Travel is one of the best ways to learn something new about yourself and as a parent, you probably want to ensure your child has a great time exploring the world.Visiting a new place can be intimidating, but a few gadgets can help make the experience easier and more enjoyable for your new grad.These are some of the best travel accessories that always earn a spot in our bag whenever we head out on an adventure.Quick OverviewAnker MagGo Power Bank, Qi2 Certified 15W$90 at AmazonBagsmart Compression Packing Cubes (6-set)$32 at AmazonBeshon European Travel Plug Adapter (2-pack)$13 at AmazonDJI Osmo Mobile 7$120 at AmazonTwelve South AirFly SE$35 at AmazonExpressVPN$12.95/month at ExpressVPNFujifilm X-S20 Mirrorless Digital CameraMore options$1,699 at Amazon$1,700 at Best BuyKobo Clara Colour$160 at KoboManta Sleep Mask$33 at AmazonSony WH-1000XM5More options$295 at Amazon$348 at Macy's$400 at TargetSee 5 moreAnkerAnker MagGo Power Bank, Qi2 Certified 15WAt some point during any trip, your phone’s battery will dip dangerously low at the worst possible moment.
It has happened to me and it has probably happened to you too.You can save your grad the frustration of that scenario by buying them a power bank.One of our favorites right now is the Anker MagGo.
At $90, it’s a bit pricey but offers Qi2 support, allowing it to wirelessly charge iPhones and compatible Android devices at a speedy 15W.With a 10,000mAh capacity, it can also recharge a phone multiple times before it needs its own visit to the power outlet.$90 at AmazonBAGSMARTBagsmart Compression Packing Cubes (6-set)You don’t need us to tell you that packing cubes are an essential for any trip, so gifting a set to your new graduate will help them in the long run on all of their business trips, vacations and weekend getaways.
Bagsmart makes some of our favorite travel accessories and their set of six compression packing cubes is a great value.While standard packing cubes are great for organization, compression cubes go the extra mile by letting you make those bags as small as possible, giving you a bit more space to work with in your suitcase.They’ll get one large, two medium and two small cubes, along with a dedicated shoe bag as well.
After they stuff their clothes and belongings inside, a dedicated zipper on the exterior of each cube will let them squish all of their things down as much as possible before packing it all away in their bags.If they’re really Type-A, they’ll also appreciate the label slot on each bag, which will let them designate which cube has their shirts, jeans, pajamas and more.$32 at AmazonBESHONBeshon European Travel Plug Adapter (2-pack)If there’s one thing that everyone needs when they travel internationally, it’s a plug adapter.
Your grad can forget recharging their phone, laptop or anything else unless they have one of these on hand.Beshon’s two-pack is a good value not only for its affordable price, but also because each plug includes three outlets, two USB-C ports and one USB-A connector.That means they’ll have extra space to plug in regular items plus three USB options for tech like their smartwatch, game console and more.
Although the prongs don’t flip down, each adapter is pretty compact and Beshon offers them in various country options — Europe, China, South America and Australia are all covered.$13 at AmazonDJIDJI Osmo Mobile 7If your grad has a relatively recent phone like the iPhone 16 or the Samsung Galaxy S25, they don’t need a dedicated camera to take great-looking video during their trip.But what can elevate their footage is a smartphone gimbal like the Osmo Mobile 7 from DJI.
The company makes some of the best drones you can buy, so it knows a thing or two about camera stabilization.The Osmo Mobile 7 will help your grad film smooth and cinematic videos while they’re on their trip.Plus, it only weighs 300 grams, so it’ll be a lightweight addition to almost any travel kit.
$120 at AmazonTwelve SouthTwelve South AirFly SEIf your grad already owns a decent set of Bluetooth earbuds, you can gift them the AirFly SE.It’s a device that will allow them to use their wireless headphones with a plane’s inflight entertainment system.All they need to do is pair the AirFly SE with their Bluetooth headphones and then plug the dongle into their seat’s headphone jack.
If they’re flying with a friend or partner, you can spend a bit extra and give them the AirFly Pro V2, which offers better audio quality and the ability to stream to pairs of Bluetooth headphones simultaneously.$35 at AmazonExpressVPNExpressVPNRegardless of if they’re traveling for work or pleasure, your grad should get into the habit of using a VPN to keep their browsing private and secure.ExpressVPN is our top pick for frequent travelers because it has thousands of servers in 105 countries, solid upload and download speeds according to our testing and allows for up to eight simultaneous device connections.
Plus, it works across all major platforms including iOS, Windows, Android, Linux and more, so each and every device they use should be covered.A subscription also includes access to the company’s password manager, which will help them login to their accounts more quickly whilst on the road.$12.95/month at ExpressVPNFujifilmFujifilm X-S20 Mirrorless Digital CameraIf your kid has an interest in photography, you can help them capture photos they’ll cherish for the rest of their life with the Fujifilm X-S20.
While it’s a few years old now, the X-S20 is one of the company’s best hybrid cameras, with built-in image stabilization and support for 6.2K open gate video capture.That second feature means the X-S20 is great for recording clips your grad can use for both social media posts and footage they want to include in an edited video.$1,699 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$1,700 at Best BuyAmy Skorheim for EngadgetKobo Clara ColourEvery trip involves some amount of downtime.
Between long flights and train rides, as well as lengthy layovers, there are plenty of opportunities to catch up on some reading.For that reason, an e-reader like the Kobo Clara Color makes for the perfect travel companion.A previous version of this gift guide recommended the 2022 Amazon Kindle, but after testing the Kobo Clara Color, it’s now our favorite ereader.
It features a 300ppi color display that renders covers, graphs and even graphic novels with vibrancy and life.It also features 16GB of storage and USB-C charging.Best of all, with a battery that can go for weeks on a single charge, there’s one less cable and charger for your grad to carry on their next trip.
$160 at KoboManta SleepManta Sleep MaskBetween long-haul flights and the eventual jet lag that sets in after hopping countries and continents, getting a full night’s rest can be a challenge.That’s where a sleep mask can help and the best one I’ve found is made by a company called Manta, which also makes neck pillows, ear plugs, and other travel items.At this point, it makes a lot of different eye mask models, so take a look at their website to find the one that will best suit your kid.
That said, the original Sleep model is a good all-purpose option for frequent travelers.What makes it stand out is that the memory foam eyecups aren’t sewn into the mask.Instead, they’re attached using velcro, allowing you to reposition them to make the mask as comfortable as possible.
The company says they’re also 100 percent effective at blocking out any light, a claim I’ve found to be accurate.$33 at AmazonPhoto by Billy Steele / EngadgetSony WH-1000XM5Crying babies, turbulence and rowdy passengers — there are a lot of sounds that can make an already trying travel experience even more tiresome.Speaking from experience, comfortable and capable noise-canceling headphones can go a long way toward making a flight more peaceful.
Thankfully, you don’t have to look far to find the best option in the field: Sony’s flagship WH-1000XM5.Outside of masterful noise canceling that you can customize, the XM5 has one feature that makes it especially suited for traveling: You can get up to 30 hours of playtime on a single charge, and another three hours after just three minutes of charging.In other words, they’ll easily get your grad through a marathon of flights, layovers, and international travel excursions.
If the $398 cans are outside of your budget, you can still find stock of their excellent predecessor, the WH-1000XM4, at some retailers.$295 at AmazonExplore More Buying Options$348 at Macy's$400 at Target
