The Last Minute Holiday Gift Guide of Gadgets, Goodies and Gear for Intrepid Travelers and the Travel Savvy

Last minute wander lusters look no further. Holiday cheers, goodies, gadgets, and gear are here for those soulful intrepid travelers on your holiday gift list.

This year's list is a mad-mix of beauty, health, and wellness for the weary traveler, a good bit of gadgets and plenty of gear that's both fashion forward and functional, not to mention a bevy of bags and boots to set your outdoor enthusiasts on the right path, one filled with excitement and endless adventure.

So, pull out the plastic, spike up your mug, turn up the tunes and get ready to give.

GEAR

Too KÜHL for School The KÜHL ARKTIK™ JACKET ($279) is top in its category as it’s fiercely fashionable and incredibly comfortable. The waxed fabric fights off the elements be it rain or snow so you can get back to doing what you do best, playing in whatever the weather. Antarctic anyone?

Hidden Figures ScotteVest put the hidden pockets on the global travel map. Each year they manage to take it one step further and one pocket deeper with their new season of gear. This year’s new Men’s Hoodie Microfleece ($100) is cozy for men and or women looking for that casual athleisure look. With 21 hidden pockets you’ll be hands free, wearing your covert carry on. Ladies leave your bags behind when you step out in the Women’s Margaux Cargaux Travel Pants ($95) complete with eleven pockets. I absolutely love the quality, comfort and functionality of both of these products. ScotteVest is a great investment as the products wash and wear well, looking as good as new several seasons in. What’s in your pocket?

Intrepid to the Gore For the running gazelle on your list, nothing says I love you quite like Gore's neon ESSENTIAL LADY WINDSTOPPER® ACTIVE SHELL PARTIAL JACKET ($149.99) and Gore FUSION WINDSTOPPER GLOVES ($69.99) It lets your loved one know that you’ve got your eye on them and more importantly, they’re sure to be seen by a bevy of bikes and an onslaught of cars when they hit the global road.

High Octane If looking for a stocking stuffers for your runners, pop Fuel Belts sleek Sport Pack Belt ($24.99) and a not so subtle Neon Flare ($9.99) into their sleek stocking. That’s all you need. You’re good to go.

Safari Savvy Packing light and right for safari is essential as weight is limited with your small charters, colors need to be neutral while in the wild and you often need to be comfortable for several hours on end whatever the weather. ExOfficio’s Women’s MUSEO TUNIC ($58) and their Women’s Safari ($40) are excellent safari tops as they are loose and lightweight and easy to wash and wear a few times over on the go. Their Women’s FLYQ LITE JACKET ($50) and Women’s FLYQ LITE JACKET ($84) are a great complement with plenty of pockets and the colors are safari savvy.

Well-Researched For the serious intrepid travelers on your list, plan on parking it at Outdoor Research site for more than a minute. Their hats, gloves and gaiters alone are reason enough to dive into the deep end of this site. They also make for great stocking stuffers. The WOMEN'S DEVIATOR HOODY ($189) is just the ticket for your outdoor enthusiasts looking for warmth and wicking with it’s Polartec® Alpha® insulation and Polartec® Power Grid™. Plus the pops of color are pitch perfect for the social media enthusiast.

Hard Hitting Mountain Hardwear Women's StretchDown™ HD Hooded Jacket ($290) is part StretchDown and part fleece and a purely sleek and stylish spin on the traditional down. The black and inkwell options are on point, however the green fade is the definitive front runner for color for summer safaris as it’s their winter there in Africa. Sunrise and sunset safaris can be quite cold. So pack appropriately.

A Smart Choice When it comes to weather, savvy travelers hope for the best, yet prepare for the worst. When torrential weather hits, you want to keep you and your gear bone dry. Columbia OUTDRY™ EX GOLD TECH SHELL JKT’s ($175) is a great lightweight shell. It packs a powerful punch with its breathable body armor with advanced evaporation. It will keep you out on the travel trail, whatever the weather, be it an urban or an outdoor adventure.

SHOES & BOOTS

Best in Shoe! Boots are the definitive shoe of choice on the travel front and no one does it better than Bed Stu. The journey begins before you even walk out the door as Bed Stu harkens to another era of shoemaking and they immediately feel far flung and exotic. This Brooklyn bred, LA based company pulled out all the stops while making of their recent fan favorite, the tall black beauty LOXLEY GRAPHITO ($345). These boots will breezily cross borders and go day into night and from short shorts to long sexy dresses all paired perfectly with drama and international intrigue throughout.

For Goodness Sake One must limit their love of boots when on the run due to weight restrictions with luggage. Boots and shoes need to deliver by playing more than one role while away. Forsake’s PATCH ($149.95) is a weatherproof wonder with its all terrain, rugged craftsmanship together with its street savvy style. They breezily go from mountains to midtown in no time. Win! Win!

Va-Va-Va- Vasque! When it comes to serious arctic adventure and frigid fun you need to bring out the big guns. Vasque. Lost 40 ($179.99) lets the weather know that you mean business as they provide plenty of waterproof warmth and their IceTrek compound keeps you in icy action with all of its traction.

For the Love of Sorel! Sorel has long reigned supreme, successfully doing the dance between fashion and function, outdoor and urban and winter and summer. I can’t walk out the door or anywhere in the world without at least one pair of Sorels in tow, be it under my toes or in the bag. If you’re traveler is fashion savvy, the WOMEN’S FIONA™ WEDGE LUX BOOTIE ($300) will make her swoon. If she’s an urban ingenue, their WOMEN’S JOAN™ RAIN WEDGE TALL GLOSS BOOT ($175) will leave hoards of Hunter lovers in the dust. If she’s beach bound, Women’s Joanie Sandal ($75) are perfect for windswept walks, sexy dinners or meaningful meetings. Consider this the trifecta of fashion-forward fun with plenty of function to take on the run, whatever the weather.

BAGS

Duffel That! In today’s landscape, lighter bags are better bags. Gregory STASH 65 DUFFEL ($79) is 26 inches long yet weighs in at less than two pounds. This is a great grab and go bag for any savvy traveler, especially those heading to Africa. Duffels are preferred on the smaller charters where weight can be restricted to 27 pounds in total. Gregory’s SPLIT-CASE ROLLER DUFFEL 30 ($289.95) is another great duffel with wheels, several separate compartments, lightweight construction and a lifetime guarantee. Consider this a travel marriage.

Packing a Punch! PACSAFE has a full line up of Anti-theft bags and gear. Their Venturesafe X30 Anti-theft Adventure Backpack ($169.95) enables you to throw all kinds of gadgets and gear including cash, cameras and several cell phones in your backpack while traveling with ease. There’s all kinds of bells and whistles here from security hooks, lockable zippers, slashguard, RFID preventing scan scams and secure zip tabs throughout.

Game Changer The OSPREY OZONE 46L/22" - ULTRALIGHT TRAVEL ($230) is a great bag to add to any adventure arsenal. It’s a pitch perfect carry on option weighing in at a mere 4.37 pounds. You don’t have to break your back or anyone else’s trying to shove it into the elusive overhead. It’s sleek and easy, like travel should be...

TECH/GADGETS

Canon While many may be moving to the lighter weight mirrorless cameras, there are equally as many committed to their DSLR’s. If shopping for a Canon fanatic, their new EOS 5D Mark IV EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM Kit ($,4099) is the camera and kit for them. You can’t beat the image quality with Canon all-new 30.4 Megapixel full-frame sensor and their 4K video which delivers smooth AF for video and live shoots. The built-in Wifi, GPS and touch-panel LCD are but a few reasons to continue commit to Canon. If you’re looking for a little something on the side, their PowerShot G1 X Mark III camera ($1299) comes with built in WiFi, Bluetooth and features 24.2 Megapixel. It’s a great added option for quick videos on the go.

That’s a Wrap If you’re shopping for a social media scenester or you are one yourself, JOBY’s Gorilla-Pod Mobile Mini ($14.99) is a must for filming hands free on your phone. JOBY’s Grip Tight Action Kit ($49.95) also handles phone and GoPro on the go so you can stick to smiling for the camera.

TRAVEL FASHION

The Eye of the Beholder There’s nothing better than a wrap, jacket, hoodie, sweater, not to mention a reversible one, which allows the colors and the ways in which you wear to turn on a dime. Ibex Dyad Long Sweater Reversible Black/Camel ($132) is just that. Even better, it’s currently posted at nearly half off of its original price. It’s one the many benefits to being a Last Minute Holiday Gift giver. Bargains abound!

SPANX High quality fashion forward leggings in several colors, textures and styles are great go to’s for any and all forms of travel. Spanx has an extensive leggings line with new styles released each season. The quality is unparallelled. So, they are well worth the $100 investment as they will last several seasons. A few of the faves for this season are Faux Leather Moto Leggings ($110). It’s fashion fusion at its best with several trends in one with faux leather and moto in one.

Bronze and metallics are also on trend. The Faux Leather Leggings - Bronze Metal ($98) is also a nice pop of color if wearing a base of black. Last, the Velvet Leggings - Black ($98) are a holiday and winter wonderland classic. The extra benefit is that all leggings are as effective as Spanx themselves, an added bonus for any overly indulgent trip.

Wrap It Up! A wrap is essential for any big trip. They’re perfect for inflight and windy nights and add a fashion flair to an otherwise classic ensem. Royal Robbins All Season Merino Wrap ($120) in Turkish Coffee is the perfect gift for any fashion forward traveler.

Bed Head Oprah believes one should have a pajama wardrobe. Who can argue with O? If that’s the case, start by buying one set of Bed Head PJ’s for each holiday season or celebratory reason. When travel makes you weary, there’s nothing better than getting home and slipping into your own bed. On the road there’s nothing better than jumping into your own jammies. This line is chic, sleek and sexy. They come in silky or soft cotton. For cerebral sleepers in search of a little word play at the end of the day, I’d suggest WORD PLAY STRETCH CLASSIC PJ SET ($140). They’re crazy comfy and effortlessly chic. What better way to go to sleep?

BEAUTY

It’s a Skin Thing If there’s one thing that takes a beating while traveling, it’s your skin. So, whether shopping for yourself or someone else, you can never go wrong with great gifts for the skin as the damage begins as you enter the airport. The lack of oxygen in flight, lack of sleep throughout, forced AC in some properties and the hit list goes on. Kerstin Florian is a real treat at home and while away. In flight, I love to literally soak my skin in oil. ORGANIC REHYDRATING NEROLI FACIAL OIL ($72) is great for in-flight and at night. CORRECTING HYALURONIC SERUM ($88) will be a great base every day while away and their CAVIAR AGE-DEFENSE CRÈME ($188) Is so rich and delicious. It always feels like a true treat. The lack of deep sleep and way too much wine while away (wink wink) or too much sodium in your faraway food can wreak havoc on the eyes.

Kerstin Florian’s CORRECTING BRIGHTENING EYE CRÈME ($75) will keep you Insta-ready and social media savvy throughout. More importantly, the integrity of this company and their products is unparalleled. If dipping into a top-notch spa around the world, chances are they carry Kerstin Florian. If not able to stop and spa, you can create your own while on the go with Kerstin Florian in tow.

A Million Dollar Smile A smile is worth a thousand words and potentially a thousand dollars depending upon the Instagrammer or Influencer. Nowadays there is nothing worse than a mellow yellow smile, yet bleaches and whiteners weaken the teeth. Curaprox Black is White Toothpaste ($30) is a hip Swiss company that uses activated carbon, no bleach to remove that coffee and red wine smile. Cut to the selfie series.

Oh Dear! If the stress of travel causes breakouts, try Dear By Renee - Skin Renewal Serum ($79.95). This plant derived serum will clear and clarify while nourishing dry fatigued, on the fly skin as well.

Sunkissed A good sunscreen is key at home and especially while away when you are out most of the day. I find the better brands that are healthy tend to be white, thick and pasty making me look like the joker and often coloring my clothes. However, HydroPeptide Solar Defense Non-Tinted Broad Spectrum SPF 50 ($48) is a gem. It’s sleek, subtle and oh so silky smooth and feels like another great layer of moisture versus sticky sunscreen. The sunblock is the obvious added benefit. This is the perfect gift for the sun kissed on your list.

Ideal Image Aside from beauty products, beauty treatments are high on many savvy travelers list. Not sure where to start or how to shop? Head to Ideal Image. Ultherapy is a not so secret of the stars. Jen Aniston has gone public, waxing poetic about her love of Ultherapy. Basically it’s at the head of the line in the noninvasive family. It’s the well-needed lift which is done by building up layers of collagen from within. Hop on the site to find a location near you where Ultherapy and Coolsculpting are bit a few of the beauty gifts to give away and one of the many ways in which you and your travel savvy friends can start the New Year right and bright. Also, 25% giveaways are available on the site right now. It’s beauty and a bargain wrapped up in one!

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Raw & Order If into beauty, health & wellness, we all know it starts from the inside out. So, aside from the skin thing and getting your exercise on, supplements are a must at home and while away. Raw & Order is my go to site for cutting edge supplements for the right price. Fewer things pack a bigger punch Antioxidant Extreme ($59.95). It will keep many things at bay while away. Custom Probiotics ($45) is another great stocking stuffer that will keep the gut and the belly well in balance. Ho! Ho! Ho!

Skin Supplements Finally, ZEA Skin Solutions - Radiant Skin Supplements ($75) are perfect for keeping skin, nails and holiday hair healthy wealthy and wise at home and while away.

If you’re a little too late on your last minute holiday shopping and gift giving, fear not my friend. You can always contact any of the businesses on the list and get e-gift cards for your loved ones and friends with a link to the suggested gift(s). They will realize that you really know the go to’s for the savvy traveler, but you are shopping with them, their health and wellness and their sense of adventure in mind.

Remember it’s never too late to shop for you too. Happy Holidays to all and to all a good night!!!