Top 10 gifts for outdoor junkies

hether for a birthday or holiday, shopping for your loved ones is always an adventure. If you are looking for presents for an outdoor lover, we have some suggestions to help get you started. Whether you are shopping for someone who is just getting into an outdoor hobby, or someone who has been an outdoor enthusiast as long as you can remember, there is always a good gift out there for them.

Here are few ideas that will help you the next time look for the perfect gift.

1. Multitool

Multitool is something everyone needs
Multitool is something everyone needs

Whether you’re a camper or hiker, a multitool is a handy item that almost anyone can put to good use. They can come with a screwdriver, blade, nail file, scissors, pliers, and more. Depending on the type you get, it will probably give you what you need for most situations. Leatherman is best known for its multitools.

2. Pop-up Tent

You may be shopping for an avid outdoors person who most likely has a tent already, but they may not have a pop-up tent. A pop-up tent is exactly what it sounds like. A tent that is ready to assemble and takes little to no time at all. It is especially awesome for backpackers who are camping at night, every night and need to put it back away each morning.

3. Portable cook stove

cheap gear camp stove
Cooking gear

Sure, building a campfire is a classic way to cook warm meals, but when you are hungry, it can be hard to wait. Let’s be honest, it can be hard to evenly cook a good meal with a fire as the heat is hard to gauge and depends a lot on the weather and the kindling you are using. So, a nice solution is a portable propane cook stove. There are many reliable brands out there, but Coleman has been in the business awhile with many great options.

4. Camping cookware

What’s a stove without a cookware?
What’s a stove without a cookware?

Even the most avid outdoors people need to replace their cookware every once in a while. Having a cooking set that can stack inside itself will not just make it nice and compact, but also makes it easy for backpackers, taking up little space. The type you will want to get should make sense for the person for whom you are shopping: define if they camp solo or with children, if they are a camper or hiker, and so on.

5. Firestarter

094 – Author: grotos – CC BY 2.0
094 – Author: grotos – CC BY 2.0

Who wouldn’t love having a quick and easy way to get a fire going? Matches, while standard, can get wet, break, and have other misfortunes. Regular lighters also can have trouble in poor weather, especially on a windy day. Having a magnesium firestarter on hand can relieve a lot of unneeded worry and frustration, making it a nice present for your favorite outdoorsmen. There are a lot of options to buy one, but really, you just need to make sure it is magnesium and has a scraper to help create the spark.

6. Guidebook

Even the best outdoors people do not know everything. A survival guide is just what they need to keep with them, helping them getting out of hairy and unexpected situations. A good guide will have tips for first aid, food help, shelters, and other situations. There are a lot of options out there, make sure to pick the right one.

7. Insulated water bottle

Water bottle
Water bottle

A water bottle that does not heat up with the sun is an excellent gift for anyone, especially in the summer. A hiker would love this as well because it would supply them with a nice, cool drink when they need it the most. Water bottles that contain a vacuum seal will especially stay cold, but an insulated bottle is where you need to start. There are several brands on the market that offer this excellent perk.

8. Survival grenade

Another awesome survival gift is a Survival Grenade. It earned its name not because it is explosive, but because of its compact size, which is roughly the size of a grenade. They contain several tools that would be helpful in the event of an emergency, though what they contain greatly depends on the brand and the type that you purchase. With a carabiner clip, they easily attach to a backpack, making them easy to carry along.

9. Personal water filter

Lifestraw – safe drinking water – Author: Badri Seshadri – CC BY 2.0
Lifestraw – safe drinking water – Author: Badri Seshadri – CC BY 2.0

Being stranded on a hike without water is pretty much any outdoors person’s worst nightmare, especially in the heat. But drinking from a lake or stream could put you in worse shape. Natural water sources can easily contain bacteria that can make you incredibly sick. Using iodine is one option for that, but there are newer options out there, like a personal water filter, which can be a great gift as well. This allows you to drink the water right away, instead of waiting for water to clean itself. It’s also small and lightweight, making it easy to fit in a hiker’s backpack.

10. GPS Messenger

A SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger in a floation case. – Author: SPOT – CC BY 2.0
A SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger in a floation case. – Author: SPOT – CC BY 2.0

If the person you are shopping for is close to you or you worry about them losing their way in the woods, you should definitely get them a GPS messenger. The woods are often limited to cell signals, making it hard to get help if you need it or to let your family know you are alright out there. A GPS messenger can let your family know you are fine or send an emergency signal for help. The GPS will track the person as long as they continue moving and stop tracking when the person stops.

You can find so many gift ideas out there for your outdoor buddy, and the chances are good that he or she will love whatever it is that you find. Think of what activity the person does most, and you may have an easier time finding the perfect present.

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marion-fernandez

marion-fernandez is one of the authors writing for Outdoor Revival