The time of year for evaluating the needs and wants of our loved ones is now upon us! Finding the perfect gift can be a challenging and strangely stressful exercise, but we’re here to help! If you’ve stumbled upon this gift guide, you’re probably searching for expert advice on this delicate annual test. We won’t claim to be experts on many things, but some people have called us “adventurous” and we can easily point you toward simple items that either make our life easier or we wish we had with us while traveling.
Anyone who has spent more than a few days traveling, regardless of the method or location, has run into situations where the right tool or gift could make a difference. Some of the items on this list are more specific for different forms of travel, but this guide has a bit of something for everyone. Obviously we’ve included a range of gifts from small to large in this guide. Conveniently, you probably have a range of people you’re buying gifts for, so everyone wins!
* Affiliate links linking to products we love are within this article. This does NOT effect the cost of the item for you.
1. Scrubba Wash Bag
The Scrubba laundry washing bag is perfect compact sized travel device for washing your clothes anywhere, anytime for free! This little guy is seriously perfect for rvers, campers, jet setters, and hikers alike! I’ve done the whole, get water from the stream, heat it over the fire, and wash clothes before while camping. This. Is. Way. Better. This bag is portable, durable, and will definitely save you money in the long run verses the cost of using a laundromat!
Amazon: Scrubba Wash Bag
2. AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker
What adventurer do you know that doesn’t drink coffee?! Our friend bought us this little coffee maker as a bus warming gift and we seriously use it everyday. The AeroPress is another perfectly lightweight and portable option for the hiker or traveler in your life. It can brew both American and Espresso style coffees and has incredibly easy cleanup! We’ve used a lot of different coffee makers, and this is one of our favorites.
Amazon: AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker
3. Advanced Elements 5 Gallon Solar Shower
Let’s face it, while hiking and camping, we’re all a lot dirtier than we’d like to be. We have also braved cold and frigid streams and river waters in order to get clean while we’ve been on the road. Solar showers are the perfect answer. Let the water sit in the bag out in the sun for an hour or so, and viola! Hot and comfortable water for your shower! We love our solar bag, so SHOWER your favorite adventurer in your life with this wonderful gift. Get it?
Amazon: Advanced Elements 5 Gallon Solar Shower
4. Travel Themed Blanket
When I’m camping or on the road, I still need creature comforts. Wrapped up in a blanket while sitting next to a fire is how you’ll find me most nights we are on the road. This super cute USA travel themed blanket is light weight enough to take with you camping or on your road trip. The polyester fabric is soft and warm, perfect for these cold winter evenings! Plus, who wouldn’t love this super cute print?!
Amazon: Travel Themed Blanket
5. Fujifilm Instax Mini 9
There’s something really fun about taking a photo and having the instant gratification of your picture popping out instantly. We recently bought one for ourselves and use it all the time for taking photos while traveling around on our camper with friends. It’s a fun instant souvenir of your time together, simple as that. AND for less than $55, you really can’t beat that camera price!
Amazon: Fujifilm Instax Mini 9
6. Petforu Camp Stove
When Ryan was a high school, a family member bought him an MSR backpacking stove. More than 15 years later (if reading this in 2018), we still cook 80% of our meals with that same stove while camping and RVing. Stove design hasn’t changed much in that amount of time, but this simple item remains an essential part of any trip away from home. So many options can make choosing a stove complicated, but we’ve found canisters for this type of stove in the majority of places we’ve traveled. Bonus points go to stoves like this one that are so small they’ll easily fit in your car, backpack, or pants pocket.
Amazon: Petforu Camp Stove
7. Road Atlas
We’ve never been shy about our love for books, and that extends to reference books like maps and guide books as well. Perfectly suited for a people traveling outside of phone signal range, a collection of maps can be an invaluable tool. Unlike online maps, these work effectively whether you’re driving in the Sawtooth Mountains or sitting on your living room sofa. We like our own larger print edition for its inclusion of campgrounds and smaller state parks and attractions. There’s nothing more organic than getting out a big map and working your finger down the page, planning your route.
Amazon: Road Atlas
8. Let That Shit Go Welcome Mat
When we met a family of four living in a converted school bus with this doormat behind the folding doors, we couldn’t help but grin stupidly. Hilariously irreverent, this welcome mat is a great reminder to focus on what’s important and cut some ahem “stuff” out of our lives. Probably best suited for homes or RVs, we can also imagine this enlightened rectangle perfectly situated at the entrance of a tent.
Amazon: Let That Shit Go Doormat
9. RV Kitchen Towels
This one’s pretty obvious: things that shouldn’t be wet sometimes get wet. While we can’t prevent the inevitable splash of water or salsa mistake, we can help your loved ones avoid boring towels! Since we’ve been living our “best RV life” recently, these are particularly fitting and would be perfect for anyone frequently hitting the road in search of adventure.
Amazon: RV Kitchen Towels
10. But First, Coffee Pillow Case
I love this cute But First, Coffee pillow case so much. We both love a good adventure and sometimes we are even able to manage an early morning wake up call or two, but never before coffee. I don’t think I’ve ever actually SEEN Ryan successfully coherent in the mornings without it, to be honest. This pillow case design is simple and minimalistic, but totally aesthetically pleasing. The clean design is timeless and will be a great gift for any travel lover in your life who also loves and depends on their coffee!
Amazon: But First, Coffee Decorative Pillow Case
11. Paria Thermodown 15 Degree Sleeping Quilt
For warmth, we have two sleeping quilts from Enlightened Equipment, which are rated for ten-degree (Fahrenheit) weather. They do a great job keeping us plenty toasty during the cold winter months on the road in our bus. We love the quilt style sleeping bags verses the mummy style as they feel more like sleeping in a real bed. You can use the clips on the sides to clip it in place around any sleeping pad, which will keep you insulated from the cold ground underneath while still allowing you to be able to turn and reposition throughout the night.
Amazon: Paria Thermodown 15 Degree Sleeping Quilt
12. Camping Shower Lanyards
These little guys are so cool and creative! We’ve spent the past five months on the road dragging large shower caddies around with us everywhere for showers, which is inconvenient to say the least. These little bottles attach to a lanyard so you can carry your shower necessities hands free and keep them hung up within reach. They are leak proof and hold about 3.3 oz of liquid in each. These would make some seriously smart stocking stuffers for the hiker or camper in your life!
Amazon: Camping Shower Lanyards
13. Wireless Echo Speaker
Since most places around the world frown on stuffing your personal secretary into a suitcase, we suggest one of these bad boys! When connected to an internet connection, the Echo and similar devices can act as an incredible tool for travel planning! After accepting our robotic overlords into our home, we’ve found that we can use it for all sorts of tasks; ranging from music requests and IoT home automation, to giving driving distances between destinations and fetching an updated weather forecast when packing our suitcases.
Amazon: Wireless Echo Speaker
14. Mr. Heater Buddy
After a bit of suffering through intense summer heat in the desert without a/c, we decided to find a better solution for wintertime so we didn’t die on our bus from hypothermia. Enter Mr. Heater Buddy, a space heater run off of propane. We bought this model, as it is safe to use indoors. It has an oxygen depletion sensor and accidental tip-over safety shut off which makes it ideal for using on the bus. It can heat a space of up to 225 square feet and will run for 3 hours on high, 6 hours on low. In the frigid mountain mornings, this little guy has been a lifesaver!
Amazon: Mr. Heater Buddy
15. Etsy Happy Camper Art Print
Art has been proven throughout history to be a wonderful gift. We’re huge fans of tastefully whimsy artwork and think this print is the perfect gift for anyone towing a mobile home into the wilds any chance they get. The style, the reminder to get out of the city, and the simplicity of this print are all perfectly suited for that weekend warrior in your life.
Etsy: Happy Camper Art Print
16. Sheepskin Rug
Okay, so we rescued our sheepskin rug from a Korean thrift store a few years back. It was a real skin from New Zealand and I just had to have it. When we moved back to the states, I brought it with us thinking it would be the perfect boho touch for our camper bus. It looks great but I also didn’t expect it to truly be a necessity. During the colder months our camper floor is FRIGID and this rug is the perfect place to stand while doing dishes or getting ready in the mornings! We think an awesome sheepskin rug is the perfect gift for any boho adventurer out there.
Amazon: Sheepskin Rug
17. Travel Hanging Toiletry Bag
We’ll just go ahead and assume that everyone prefers to be clean. Whether it’s while camping, RV-living, or regular travel, a travel toiletry bag (why did I grow up calling this a dopp kit?) makes organizing all of your essential bathroom items a breeze. We keep two of these on our conversion shuttle bus and it makes life so much simpler. Whether we’re at home, in a hotel, or using public showers in National Parks, these self-contained hygiene stations are always on hand. Make sure you select a model with a hook to hang your bag off of towel racks or door knobs, thus leaving limited counter-space free of clutter.
Amazon: Travel Hanging Toiletry Bag
18. Garmin GPS
We all know that modern phones have incredible maps and real-time traffic data, but sometimes a dedicated unit with a larger-than-phone screen can be much better for long drives. Not only do these units not need a mobile data plan, but they also have their maps pre-downloaded, making navigation in the wilderness or outside of cell range possible. We bought a Garmin unit that’s been pretty great for our RV travels and leave it in our “cockpit” at all times. It’s saved our butts countless times when our phones weren’t able to find a signal and we won’t road trip without it. We often double check the route compared to Google Maps’ suggested route before departure, but it’s generally the same. Be sure to get one with real-time traffic updates like we have, and you’ll be apprised of delays up the road.
Amazon: Garmin GPS
19. Magnetic Knife Strip
You might think that a magnetic knife strip would be a hazard in a moving vehicle or recreational vehicle, but these things are STRONG! In our travels, we’ve met many RVers that have these installed in their galleys and they all swear by them. Not only does the knife strip keep your kitchen more organized, but it makes people think that you embrace a greater level of danger. We’re all about this item’s simplicity, form, and function.
Amazon: Magnetic Knife Strip
20. Things Will Work Out Art Print
Affirmations can be essential when you’re living on the road. Who are we kidding, let’s all just accept that most people could use a bit of encouragement. Sometimes a simple phrase can put a situation into perspective and we’ve loved having this exact print on our bus. From bus breakdowns to everyday problems seeming to pile up, it’s been good to have simple reminder to breathe and trust the balance of the universe. Hedgers Abroad is not responsible for things not working out, however.
People I’ve Loved: Things Will Work Out Art Print
21. Most Scenic Drives in America Book
The internet is amazing and is filled with information about where to go and how to best get there. When you’re off-grid or living beyond the reach of phone signals, having reference books like this one can be a game-changer. Not only do we use reference books like this when planning a trip, but we can easily scan through its pages whenever we’re moving through a new region and see what’s where without needing mobile internet.
Amazon: Most Scenic Drives In America Book
22. Flight 001 Go Clean Laundry Smell Proof Bag
Unless your clothes situation is completely different from ours, clothes need to occasionally be washed. Whenever we’re traveling, we throw one of these smell-proof bags in our luggage or on our RV to make “laundry day” easier and avoid people knowing what we actually smell like. Everyone can use a bit of privacy when it comes to their delicates, and these bags make it impossible to see which garments you’re washing.
Amazon: Flight 001 Go Clean Laundry Smell Proof Bag
23. Steering Wheel Cover
Sometimes it’s difficult to personalize the interior of your vehicle without adding clutter to such a small space. For added comfort and a touch of personality, however, these steering wheel covers are a simple solution. While this could be seen as superfluous, remember that the summer sun can make steering wheels dangerously hot. If you know someone that’s on the road frequently, show that you care about their constantly burning hands by forcing your own style preferences on their life by choosing a pattern that reminds them of who purchased this gift every time they get into their vehicle. This happen to be our exact cover!
Amazon: Steering Wheel Cover
24. TravelWise Packing Cube System
We were late to the game with packing cubes. After receiving a set of these cubes for signing up for a half marathon (random, we recognize), we found packing for vacation surprisingly simplified. Packing light and in small luggage, a range of cube sizes makes separating items effortless. We now pack with packing cubes every time we head out the door for more than a couple of days. Paired with a dopp kit, finding something specific inside a bag or suitcase is greatly simplified, since your items stay where they’re put. Maybe this year we’ll get another set so that we can identify our bags by color as well!
Amazon: TravelWise Packing Cube System
25. Camp Kitchen Utensil Organizer Travel Set
In the spirit of organization, why not get your kitchen utensils in order? Since the camp kitchen or RV galley requires a lot of little tools, this clever kit makes everything readily available and at a quick glance. Anyone who has ripped apart their camper van, mobile home, RV, or campsite looking for a bottle opener just to find it hidden under the chopsticks an hour later can see the value in such tidy and organized pouch. I hope our family gets us something for our mess of a RV kitchen cabinet this year, but we’d probably lose it back behind the coffee can.
Amazon: Camp Kitchen Utensil Organizer Travel Set
26. Sorry For What I Said When We Were Trying To Park The Camper Sign
I about died laughing when I found this little gem online! This could not possibly be anymore accurate. Sometimes parking an oversized and awkward vehicle leads to angry and stressed shouting, let’s be honest. Let’s also follow that up with sheepish apologies. Poke fun at these stressful and embarrassing moments and laugh them off. If you have an rving friend or family member in your life, they are sure to get a laugh out of this as well!
Etsy: Sorry For What I Said When We Were Trying To Park The Camper Sign
27. Set of 4 Southwest Pattern Pillow Cases
As you can see, we really dig minimalistic design. Also the more southwest, the better in my book. When you are trying to outfit a camper, it can be hard to find coordinating pillows, but this set of four does it for you! Simple, timeless, and clean design is always a good go to for gift buying for people. So, give the gift of comfort this Christmas because in all honesty, I don’t think anyone can ever have enough pillows!
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