If you’re buying a gift for someone who loves the outdoors, this is a great place to start. Photo: The Inertia
Depends on your definition, but winter is just about here in the Northern Hemisphere. The leaves have changed, and are mostly fallen by now. The North Pacific has started up and is churning out swell after swell. And snow is falling in the high country. Winter means a return of favorite activities, but it also means time getting cozy with family and friends to exchange gifts. Throughout the year, The Inertia’s gear team is hard at work testing the best equipment for surf, snow, and the outdoors, so we’ve got a pretty good handle on the latest, greatest, and most exciting gear out there.
With the holidays right around the corner, it’s time to share that knowledge with you to make your gift-giving as smooth of a process as possible. From stocking stuffers to gifts that simply won’t fit under the tree, see below for our top picks for gifts with the great outdoors in mind.
Editor’s Note: For more great gift ideas, check out our Holiday Gift Guide for Surfers and our Holiday Gift Guide for Snow-Lovers.
Heybike Ranger S
Built for the everyday, the Heybike Ranger S is your go-to foldable e-bike for traversing across town or leisure weekend cruises. Perfect for commuters and recreational riders alike, it features a burly 750W motor that can propel you up to 28 mph, and a 48V 14.4Ah battery that provides a range of up to 55 miles. The Ranger S also features a comfortable step-thru frame, hydraulic disc brakes, and a front suspension fork for a smooth and stable ride. For more options, including a couple of other awesome rides from Heybike, check out our guide to the Best Fat Tire Electic Bikes.
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Danner Logger Moc 917 GTX
Danner’s a top brand when it comes to footwear for hiking and the outdoors, with a wide variety of options ranging from work and tactical-style boots, to stylish footwear made for the city. The Logger Moc 917 GTX bridges that gap expertly. The leather upper and GTX liner repel water and mud with ease, and the classic moccasin toe is not only insanely comfortable, but stylish to boot. A vibram sole completes the deal, and the entire package is recraftable, meaning from soles to uppers, the Danner team is equipped to make your boots as good as new after years of use inevitably wear them down. For more rugged options, check out our review of the best hiking boots for men and women.
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CRKT LCK + Carbon Fiber Knife
Sleek and elegant, the LCK folding knife is a bold, yet understated, blade that will earn its keep as part of your globe-trotting, adventure-seeking EDC. Titanium nitride-coated S35VN steel is tough and durable for long-lasting use, and the marbled carbon fiber handle is strong and lightweight for a great grip in hand. An IKBS ball bearing and flipper guarantees smooth and fast deployment, and a deep-carry clip keeps your knife low profile, no matter where you’re heading.
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Outerknown Blanket Shirt
To call the Outerknown Blanket Shirt a flannel is to do it a disservice. Made of a soft, thick, 100-percent organic cotton twill, this garment has a weight and warmth that just screams coziness, whether you’re throwing it on to ward off a summer breeze, or layering under a puffer in midwinter. Outerknown calls it the coziest shirt ever made, and we’ve yet to see a convincing argument otherwise.
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Nocs Provisions Standard Issue Binoculars 8×25
No matter where you are in the great outdoors, binoculars are an incredible tool for exploring the world around you. Check the surf, scope new lines in the backcountry, or just visually explore your surroundings, binoculars open up a degree of perception unavailable to the naked eye. And Nocs Provisions makes some of the best binoculars in the game for outdoor enthusiasts, with a rugged, waterproof design and high-quality optics. From the 8×32 Zoom Tube Monocular up to the 10×42 Pro Issue binos, there’s something for everyone.
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Biolite Charge 80 PD
Biolite’s gone big on portable power recently, taking their know how from the wood-burning, electricity-generating stoves that earned them their fame, and applying it to solar panels, power stations, headlamps, and more. The Charge 80 PD falls into the “more” category, a device that bridges the gap between a portable power station and a phone charger. With enough power to fully charge a laptop, or a smartphone five times over. With both USB outlets and a USB-C port, not only is the Charge 80 powerful, but it’s also fast, with Quick Charge 3.0 protocol through the USB-C port it can take your phone from zero to fully charged in minutes. For more great options in portable power, check out our guide to the best portable power stations.
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Black Diamond Spot 400R
No matter if you’re a backcountry skier, backpacker, traveling surfer, or simply someone with a dimly lit backyard, a good headlamp should be in everyone’s arsenal. And the small but mighty Spot 400R just might be the best all-around headlamp we’ve encountered. It’s fully waterproof with an IP67 certification, rechargeable, and packs a punch at 400 lumens while weighing only 2.5 ounces. The controls are fairly intuitive, and it features a red light mode for saving your night vision – what more could you ask for?
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Teva ReEmber Slip-Ons
What better way to show your love for someone than to give them a gift for their feet? Teva’s ReEmber Slip-Ons are our top pick for all-around outdoor slippers thanks to their rugged, recycled construction that’s equally at home at the beach, in the snow or at a campsite. With a fold-down heel they have both casual and “sport” modes, and they’re also unisex, great for sharing, or “borrowing” from whoever you gift them to from time to time. For more options, check out our guide to the best camping slippers.
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Cotopaxi Kapai 1.5L Hip Pack
When you leave the house, sometimes you take a car full of surfboards, ski gear, or a backpack full of supplies. Other times, all you need is a place to stash essentials like your wallet, keys, and headphones. Cotopaxi’s Kapai 1.5-liter Hip Pack fits the bill for the latter application perfectly. The fun, one-of-a-kind colorways are made from 100-percent remnant/repurposed fabric, and with one main compartment and one exterior compartment there’s enough room for organization without getting over-complicated.
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Jack Wolfskin Alpspitze Wool Top and Bottoms
Perhaps you haven’t heard of Jack Wolfskin? If not then allow us: named for the wolves that roamed in Jack London’s The Call of the Wild, Jack Wolfskin has been making high-quality gear with top-notch German engineering for some 40 years. The brand’s equipment definitely has a high-alpine flavor to it. But whether you’re in the alpine or engaged in high-output winter activities closer to sea level, one needs quality underlayering to stay warm, but not overheat. Enter the Alpspitze Wool top and bottoms, made from Merino wool – which makes them warm, helps regulate your temperature, makes them fast drying, and even anti-bacterial. That kind of active base layer should be a basic fundamental in any outdoors-person’s arsenal, and Jack Wolfskin’s Alpspitze layers hit all the right marks. Available in both men’s and women’s.
Buy HereEditor’s Note: Thanks for reading! For more great gift ideas, check out our Holiday Gift Guide for Surfers and our Holiday Gift Guide for Snow-Lovers. For more gear reviews and features on The Inertia, click here.
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