A gift for those on the go: commuter, student, or field worker
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by Verpakkingdeals.nl
6 min reading time
Power bank, mug, tracker or flashlight: what gift truly stays in the bag of someone who is always on the go? A buyer's guide with considerations per category and three price ranges.
There's a category of gifts that are still in the bag after two weeks, and a category that's in a drawer after two weeks. The difference is rarely in the price. It's about whether the item will be used without anyone having to think about it.
Those who travel a lot – the commuter stuck in a thirty-kilometer traffic jam, the student who spends three days a week on the train, the technician driving from address to address – have a keen sense of this. This buying guide goes through the categories that do make it when you're on the go, with tips for each category on what to look for before ordering.
Start with the question: how does someone travel?
Car, train, or bicycle determines almost everything. In the car, weight isn't a problem but power outlets are; on the train, it's the other way around; on a bike, every gram counts, and everything needs to be waterproof and operable with one hand. If you're not sure, choose something that works in all three cases: small, light, and not dependent on a power outlet.
Second question: does the person already have it? In this category, the chances are good that they do. In that case, a second item is often still good – one in the bag, one in the car – provided it's something easily lost or subject to wear and tear.
Power: the category that's used most often
A dead phone is the most common problem on the go. A compact power bank is therefore a gift that almost always hits the mark, as long as you pay attention to size and capacity. The 3000mAh Power Bank with USB (€14.95) is meant for emergencies: it fits in a jacket pocket and gives your phone a quick boost. If you're looking for something that can keep someone going for a whole day, a larger model is wiser – look at the capacity in mAh, not just the dimensions.
What people rarely buy themselves but often need: cable protection. Charging cables often bend and break right at the connector. A set of Cable Protectors (4 pieces) costs €1.95 and is a perfect little extra in a larger gift. For home or office, where laptops, phones, and earbuds are all used at once, an 8-port USB Charging Station with Fast Charge and PD (€14.95) is a solution that saves hassle every morning.
Eating and drinking on the go
This is where gifts often go wrong: a nice mug that leaks in the bag. So, pay attention to the seal and how easy it is to clean. A 500 ml hard PVC sports and coffee mug (€9.95) is light, robust, and fits in a side pocket. For those with limited space: the collapsible water bottle with carabiner (€7.95) takes up almost no space when empty – handy at a festival or in a daypack, less suitable if someone wants to keep it upright in a cup holder all day.
For those with good drinking intentions, a bottle with time markings is a popular gift: the 2-liter Water Bottle with Time Indicator (€24.95) is available in eight colors. Two liters is substantial – that's for a desk or in the car, not in a bag.
If someone often finds themselves in locations without a canteen, an electric lunchbox is a gift of a different order: the Faitron HeatsBox Pro (€119.95) heats up a packed meal. Pricey, so more for a joint gift or a farewell than for office secret Santa. There's also a separate expansion set for the HeatsBox Style and Style+ (€39.95) if someone already has one.
Losing, finding, and free hands
Anyone who frequently gets in and out of cars, trains, and canteens tends to lose things. A Bluetooth tracker on a keychain or in a laptop bag is therefore one of the few gadgets that genuinely continues to be used: the Smart Finder Key Tracker in white costs €14.95. Be sure to check beforehand if the system is compatible with the recipient's phone, and keep in mind that it requires a coin cell battery or recharging.
From October onwards, everyone will be driving and cycling in the dark. A flashlight that doesn't need charging is more reassuring than one that's half-empty: the Mini LED Flashlight with hand crank (€14.95) works without batteries and fits in a glove compartment. Those who regularly spend time outdoors or camping will benefit more from the Solar Lamp with power bank (€32.00), which provides light and recharges your phone.
For those who measure their day in steps and don't want yet another app: the K&R analog pedometer up to 20 km (€9.95) clips onto a waistband and doesn't need a phone.
Combine two or three; alone it can quickly feel meager
€5 to €25
Power bank (€14.95), sports and coffee mug (€9.95), key tracker (€14.95), flashlight with crank (€14.95), pedometer (€9.95)
Check if the recipient already has it – a second item is often perfectly fine here
From €25
2-liter water bottle (€24.95), solar lamp with power bank (€32.00), HeatsBox Pro (€119.95)
Bigger and more expensive means: first know how someone travels
Wrap and send
Many of these gifts are small and flat, and therefore fit in a black gift box with a window of 8.5 x 6 x 3 cm (€2.99). If you're combining several small items into one gift, a white cube gift box of 12 x 12 x 12 cm (€2.99) is more convenient: everything stays together and it looks like one cohesive gift. If you're sending it by mail, first measure the height of the box – for letterbox delivery, that height is decisive, not the length or width.
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