by Good travel gifts for men can be hard to find. Don’t worry. Help is here! As a nomad for the last 7 years, I’ve had a chance to discover exactly what pieces of travel gear can make a trip terrific. Read on to find the perfect travel gift for him.
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What’t the perfect gift for the travelling man in your life?
If you knew that, you wouldn’t be reading an article about travel gifts for men, would you?
It’s OK though. I know guys can be super tough to shop for (just ask Jane, who finds choosing a gift for me almost torturous!).
If you’re struggling to come up with just the right present, help is here.
I’ve been travelling full-time for more than 7 years and have visited more than 50 countries, so I know a thing or two about what makes a great travel gift. I have picked my favourite items of travel gear — some I already own, some that I would love to have — for this list.
Some of the travel gift ideas I’ve included are big-ticket items that he’ll use every day, thinking of you each time he does. Others are unique travel gifts, perfect if you have a smaller budget, but are still essential for the travelling man.
Whether you’re looking for gifts for a friend going travelling, a travel gift for a business traveller, or a fun travel gift for your boyfriend or husband, you’ll find it here.
If you’re ready to check him off your gift list, read on for your guide to the best…
Travel Gifts for Men
If you need even more gift ideas, don’t miss our post about travel essentials for men, travel essentials for women, our complete guide to minimalist packing for travel.
What Makes a Great Travel Gift?
A great gift should be personal, building on the connection you have with the giftee. It should also be something meaningful, that will last for years to come.
The best gifts for travellers should also be:
- Portable — You really don’t want to be responsible for overfilling your recipient’s suitcase. Make sure your gift is packable and portable.
- Durable — Travel is harder on gear than everyday life. So anything you get should be built to last (which is also more eco-friendly).
- Useful — Every item in my suitcase needs to be essential or it stays home. A great travel gift is one that will become essential to the traveller’s everyday happiness.
- Fun — Sure, you could give him a new pair of travel pants, but what’s the fun in that? Ideally, your gift should be something he’d LOVE to have but that he probably wouldn’t buy himself.
I hope that list didn’t freak you out. I know it sounds like a lot but, the great news is, there are lots of gifts for people who travel that will fulfill all these requirements and more.
Keep reading to find out what they are.
Travel Gifts He Can’t Leave Home Without
This section is all about the travel basics that can make or break a trip. If he doesn’t have great luggage, a perfect day pack, and a secure and slim travel wallet, then start here.
1. Durable luggage he’ll love for years to come
Is his go-to suitcase an old, stained backpack? Or maybe he carries his worn-out college duffel bag?
In that case, the only travel gift you should consider is a new suitcase or travel backpack.
Having the right luggage makes a world of difference on any trip. It’ll help keep him organized, turn packing into a simple exercise, and make it easier to get on and off the plane, in and out of taxis, or to hitch a ride in the middle of nowhere.
There are two suitcases I always recommend. They happen to be the luggage that Jane and I have travelled with for years.
Hard-Sided Luggage for City Travel
I have been carrying the Haupttstadtkoffer Alex 20 for years now and it’s just ideal.
The inside is divided into compartments so I always know where each piece of travel gear is. The outside is a solid hard-case, which protects my stuff from my often reckless treatment and from the mis-handling of baggage clerks the world over.
The best part is that if the wheels or handle break from too much rough treatment, I can order replacement parts from the manufacturer. It’s easy to switch out the old ones and start brand new.
So much better than having to throw out the whole suitcase just because of one broken wheel!
Convertible Backpack to Take Off the Beaten Track
If he likes to get out of the city and travel to unique, less-touristy destinations, then a convertible backpack might be a better fit.
My hard-sided suitcase is great when conditions are good for rolling, but as soon as I hit a dusty road or a giant staircase, I wish I had a bag I could throw on my back.
Jane carries the Standard Luggage Convertible Suitcase. With the straps away, it looks like a stylish suitcase, with the straps out, it turns into a backpack. That’s why Jane always beats me to the top of the stairs.
If you’re thinking of getting him a new travel backpack or suitcase, definitely make time to read our complete guide to the best minimalist backpacks for travel.
Daypack and Suitcase All Rolled Into One
For minimalist men, a travel back pack that doubles as a commuter bag is the ideal solution. After all, why have a suitcase that’s just going to sit gathering dust in a cupboard when he’s not travelling?
The cleverly designed Knack Pack solves that problem neatly. In its unexpanded state, it’s a slimline backpack, perfect for trips to the co-working cafe or for day hikes in the forest.
Unzip it to reveal the hidden suitcase compartment.
Knack Pack comes in three sizes: small is ideal as an overnight bag, medium will take care of weekend trips, and large is great for a week or so. It also has lots of organized compartments for phones, water bottles, passports, laptops, and more to keep him from losing his travel essentials while on the road!
2. Anti-theft carry-on day pack
If he already has a suitcase he loves, what is his daypack situation like? A small backpack that fits under a plane seat and makes a comfy daypack is a perfect travel gift for men.
Standard Luggage Daily Backpack (which Jane uses and I want) is ideal. It’s loaded with features that will keep his most important gear organized, dry, and safe from thieves, including:
- An RFID passport pocket
- A dedicated laptop sleeve
- Lots of zippered compartments for keeping things organized (no more lost wallets)
- A hidden zipper to foil thieves
- Water-resistant fabric and a waterproof cover
This bag also looks better than your average backpack, meaning he can carry it almost anywhere. He can sling it on his back to commute to work or throw it over his shoulders on a countryside bike ride. If he has a business meeting, the backpack straps fold away for an even more stylish look.
See our full review of this backpack ⟶
3. A game-changing travel wallet
Wallets are pretty stuck in the past; they haven’t really changed in decades. Well, welcome to the future.
The Ridge is a complete re-thinking of what a wallet should be. And it’s about time.
I often leave my wallet behind at the hotel, since it’s so bulky and I pay for most things with my iPhone. This leads to endless annoyances as I never have my extra credit card, my ID, or my bank card handy when I need it.
The Ridge slims everything down so it’s easy to slip into a pocket. Plus it:
- Comes with a lifetime guarantee – it’s built to last
- Has RFID blocking to protect from digital theft
- Fits up to 12 cards without stretching out
- Comes with a built-in money clip or cash strap
Even though I don’t have one of these yet, it’s still one of my favourite travel gifts for men — something he’d never buy himself but that will be tucked in his pocket for the next decade. This one is going on my Xmas gift list!
Amazing Travel Experiences for Him
If you’re looking for a gift that will bring your man true happiness, consider giving a travel experience. After all, it’s well documented that possessions don’t make us happy — but experiences can.
Plus, one of the best things about giving an experience is that you can invite yourself along!
Here are a few great travel experience gifts that will make his eyes light up.
1. Give him a travel experience gift box
Tinggly is doing something pretty cool. You choose an experience gift box based around your giftee’s tastes and the amount you want to spend, then he gets to choose from hundreds of travel experiences all around the world.
Experiences range from mountain biking to river cruises to surf lessons to driving a supercar on the Autobahn!
Tinggly has different collections to appeal to the tastes of different types of men. Check out the Perfect for Him Collection, which offers street food tours, mountain biking adventures, snorkelling trips, brewery tours and much more.
For something a little more adrenaline-fuelled, try the Superman Collection, which offers bungy jumping, flexwing microlighting, kayaking, SUP, and lots more.
As a bonus, the gift boxes are made of recycled materials and Tinggly offsets the carbon emissions of each experience by 200%. They also remove 33lbs (15kg) of plastic in the Philippines, Indonesia or Haiti for every gift box sold!
This is the ideal gift for frequent travellers or for someone who is already travelling. But even if his next trip isn’t yet booked, the Tinggly box never expires, so he’ll have his Tinggly experience waiting for him whenever he gets there.
2. Send him on a bicycle adventure
There’s nothing that fills me with joy more than sight-seeing from the seat of a bicycle. Getting on a bike helps bring back the child-like sense of wonder that most of us said “goodbye” to a few decades ago. Plus, it’s the perfect mode of transport to get away from over-touristed areas and immerse yourself in the local life.
For the best bike trips in Asia, we recommend Grasshopper Adventures. They offer everything from half-day city tours to month-long bicycle adventures.
There are plenty of similar options in Europe and North America. You can probably even find a great bike tour in your home city — a great way to give him a travel experience without leaving home. Start by searching on GetYourGuide.
Essential Techie Travel Gifts for Men
At My Five Acres, we don’t buy every new gadget that’s released. Instead, we try to make our tech last, buying only the essentials and using them for years on end.
That said, we do buy gear occasionally (after months of agonizing) and the gifts I recommend here have made a huge difference to our life on the road.
So if you think a techie gift might be right for him, these gift ideas come with our seal of approval!
1. An action camera to capture the moment
An action camera is perfect for anyone who is going on an adventure and loves to shoot video. A few months ago I got the DJI Osmo Action camera and it has transformed the way I capture my travels.
My favourite things about it?
- It is tiny, so I can bring it everywhere without it weighing me down.
- The stabilization technology is incredible — even when I’m running or riding a bike my videos come out smooth.
- The wide angle lens is perfect for capturing all the action, no matter where I am.
- It takes pretty amazing still photos, too!
Best piece of travel gear I’ve bought in years!
2. Phone camera lenses for amazing photos
Does he shoot most of his travel photos and videos on his phone?
If so, then help him up-level his photos with a set of interchangeable phone camera lenses.
There are lots of kinds available, but we like the Moment lens system. They make a bunch of high quality lenses that really will transform the way his phone photos come out.
The kit starts with a Moment phone case. It is designed so that the lenses can screw right into it, holding them stable and in the right position every time. Then, he can add on whichever lenses he wants. I recommend starting with the Wide 18mm and Tele 58mm lenses.
Note: Moment lenses are available for iPhone, Galaxy, Pixel, and OnePlus.
3. Noise-cancelling headphones to keep him sane
About a year ago, after months of research, I finally got a set of Sony noise cancelling headphones.
They truly keep me sane while I travel. I wear them on the plane, in the airport, on busses, in crowds, watching Netflix while Jane sleeps, and even when I’m trying to get to sleep at night. Yup, I’m even wearing them right now.
If the man in your life travels a lot, commutes on public transport, or is at all sensitive to noise, noise-cancelling headphones will be a life-changing gift.
4. Portable travel speaker to bring the fun in
I have been looking at portable travel speakers for several years now.
I finally gave in and bought one a couple of weeks ago and I am so happy I did. For years I have been watching Netflix on my laptop with terrible laptop sound. For years I’ve been listening to music on my iPhone speaker.
Finally, the madness is over!
I got the small Xiaomi bluetooth speaker. It has great sound for the size, it’s super affordable, lightweight, and easily packable. If you want to go for something a little more rugged, the Bose SoundLink Micro is designed for outdoor use. It’s waterproof, durable, and comes with a tear-resistant strap, so it can be carried anywhere.
5. Spotify Premium membership for music-filled trips
Is he a music fan? If he is, and hasn’t subscribed to Spotify Premium yet, this is the perfect gift for him. With a Spotify Premium account he can listen to whatever, whenever, wherever — including music, podcasts, meditations and more.
On its own, a Spotify membership makes a great stocking stuffer or you can pair it with the speakers or headphones above for the perfect audiophile gift. I use mine every day.
Travel Gifts to Bring His Sexy Back
While travelling can be life-affirming and energizing, it can also be exhausting! The gifts in this section will help your guy feel fresh, rested, and like his best self while he’s on the road. Nothing can eliminate the effects of jet lag completely, but these gifts will definitely help.
1. A stylish travel blazer (or suit!)
Is he the kind of guy who can rock a blazer with confidence? Or maybe he needs a little help to look effortlessly stylish? A blazer that’s specifically designed for travel is a great way to dress up any outfit while still being comfortable.
One of my favourite clothing companies, Bluffworks, makes the ultimate travel blazer.
The Bluffworks Gramercy Blazer is packable, machine washable, and wrinkle-resistant. It has a total of 7 inner pockets — some with zippers, some completely hidden — to keep everything safe, from his passport to his iPad (Seriously. That’s not a typo!).
If you really want to make him feel dashing, get him the matching Gramercy pants too.
2. Travel skincare kit
Travel is tough on skin — airplanes dry it out, smog seeps into pores, and dust, dirt, and sweat collect on the surface. Help him stay looking his best with a set of eco-conscious moisturizers and cleansers.
The Organic Male OM4 line has a travel starter kit that makes an ideal gift or stocking stuffer.
It includes a Microblended Bionutrient Face Wash, Surface Refining pH Balancer, Age-Defying Antioxidant Serum and Environmental Defense Hydration Complex. I’m not sure what all that means except that it will help his skin recover from a long-haul flight, a dusty day on the trail, or late nights in the big city.
Plus, Organic Male uses ethically sourced ingredients and works to be a socially responsible and eco-conscious company. Bonus points!
3. Tempur-Pedic travel pillow
I can’t really understand how I travelled so long without a decent travel pillow.
Ever since I got my Tempur-Pedic Travel Pillow I have had much better sleeps — it has become my number one essential travel item.
A pillow might not seem that sexy, but he’ll look and feel much sexier after a solid sleep than he is after tossing and turning all night.
4. Ergonomic eye mask
An eye mask might not be manly but trust me on this one!
I can sleep in almost any situation — but a good eye mask turns that sleep into a long unbroken night of bliss. It doesn’t matter if I’m sleeping on a crowded plane, on a night train, or in a hotel with flimsy curtains, an eye mask is the answer.
I still use an eye mask I picked up in a supermarket in Ho Chi Minh City, but my ideal one is the handmade Mavogel eye mask. It is designed to keep your eyes free from pressure, block out all light seepage, and be so soft and comfortable you don’t even notice you’re wearing it.
This mask will help him sleep better anywhere and that will lead to many happy days of travel!
5. The ultimate coffee nerd kit
It’s amazing how many men I meet on the road who are almost as picky about coffee as I am.
If your giftee is the type of guy who sneers at Starbucks and will only drink coffee from speciality coffee shops…
If he’s the type of guy who is a miserable monster until he has his first cup of coffee…
…then he definitely needs a travel coffee brewing kit.
No matter where we are, I brew my own coffee each morning, starting with whole beans and finishing with the perfect cuppa.
This is the gear that I carry everywhere (from camping in Canada to luxury in Bali).
Leak-Proof Travel Mug: Whether he’s brewing his own coffee or sampling the local specilities, a leak-proof travel mug is essential. Not only does it help save the world but it will save him from drinking coffee from a paper cup.
I love my Klean Kanteen coffee mug and have travelled with it non-stop for 7 years. Make sure you get him one with the Leak Proof Café Cap 2.0 because the old lids totally leaked!
Travel Coffee Grinder: Hario recently updated their portable Ceramic Coffee Mill. So why not splurge and buy him the Mini-Slim Pro, an amazing hand grinder that will help him make a perfect cup of coffee every day.
Pour-Over Coffee Maker: A key piece to the coffee puzzle is a coffee maker. For travel, a pour-over coffee dripper is ideal. I pack the GS Outdoors collapsible pour-over coffee maker. It holds any #4 filter and makes great coffee, as good as you’d get at the nearest hipster coffee shop. This one collapses into a flat circle, so it’s perfectly packable.
Reusable Coffee Filters: You don’t want him to spend his travel days searching for paper filters, so be eco-friendly and buy him CoffeeSocks instead. I’ve used these organic cotton coffee filters for 9 years and love them. Get the #4 filter to use with the pour-over coffee maker above.
Pro Tip: Don’t buy him coffee. He’ll definitely want to choose his own beans.
A Final Word About Travel Gifts for Men
Men can be picky, particular, and hard to please. Finding the perfect travel gift for the travelling man in your life might seem like an impossible task.
What if he really has everything he wants and needs? Or maybe he’s travelling right now and won’t have room in his suitcase for another thing?
Then think about giving a charitable gift in his name.
Figure out what he’s most passionate about — whether it’s bikes, movies, education, food, or just travel — and find a related charity. After that, make a donation, get a personal card, and wrap it all up in an elaborate package for that special day.
If you’re not sure which charity to pick, a gift card from Global Giving will allow him to pick his favourite project.
We hope you’ve found this guide to men’s travel gifts useful. Our goal is to help your travel be transformational journey, so why not help transform his travel with one of these great gifts? If you have any questions about this list, give me a shout on email or Instagram.
♥ Happy transformational travels, Jane & Stephen
We’re not going to lie, it takes a LOT of work to create travel guides like this. But it’s easy to help us out! If you book or buy something using one of our personal links in this post, we’ll earn a small fee at no extra cost to you. Of course, we would never recommend anything we didn’t 100% believe in! Huge thanks in advance! –S&J
