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Part of the fun of hiking, camping, climbing, and other outdoor activities is all the great gear that goes along with the adventure.
Buying gifts for the outdoorsman or outdoorswoman on your list is tricky for several reasons, largely because of how much most good outdoor gear costs.
We've put together a list of 20 great gifts for the camper, climber, paddler, or general outdoor enthusiast on your list, and all of them cost less than $20.
As an avid hiker, camper, kayaker, and guy who generally likes to be outside whenever possible, I know I can be hard to shop for when it's the gift-giving season. You'd think someone with a hobby would be an easy mark for holiday gift-getting, but us woodsy types are kind of the opposite: Most outdoor enthusiasts already have all the gear they need. In fact, most already have redundant gear many times over. Don't get me wrong, I can justify my seven puffer jackets, four hiking packs, and six pairs of trail running shoes, but I probably can't justify asking for any more such gear for Christmas.
Beyond the already having it all problem, there's the fact that great outdoor equipment is rarely cheap. Unless you're looking to drop a few hundred bucks on the best hiking boots, tent, or bivy sack out there, you're unlikely to buy something that will be a game changer for your outdoorsy gift recipient. And, truth be told, outdoorspeople tend to be picky, usually preferring to select their own kit and with strong opinions on brands, product categories, and design attributes.
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So that's three strikes - redundancy, cost, and pickiness - against buying gifts for the outdoorsman on your list.
What's to be done, just go with an Amazon gift card? No! Not at all, we can do better than that.
Instead, get that outdoorsy guy or gal one of the great pieces of gear I've curated for this guide; it's a good chance they won't have this stuff yet. And if they do, hey, at least you only spent $20 maximum, right?
Still shopping for more gifts? Check out all of Insider Picks' holiday gift guides for 2018 here.
Any camper will tell you that one of the best parts about a campout is returning to your tent in the dark and tripping over a tent wire. Even better is stubbing your toe on a tent stake that you also manage to dislodge, making the entire tent collapse in the process. And all you wanted to do was pee. Prevent this all-too-common tableau with UCO StakeLights, the tent stakes with built-in LED lights. They softly illuminate the ground around your tent, helping prevent trips or toe stubs, and adding a bit of welcome glow to the campsite beyond.
With a LifeStraw, basically any source of non-saline water is safe to drink. You can plunge one of these water filters into a puddle, a pond, or a glass of water you suspect might be less-than-pure. A LifeStraw cleans about 1,000 gallons of water before it needs a new filter cartridge, so its happy recipient will be covered even on multi-day or multi-week adventures. And don't worry if you get a LifeStraw for someone who already has one; I keep one in each car and with my gear. Redundancy here is a good thing.
A double-walled, vacuum insulated mug to keep your beverages hot or cold
Your camping buddy surely already has one of those ubiquitous titanium camping cups, and those things are great for being so lightweight, but they don't do much at all for keeping a drink hot or cold. For that, you need a double-walled, vacuum-sealed mug with a good, securely fitting lid. And as it happens, Simple Drink makes one that costs less than $20.
A pocket-sized inflatable cushion to stay comfortable after long hikes
After a long, hard climb or a multi-mile trek, having a comfortable place to sit down is damn near priceless. Or in this case, it costs $12.95. The Klymit V Seat is an inflatable cushion that fills up with two good breaths and packs down small enough to tuck into a pocket. It makes a fine camping pillow when wrapped in a T-shirt, and it's quite comfortable as a seat cushion when plopped down on a log, a slab of stone, or the dirt and pine needles of the forest floor. Or on the bleachers at the high school football game.
Being out in nature for days on end is great, but it's also... gross. You get dirty, greasy, smelly, and so on. And unless you're camping at a site with services, beside a pristine mountain stream, or you have a shower bag thing, there's not much to do about the grit or the odor. Unless you have a pack of HyperGo Full Body Wipes. These 12" by 12" moistened and aloe-infused wipes are the next best thing to a shower or a dip in that pure mountain brook. Especially if you're sharing the tent.
A fast-drying, super-absorbent towel to stay dry regardless of the weather
Being wet isn't much fun, especially when you're miles from civilization and you don't have that luxurious 800-thread-count Egyptian cotton towel set that graces your bathroom. With the chamois-style Rainleaf Microfiber Towel, you can still dry off quickly, and you'll only add a few ounces to your overall gear weight. I mean, your gift recipient's gear weight. Or just get one for yourself; the value a good towel is not to be underestimated.
A collapsible, solar-powered lantern for night time outdoor activities
I've used a number of solar LED lanterns over the years, and most of them are pretty terrible. The Goal Zero Crush Light is not terrible. In fact, it's quite good: It's bright, its battery is long lasting, it packs down flat, and it's durable. It's also not strictly a solar lantern, as it can be charged with a micro USB plug as well. And if you want to cough up the extra $5, there is also a $25 version that has multiple colors of light and flashing modes.
That's right, you can get a hammock for less than $20. In fact, I found one that costs less than $11. And in this case, it's a hammock that's rated to support 400 pounds. The camping hammock is a piece of gear missing from many an outdoorsman's kit, and while not strictly necessary like a tent, sleeping bag, or camp stove may be, for a price this low it's hard to justify not getting one, whether for yourself or your favorite camper.
A hangable LED lantern that lights up and cools down your tent
There's little that's less pleasurable than the hot, stuffy interior of a tent during a warm weather campout. Give your friends the gift of comfort while camping with an Image Portable Camping Lantern and Ceiling Fan. This compact and versatile fan can be set up on its base or hung from the ceiling and will keep the air moving, cooling the interior of the tent and brightening it up with multiple LED bulbs.
Coffee shots to get a quick and easy caffeine boost
There's nothing like a cup of hot coffee when you're camping on a cold day. But I can't tell you how many times I've elected to stay huddled in my sleeping bag until it was time to start trekking instead of getting out of the tent, setting up the stove, heating water, and finally making the coffee. Give your outdoorsy buddy the gift of effortless caffeine (and deliciousness, by the way) with a six-pack of FORTO Coffee Shots. They come in several flavors, including Donut Shop, Mocha, and Chocolate Latte, and each two-ounce shot has 100 milligrams of caffeine.
Hand and toe warmers to keep your extremities intact
Cold hands are no fun. And in fact, when you're trying to get a tent pitched or a fire kindled on a cold winter campout, frigid fingers can even be a safety risk. Whether you're shopping for a skier, climber, or camper who likes to head into the backcountry in the depths of winter, a few HotHands Hand Warmers will be a welcome gift. They make a great stocking stuffer, too, and speaking of which, HotHands also makes toe warmers, so your buddy won't get cold feet, so to speak.
Reusable and disposable pint glasses for an environmentally friendly nightcap
Any good outdoorsman lives by the Leave No Trace principles, so surely your gift recipient has plenty of reusable camping cookware and beverage vessels. The beauty of TOSSWARE disposable cups is that they are durable enough to be rinsed out and reused many times, but also fully recyclable, meaning these lightweight cups are perfect for use on multiple camping trips but can be tossed away (into a recycling bin, of course) at any time. A 12-pack of 18-ounce disposable pint glasses will be a welcome gift for the camping and beer enthusiast on your list. Or get the camping and Champagne enthusiast some lovely flutes.
A waterproof Bluetooth speaker perfect for outdoor adventures
If you're tired of listening to your friend stumble through "Wonderwall" on their guitar, this durable and transportable Bluetooth speaker will provide the perfect playlist for your campfire session. The Altec Lansing IMW25 is waterproof, meaning you can bring it to the river or lake without any worries, and the battery has a solid six-hour lifespan. Plus, the speaker has a carabiner hook to make it easy to bring with you on a hike or kayaking trip. — Danny Bakst
A round of cards around the fire is great fun, but gritty hands, spilled beers, and the outdoor elements in general can leave those paper playing cards in a bad way. Give your friend the gift of Poker, Rummy, Go Fish, and so much more with a deck of Big Blind Products PVC Playing Cards. Not only are they waterproof and durable, but they feature stunning hand drawn artwork that will draw as much attention as that bluff your buddy called.
The book 50 Great Short Stories, edited by Milton Crane, is one of the most important pieces of "gear" I have ever acquired. Lightweight enough for the hiking pack (yet packed with, well, 50 excellent short stories), I have brought this book on a 10-day trek through South America, on two-day climbing expeditions, and on overnight campouts with my kid where I knew he'd fall asleep before me. And let me tell you, my book has been the envy of many fellow trekkers who didn't think to bring along anything to read. For the record, non-outdoorspeople may also like the gift of classic literature.
One of the things about nature is that it wasn't designed for our convenience. There are few perfectly flat surfaces to be out there, putting your cup of coffee, bottle of water, or can of beer at risk every time you set it down. With Cuisinart Drink Stakes, you can set up a stable beverage support system anywhere you go, from a backwoods campsite to a backyard barbecue to a beach party. While not a logical piece of gear for a multi-day trek, they're a brilliant piece of gear for the car camper.
There are lots of multitools out there, but there are few as well suited to the camper (and as affordable) as the Wit Bird Camping Multifunction Muiltitool, which has everything from a saw to a hatchet to a hammer to pliers. It's not going to help you cut down a tree, but for cutting some kindling, opening a bottle, preparing bait, or slicing a piece of fruit, this tool can do it all and then some. And for $16.99 at that.
There are lots of compact first aid kits on the market, and chances are your outdoorsy pal already has one. But it's likely not curated as well as the DeftGet 163-Piece Portable First Aid Kit. Along with all the antiseptics, bandages, and ointments you'd expect in such a kit, the DeftGet first aid kit comes with several items that are perfectly suited to backwoods use. These include a flashlight, an emergency blanket, a whistle, and a compact multitool.
Your outdoorsy giftee likely has some sort of fire-starting tool, but he or she is unlikely to have one as effective and as elegantly simple as the überleben Zünden Fire Starter. Made with a hand carved hardwood handle and with a thick ferrocerium rod that will last for thousands of strikes, this is a gift the camper will use for years. It comes on a lanyard and with a separate hand tool perfect for preparing kindling and drawing sparks.
Thoughtful, engaging, and informative, Tristan Gooley's book The Lost Art of Reading Nature's Signs is a great read while huddled in a tent or while comfortably ensconced on the couch at home. It will not only give your gift-getter plenty of great information about navigating nature, but will also inspire some wanderlust, perhaps leading your friend to go on an adventure and use some of the other stuff from this list, too.
