Best Gifts for Touring & Adventure Riders
For the rider who does long days and multi-day trips: the mesh intercom, the thermal layers, the higher-attenuation earplugs and the waterproof gloves that decide whether mile 300 is still fun — explained for a gifter, with what to check before each.
How this is funded: we earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. It never changes which gear we recommend, and we’ll tell you plainly when to skip a pick. Full disclosure.
A touring rider already owns the big things. What they are short of is the gear that decides how the last hundred miles of a day feel: whether they can still hear, whether their core is warm, whether their hands are dry, whether the group can talk. Those are the gifts on this page, and the useful thing for you is that almost none of them depend on a size. Every pick is gear we already rank on this site; here it is explained for the person buying it. If you want to see what they probably already have, our touring gear checklist is the list.
The mesh intercom: the gift that changes every group ride
On a long day an intercom is navigation, music, phone and — the part touring riders value most — a live conversation with the riders around them. The premium kind runs on a mesh network that heals itself as riders spread out and regroup along a route. One question before you buy: what brand does their group use? Cardo’s mesh and Sena’s mesh do not join each other. Ask the group, or ask them. Our mesh vs Bluetooth guide explains why it matters.
Mesh intercom — the value Cardo
Cardo Packtalk Neo
- Why it lands:
- The cheapest unit on Cardo's current mesh network, and it is on exactly the same network as the most expensive one: Cardo publishes the same second-generation mesh, the same 31-rider group size, the same 1-mile unit-to-unit range, the same JBL speakers and the same 13 hours of talk time as the flagship Edge.
- Who it suits:
- A touring rider whose group runs Cardo, or a couple who tour together — buy two and they talk all day.
- Check before you buy:
- Brand first: if their group is on Sena, this leaves them out. What it gives up against the Edge is the magnetic mount, the ability to charge while riding — a real limit on very long days — and a year of warranty. Universal helmet mount.
Mesh intercom — the Sena pick
Sena 50S
- Why it lands:
- Sena's flagship mesh unit: Harman Kardon speakers and the big Jog Dial that a rider can work in winter gloves without looking down. Sena publishes 13 hours of mesh talk time and a 2.5-hour charge.
- Who it suits:
- A touring rider whose group runs Sena, or anyone who has said they prefer a dial to buttons.
- Check before you buy:
- Brand first, again. Universal helmet mount. If they already own a Sena and want the newest hardware instead, the 60S EVO sits above it on the same network.
Thermal layers: the gift they feel at 6 a.m. in the mountains
Touring days start cold. A thermal compression layer under the jacket adds real warmth without the bulk that stops the jacket’s armor sitting where it should, and the bottom half is the piece almost every rider forgets — riding pants vent cold air straight onto the legs. Both are sized by ordinary clothing size, which makes them among the safest garments to buy for someone else. Our cold-weather gear guide explains the layering.
Thermal base layer — bottoms
Alpinestars Winter Tech Bottoms
- Why it lands:
- The half everyone forgets. A thermal riding bottom that fits under armored jeans or textile pants without bunching at the knee armor, with flat seams that do not press into the leg. The cheapest meaningful cold-weather upgrade a touring rider can make.
- Who it suits:
- Any rider who does early starts, mountain passes or shoulder-season trips.
- Check before you buy:
- Compression fit, sized like fitted athletic wear — use their normal size. Warmth only; there is no protective function. Too warm for anything above roughly 60F, so it is a cool-weather piece.
Price as of September 22, 2026. #ad How we’re funded
Thermal base layer — top
Alpinestars Ride Tech Winter Long Sleeve Top
- Why it lands:
- A brushed thermal compression top that adds warmth with almost no bulk, so the jacket still fits and its armor still sits in place. High neck and long sleeves for coverage under a collar; moisture management so a long cold day does not end damp.
- Who it suits:
- The natural pair to the bottoms above — together they extend a textile jacket's season by months.
- Check before you buy:
- Compression fit, sized by chest — their normal fitted-shirt size. No protective function. If they ride in real heat instead, our base layer ranking has the cooling equivalent.
Price as of September 22, 2026. #ad How we’re funded
Two small things for the helmet
A balaclava closes the gap between helmet and collar that lets cold air in on a long transit, and keeps a day of sweat out of a helmet liner. And touring riders spend more hours at highway speed than anyone, which is where wind noise does its damage; filtered earplugs lower the roar while leaving the intercom and traffic audible, and for a rider who lives on the interstate the higher-attenuation filter is the right one.
Under-helmet balaclava
Alpinestars Open-Face Balaclava
- Why it lands:
- Closes the helmet-to-collar gap on cold mornings and absorbs the sweat that would otherwise go into the liner, with flat seams and an extended neck — designed to sit under a helmet rather than adapted from ski kit. Washes in seconds.
- Who it suits:
- Any rider who does early starts or multi-day trips; the item on our touring checklist most people forget to pack.
- Check before you buy:
- One size, unisex — nothing to get wrong for most heads. A heavyweight fabric, so it is a cool-weather piece despite the all-season label.
Price as of September 22, 2026. #ad How we’re funded
Earplugs — higher attenuation
Alpine MotoSafe Race Earplugs
- Why it lands:
- The same filtered plug as Alpine's Tour version with more attenuation — Alpine publishes 20 dB SNR for the Race filter — while still letting the intercom and traffic through. For a rider who spends hours at highway speed behind a screen that dumps turbulence at the helmet, this is the one.
- Who it suits:
- Interstate tourers and anyone who has said their helmet is loud.
- Check before you buy:
- Nothing to size. More attenuation is not automatically better — for a rider with a quiet touring helmet who mostly rides back roads, Alpine's Tour filter (on our under-$50 page) is the gentler choice.
Price as of September 22, 2026. #ad How we’re funded
Waterproof gloves, if you know the size
Wet hands end a touring day faster than anything except cold ones. A waterproof adventure glove with a real membrane — not a water-resistant coating — is the fix, and the budget end of that category has a genuinely good option. Gloves are sized, so you need their glove size; a photo of the tag inside a pair they own is enough. For heat as well as dryness, our heated glove ranking covers battery and bike-powered options, and the GORE-TEX flagship is on our premium gifts page.
Waterproof adventure gloves — only if you know the size
Tourmaster Super-Tour Waterproof Adventure
- Why it lands:
- A real waterproof breathable membrane and a waterproof zippered cuff gusset, genuine goat leather, a molded knuckle protector and abrasion panels on the knuckle, fingers and heel — at a fraction of the price of the flagship adventure gloves.
- Who it suits:
- The touring or adventure rider whose 'waterproof' gloves are not, or who has been caught out in a day of rain.
- Check before you buy:
- Glove size required (S to 3XL). No CE rating is published for it — judge it on construction, which is why it is ranked below the certified gloves on the same page. Uninsulated, so it is a wet-weather glove, not a winter one.
Price as of September 22, 2026. #ad How we’re funded
Only if you know their exact helmet
An anti-fog visor insert is the touring accessory riders describe as close to essential in cold or wet weather — a sealed second lens that stops breath condensing on the inside of the shield. It is also the one accessory on this site we will not put a buy button on for a gifter, because a Pinlock lens is coded to one specific visor and the wrong code will not fit. If you can get their helmet model from the sticker inside, our visor guide explains how to match the lens to the shield. If you cannot, choose anything else on this page.
What not to buy a touring rider
- A helmet, boots or a jacket as a surprise. A touring rider has strong, specific opinions about all three, formed over a lot of miles, and each is fit-critical. Fund it and go along. Our touring helmet ranking and adventure jacket ranking are what to read together.
- Rain gear without a size. Over-suits are sized like clothing and less forgiving than they look; our rain gear guide explains what works if you can get the size.
- Heated grips. A great upgrade that has to be fitted to one specific motorcycle — not a gift you can hand over.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best gift for a touring motorcycle rider?
A mesh intercom, if you can find out which brand the people they ride with use. Long days are where an intercom earns its keep — navigation prompts, music, calls, and a live conversation with the group — and mesh is the kind that heals itself as riders spread out over a route. Cardo's and Sena's networks do not join each other, so the group's brand decides the gift. If they ride alone, thermal base layers and filtered earplugs are the gifts they will feel most at the end of a long day.
What do adventure riders need that street riders don't?
Weather range. An adventure or touring day can start cold and wet and end hot, so the useful gifts are the ones that extend the range of gear they already own: a thermal layer under the jacket, a balaclava that closes the collar gap, waterproof gloves for the rain hours, and earplugs for the highway transits. None of those depend on knowing a helmet or boot size.
Are heated grips or heated gloves a better gift?
Heated gloves, for a gifter — grips have to be fitted to a specific motorcycle. Battery-heated gloves are the simple kind; the 12-volt bike-powered kind never runs out and is the better choice for long cold days, at the cost of a wire to the bike. Both are sized, so you need their glove size. Our heated glove ranking covers the options.
Is an anti-fog visor insert a good gift for a touring rider?
Excellent — if, and only if, you know their exact helmet model. A Pinlock insert is coded to one specific visor and the wrong code will not fit. Riders who commute or tour in cold or wet weather call it close to essential, so if you can get the helmet model from a photo of the sticker inside, it is a very good gift. If you cannot, choose anything else on this page.
Why do the prices on this page change?
Because this site does not store prices. Every button shows a live, date-stamped price from a daily retailer check, which expires after 48 hours rather than going stale. Where no verified price is available, the button says 'Check price' instead of showing a number.
Sources
- NHTSA — How to Choose the Right Motorcycle Helmet — NHTSA consumer guidance on DOT certification and spotting novelty helmets (accessed July 21, 2026)
- 49 CFR 571.218 — FMVSS No. 218, Motorcycle helmets — The US federal helmet standard: peak-acceleration, penetration and retention requirements; applies to all on-road motorcycle helmets (accessed July 21, 2026)
Keep reading
Motorcycle touring gear checklist
Everything a rider packs for a multi-day trip, head to toe — the page to read if you want to know what they already own.
Read the checklistBest premium motorcycle gifts
The step up for a touring rider: crash-detecting intercoms, airbag vests, 12V heated gloves and GORE-TEX gauntlets.
See the premium giftsMotorcycle gear for cold weather
The layering logic behind the thermal picks on this page, and where a balaclava and heated gloves fit in.
Read the cold-weather guideBlack Friday & Cyber Monday motorcycle gear deals
Intercoms are the touring gift where waiting for November has historically paid — here is the evidence, and what to buy now instead.
See the deals hub