Featured image: Having a tripod lets you take great photos even when you’re travelling solo, like this one at Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland in July 2024 / Photo by Carolyn Ray

My personal Black Friday list of travel deals for women travellers

by Carolyn Ray

Black Friday is an opportunity for substantial savings on a range of travel items, including electronics, clothing and travel-sized stocking stuffers. But with so much to choose from, it can be hard to select things that are really tried and true. Not to mention Amazon puts its sponsored items first, which can be distracting. 

I travel most of the year, and while I make some changes depending on the season and country, these are the items I always travel with, as you can see from my own photographs dating back several years. We have hundreds of women-recommended products including electronics, luggage, menopause products and more in our Things She Loves section, based on reader tips and discussions in our private Solo Travel Wisdom Facebook group. If you’re not using these resources, make sure you always read the reviews before purchasing anything, especially if it’s a brand you don’t know or isn’t recommended.

Don’t have an Amazon Prime account? Sign up for ​Amazon Prime and try it FREE for 30 days to get these discounts and enjoy free shipping on many items. Make sure to cancel before your 30 days are up to avoid being charged.

(Please note: this article includes Amazon and other affiliate links, but we only ever recommend items we think are relevant for you and we’ve tried ourselves that will benefit you on your travels. If you decide to purchase a product through one of these links, we will receive a small commission that doesn’t add any cost to the purchase of an item and helps us maintain our website and other services to you!)

Black Friday travel deals: 15 items I pack for every trip 

1. Travel toothbrush: I bought this Phillips rechargeable toothbrush in blue a few months ago and have found it’s perfect for travel. It has a travel case, packs small and can be charged using a USB. It’s on sale now for 25% off. Get yours here.

2. Cabeau Travel Pillow: I’ve tested the wrap-around pillows and always come back to my ​​Cabeau Evolution Memory Foam Travel Pillow. It comes with a mask and folds into a very small bag that I can clip to my backpack. Right now you can save 25%. Find it here. 

3. Oura Ring: I’ve been using an Oura Ring for about two years and it’s on sale for $100 off. It’s helpful to understand my sleep patterns, body temperature and exercise goals integrates with other apps on my iphone. It tracks my heart rate and reminds me to move every hour.  Find it here.

4. Democracy ab solution jeans: Why pay hundreds of dollars for jeans? These jeans are lightweight, comfortable and soft, with strategically placed pockets for a figure flattering shape and a sweetheart back yoke to “boost your assets”. I have two pairs, and most of the styles are 25% off this week. Look for a pair here.

5. Cross-body bag: If you’ve seen photos of me on my travels, I’m never without my cross-body bag, slung across my chest. I literally never take it off, except for sleeping, because it has my wallet, passport and phone in it at all times. Sherpani’s cross-body belt bag is 30% off and comes in some fun colours. Find one here.

6. Puffy jacket: I love my Helly Hanson blue puffy jacket, which folds up into a small package. I use it as a base layer or under a windbreaker. Helly Hanson is offering up to 25% off on its hooded long rain jacket and 30% off its insulated coats.

7. Backpack: I don’t have a lot of luggage, or even a large bag, but I do have FIVE Gregory backpacks. This is a brand that I’ve used for at least 25 years. My newest is the Gregory Jade 28L which I purchased this year to hike Japan’s Nakasendo Trail in May. I also have the ​Gregory Maya 10L​ is a smaller women’s pack perfect for hiking and day trips, the ​Gregory 60L​ for longer trips (like my three-month trip in Mexico in 2022). Gregory has really comfortable backpacks that adjust to women’s bodies, as well as plus-size backpacks in colours like blue, green and teal.

8. Slippers: Regardless of the season, I always bring my cosy slippers. I’m on my second pair of UGG slippers, having lost my first somewhere in Italy last fall. I would rather have these than another pair of outdoor shoes. They’re up to 47% off. Get yours here.

9. Headlamp:  A headlamp is an absolutely essential product, not just for camping but also for any unexpected natural disaster or power outage. Along with my rubber door stopper, it is my essential travel item.  Get one that has both red and white lights, like this one from Ledlenser, which is 30% off, in the event you want to use it for turtle watching.

10. Binoculars: I’ve found that having this small set of Occer binoculars saves the day on almost every trip. They’re under $30 and are now 20% off. Now I don’t see something in the distance (a whale, a bird, or a volcano) and wonder ‘what if’ I had a pair of binoculars. Get yours here.

11. Anker charger and an extra refurbished iPhone: I recently upgraded to a larger Anker battery that is about the same size as my iPhone, and charges it in minutes. They’re on sale for 25% off. Find one here.

12. Photo Tripod: Stop with the selfie sticks! If you want to get great solo photographs, this tripod is my secret. It connects to your phone through a Bluetooth remote, has a stable base and folds up into a lightweight, small package that fits in my backpack. When you’re on your own, it’s the best travel accessory ever. I’ve never had any problems with it in security. It’s about $25 and it’s 33% off now. Find it here.

13. Packing cubes: Finding good quality, packing cubes with strong zippers is a must, especially for carry-on. I have two sets of ​Bagsmart Compression water-resistant cubes in different colours, which are on sale for 26% off. I bring an empty one for laundry. Find them here.

14. A black dress: My long ​Sweaty Betty lightweight black dress is a breathable fabric and it works in all kinds of weather. In the summer, it’s the perfect walking dress with my Skecher sneakers or flip-flops. For evenings, I dress it up with a necklace or a jean jacket. In the winter, I wear Spanx tights underneath it. While Spanx isn’t on sale, Shapemint tights are, at 20% off, so it might be worth trying them out.

15. Merino wool underlayers:  When I went to Norway to see the Northern Lights in February 2024, I didn’t have any underlayers. I picked up a pair of Merino wool long underwear, which also double for pyjamas. These merino wool undergarments are 20% off and naturally regulate body temperature to keep you comfortable all year round. Don’t forget socks – I’m partial to the Smartwool brand. Smartwool also has plus-sized clothing, including base layers, shirts and more.

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