I don’t think I ever have any fewer than a dozen tech items in my carry-on bag when I travel, whether it’s for work or vacation. From my phone to my laptop, a portable power bank (usually two), loads of charging cables, multi-port power adapter, noise canceling headphones, back-up earbuds, pocket camera…the list goes on. If you know someone who travels often, first, check out my travel tech guide. Second, see some great gift ideas here that they’ll love tossing in their travel bag.
Top Picks (sponsored & Editor’s Picks)
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
The second generation of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones add lossless USB-C audio for low-latency sound using the included cable. There’s also a new algorithm for more precise adaptive noise cancellation, and Cinema Mode for clearer dialogue when watching movies or listening to podcasts. There’s smarter on-head detection with a faster start-up time, and auto deep sleep low energy mode, even if you don’t manually power them down, which I love.
With polished metal materials they come in new colours, including Black, Smoke White, or the limited edition finishes Driftwood Sand and my favourite, Midnight Violet. They can run for up to 30 hours per charge, 45 hours with ANC off.
The noise cancelling, as expected from Bose, is outstanding. I wore them on four flights to Spain and back (stopover in Paris) and enjoyed the serene quiet of the trip. If you really want to melt away from the world during your flight, slide these headphones on your head and you’ll be in quiet bliss. Read my review.
Buy the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 for $599.99.
Other Gift Ideas
Anker Universal Charger
I travel to Europe from time to time and have a European plug adapter I keep in my luggage to use for plugging in all my gadgets at the hotel. This one, however, smartly switches from North American AC to European plugs, and has Type G outlets for the U.K. and Singapore as well. It’s ultra compact and the prongs fold into the unit so you can slide it into a side pocket or bag. A front screen shows charge status and you can charge up to four devices at once, with up to 100W power for laptops. One of these will definitely be in my bag for my next trip to Europe.
Buy the Anker Universal Charger in the U.S. for $79.99.
Scosche FoundIt Keychain Locator
Clip this keychain onto your carry-on, backpack, keys, or other item you worry you could lose or misplace while traveling to keep track of its location. It’s compatible with both Apple Find My and Android Find Hub, is IP67 dust and water resistant, and comes with a replaceable battery that lasts up to a year.
Buy the Scosche FoundIt Keychain Locator for $45.71.
Cuktech 2-in-1 Portable Handheld Fan
I saw (and used!) this handheld fan at IFA 2026 in Berlin earlier this year, and I instantly loved it. It had me thinking back to when I was in Rome during August, one of the hottest months of the year, and was looking longingly as those I saw walking around with neck fans. In fact, I bought a cheap battery-operated fan just to get by on long walks. This one is not only a mini fan, it’s also a 10,000mAh power bank. You can take off the top to recharge your phone, or even leave that portion at home and just use the handle as a power bank once the cold weather hits. The fan has three speeds, recharges via USB-C, and it’s ultra-affordable when you consider you’re getting both a mini fan and a power bank.
Buy the Cuktech 2-in-1 Portable Handheld Fan for $93.29.
Marshall Milton A.N.C. Wireless Headphones
I love that these headphones are on-ears but smaller than typical rounded or oval-shaped earcups, perfect for those with smaller ears or who don’t want to feel like they’re wearing earmuffs. They offer immersive sound, adaptive ANC, and an 80-hour battery life. I tested these at home and on the go, including on several long flights. Read my review.
Buy the Marshall Milton A.N.C. Wireless Headphones for $329.98.
Travelpro Platinum Elite Underseat Tote Bag
Travel in style for the overnight business trip or weekend getaway with this elegant tote. It’s sized to fit under the seat so you can keep all your essentials nearby instead of fighting for overhead bin space. It has a padded laptop sleeve that can hold an up to 14-inch laptop (like the new MacBook Pro!) and a second tablet sleeve as well. The DuraGuard coating protects the exterior against stains and abrasions while the full-grain leather details on the handle add a touch of class. Place essentials in the front pocket for quick retrieval, like your passport, phone, and charging cable. With 22L packing capacity, you can hold clothes for a day or two (depending on how lightly you pack!), toiletry kit, headphones, maybe even a pair of shoes. It’s a good alternative for those who don’t like backpacks or carry-on suitcases, or want something nicer to bring to the meeting than a backpack. For longer trips, there’s pass-through straps on the back securing it to the handle of your checked bag.
Buy the Travelpro Platinum Elite Underseat Tote Bag for $279.99.
JBL Flip 7 Portable Bluetooth Speaker
If you’re going on a beach vacation, hiking trip, even a business trip, take this with you. You can use it in your hotel room for better sound than the cheap bedside table alarm clock. In fact, I did just that on a vacation to Mexico last year. The kids listened to their Spotify playlists while hanging out in the room, and we all took it with us to the beach or by the pool to listen to music while lounging with margaritas and sunshine. Don’t worry, it’s IP68 rated. You can (and should) keep it in your backpack or purse through security at the airport since it meets guidelines. Don’t worry, it’s super lightweight. Audio quality is impressive, especially considering the small footprint. You get up to 16 hours of playtime. With Auracast, you can connect multiple for immersive audio, like at a remote cottage for a group trip or even at home in your basement, home office, or backyard. It comes in five solid colours plus Camouflage with both a wrist strap and carabiner. Read my review.
Buy the JBL Flip 7 for $189.98.
Waterfly Sling Bag
I love traveling with my backpack as my carry-on, my purse in my checked luggage, and a crossbody bag for easy access to things like my phone, passport, credit cards, cash, and more. When I travel in a new city or country, I use a sling bag because it keeps my phone and cards front, centre, and secured to my body. Plus, my hands remain free. I got this one for my son a few years ago and it has lots of compartments to store essentials, an earphone hole for wired earbuds (since these seem to be coming back in style), and even a secret shoulder stash pocket. There are two side mesh pockets to hold a small water bottle and other item as well. The strap is adjustable and the material breathable enough to wear on hot summer days.
Buy the Waterfly Sling Bag for $34.99.
Always Mobile eSIM
Order an Always Mobile eSIM for a frequent traveler. Choose a destination to which they often travel, like the U.S., Asia, or Europe, and get a plan that will last through their next few trips, or for an upcoming one you know has been booked. With eSIM packages available for over 150 countries and destinations, costs are ultra-cheap. Think $7 for 1GB of data over a seven-day period or a 30-day plan with 10GB for $26. For 20 areas in Asia, pricing start at $10 while coverage in 30+ areas starts at $23. These plans are exclusive to data, so they’ll have to turn off their primary phone lines and thus won’t be able to make or receive traditional cellular calls nor SMS. But if they are okay switching to instant messaging and data-based call apps like WhatsApp and FaceTime, it’s totally worth it. I used Always Mobile through CES in Las Vegas in January 2025 and it worked beautifully. Read my review.
Buy an Always Mobile eSIM; pricing varies.
Jackery 100D Portable Power Station
Normally, you think of portable power stations as being larger units you keep at home, use in the backyard, or bring to the campsite. But Jackery has developed this adorable one that is small enough to bring along with you. It’s smaller than a traditional portable power station but larger than a typical power bank. But since it offers 96Wh, it remains under the 100Wh maximum for lithium batteries in planes, which means you can bring it in your carry-on. It measures just 4.6 x 3.4 x 3.4 inches and weighs under 2 lbs., so no more than a standard tablet. The 30,000mAh battery and 158W output power is enough to recharge everything from your smartphone and other gadgets to your laptop. It has two USB-C ports with 140W output each and an additional 18W output. There’s also 12V passenger vhicle charging if you want to bring it to the campsite or in the RV.
Buy the Jackery 100D for $199.
Satechi OntheGo Collection Bluetooth Keyboard with Stand
This compact, durable, foldable keyboard comes with a protective cover that turns it into a sturdy, adjustable stand for phones or tablets up to 13” in both portrait and landscape modes. The quiet scissor-switch keys offer a tactile, low-profile typing experience ideal for shared or quiet spaces. It can connect to up to three devices at once via Bluetooth 5.1, with easy toggling among them, including MacBook, iPad, and Android devices. It folds flat to easily slip into a bag or backpack and comes with a long-lasting 360mAh rechargeable battery and USB-C charging. For someone who wants to leave the laptop at home to travel light, but still might need to get work done here and there, this will come in handy to pair with a tablet.
Buy the Satechi OntheGo Bluetooth Keyboard with Stand for $89.98.
Rokid AI Glasses
I have been wearing these glasses with prescription lenses on and off for months, and they are a game-changer for travel. Wearing them in Berlin during IFA, I used them to find and navigate to destinations, like a restaurant or nearby coffee shop. I enjoyed real-time translation of menus and audio conversations. Captured footage from the show right from the glasses was a breeze, as it has been at many events I have attended since. I asked questions to get details like the opening time of the show or details about conversations we were having at the table. They are easy to use, photo and video quality is impressive, and translations work well. Look at a menu, ask it to translate, and it will snap a photo and do so on the fly. There are a few things worth noting before you get these glasses. For example, if you want the audio assistant to reply to “Hi Rokid” commands on the fly without you having to press the button, the battery will drain quickly. Thankfully, there’s a Power Capsule accessory with clip-on batteries to keep them going. Read my review.
Buy the Rokid AI Glasses with Screen for $999.
AAWireless TWO+ Adapter
You’ll want this handy gadget for road trips. It’s an adapter that allows you to use both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay in virtually any compatible vehicle. The TWO+ works via plug-and-play set-up, without the need for extra cables or even apps. Once set up, you can instantly switch between Android and iPhone if you have an Android device for work, for example, but your spouse swears by iPhone. It features encrypted Wi-Fi Direct for a faster, more stable connection. I included the TWO+ in this gift guide last year when it wasn’t yet shipping in Canada, but it is now!