Gift Buying Guide: Best Practical Gifts for Adventure Lovers

And it’s HERE!!  The long awaited, much anticipated, incredible, amazing, mind blowing KelloggShow list of Gifts for Adventure lovers! Y’all have been emailing and messaging us, but it was important for us to get it right. We’ve come up with some of the coolest gifts for the adventurous, wild, traveling type peeps in your life. These cannot be outdone!

Read on for the Ultimate Gift Guide for the Adventurer.

Table of Contents

Resources

This is the only gift guide you will need, unless you want to be a little more lavish in your gift giving, then I suggest you check out this gift guide for men. Or, this one for women! And, this one for couples. Definitely this one for Kids. We painstakingly went through all the amazing products we use in our adrenaline charged lives and are passing them on to you!!

Every single item on this list is used (and abused) by our family and we absolutely put our seal of approval on it.   If it made it into this list, you can be assured we use it and love it!  If we use it and love it, then it is rugged and can withstand some incomparable abuse!  You will find super cool items in this list for every budget … we promise!

Water Adventurer

Astral PFD

Best Gift Guide for the Adventurer

Our one major rule: No-one goes near a river without a PFD and no-one hops in a kayak in any body of water without one either. PFD’s are the most important gear and we don’t mess around with it. We choose Astral because they are made by paddlers for paddlers and have been Best-in-class PFDs for over 20 years.  For more information visit Astral.

Astral Footwear

Best Gift Guide for Adventurer

Again with the Astrals, right? Astral (and Soloman) are our top choice for river shoes and trail shoes. Astrals are high performance outdoor shoes that meet your water and trail adventures. For more information visit Astral.

Immersion Research Fleece (Union Suit)

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Do you have a young adventurer on your list?  Or maybe just a young at heart adventurer?  The IR Union Suit is hands down the best layering piece for any outdoor activity, ever!  It’s super soft, super warm, and even doubles as pajamas for those days when coming off the river or the slopes is simply all you can do before you plop down in a big ole leather chair in front of the fire with a cup of Hot Chocolate.  For more information visit IR on Amazon.

Go Pro

Best Gift Guide of 2020

This in anyone’s gift bag would be earth shattering.  No, they are not cheap, but we adventure for a living and when adventure is life, you need a camera that is virtually indestructible to document all your wild adventures. For more information visit GoPro on Amazon.

Solar:

Best Gift Guide for the Adventurer

 

This one-piece uber light solar charger is a backpacker’s best friend. The singular panel is easy to prop up, hang from a tree, or even clip to your backpack to charge while on the move. Despite its compact size, the BioLite Solar Panel does include a battery to store energy for later. The charging panel is weather-resistant, meaning that it can get wet though not submerged, and it has a USB output and micro USB charging ports to charge multiple devices at once.  For more information visit REI.

All American Sun Oven

asun (Small)
The Sun Oven is the world’s most versatile solar cooker. Cook, bake, dehydrate, boil, pasteurize, even sterilize equipment, with the world’s most universal power source… free sunshine! This solar oven cooks food using hot air that circulates around your food, creating an even flow of warmth that will never burn, and produce wonderful, juicy, delicious food for the family. A perfect gift for the RV traveler and the prepper! As the name suggests, this baby is Made in the USA!!  For more information visit Sun Oven on Amazon.

 

Car Camping Gifts:

Cam-O-Bunk – Stacking Camping Cots

camobunk (Small)
We looked high and low for additional sleeping arrangements and then we came across the Cam-O-Bunk from Disc-O-Bed, ending our search.  We were skeptical of it’s comfort until we had the opportunity to try one ourselves. While setting them up and breaking them down every night for sleeping in the RV became a drag, setting them up in the tent and leaving them up for the entire duration of our stay at any given campground is AWESOME! Their site actually says, designed for the outdoor enthusiast in mind.  You can bunk it, bench it or turn it into two single cots, whatever your preference!! For more information visit Disc-O-Bed here.

ENO Hammocks

Best Gift Guide for the AdventurerHammocks.  The very symbol of relaxation, peace, quiet and comfort.  Every adventurer needs a place to come back to that helps them unwind and recharge for the next days adventures.  Our kids hang them and sleep under the stars! They are uber lightweight and take up zero space in a pack, so they are the perfect gift for the thru hiker as well.  For more information visit ENO here.

Kelty Tuck 20 Degree Sleeping Bag

Built to keep you toasty and warm on cold nights without breaking the bank, this bag does exactly what it claims …it is warm, comfy and crazy durable, not to mention lightweight!  For more information visit Kelty here.

Ciao Baby High Chair

Best Gift Guide for the Adventurer

Oh my gosh, this chair made camping so so SO easy!  We didn’t have to worry about our little Coby falling into the fire, or off the picnic bench or swallowing poisonous mushrooms while our backs were turned, you know tending to dinner or whatever.  It’s portable, go anywhere, lightweight design makes it ideal for every situation.  From restaurants to campsites to grandmas this chair is a parenting hack! For more information visit Ciao Baby on Amazon.

Yeti Coolers

Best Gift Guide for the Adventurer

The absolute best cooler ever made. Extreme insulation power and durability are bare minimum requirements for every cooler Yeti makes.  Their hard coolers are made to withstand snowstorms, extreme sun exposure, bears, and even rough and wild kids. We take ours on every overnight rafting trip we take and our cooler is leakproof, waterproof and keeps food and drinks cold for 3+ days. For more information visit Yeti.

Best Gift Guide for the AdventurerWe searched forever for a portable grill that we liked and that would stand the test of time. There are many cheaper, and many more expensive, but we love this grill. It’s portable, has a locking lid, nickle plated grates, and porcelain coating on the base. It has a removable grease tray for easy cleaning. It is sturdy and does it’s job well. For more information visit Camp Chef here.

Thru Hiking Gifts

For more gift ideas for the hiker in your life, check out this blog about Mt Elbert with tons of great gift options!

JetBoil Flash

Best Gift Guide for the AdventurerCooking your food and heating up water in a flash has never been as easy as it is with Jetboil’s Flash stove. Equipped with an ability to boil half a liter of water in under three minutes, this stove makes morning coffee and evening dinner a breeze. Small, compact, lightweight and efficient, it’s our choice for cooking on the side of the mountain, at the top of a cliff, or on the shores of a river. For more information visit JetBoil here.

NiteCore Nu 25

Best Gift Guide for the AdventurerOne word, epic. It is ultra lightweight at only .9 ounces, including the battery. From the NiteCore site, “The NITECORE NU25 utilizes three light sources (white, red and high CRI) to create a versatile and lightweight headlamp you’ll find endless uses for. A powerful CREE XP-G2 S3 LED capable of 360 lumen and a 88 yard throw serves as the main output and is useful for outdoor activities like running, cycling, hiking and camping. There’s also an auxiliary red LED that helps preserve night vision for nighttime photography, map reading and stargazing while an auxiliary high CRI LED produces a warm, floody beam ideal for up close reading and detail work. Dual switches located on the top of the unit provide easy access to the main and auxiliary lights.” Yep, perfect. For more information visit NiteCore on Amazon.

Sawyer Squeeze Water Filtration System

Best Gift Guide for the AdventurerAs a mom of a gazillion kids and an avid adventurer, the Sawyer Squeeze made it into my top gift items for it’s ease of use and the fact that it’s so lightweight you don’t even notice you are carrying it. The Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter has a field weight of only 3 oz., and it makes filtering water as simple as filling a pouch and squeezing water into your mouth. No pills, no pumps and no wait time. And, the icing on the cake is the super cheap price tag of $36.95! For more information visit the Sawyer Squeeze here.

All Over Adventuring

SurviveWare First Aid Kit

Best Gift Guide for the AdventurerAs a mom to a wild bunch and wife to a rebel, I always carry a first-aid kit everywhere I go. They’re essential bits of gear for dealing with minor injuries. Accidents tend to happen at inopportune moments, on the river, the mountain, it’s never convenient, that’s for sure! Having a bandage, plasters, anti-bacterial wipes, surgical tape and so on can make a big difference.

It’s the sort of thing you may never even need! But it’s far better to be prepared, just in case. For more information visit SurviveWare here.

 

Layers

Layers are essential for any outdoor adventure and are an ideal gift for your adventurer. I used to spend an arm and a leg on Under Armour and the like, until I found the company 32 Degrees. Their prices on underlayers is crazy good and when they have a sale, I almost feel guilty the prices are so low! For more information visit 32 Degrees.

Down Jacket

Best Gift Guide for the AdventurerDown jackets are on every serious adventurers gift list. They are great insulators, super lightweight and fold down to fit into any pack. What’s more is that goose down typically offers protection against the elements, including rain! My brand of choice these days is Cotopaxi, but you can find a plethora of options, colors, weight and more. For buying options check out these down jackets.

 

 

Hiking Socks

Best Gift Guide for the AdventurerMost people would say that socks are a boring gift, but my kids would disagree. They love good socks because they are literally one of the most valuable items to an adventurer. Bad socks can ruin a great day of boarding or skiing, hiking or biking. Bad socks are thin, they slip, they slide and they cause blisters. Good socks protect your feet, because they are designed to perform.  And, they are not cheap, which makes them a small, but powerful gift! For more information visit Darn Tough Merino Socks here.

 

Health & Wellness

Brain Food

Best Gift Guide for the AdventurerNot Big Pharma! Brain food designed by UCLA-trained neuroscientists to help you create faster, impact more, and grab more life.

For more information visit Tru Brain.

Gifts for Hunting, Fishing & Protection

Knife

Best Gift Guide for the AdventurerA good knife is one of the most essential tools an adventurer can carry. On everyday hikes, it can open food packets, cut twine, and shave kindling; in a survival situation, it can help you do everything from build a shelter to catch fish. Everyone we know carries a knife whether it be in their pack or on their PFD.  A good knife is essential whether you are a minimalist adveneturer or a full-on forest dweller.  For more information visit Benchmade here, or for the more budget conscious buyer, check out the Bubba Sculpin here.

 

 

Multi-Tool

Best Gift Guide for the AdventurerThe Leatherman T4 is, hands down, our multi-tool of choice. It is small and lightweight, proving once and for all that big things do come in small packages. With all the assets you have come to expect in a multi-tool, the Leatherman T4 also includes scissors, tweezers, and a heavy duty file. Perfect for a quick, one-day excursion out into the wilderness. For more information visit Leatherman here

 

 

Bear Spray

Best Gift Guide for the AdventurerAnother absolutely essential piece of gear for anyone that spends any time out in the wilderness. Bears typically don’t bother with humans, but if you stumble upon a momma bear and cubs, or a particularly grumpy bear, you will want good quality spray. Super Magnum Bear Spray comes with a holster that you can hook to a pack, or your pants. And, most importantly, it doesn’t have a wimpy spray, but rather deploys a high volume powerful blast of highly concentrated pepper spray in a dense fog – covering a broader area in a much shorter period of time. For more information visit Super Magnum Bear Spray here.

 

Pepper Spray/Mace

Best Gift Guide for the AdventurerNot for nothing, but human predators can also be a risk out in remote areas where there are fewer, if any, people. It’s not something we ever really worry about, but we like to be prepared for people with nefarious intentions. In rare circumstances, you need to be wary of human predators, especially if you are hiking solo, especially if you are a woman. Carrying pepper spray and/or mace is one way to defend yourself should you find the need. For more information visit pepper spray here.

 

Firearm

Best Gift Guide for the AdventurerFor the same reason to carry the above, I highly recommend always having a handgun on your person, whether hiking or otherwise. I am an avid defender of the 2nd Amendment because I value my life, but more importantly, I value the lives of my children. If you ever see Dan or I, know that we are armed, always. As an adventurer, it’s important to know that many of the nation’s best hiking trails crisscross their way through bear country, and human predators have been known to target victims on hiking trails. Be prepared, that’s our motto. for more information on the firearm I carry visit Smith & Wesson here.

Minimalist Gift Ideas:

And, then of course there are countless of non-tangible things you could gift to a loved one who travels extensively or who has gone to great lengths to simplify his/her life.  Ideas include:

Hotel Vouchers (this one would make any adventurers life PERFECT)

Restaurant Gift Cards

National Parks Pass

Classes – music, dance, art … always a great idea to keep adding to kids’ interests!

Events – Movies, concerts, theater, sports event … very exciting, if not impossible to find due to Covid!

Care Package — Homemade cookies, candy or any treat is such a sweet way of saying you care!

Spa Day – All adventurers need R&R, a massage for their sore muscles, a detox from camp food, and to zone out for a bit!

Gas Cards

Any Questions?

And there you have it.  I think we really outdid ourselves this year.  We’ve just been crazy excited to share this with all of you, our great friends who keep us energized and excited and feeling so supported.  The gifts on this list are seriously are things we use, things we love and things we have no qualms about recommending!

Oh, BTW, if you decide to purchase any of these items and use the links provided to do so, some of these links kick some change our way, so thanks in advance.

Best Gift Guide for the Adventurer

17 thoughts on “Gift Buying Guide: Best Practical Gifts for Adventure Lovers”

  1. It’s so great to find a real gift guide. Most are filled with either silly plastic toys or ludicrous things like, love, affirmation, encouragement. Come on, it’s the holidays, people want good stuff. This is good stuff.

    Reply
  2. Wait, where is the tablet? The phone? The computer game? Oh wait, your kids live life outside learning, in fresh air. I’ll be choosing from this list this year.

    Reply
  3. I’ve wanted a Vitamix forever, but they are so expensive that it’s hard to justify. But I guess I should start saving, because everything I hear about them is perfect – except the price, of course.

    Reply
  4. What’s your recommendation for a Jackson Kayak? I’m 210 lbs, 6’1 only ever done class II, but even that was great and so I’m wanting to push it up a couple notches this next summer. No freestyle, just river running. And a paddle? What size? What kind? Thanks and God Bless.

    Reply
    • Hey Mark …

      If you definitely don’t want to dapple in freestyle, I’d say get a Zen!! The new 2015 Zen is hot and super comfortable For the paddle, I’d definitely recommend a Werner and you should run to a dealer to test out sizing and style!! Email me if you have more questions, I can go into great detail for you about the different boats and stuff!!

      Reply

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