favorite gift ideas for outdoorsy people

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it’s that time of year again when so many of us are scouring the internet for the best gift lists. i’ve shared before that we don’t really celebrate christmas, but i did want to share some of our favorite gear and other items that we use again and again for outdoor adventures. this is a brief gift list for a spectrum of ages, including gift ideas for kids. and outdoorsy by my book means anyone who loves nature in all its forms. and while it’s concise, it’s for a reason. i really want to be sure to recommend our tried and true products that facilitate our time outdoors. i hope this list gives you some great ideas and inspires your loved ones to go out wild!

for the adventurer that loves to stay cozy and warm

• thermals: it took me awhile to get on the thermals train, but now that we have them, we want to wear them all. the. time. i have this top and this bottom and kiddo has the full set of these long underwear. even if your loved one already has a set, i can guarantee they would appreciate another one. especially if it’s high quality merino wool! they make the coziest of useful gifts.

• a cozy jacket: i wear this one almost every day fall through spring and this one when I’m adventuring in winter. the puffer packs down small for adventurers on the go. this company creates clothing out of recycled plastic. a great sustainable gift for earth lovers! (aren’t we all?) they also have these sweat suits (top and bottom), of which I have two! the perfect cozy gift.

pictured wearing my favorite fleece jacket while winter hiking in joshua tree np

for the camper that’s a picky eater

• itacate backpacking meals: camping and backpacking food can be… you know… not great. but newly launched itacate food makes latin backpacking meals that are packed with flavorful, home-cooked goodness. my favorite is the lentejas, but i also love the spice of the caldo!

for the hiker whose always on the lookout for different trails

• the disabled hiker’s guide to western washington and oregon: for hikers exploring the pacific northwest, this guidebook is fantastic! very descriptive and includes those things you can never find on the apps like whether there is cell reception or a bathroom. there are a wide variety of trail options, too! this would make a great gift for hikers! (amazon or bookshop)

for the off-the-beaten path adventurer

• solar power banks: for backpackers and weekend campers, this solar power bank is compact and worth the weight! they’re also great to include in a car emergency kit or home emergency preparedness kit. those who are adventuring for longer but still need to stay connected also need something a bit heftier. we recently invested in this set up from jackery for our camper van so we can do more boondocking. (for a complete list of essentials we keep in our rv emergency kit, go here.)

for the national parks lover

• national parks magazine: i absolutely love, love, love this magazine! a subscription would make the best gift for any national parks lover. the quarterly magazine is full of interesting articles. i tear them out and save for or a future trip or mail them to a friend! and, of course, the money goes to supporting national parks, including advocacy to protect public lands. the perfect gift for park lover!

• national parks book for kids: to get kiddo excited about our next national park adventure, we turn to books to learn more about what we’ll see and experience. this book is a colorful, engaging read that’s chock full of factoids about the national parks across the country. (amazon or bookshop) though not specific to national parks, we also use this book for road trips to talk about the states we’ll travel through. (amazon or bookshop) i have kiddo read it and then teach me something about the state. (a homeschool tip i learned from an instagram friend!) and for more book ideas, see this blog about children’s books for nature lovers. great gift ideas for young readers!

for the explorer that always ends up in the water

• hiking sandals or water shoes: we wear our tevas on every adventure. they make great camp shoes but are also sturdy enough for the trail and perfect for any kind of water play. i have this pair of tevas and kiddo has this pair of keens. the keens are a collaboration with outdoor afro and a portion of proceeds go toward teaching Black children to swim. purchase directly from keen to ensure the funds get to the right place!

save this pin for gift ideas for all the nature lovers in your life!