# What are the best gifts for someone who loves to travel? > Gift ideas for people who love to travel, picked from the gear we carried over 526 days in 20 countries: a carry-on backpack, an anti-theft bag, shoe bags and a rain jacket. - Source: https://clevertourists.com/resources/best-gifts-for-travelers - Authors: Evan & Clara, Clever Tourists (first-hand, from years of travel across 20 countries) - Published: 2026-09-21 - Last updated: 2026-10-27 **The best gift for a traveller is something they will use on every trip and that does not add weight: a better bag, a way to organise the bag, or one piece of weather gear that replaces two.** Travellers already own the basics, so novelty items (scratch maps, passport-shaped mugs) tend to stay home. Everything below comes from [our gear list](https://clevertourists.com/gear), the kit we used over 526 days in 20 countries. ## How to pick a gift for a traveller • **Ask how they travel, not where.** A carry-on-only traveller wants smaller and lighter; someone on a road trip cares less. • **Replace, don't add.** The most welcome gifts upgrade something they already carry and complain about, such as a worn-out daypack or a jacket that wets out. • **Avoid sizing guesses on shoes and clothes** unless you know their size and brand, or include a gift receipt. • **Skip anything fragile, bulky or single-use.** If it will not fit in a carry-on, it will not leave the house. ## The bag: a carry-on travel backpack The Osprey Porter 46 was our main bag for the whole trip. It opens like a suitcase rather than from the top, so you can pack and unpack from a hostel bunk without emptying it, and the harness tucks away when you check it in. Osprey sells it as a carry-on size, but cabin limits vary by airline, so a budget-airline flyer should check the specific limits before relying on that. Our [full Osprey Porter 46 review](https://clevertourists.com/resources/best-travel-backpack-osprey-porter-46) covers it in detail. It suits someone who moves every few days. For a person who flies to one place and stays put, a wheeled case may still make more sense. ## The city bag: anti-theft crossbody A crossbody bag that stays in front of you is the simplest defence against pickpockets on metros and in crowded old towns. The Pacsafe Citysafe CX is built around anti-theft features (locking zips and slash-resistant materials) and converts between a crossbody and a tote, so it works as a day bag at home too. It is a good gift for someone heading to Barcelona, Rome, Paris or Hanoi. ## Small, cheap and always used: shoe bags Shoe bags keep dirty soles off clean clothes and double as laundry bags. They are a cheap gift that a traveller will use every single trip. See [small travel gifts and stocking stuffers](https://clevertourists.com/resources/small-travel-gifts-stocking-stuffers) for more ideas in that range. ## Weather: a packable rain jacket A waterproof shell that packs small covers rain in Southeast Asia's wet season, spring showers in Japan and wind on the Great Ocean Road. Pick a size with room for a fleece underneath, because the jacket is the outer layer on cold days too. ## Gifts that are not things For someone with a trip already booked, money toward the trip is often the most useful gift: a night in a better hotel, a food tour or a museum pass. Our [booking page](https://clevertourists.com/book) lists the search tools we use for flights, hotels and tours. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is a good gift for someone who travels a lot? Something they will use every trip without adding weight: a better carry-on backpack, an anti-theft day bag, packing organisers such as shoe bags, or a packable rain jacket. ### What should you not buy a traveller? Bulky, fragile or single-use novelty items, and clothes or shoes in a size you are guessing. If it does not fit in a carry-on it usually stays home. ### Is the Osprey Porter 46 carry-on size? Osprey sells it as a carry-on travel pack, but cabin size limits vary by airline, so check the airline's limits, especially on budget carriers.