Road Trip Gifts: 13 Road Warrior Essentials For Overland Travel
We’ve already talked about gifts for vanlife (twice in fact: see our older vanlife gift guide here), but what about gifts for those who aren’t on the road full-time? Those that just like to get away on short-term trips?
This list of road trip gifts is designed with these adventures and travelers in mind. We’ve curated this list full of items that are practical and useful when hitting the road in small vehicles. If you know someone bound for the open road this coming year, read on.
Or maybe you are starting to compile an epic family road trip gear list for the upcoming summer. Kill two birds with one stone by giving useful gifts for the trip!
*This post contains affiliate links.
Navigation for Road Trip Gift Ideas
Patagonia Black Hole Duffel
Backseat Car Organizer
Haven Tents Hammock Tent
Sea to Summit Collapsible X-MUG™ with Cool Grip
Hitchfire Forge 15 Grill
GSI Outdoors Pinnacle Camper Cookset
Primus Kamoto OpenFire Pit
High Camp Flasks Highball Shaker
Stanley Adventure Fast Flow Water Jug
TORRAS Universal Car Mount Phone Holder
WACACO Handheld Espresso Maker
United By Blue Stoneware Mug
RunningSnail Emergency Hand Crank / Solar Battery Box
1. Patagonia Black Hole Duffel
Image credit Patagonia
Start your road trip gift basket off right. How? With the right kind of basket, of course!
A Patagonia Black Hole duffel (in any of their many sizes) is a durable and highly waterproof way to keep all the road trip essentials organized, from clothes to gear.
Plus, since every component aside from the hardware is made from 100% recycled polyester, your loved one can hit the road knowing their luggage will be one less part of the trip’s carbon footprint.
These also double as gifts for the explorer because, thanks to the stow-away straps, they convert into a backpack!
Find it here: Patagonia / Backcountry / REI
2. Backseat Car Organizer
Image credit KNGUVTH
The Black Hole Duffel is great for keeping things like clothing organized on the road, but what about all the little things they might want more accessible?
Get them a backseat car organizer, a simple little pocketed pouch that attaches right behind the driver and/or passenger seat.
A backseat car organizer is something we consider one of the road warrior essentials. We spent a lot of time living out of smaller vehicles before we upgraded to the van and trust us, having an organized, easily accessible storage solution for small things like chargers, sunglasses, books, and more is a huge quality-of-life increase.
These run cheap, too, so they’re excellent if you’re looking for affordable road trip gifts.
Find it here: Amazon
3. Haven Tents Hammock Tent
Image credit Haven Tents
Hammocks are all the rage these days, but suffice it to say they have a few flaws. Alone, they’re not very weatherproof, bug-proof, or warm.
That’s why the Haven Tents hammock tent is hands-down one of the coolest gifts for road trips around.
This square bottom hammock features an integrated sleeping pad, bug net, and waterproof rainfly to keep your loved one warm, dry, and softly swaying to the song of coyotes.
While this isn’t one of the camping gifts for couples, this single-person hanging tent is stellar for solo road trippers.
It doesn’t have to be hung, either. It can be pitched on the ground like a regular tent for those treeless nights spend driving through the desert.
We were graciously given a factory second to test (hooray for ensuring slightly flawed but perfectly functional goods don’t go to the landfill!). After spending this one night each in it, we were both in love. This hammock tent truly is the future of not only road-tripping but backpacking in general.
Find it here: Haven Tents
4. Sea to Summit Collapsible X-MUG™ with Cool Grip
Image credit Sea to Summit
Another essential ditty for any road trip kit gift is a cup you can take anywhere and everywhere.
Coffee shops are essential when you’re on the road but, if your loved one is like us and wants to their road trip or vanlife more eco friendly, the single-use waste they generate each time can be annoying.
That’s why we love the Sea to Summit Collapsible X-MUG™. This 16 oz collapsible silicone cup is so useful, for anything from shots of espresso to soft-serve ice cream after a long hike.
The Cool Grip textured outer gives it a nice grippiness so you won’t drop it. And unlike travel coffee mugs and the like, it collapses totally flat for easy storage, even in a backpack or purse when out-and-about.
Find it here: Sea to Summit / Backcountry / REI / Moosejaw
5. Hitchfire Forge 15 Grill
Image credit @vinnie.zacha.herthel
This next one is truly one of the best road trip gifts if you have a little more in your budget to spend this holiday season.
Just because someone is hitting the road, doesn’t mean it’s all sustainable dehydrated backpacking meals and protein bars. Gourmet is on the go with the Hitchfire Forge 15 Grill, an all-in-one tool for whipping up some mean meals on the road. Simply attach it to any vehicle hitch and drive away. When dinner time rolls around, the pivoting arm moves the grill safely away from the vehicle while staying attached. No more need to set up a separate table to cook, though if they’d rather do that, it easily detaches for tabletop use.
Got a guy who loves to grill?
This travel gift for men produces a whopping 15,000 BTUs of heat and, with a built-in temperature gauge, they can cook anything from Filet Mignon to some tasty vegetable skewers.
Find it here: Backcountry / REI / Moosejaw
6. GSI Outdoors Pinnacle Camper Cookset
Image credit GSI Outdoors
Add the GSI Outdoors Pinnacle Camper Cookset to your travel gift basket and they’ll have a complete gourmet getaway cook set.
This break-proof camp dinnerware set includes 4 plates, 4 bowls, 4 insulated mugs with sippy lids, 2L pot with lid, frying pan, pot gripper, and a welded sink/stuff sack, all of which nest in a 3L pot.
That keeps that car clean and organized without skimping on setting the camp table.
Find it here: REI / Moosejaw
7. Primus Kamoto OpenFire Pit
Image credit Primus
While it’s nice to be able to pull over and cook anywhere, sometimes, you just gotta have a campfire while road-tripping.
The Primus Kamoto OpenFire Pit is an affordable gift that allows road trippers to have a campfire absolutely anywhere (unless restrictions state otherwise). In fact, the increased ventilation this raised platform provides makes it even easier to build a fire.
This one doubles as an eco friendly gift for outdoor adventurers because it means one can have a campfire without needing to create a fire pit and damage the ground. Low-impact, elevated campfires are not only safer and easier to control but are a necessary tool for Leave No Trace boondocking.
Once cooled, it folds up into a near flat package for easy storage and transportation.
Find it here: Backcountry
8. High Camp Flasks Highball Shaker
Check out that awesome personalization! Image credit yours truly.
If you’re making a road trip gift basket for adults include a nifty tool so they can make all their favorite adult beverages by the campfire.
High Camp Flasks’ Highball Shaker is a compact and elegant way to do just that, available in several different finishes, like copper for all you Moscow Mule lovers out there.
High Camp Flasks was kind enough to gift us one of these for the holiday season and we love using it. It has elevated the cocktail game for sure.
Best of all, they engraved it for us with our brand! If you’re looking for personalized travel gifts, this is a truly great option.
High Camp Flasks also offers flasks and tumblers to complete the tipsy trifecta.
Bonus points if you include all makings for their favorite cocktail!
Find it here: High Camp Flasks
9. Stanley Adventure Fast Flow Water Jug
Image credit Stanley
As people who have been on lots of road trips, we know that disposable water bottles and jugs are a PAIN (not to mention very wasteful).
Instead, the Stanley Adventure Fast Flow Water Jug can hold 2 gallons of water and can be refilled over and over. By the way, your road-tripping loved one can fill it FOR FREE in many locations like gas stations, campgrounds, and more. Be sure to encourage them to download the iOverlander and TAP apps before hitting the road to find these resources.
By the way, this thing is so long-lasting and useful, it’s also among our favorite gift ideas for van life.
It features a rugged handle, leakproof design, high-flow spigot for easy pouring, and double-wall foam insulation that will keep drinks cold for hours (and if iced for 2 days).
Find it here: Stanley / Backcountry
10. TORRAS Universal Car Mount Phone Holder
Image credit TORRAS
Most of these gifts apply to adventuring when the car is stopped, what about gifts for drivers?
This next suggestion is for making things easier and more convenient while the miles roll on.
The TORRAS universal car phone holder attaches to any car dashboard and provides a hands-free way to access your phone screen while driving.
This makes navigating new places with your phone GPS much easier (not to mention safer).
There are tons of these on the market these days, but we like this one because the arm extends down from the dash so as not to block your view, unlike some other models.
Another budget-friendly road trip gift!
Find it here: Amazon
11. WACACO Handheld Espresso Maker
Image credit @travellerbytrade
Road trip coffee is absolutely essential.
When they wake up to frost on the inside of the car windows or tent, a piping hot cup of coffee will warm the bones and give them the kick they need to start a day of adventuring off right.
If your loved one is a coffee snob (like we are), instant coffee just doesn’t cut it.
But they don’t need a superpowered espresso maker that costs hundreds of dollars to deliver barista-approved coffee.
For real, portable coffee on-the-go, WACACO does it right with their series of handheld, power-free espresso makers. Just add boiling water and let the pump button do all the work.
Choose between several different models of machines, including the Picopresso, Nanopresso, and Minipresso. For those who don’t like coffee quite espresso-level strong, check out the Pikamocha for pour-over coffee.
Find it here: WACACO
12. United By Blue Stoneware Mug
Image by United By Blue
But where to put that delicious fresh coffee?!
They could put it in the Sea to Summit X-MUG™, but for a little more camp coziness, check out one of the delightfully artsy stoneware mugs by United By Blue.
United By Blue is one of the best sustainable outdoor clothing brands, and in fact, one of the best up-and-coming sustainable brands period. But clothing isn’t all they sell.
These 16 oz mugs feature lead-free and food-safe glazes and make for great travel gifts for women.
In UBB’s words: Your morning coffee does so much for you, treat it to something nice with an artfully-crafted, perfectly-oversized ceramic mug.
Besides, what’s a road trip without an overly aesthetic image of morning coffee in a photo-worthy with a killer view?
Find it here: United By Blue
13. RunningSnail Emergency Hand Crank / Solar Battery Box
Image credit RunningSnail
Vanlife Safety 101: always be prepared for the worst.
One small thing to help with that is RunningSnail Emergency Hand Crank / Solar Battery Box.
Not only does this small device include a light, radio, and USB device charger, it’s powered by both solar power or a hand crank if sh*t hits the tires after dark.
On road trips, bad things don’t always happen when on pavement and in cell-signal, making these especially good gifts for off roaders.
Think of this as a double gift for yourself, because it will help ensure your loved one can stay safe and connected in an emergency situation.
Find it here: Amazon
Before You Drive Away…
Whether you’re looking for gifts for adventurous women or men, we hope this list of road-ready presents helps ease those holiday anxieties and stoke some wanderlust once opened.
If you’re not buying gifts for road trips for someone else but are instead planning one yourself, drop some helpful hints by sharing this article with your friends and family.
Maybe you’ll even inspire them to join you ;)
**This post contains affiliate links to support the continued creation of these van life guides. This just means that if you purchase something from one of the links above, I get a small commission from the sale at no cost to you. Read more here or reach out with more questions.