The holiday season is upon us once again, and it’s time for our annual purge of the gear we aren’t using. As we go through our stuff and decide what to sell and what to donate, we’re also compiling a list of keepers — gear we love that’s versatile and durable enough to withstand the demands of our frequent travels.
If you need some ideas for your holiday list this year, see which items made our list of favorites below!
Our Travel Gear of the Year
Packable Fun & Games
When we need a break from exploring, we’re usually playing games. These are our travel-friendly favorites.
A compact little puzzle game for 1 or 2 people |
A more packable version of Scrabble |
For longer hauls with lots of down time |
A silly game of taco cats and funny explosions |
The card version of a childhood favorite |
Another winner from cartoonist Matthew Inman |
Packing Gear of the Year
Easy to use, durable, and multi-use are just a few words that describe our favorite packing gear this year.
REI Co-op Ruckpack 28 |
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Jelly luggage tags |
Sea to Summit stuff sacks |
Eagle Creek packing cube set |
Tenba gear wrap |
REI Co-op Stuff Travel Backpack |
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Tech Gear of the Year
Our tried and true electronics gear for photography, blogging, and gaming — plus a few new additions this year.
Did someone say Mario Party? |
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Tomtoc carrying case for Nintendo Switch An affordable yet durable case for a pricey little gaming system |
We still love our a7III and a7S, but this one’s the best for ultra-light packing |
Great for selfies and creative camera mounting for the most epic travel photos |
Pacsafe 12L portable travel safe For places where in-room safes aren’t a thing |
Paired with the hand grip, our other ultra-light packing camera option |
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Peak Design SlideLITE camera strap * A comfortable and easily adjustable camera strap |
Adjustable brightness reading for all lighting conditions |
Travel Wear of the Year
Our favorite all-purpose travel wear that’s as durable as it is versatile.
Our everyday shoes we love so much that we re-buy them whenever they wear out |
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Fitted, comfy, and longer-lasting than any pair of shoes I’ve owned — and they’re guaranteed for life! |
A feminine version of the trucker, it’s my favorite hat I’ve ever owned (there’s a mens version, too!) |
| Packable Jackets
Our insulated puffies pack up small — always easy to bring along “just in case” |
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| Wind and waterproof shells to layer over our puffy jackets and seal out the elements | |
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| As stylish as they are comfortable, our hiking pants double as all-purpose travel bottoms. | |
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Nike Dry Tempo shorts (womens) Comfy shorts for athletic activities and warmer destinations |
prAna Stretch Zion shorts (mens) Ian’s favorite shorts, great for both sightseeing and hiking |
Outdoor Gear of the Year
Our Mt Whitney trip earlier this year had us rethinking our hiking and camping gear needs.
Black Diamond Trail trekking poles For quicker and safer hiking, we bought a pair for each of us for our Mt Whitney hike. |
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| Hiking Boots
Our well-loved boots for lengthy treks and splashing through streams |
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Merrell Moab 2 Mid Waterproof Hiking Boots These boots required zero breaking in! 😮 |
Salomon Quest Prime GTX Hiking Boots – / (sale) Ian wears these in snowy Chicago, too! |
Buff Original Multifunctional Headwear / also in wool For protection from bright sun or brisk wind |
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That wraps up our favorite gear we’ve been using this year! Do you have any tried and true travel gear favorites? What travel-related items are you asking Santa for this year? Share with us in the comments!
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Get more gift ideas in our recently updated post 20 Holiday Gift Ideas for Women and Men Who Love to Travel.
