Alfred the Gnome loves being part of my annual travel gift guide!
Every year, I compile a list of my favorite travel items that I’ve recently discovered that make my adventures easier, more comfortable or stylish. Several of these were suggestions from friends and other travelers that I’ve added to my packing list.
This year’s theme was AFRICA—I’m wrapping up a two-month trip of traveling and working remotely from Southern Africa. This trip took over a year of planning and days of packing.
Here are 12 of the best travel gifts (big, small and silly!) for the holidays to help you find the perfect gifts for friends and family. Feel free to add these to your own Christmas list before you send it to Santa!
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Ozlo Sleepbuds
Ozlo’s comfortable all-night Sleepbuds help me survive long flights.
These noise-canceling sleep earbuds are the best on the market—supurb noise canceling and a flat-profile for side sleepers. It’s no wonder Ozlo Sleepbuds were named Time Magazine’s best inventions of 2025. Three ex-Boise employees got together to resurrect Boise’s discontinued sleep buds. (The two friends I’m traveling with in Africa now have sworn by the Boise ones for years, which piqued my interest.)
As a side sleeper, I’ve always struggled with earbuds—my AirPod Pros are too uncomfortable to sleep with and fall out of my ears too easily. (I tried a cheaper pair of the Anker ones that lack noise cancellation, which I ended up selling on eBay.) The Ozlo’s stay snug in my ear all night and make it much easier to sleep on my side. I love using these on flights to block out the noise without having to worry about them falling out of my ear, an endless issue with my AirPods Pro. The noise-canceling ability is just as good if not better than my AirPods.
While I still prefer to sleep sans earbuds, these comfy silicon ones have been a lifesaver on my travels. They are pricey ($299) but worth it.
Peak Design’s New Minimalists Straps &
Roller Carry-Ons
Peak Design’s new low-profile, minimalist form straps come in both rope (right) and leather (right) styles. Photo courtesy of Peak Design.
Peak Design makes the list every year because it makes my favorite travel and photography essentials. I’m currently in Africa traveling for two months with the Peak Design slide camera straps, lightweight travel tripod, iPhone case, car mount and travel backpack.
One of the simplest accessories has been a game-changer for this Africa trip—the magnetic mobile wallet that attaches to the back of my phone. Due to safety concerns, I wanted a minimal wallet for this trip—I can slip the wallet in a pocket if needed or keep it attached to my phone. I’ve literally used it daily for the past month. It fits two cards and a few cash bills rolled up. (I keep the rest of my cards separate for safety.)
Their new arrivals are amazing—the Roller Pro Carry-ons, and the new low-profile, minimalist form straps in both leather and rope. Peak Design only does one sale every year on Black Friday, so act fast. All products are on sale up to 30 percent off!
Hoto’s line of portable air compressors are perfect for both domestic and internatoinal travel.
Last week, my friends and I were road tripping around Namibia mostly on unpaved washboard roads. When our back tire was low, this handy portable air compressor saved us. Plus, it has an auto-stop feature making it a breeze to use. It took no time to fill up the tire and get us back on the road. It works for cars, motorcycles, bikes and balls. (Our rental car company has given us a gargantuan air compressor to use but this was much more convenient. And it didn’t evolve unpacking the entire car!)
It also has three inflation units: kPa, psi, and bar. This is handy for international travel because the U.S. uses psi and Namibia uses bar. The model we used is only $69 on Amazon during the Black Friday sales!
The Foldie® Travel Bag
The Foldie Travel Bag zips up into a small pouch making it easy to pack! Photo courtesy of The Foldie.
My sister gave me one of The Foldie® Travel Bags, and I absolutely love it. This 40-liter zippered, water-resistant travel bag folds flat in a pouch. I keep this in my rolling carry-on suitcase, so if I’m forced to check my roller bag, I put my electronics in this as a backup.
I’ve also used it as a weekend bag, a carry-on and used it on the bus on my Africa trip recently. There’s an inside zippered pocket for wet items like swimsuits and a zippered bottom expansion. Keep an eye out for their BOGO Black Friday sale!
Patagonia Terrebonne Joggers
Patagonia Terrebonne Joggers come in four colors in both men’s and women’s sizes. Photo courtesy of REI.com.
I’ve been on the hunt for lightweight travel pants for hot, humid climates with no luck until I found these Patagonia Terrebonne Joggers, which are available in both men’s and women’s sizes. These are lightweight, breathable, quick drying and stretchy. And, perfect for plane rides and wandering around a new city. The joggers came in four colors, but I’m loving the black. Available at Patagonia.com and REI.
Sawyer Picaridin Insect Repellent
Sawyer’s picaridin insect repellent comes in both spray and lotion forms. Photo courtesy of Sawyer.
While this isn’t a sexy holiday gift, it’s a very useful one. I’ve always been a DEET-hater because it stinks, ruins clothing and melts flipflops. Now, I use the Sawyer brand of picaridin, which is approved by the EPA and is safe for use on clothing. It also smells much milder than the cough-inducing DEET. I’ve found Picaridin to work better than DEET for ticks. It’s been great on my last two safaris in Kruger National Park and Botswana.
The Sawyer brand is available at REI and Amazon in spray and lotion form. I’ve also been using the Sawyer MINI water filter on this trip for filtering water for extra safety. The brand also has a line of soft collapsible bottles that attach to the filters.
Chipolo Bluetooth Trackers
Chipolo Bluetooth trackers include a credit-card shaped wallet tracker to colorful round trackers that easily attach to luggage and key chains. Photo courtesy of Chipolo.
My travel buddy Rolando is the biggest source of my favorite travel gear. He just introduced me to Chipolo bluetooth trackers, a colorful version of an AirTag that’s easier to attach to items. I love the credit-card-shaped wallet tracker the most.
The other two products include the cheerful Chipolo POP and LOOP designs. These work with Apple’s Find My and Android’s Find Hub networks. I also love that these are made in Europe, not China.
Incense Matches
Incense matches come in a variety of scents to keep your travels smelling fresh.
If you’re looking for a funny stocking stuffer, try Incense Matches for eliminating bathroom odors while traveling. These incense-infused matches have a two-to-four-minute burn time with a lasting scent. The matches are made by a family-run company based in the U.S. This is yet another great and hilarious find from Rolando.
Ridge Magnetic Power Banks
Ridge power banks have a built-in kickstand that’s perfect to use on long flights.
The sleek Ridge power bank is the Swiss Army knife of portable chargers with a 5-in-1 power solution. With 10 MAH, it offers three smartphone recharges and a fast 20W charge for USB-C. It’s also compatible with MagSafe® items, including the Apple Watch. The built-in kickstand is perfect for streaming shows on long flights.
Uniqlo AIRism
I’m a hardcore fan of Uniqlo, the Japanese clothing brand that has brick-and-mortar stores in large cities across the globe. (You can buy online in the U.S. easily if you don’t live near one.) I’m loving this AIRism tank ($15) I bought earlier this year—it’s cool moisture-wicking. It’s a great underlayer in the heat. Uniqlo has AIRism clothing from tanks to jackets in both men’s and women’s styles. It’s all very affordable.
Gymshark Athletic Wear
GymShark’s cotton razorback sports bras are my favorite for travel.
All the girls at my Muay Thai gym in Chiang Mai have been wearing GymShark, the British athletic brand. (They sell both men’s and women’s apparel. You can buy things easily online in the U.S. with free shipping and returns.) I’m in love with their cotton razorback sports bras and tights. FYI—the bras run small, so I’ve had to buy a small or even a medium in some styles despite normally wearing an XS.
Sony 100-400 mm Lens
I’m currently traveling with a Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens and two Sony ar7v camera bodies.
I switched to Sony from Nikon just over a year ago, which was life-changing because Sony’s gear is lighter weight. (The weight of my gear has been my biggest struggle, and my back is so much happier now!) For this trip, I bought a used Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS for wildlife photography. It’s now my favorite lens. While I love my 70-200 f/2.8, I love having the extra range of the 100-400.
I find I’m too shaky with heavier lenses to get my images as sharp as I’d like, so this lens is the happy medium. I’ll be sharing some of my favorite safari images next month in my annual post of my favorite images of the year!
