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Enjoy the benefits of being outdoors with our Best Outdoor Gifts selected for the outdoorsy type of people. There are those of us who take special pride in getting our hands dirty, spending time in the great outdoors, and maybe getting into some danger while we do it – and for us, outdoor and camping gifts are always the best because they give us another chance to go get into trouble.
30 of The Best Outdoor Gifts That Outdoorsy People Will Love
I never will forget the time when I woke up in my tent to my friends saying, “get out here!” Only to see a black bear nuzzling my dog, and, apparently deciding that he didn’t want to kill it – or any of us. The bear ate all our food (including a small pheasant) and then just walked away, no harm no foul!
Now, it’s not ideal to have encounters with dangerous wildlife when your outdoors, but that’s where some outdoors gadgets come into play. You can have a good bit of fun without having to go so deep into the woods that you encounter Smokey the Bear.
We’ve split this list into a couple of simple groups: outdoor gadgets for survival, and outdoor gadgets for entertainment.
Let’s start with staying alive.
Outdoor Gear for Survival
These are gifts that are going to make sure you make it home in one piece, and without being lost in the wilderness for days on end. From staying warm, to staying dry, to making sure you make it over to the next hill going the right direction, these gifts are the real tools of the trade.
Military-Grade Compass
I know what you’re thinking, “I would never need a compass because I’m not going to get lost.” That’s what they all say, until they realize that they’re in deep sh*t because they can’t orient themselves and they’re lost in the woods.
$17.99
Solar Camping Lantern
A solar lantern is a great tool to have when camping but also in other situations as well. The great part about them is they don’t require heavy batteries that you might only find out you need to replace when it’s the middle of the night and you can’t see anything!
$29.95
2 Person Camping Tent
This is the perfect basic camping tent for a few people to go out and have a nice weekend in the woods. It’s lightweight, flame resistant, and has everything you need right off the bat – no need to worry if you’ve got to buy stakes and ropes and all that.
$49.99
Outdoor Blanket
Another one of those inventions that I wish I had come up with myself, this is a blanket designed to be used outdoors – it comes in one of several great pattern designs and rolls up with a handle for easy carrying. It’s also water-resistant so you have nothing to worry about if you drop your beer on it while you’re at the beach.
$26.99 ($1.69 / count)
Emergency Survival Kit
This survival kit has a ridiculous number of important tools in it, there’s a wire cutter, fire starters, compass, and a bevy of other tools. All of it’s included in a compact carrying case, but the most important thing you need to know is that it comes with a beer opener. I mean, come on – let’s get our priorities straight.
Bush Craft Survival Guide
Knowledge is your most important weapon in the wilderness, and this is an excellent book on the art of not dying from exposure. It’s a field guide to “the art of wilderness survival” and I personally think this is an awesome gift for kids, girls or boys. It gets them reading, but it also gets them into the outdoors. Kill two birds with one stone.
$3.99
Outdoor Night Headlight
There is nothing worse – nothing – than having the lights go out when you’re in the middle of the woods, or any dark and wild place for that matter. This LED headlight is rechargeable, so you should have enough power to get you through a night every time you go out. Also, the bulbs effectively last forever – a cool 100,000 hours.
Outdoor Water Filter
I will never forget the camping trip where in my infinite wisdom, me and my group packed two bottles of vodka and no water. The next morning, there was a true risk of real dehydration or heat exhaustion and it was the hangover of the century. When we found a stream, we drank from it directly. Stupid. Don’t be like me, get a LifeStraw, it’s the best outdoors tool on the planet.
$17.49
Folding Waterproof Binoculars
It’s not just hunters who need binoculars, and it’s not just kids either – binoculars can be a real benefit when hiking or camping, because it gives you the ability to do things like check and “see if that’s the river up ahead” without walking the mile and a half you would need to get a better look.
$30.59
Wool Hiking Socks
If you didn’t know, cotton is pretty much the worst material ever for outdoorsmen. It attracts moisture and makes you cold. So, you need to consider getting wool clothing, and a great place to start is from the bottom up – so get some of these wool socks! It’ll even help you out on the colder days at the office.
$31.95
Durable Outdoor Backpack
The secret is out – it’s actually a terrible idea to try to go hiking with your kids’ school backpack or let them do that. This backpack is made for the long treks, with weight, that are a feature of outdoor activities. Don’t go out with a backpack that’s going to dig into your shoulders and can’t even hold any water!
Double Sleeping Bag
Double sleeping bags are awesome for people who have finally convinced their indoorsy significant other to go camping! The one way to ensure that they never do it again, is if they’re cold. You can definitely stay warmer if you’re snuggled up with them in this two-person sleeping bag!
Portable Solar Charger
The thing about being out on a camping trip or hike all day is you start to realize how badly Apple has f*$ked us in terms of battery longevity. It’s always a good idea to bring a solar charger with you, because a dead phone can go from inconvenience to serious emergency if anything else goes wrong.
Handmade Fire Starter
This is a great tool to have around the house, let alone when you’re out camping. Look, at the end of the day you’re probably going to use a lighter, right? But if your power goes out, how do you start the gas stove?
Outdoor Gadgets for Entertainment
We’re going to use the general definition of the world entertainment here, as we feel that being outdoors is entertaining in a sense, so these gifts might not all be games and toys – in general, here we are including things that aren’t strictly meant to keep you from being part of the Donner Party.
Portable Refrigerator
It’s OK, we’re not judging you. It’s understandable that sometimes you need some of the trappings of modern life when you go out for a camping trip, or even to your kid’s little league game. Nothing is worse than food poisoning when you’re out in the wild, so it’s really not a bad idea to bring a portable refrigerator that can help some of your food last a bit longer.
Portable Movie Theater
The Romans had a saying that they would utter before going out on a long trip, usually to sack another local power – “He who does not bring his portable movie theatre with him, shall be left wanting.” It’s a wise thing to say, and with this portable movie theatre you can stream all your favorite content and then project it on to the wall of your tent!
Outdoor Bluetooth Speaker
If you’re going out on a camping trip, or even just on the lake in a canoe, nobody is really trying to hear music from your terrible iPhone speakers. Do everyone a favor and get these awesome Bluetooth speakers (which are waterproof.) They’re also perfect for barbeques.
Outdoor Hammock
This hammock has a maximum weight capacity of 1000 pounds and includes the ropes that make this hammock a classic design—just find two sturdy trees to tie the hammock to and you’ll be good to go! And, it fits two people so you and your cuddle buddy can share it for a lazy day out in nature.
Portable Camp Kitchen Utensil Set
It’s really terrible when you get your fire going, you even have the wherewithal to bring a grate to cook over, and then you realize that you’ve forgotten literally all the utensils you need to actually get cooking done. That’ll never happen with this full set of cooking utensils! Tongs included.
Camping Cookware Set
This cookware set is great for the individual camper or if your camping in groups. It has an aluminum pot and bowl, both with handles that make them easy to pick up (no more soup falling into the campfire.) There lightweight, which is an important feature if you’ll be lugging them up a mountain somewhere.
Outdoor Beach Blanket
This beach blanket helps solve the age-old problem of sand getting in all of your fabrics and never coming out except in your washing machine. You can also use it below your tent, to keep the moisture from making a cold night even worse. It’s always a good idea to bring some extra waterproofing gear with you when you’re in the outdoors.
$25.99
Hunting Camera
This camera is awesome for learning about the wildlife in your area – whether you’re hunting it or you just want to set this up in the backyard to catch the deer that have been eating your tomatoes in the act – or maybe it was the neighbors cat? It takes pictures and video!
Bundle of Hand Warmers
A huge bag of ten pairs of hand warmers can really come in handy on super cold nights. If you’ve never had the pleasure of going camping and realizing the mountains are far colder than you expected, you’re in for a treat. Stick one of these in your sleeping bag next time you have that problem.
$6.96
Grill Tools Set with Cooler Bag
Part of having a good time in the outdoors is understanding the need for efficiency. You just have to care about that in a way that most of us don’t in our every day lives. This grill set and cooler helps you be more efficient when you’re spending the day in the outdoors. It comes with everything from the cooler, to utensils, a cutting board and thermometer—it’s everything you need to cook outdoors.
Outdoor Portable Fire Pit
This is a propane powered firepit. It’s actually a great tool for environmental safety, as you are simply using propane and the top of the fire pit has lava rocks – which means you run much less of a risk of starting a forest fire than you do with a traditional campfire. Considering the prominence forest fires have had in the last few years, I think we can all understand why that might be useful.
$91.98
Glow-in-the-dark Playing Cards
Not only are these cards waterproof, but they also glow in the dark! This is perfect for kids who insist on spending the night out in the backyard in their tent. That’s fine, but if you’re going to be that way you can’t bring your phone with you! Hand them a pack of playing cards instead and say a sentence that starts with the phrase “Back in my day…”
Dry Skin Bag Balm
Spending a lot of time outdoors can lead to rugged outdoorsman’s hands. Now, some of us wear that with a point of pride – but not everyone. If you want to keep your hands looking civilized rather than barbaric, you might want to think about trying Vermont’s original Bag Balm. It really does work wonders to solve the problem of chafing hands.
$10.99 ($1.37 / Ounce)
Portable Laundry Bag
Two or more-day camping trips mean really really stinky clothes. It happens fast, you’d be surprised. This laundry bag means you can wash clothes while your out in the wild. Make the kids do it.
$54.95
Zippo Hand Warmer
This zippo hand warmer is the most reliable handwarmer you’re going to be able to find and is a serious step up in quality above the competition. Yes, it requires lighter fluid and a flame, but hey, that should speak to the fact that it’s not messing around when it comes to warming hands.
$15.96
SUV Window Tent
This window tent converts your SUV into a camping tent. It’s for people who don’t want to go the whole nine yards when it comes to getting out and sleeping on the cold, hard ground – but still want the feel of a camping experience.
$44.97
Spending more time outdoors is something we should all do more of. Whether you’re shopping for yourself, or for a loved one, one of the best ways to give a healthy gift is to give an outdoors gift that encourages people to do what’s natural – spend time under the sun!
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