27 gifts for the outdoor lover in your life - including camping, climbing, fishing, and travel gear

Owen BurkeDec 11, 2019, 19:43 IST

Orvis

Footwear, cookware, drinkware, and outerwear, it takes a lot of stuff to accommodate a 21st-century human in the great outdoors.
There's an endless list of things of which the outdoorsperson is in need, but here are some ideas to help check a few things (and hopefully people) off your long list.
Find more holiday gift ideas for 2019 from Insider Picks.

The easy thing about shopping for the outdoorsy sorts in your life is that chances are good they're in need of one thing or another. No, playing around in the dirt and the water is not a cheap hobby: Whether they're climbing, fly fishing, camping, surfing, or just hanging out at the beach, there are certain pieces of equipment that are plainly and simply essential. But not just anything will do. Good gear is good gear, and there is no cutting corners to produce it.

Below is a roundup of some gear (most of which we've tried and depended upon ourselves) that should help you knock down a name or two on your holiday shopping list this year.

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See 27 gifts for the outdoor lover in your life - including camping, climbing, fishing, and travel gear >>

A nearly smokeless fire pit (and grill) that charges your phone

FirePit Climate Neutral Edition, available at BioLite, $199.95

Thanks to the vortex created by its Bluetooth-controlled fan, Biolite's Firepit is so smokeless you could almost light it indoors. Biolite strongly discourages your doing so, but it's good peace of mind for those who fear a faceful of campfire smoke.

Boots fit for it all

Men's Bean Boots, available at L.L. Bean, for $139 Women's Bean Boots, available at L.L. Bean, for $139

If they've never owned a pair of these, it may be about time.

A guide to mastery of outdoors-person-ship

The Kaufmann Mercantile Guide, available at Amazon, $11.99

Chop wood, build a fire, carry water, and so on.

A high-grade stainless steel decanter with magnetic tumbler glasses

High Camp Firelight Magnetic Flask Decanter Set, available at Bespoke Post, for $125

So they stop smashing their fifth of fancy Scotch on their way up the mountain.

A waterproof, drop-proof, virtually life-proof smartphone case

LifeProof cases, available at LifeProof, from $56.69

If they really spend time in the great outdoors, this will save their phone exactly 15 times per year, give or take.

A boxful of fishing tackle

Mystery Tackle Box Gift Boxes and Subscriptions, available at Karl's Bait & Tackle by Catch Co, starting at $14.44

Available in three sizes, and in subscriptions, you (or they) can pick the general type of tackle they receive based on their target species and angling methods.

A small but perfectly functional, does-it-all packable cutlery set

Opinel Nomad Kit, available at Amazon, for $55.90 Opinel Oyster Blade, available at Amazon, for $20

This kit, complete with hardwood cutting board, microfiber towel, serrated blade, straight blade, peeler, and wine opener, is all you really need to perform campfire meal prep. Toss in an oyster shucking tool for good measure.

A handmade bota bag

Traditional Handmade Bota Wineskin Bag, available at Amazon, for $104.95

Nothing screams an afternoon sauntering through the Pyrenees like a bota bag. And there's nothing more romantic than that.

A sleeping bag built for bivouac, alpine camping

Hybrid Sleeping Bag, available at Patagonia, for $299 Grade VII Down Parka, available at Patagonia, for $899

For serious climbers, this half-weight (already lightweight) down sleeping bag, paired with a belay parka, is all they need for a sound(ish) night's sleep dangling from Half-Dome.

A portable stove (and pizza oven) they can pack in that also charges their phone

BaseCamp stove and PizzaDome, available at BioLite, for $309.85

Okay, so maybe it's a bit cumbersome for a true trek, but a short hike to a campsite with this handy little kit will have them cooking, baking, or firing off pizzas just about anywhere they so please. The heat this thing generates also charges a battery, which can then power anything that runs through a USB port. Far out, indeed.

A waterproof, drop-proof, and virtually life-proof power pack

Lifeactív Power Pack 20, available at LifeProof, for $69.99 (originally $99.99)

At 20,000 mAh, it can even charge their laptop out in the wilderness and also comes equipped with a flashlight.

A collection of photographs and stories about fly fishing's most illustrious fish

Tarpon Book, available at YETI, for $99.99

Charles Gaines, Thomas McGuane, Randy Wayne White, Diana Rudolph... if you don't recognize these names, don't worry. They will.

A non-constrictive, eco-friendly scarf for the slopes

Women's Hometown Down Scarf, available at Stio, $59.95 (currently sold out)

If that gator isn't quite their cup of tea, this down scarf (with hidden pocket) is like a down jacket for their face and neck.

Sturdy cooking irons for the campfire

Cooking irons, available at Camp Chef, from $18

No more flimsy sticks or dropping precious dinners into the fire.

A wool blanket to last a lifetime

Faribault Cabin Wool Throw, available at Huckberry, for $149.98

Few wool brands bear as much heritage as Faribault.

A fresh pair of binos

Nikon 8x30 ProStaff Binoculars, available at B&H, for $186.95

Whether they're tracking game or wayfinding, be it by land or sea, these won't go unappreciated.

Proper gear protection

Pelican luggage, available at Amazon, from $318.49

Cameras, laptops, lights: Whatever they're dragging around the world, they can always use another one of these (and if this is their first, then it's about time).

A campfire defender to keep their campfires (and maybe them) dry

Campfire Safety Cover Pro Kit, available at The Grommet, for $199

It's not much, but it'll make all the difference.

A 6-piece cast iron set built for any fire

6-Piece Cast Iron Set, available at Amazon, $89.31

A dutch oven, another one with a skillet for a lid, a regular-sized pan, and even a steel stand for the fire. What else do you really need for cookware in the bush?

A bracelet to save the seas

4ocean Bracelet, available at Amazon, for $20.55

4ocean pulls a pound of trash from the oceans and/or coastlines with every bracelet purchased. Since the project began in 2017, 4ocean has removed more than one million pounds of trash from waterways and coastlines.

A highly stowable vacuum sealer

FoodSaver Space-Saving Vacuum Sealer, $99.99

So they (and you) don't have to endure any more spoiled and/or freezer-burned fish and game.

A 2-in-1 beer cozy (can or bottle) and cocktail cup

Hydro Flask Cooler Cup, available at Hydro Flask, for $24.95

Longnecks, stubbies, cans (of any size), cocktails: This thing can cradle them all.

A sleeping bag fit for winter

Nemo Equipment Inc. Sonic 0 Sleeping Bag, available at Backcountry, for $499.95 to $529.95

If they're into winter camping, or considering it, start them off right.

Sunglasses that contribute to shark conservation

Costa Del Mar Ocearch Sunglasses, available at Amazon, from $104.38

Ocearch is on the forefront of shark research, catching and tagging fish that, at points, scientists never thought possible. Help support Ocearch by helping your loved one(s) protect their retinas out there.

An adventurer, after all, needs the right hat

Packer Hat, available at Filson, for $70 to $85

That ratty old baseball cap just doesn't speak to their soul. Get them something that does, and will last.

A palatial tent upgrade

Wawona 6 Tent, available at The North Face, for $399

This will change their world.

A classy bamboo fly rod

Bamboo Fly Rods, available at Orvis, from $2,598

If they've put in their years with graphite and fiberglass, it's time they uphold the tradition of fly-flinging to its utmost.

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