Spring cleaning has long been associated with “out with the old, in with the new.” That adage applies directly to outdoor gear and gadgets as well, with spring being the perfect time to refresh some of your go-to outdoor items or gift them to a fellow outdoor enthusiast (yes, even if you’re “gifting” something to yourself!).
From products for campers, hikers, fishermen, hunters, and avid travelers in general, we’ve rounded up 12 of the very best gifts for outdoor lovers. Happy shopping!
Formally called the America the Beautiful Pass, the national parks annual pass is the ultimate gift for any outdoor lover. In addition to all of the US national parks, the pass also grants access to hundreds of national monuments and recreation areas, plus up to 50% discounts on national forest campgrounds.
Bringing plenty of water on your adventures is always important, but it’s smart to have a backup for emergencies, too. A LifeStraw personal water filter is a great solution, with several options, including filtering bottles and the actual water filter that’s compatible with different bottles.
For people who haven’t hopped aboard the packing cube train, these simple gadgets are life-changing. That may sound dramatic, but it’s true! Especially when you’re traveling in a small space like an RV, keeping things organized in packing cubes eliminates both clutter and stress. Plus, they magically allow you to pack a lot more stuff!
Forget bug spray; a Thermacell is one of the best gifts for outdoor lovers. The easy-to-use personal mosquito repellers are lightweight, portable, and rechargeable, so they’re excellent for bringing camping, fishing, or hunting. Best of all, they don’t involve any spray, scent, or chemicals.
For folks who enjoy really immersing themselves in a new place and exploring beyond the tourist hot spots, this is one of the best outdoorsy gifts. Some of the “ideas” are exactly what you’d expect: national parks and must-see hotels. But many are unexpected, like quirky museums and where to find dinosaur tracks.
Bonus: there are other editions of this book that also make great outdoorsy gifts, like “100 Drives, 5,000 Ideas’” and “100 Parks, 5,000 Ideas.”
A headlamp is one of those outdoorsy gifts that you can never have enough of because they’re so functional. They’re excellent for camping, hiking, and even road-tripping, for late-night bathroom and snack pit stops.
Trekking poles are popular with hikers and backpackers, but they actually have tons of uses beyond the trail. Amazon sells a variety of inexpensive adapters to turn them into selfie sticks or tripods, and with a basic tarp, you can also quickly turn trekking poles into a simple shelter.
No matter what type of “outdoorsy” someone is, a high-quality knife is arguably one of the best gifts. At camp and on the trail, a knife is invaluable for cooking, creating firewood and kindling, or using as a hammer or mallet. And in emergency situations, a knife also provides protection or could help administer first aid.
Much like a campfire, a hammock can immediately elevate your outdoor experience. It makes a great gift for any type of outdoor enthusiast, creating a quick relaxation or nap spot at camp, just off the trail, or near the lake. They fold up super small, so they easily fit into hiking packs and gearboxes.
Not everyone has a fancy camera, but just about everyone does have a cell phone — and takes pictures with it. This simple, inexpensive little gadget makes a fantastic outdoorsy gift, completely leveling up the recipients’ picture-taking game. Now, they can actually be in their photos!
We can all agree that camping just doesn’t quite feel like camping without a campfire, right? From s’mores and scary stories to cocktails, there’s just nothing like it. A portable propane fire pit allows you to enjoy that authentic camp vibe even when fire restrictions are in place, or bad weather has you huddling under a shelter.
There are countless outdoor situations where you want to sit down, but there’s no good place to do so. The ultra-portable Crazy Creek chair solves that problem, making it a top outdoorsy gift. The folding, lightweight chairs can be clipped to a pack or easily stashed under an RV seat.
A Cruise America RV Trip is the Best Outdoorsy Gift!
The gift ideas listed here are all excellent, but do you want to know the very best gift you could give an outdoor enthusiast? An experience.
Cruise America makes it easy to do exactly that, offering RV rentals from over 100 convenient pickup locations. There are a variety of pet-friendly models available, and each comes with a fully-equipped kitchen and bathroom. Memories certainly make the best gifts, and spring happens to be a wonderful time to hit the road!
