The Verge’s 2024 holiday gift guide for travelers

Airplane tray tables come in all shapes and sizes, which is where the original Flight Flap comes in. The 9 x 4.25-inch device is made of lightweight aluminum and foam, allowing it to safely cradle your phone and bend to accommodate different viewing angles. You can even hang it on the seat in front of you, freeing up space for your complimentary snack and beverage of choice.

The wired earbuds airlines provide for in-flight entertainment are rarely any good. Thankfully, Twelve South’s AirFly Pro let you use your own set of Bluetooth earbuds. The wireless adapter also features an aux input for older devices and syncs with two pairs of headphones simultaneously, so you can binge up to 25 hours of Love Is Blind alongside your travel companion.

The Sitpack Campster II is proof that you get what you pay for. The lightweight camping chair isn’t cheap, but it’s rated for 300 pounds and touts a collapsible one-piece design that’s as easy to set up as it is to pack down. It’s even available with an optional ground sheet and a cup holder, because what’s a camping trip without a proper bevvy?

Apple’s entry-level iPad is the best tablet you can get for under $300, period. The base-model slate cribs plenty of features from newer slates like the iPad Air — including USB-C charging and a more modern, home button-less design — rendering it the perfect companion for long flights and cross-country trips with fam. Now, if only it kept the headphone jack for the kids.

Space internet is cool, particularly if you’re a digital nomad who works on the move or someone who can’t kick their latest Netflix obsession while camping. The Starlink Mini is both a terminal and a Wi-Fi router that can provide high-speed internet anywhere you go — that is, so long as you have a clear view of the sky and a 100W battery.

Just because you’re car camping doesn’t mean you have to settle for a cup of instant Folgers. Snow Peak’s luxe French press weighs a mere 6.3 ounces and uses single-walled Japanese titanium, meaning you can use it to boil water before loading it up with your favorite artisanal coffee grounds.

Not all 3-in-1 chargers are built strictly for home use. Anker’s MagGo Power Bank is roughly the size of a deck of cards and unfolds to charge a MagSafe-equipped iPhone, an Apple Watch, and a pair of AirPods simultaneously. It also leverages the newer Qi2 wireless standard, meaning you’ll get to take advantage of 15W charging speeds when using an iPhone 12 or newer.

The Hoka Bondi 8 are an airport lounge staple, and for good reason. The ultra-cushioned pair of runners are thicc, with a well-balanced rocker and ample support, not to mention a memory foam collar and a revamped mesh upper that’s incredibly soft. It doesn’t hurt that the fashion-forward pair of shoes come in more than 30 colors, either.

Unsurprisingly, the term “Miniroll” aptly describes Ultimate Ears’ small, puck-like Bluetooth speaker. Its compact, bulbous design makes it easy to carry in your backpack or a roomier pocket, while an integrated strap allows you to attach it to your belt loop or a set of handlebars. It’s also water-resistant and comes in a few fun colors.

Whether they have a penchant for international travel or cross-country road trips, your giftee is going to need a way to pass the time and curb boredom while on the road. A Spotify Premium membership provides access to millions of on-demand songs and podcast episodes without ads, allowing them to listen to the latest Kendrick LP or catch up on their backlog of true crime before the next episode hits.

Yeti, shmeti. RTIC’s spacious injection-molded ice chests cost two-thirds of the price of Yeti coolers and cut very few corners to get there. They’re sturdy, relatively lightweight, and can keep ice frozen for up to three or four days in the shade thanks to their well-insulated construction. Just don’t expect them to ward off a grizzly bear.

If your loved one often travels abroad, they’ll need a good travel adapter to power up their electronics. Epicka’s Universal Travel Adapter One is one they can use in more than 150 countries, including Australia and those in the UK and EU. It comes with one USB-C port and four standard USB-A ports, too, which should allow you to charge a range of devices at higher speeds than many of the other travel adapters on the market.

The Backbone One makes your phone function more akin to a gaming console. Designed to accommodate both Apple and Android devices, the handy controller clamps to either side of your phone, plugging into its charging port in the process. The accompanying app then consolidates all of your mobile and cloud gaming titles in a single spot, which is ideal no matter where you use it.

Peak Design’s first backpack was great but its latest is even better. The frameless 25L pack looks at home on the trail and at the gym, which makes it a versatile choice for either an overnighter or a weekend getaway. Plus, it touts plenty of customizable internal and external organization, so you can spend less time wrestling with your laptop, lenses, DSLR, and other gear.

There’s nothing buzzworthy about seethrough packing cubes, though you’d be hard-pressed to find a more practical gift for the jet-setter in your life. That’s because Eagle Creek’s mesh compression cubes make it easy to condense large quantities of clothes, cables, and other contents into your carry-on, so you can pack more and worry less about whether your souvenirs will fit.

The long-lasting QuietComfort Ultra Headphones offer the best of both worlds. They pair the superb ANC capabilities of the Noise Canceling Headphones 700 with the foldable design of the QuietComfort 45, resulting in a comfortable pair of over-ear cans that feel tailor-made for travel. Their improved transparency mode just adds to the appeal, ensuring you’ll never miss a train stop.

Anyone who has drunk from a faucet in Vegas could tell you not all tap water is created equal. Fortunately, LifeStraw makes the BPA-free Go Series water bottle, which features a built-in carbon filter for reducing the taste of chlorine and a membrane microfilter for cutting back on bacteria, parasites, and other contaminants. Needless to say, two-stage filtration has never been easier to take with you.

For many a frequent traveler, few things are as calming as white noise. Luckily, it’s easy to conjure up with Yogasleep’s Travel Mini Sound Machine. The rechargeable, pocket-sized device offers a total of six noise profiles, from ambient nature sounds to serene pink noise, along with a built-in night light that’s just bright enough to read with or use to navigate your next Airbnb.

Owning a Kindle means you have access to an entire library’s worth of books in your back pocket, which is something every traveler will appreciate. Amazon’s latest entry-level model is an easy choice thanks to its crisp six-inch display and marathon battery life, not to mention improved brightness and contrast levels that make it easier to read at night.

You can “look ma, no hands” your lighting needs with Black Diamond’s handy 400-lumen headlamp. The low-profile light is a convenient way to illuminate your immediate vicinity, as it offers more than enough power to navigate your home or local hiking trail in the dark. Best of all, it’s dual-fuel compatible, meaning you can power it with either a rechargeable BD 1500 Li-ion battery or three AAAs.

If you plan on ditching your laptop while traveling, you’d do well to invest in a phone with some serious screen real estate. The Pixel 9 Pro features a 6.3-inch outer display and an eight-inch inner screen, both of which leverage a 120Hz OLED panel. The book-style foldable boasts IPX8 weather resistance, too, along with seven years of software updates.