Picking a gift for a digital nomad can be an exhausting task since their whole life is centered on not owning too much stuff.
So, it may be difficult for you to think of a present for them since their day-to-day looks a bit unusual for other people.
They usually spend their day working on-the-go and traveling from one place to another. Buying them a gift that makes their life at home more comfortable is lovely and appreciated.
However, they’re rarely home, so choosing a gift that is useful, and can help them on the road is far more practical.
Here is a quick overview of our recommendations if you are in a hurry:
What’s Worth Knowing When Looking For A Gift
Digital nomads usually don’t want anything that’ll make their life more of a hassle than it already is. So, anything bulky, heavy, fragile, or attention-seeking, is probably a bad idea.
Buying them furniture of home décor, heavy books, or coffee mugs isn’t the best idea.
It just forces your digital nomad friend to find a way to store those things, since they won’t be using them on a daily/weekly basis.
What to look for:
- Travel accessories – Traveling a lot is a part of digital nomad’s work/business. They spend most of their time on the road, or in the air, so look for something practical in those situations.
- Electronics – They use the internet for work, so finding a good Wi-Fi is imperative. Also, recharging the batteries of their devices is a concern, since there aren’t many power outlets on the road. So, a power bank, or a global hotspot, a portable drive, or headphones would be nice. Something they can use on the road, but for business purposes also.
- Protection – Their laptops are their source of income, so protecting their devices and essentials is important. Thus, an anti-theft laptop backpack is a valuable gift no digital nomad will say no to. Those can also house their valuable documents or smaller items.
- Relaxation – Books can be difficult to carry around, as they tend to consume space. If your digital nomad friend likes reading, gift him/her an e-reader.
Keep these facts in mind, but also make sure to consider your friend’s taste and you shouldn’t struggle with finding a suitable gift for a digital nomad.
However, here’s a list of gift ideas for digital nomads to give you a hint of what they might like.
Top 5 Gifts To Get For Digital Nomads
1. Tinggly Gift Voucher
The constant movement of digital nomads around the world makes it hard for them to have to carry around a lot of stuff.
So, if you can give a gift that doesn’t weigh anything or take up too much space and is hard to lose along the way, well, I’d say they would love you for it!
A lot of the reason behind those who choose the nomadic lifestyle and seek work that allows them to be location independent is that they have the urge to experience new places and cultures as well as activities.
While a gift card to a spa would be a nice thing, they would have to use it up while they are back “home” and make sure to do it before it expires.
This can be hard to do when you are roaming around the continents and don’t really have a set plan of where you will be and when you will be there.
- Over 500 experiences to choose from
- Can find activities in countries all around the world
- Instant gift delivery and valid for 5 years
Having said that, Tinggly is pretty much the PERFECT digital nomad gift. There’s no need to decide which activity they might enjoy because they get to pick it themselves!
Whether they enjoy snorkeling, day trips, cruises, authentic cuisine, etc., they will not have a hard time finding what suits them best.
There’s also no need for them to have to be in one specific place to enjoy the activity because there are experiences they can have in hundreds of different countries so they are bound to be at one at some point in their travels.
With this kind of gift card, they have so much time to pick their adventure. The gift card is valid for 5 years!
Give them stories to take around and not more stuff!
2. Skyroam Solis Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot
The Internet data connection is pretty crucial for digital nomads, as they use it to get the job done.
Now, getting online abroad is an entirely different matter, since the roaming charges may be uneconomical.
Avoiding these uneconomical solutions is best done by buying a global Wi-Fi mobile hotspot and a global SIM card.
This combination offers cheaper daily rates, the ability to share the data with friends, and overall convenience.
Skyroam Solis is designed to be the ultimate travel hotspot, with 4G Wi-Fi coverage in over 130 countries.
The use of virtual Sim technology means that there’s no physical SIM card, and the device automatically connects without any carrier integration.
For most internet users, speed and reliability are pretty important. Solis offers average speeds of about 30 Mbps; however, the speed depends on the network coverage.
More coverage means better speed rate and a more stable connection, and 4G LTE is known to peak at 100 Mbps.
- Unlimited data, you pay for day passes
- Great battery life
- Can be used as a power bank
The company offers unlimited data, but you do purchase day passes, which provide 24 hours of data. If you’re a heavy user, Skyroam offers a monthly subscription as well.
This disc-shaped device comes in an orange case with a minimalist and compact, but stylish design.
Though orange might not be your color of choice, it helps the device stand out inside a backpack or luggage.
It also comes with a 6000 mAh battery, offering 14-20 hours of battery life. Another great feature is that it may also be used as a power bank.
3. Bobby Bizz Anti-Theft Laptop Briefcase
Digital nomads can be quite the travelers. And travelers know that their safety and the security of their essentials should be a top priority.
Theft is the last thing anyone wants, so investing in an anti-theft bag is a smart idea.
XD Design brought us the Bobby – top quality, yet affordable, anti-theft backpack meant for students, travelers, or just everyday users.
However, Bobby Bizz isn’t just a backpack – it also doubles as a briefcase, thanks to its unique design.
Bobby Bizz looks smart and practical, and it’s therefore, ideal for professional settings and meetings.
This model features a water-repellent polyester fabric, with safety reflective strip. It also has a knife-proof inner layer, preventing a potential theft.
- Safe by design
- Looks very professional
- A great number of features
- Hidden zippers and pockets
- Doubles as a backpack when needed
The front features a protective Polypropylene board, making it virtually impossible to cut through.
Another great feature is the lightweight metal frame which protects the contents but also keeps the bag from deforming.
When not used as a briefcase, slipping out the shoulder straps and clipping them to the side loops, turns Bobby Bizz into a backpack.
The straps offer height adjustment, decent padding and a breathable mesh on the back, with hidden storage pockets as well.
This premium looking backpack/briefcase offers plenty of space inside for medium to big laptops, with several compartments meant for tablet, pens, papers, and similar belongings.
All the internal compartments are nicely padded to prevent your gadgets from being damaged.
Bobby Bizz features many features, all of which make this bag a perfect travel companion. Thanks to its professional design, it will also perform admirably in the work environment.
4. Samsung T5 Portable SSD
Most digital nomads rely on cloud-based solution for their backups, but you’ll never hear one saying they don’t need an external hard drive.
External drives make for a great gift for those working with digital photography, videography, and blogging.
Samsung T5 is a spectacular piece of storage hardware, offering 2 TB of data storage, along with specific security features.
The drive comes in a sturdy metal chassis milled out of a single piece of aluminum, which provides a more aesthetic and premium feel.
Thanks to its compact design, and weight of only 1.7oz, the device can comfortably fit in the front pocket of your pants.
While the metallic chassis ensures the proper protection of the chips and components inside, the drive also offers a different kind of protection.
This model includes an optional 256-bit AES hardware encryption that allows you to password-protect your data.
It also comes with accompanying software that enables you to manipulate the password and various other settings.
- Excellent performance
- Compact, lightweight, travel-friendly
- Great read/write speeds
Samsung T5 is quite the performer, with read/write speeds up to 540MBps/515/Mbps, when using a compatible USB-C Gen 2 connector.
Older USB cables are compatible; however, they offer slower performance.
T5 is an excellent SSD for digital nomads who carry their data or perform double-backups. It offers fast transfer rates, and it comes with a three-year warranty.
Those who take a drone on travels with them will really appreciate having extra storage for their amazing aerial photos and videos!
5. Anker PowerCore 20100mAh
We use our phones more and more, so it’s not unusual having to reach for the charger a few times a day.
Digital nomads tend to be frequent travelers, and often don’t have access to power outlets, so charging a phone isn’t always easy.
For that very reason, an excellent portable power bank is essential for people who work on the road.
Power banks are incredibly easy to use. Just charge the power bank, and bring it with you the next time you’re out.
Once your phone battery drops, plug it into the bank and let your device charge.
Anker is a go-to brand for many digital nomads and PowerCore 20100 in one of their top-selling products.
The device is very portable, considering the power capacity it offers.
Anker has improved the design of this model, giving it rounded edges and a weight of only 12.3oz. One of the rounded edges features a button to turn on the device.
Once pressed, the button lights up four LEDs found on top of the device. These LEDs indicate how much charge is left inside.
- Has a safety system
- Large capacity
- Solid design
- Holds charge for a long time
PowerCore 20100 has two USB ports for plugging in your charging cables. A micro-USB slot is reserved for charging the device itself.
With 20100mAh battery inside, PowerCore will be able to charge your phone up to seven times.
Charging the device itself takes around 10 hours when using the cable provided with the device. Lower amp charging cables will take longer to charge it.
6. SONY WH-1000XM3
Life can be noisy when you’re traveling with loud people, unhappy children, or working in a noisy café.
So, noise-canceling headphones can be a useful gift for digital nomads, as they represent the beauty of silence and pure music.
Sony spent years perfecting the audio playback on their headphones, and for this model, they created an adaptability algorithm.
The algorithm itself doesn’t create a single sterile sound barrier, preventing outside noise interference, but multiple sound barriers adapting to whatever situation you’re in.
In terms of design, it’s similar to the previous model, the XM2. There are slight changes in the design, like reduced weight, thicker and softer cushioning, and wider earpads, making them extremely comfortable.
These headphones come with several useful features. The right earcup features a touch-sensitive control panel.
Holding your hand over the cup activates “Quick Attention” mode, which reduces the music volume to a whisper, and lets the ambient noise in.
It’s useful if you need to have a word or two with someone. It also allows you to communicate with your preferred voice assistant: Siri, Google Assist, or Amazon Alexa.
Sound quality is impressive, offering spacious sound to every instrument, effect, and vocal. Sony has improved the quality and quantity of the hardware used in this model.
They also added many additional features, like “Atmospheric Pressure Optimizer, which improves the performance at high altitudes, making them a perfect choice for frequent flyers.
- Outstanding sound quality
- Fantastic noise-canceling
- Several useful features, like Quick Attention mode
- 30-hours battery life
Being a digital nomad, GeoExpat, location independent (there are several different terms people use to describe this type of lifestyle) can be difficult since there is a lot of consideration to have as little baggage as possible and be easily mobile.
However, there are just some essentials that this lifestyle demands.
Some of it may have to do with working on a laptop, but there are also personal items that can just make life on the road a lot more comfortable.
The above items were gathered based on our personal experience of traveling around and living in Southeast Asia as well as our extended travels for over two months through Europe.
We tried to include gifts that could be good for most budgets and add value to the lives of the people they are given to.
Leave a Reply