10 best gift ideas for people who love road trips, according to readers

Photo courtesy of AleksandarNakic // Getty Images

If you have someone in your life who loves to experience the open road, you just might find the perfect gift for them on this list of reader-approved items. 

To find the best gift ideas for 2021, a panel of experts selected 20 nominees, then our readers voted for the 10 best.

Photo courtesy of Gregory Mountain Products

10. Border Traveler 30

Gregory Mountain Products, based near Salt Lake City, has been making backpacks since 1977. Their Border Traveler design reflects that expertise – a split-case design to separate clean and dirty clothes, recycled components, inside pockets to organize travel essentials, external pockets designed with laptops and water bottles in mind, and a comfortable back panel with shoulder harnesses.

Photo courtesy of Matador

9. SEG42 Travel Pack

This one-bag travel system combines the best features of a backpack, duffle bag and packing cubes. Organize your road trip essentials by type, day or activity. You can even separate dirty clothes in the oversized clamshell pocket. The bag also comes with an external-access padded laptop sleeve.

“I finally found a solution for one-bag travel,” says 10Best panelist Eric Grossman.

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Photo courtesy of Roadtrippers

8. Roadtrippers Plus App

Roadtrippers provides a free app you can use to plan trips, but if you have a road tripper on your holiday shopping list, treat them to Roadtrippers Plus. For a small annual fee, you'll help them turn any ho-hum journey into an adventure.

Roadtrippers Plus also allows users to share their route with friends and family, add up to 150 side trips based on preferences, create an itinerary, get recommendations, plan a budget and enjoy special discounts when booking select hotels and restaurants with the app. It's a great gift to make extended and cross-country trips a breeze to plan and enjoy.

Photo courtesy of Dometic

7. Dometic CFX3 35

Dometic has developed a reputation for rugged coolers, and the tough CFX-3 35 model doesn't disappoint. The 36-liter capacity can carry up to 50 cans with no more melting ice. The powerful compressor doesn't just cool; it can deep-freeze down to -7 degrees F. The high-resolution color display has soft-touch buttons, or the cooler can be controlled by Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

Photo courtesy of Costa Sunglasses

6. Costa Sunglasses, Untangled Collection

Costa has added The Untangled Collection to their long list of sunglasses, all hand-assembled in the United States. Abandoned fishing nets are a major danger for sea life, and these fashionable frames with polarized lenses are recycled from used fishing nets to reduce waste in the oceans.

Photo courtesy of ORCA Coolers

5. ORCA Cooler Totes

Nashville-based Orca is committed to providing the best coolers on the market while creating local jobs. Their soft-sided line comes in two styles and several colors. Each cooler carries 50 pounds and has a magnetic split handle, insulated walls and a shoulder strap. Load 'em up and take off for the day!

Photo courtesy of Whit Gautreaux

4. High Camp Firelight 750 Flask

After a long day on the road, this collection of tumblers and flasks let you imbibe in style. Each flask comes with a tumbler and magnetic locking system, and each is large enough to hold 750ml of your favorite wine, spirit or cocktail.

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Photo courtesy of Jessica Simeone

3. City Bonfires

Two fathers in Maryland whose jobs were impacted by COVID used their unemployed time to invent these portable, reusable heat sources for camping and other outdoor activities. Open the lid of the recyclable steel tin, light the food-safe contents  and you have three to five hours of a flickering flame. Simply replace the cover to extinguish the flame.

10Best contributor Marla Cimini remarks, "A great little 'portable bonfire' that offers everything you need for smores: a sturdy candle and fresh ingredients."

Photo courtesy of Daniel Gajda

2. Tarpestry Camping Tarps

Remember that time you went to an outdoor concert only to find out there was nothing but wet ground to sit on? Well, don't let it happen again. Take a Tarpestry Camping Tarp along on your next excursion. It combines a colorful preshrunk cotton blanket on top of a waterproof polyester tarp. They come in a wide range of colors and sizes that include a mini size and dog duvet.

Photo courtesy of Womple Studios LLC

1. WompleBox Gift Box

Womple Studios wants to ignite a passion for discovery and learning in kids through storytelling. Each month, your child will receive a WompleBox introducing new countries and cultures, including an illustrated book, maps, guides and activities to pique their curiosity. Soon they’ll be great, engaged travel partners in your family.