. In taller bags, pants will only need to be folded over once.

Checked luggage

If you need to pack more stuff than a carry-on and a personal item can hold, our first piece of advice would be to reconsider whether you need that extra outfit “just in case.” But you’ll have times when you need to travel with several pairs of shoes, formalwear, a winter coat, special equipment (like diving or camping gear), or all of the above. In these cases, there’s no way to avoid checking a bag.

Osprey Farpoint 55 Men’s Travel Pack

The best travel backpack for those with taller torsos.

Comfortable, adjustable, and carry-on capable, the Farpoint has everything we needed for a week, or even months, of travel.

Osprey Fairview 55 Women’s Travel Pack

The best travel backpack for those with shorter torsos.

Comfortable, adjustable, and carry-on capable, the Fairview has everything we needed for a week, or even months, of travel.

If you’re going somewhere where you’ll need to walk a lot (particularly if there’s dirt or cobblestone roads), we recommend a travel backpack. We like the Farpoint 55 and the sized-for-smaller-torsos Fairview 55 because they’re comfortable and have plenty of room to store, and separate, our essentials. The front of the main pack unzips like a suitcase, so you can easily fit and access a week’s worth of clothes and toiletries. The daypack, which attaches to the front of the larger pack, has room for camera gear, daily essentials, and a small laptop (via a built-in sleeve). It’s also easy to stow. The main pack’s straps can tuck behind a zippered flap, so they won’t catch on anything if you check your luggage.

These bags are made of a heavy-duty recycled polyester that stands up even to long trips–one of our testers has traveled with a Farpoint 55 for years, across dozens of countries for months at a time, without damaging it. If something does happen, though, Osprey has a lifetime warranty.

Travelpro Platinum Elite 25″ Expandable Spinner

The best checked bag for most travelers.

The bag provides a luxury feel at a reasonable price, with a capacity, warranty, and reliability that should suit most travelers. The 25-inch model should offer plenty of room for most people without going over airline weight limits.

If you don’t plan on walking around while carrying all your stuff, the  25-inch Travelpro Platinum Elite Expandable Spinner Suiter is our favorite piece of checked luggage for all of the same reasons we loved the carry-on size: It has excellent organizational features, it’s especially durable, and it has a better warranty than anything in its price range.

Luggage tags

Ovener Silicone Luggage Tag

Strong and easy to see.

Rugged silicone and a metal cable mean this tag (which comes two to a pack) may well outlive your luggage. The brightly colored case displays its owner’s name but keeps other personal information out of sight.

A good luggage tag should be durable, simple to use, and discreet. Ultimately, a tag should allow someone to get your luggage back to you quickly and easily, and it should withstand the wear and tear of being thrown onto conveyor belts time and again. After researching the top-rated and best-selling models, reading existing luggage-tag reviews, and comparing fourteen tags , we recommend the Ovener Silicone Luggage Tag for most travelers because it’s the only one we’d trust to survive being smashed by other bags, jammed into walls, and generally abused by baggage handlers. It’s the most durable tag we tested, and it comes in a wide selection of colors to help any bag stand out from the rest.

The Ovener tag’s silicone body seems nearly indestructible and is available in a rotating selection of colors (you get two tags per pack). Whereas other tags also feature metal cables, this tag has a metal grommet to keep the cable from eventually wearing through the silicone case.

Should you lose your bag, the Ovener makes it easy for a Good Samaritan to find your contact information. To fully access the info card, you have to unscrew and remove the metal strap; this lets the card slide out of the case. Most luggage tags we tested secure their info card in this way. It isn’t a difficult or time-consuming process, but it is an extra step compared with using a tag that displays all of your information openly. Still, for anyone who wants to keep their contact information out of view, the extra step is worth it.

Another approach to increasing privacy is to hide information in a QR code, as the Dynotag Smart Deluxe Steel Luggage Tag  does, or to provide a user ID number, as the Okoban UID Luggage Tags do. But these seem like overly complex solutions to a problem that doesn’t really exist.

Compression sacks

Originally designed for reducing the bulk of lofty sleeping bags, compression sacks are stuff sacks modified with additional nylon end caps that can be pulled together by strings or straps to remove air and create a smaller, denser package that’s easier to pack. Most travelers use compression sacks to condense socks, underwear, and other stuff you don’t mind getting wrinkled into a package with half as much overall volume. For example, an 8- to 12-liter sack can compress a fleece jacket and a long-weekend’s worth of socks and underwear into something that fits in one hand. They also make a decent pillow in a pinch.

Osprey StraightJacket (8L)

Easier access, less compression.

It has a full-length zipper on its side that allows access to the bag’s entire contents. However, it doesn’t compress as tightly as traditional designs.

Most compression sacks require you to empty out the stuff at the top to get to the stuff below it, but the side-zipper design on the Osprey StraightJacket allows access to the entire contents of the bag at once. The compression straps attach sideways, and are less likely to get tangled and twisted like on most compression sacks with lengthwise straps. It can also sit up on its own, and the handle design lets you break it out as a last minute carry-on to avoid an overweight-baggage fee. However, it doesn’t compress down as compactly as the traditional designs we tested so it’s not the best option if compression is your top priority.

GobiGear’s SegSac takes a different approach to solving the same access issue: It has four inner dividers that run the length of the sack in order to keep your socks separate from your underwear, winter accessories, towel, what have you. This means you don’t have to take out your T-shirts to get to your socks. Unlike the Osprey, it compresses just as much as a normal compression sack, but it loses points for versatility because the segmentation prevents it from handling large items like a down jacket or sleeping bag.

Packing cubes

Packing cubes could change your life. (Okay, maybe just your traveling life.) Packing cubes are basically bags to hold your clothes that you organize within your luggage. Though seemingly superfluous, they’re brilliant in action. If you imagine your suitcase as a dresser, you can think of these cubes as individual drawers: Put all your underwear and socks in one container, all your shirts in another, and your workout clothes in yet another. Then pull out only the cube you want. They make packing and repacking wonderfully simple.

Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Cube Set

Well built with easy access.

Simple and solidly constructed, these packing cubes keep your bag organized while you’re traveling.

The three-piece Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Cube Set keeps a week’s worth of clothes organized and moves easily from suitcase to hotel dresser. We’ve been recommending the previous version of these cubes for years, and after testing this updated set, we now recommend this version.

The full-size cube is great for shirts, shorts, and insulating layers. The half-cube and quarter-cube are perfect for underwear, socks, and other thin fabrics such as stockings or sleepwear. These cubes are made of 300-denier polyester (a strong fabric) and stay upright when empty, so they’re easy to pack. The Pack-It cubes’ windows are made of the tightest mesh link we tested—better for resisting snags—and the smooth zippers close easily around all corners, even when a cube is overstuffed.

The Eagle Creek cubes have the ability to unzip fully to allow full access to their contents while sitting in a dresser drawer. That means your clean clothes stay protected against some potentially dicey motel dressers. In 2022, Eagle Creek updated the design of these cubes, and now the company no longer uses YKK zippers, which are widely accepted as the best around . That said, we couldn’t tell any difference between Eagle Creek’s zippers and other brands’ YKK zippers, even with a magnifying glass, and their performance was indistinguishable. (For what it’s worth, an Eagle Creek product manager assured us that the proportion of zipper-related warranty claims hasn’t changed since the company made the switch from YKK.)

Most travelers are likely to be well served by the Reveal set. But if you value lightness above all, the more expensive Eagle Creek Pack-It Isolate Cube Set is about 50% lighter than similar-size competitors (just over 1 ounce for a medium cube, whereas the Eagle Creek classic style weighs about 4 ounces). Unlike the Reveal set, this set is water resistant. However, the Isolate design’s thin sides—which don’t allow the cubes to stand up on their own—make those cubes a bit more challenging to pack than the Reveal cubes.

Buying the right gear can help organize your existing travel kit, but it’s a red herring if your goal is better portability. “It’s mostly the clothing that allows you to reduce what you need to carry,” explains veteran traveller Eytan Levy, better known as the Snarky Nomad . That’s because clothing, which is very voluminous, makes up the bulk of what’s in your bag. He recommends traveling with basic-looking clothes because you can always buy or rent something nice in a pinch, whereas lugging around formalwear just in case will always be a pain. It also helps if you can avoid cotton and stick to merino and synthetic fabrics, which dry faster. This allows you to do laundry by hand in the sink as needed to reduce the amount of clothes you need to carry.

Travel underwear

Good travel underwear keeps you feeling fresh and clean, even when your destination is gritty.  To find the best , we researched an array of underwear designed for men and women to find 37 pairs meeting our criteria: moisture-wicking and breathable, quick-drying, odor-resistant, stretchy, stylish, and cut to fit a variety of body types.

We then conducted rigorous pretesting (wearing the underwear for two days at a time, machine-washing them repeatedly, and tracking their drying speed when hung on a clothesline) before taking them out into the real world. Our testers went backpacking 215 miles throughout Portland, Oregon; hiking in the Canadian Rockies, including walking from the lowest point in the Continental US to the highest; and road-tripping to the national parks of the West. Testers who flew to their destinations wore the underwear on the plane, too.

Afterward, we checked for signs of wear, such as seam breakage and pilling on the fabric. As we continued to test the finalists, we repeatedly checked for durability problems. In addition to comfort and fit, we noted whether each pair seemed lightweight and packable.

ExOfficio Men’s Give-N-Go 2.0 Sport Mesh 6″ Boxer Brief

Best for most men.

Durable, quick-drying, and relatively inexpensive, this soft-fabric version of ExOfficio’s time-tested Give-N-Go undies will get the job done for years.

The ExOfficio Give-N-Go 2.0 Sport Mesh 6″ Boxer Brief is the best men’s underwear for travel because it balances fit, comfort, odor-proofing, and value better than anything else we’ve tested. The Sport Mesh fabric excels at breathing and wicking and has better odor-resistance than other fabrics. It feels soft on the inside and smooth on the outside so it slides against your pants instead of creating friction, reducing potential for chafing. It also features a sculpted crotch area that gives wearers some much-appreciated support, without feeling stifling. These boxer briefs dry quickly, pack compactly, and weigh less than almost all the other boxer briefs we tried—basically they’re everything you’d want from a pair of excellent travel underwear.

Patagonia Women's Active Hipster

Best for most women.

These light, stylish, quick-drying hipsters stay in place whether you’re walking, flying, or hanging upside down.

The Patagonia Active Hipster doesn’t appear special upon first glance. Only after trying everything else and living through their failures to stay put did we remember what “special” really means in a pair of underwear: Feeling as if you’re wearing nothing at all. The Patagonias have the best fit, comfort, and style out of all the panties we tested. The nylon material is fast-wicking and better than most synthetics for odor-proofing, making it well suited for athletic activities. The Active Hipster is lightweight and packable, and is the fastest-drying underwear we tested—making them perfect for minimalist travelers who go weeks at a time with just one or two pairs. But these same characteristics make them great for any traveler looking for comfortable, packable panties, regardless of where you’re going or what you’re doing.

Budget pick

Uniqlo Men Airism Boxer Brief

Comfortable, compact, and fast-drying, these are a great value but don’t fit quite as nicely and aren’t as supportive in the crotch.

Uniqlo Women Airism Ultra Seamless HipHugger

Similar fabric to the Men’s Airism, with a no-ride cut for women, these underwear are the least expensive of any we tested and among the best performing.

May be out of stock

If you want to spend as little as possible without sacrificing performance, the Uniqlo Airism line has long been a great choice for men and women who can wear sizes small and medium. In recent years, both lines have expanded their size range somewhat (men to 3XL, and women to XL). If these fit, you can replace an entire underwear drawer on a tight budget, as long as you can deal with the slightly odd cut and less-effective odor-control treatment.

If you’ve never traveled with merino wool socks, you’re missing out. These aren’t the scratchy wool socks your grandpa wore in the army; they are soft and stretchy ones that have natural sweat-wicking and odor-resisting properties that keep your toes comfortable under all conditions—even when wet. This combination of odor, moisture, and temperature regulations makes them ideal for traveling. "Because of its natural anti-bacterial properties, washing merino wool on a daily basis isn’t absolutely necessary,” explains Snarky Nomad , "after letting it air dry overnight while you sleep, it’ll seem brand new.” The only major downside is that merino tends to be a bit pricier than synthetic counterparts. But it’s a worthy trade-off, since you can go for longer with fewer pairs.

Darn Tough Light Hiker Micro Crew Lightweight Hiking Sock (Women’s)

The best quality for women.

The best mix of comfort, durability, and cushioning in a versatile height.

Darn Tough Light Hiker Micro Crew Lightweight Hiking Sock (Men’s)

For the best quality.

The same great versatile sock as the women’s model, but in different color options and more sizes.

Darn Tough’s Light Hiker Micro Crew socks (both the men’s and women’s versions) have been our favorite hiking socks for years. Darn Tough made its name through its quality guarantee : “Our socks are guaranteed to be the most comfortable, durable, and best fitting socks you can buy. In a nutshell, if you wear a hole in them, we will replace them free of charge, for life.” Pacific Crest Trail thru-hikers (hardcore backpackers who walk from Mexico to Canada in one continuous trip) praise them for their durability, comfort, and blister resistance. When you hold a pair of Darn Toughs next to a pair of Smartwools (which only have a two-year guarantee ), the difference is clear. The Darn Toughs are more tightly knit, the yarns are finer and feel sturdier, and the stitching is tighter.

Darn Tough Women's Coolmax Hiker Micro Crew Midweight Hiking Sock

The best non-wool women’s hiking sock.

This midlevel cushioned sock for women is the best synthetic option for most climates and terrains.

Darn Tough Men's Coolmax Hiker Micro Crew Midweight Hiking Sock

The best non-wool men’s hiking sock.

This synthetic men’s sock is perfect for day hiking in most weather.

If you are sensitive to wool, prefer a vegan product, or want a cooler option for the summer, we also like the Darn Tough Coolmax Hiker Micro Crew Midweight Hiking Sock, which comes in women's and men’s sizes.

We appreciated how breathable this sock felt. While wearing the Coolmax Micro Crew in hot summer weather, our testers’ feet stayed dry and sweat-free. The shorter micro-crew height makes the Coolmax Micro Crew suitable for both boots and shoes, too. And like all Darn Tough socks, this model comes with a lifetime warranty.

Indosole Flip Flops (women’s)

A quality flip flop in women’s sizes.

These stylish beach sandals come in a wide range of colors. Be careful, though: Indosole sizes tend to run a little small.

Indosole Flip Flops (men’s)

A quality flip flop in men’s sizes.

These beach sandals are the same as the women’s version but cut a bit wider; we still think they run a little smaller than regular shoe sizes.

A good pair of travel flip-flops should be lightweight, comfortable, and waterproof. The men’s and women’s Indosole Flip Flops offer the best combination of quality, comfort, and easy packability. Unlike many flip flops, which slap against the ground with every step, the subtle arch support of this flip flop kept it secure against our feet. Plus they’re made from waterproof, recycled materials. Keep in mind, though, that our testers found these shoes to run a bit small, so we suggest sizing up for the best fit.

Clothesline

While doing laundry at home can be a large weekly event, OneBag author Doug Dyment recommends approaching travel laundry as a part of your daily routine, especially if you’re trying to pack as little as possible: “The laundry should be more like cleaning your teeth—something you do everyday. It only takes about five minutes to do it. Every night, do your socks and underwear and you’ll have clean socks and underwear everyday.”

A secure, hassle-free option

The Flexo-Line attaches easily to a door handle or faucet and grips garments securely between its loops.

Check out OneBag’s laundry packing list if you want specific tips on how to do it and what you’ll need, but it’s a pretty simple setup: All you need is a toiletry bottle of powdered detergent, a towel to help expedite drying, and a travel clothesline to finish the drying process while you sleep at night.

Specifically, you want a braided—not twisted—surgical latex clothesline with looped ends, which means you want a Flexo-Line . The Flexo-Line can stretch up to 7 feet long, which is enough to span most hotel bathtubs, and it has loops that you can attach easily to a door handle, bath spigot, or faucet. The braided construction is superior to twisted designs made from other materials because the latex does a better job of gripping garments securely between the loops, which means you don’t need any additional clothespins.

Dyment has tried them all, but the Flexo-Line is the one he comes back to. As he explained to me in an interview, “There are others that are fine, but there are far more that are not fine.” More specifically, Dyment says to avoid anything that’s not made of latex , because clothes will inevitably slip out of them. He also says to never, ever trust a suction cup: “They don’t work, period.” If the Flexo-Line is unavailable, Dyment says that the Rick Steves collection from Kiva Designs also makes a nice braided line that is a bit more expensive. If you have a latex allergy, Dyment recommends going with a length of cord ( paracord is nice because it’s durable and you can use it for other things as well) and stainless steel safety pins meant for cloth diapers , because they take up far less space than a clothespin and won’t rust. In fact, it’s worthwhile to get these items even if you can use a latex line because they’re great for making luggage repairs and performing other MacGyver-ish tasks in a pinch. To hang up the clothesline, we recommend using a bowline knot on one end and a taut line hitch on the other. These knots work well together because the bowline creates a simple, slip-proof loop to anchor one end while the taut line hitch allows you to adjust for tension and locks tightly in place. If you could commit any two knots to memory forever, these are the ones to learn.

Laundry detergent

Minisoak Travel Packs

A travel size version of the best delicates detergent.

Perfect for traveling because you don’t even need to rinse it out.

When you’re washing your underwear in a hotel sink, you want a fast and easy experience. For this, we recommend the no-rinse detergent Soak . That’s right, we said no rinse . You just add a drop to the sink, fill with water, and leave your garments to soak. Then press out the water and hang. Done.

In our tests of delicates detergents , Soak cleaned almost as well as our top laundry detergent, Tide; plus, it comes in individual packets of powder  that are great for traveling, as well as in  travel-size bottles of the liquid version . In addition to unscented, it's available in a variety of scents, although Lacey and Celebration are not the most descriptive of scent names. They all smell nice, not overpowering. Soak also comes in an assorted travel pack with two single-use packets of each scent, if you want to test-drive one or two before you buy. In that mini size, you get eight packets for $11 currently, but you really need only a squeeze, not the the whole packet, to wash a couple of pairs of socks and underwear.

One downside to Soak is that you won’t find it in a grocery store or big-box store. But it is available online at Soak’s site . And if you really want to walk into a store and put your mitts on a bottle, you can find it at most local yarn stores.

Don’t feel like buying Soak or bringing along a bit of your own detergent? Shampoo also works pretty well for cleaning garments in a pinch, so make use of that free bottle from the hotel. But a caveat: Neither Soak nor shampoo contains enzymes , which are biological molecules in laundry detergent that break down certain stains. If you have especially stinky or stained clothes, you might need to break out the Tide .

When we first published this guide, this section addressed only toiletry kits and bottles, razors, and packable towels. The times, and traveling, became more complicated. One thing we've learned in the past few years is that face masks can be useful whenever you’re sick and don’t want to share your misery. Fortunately, compared with early 2020, medical-style N95s and KN95s (which many experts recommend as the best protection) are widely available. They’re easy to tuck into a bag, which we do now whenever we travel. 

Toiletry kit

We’ve researched dozens of travel toiletry bags and dopp kits over the past several years, and we tested 23 of the top-rated contenders in our most recent round of tests. After packing and unpacking a week’s worth of travel-size toiletries, conducting spill tests, and living out of the top performers on the road, we have a few different picks that stand out thanks to their style, packability, and quality of construction.

Sea to Summit Hanging Toiletry Bag (small)

A space-saving hanging bag.

This lightweight, well-organized bag fits a week’s worth of travel-size toiletries into a compact package. It’s meant to be hung, which makes it good for tight spaces, but it doesn’t have much in the way of internal structure.

The Sea to Summit Hanging Toiletry Bag (small) is compact and durable. It’s small enough to stash in a backpack or laptop bag, but it holds enough travel-size toiletries to keep us supplied for a week. You can open it and hang it from a shower curtain or towel rod to easily see and grab your items. It comes with a shatterproof mirror, two micro-mesh zip pockets and an open pocket for toothbrushes, lip balm, and tweezers, and a large compartment for bulky lotions and hair-care items.

L.L.Bean Personal Organizer Toiletry Bag

For more stuff and longer trips.

With a 6.4-liter capacity and over a dozen compartments, this toiletry bag has a place for everything—and everything will stay put during transit, too. It can also accommodate non-travel-size bottles.

The L.L.Bean Personal Organizer (medium) is a great option for longer trips and people who travel with full-size bottles. Its 6.4 liters of storage spread across a dozen compartments means there’s a dedicated place for pretty much everything you could want to bring on a trip—it even has a removable mesh shower caddy for shampoo and body wash. This level of organization is crucial for larger toiletry bags because, as we discovered after years of traveling with our picks, contents that aren’t securely fastened can shift around in transit, which increases the chance of spilling. The downside of all this organization is that the L.L.Bean weighs 14 ounces when empty, so it’s not ideal for carry-on travel.

If neither of these bags seems right for you, read our full review of the best toiletry bags and dopp kits to learn more about our picks and everything we tested.

Toiletry bottles

Sea to Summit TPU Clear Zip Pouch with Bottles

These six TSA-friendly bottles are sturdy and smartly designed, dispensing liquids more precisely than any of the other bottles we tested.

For traveling with liquids in your carry-on, the Sea to Summit set is your best bet. All six bottles conform to TSA size limitations; three of them can hold 3 ounces of liquid each, and three can hold 1.5 ounces each, for a total of 13.5 ounces. Despite the set’s name, the bottles themselves are made not of thermoplastic polyurethane—“TPU" refers to the zip pouch—but a high-density polyethylene material, much like what you’d see used in most plastic milk jugs. It has an almost-smooth, semi-transparent surface just textured enough that it’s not slippery when wet. The plastic is also flexible enough that you don’t have to squeeze very hard to get your shampoo or liquid soap or whatever going. An insert at the mouth of each bottle helps regulate the flow, and the screw tops prevent liquids from leaking in transit.

Razor (faces)

Gillette Mach3

The best manual razor for most faces.

This classic razor’s three widely spaced blades provide the best balance of speed, smoothness, and safety. Its handle is comfortable and well designed, and replacement blades can be had for a fair price.

We researched more than 100 and tested 11 manual razors for our full razor guide , concluding that the Gillette Mach3 is our top pick for manual razors. Although the three blades require a little extra time for a closer shave, it performs comparably to the latest and greatest offerings for as little as half the price.

The Gillette Mach3 provides the best balance of speed, smoothness, and safety. The Mach3’s simple, round handle is easy to grip and maneuver, and its three blades offer a close shave without over-irritating the skin or getting clogged with hair. And the price of Mach3 blades—$2 per cartridge or less, whether you buy them online or in a store—came close to, or even beat, the pricing of shave-club rivals, and the Mach3 shaved better than those competitors.

Razor (legs/body)

Gillette Venus Smooth

The best body razor.

This classic Venus is one of the easiest razors to grip and maneuver and its three-blade design keeps the blades remarkably free of hair.

Disposable razors (both the completely disposable and replaceable-cartridge variety) are fine to take through airport security , and among them we like the Gillette Venus Original best for traveling. Although it’s now the runner-up pick in our guide to body razors —it was formerly the top pick—we believe that its simple aloe lubricating strips, which don’t become tacky when wet, make the Venus more travel friendly than our new top pick . Plus, as with any Venus, the Original’s body is compatible with any other Venus head and many heads from Gillette’s facial razors, making replacement heads easier to find when you’re on the road.

The Original’s head has three blades separated by considerable slats of space, making it far easier to clean the head between strokes. The Original is intuitive to hold and secure to maneuver, thanks to a contoured handle with corrugated chevrons of rubber. Though our testers have a wide range of hand sizes, no one found the Original difficult to grasp. Despite the significant ribbing, it doesn’t feel too bulky. Gillette claims its razors have lasted for five weeks; we think one razor for a weeklong trip should be fine.

(Know that, confusingly, the Venus appears for sale on some retail sites under the name Venus Close and Clean or Venus Smooth. It’s the same razor. If you’re unsure which Venus model you’re looking at, check for the Original’s three blades and trademark sea-foam blue color.)

Towel (packable)

PackTowl Personal

The best all-around packable towel.

The PackTowl Personal Towel is lightweight, soft, absorbent, quick to dry, and odor-resistant.

With store pickup or REI membership (limited patterns)

We put 20 top-rated towels through a battery of tests including regular shower use, a trip to the beach, camping, and a 48-hour stay in a ziplock bag under the hot Hawaiian sun. After all was said and done, the Packtowl Personal Towel is still the best all-around travel towel for most people. In addition to being the softest lightweight towel we tested, it was more absorbent than competitors made of similar materials. It had the best odor-resisting abilities and comes with a convenient mesh carrying pouch. We also have alternate picks for ultralight and all-natural towels below.

The Personal Towel’s suede-like material was the softest of the thinner towels. The Personal Towel also had superior absorption when compared with other similarly constructed towels such as the Sea to Summit DryLite —in our tests, it absorbed 2.8 times its weight in water, while the others absorbed between 2.3 times and 2.7 times.

One of just two we tested that featured an added antimicrobial treatment, the Personal Towel was only a little musty smelling after 24 hours in a sealed ziplock bag, and remained unchanged at 48 hours.

If you’re looking for a budget option, consider the Rainleaf Microfiber Towel , which is a tad smaller than our other picks and is made from a seemingly lighter-feeling fabric. Unlike most budget options, it has an antibacterial coating and still managed to carry a pleasant smell after being testing in different environments.

Regardless of how you get to your final destination, it’s likely you’ll be stuck in a seat that’s less than ideal. Travel gadgets that claim to reduce this misery, such as compression socks, are popular. But when they take up precious luggage space for the duration of your trip—not just the flight or train ride–they need to be worth every cubic inch of space. The less you can make do with, the better off you’ll be.

Neck pillow

Travelrest Nest Ultimate Memory Foam Travel Pillow

More support for most necks.

Its tall memory-foam walls let it offer more support than any other pillow we tested. It’s also shaped to sit flush against a headrest, and it compresses to a manageable size.

The uniquely angled back on the Travelrest Ultimate sets it apart from other travel pillows we tested because it can lay flat against the seat back. Most other pillows have a rounded back, which pushes your head away from the headrest. The Travelrest also has rubber grip dots to prevent slipping while sleeping. This pillow’s spongy memory foam cushions the entire circumference of your neck, preventing your head from leaning far in any direction, and its adjustable Velcro strap ensures it can fit most necks. The pillow’s cozy velour exterior is removable and machine-washable. Although it doesn’t pack flat, the Travelrest weighs less than a pound and compresses to a quarter of its size when rolled into its Velcro-strapped carrying case. Our only complaint is that the Travelrest’s high walls, though supportive, can push over-ear headphones off of the ears of people with shorter necks.

Noise-cancelling headphones

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700

The best over-ear noise-cancelling headphones.

The Bose 700 headphones deliver excellent noise cancellation in a comfortable, lightweight design that’s traveler friendly—but they carry a high price.

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 over-ear set has the most versatile active noise cancellation we’ve ever tested. With 10 levels of noise reduction to choose from, everyone should be able to find a setting that meets their needs. We also enjoyed the lightweight and comfortable design and the easy-to-use controls. What distinguishes the Bose 700’s ANC is the amount of adjustability it gives you: Most noise-cancelling headphones offer controls for only on/off or maybe high/low/off, but with the Bose 700 pair you can set the ANC level from 0 to 10, so you have more flexibility to dial in the ideal setting for your comfort. The 20-hour battery life, while not the best we’ve seen, is more than sufficient to get you to most destinations. We have additional options—including earbuds and surprisingly good budget options for  over-ear headphones and earbuds —in our full guide to noise-cancelling headphones .

Mack’s Slim Fit Soft Foam Earplugs

For blocking out the most noise.

These blocked the most noise in our controlled testing and got the most votes from our subjective sleep panel.

When you’re traveling, it can be difficult to fall asleep to unfamiliar noises. That’s why we spent several hours researching new contenders and tested four top-rated models while sleeping in a house that was next to an airport in order to determine that Mack’s Ultra Soft Foam earplugs are the best earplugs  for sleeping.

The Mack’s 37.1 dB noise reduction rating was the highest among the models we tested. According to Cooper Safety , that’s enough to reduce the volume of a gas lawnmower to that of a normal conversation. What made the Mack’s earplugs so effective is the fact that we could insert them and rest assured that they would stay in the whole night. Meanwhile, the Howard Leight MAX1 might be a favorite from crowdsourced sleep-aid review site Sleep Like the Dead , but the earplugs would inevitably fall out in the middle of the night. Thus, they failed to block out the noise of planes landing and taking off throughout the night, despite the MAX1’s 33 dB noise reduction rating. The Howard Leights also made our ears ache on occasion, whereas the Mack’s has a tapered shape that was consistently comfortable night after night.

The Mack’s Slim Fit Soft Foam Earplugs cost about 20¢-35¢ per pair when purchased in a 50-pair pack. They come in a plastic case is about the size of a large coffee mug, which is small enough to toss in a large bag or suitcase. Many other ear plugs like our runner-up, the 3M’s E-A-Rsoft OCS1135 , can only be ordered in industrial-size lots that, while perhaps appealing to those who travel constantly (or run a hostel), are annoying to store and often lack a reusable container of any sort.

Nidra Deep Rest Eye Mask

For air travelers and back-sleepers.

The lightweight and contoured Nidra mask is a light-blocking win for most face shapes, with deep eye cups that allow the wearer to blink freely and arrive feeling refreshed.

When bright lights hamper peaceful shut-eye, we recommend the light-blocking, contoured Nidra Deep Rest sleep mask. Of the 14 masks we tested , the Nidra blocked the most light on the most faces. It’s contoured to rest on your face like a pair of soft goggles, with fabric lenses that sit around your eyes (instead of directly over them). This design provides more space for your eyes to flutter during REM sleep, ensuring that you come through red-eye flights with less redness in your eyes. Makeup wearers will also appreciate that, with the Nidra’s elevated eye cups, there’s a smaller chance of smudging.

Alaska Bear Natural Silk Sleep Mask

A flat, silk mask.

A silken exterior material, a flat design, and an adjustable strap make this mask a fit for almost any face, but it puts pressure on the eyes.

Mzoo Sleep Mask

A smooth, contoured eye mask.

Soft, structured, and contoured, this mask stays on all night and prevents any light from seeping through

If the Nidra Deep Rest doesn’t fit your face quite right, we also recommend the Alaska Bear Natural Silk Sleep Mask and the Mzoo Sleep Mask . The Alaska Bear mask lacks contoured eyecups and thus applies some pressure to the eyes overnight like any regular eye mask does. But its flat design easily conforms to fit your face, and its silk exterior feels smooth and soft against skin (the padding is made of cotton). Its relative lack of structure makes it more difficult to knock off when you’re tossing and turning.

The Mzoo mask’s eyecups have a convex gap so your eyes can open and close. That gap is surrounded by a memory foam padding that rests on the perimeter of your eye sockets. The effect is such that you don’t feel like your eyes are being forced closed, but there is a bit of compression near your temples, eyebrows, and cheekbones. Most—though not all—of our testers found this sensation soothing. One liked how the contour of the eyecup kept the mask from brushing against their eyelashes, which makes it a good choice for people who wear eyelash extensions.

Few things are better than landing at an airport, turning on your phone, and having it just work. No hassles, no stress, no worries about brutal roaming fees. You can check in with loved ones, scope out the route to your lodgings, and maybe post an Instagram story or two—because your phone works just like it does at home. This is especially freeing, and it makes travel so much easier. (Of course, phones aren’t the only useful tech to bring: Check out our accessories reviews for guides to the best cables ( USB-C , Lightning , and Micro-USB ), Wi-Fi hotspots , Bluetooth speakers , and more.)

Unlocked mobile phone

One of the most useful gadgets for international travel is an unlocked smartphone that’s compatible with cheap, prepaid phone plans you can sign up for at your destination. Unless your carrier offers plans including high-speed data that you can access internationally (i.e., you’re with T-Mobile or Google Fi), traveling with a phone under contract with a major carrier means paying an arm and a leg for data. Being able to access data-guzzling apps like Google Maps or Google Translate on the fly is worth the hassle to unlock a phone. Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp are free, easy ways to communicate with people you meet on your trip and people from home. Plus there’s checking email, TripAdvisor, banking, social media, and so on.

An “unlocked” phone means you can buy prepaid SIM cards in the country you’re visiting, letting you access their local network for significantly less money than the roaming fees incurred by your home carrier. With a prepaid SIM, your phone effectively becomes a new phone with a new (now local) phone number. Instead of seeing “Verizon,” “AT&T,” or “Sprint” at the top of your phone, you might see “Vodafone,” “Yes Optus,” “M1,” or whatever provider you choose in the country you’re visiting. The first thing to check is if your phone will work where you’re going. If you’re unsure if your phone will work where you’re going, check the Wikipedia page for your phone or contact your provider.

Your phone will also require a removable SIM. (If your phone has an eSIM, as all new iPhones do, check out our blog post about those.) Most countries require a passport or other ID to buy a prepaid SIM without a contract, but switching the SIMs is easy. Most stores will do it for you while you’re there. Depending on the country/provider, this could take as long as 10 minutes but is often faster. The next question is easily the most complicated: Can you unlock your phone? Each carrier has different rules and criteria. Generally, if you have a brand new, expensive phone, they may not let you unlock it (there’s usually a waiting period after the purchase date). But if it’s a little older, or if you’ve paid it off, they probably will. The thing to remember is that a provider can deny an unlock request without giving a reason. You might be lucky, though; certain phones on certain providers are unlocked by default. Here are Verizon and AT&T’s pages on unlocking. Alternately, you can buy a pre-unlocked phone just for travel. Amazon and Best Buy, for example, sell unlocked phones. This is also a good option if you think you might lose your expensive phone and a cheaper one will suffice while you travel.

Plug adapter

Epicka Universal Travel Adapter

Best universal travel adapter.

With four plugs that will work in most countries, plus faster-charging USB ports (and more of them) than its competitors, this adapter is the best all-around choice.

In a sea of almost-identical travel adapters, the Epicka Universal Travel Adapter stands out, combining the best of the features we look for. It contains the three most common international plugs and a US-style plug, which should cover you in the majority of countries around the world. It has the most USB ports—four of the standard USB-A and one USB-C—of any universal adapter we tested, and it charged more of our devices faster. A replaceable fuse and an included spare should take the brunt of any accidental, unfortunate, or shockingly bad connections. The Epicka is fairly compact and well built, and it even comes with an extra USB cable and a nylon case.

However, no universal travel adapter is truly universal, and they’re all a lot bulkier and more expensive than simple plug adapters. If you want the smallest adapter possible, or if you’re going someplace where a universal adapter won’t work (more on that in a minute), a plug adapter could be what you need.

Ceptics International Worldwide Travel Plug Adapter 5 Piece Set

The best plug adapter.

Individually, these tiny plug adapters are smaller, lighter, and cheaper than any universal travel adapter. To juice up multiple devices, though, you’d need a separate multiport charger too.

The tiny plug adapters from Ceptics are barely larger than the prongs they convert. Small, simple, and cheap, they’re perfect for someone who wants to carry only the adapter they’ll need and who already has a multiport USB wall charger they like. Like our universal adapter picks, this set contains the three most common international plugs and the US plug. However, it also includes a somewhat rarer plug used in some European countries that has two thick, cylindrical prongs. This means that the Ceptics set will likely cover you in even more places—as long as you pack the appropriate plug adapter. These charts should help you find the shape you need before you order.

However, getting your gear to work in different countries isn’t quite as simple as it should be, and there’s no single solution that’s guaranteed to work for everyone. Our picks should work for you, but you may have some random piece of equipment, or be traveling to some country, for which our “good for most” picks just won’t work. (Case in point: One Wirecutter editor visited Iceland a few years back. The house she stayed in had outlets unlike anything on those charts, and the plug adapters she had used elsewhere in Reykjavik didn’t fit at all. It turns out the mystery sockets belonged to an obscure Italian system from the 1960s that was popular in Iceland for a time. Luckily, the hosts had power strips in the house that her adapters fit into.) The world is a big place, and when it comes to electricity and wall outlets, there’s a lot of variation. That’s important to keep in mind.

Whether two-prong or three-prong, an adapter just changes the shape of your plug, not anything about the electricity coming through the wires. However, this usually isn’t a problem because almost every power brick that comes with modern electronic gear is capable of accepting both the 110-volt standard used in the US and the 240-volt commonly used abroad. If your device has a power block on the cord, it likely says something like  “100-240 V ~ 50/60 Hz”—that’s the all-clear to use it without a voltage converter so long as the range covers the voltage of the country you’re visiting . This includes the vast majority of modern laptop and USB chargers.

Products without some sort of power block at the end or with a non-detachable cord—in particular, things with heating elements like hair dryers and curling irons—are more likely to need a voltage converter. Putting 220 V through a US 110 V device would be like attaching a firehose to a drinking fountain—you’re likely to blow your face off. But voltage converters are tricky devices, and most of the inexpensive ones have awful (or dishonest) reviews. Since hotels and hostels will often have hair dryers and most newer gear can do the full range of voltages, we strongly recommend that, whenever possible, you only bring items that work with a much simpler (and more reliable) adapter.

Wire/gadget organization system

Now that every device has a battery, every battery has a charger, and every charger has a cable—never mind power-plug adapters if you’re traveling abroad—the sheer quantity of accessories needed just to keep your gadgets running can take up more space than the devices themselves. And unless you organize them, you can bet on having to blindly fish them out of the least convenient spot at the bottom of your bag. Unfortunately, our pick for carrying tech necessities, the Incase Nylon Accessory Organizer, has been out of stock for a few years. It will, however, be coming back in 2024, according to Incase. If you prefer mesh to easily see your contents, or simply can’t wait for the Incase organizer to come back in stock, we also like the Container Store Micro Mesh Pouches .

The Incase cable organizer is a poly-nylon blend, so it’s durable. It is a soft-shell bag, however, so its contents can distort the bag’s shape when it’s full. But the bag’s edges remain rigid—so the seams don’t pucker—its contents don’t fall out, and zipping and unzipping the bag is still easy. We have other picks in our full guide to bag and cable organizers , including a roll-up bag and a stylish duo of cosmetics travel pouches ; we’ll also start testing other options to replace this one.

USB battery packs

A USB battery pack (also called a power bank) can keep your small electronics—from phones and cameras to tablets and more—going while you’re on the road. Although the length of your trip will determine exactly how much extra juice you’ll need to have on hand, whatever your requirements, we have a great USB battery recommendation for you. The Belkin Boost Charge Plus 10K weighs about half a pound, and its rounded edges make it easy to hold or slip into a pocket. Its USB-C Power Delivery (PD) port can charge most handheld devices and recharge itself at top speed (with the right USB-C cable and wall charger), and it can pass power to another device while being recharged from a wall outlet. It only comes in one color, but it has enough capacity to fully charge most smartphones up to three times, as well as built-in USB-C and Lightning cables that are easy to slide in and out of their holsters.

If you’re traveling for leisure, try not to get too wrapped up in technology because you might miss what you’re actually there to do: experience a new place. OneBag’s Doug Dyment said in an interview, “Wearing headphones and staring at a screen is like putting a digital wall around yourself when you’re traveling. It makes you seem unapproachable and uninterested in what’s around you.” That may be a good thing if you do truly want to be left alone, but Dyment went on to say that some of his most memorable traveling experiences were the result of just looking lost and getting help from the locals. “One minute, you’re a lost foreigner in an unfamiliar village, then someone asks if you need directions. Before you know it, you’re eating dinner with his family.”

Travel binoculars

Athlon Optics Midas ED

The overall best binoculars.

Amazingly affordable with great optics, these binoculars have performance comparable with that of many models that cost thousands more.

Our top pick for binoculars is durable and great for near-home hikes. In hot or dusty environments that may call for a clearer optical boost, the Athlon Optics Midas ED 8×42 binoculars deliver top quality. Its focus dial offers a wide range of depths that makes it easier to see whatever it is you desire—birds, grass or darkened areas of the forest. Our recommendation comes with the assistance of a professional ornithologist who spent over 100 hours putting 17 pairs of binoculars to the test in the mountains of Southern California and the rain forests of southern Mexico.

Although the Celestron TrailSeeker ED binoculars don’t offer a clear edge-to-edge view to the same degree of the Athlon Optics Midas EDs , they’re a comparable runner-up model that’ll be lighter on your wallet if having binoculars while traveling is a must. The TrailSeekers are equipped with great light-gathering qualities, close focus, and impressive optical resolution. Or, if you’re concerned about saving space, we liked the Pentax AD 8x25 WP binoculars. While not quite as powerful as our other picks, this compact pair of binoculars is well made and easy to fit into a carry-on while traveling via plane.

Ebook reader

Amazon Kindle (2022)

The best e-reader for most people.

Amazon’s most affordable Kindle is also its most portable, and it’s finally been upgraded with sharper text on its 6-inch screen and support for USB-C charging. Those features bring it in line with much-pricier e-readers.

You save $20 (20%)

The entry-level Amazon Kindle finally got an upgrade and is now our favorite e-reader , with the same crisp display and USB-C charging as the pricier Kindle Paperwhite has (and with double the storage space of the previous entry-level model). Amazon’s well-stocked ebooks store remains its biggest selling point, along with the ease of checking out library books via Libby and sending them directly to a Kindle.

Even if you don’t have time for pleasure reading on your trip, it’s worth investing in a Kindle because many major travel guides are available in fully searchable ebook formats now. Furthermore, e-texts will also work on your phone, tablet, and computer, thanks to the Kindle ecosystem.

Packable daypack

Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Travel Day Pack

A pack that fits in your palm.

Toss this lightweight, phone-sized packable bag into your luggage or coat pocket, and you’ll never get caught without a spare bag again. If you need something to carry every day, though, we think you’ll prefer one of our more-structured picks.

Packing a stowable daypack, one that stuffs down to fit in your luggage when not in use, is a relatively small investment of space in exchange for a high return of function and flexibility. After researching dozens of packable daypacks across a spectrum of portability, features, and prices, and then packing, unpacking, loading, wearing, and drenching the top-rated finalists during multiple rounds of testing, the Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Travel Day Pack is the smallest and lightest packable backpack we recommend. Packed up, it is very discreet: nearly the size of a keychain accessory.

The bag itself is a no-frills sack made from a paper-thin siliconized Cordura nylon, which means it’s very light and water-resistant. It has reinforced stitching at stress points, allowing the Ultra-Sil to carry more weight than you would expect. That said, since this pack is made of such thin, light material, carrying large or awkwardly shaped loads is somewhat uncomfortable, especially when compared with our more structured picks.

If comfort or waterproofing is important to you, check out the alternative picks in our review of packable daypacks for travel .

Field Notes 3-Pack Original Kraft Memo Books

For ultimate portability.

Field Notes are cheap but contain high-quality paper that earns praise from pen and stationery geeks across the web.

For writing your adventures as you travel, you can’t beat the portability, practicality, and romanticism of a pocket notebook. There’s nothing better in that category than Field Notes (three-packs available in a variety of styles and types ). These pocket-sized notebooks are widely praised for their excellent paper quality, and the Pen Addict’s Brad Dowdy tells me “Field Notes is pretty much the runaway pocket notebook champ.” Dowdy has praised it for the lack of feathering or bleedthrough with almost any pen, as well as for the light brown ruled lines, which are easier to write over than solid black. Austin Smith of Art Supply Critic told us in an email that his recommendation is “Field Notes has it, no question.” The Well-Appointed Desk has reviewed a slew of different Field Notes variants for those looking for something a bit more interesting.

Field Notes Expedition

A weather-resistant option.

Weather-resistant Expedition Field Notes are great if you’re writing in wet conditions, but don’t get them if you don’t need them. The synthetic paper feels weird and can cause some inks to smear.

If you think you’re going to be writing in foul weather, Field Notes also has the waterproof Expedition version with pages made from a synthetic water-and-tear resistant paper. You should only get these if you really need them, because otherwise, they just feel unnaturally slick and are more prone to smearing ink. At least one user has said that the paper shows less soaking through when wet than the similar Rite in the Rain books . The one caveat is that the synthetic paper will only work with pencils and certain inks ; thankfully, the Uni-ball Jetstream RT , our pick for best pen , definitely makes the grade.

Things can go wrong while you’re traveling, both where you are and where you’re not. Though you can’t prepare for every worst-case scenario, the peace of mind that a little bit of preparation grants will allow you to focus on what’s in front of you, instead of having to worry about what could go wrong. But preparation doesn’t simply mean buying more stuff just in case; it also means making efficient use of what you already have.

Merchant & Mills for Purl Soho Rapid Repair Kit

For the best combination of sewing tools.

The Merchant & Mills Rapid Repair Kit is the only travel kit we found that had objectively high-quality thread and scissors.

There’s nothing quite like a wardrobe malfunction to put a damper on vacation, especially when traveling with limited clothing. A good travel-size sewing kit allows you to mend a popped button or ripped seam on the fly—or even tackle more pressing issues like fixing a tent, sleeping bag, or backpack. After 15 hours of research, interviews with sewing teachers and avid home sewers, and tests of six travel and full-size kits, we found the Merchant & Mills for Purl Soho Rapid Repair Kit had by far the best tools and was the easiest to keep organized. Standard travel sewing kits usually contain mediocre thread and plastic-handled scissors that break easily. They can also be hard to keep organized (a truth we confirmed when testing six top-rated travel and full-sized kits). The Merchant & Mills set was the only one that had high-quality thread, all-metal mini scissors (don’t worry, the TSA shouldn’t stop you ), and a durable tin case (about the size of a deck of cards) to keep everything well organized.

Because the sewing pins are neatly stuck into paper inside a slim envelope and the three needles are housed in a mini glass vial, this kit also limits the risk of losing a sharp object in your bags. We found the Merchant & Mills needles easier to thread than others (no need for a fussy needle threader!) and we also like the vintage-looking safety pins that come clipped together along with two small white buttons. Although this kit only comes with black and white thread, the thread is strong and there’s more of it than you’d get in a flimsier set with shorter strands of multiple colors. We do think it would be nice if the kit included a more durable measuring tape than the paper one included, but overall everything about this kit is leagues ahead of anything else we considered. We didn’t find editorial reviews for any of the kits we tested, but the Merchant & Mills rapid repair kit was recommended by several sewing bloggers and is sold in many reputable indie fabric shops.

Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella

The best umbrella for most people.

This is a solidly built, easy-to-find umbrella that holds up in high winds. It also comes in a variety of colors.

price may vary by color or style

An umbrella you take traveling should be small, light, sturdy, and affordable. After putting in 66 hours of research and evaluating a total of 48 umbrellas across five rounds of testing (including one thunder-snowstorm), we found that the Repel Windproof Travel Umbrella is the best umbrella for most people. Its durable, nine-rib construction held up admirably against gale-force winds, and it’s as sturdy as umbrellas that sell for more than twice as much.

The Repel folds up to an 11½-inch long, 14-ounce package that fits easily into most bags and glove boxes. And it forcefully expands at a touch of a button to reveal an ample 37-inch-diameter canopy that protects your head and torso from precipitation in all but the windiest of conditions. Its lengthy, textured handle is easy to grip for hands of all sizes. We also appreciate that the Repel comes in a wide variety of colors, so it’s easier to pick yours out of a crowded umbrella bucket. Finally, despite its affordable price, it’s backed by a lifetime replacement guarantee, but only if you purchase directly from Repel and register the item under the company’s warranty.

Packing method for clothes

While packing cubes and other organization tools are helpful for maximizing your bag’s usable space, efficient packing is also achievable without the aid of tools and compartments. One Bag’s Doug Dyment tried all manners of folding aids and compression products but was unsatisfied with their claims of compression and wrinkle prevention. Frustrated, he developed his own method of packing clothes compactly called the Bundle Method, which he’s used and perfected over several decades of traveling.

The Bundle Method involves layering your shirts and pants at opposing angles on a flat surface, then wrapping them around a small “core” parcel (e.g. a packing cube full of underwear and socks). We won’t get into details, but Dyment does on his website ; you can watch this easy-to-follow video from NBC . The resulting bundle is compact and has no sharp creases that will require ironing out later on. Additionally, Dyment explains that “the slight tension created in the fabric by the wrapping process, along with the anchoring of the resulting bundle, greatly reduces the chances of wrinkling.” You then put it in your bag and use the tie-down straps to provide just enough pressure to keep it together.

While simple to perform, this packing method isn’t something you can master in one go. It takes a bit of practice, but once you get it, it’s like riding a bike. The downside is that you can’t just leave your clothing packed and expect to be able to access your underwear without fully unpacking your clothes first. But unpacking is a good habit to get into anyway, as it allows your clothes to breathe and avoid wrinkles or mildew. Wirecutter founder and frequent traveler Brian Lam says that unpacking the moment he enters a room has a grounding effect that allows him to feel a bit more at home in a new environment.

If this sounds like too much of a hassle for you, you can do what we did before we found out about bundling: roll up your socks and underwear tightly and place them in packing cubes, then put your wrinkle-prone items (shirts, pants, skirts, dresses, jackets) in a garment folder—we used the Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Garment Folder . This is also travel guru Rob King’s preferred method of packing. Though the garment folder is not quite as space-efficient as the bundle method due to the added bulk of the folder and folding board, the plastic backboard does go a long way towards preventing wrinkles. Just be aware that if you leave your clothes in there for longer than a day, they’ll begin to develop unsightly creases that require an iron to get rid of.

A big thank-you to the Hotel Lucia in downtown Portland, Oregon, for lending us a suite to use for the photos in this guide.

This article was edited by Ria Misra and Christine Ryan.

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Wirecutter Staff

Mentioned above

• There’s more to a great in-flight personal item than being small enough to stuff under a plane seat. Here’s how to choose the right one for your travel needs. The Best Underseat Luggage and Personal-Item Bags  
• The Cotopaxi Allpa 35L is our backpack pick for most travelers. We also have picks for other travelers, including those who want to carry a bit more. The Best Carry-On Travel Backpacks  
• After 10 years of airport dashes and overhead-compartment stashes, the Travelpro Platinum Elite is still the suitcase we want to carry. The Best Carry-On Luggage  
• After researching 30 models, we found that Travelpro Platinum Elite 25″ Expandable Spinner is the best suitcase for most travelers who check bags. The Best Suitcases for Checking  
• We chose five luggage tags that will help you identify your belongings in a sea of similar suitcases. The Best Luggage Tags  
• After researching and traveling with packing cubes for more than five years, the Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Cube Set is what we keep in our luggage. The Best Packing Cubes  

Further reading

How to Sleep Well (or at Least Better) While Traveling

by Christine Ryan

Our sleep and travel editors recommend gear for coping with travel-induced insomnia, vetted through hours of testing and years of personal experience.

The Gadgets We Bring on Every Trip

by Haley Perry

You don't have to be a digital nomad to travel like one. Here are a few gadgets and accessories to make travel as painless as possible.

Road-Trip Essentials

by Eve O'Neill

We spend a lot of time driving each year, and this is our list of essential road-trip gear to include in your packing list.

Tools and Emergency Supplies to Keep in the Car for Winter Driving

by Rik Paul

Here are the essential—and nonessential—items to carry in your car during winter driving to ensure you get to your destination.

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The 40+ best gifts for travelers, from flight essentials to road trip gadgets.

Shower your favorite vagabonds with these treats for their next staycation or whirlwind adventure.

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After cancellations and lost bags ruined no shortage of summer vacations, many people are looking forward to a relaxed and vaxxed fall travel season. The U.S. in June lifted all pre-flight testing requirements , however, all international visitors are still required to provide proof of vaccination.

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Apple airtags are on sale for mother's day -- here's where to shop the deal, live nation's concert week returns -- get $25 tickets to alanis morissette, missy elliott, peso pluma, blink-182 and more.

Whether you’re already shopping for holiday gifts, or you’re looking for presents for the frequent flyers and road-trippers in your life, we’ve rounded some of the best travel gifts for every type of adventurer.

Check out our top picks below, from luggage organizers by Hollywood-loved brand Away (Meghan Markle and Jessica Alba have been spotted with its luggage) to red-eye-ready essentials for frequent flyers from Shay Mitchell’s travel label Béis and more. And for those on-the-go giftees who won’t be home to accept deliveries anytime soon,  gift cards are also a shipping-free option .

Looking for gifting ideas for tech lovers and other recipients? Check out more from The Hollywood Reporter ‘s other holiday gift guides .

Béis Soft-Sided Luggage

Founded by Dollface actress Shay Mitchell, cool travel accessories brand Béis launched its first collection of soft-sided luggage . Priced from $198 to $298 and available in carry-on and check-in sizes, the rolling suitcases conveniently collapse for easy storage and feature convenient compartments and for laptops, keys, portable chargers and other essentials.

2. Getaway House Gift Card

3. eddie bauer stowaway 30l packable backpack.

This ultralight and versatile daypack by Eddie Bauer makes a great gift for anyone who wants to stay prepared wherever they’re heading, from day hikes to overseas trips. The 30-liter carryall is made of water-resistant 200D ripstop polyester and can also accommodate a hydration pack. Wearers have plenty of ways to organize their belongings within the two exterior zipper pockets and side mesh pockets, and the bag measures only 9 inches by 8 inches by 2.5 inches when folded up neatly into its built-in storage pouch.

4. Etekcity Portable Luggage Scale

5. atlas coffee club subscription.

For when they can’t hop on a plane and sip on an espresso or latte at a coffee bar across the world, Atlas Coffee Club’s monthly subscription will deliver global cups of joe to them instead along with a postcard from where the beans were grown. Choose from half, single or double bag subscriptions every two or four weeks; as well their roast preference (light to dark or a variety) and grind type (whole bean or ground).

6. How to Get Away  by Laura May Todd

If their perfect vacation involves cozying up in a cabin or decorating their own abode like a home away from home, author Laura May Todd’s  How to Get Away is filled with inspiring imagery and expertise from architects, designers and homeowners. From modern forest respites and contemporary cottages to coastal retreats and more, the 256-page coffee table book explores seven types of retreats that will spark even more wanderlust.

7. SeatDreamzzz Wall Pillow

Not business class? No problem — SeatDreamzzz’ handy wall pillow lets frequent jet-setters or road trippers rest their heads comfortably wherever they are. The inflatable pillow is finished with soft fabric and deflates to the size of a soda can.

8. Monos Carry-On Pro Plus

Your favorite eco-conscious flyer would no doubt appreciate Monos’ Carry-On Pro Plus , which is one sale during the luxe travel accessory brand’s Valentine’s Day blowout. It recently added Climate Neutral certification to their sustainability status , which also includes membership in the environmental advocacy network 1% of the Planet . The Canada-based brand is known for its best-selling aerospace-grade polycarbonate suitcases made with high-performance materials from Japan and Germany, and this expanded version of its “unbreakable” design features a front compartment with mesh zippered organizers and space for a 15-inch laptop. Vegan leather accents, smooth and silent 360-degree spinner wheels, a built-in compression pad and a four-position telescoping handle round out the luggage’s stylish and sleek features.

9. Cadence Build Your 6 Bundle

These hexagonal capsules by Cadence will help your giftee save space while keeping their skincare, jewelry, medication, and more all in one place. The tops, sides, and labels are magnetic, so the pieces snap together into a honeycomb design, and the wide mouth makes it easy to add your favorite apothecary products (while ditching the travel-sized bottles). The labels are removable and customizable, and the containers are made from a blend of recycled plastic pulled from beaches and reused scrap plastic.

10. Vibes High Fidelity Earplugs

11. t3 afar travel sized hair dryer.

For the loved one who wants a good hair day no matter their locale, T3’s new Afar travel-sized hair dryer offers full-sized power in a more compact and lightweight device. It’s 25 percent lighter and 30 percent smaller than the brand’s regular dryer, and features six heat and speed combinations powered by T3’s IonAir technology. A folding handle and auto dual voltage round out the traveler-friendly design.

12. Samsonite Stryde 111 Carry-On Spinner

13. 57 hours gift card.

For the build-their-own-adventure type who also doesn’t mind letting a pro handle the planning, a gift card to 57 Hours will let them book outdoor excursions guided by an expert. From rock climbing in Joshua Tree and backpacking in Alaska, to hiking Iceland’s volcanic trails and a 15-day trek on the Annapurna circuit in Nepal, there’s truly something for every type of expeditioner.

14. Clear One-Year Membership

Clear has locations at Delta and United Airlines terminals in over 50 airports and venues across the U.S., including in Austin, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami and New York.

15. Wander Beauty Golden Hour Skincare Kit

Designed specifically for skincare-obsessed wanderlusts, Wander Beauty’s Golden Hour kit helps soothe and rejuvenate tired eyes — and turns any hotel room into an impromptu spa. The set comes with ten of the brand’s best-selling Baggage Claim gold eye masks (which leave the under eyes looking brighter), a mini Sight C-er Vitamin C concentrate and a pink satin headband.

16. Anker Magnetic Wireless Portable Charger

For the Apple aficionado whose phone is always out of juice, Anker’s magnetic portable wireless charger (available in other stylish colors) makes it easy for them to stay powered up while on the go.

17. SteamLine Luggage The Diplomat Crossbody Bag

SteamLine’s luxury luggage keeps the style set in a travel state of mind, even when they’re not boarding a plane, train or automobile. (Reese Witherspoon has been spotted with the brand’s pink Correspondent suitcases .) This cross-body bag by the brand has a vintage-inspired steamer trunk look, complete with a three-dial combination lock, striped lining, an interior wall pocket and protective metal feet.

18. Lord Jones x Tamara Mellon High Formula CBD Stiletto Cream

No, the hemp-derived CBD in Lord Jones’ Stiletto Cream won’t make wearers feel higher than the plane they’re flying in. A dollop of this cream (formulated exclusively for Hollywood-loved footwear designer Tamara Mellon) on the heels and toes helps relieve sore and tired feet, while the fruit AHAs gently remove dead skin cells for soft and smooth steppers while traveling or at home.

19. Sony WF-1000XM3 Noise Canceling Truly Wireless Earbuds

Silent flights (and nights) and up to 24 hours of battery life await with Sony’s WF-1000XM3 noise-canceling Bluetooth earbuds , which are equipped with a built-in mic for hands-free calling and Alexa voice controls. Adaptive sound control gives listeners a smart listening experience as the devices automatically switch to ambient sound mode depending on the environment.

20. Amazon Essentials Packable Water-Resistant Puffer Hooded Jacket

When they don’t know what weather they’ll be landing in, Amazon’s water-resistant puffer hooded jacket (available in women’s and men’s sizes) makes it easy for giftees to pack and unpack for unpredictable temperatures.

21. Samsonite and Sarah Jessica Parker Shoeful Convertible Duffel

Whether they’re a Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda or Samantha, this convertible duffle bag from  And Just Like That star Sarah Jessica Parker’s collaboration with Samsonite will help shoe-obsessed nomads keep their stilettos (and the rest of their travel essentials) in one stylish and organized carryall. One of Oprah Winfrey’s favorite things of 2021 , the three-in-one backpack, shoulder bag and top handle tote is made of water-resistant nylon features built-in compartments for a 15.6-inch laptop and other items.

22. Wise Owl Outfitters Portable Hammock

For the vagabonds who want to be ready to hang out at a moment’s notice, Wise Owl Outfitters’ portable hammock lets them post up at camp ( or at airports, if necessary ). It’s made of 210D ripstop nylon and takes about a minute to set up; a kids version is also available .

23. Speck Luggage Tag Pro

Pair your favorite frequent flyer Apple’s AirTag with Speck’s sleek luggage tag , which lets users attach the tracking device to luggage, baggage and other gear for peace of mind.

24. The Nue Co. Instant Stress Relief Fragrance

Not every journey is as relaxing as the destination, and The Nue Co.’s Instant Stress Relief fragrance spray was designed to induce calm for travelers (or anyone else who needs to relax). The vegan and cruelty-free scent is hexane-, paraben- and phthalate-free, and the musky spray boasts notes of cardamom, myrrh, jasmine, cedarwood, palo santo and other woodsy aromas for keeping chill on flights, road trips and more.

25. Spot X Two-Way Satellite Messaging and GPS Tracking Device

If they frequently explore far-flung locales that are outside of cell coverage areas, gift them the peace of mind of reliable communication with Spot X’s satellite messaging and GPS tracking device with Bluetooth. Users can connect to their smartphone to access their contacts and easily send messages and S.O.S. alerts, track their routes, quickly check in with family or friends and more. A Spot X contract plan is required; prices range from $12 to $40 per month depending on coverage needs.

26. Paravel Mini See-All Vanity Case Bundle

This chic two-piece set of vanity cases from sustainable brand Paravel (spotted on Katy Perry, Emma Roberts and others) ensures that your busy loved one is always organized in style. Made of eco-friendly canvas that’s certified by the Oeko-Tex Standard 100 and Global Recycle Standard, the cases come in two convenient sizes and feature sustainably sourced leather top handles. Add a monogram for the perfect personalized finishing touch.

27. July Carry-On Luggage

Got a fashionable globe-trotter who’s always on top of the trends (but could use an upgrade to their well-worn suitcase)? Gift them a new piece of luxe luggage from Australian travel accessories brand July, which recently made its stateside debut. Available in an array of stylish shades, this carry-on 46-liter suitcase is built with a crush-proof shell made in Germany, aluminum bumpers, a hidden laundry bag and SilentMove 360-degree spinner wheels. it’s finished with an ejectable USB-C battery and an integrated TSA lock for hassle-free security checks, and you can also customize it with a monogram.

28. SublimeWare International Power Adapter

Not every hotel room or charming AirBnb is designed with modern technology in mind — and for frequent travelers who also tote around cameras, smartwatches, tablets and other gear, this international power adapter ensures that their gadgets are juiced up no matter the locale.

29. Artifact Uprising Gift Card

Inspire your favorite traveler to relive their adventures with a gift card to Artifact Uprising , which lets recipients create beautiful hardcover photo books , calendars, framed prints, wood display boxes and other memorabilia.

30. Byredo La Sélection Nomade Trio

For when they can’t decamp to far-flung destinations or don’t want to leave their favorite fragrances at home, this trio of luxe eaux de parfums by cult-cool brand Byredo — Anne Hathaway , Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and stylist Courtney Mays have said they’re fans — will keep recipients smelling chic during their travels. The three-piece set includes the best-selling scents Bal d’Afrique (a warm fragrance with notes of bergamot, lemon, neroli, African marigold, violet, musk, Moroccan cedarwood and more), the light and floral Blanche (notes of white rose, pink pepper, peony and sandalwood) and the woody Gypsy Water (bergamot, lemon, juniper berries, pepper, pine needles and vanilla)

31. Away Insider Packing Cubes, Set of 6

For the hyper-organized wanderer, Away’s structured nylon packing cubes help contain clothing and essentials without adding extra weight. This six-piece modular set includes slim and wide cases in small, medium and large sizes. Each zippered cube is made of water-resistant material and topped with mesh so travelers can see what’s inside.

32. Anker PowerCore 20000 mAh USB Portable Charger

Unless your recipient is planning to travel off the grid, one of the best travel gifts you can give is a portable charger. This power bank by Anker has a 20,000mAh cell capacity, so it’s capable of providing about four to five charges for a smartphone and about two charges for a small tablet. It’s equipped with a fast-charging 20-watt USB port and a standard-charge 18-watt USB port, and includes two cables (USB-A to USB-C, and USB-C to USB-C) and a travel pouch.

33. Maya Brenner Designs 14-Karat Gold State Necklace

Got a homesick transplant or someone who just wants to rep their home state? Available in a range of U.S. states, this 14-karat yellow gold pendant necklace by star-loved jeweler Maya Brenner (Rihanna, Yvonne Strahovski and Meghan Markle are just a few who’ve worn her pieces) comes on a delicate 16-inch cable chain necklace.

34. Polaroid Go Instant Camera Starter Set

Photography enthusiasts won’t mind making space in their luggage for one of Polaroid’s newest travel-friendly instant cameras , which clocks in at just 4.1 inches long by 3.3 inches wide by 2.4 inches tall. The palm-sized device produces approximately 2.6-by-2-inch photos, and shutterbugs can play with double exposure, flash or no flash and a self-timer. This giftable set comes with two packs of color film, a camera strap and a photo album.

35. Bellroy Travel Set

For the cool creative that’s always in transit, treat them to this minimalist travel set from Bellroy, which uses sustainably sourced leather and materials for all of its products. The travel folio with RFID protection fits two passports, four to eight credit cards, cash, boarding passes and other essential documents, while the wide-opening pouch is ideal for stowing away (and easily accessing) toiletries, cables and more.

36. Airbnb Gift Card

For the wanderlust who prefers experiences over tchotchkes, contribute to their next vacation fund with an Airbnb gift card . Available in increments of $50, this is one of the best travel gifts for frequent adventurers looking for their next getaway, as Airbnb has thousands of hosts located across the globe.

37. Ruffwear Approach Dog Pack

If your adventure-loving giftee is furry and four-pawed, this hiking backpack by Ruffwear ensures they (and their biped parent) have the proper carryall for stowing a day’s worth of essentials. It has two saddlebags designed to stabilize the weight, reflective trim for the evening and other low-visibility settings, and reinforced leap attachment points.

38. Kitsch 11-Piece Ultimate Travel Bottle Set

Perfect as a stocking stuffer gift for travelers who don’t want to leave their beauty and grooming routines at home, this 11-piece travel set comes with reusable bottles and containers in stylish black and white prints. It includes three flat squeeze pouches, a mini spray bottle, two pump bottles, two mini jars with resealable lids and a storage case, plus a funnel, spatula and pipette for easily refilling. Everything is TSA approved and BPA-free, too.

39. Grayl GeoPress 24-Ounce Water Purifier Bottle

Whether they’re a backpacker, a preparedness enthusiast or someone who just prefers peace of mind when they’re sipping water in the wild, your loved one will appreciate this filtering 24-ounce water bottle from Grayl. The purifier cartridge removes viruses, bacteria and protozoa and filters out particulates (such as dirt and microplastics), chemicals and heavy metals from a total of 65 gallons of water before it needs to be replaced.

40 . White + Warren Cashmere Travel Wrap

A luxe cashmere scarf is a vacation-ready staple that your giftee might not splurge on for themselves, making it the perfect travel gift. Jet-setting stars like Angelina Jolie, Eva Longoria, and Jennifer Garner are among those who have worn White + Warren’s best-selling oversized wrap , which can transform into a warm blanket on chilly days and cold flights. This unisex accessory is made of seven-gauge, two-ply cashmere and measures 81 inches by 36 inches. It’s available in an array of colors and in a smaller size.

41. 50 States Traveled Journal

Stateside explorers can keep track of their favorite meals, locales, and memories across America with this “50 States Traveled” Journal . Handmade in Colorado, this book includes two pages of fun prompts for commemorating visits to every state, such as “Who did you go with?”, “Did anything unexpected happen?” and more.

42. Vanelc UV Light Sanitizer Wand

Gone are the days when plane passengers raise an eyebrow at the seatmate who promptly wipes down surfaces and armrests with hand sanitizer. Used for cleaning hotels, hair salons, film sets, and movie theaters, UV light sanitizers have been proven by the FDA to be effective at disinfecting germs, so they’re great gifts for germ-aware travelers who want to be extra cautious with their cleanliness. This UV-C light wand by Vanelc can kill 99.99% of viruses and bacteria in about eight seconds.

43. Calpak Neck Pillow and Eye Mask Set

For the red-eye regular or anyone else with a long trip ahead, Calpak’s neck pillow and eye mask set will help them get comfier shut-eye. The smooth, hypoallergenic silk won’t leave creases on the skin, and the pillow cover is removable and washable. The set comes with a clear carrying bag and it’s also available in navy. Oprah Winfrey is among fans of the brand, which also has collaborations with celebrity hairstylist Jen Atkin and star-faved home organization pros The Home Edit on luggage and travel accessories.

44. United by Blue The Meal Kit

Eco-conscious campers will appreciate United by Blue’s reusable plastic-free dining set for two, which comes in a water-resistant recycled polyester carrying case and includes two stainless steel bowls, two eight-ounce stainless steel tumblers, and two stainless steel sporks. The case also has outer pockets and an aluminum carabiner clip, so your favorite on-the-go giftee can easily stash away small items and attach the kit to their backpack.

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9 Affordable Travel Gift Ideas for Under $25

Shannon McMahon

Editor Shannon McMahon is always planning her next trip and often writing in her travel journal. Follow her on Twitter @shanmcmahon_ and on Instagram @shanmcmahon .

Shannon joined SmarterTravel in 2015. A former news reporter, she's lived in the south of Spain, spotted elephants in Sri Lanka, gone spelunking in the Caribbean, hiked Jordan's Petra Basin, interviewed Sao Paulo's Michelin-Star chefs, and explored China via bullet train. Travel trends, news oddities, and her visits to up-and-coming destinations are some of her favorite things to write about.

Her stories have also appeared online on USA Today, The Sun, Huffington Post, Business Insider, blog.TripAdvisor.com, Boston.com, and more. Her educational background is in journalism, art history, gender studies, Spanish, and film. She's been quoted as an expert travel source by CNBC, People.com, MarketWatch, The Washington Post, USA Today, and more.

The Handy Item I Always Pack : "Plenty of extra thick hair elastics. They tame my frizzy curls and come in handy in a surprising number of packing and hotel dilemmas."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience : "Climbing (yes, climbing, it's steep!) the Great Wall of China before it's gone."

Travel Motto : "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness." - Mark Twain

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat : "Window, of course."

Email Shannon at [email protected] .

Travel Smarter! Sign up for our free newsletter.

Shopping for any travelers this holiday season? Lucky you—there are plenty of on-trend and affordable travel gifts that look cool but won’t break the bank.

Affordable Travel Gift Ideas

Here are some of the best options for travel gifts that cost a lot less than you might think.

All of the products featured in this story were hand-selected by our travel editors. Some of the links featured in this story are affiliate links, and SmarterTravel may collect a commission (at no cost to you) if you shop through them.

Smartphone Camera Lenses

Upgrading your smartphone photography is simple thanks to clip-on lenses. An easy-to-use and affordable travel gift that any Instagrammer will appreciate, SHUTTERMOON Phone Camera Lens Kit includes five photo-transforming lenses: telephoto, wide-angle, polarized, fisheye, and maco. They’re perfect for getting up-close or fitting more into your shot and are compatible with most smartphones and tablets.

A Massive Scarf

Something I never travel without, a cozy scarf, also happens to make a great and affordable travel gift for just about anyone. Women’s options from Wander Agio come in sixteen colors and can double as a blanket or a stylish shawl. For men, Marino’s Cashmere Feel Scarf comes in an array of colors and with a gift box that seem to contradict its price.

Shop Wander Agio

Shop Marino Cashmere

Tiny Speakers

Sound-booming speakers small enough to stash in your carry-on for the hotel room or vacation rental make for an affordable and clever travel gift. EWA Travel Mini Bluetooth Speaker weighs 6.2 ounces, measures less than two by two inches, and can play wirelessly for 5 to 8 hours.

A Collapsible Water Bottle

Reusable water bottles have long been a must-have airport accessory, and can also be a great travel gift. SPECIAL MADE Collapsible Water Bottle folds up when empty to fit in any travel bag, and has a leak-proof locking cap. Forget the clunky stainless steel canteen water bottles of last year and gift someone a practical travel water bottle that has pack-friendly bragging rights.

Treats Snack Box Subscription

Trying new and foreign foods is one of the best parts of travel, and it can make for a unique travel gift. Start someone on a snack box subscription like Treats to gift them tasty snack flavors from around the world. Treats sends snacks from a different country each month, and shipping is free for U.S. addresses. Treats subscription boxes start from $21.95 per month on CrateJoy. Be sure to order a single box or pause your account after the first month if you don’t want to continue a subscription.

Wool Outerwear Accessories

Wool winter accessories like wool knit ear warmers and hats are packable and thoughtful affordable travel gifts. YSense’s Cable Knit Ear Warmers are a chic option for women, or try a unisex Merino wool hat like Minus33 Ridge Cuff Beanie for something that’s softer and more breathable than standard wool.

Shop Ear Warmers

Shop Ridge Cuff Beanie

A Packable Air Humidifier

We all know someone who needs this travel gift. Diffusers and humidifiers are a great way to combat dryness caused by cold weather travels and arid airplane cabins, plus it’s an aromatherapy sleep solution if you mix in some essential oils. If you didn’t think a packable version existed, this  Actpe Portable Essential Oil Diffuser   is just seven ounces.

High-End Travel Samples

Perfect as stocking stuffers, travel-sized sample packs are an affordable travel gift for someone who appreciates a little bit of luxury. The Sephora Best Seller Kit allows shoppers the chance to try some of the brand’s high-end skin care without the price tag while First Aid Beauty’s products are perfect for sensitive skin, and come in a travel kit of body scrub and moisturizer.

Shop Sephora Best Seller Kit

Shop First Aid Beauty

An Ultralight Carry-on Bag

Everyone could use an extra carry-on that folds away into itself—you never know when you’ll want a spacious personal item to keep close to your plane seat. Arxus’s Lightweight Foldable Tote Bag packs down into a pouch, but can fit up to 40 liters inside when it’s open. The waterproof fabric and rear sleeve that fits over a telescoping suitcase handle make it a foolproof gift for the frequent traveler.

Associate Editor Shannon McMahon writes about all things travel. Follow her on  Twitter   and  Instagram .

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55 Best Travel Gifts for Men

By Todd Plummer

All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

It feels like every guide to the best gifts for men these days is just whiskey glasses and beard oil—because that’s what all men like, right? Wrong. The next time you need to acquire a gift for the travel-loving guy in your life, consult this list instead. Here, you’ll find more than 50 gift ideas, from buzzworthy international favorites and social media darlings to undiscovered gems from small businesses you might not have heard of yet. From leather passport cases and duffel bags to portable firepits and massage guns, we've got you covered with dozens of gifts he'll actually love and use on his next adventure.

This article has been updated with new information since its original publish date.

Find the best gifts for men by category:

For the frequent flier, for his closet, for the outdoors enthusiast, for the gadget geek, for the self-care newbie, for the foodie, for the homebody.

At Condé Nast Traveler , we spend a lot of time debating, researching, testing, and re-testing the best stuff when it comes to travel accessories , luggage, and more. If you’re looking for the best suitcase to buy your guy this season, look here . But if you’re looking for something a little different, or perhaps a little unusual that will absolutely rock his travel routine for years to come, check out some of the gift ideas below. Dr. Dennis Gross’ peel pads are a cult favorite among skincare enthusiasts, and an effortless way to look refreshed and dewy after a red-eye. Small touches like a beautiful passport case or a capacious leather weekender are luxurious upgrades he’ll cherish forever. And in case of emergencies, a good ol' fashioned flask will more than do the trick.

Clothes are a tough gift. Everybody is different, every body is different, and a lot of guys are just downright picky when it comes to what they get dressed in everyday. That being said, there are a few tricks of the trade to consider here—when gifting clothes, don’t go too big, too outré, or too outlandish. The secret is to select timeless, quintessential pieces that travel well, age well, and can be styled into any wardrobe. That’s how you’ll end up giving a gift that can find a home in literally any guy’s closet (or suitcase). Who could say no to a versatile, eco-friendly jean, or a quarter-zip sweater knit from recycled oyster shells? A quilted Barbour jacket looks as good in the West Village as it does in West Yorkshire. And a classic pair of folding Persol sunglasses works as well for beach vacations as they do for ski trips .

Lovers of the great outdoors are a funny bunch to shop for. They typically have all of their most treasured gear ready to go in their quiver already, so this is a demographic for whom you need to be on your A-game. Gifts for outdoorsy types need to be the newest of the new with smart details, category-leading engineering, and unassailable durability. Think a lightweight Norwegian cooler that keeps drinks cool without any ice (that’s right—no ice), or a rechargeable glow light that doubles as a mosquito repellent. Outdoorsy folks will say that they can never have too many puffy layer-type things (so go ahead and consider a puffer blanket, or the iconic Arc’teryx Atom Insulated Hoody), and if all else fails you can get them a beautiful Stanley bottle to keep their favorite beverages warm by the fire.

Here’s the thing about men: There’s a part of us that never really grows up, and will always appreciate having a new toy to play with. This category is for he who will appreciate a wild card gift and savor the element of surprise. A perfect pair of travel-sized binoculars made from the best optical-grade crystal in the world? Jackpot! A wearable tech bracelet to quantify how well (or not well) we’re pumping at the gym? Bingo! A bird feeder with a motion-sensing camera so you can get live updates on which winged friends are snacking in your backyard? Why not?

We hate to stereotype the genders—but a lot of self-care products out there are marketed more heavily toward women, leaving the average guy in the lurch. He may not know the benefits of investing in a Dr. Barbara Sturm skincare regimen, or how regular use of a sauna blanket can help improve sleep and recovery patterns, or that Athletic Greens’ enormously popular AG1 powder also comes in convenient travel-sized packs for on-the-go vitamin pick-me-ups. There’s a whole world of self-care products out there! Here we’ve gathered some of the best items to kick-start his journey—sometimes all it takes is a pair of “Wicked Good” shearling slippers from L.L.Bean to get the ball rolling.

Food is one of our favorite ways to experience travel. If you’re not quite ready to gift someone a full evening at Eleven Madison Park , or a trip to sample authentic prosciutto di Parma straight off the bone in Italy , the good news is that the marvels of modern packing and shipping have made some of the world’s tastiest foods closer than ever. A single-origin Spice Passport livens up tired airplane food anywhere, while Flamingo Estate’s Instagram-famous tomato candles and olive oil feel particularly ripe for gifting this year. And if you aren’t able to snag a table for two at Carbone , the restaurant's store bought signature sauce is absolutely fine.

Home gifts can be a tricky gift to navigate—you really need to know a person to make an informed decision. But no matter what the recipient’s sense of style is, there are certain things that show you care and are likely to fit in to most any home. In an age when photos live on our phones and are lost to the cloud forever, for instance, a custom acrylic photo block has a nice physicality to it. Beautiful linen sheets are always in style. A crisp-smelling candle from a small business in Hudson, New York , warms up any space. And when in doubt, the flourish of a fabulous Brazilian jacquard hammock has the right air of whimsy to it to grace any bachelor pad.

10 Best Travel Gifts For Her That She Will Actually Love

Posted on Last updated: November 10, 2021

We all know her… the free spirit, the wild one, the traveller woman. Whether it’s you, your girlfriend, sister, mother or friend, we all know a woman with insatiable wanderlust.

And when it comes to choosing a gift, it can be tricky to find something that will be both practical and still have sentimental value.

Travel gifts for women may not be as hard to find as you first think, at least not with my guide.

I’ve gone on some pretty cool adventures, and there have been certain items that have made these travels even more enjoyable for me (being a woman myself, I kind of know what I’m talking about here).

Some of these can be found also in my list of long flight essentials or my travel essentials for women .

But when it comes to gifts, I will share with you some amazing gift ideas for the beloved female traveller(s) in your life.

Here is a list of the many wonderful gifts for travelling women that you can give as a present for birthdays, special occasions or even for this festive season.

Exploring the sand dunes of the Al Wasil desert in Oman at sunrise

Useful gifts for the travelling woman

These are some awesome items that will help make travelling more convenient for women.

1. Stainless steel water bottle

The power of pure, drinkable water should never be underestimated. And when you’re hiking, travelling to foreign countries and visiting desert terrains, a nice water bottle will be your best friend.

This is the ideal gift for a woman who is active, who loves escapes to hot destinations, or who is a bit more environmentally conscious. Think of all the plastic you’re saving by refilling your own water bottle!

I like these stainless steel water bottl e also because, besides coming in a variety of funky colours, they keep my water cold for up to 24 hours.

Click here to purchase a stainless steel water bottle for your travelling bestie!

Enjoying the view from the top of Le Morne Brabant in Mauritius

2. Chin-supporting travel pillow

This is a must-have for every traveller, and especially for women who need proper neck support. There’s nothing worse than a stiff neck and back during your travels.

This cosy travel pillow will be a thoughtful addition to the woman in your life’s bag of essentials.

I used to laugh at people who used travel pillows because I thought they looked ridiculous, but today, I’m a proud owner of a Trtl travel pillow .

While it may still look ridiculous, I’ve lost count of the number of planes, trains and bus rides that I’ve used it in, and successfully been able to sleep all throughout the journey, waking up without any neck pain.

Click here to get your Trtl travel pillow!

Me using a Trtl pillow and loving it during a long flight

3. Sleeping mask

Every lady needs her beauty sleep, but sometimes that can be hard when you’ve just arrived in a country with severe jet lag. It can also be challenging when you’re on a plane or if you need to take a snooze during the daylight hours.

One way to ensure your lady can have all the slumber she needs is to get her a contoured sleeping mask. This is the kind of gift that will go such a long way!

Click here to get your travelling friend the perfect sleeping mask!

Enjoying the sunshine in Corralejo, Fuerteventura

4. Packing Cubes

When looking for a practical gift for a traveller woman, packing cubes make for one of the best ideas. These incredible creations allow for organised packing, allowing every woman to compartmentalise her luggage.

Packing cubes are fantastic and easy to use, and they make the process of packing your bag so much simpler.

This means no more searching through her bag for what she needs, and no more stressing about how to pack her belongings. This is one of the most useful gift ideas for travellers.

Click here to purchase a set of packing cubes!

Enjoying the sunshine in St Pete, Florida

5. Anti-theft Bra Stash

Unfortunately, pickpocketing is a reality when travelling. That’s why having anti-theft bags is so important. Knowing your money and valuables are safe adds peace of mind to every travel experience.

Gift your favourite lady a discreet and sleek anti-theft bra stash so she can go on her adventures without any hassles.

You clip these to your bra so that it remains hidden under your t-shirt, away from where anywhere can see them and reach them.

Click here to get a clever anti-theft bra stash for the travelling ladies in your life!

Cala Corsara on the island of Spargi in Sardinia 

Unique travel gifts for her

These are some gifts that are not only useful but also super unique in their designs.

6. Women’s Infinity Scarf with Zipper

Continuing on the useful and safety trend, why not get your travelling friend a scarf with secret pocket and zipper? Scarves are versatile and stylish, and you can get them in many different colours.

What could possibly make them any more beautiful? Well, how about a secret pocket? The Women’s Infinity Scarves are both fashion-conscious and convenient.

They have a zipper pocket for your lady to put things in like her passport or cash, the pockets are slightly bigger than the bra wallet and it can also be a fashionable element.

This is one of the most clever items on this list of great travel gifts for her.

What are you waiting for? Click here to get a women’s scarf with secret pocket!

Walking along Millennium Bridge in London

7. Hanging travel toiletry bag

If you’ve ever been brave enough to see the inside of a woman’s on-hand travel bag, then you know just how chaotic having lots of toiletries scattered around can be.

Help her keep everything organised and within reach with a sassy hanging travel toiletry bag . This is one of the best gifts for a traveller woman.

Click here to get a hanging travel toiletry bag for your travelling friend!

Enjoying the view over the Thames, the London Eye and Westminster from Southbank

Best luxury travel gifts for her

These are items that may cost a bit extra but make for a delightful way to spoil any travelling woman.

8. Pandora Charm Bracelet

When thinking of luxury gift ideas for the travelling woman, jewellery might pop to mind. However, don’t just get her a beautiful necklace or pair of earrings, get her something that can help her keep track of her travels.

A sterling silver Pandora bracelet is stunning, and it is made to carry unique charms that can be added on as tokens of each country she visits. It is one of those really cute travel gifts that you can give to someone close.

Click here to get your Pandora charm bracelet!

Piazza del Duomo in Milan, Italy

9. Travel Jacket

A travel jacket is both a practical and luxurious gift to give a travelling woman. Not only is it a great way to stay comfortable and warm, but it also gives you plenty of space to pack your belongings with you.

This is one of the best gifts for female travellers, and it will be a welcome companion when visiting colder countries or cities.

Click here to get the jazziest travel jacket for your girl friends who love travelling!

Enjoying the view from the top of the First Peak of Stawamus Chief in Canada

10. Waterproof Travel Bag

Last, but definitely not least on my list of travel gift ideas for her, is a waterproof travel bag. She will love you forever for giving her something that will keep all her clothes and electronics safe when travelling in the rain.

I personally have two different types of waterproof bags. One is a fully submergible water proof bag that you can see in the photo below. The other is a water resistant backpack .

The first time I went to Thailand during the rainy season I got caught up in a storm during a longtail boat excursion, and my waterproof backpack is the only thing that saved my then new DSLR camera from being washed by the Thai rain and sea.

I can’t recommend them more.

Click here to see all the different types of waterproof travel bags!

Zip-lining over the Cetina Canyon in Croatia

Last words on travel gifts for women

Each of these special items will make for the perfect travel companion for every type of lady.

You can choose the one you know you or the woman in your life will enjoy the most, based on their personality and travel preferences. Watch her light up with the perfect present.

These items are some of the best travelling gifts for her, and they will help her keep a part of you with her, no matter where she goes.

When it comes to choosing the most meaningful and useful gift ideas for women, this guide will help you.

Most of the items on this list are things I or my travelling friends personally use, and I hope you will be inspired by these amazing gifts for women who travel, and it helps you pick a gift for your travelling friends.

You’re guaranteed to make her smile when she unwraps her next present.

If you’re looking for something she can keep at home and remind her of her travels, check these epic gifts for map lovers ! 

Enjoyed reading my gift ideas for girls who love to travel? Pin it!

National Nurses Week 2024: Chipotle's free burrito giveaway, more deals and discounts

Nurses should be celebrated every day, but they do have a special week: national nurses week, which runs may 6-12. restaurants like chipotle and buffalo wild wings have specials during the week..

Chipotle is giving away 100,000 burritos for National Nurses Week. And you don't necessarily have to be a nurse to get in on the deal.

From Monday, May 6, to Friday, May 10, healthcare workers can sign up for a chance to win a free burrito e-card on the Chipotle website . At the end of National Nurses Week, 100,000 healthcare workers will be randomly selected to get an email asking them to verify their employment status via ID.me. Those who successfully verify that within 48 hours will get a free burrito e-card.

Customers can get in on the action, too, by purchasing limited-edition Chipotle Healthcare Heroes E-Gift Cards online; 10% of the proceeds from the gift card purchases will be donated to the American Nurses Foundation. And throughout the month of May, you can round up your online or app orders to the nearest dollar amount. 100% of those proceeds will go to the foundation.

National Nurses Week 2024: A RN reflects on the state of the profession, calls for change

When is National Nurses Week?

National Nurses Week is observed annually May 6 through May 12.

What is National Nurses Week?

National Nurses Week grew out of a congressional resolution and proclamation signed by President Reagan in 1982 deeming May 6 as a National Recognition Day for Nurses.

The American Nurses Association board of directors expanded this to a National Nurses Week in 1990. The permanent dates for the week were designated in 1993 to be officially observed starting in 1994.

The week includes National School Nurses Day on May 8 and May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, which has been celebrated as International Nurse Day since 1974.

More ways to save: Visit USA TODAY's coupons page for deals from thousands of vendors

National Nurses Week 2024 freebies, deals and discounts

Here's a roundup of freebies, deals, discounts and other specials for National Nurses Week.

• Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza: Nurses get a 20% discount on all orders with a valid ID from Monday, May 6, to Sunday, May 12.
• BurgerFi: Nurses get a 20% discount on all orders with a valid ID from Monday, May 6, to Sunday, May 12.
• Buffalo Wild Wings: From Monday, May 6, to May 12, nurses get 20% off their orders with valid IDs on dine-in, call-in, and walk-in orders.
• Buzz E-Bikes and Huffy Bicycles : Both United Wheels -owned companies give nurses 20% off online purchases year-round when verifying their ID.me at checkout.
• Create Amor: Through June 7, get 25% off orders for scrubs (use the code NURSE25) and $1 per set (top and bottom) will be donated to the American Nurses Foundation. The scrubs brand will also donate 100% of proceeds from each Iris Five Pocket Top sold directly to the foundation.
• Dunkin': Nurses can get a free medium hot or iced coffee, no purchase necessary, on Monday, May 6. (The deal excludes Frozen Coffee, Cold Brew and Nitro Cold Brew. Espresso shots, flavors, dairy alternatives & cold foam may be an additional charge.)
• Firehouse Subs: The sandwich chain has a week of specials available starting Monday through its Firehouse Rewards loyalty program and app including (on Wednesday) BOGO Hook & Ladder Subs and (on Friday) two medium sandwiches for $12 or two large sandwiches for $18.
• Free Rein Coffee Company: Nurses, first responders and medical providers get 20% off all year long from "Yellowstone" star Cole Hauser's brew brand by verifying with ID.me. Also eligible for the 20% discount: military members.
• The Good Feet Store : The retailer, with more than 250 locations, will give nurses a complimentary pair of Architek Comfort Slip-Ons and three pairs of OS1st Comfort socks with the purchase of at least a Good Feet Store 3-Step Arch Support System. (Note: if Architeks are not available, a pair of Brooks running shoes will be provided. Valid nurse's ID is required.)
• The Greene Turtle: All nurses and healthcare workers with a valid ID get a free meal (value of up to $15) on Monday, May 6.
• Happy Joe’ s Pi zza & Ice Cream: Nurses get a 10% discount at participating locations from Monday to Friday, May 6-10.
• honeygrow: Nominate a nursing team for $250 worth of catering from the fast-casual chain with 33 locations in the eastern U.S. Submit your nomination on the honeygrow website before Wednesday, May 8. Five winning teams will be announced on May 10 via honeygrow's social media platforms.
• HTeaO: The iced tea chain will give healthcare personnel 50% off cups of tea from Monday, May 13, to Sunday, May 26, with a valid hospital, doctors office, and school nurse ID.
• Insomnia C ookies: The Philadelphia-based late-night bakery chain with more than 240 locations is giving nurses a free Classic cookie in-store, no purchase necessary, all week beginning Monday, May 6. (Just show a valid ID; availability varies by location.)
• KIND Snacks: Nurses get 15% off their purchases on the website all year long. Customers just verify with ID.me at checkout.
• Landing: The flexible rental firm, with sites especially practical for travel nurses, is giving away prizes including three months' rent. Nurses can enter to win by submitting a 60-second video and others can nominate a nurse, too.
• Logan's Roadhouse: Nurses get 20% off their entrée this week. Just show your badge.
• McAlister’s Deli: Nurses can get free tea – either one big Sweet Tea, Unsweet Tea, ½ Sweet & ½ Unsweet Tea, or ½ Lemonade & ½ Sweet/Unsweet Tea (flavor shots excluded) – at McAlister's Deli from Monday, May 6, to Sunday, May 12, with their badge or ID. Offer valid in-store only; no purchase necessary.
• Moe’s Southwest Grill: Cater a Moe's Southwest Grill meal for nurses from Monday, May 6, to Sunday, May 12, and when you spend $300 or more, get a $50 E-gift card (use code THANKYOU24). Good at participating locations; not valid with other offers or third-party delivery. Doesn't include tax, tip and fees.
• Pancheros: Nurses can buy one entrée and get one free on Wednesday, May 8, at participating restaurants. (Offer good in-restaurant; just present a valid hospital badge at checkout.)
• The Parking Spot: The parking company is giving healthcare workers 25% off parking during their trips; just signup with an associated healthcare email account .
• Peter Piper Pizza : Nurses can get a free personal pizza every day Monday through Friday (May 6-10). Redemption is limited to once per day; valid nurse ID/credentials must be shown.
• Postino: The restaurant chain, with more than 25 locations in five states , will give nurses its $25 Board and Bottle (bruschetta board, plus a bottle of wine) all day every day during the month of May with badge/ID. (The special is usually only available Monday and Tuesday 8 p.m. to closing.)
• Potbelly Sandwich Works: Nurses get a free cookie or fountain drink with the purchase of an entrée by showing their ID Monday, May 6, to Sunday, May 12. Also, all customers can get free delivery on a catering order over $150.
• Salata Salad Kitchen: On Monday, May 6, Healthcare workers get 20% off their order when they present their badge at checkout. Also from Monday to Friday, get 20% off catering orders of $200 or more, and get free delivery on orders through DoorDash.
• Shipley Do-Nuts: Nurses who belong the chain's Do-Happy loyalty program can get a free half-dozen box of glazed do-nuts with any purchase on Monday, May 6.
• Skechers: Nurses get a 10% discount on all styles during the month of May on the Skechers website (valid ID or form of employment required). Online shoppers can also round up the purchase price of May purchases to the nearest dollar with proceeds going to the American Nurses Foundation; donate $5 or more and get $10 off your next $100 purchase in June.
• Smoothie King: Get $2 off your on Monday and Tuesday via Smoothie King’s Healthy Rewards App (use code THANKS2024). The promo code may be used multiple times. Also, Friday, May 3, to Friday, May 10, when you buy $25 or more in gift cards online, get a bonus of 2,000 Healthy Reward points.
• Sockwell: Nurses get a free pair of socks when they buy three pairs at full price May 6-12 on the Sockwell website (excludes closeouts and 3-packs).
• Yogurtland: Through May 14, the frozen yogurt chain is offering free delivery on orders of more than $15 made through the website or mobile app (use the code FREEDELIVERY).
• Zaxby's : Nurses can buy one Boneless Wings Meal and get a second one free on May 7 at participating locations (redeemable through the Zaxby's app or website for Zax Rewardz members, while supplies last).
• Zips Car Wash:  Nurses can get a $5 "Pro" Wash at any Zips Car Wash or Rocket Express location across the country through May 19 with wash code 3687.

Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads:  @mikesnider  & mikegsnider .

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The Best Mother's Day Gifts for Dog Moms

Did you know that the second Saturday of the month is National Dog Mom's Day?

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

If your first thought is to get something for her fur baby, you might want to reconsider. While we've tested dog leashes , indestructible toys and even the best dog food delivery services , Mother's Day is all about celebrating the mom. That's why you'll find a lot of really cute gifts for her here. But we didn't leave out her pup completely, of course. There are a ton of ideas that she can enjoy with her dog.

And if you're looking for even more great gift ideas for Mother's Day, check out our top gift guides :

The Best Gift Ideas for Mom | The Best Gift Ideas for Mothers on Amazon | Inexpensive Mother's Day Gifts

Dog Travel Bag

She can pack all the things she needs for a picnic in the park, and all the things her pup needs. From water bowls to toys, this bag has room for it all. "I love this bag. It has space for everything and looks so nice," one Amazon reviewer wrote.

We Recently Tested: Best Dog Harnesses for All Types of Dogs

Dog Mom Embroidered Sweatshirt

She'll never want to take this cozy sweatshirt off. It's made of soft cotton, and it's available in a few different colors and designs. You can get any phrase written on the front, and her dog's name on the sleeves.

Custom Dog Socks

There are over 10 different colors to pick from. There's also a design that just features the dog's face (no bone print), if you really want to go all out. Again, all it takes is the simple upload of a photo, and you're done.

Pet Portrait

Even if she already has one, she'll want another. You can even get it done with more than one pet. After you submit the photo, pick the size, background color and frame, and you're all set.

Funny Mother's Day Card

Created especially for dog moms, this funny Mother's Day card will have her laughing out loud because it's all too relatable.

Got the Card? Here's What to Write Inside

Inkless Hand and Footprint Kit

It's an inkless ink pad! Don't try to wrap your head around it, instead just know that the brand says it's 100% safe. She just has to press her pup's paws onto the pad, and she'll forever have their sweet imprint. Bonus points if you do it, and give it to her all wrapped up.

Funny Dog People Pens

You don't have to go all out, especially considering you probably have a lot of moms to buy for this Mother's Day. Although inexpensive, she'll absolutely appreciate the sentiment of these funny pens.

Bandanas & Matching Scrunchie Set

We saw the sweet print here, and just had to share. But there are actually so many different designs to choose from (including a very sophisticated green plaid ), as well as options for small dogs and larger pups.

Dog Mom Bracelet

A subtle way to honor her pet, she can wear this bracelet every day thanks to the cord chain that allows it to be taken on and off with ease. It also comes with a really sweet card about what it takes to be a dog mom.

Stemless Wine Glass

She can enjoy her nightly pour in style with this punny stemless wine glass, which has an engraving that's sure to make her laugh.

Dog Mom Tumbler

She can carry her favorite drinks on the go with this cute tumbler. Sure, it's no Stanley, but the brand says it's made of stainless steel, and will keep drinks warm for six or cold for 12 hours.

Dog Ring Dish

This ceramic ring dish is ideal for holding all of her favorite trinkets. Not to mention, it's under $14 and reviewers are giving it high marks for appearance and quality.

Dog Bandana

There's nothing cuter than a dog in a bandana, as any fur mom knows. This little cotton number will fit most dogs, but just keep in mind the minimum weight recommendation is 20-pounds.

Dog Mom Cup

Glass drinking cups have been a popular choice this season for GH readers, and this cute little number does not disappoint. It'll hold 16 ounces of their favorite drink, and it comes with a glass straw to cut down on single-use plastic waste.

Personalized Pet Necklace

Any dog mom would adore this necklace, which can be customized with a photo of their fur baby. Made of stainless steel, it comes in gold, rose gold and silver finishes. The 17-inch chain will hit the perfect spot on her neck, and it has a lobster clasp that makes it easy to take on and off.

Women's Novelty Socks

Ah, we've all been there before. Made of a cotton, nylon and spandex blend, according to the brand, this pair has thousands of 5-star reviews on Amazon. They even come in a cute little box.

Dog Mom Wood Picture Frame

Moms love to show off photos of their kids. It's that simple. This frame in four different sizes, but we think the bigger, the better.

Angel of Friendship

Her dog will always be her best friend and her angel, so this beautiful handmade resin figurine is just the ticket. It's perfect to display on a bookshelf or coffee table, and it even comes with a gift box for convenience.

Women's T-Shirt

She can say it on a t-shirt with this sweet little crew neck number. It's made of a soft cotton-poly blend, according to the brand, and has a fitted silhouette.

Dog Mom Hat

Perfect for the dog days of summer, this cute cap will keep her head cool in muggy weather. It has a fitted design and an adjustable buckle on the back to easily loop a ponytail through.

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80 Sweet and Funny Mother's Day Card Messages

40 Cheap But Thoughtful Mother's Day Gifts

40 Sweet Mother's Day Gifts for Sons to Give

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The Best Gifts for Mom on Amazon

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Amazon Dropped Customer-Loved Gift Ideas for Summer Weddings — and Prices Are Under $100

Take the stress out of gift shopping with these genius ideas

Michelle Rostamian is a freelance beauty, wellness, and lifestyle writer with nearly 10 years of experience in the beauty industry and bylines at PEOPLE, Byrdie, Real Simple, InStyle, and more. She began her career in the beauty industry as a publicist and content writer representing makeup and skincare brands as well as industry professionals. She formerly was a social media marketer. Michelle graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a B.A. in Communications.

People / Reese Herrington

Whether you're stuck on wedding gift ideas or need a gift in a pinch ), Amazon has you covered.

Amazon's secret wedding gift section is a great place to browse presents for the new couple. The retailer carries kitchen and home essentials, including cookware, bed sheets, and storage containers, from brands like OXO, Ninja, and Shark. To make your wedding season more seamless than ever, we found 12 excellent wedding gift ideas under $100 that are useful, functional, and perfect for newlyweds — and discounts are up to 50 percent off. 

Best Amazon Wedding Gifts Under $100

• Philips 3000 Series Air Fryer , $99 (orig. $179.95)
• Ninja Professional Blender and Pitcher , $69.99 (orig. $99.99) 
• Shark Cyclone Handheld Vacuum , $59.99
• Cosori Electric Pressure Cooker , $89.99
• Le Creuset Rectangular Casserole Dish , $94.95 (orig. $134.95)
• Travelpro Maxlite 5 Softside Carry-On Travel Tote , $84.99 (orig. $99.99)
• OXO Good Grips 8-Piece Baking Essentials Pop Container Set , $68
• American Soft Linen Luxury 6-Piece Towel Set , $39.99 (orig. $79.99)
• Cuisinart 15-Piece Knife Set , $69.45 (orig. $99.95)
• Levoit Air Purifier , $83.95 (orig. $99.99)
• The Bamboo Abode Charcuterie Board Gift Set , $49.99 (orig. $69.99)
• Hotel Sheets Direct Cooling Bed Sheets , $57.60 with coupon (orig. $71.99)

And if you're planning your own formal event, you can even create a wedding registry directly through Amazon. Simply sign up, create a wishlist from millions of items, and guarantee guests free shipping on orders over $25. Plus, you’ll get 180 days to make a return if you don’t like something. 

Philips 3000 Series Air Fryer, $99 (Save 45%)

With an air fryer handy, it's easy to recreate healthier versions of favorite restaurant dishes. This version features 13 different functions in one easy-to-use model, offering air frying, grilling, roasting, and baking capabilities. It's great for couples looking to whip up a last-minute dinner since you can toss in everything from salmon filets to vegetables. This model also features a touchscreen display and has a 1.8-pound capacity. Plus, its small footprint means it won't take up precious real estate on the countertop.

Over 400 people have purchased the air fryer this month, and it garnered over 800 five-star ratings. One reviewer shared , "This is the best appliance I've bought that I didn't know I needed! This air fryer is perfect for me — it's compact, quiet, easy to clean, and air fries veggies and fish beautifully." Another reviewer who uses it almost every day said it's great for "everything from breakfast to dinner casseroles."

Ninja Professional Blender and Pitcher, $70 (Save 30%)

With 1000 watts of power and the ability to blitz smoothies, protein shakes, baby purees, and soups, this blender is a true workhorse in the kitchen. Razor sharp blades coupled with the brand's Total Crushing Technology effortlessly do the work of pulverizing ice, fruits, and vegetables. One thing that's special about this blender is that there are easy-to-use controls fit for all skill levels (newbies included). It also has a 72-ounce capacity, making it a great option for growing families.

Over 10,000 people have purchased the blender this month, and it has over 42,000 five-star reviews. One customer shared , "It blends everything I throw at it perfectly! I've made many drinks for the family and they love it." Another reviewer who called it a "culinary ally that seamlessly combines form and function" said it makes "kitchen tasks a breeze." They also appreciated that the "sleek design adds a touch of sophistication to [their] countertop."

Shark Cyclone Handheld Vacuum

Keeping the new home free of messes is easy thanks to this handheld vacuum. In addition to the HyperVelocity Suction base that deep cleans, the vacuum comes with two attachments including an 8-inch crevice tool for hard-to-reach areas and a PetExtract hair tool that's perfect for dog or cat parents. The extra-large dust cup tackles multiple cleaning sessions, and there's also a USB charging port that can be used at home or in the car. And, at just over 1.5 pounds, the vacuum is lightweight and portable enough for everyday use.

Over 6,000 customers have added the vacuum to their cart this month, with over 9,000 giving it a glowing five-star review. One reviewer said that "the attachments are amazing" and that "it has great suction power," plus it's "so easy to clean out." Another customer , who has large breed dogs that shed, said "it effortlessly picks up dog hair and small debris" and that it "works great around the places a regular vacuum can't get."

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Cosori Electric Pressure Cooker

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Mother’s day gift guide 2024: the best perfumes for travelers.

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Mother’s Day is a good holiday to choose something you know your mom loves yet also get a little adventurous with what you give. If your mom is a frequent traveler who loves perfume, here are some fragrances that may inspire even more trips, and they’ll be well-suited for taking along on planes, trains, and cars. These perfumes all offer something special and unique that make them thoughtful Mother’s Day gifts.

Fragrances are treasured gifts for many travel-loving moms.

Kuumba Made Fragrance oils

These Kuumba Made fragrance oils are made to be cherished.

When you’re looking for thoughtful Mother’s Day gifts for mom who love earthy scents, check out Kuumba Made’s Earthy Sophistication Collection. It includes three travel-friendly fragrances that are inspired by old growth forests and the deep roots of their trees. The Water Goddess fragrance oil has a blend of soft spice, fresh water, and grounded sandalwood. The Amber & Sandalwood fragrance oil recalls spiced black tea with sweet jasmine and musk. The Tunisian Patchouli fragrance oil has notes of patchouli, sweet orange, and balsam. Shop Now: Kuumba Made, $29

Stella McCartney Pop

Stella McCartney's Pop comes in a variety of sizes for travelers.

Stella McCartney’s floral, woodsy fragrance Pop is light and fresh. It has notes of violet, green mandarin, sandalwood, frangipani, and tuberose. It was one of those thoughtful Mother’s Day gifts for those who love floral scents. The mini size is TSA-friendly and fits great in a purse or carry-on suitcase. However, if your mom usually packs a checked bag, you may want to choose one of the full size Stella McCartney perfumes . This perfume was formulated to last so it’s especially great for long travel days. Shop Now: Fragrance.com, $11.99

Zodica Perfumery Twist & Spritz Perfume Gift Set

This perfume gift set would be especially fun for moms who enjoy astrology.

If your mom enjoys astrology or simply celebrating her sign, she will especially enjoy this perfume gift set. Available in all the Zodiac signs from Aries to Pisces, this collection of 12 perfumes has lots of variety. The Aries fragrance has top notes of cinnamon bark and blackberry, whereas the Leo fragrance has a top note of mandarin. These perfumes were created by a migraine suffer, so they have no irritating ingredients, which makes them a nice fit for flights and other crowded situations. The perfumes are cruelty-free, vegan, and well-made. Shop Now: Zodica Perfumery, $44

Glasshouse Fragrances Fragrance Library Gift Set

Your mom will have a lot of variety with this Mother's Day gift set.

If you’re looking for creative Mother’s Day gifts that are both practical and fun, this Eau de Parfum Collection gift set is a great fit. It comes with a travel key ring that your mom can use to bring her favorite fragrance from the collection anywhere she goes. The eight small, travel-friendly fragrances included are Rendezvous: Amber & Orchid, A Tahaa Affair Devotion: Butterscotch Caramel & Jasmine, Forever Florence: Wild Peonies & Lily, Melbourne Muse: Coffee Flower & Vanilla, Kyoto in Bloom: Camellia & Lotus, Moon & Back: Sugar Dust & Lily, Sunsets in Capri: White Peach & Sea Breeze, and Midnight in Milan:Saffron & Rose. Shop Now: Glasshouse Fragrances, $50

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Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024, broken top lavender mint roll-on perfume.

Roll-on fragrances are great Mother's Day gifts for moms who love perfume.

Are you looking for simple Mother’s Day gifts made from natural ingredients? Here’s a natural, travel-friendly perfume with a scent that’s both calming and refreshing. Broken Top’s lavender mint roll-on perfume is made using only essential oil-infused fragrance oils and organic jojoba oil. It’s great for moms who may be sensitive to ingredients in many perfumes, and it’s also vegan and cruelty-free. Shop Now: Broken Top, $26

Life In Lilac Perfume Sampler

Life In Lilac offers a fragrance collection in a beautiful gift box.

If your mom likes a wide range of scents, Life in Lilac’s perfume gift set is among the best Mother’s Day gift ideas for her. Made with clean ingredients, each mini roll-on perfume in this gift set was formulated to provide long-lasting fragrance. It includes the scents Heart Throb (sweet musk and spice), Warm Embrace (magnolia and white amber), Guilty Pleasure (jasmine, violet, and cashmere), Opulence (vanilla, rose petals, and jasmine), Soulmate (blackcurrant, green Tea, and sandalwood, and Your Highness (jasmine and oud). Shop Now: Life In Lilac, $64.95

Parfums De Marly Delina

Parfums De Marly Delina is a popular luxury fragrance.

Parfums De Marly Delina is the best gift for Mother’s Day for moms who love luxury and perfume. Frequent travelers will love its staying power. This modern scent is made in France, and it has a standout, sweet floral bouquet. It has leading notes of lily of the valley, damascena rose, and peony, and there are also notes of bergamot, nutmeg, lychee, and rhubarb. Then it has a vanilla base with cedarwood, incense and white musk. Shop Now: Fragrance.com, $287.90

Ourside Eau De Parfum Discovery Kit

Ourside fragrances are vegan and luxurious.

Ourside is a luxury clean fragrance line, and its discovery set is a thoughtful Mother’s Day gift if your mom likes earthy and woodsy scents. It comes with three small, travel-friendly fragrances. Its Nostalgia is a floral woody scent with notes of jasmine, grapefruit, and mint. Its Moon Dust is an earthy citrus scent with notes of grapefruit, peppermint, and anise. Its Dusk is a woody amber scent notes of juicy berries, fig, and green floral. Shop Now: Ourside, $35

Blossom Roll-On Perfume Oil

Blossom has many floral-scented perfume oils.

If you’re looking for Mother’s Day gift ideas for hard-to-buy-for moms who have tried most perfumes, peek at the many different scents offered by Blossom. They offer travel-friendly, rollerball fragrances with floral scents such as Patchouli Rose, Cedarwood Raspberry, White Peony, Citrus Jasmine, Lavenderwood, Rose Rainbow, Coconut Nectar, Cactus Flower, Vanilla Orchid, Island Hibiscus, Rose, and Blackberry Spice. There’s something for every kind of floral scent lover. Shop Now: Amazon, $9.99

AYOND Desert In Bloom Discovery Set

AYOND has wonderful, natural perfumes.

When looking for gifts for Mother’s Day 2024, consider the types of fragrances your mom has adored in the past. If she loves desert-inspired fragrances, consider this Desert in Bloom gift set. It includes small, travel-sized fragrances that are all naturally derived and vegan. Fragrances included a woody floral fragrance called Rock Rose and an aromatic woody green fragrance called Metamorph. Rounding out the perfume trio is Taos Blue which is an airy citrus floral. Shop Now: AYOND, $35

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The 12 Best Mother's Day Gifts at Amazon That Will Arrive in Time for Sunday — Starting at $6

Score luggage, comfy shoes, travel-friendly skincare sets, and more.

Travel + Leisure / Tyler Roeland

Mother’s Day is right around the corner, and if you put off your shopping until the last minute, don’t worry, you don’t have to resort to snagging an overpriced flower bouquet and calling it a day quite yet. Amazon continues to be a one-stop shop for everything on your to-buy list, and seeing as the site is stocked with unbeatable deals on travel gear , it’s also your best bet for finding meaningful gifts for your favorite traveler before time runs out.

Regardless of the destination your mom (or mother figure) prefers to visit while traveling, we’ve rounded up the 12 best Mother's Day gift markdowns to shop right now that will arrive just in time for the celebration, and are perfect to pack from the beach to the city streets. Best of all: everything is priced under $120, so shoppers of all budgets can snag a favorite child-level gift — starting at just $6.

Samsonite Omni 2 Hardside Expandable Luggage

If your mom is a frequent traveler, the best thing you could gift her for Mother’s Day is a brand-new suitcase to take with her on her next adventure. This shopper-loved checked bag from Samsonite is the perfect choice while it’s on sale for an impressive 45 percent off, and it’s built to withstand the wear and tear of travel thanks to a durable, scratch-resistant polycarbonate shell. The bag expands up to an additional 2 inches to provide more space for overpackers, and your mom can trust that her belongings are safe once they’ve been packed away since a TSA-approved lock is built directly into the side of this reliable case. 

Bagsmart Hanging Toiletry Bag

Give your mother the gift of organization this year with the Bagsmart hanging toiletry bag. It’s so compact that it will easily fit into her carry-on while providing convenient access to liquids while heading through TSA — and it’s even on sale for just $23 right now. This bag eliminates the clutter of products covering the bathroom counter at the hotel since it hangs from the back of any door with the help of a simple hook, and it boasts several pockets and pouches within each section of the bag to keep bottles and other products upright while avoiding spillage. It’s great for road trips, long flights, and even camping excursions.

Homesick Candle

Bring your mom’s favorite travel destination straight to her home with the help of Homesick Candles, a unique brand that offers 52 candle scents (one for each state). The candles boast a burn time of up to 80 hours, and from zesty orange to a refreshing sea breeze, they effortlessly transport you to your fondest memories without splurging on a plane ticket. And if you live far away from your parents, gift your mom a candle from your current destination so she can think of you whenever she lights it. Even if she’s not traveling any time soon, her at-home oasis is about to get a major upgrade.

Apple AirTag

Practical tech is never a bad gift idea, so we recommend putting the finishing touch on your present with an Apple AirTag. They're currently on sale at Amazon, making now the best time to snag one for your mom to tuck into her suitcase. The compact device simply connects to any iPhone so she can track her checked bag from the moment it leaves her eyeline, doing away with the threat of lost luggage for good. More than 152,000 travelers swear by this tracker for providing peace of mind while on the go, which is an invaluable gift to give.

Vlando Travel Jewelry Box

Jewelry is one of the most common Mother’s Day offerings, so why not pair a nice necklace with this travel organizer to keep everything contained during your mom’s next trip? The jewelry box has four compartments that are the perfect size to hold small earrings, while several ring pillows keep fragile items firmly in place. And if your mom is tired of her necklaces tangling while she’s on the go, three hooks alongside an elasticized pocket allow for simple storage that keeps chains and charms neatly stowed away.

Frank Mully Women’s Knit Ballet Flats

Ballet flats are the hottest shoes of the season, and they are also incredibly comfortable and packable for travel. These knitted flats from Frank Mully are a top-notch gift for your stylish parent as they’re easily paired with nearly anything she might have tucked inside her suitcase, effectively cutting down on her footwear needs. Plus, they’re designed with non-slip rubber soles alongside lightly cushioned insoles for a supportive fit no matter what’s on the agenda. Certain colors are on sale for as little as $39 at Amazon right now, so if you’re planning to snag several gifts for your mom this year, this is one budget-friendly option.

Hoxis Oversize Vegan Leather Tote Bag

Just because a carry-on bag should be sensible doesn’t mean it needs to be boring, and this stunning vegan leather tote will quickly become your mom’s new go-to for vacations of any length. The spacious design can be taken from the airplane to a day of shopping (and even to the poolside) with ease, and it’s available in 10 stunning neutral and bright shades to match your mother’s personality and taste. A magnetic closure at the top of the bag promises to keep her belongings safe and protected, and the lightweight design is easy to carry and will instantly elevate any outfit it’s paired with.

Cosrx All About Snail Travel Skincare Set

If your mom has a hard time investing in her skincare routine but still loves the finer things in life, this four-piece set from Cosrx will likely be a welcome addition to her toiletry bag during upcoming travels — and right now, it’s on sale for just $21. This shopper-loved Korean skincare set features a cleanser, serum, peptide cream, and hydrating lotion so your mother can enjoy a spa-like experience from the comfort of her hotel room. The set boasts a number of benefits, from firming the skin to adding radiance and hydration, and at just over $5 apiece, this is a great add-on gift.

Veken 6-piece Packing Cubes

Packing cubes are essential for making the most of limited luggage space, and if your parent is an overpacker, this set of six bags from Veken is guaranteed to transform her travels in the coming year. Complete with a shoe bag, laundry pouch, and four other packing cubes in varying sizes, this set is a dream for optimizing space within a carry-on, and right now, it’s on sale at Amazon for a mere $20. We’re certain your mom will love the opportunity to take her organization to the next level.

Owala FreeSip Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle

Nobody wants to splurge on an overpriced water bottle at the airport, so the Owala FreeSip Insulated water bottle is the perfect thing to gift ahead of your mom’s next vacation. This travel-friendly best-seller is designed with a unique locking mechanism to prevent spillage (even when the bottle is laid down in a bag,) while a hidden straw ensures that, even during turbulence, she can stay hydrated. And with 22 fun colors to choose from, there’s sure to be one shade available that your mom will love.

Grace & Stella Moisturizing Eye Masks

Air travel can be incredibly dehydrating to the skin, so your mom will be happy to have a pack of these moisturizing eye masks tucked into her carry-on to keep her looking and feeling fresh from takeoff to landing. A set of six pairs is currently on sale for $10 and works to alleviate dark under eyes, puffiness, and dull skin, leaving her skin looking even better at the end of her flight than at the beginning. With ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and horse chestnut in each set, these patches are guaranteed to become a mainstay in her carry-on — and even her at-home beauty routine.

Happyluze Wayfarer Travel Scarf Wrap

From the beach to the plane and even an al fresco dinner, this multi-purpose scarf wrap will play so many roles in your mother’s wardrobe, making it a thoughtful and functional gift. The material is made with UPF 50+ to protect sensitive skin from harsh sun rays, and it can even work as a blanket on chilly flights if a simple cardigan isn’t warm enough. If your mom can’t ever seem to get warm, this shawl (or scarf or poncho), is a four-in-one solution that will be cherished for years to come.

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