No matter what their sport of choice, we think the gift ideas detailed below will be appreciated by any outdoor adventurer on your holiday gift list.
Solo Titan Camp Stove
The Titan Camp stove from Solo allows backpackers to burn wood debris from around camp to fire their cooking stove. No need to carry petrochemicals – twigs, woody debris, bark, even dried buffalo chips (going old school style!) – works in the Solo fire pan. The stove design feeds air into the base of the fire to increase heat output and minimize smoke. That means a hot, smoke-free fire for cooking. And after dinner, you can use the Titan as a safe ‘campfire’ alternative – tote along some marshmallows and Oreo cookies and you can even create upscale s’mores – S’mOreos! $80. Buy Now
Kyrgies Tengries Walkabout Slippers
There are a ton of slippers on the market. But not many are handmade. Nor made of natural wool. Nor suitable for indoor rugs and hardwood as well as quick trips outdoors. But Krygies slippers are all that, and more. These sweet cocoons for your feet are warm, comfortable, durable, and slip-safe thanks to a thin rubber outsole. The Krygie slippers are made by craftspeople in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan from locally sourced wool. The footwear is soft, but over a matter of days, as you wear it, it will get more comfortable as the thick wool felt molds itself to your feet. And because wool features a natural antimicrobial element as well as hydrophobic, these slippers are always fresh smelling, and dry feeling. Quite simply, the best slippers we found in many years. (Disclosure: This reviewer has worn them daily while working at his home office since mid-October.! I won’t give them up!) $99. Buy Now.
Roll Recovery R1 Percussion massager
In an age when there are SO many pseudoscience pain/recovery tools/equipment offered online, we were skeptical about the Roll Recovery claims. Until we tried it.
Damn! This thing works. Our primary testers were a pair of aging hikers (late 50s-early 60s) who have spent more than 32 years together, hiking, climbing, skiing, paragliding, whitewater rafting, kayaking, mountain biking, etc. The testers have back pain! But after an active day, after staggering stoop-shouldered into their living room, they applied the Roll Recovery R1 to their backs (it’s small and light enough, they could use it on themselves, but it helped to take turns ‘percussing’ each other!). After 5 minutes of treatment of the worst pain zones, the testers reported incredible reductions in pain and stiffness. Reusing the device every couple hours throughout the evening resulted in NO pain come morning.
Roll Recovery is essentially a deep-tissue massager, using a superfast percussive hit from a padded arm, The R1 comes with a variety of attachments to help pinpoint pain, but the 2-inch ball head seemed to be the best in most situations. We’ve seen similar devices used by NBA athletes on their benches during games, but this one is sized – and priced – for the average Jane & Joe hikers. It works, and it is a must-have for any aging athlete. $129. Buy Now.
MiiR TruEnamel Tumbler
MiiR enjoys a well-earned reputation for creating quality drinkware that pays back the planet. Their new TruEnamel line of glasses and tumblers feature pure-fired glass enamel coatings for an ultra-smooth, polished drinking surface. The TruEnamel Tumbler and matching Camp Mug boast double-wall vacuum-insulated stainless-steel designs to keep beverages hot or cold. The Tumbler swallows a full can or bottle of beer to keep it frosty fresh, and the snug easy-drink-through lid makes it spill-proof and extra insulated.
As a certified B Corporation, MiiR enjoys members in 1% for the Planet and the company is also a Climate Neutral Certified brand. Since its founding, MiiR has given over $3.5 million to 200 organizations working across twenty countries toward social and environmental change. $30. Buy Now.
TinCup Rye Whiskey
Since before the country was founded, Whiskey has played a role in wilderness exploration. From day-1 on this continent, settlers realized it was cheaper, easier, and more profitable to sell ‘grain’ in liquid form. Today, in Colorado, locally sourced rye is being processed into whiskey by TinCup distillery, proving once again that processed grain beats the raw harvest hands down.
TinCup’s American whiskey has become a standard potent potable in the west over the last decade or so, and the brand’s Rye Whiskey has now taken center stage as a whiskey worth stocking. Our testers deemed it a great option for the occasion sipper, as well as the regular c connoisseur. The 90-proof beverage features 95% mid-west-grown rye and 5% barley, cured in barrels for 3 years. The result is a smooth-sipping whiskey that works remarkably well in mixed drinks as well. The TinCup Rye is a great bottle to stuff in stockings for any outdoors person who partakes of spirits. $34. Buy Now.
Old Trapper Old Fashioned Jerky
Beef jerky is a staple food for outdoor adventurers, so instead of using cheap holiday candy as stocking stuffers, why not give a gift that will be loved by everyone? Old Trapper brand Original Recipe Beef Jerky may be the best commercially produced dried beef today. The flavor is slightly smoky without excessive saltiness. The texture is chewy without being overly dry. So, it wins in taste and texture, and with a ¼-pound bag option, your gift recipient will be chewing beef for days, praising you all the while. $15. Buy now.
Bajio Low-Light Sunglasses
Winter fishing often means gray days and even rain or snowfall while you are on the water. So, while we want the benefits of polarization and eye protection, sunglasses can be too dark for use. Enter the low-light lenses from Bajio. We tested the Bajio Vega frames with their low-light lenses and found them ideal for winter salmon fishing. The frames are nearly weightless, and the lenses offer sharp clarity while allowing 20% light transmission (as opposed to a standard 5% to 7% for standard lenses). The Vega frames are large, providing great coverage without obscuring peripheral vision. Anglers who chase salmon or steelhead will truly love the Bajio low-light lenses. $199. Buy Now.
Swiftwick Hike socks
Great socks always make good gifts, but for Christmas morning, a pair of brightly colored performance socks is perfect. And Swiftwick’s “National Parks” edition of their Hike sock is just that – a brightly, festive gift that provides outstanding moisture management and comfort for the wearer. Swiftwick offers the sock for 16 different parks. Pick a park, and stuff a stocking with these socks! $15 . Buy now.
Biolite 425 Headlamp
When picking a light for backcountry travel, hikers face a dilemma. Pack a headlamp that burns bright, and it could drain the batteries before the darkness gives way to dawn. Pack a light that conserves battery power and you have to strain your eyes when you want to focus on specifics. But the new Biolite 425, though, maximizes both brightness and longevity. The headlight throws a 425-lumen beam up to 85 meters while offering up to 3.5 hours of run time on high (and a whopping 60 hours on low!). The slim, lightweight design ensures the 425 is comfortable to wear for extended periods and is compact enough to fit easily into any pack pocket. $60. Buy now.
