Sometimes, the best gifts are the small, cheap and simple ones. Case in point: the rubber water bottle holder with carabiner attachment. One of these little gizmos made its way into my stocking this year, and I’ve got to say that it’s one of my favorite new possessions. Perfect for frequent travelers, the rubber holder attaches to the neck of a plastic bottle and then clips onto the outside of a backpack, handbag, jacket, etc., where it keeps your fluids easily accessible and - now this is crucial - apart from water-averse items that might be living in said backpack, handbag, jacket, etc. It’s also a great option when for travelers hitting the slopes or hiking during warmer months - I’d much rather have my water bottle hooked to the outside of my gear than taking up valuable space inside. Cost: $3.99

In recent years, airports have begun acting on a truism that lies at the base of the American consciousness: bored people really, really like to shop. Give us an hour, and we just might fork over as much as we paid for our plane ticket among the ever-growing throng of airport shops, services and restaurants.

But here’s another equally as important axiom of the airport shopping experience: all air malls are not created equal. When you’re looking for more than a Hudson News and a Laptop Lane to while away the hours and minutes until your next flight, we hope you find yourself in one of the following airports, which together comprise our list of The Best U.S. Airports for Shoppers.

Philadelphia International Airport

Overall, we give Philly’s own airport top props for offering travelers not just airport mall staples like Brookstone, Radio Road and Spirit of the Red Horse, but a variety of retailers less common to airports, including Gap, Swatch and Bose.

But what we love most is that the airport has its very own Airport Magic Shop (Concourse B). For those times when you really wish your delayed flight would disappear with you in it, we suggest heading here. Perhaps they can help you out. Philadelphia International Airport Shops and Restaurants

What to Buy: Bose Quiet Comfort Earphones

John F. Kennedy International Airport

While we can’t give this airport the winning slot overall, it does house what is, in our estimation, the most luxurious collection of retailers concentrated into one terminal. Clustered around Gate 4 in the airport’s Terminal 1, specialty shops from Bulgari, Hermes, Cartier, Salvatore Ferragamo, Tumi, Mont Blanc, L’Occitane and the New York Dufrey Toy Store do their part to tempt travelers out of their hard-earned cash.

Unfortunately, the rest of the terminals at JFK contain a lackluster selection. When you’re stuck in another terminal with spare time, we suggest hopping on the AirTrain to Terminal 1. A full loop with stops at each terminal takes about eight minutes. John F. Kennedy International Airport Shops and Restaurants

Pittsburgh International Airport

While it doesn’t house nearly the number of retail destinations found in some others on our list, the Pittsburgh airport wins points with us for complementing airport usual suspects like Brookstone and The Body Shop with a well-rounded selection of less-common, but oh-so useful shops, including Victoria’s Secret, Creative Kidstuff, Clinique and GNC. Pittsburgh International Airport Airmall

What to Buy: A Victoria’s Secret Passport Cover

Portland International Airport

If there’s one thing every conspicuous consumer should do in Oregon, it’s taking advantage of the state’s lack of sales tax. Yup. The price marked on the tag – that’s the actual amount you’ll end up paying. So even if your travels leave you little time to explore and a lot of time in the airport terminal, you can still enjoy this shopper’s perk.

But absent sales tax is not the only reason to shop at the Portland airport. Unlike most airports around the country, this one leans heavily towards local and regional products. Hey, we all love playing with the massage chairs at Brookstone, but there’s something quite refreshing about being able to hunt for wares from Pacific Northwest artists at the Real Mother Goose Gallery, shop at the independent bookseller Powell’s Books, take a turn through the Nike store and explore the state’s top products at Made in Oregon. Portland Airport Shops

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport

Another airport where travelers can happily shop tax-free? There’s no sales tax on apparel in Minnesota, so even travelers who’re just passing through can score deals on plush wearables from Naturally Cashmere and men’s shoes from Johnston & Murphy. Find both stores in the airport’s Main Concourse. For the tykes, head to Creative Kidstuff in Concourse F for classic toys from the Little Engine That Could Train Set to the Karito Kids. Minneapolis-St.Paul Airport retailers

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Sea-Tac does not, by any means, offer the most comprehensive airport shopping around, but it does have three stores that scored the airport a spot on our illustrious list. First, there’s ExOfficio, a great destination for apparel that can keep up with even the most frequent and active travelers. Then there’s Fireworks, an airport outpost of the small local chain of galleries that sell house wares, art and home accents made predominately by artists and artisans hailing from the Pacific Northwest. And last but not least, the Discovery Channel Store is one of those places that’s always fun to hunt around in – no matter what your age. Sea-Tac Pacific Marketplace

What to Buy: The ExOfficio ExO Dri Tee

Dallas Fort-Worth International Airport

Next up on our list is this Texas behemoth. While the retail offerings here include a slew of airport regulars (think Brooks Brothers, Rosetta Stone, etc.), the sheer volume of offerings makes this a great airport for retail therapy. What’s more, travelers have a plethora of automated shopping options. Sure, product vending machines are common in airports around the country (and the world), but rarely does one find so many in one place. This airport boasts automated shops for a bevy of retailers, including Apple, Proactiv, Sony, Elizabeth Arden and Motorola.

If your inner shopaholic craves a more traditional retail experience, unleash your inner Tony Romo at the Official Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop in Terminal E or fight off layover boredom with a spree through specialty shops like Fossil, L’Occitane and Mont Blanc in Terminal D and Terminal A’s Brighton Collectibles, Landau and the Jethro Pugh Western Shop. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport Shops

Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport

The Southern Belles must have voted when this airport was collecting retailers. Not only does this busy airport have a Bath & Body Works in Concourse B and The Body Shop in the Atrium, but it also houses a Bare Escentuals retail outlet in Concourse T. That last one is a popular purveyor of mineral makeup, often thought to be much healthier for the skin than mainstream cosmetic products. Atlanta Hartsfield International Shops and Restaurants

When Deb Lovci told us her how much she loved the Garmin Forerunner 3o5, we decided we had to know more. For outdoor enthusiasts, this little wrist gadget is one serious training tool. A high-sensitivity GPS receiver, wireless heart rate monitor and multi-sport functionality make it an ideal accessory for athletes who want to track workouts of different kinds over time. After a workout, whether that means hitting the slopes, running outside or biking along mountain trails, users can transfer data from the device to a computer. Optional software helps you track and compile the data - a great way to analyze your progress. Using GPS satellite technology, the Forerunner 305 records its wearer’s calorie burning, speed, distance and pace and even beeps if you deviate from your programmed pace. Last but not least, it helps you mark your route, so you can backtrack to your starting point if you get lost. Cost: $299

When we wanted the inside scoop on Park City, we went to Deb Lovci, who started earning her local cred when she moved to the skiers’ paradise from Colorado back in 1988. Today the avid skier shows advanced snow-goers the ins and outs of the backcountry as a guide with Ski Utah Interconnect Adventure Tours. When she’s not treating area visitors to the fab powder the region is known for, she serves up gourmet breakfasts and cozy accommodations as the innkeeper of the Old Town Guest House Bed & Breakfast. Here are Deb’s picks for some of the best things to see and do on your next visit to Park City, Utah.

One plank or two?

Definitely two, but I’m a tele skier, so two planks, but no heel pieces. With my guiding in the backcountry, I can get to somebody really quickly with my tele gear.

What did your guests have for breakfast this morning?

Pumpkin French toast with pure maple syrup.

Favorite run:

That’s a tough one. There are so many good ones. I’m also a runner, so if I’m on my feet, a loop around Old Town. I love to get out and do a Nordic ski, so the 5K loop at White Pine Touring. It’s just so nice and peaceful to do a little run around it. And the best run? Anything they haven’t groomed.

What’s the geekiest piece of gear you own?

The Garmin Forerunner 305. It’s a GPS heart rate monitor. It tells me how far, how fast, pace, time.

What’s the one piece of gear you can’t live without?

A lid. I just love hats. Pretty much from the first snowfall to spring, I have a hat on.

Best cheap eats in town:

El Chubasco. We call it Chubby’s. They have this awesome salsa bar. You can go in and pig out for well under $10.

Most romantic spot in town:

That’s easy. In front of the fireplace at Old Town Guest House. It’s 100 years old, wood burning. The building was built in 1901. The whole room is set around the fireplace. You can see the snow falling, and it doesn’t get any more romantic than that.

What should every Park City visitor take home?

Something from Rocky Mountain Chocolate. They have special gift packs. My personal fave would be their fudge. It’s one of those great local products that’s made right here.

Whenever a friend visits, you always make sure they see:

The Utah Olympic Park. It’s all free. You go and watch the bobsledders, it’s amazing. They do the big jumping there, and they have a great museum that shows the history of skiing. It’s magical.

A day on the mountain wouldn’t be complete without:

Our famous Utah powder. It really is the greatest snow on earth.

Yes, you’ll look like an escapee from a New Wave 1980s music video wearing them, but the Myvu personal media viewer solves some key travel problems. Like watching porn on an airplane. With the hands-free design, noise-canceling in-ear earbuds and rechargeable battery with up to four hours of viewing time, owners of this little device can turn on, tune in and drop out into their own little world of visual stimulation, one that exists outside the confines of palm-sized screens and annoying row mates with too much time on their hands. The universal edition pictured here works with most portable media players, DVD players and camcorders. Cost: $199.95

This one goes out to all the ladies in the house. Hayden-Harnett’s Ibiza Tote promises to put any frequent traveler with a handbag fetish into a festive mood. Embark upon your next journey with the bag folded in half (left image). Return with it stuffed to max capacity with booty from abroad (or wherever your travels take you). With its easy to maintain exterior of durable nylon and a padded interior compartment, the bag could easily accompany you to and from work each day while keeping your laptop snug as a bug in a really sweet handbag. The bag comes in five color combinations and features two large exterior pockets in the front, one large exterior pocket in the back, detachable straps so you can wear it over the shoulder or across the body like a messenger bag and interior phone and iPod pockets. Cost: $198.

Yee-haw. ‘Tis the season to spend, spend, spend. The Travel Gear Blog has a post up that rounds up the blog’s many recent posts about gift-worthy items for travelers and coupon codes you can use during the holiday season. Check check checkitout.

Gift List Roundup, Coupon Codes and More

Everybody’s chirpin’ about the Burton Sleeper Hoodie, which strives to make sleeping whilst flying a bearable experience - even in coach. The sweatshirt features a removable inflatable neck pillow, a pull down “light shield” eye mask that lives out its waking life stowed in the garment’s hood, armpit vents and interior pockets for passports, wallets, headphones, etc.

The rumor is that these hoodies are completely sold out of every retail store in the U.S. and Canada. Hence the glut of eBay auctions touting them for over $200 a pop. But as of this morning, there were still women’s sizes available on the Burton site. Cost: $100

At one time or another, most travelers have been victims of “weird pillow” syndrome - the condition caused by sleeping upon an unfamiliar pillow, often while away from home. Symptoms include tossing and turning, jacked up necks and an overall sense of malaise. This condition is even more likely if you’re a Tempur-Pedic pillow owner - the foam is something you really have to get used to when you first try it. But once you’re on the Tempur-Pedic wagon, it’s hard to get off. Hence the utility of the Tempur-Pedic Travel Set, which includes a travel version of the classic Neck Pillow and a mattress overlay designed to turn any bed into a paradise of Swedish foam. The set comes in blue terry and includes a duffle bag for easy transport. I’m not suggesting frequent business travelers haul this on every trip, but rather for travelers making longer trips with one destination, roadtrips and visits that call for bunking in with family and friends. Cost: $350

Shop4Miles, a site that lets customers earn airline miles for purchases from a plethora of online retailers, is offering 40 percent off Timberland purchases made via the site. The promotion runs through Dec. 9, 2008. Use promo code DECFF7 at checkout to get the discount. You’ll also earn one mile for every dollar you spend at the Timberland store. Miles are deposited into your mileage program of choice - you specify which program you’d like to earn miles for when you register.

One thing to keep in mind: you’ll need to navigate to the official Timberland online store via the Shop4Miles Stores link to get the discount. You can’t just search for Timberland products, as many of the site’s vendors carry the label and this promo is only for Timberland products purchased directly from Timberland.