The Best Holiday Gift Guide for Snapchat Lovers

As a travel blogger I have being using Snapchat a lot all of the time this past year to chronicle my travels around the world, mixed in with a bit of silliness that is me and my daily life. I have also worked with various brands while using Snapchat, I have spoken about Snapchat at several conferences as well as having coordinated the worlds first Snapchat conference and awards show. All Snap all the time. I have learned a lot of different ways to use the app and have picked up a few great tools along the way to help make my snaps even better.  Some of these tools I even learned about from seeing some of my favourite Snapchatters using them which you will see below.

Honestly to use Snapchat you don’t need much more than a smartphone and opposable thumb. However if you like gadgets and gizmos or want to take your Snapchat game to the next level then some of these items should definitely be on your wish list.

Here is the best holiday gift guide for Snapchat lovers!

image credit PopSocket

1. PopSockets

Loved by many a Snapchatter the PopSocket might be the one tool for your phone that you never knew you needed, whether you are a Snapchatter or not. The PopSocket is essentially a grip attachment that you can stick directly to the back of your phone or phone case that expands and contracts allowing you to better hold on to your phone. It can also act as a stand for you phone and helps you avoid covering your microphone/speakers with your pinky finger while holding your phone when recording.

Check them out HERE.

image credit BUQU

2. Power Banks

Snapchat kills your battery so if you will be using it a lot it is always handy to have a back up power bank so that you can charge your phone on the go. When I am traveling I typically use about 3 a day. (Crazy I know). I have a mophie power bank that I love but I am also currently loving the power banks from BUQU. They come in various shapes and colors from looking like rubber ducks to pineapples, pigs and even grenades (do NOT travel on airplanes with the nade!).

Check them out HERE.

image credit HISYpix

3. A Remote

A lot of people don’t realize that Snapchat can be controlled by a remote so that you can do some hands free snapping. Most cheap remotes that come with selfie sticks will do the trick and they connect through Bluetooth. I personally use a remote called the HISY. It’s small and a bit of a higher quality then the selfie stick remotes and works up to 90ft away. If you get one I recommend getting some kind of lanyard or something for it though as it is easy to lose.

Check them out HERE.

4. A Gorilla Pod

If you are going to be snapping with your fancy new remote and you want to keep things steady then I highly recommend getting a gorilla pod (if not a tripod). They are small, light weight and you can bend them in various ways to attach them to different objects to get the perfect shot. Or you can just stand them upright like a mini tripod. I travel with my Gorilla Pod everywhere and I love it. If you do get one make sure it has a swivel ball head on top so that you can place your phone in vertical mode and various other angles.

Check them out HERE.

Screenshot from an Mplatco YouTube video talking about the MeFoto Sidekick360

5. Smartphone Adapter / Holder

If you are going to use a Gorilla Pod or tripod then you of course need a smartphone adapter/holder to hold on to your phone for you. I am currently using a cruddy one from a selfie stick but if you want to go fancy you can. A popular tool with Snapchatters like Mplatco and ChrisMonachino is the MeFoto Sidekick360 Smartphone Tripod Adapter. It’s a lot more heavy duty and more secure then the spring loaded ones that come with selfie sticks. It also comes in various pretty colours!

Check them out HERE.

Snapchatter Mike Metzler creates Snapchat masterpieces with the Adonit Stylus

6. A Stylus

One of the cool things about Snapchat is how creative that you can be with the app through drawing. I asked a few Snapchat influencer friends, who are popular on the app for their amazing drawings, which Stylus they preferred and a few of them (Shonduras, SarahPeretz and Operamericano) told me that they chose to use their finger over a stylus to draw, however I myself much prefer a stylus. Snapchat Influencer Mike Metzler’s (Metz044) stylus of choice is the Adonit Jot Pro. This thing is fancy and has a fine point so you can see better when creating.

Check them out HERE.

7. A Windsock / Glasses Case

There is nothing worse then a bunch of wind creating horrible audio and ruining your snaps. A good idea to get around this is to 1) not snap when its windy or not use the recorded audio 2) Use the mic on your headphones 3) By an external lav mic with a windsock or 4) try to cover the speaker as best as possible. A simple thing that I use to avoid wind noise it just a cloth glasses case. It can actually have various uses aside from covering your phone and blocking the wind, it can also carry your remote, cables and chargers and it can be used to clean your lens! They are so cheap, you probably even have a few lying around your house. A handy tool that you might not have even thought of. If you need to buy one you can of course get anything on Amazon, check out these ones below.

Check them out HERE.

8. Headphones

A great pair of headphones for watching and listening to other snappers Snapchats is key. A favourite of mine are called Wraps and they are awesome for travellers because you can wear them on your wrist like a bracelet. No more scrambling to find your headphones as your board a plane. No more tangled messes and no more lost headphones at the bottom of a bag. They look cool too and come in many colors and price points.

Check them out HERE.

Sometimes you just need to be a bikini wearing unicorn riding a flamingo in a pool

9. Funny Props

Funny props always seem to make my snaps better. Or at least they amuse me and thats all that matters. A classic funny prop is the unicorn mask. A great present for anyone. But warning it might scare small children…

Check it out HERE.

10. Spectacles

Snapchatter ChrisMonachino waited in line for 5hours starting at 1am for these bad boys

Last but not least the elusive Snapchat Spectacles. The cool new wearable tech from Snap Inc. that shoots in circular video and also has some unique AR capabilities. Currently only available from a storefront in New York that is open the most random hours possible ( 4pm-10pm Monday to Friday and 6am to 12pm Sat-Sun which is open only until NYE) or from one or two bots (Spectacles vending machines) that are roaming around the United States. One keeps appearing in California and the other seems to be more adventurous so far appearing in Oklahoma, Florida and at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Check out Spectacles.com to find out where the bot will appear next, but know that once it appears it won’t last long and only two pairs of Spectacles can be bought per person.

Being sold from the bot for $129usd they are actually quite the steal, and because of this low price they are also quickly popping up for much higher prices on Amazon HERE and other ecommerce sites.

To learn more about them and to see a review check out this video by Sam Sheffer from Mashable:

 

 

Hopefully you enjoyed this holiday gift guide for Snapchat lovers. Did I miss something? Tell me about it in the comments below!

Some of these links are affiliate links. Some are not. If you click through on an affiliate link, I’ll get a commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for helping to keep me snapping! 

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