There is little better than giving a gift that helps support someone you love to continue doing what they love. Finding the right gift can be challenging. There are so many options out there and everyone has their own preferences, especially when it comes to outdoor gear.
If you know someone who loves the outdoors as much as I do, here are some great gift ideas that might help you support the camper and hiker in your life.
Apparel
- Merino Wool Socks (Smartwool, Darn Tough)
- Multifunctional Bluffs
- Smartwool Gloves
- Camp Towel
- A Fleece or Wool Blanket
- Beanies
Cooking/Food
- Yellowbird Hot Sauce Kit
- Freeze Dried Food from AlpineAire Foods, Backpacker’s Pantry, and Mountain House
- Snacks and tasty fuel for hiking all the miles or sitting around the campfire like EPIC Bars, Wonderful Pistachios, and Kate’s Real Food
- AeroPress Go Travel Coffee Press
- Camping Cookbooks such as Dirty Gourmet: Food for your outdoor adventures, The National Parks Cookbook, Dutch Oven & Cast Iron Cooking, and The New Camping Cookbook
- Snow Peak Titanium Cup
- Camping Stove like the Jetboil Flash Cooking System, the MSR PocketRocket 2 Mini Stove Kit, or the Coleman Classic Camp Stove
- Foodsavor Vacuum system to help with pre-made foods and keeping foods safe while out on the trail
- Hydraflask Bottles
- Water Filter System (MSR Guardian Purifier, LifeStraw Peak Squeeze Water Filter System, Sawyer Water Filter)
Educational Books
- Bushcraft 101: A Field Guide to the Art of Wilderness Survival by Dave Canterbury
- Advanced Bushcraft: An Expert Field Guide to the Art of Wilderness Survival by Dave Canterbury
- Master of the World of Edible Wild Plants: A Beginner Friendly Guide to Foraging by Anthony Barrett
- Scats and Tracks of the Great Lakes: A Field Guide to the Signs of 70 Wildlife Species by James Halfpenny
- The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben
- Guidebooks for where they like to explore like 50 Hikes in Michigan: The Best Walks, Hikes, and Backpacks in the Lower Peninsula by Jim Norton or Explorer’s Guide 50 Hikes in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula by Thomas Funke
- The Marrow Guide to Knots by Mario Bigon and Guido Regazzoni
- A Pocket Guide to First Aid
Equipment
- Tent or Tent Hammock for the beginner explorer or someone who really needs an upgrade. Brands will depend on their preference and your budget. Coleman, Eureka, and REI are all good places to start looking for tents. For tent hammocks, I still love my Hennesy Hammock and highly recommend it.
- Tent Stakes like the heavy duty Eurmax Galvanized Tent Stakes or the light-weight MSR Groundhog Stakes
- Compressed Dry Sacks
- Tenacious Tape for tent and gear repair
- Nalgene Travel Kit
- Backpack. This one requires some additional knowledge of the individual. Do they do day hikes or multi-day backpacking trips? Do they have a brand preference?
- Camping Chair
Experiences
- City/State/National Park Passes
- Gift card to their favorite campground
- Mini Travel Journal
- REI Gift Card – Let them Choose
- Outdoor Licenses and Permits, such as a fishing license
- Experience Classes such as Foraging class or wildcrafting workshop
Safety
- First Aid Kit
- Bear Spray (if they camp/hike in an area with bears)
- Maps
- Poison Oak & Ivy Cleanser
- Tick Removal Kit (works great for pets and people)
- Foot & Hand Warmers
Tools
- Leatherman Multi-tool set
- Petzl Headlamp
- BioLite AlpenGlow Lantern
- Olight Flashlight
- Trekking Polls such as REI CO-Op Traverse Trekking Polls or any of the Leki Poles
- A Pocket Bellows for easy fire-starting
- Carabiners
- Portable USB Charger
- Hatchet