Yahoo Autos The Jalopnik Gift Guide for Road-Trippers and Folks Who Spend a Ton of Time in Their Cars
In the last decade of traveling for work and play, I’ve put a lot of miles on my car. And when you’re alone out there on the road, the things you carry with you can take on a personality of their own. From your favorite road-trip playlist to the trusty backpack riding shotgun, it’s easy to get attached to your things.
Chances are, you know someone in a similar situation — the obsessive road-tripper, the professional driver, or the person with a heroic commute. And if they manage (somehow) to get home for the holidays, these folks can be tricky to shop for. After all, what good is a toaster oven or new pair of slippers to someone who spends most of their time behind the wheel?
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Fear not. There are plenty of gifts out there that can make your road warrior’s life a bit easier. I’ve assembled ten of the best items I’ve found that make long days in the car easy, stress-free and fun. Anything here should be a welcome gift for the mile-eating road warrior in your life.
External USB SSD/Storage
In the age of streaming, digital storage might not be the first gift that pops to mind. But think about it: If your loved one likes to travel, chances are they’ve built up a considerable backlog of photos. This SanDisk 1TB Solid State Drive will interface with most devices (including directly to your Android phone), with enough capacity to hold more podcasts, music, and digitized images than you can expect to enjoy over a half-dozen trips.
Car Vacuum
This Black + Decker 12-volt car vacuum is an upgraded version of a tool I carried for years. The amount of messes it cleaned up made it well worth the asking price, and this corded version eliminates the charging issues I eventually ran across with my battery-powered model. But if you absolutely must go cordless, there’s a rechargeable lithium option that should last awhile.
Weathertech Floor Mats
What’s the best way to keep your vehicle’s carpet from getting dirty in the first place? Call in the folks at WeatherTech. These heavy-duty mats are an absolute lifesaver in snowy or muddy regions, keeping the junk on your boots from getting mashed into your car’s carpet. Shaped and tailored specifically to your make and model of car, you can be sure that these will fit snugly and stay securely in place.
Leatherman Multi-tool
An unfortunate truth of the road: You never know when something might break. And when it’s time for a surprise fuse swap or new battery, few tools come more in handy than a high-quality multitool. The Leatherman Wave Plus remains king of these general-use wonders. But if you’re looking for something more on the budget end, the Leatherman Wingman or Leatherman Rev provide cheaper, serviceable options.
Tool Kit
