Gift Guide: For the Traveler

Tyler Brí»lé, founder and editor-in-chief of Monocle, has made a career of whipping around the globe with sartorial elegance. Having just spent much of the last month getting on and off planes, I can attest that there is not much glamor left in domestic travel. There are, however, a few key items that can make travel infinitely more pleasurable. Here are five to please the design-savvy wanderer. 

To make sure we’ve got everyone on your list covered, we’re posting a new gift guide every weekday from now until Christmas. See all of the Gift Guides to date in our archive.

 

Above: Less is more when it comes to travel, beginning with the bag. I’ve had my eye on this one by Matt Singer for a while now: the sturdy lightweight waxed Canvas Weekend Bag comes in two colors, white and olive, and is ideal for road trips or as a carry on; $225 from Matt Singer. Monocle offers another great contender: The Porter Short Hauler Bag with zipped compartments and a removable laptop pouch; £275 from Monocle. 

Above: Water from a plastic bottle just never tastes very good. The S’well Bottle is an insulated flask made from non-toxic, non-leaching, and BPA free double-walled stainless steel that keeps drinks cold for 24 hours and hot for up to 12 hours. Fill it up post-airport screening; $35 from S’well.

Above: The secret to packing (for me, at least) is dividing clothing into manageable piles. The F1 Go Clean Set Blue is comprised of four zippered nylon bags in different sizes for laundry, shoes, and more; $52 from Flight 001. 

 

Above: These versatile Japanese Tenugi cotton cloths are always in my bag. I use them as the Japanese do–as hand towels, napkins, improvised storage bags (tied with a knot), and even as scarves; $13 each from Tortoise General Store.

 

Above: Even though I always tote a laptop, I also like to carry a pen and notebook (I devote one to each major city and keep adding updates). My current favorite is the Leuchtturm Pocket Notebook with squared paper–great for note taking and sketching en route. It has a pocket at the back that’s perfect for storing receipts and business cards; $17.11 from Amazon.  

 For more travel gear ideas, have a look at our Travel Gift Guide from last year. Also see Style Council: Heidi Swanson’s Travel Kit and Totes for the Long Haul.