The Best Gifts to Buy for Adventurers this Holiday Season
Written by John Wren|
All outdoor enthusiasts have different tastes and interests. Whether they’re climbing mountains, rafting rivers or hiking trails, adventurers all have their own unique preferences when it comes to activities, locations and brands. The trick is finding that perfect gift that will
A gift an adventurer will still use is a filter they will drink through, a lamp they can find in the same pocket, and a watch they will actually wear — not a novelty crate of gadgets that stay in a closet. The short answer: buy a LifeStraw, a Petzl Tikka, a Garmin Instinct 2 if they want GPS on a wrist, and a GoPro HERO only if they already film. Ask what they already own.
Short version. Hiker gifts is the trail cousin. Outdoor lovers is the wider pile. Pair with hike kit. Check live prices.
This page is four tools that survive January. A branded tumbler they already own is not a personality.
Ask the pack. A duplicate lamp is a drawer.
Do: text a photo of their current headlamp and bottle. Don’t: a “survival bundle” with a paracord bracelet. Adventurer ideas if you need a longer list. Water they will drink is the hydration sibling.
LifeStraw if they still dip a creek
The LifeStraw Personal Water Filter is the live sip filter we named: a straw they will actually use on a day hike, not a gravity bag they will not hang. Check live prices.
Do: pair it with a bottle they already like. Don’t: a filter as the only water plan on a desert walk. Survival filters if the other gift is already a Sawyer.
Petzl Tikka if their lamp is already a joke
The Petzl Tikka is the live three-AAA-class lamp we named. Same pocket. Red if they share a tent. Check live prices.
Tactical headlamps if they already want a hotter beam. A cheap box-store lamp that strobes is how people hate night.
Garmin Instinct 2 if they want a wrist that still works wet
The Garmin Instinct 2 is the live GPS watch we named: a battery they will not charge every morning, tracks they can still find. Confirm Instinct 2 on the listing, not a fashion smartwatch. Check live prices.
Do: size the strap. Don’t: a first alpine with a watch they have not charged. entry-level hiking watches if the budget is already a different shelf.
GoPro HERO if they already film. A first camera is a hobby.
The GoPro HERO action camera is the live small camera we named. Confirm the current HERO generation on the live title. Check live prices.
Do: a mount they will actually use. Don’t: a camera for someone who hates editing. Adventurer days still happen without a lens.
| Person | Honest gift |
|---|---|
| They drink from creeks | LifeStraw, plus a bottle they own |
| Their lamp is dying | Petzl Tikka |
| They want a track | Garmin Instinct 2 |
| They already film | GoPro HERO, current generation |
Ask first. Check live prices. Check live prices.
Boots are a size, not a surprise
All-day shoes if you already know the last. A mailbox boot is a return. Upland boots if the other life is already a dog. Gift a sock or a lamp instead if you cannot stand in their kitchen.
Consumables they will burn: fuel, filters, snacks
A canister they can name and a snack they will eat beat a novelty spice kit. Snacks. A blanket if the other gift is already a pad. Keep the receipt quiet and the return easy.
A day you will take with them still wins
A reserved pad, a ferry, a lesson. Fall camping if the calendar is already shoulder season. Kids outside if the adventurer is already a parent. The gear named here is the stocking. The day is the gift.
Filter, lamp, watch or camera they asked for
That is an adventurer holiday. Check live prices. Come home with a box they will pack in March, not a crate they will donate in April.
Text a photo of their current lamp and bottle before you click
A duplicate Tikka is a drawer. Adventurer gifts. Hiker gifts. Ask.
The LifeStraw we named still wants a bottle they already like. Check live prices. A filter. Water you will drink.
The Instinct 2 we named still wants a strap you sized. Check live prices. A hiking watch. Hike kit.
A GoPro HERO we named only if they already film. Adventurer ideas. An adventurer day.
Boots are a last, not a surprise
All-day shoes. Upland boots. Tape heat. Gift a lamp if you cannot stand in their kitchen.
The Tikka we named. Check live prices. A headlamp. Adventurer gifts.
Fall camping. A reserved pad is still a gift. Kids outside if the adventurer is already a parent.
Outdoor-lover gifts. A branded tumbler they already own is not a personality.
Consumables they will burn still beat a novelty tin
A snack. A camp stove. Keep the return easy.
The LifeStraw we named. Check live prices. Adventurer gifts. Hike kit.
A blanket. Sleep pads. A quilt without a floor is a cold hip.
Leave some gas. The day you take with them still wins.
Open their pack on a Tuesday if you live with them
Do: one tool they lack. Don’t: a 72-hour mall crate. A 72-hour kit. Tactical packs.
The Instinct 2 we named if the watch they wear is already dead. Check live prices. A hiking watch.
Hiker gifts. Adventurer ideas. Nature days.
Last line: ask, then LifeStraw, Tikka, watch or camera. Adventurer gifts.
Write what they already own on the receipt envelope
Tired you will double a lamp. Tape will not. Adventurer gifts. A headlamp.
Check live prices. Check live prices. Outdoor-lover gifts.
Hiking health. A mood hour. A walk you take together is still the present.
Water you will drink. A filter. Water they will drink beats a gadget they will not.
A first camera is a hobby. Ask.
The GoPro HERO we named. Confirm the current generation on the live title. Check live prices. Adventurer gifts. An adventurer day.
Do: a mount they will use. Don’t: a closet hard drive of footage they hate. Adventurer ideas.
UV. A brim still matters more than a lens on a first ridge.
Hiking alone. A lamp and a check-in beat a selfie stick.
January is the test. March packing is the grade.
If it is still in the box in April, you guessed. Adventurer gifts. Inspect.
The Tikka we named. The LifeStraw we named. Check live prices.
Hike kit. Trail gear. Tape heat.
Come home with a box they packed. Hiker gifts. Leave some gas.
Ask twice. Then click once.
Adventurer gifts. Outdoor-lover gifts. Adventurer ideas. That is enough.
Check live prices on LifeStraw, Tikka, Instinct 2, HERO.
Hiking health. Kids outside. Fall camping.
A novelty crate is a donation bag. A lamp they asked for is a season. A headlamp.
January is the test. If it is still boxed in April, you guessed.
Text a photo of their current lamp and bottle. A duplicate Tikka is a drawer. Adventurer gifts. Hiker gifts. Outdoor-lover gifts. The LifeStraw we named still wants a bottle they already like, not a desert as the only water plan. Check live prices. A filter. Water you will drink.
The Petzl Tikka we named if their lamp already strobes. Check live prices. A headlamp. How to use a lamp. The Garmin Instinct 2 we named if they will actually wear a GPS wrist — confirm Instinct 2, not a fashion smartwatch. Check live prices. A hiking watch. Size the strap. Hike kit.
The GoPro HERO we named only if they already film. Confirm the current generation on the live title. Check live prices. A first camera is a hobby you should ask about. An adventurer day. Adventurer ideas. Boots are a last, not a surprise. All-day shoes. Upland boots. Gift a lamp if you cannot stand in their kitchen. Tape heat.
A reserved pad, a ferry, a lesson still beats a crate
Fall camping. Kids outside if the adventurer is already a parent. Hiking health. A mood hour. The day you take with them is the present. The gear named here is the stocking. Consumables they will burn — fuel, filters, snacks — still beat a novelty spice tin. A snack. A camp stove. Keep the return easy. Check live prices. Check live prices.
Open their pack on a Tuesday if you live with them. One tool they lack. Not a 72-hour mall crate. A 72-hour kit. Tactical packs. Write what they already own on the receipt envelope. Tired you will double a lamp. Tape will not. Adventurer gifts. A headlamp.
Last line: ask twice, click once. LifeStraw, Tikka, Instinct 2 or HERO they asked for. Come home with a box they packed in March. Hiker gifts. Leave some gas. Nature days.
If you can unzip their pack, you can gift the hole in it.
A dying lamp, an empty bottle, a watch they will not charge — those are the three honest holes. Adventurer gifts. A headlamp. Water you will drink. A hiking watch. The Tikka, LifeStraw, and Instinct 2 we named still fill those holes when you asked. Check live prices. Hiker gifts. Outdoor-lover gifts. Hike kit. A GoPro HERO we named only after they said they film. Check live prices. An adventurer day. UV. A brim still matters more than a lens on a first ridge. Hiking alone. A check-in beats a selfie stick. Hiking health. A mood hour.
Do not gift a 72-hour mall crate, a paracord bracelet, or boots in a size you guessed. A 72-hour kit. All-day shoes. Tape heat. Upland boots. A reserved pad or a Thursday loop you will walk with them still wins. Fall camping. Kids outside. Leave some gas. Write what they own on the envelope. Come home with a box they packed in March. Check live prices. Adventurer gifts. A filter. Adventurer ideas.
A note that says what you checked beats a receipt they have to decode.
Write “Tikka because yours strobes” or “LifeStraw because you still dip creeks.” Adventurer gifts. A headlamp. A filter. Check live prices. Hiker gifts. Hiking health. That is how a box becomes a season instead of a drawer.
Also in the magazine
Keep going with hiker gifts, outdoor lovers, hike kit, and adventurer ideas. Check live prices.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good gift for an adventurer?
Ask what they already own. We name a LifeStraw, a Petzl Tikka, a Garmin Instinct 2, and a GoPro HERO only if they already film.
LifeStraw or a Sawyer?
LifeStraw is a sip straw we photograph. Sawyer Squeeze is a different page if they already backpack with dirty bags.
What lamp?
Petzl Tikka. Same pocket. A dying box-store lamp is how people hate night.
Do they need a GPS watch?
Only if they will wear it. Instinct 2 is the live GPS watch we name. Fashion smartwatches are a different drawer.
Is a GoPro a good surprise?
Only if they already film. A first camera is a hobby you should ask about.
Should I gift boots?
Only if you know the size and last. Otherwise a lamp or a filter.