Holiday Gift Guide: The Best Outdoor Gifts Under $25
Great outdoor gifts don’t have to cost a fortune. Grab one of these and keep the adventures going without breaking the bank.
From the ultimate bike lock to an uber-packable hammock, we’ve rounded up our favorite gear clocking in at $25 or less.
Gerber Shard
Sure, this may be the cheapest little gift you can give. At just $7, it’s cheaper than most beers at a bar. But don’t let that fool you. The Gerber Shard may be the most useful little keychain tool we’ve ever used.
It’s ultra-simple, with just a sharp point, a bottle opener, a pry bar, and a couple of screwdrivers. Yet our testers have used it probably thousands of times over the last 10ish years they’ve carried it. And given its diminutive size and awesome utility, it’s just always there on your keychain when you need it.
This one may be an all-time best stocking stuffer too.
YETI Rambler 10oz. Lowball
Everybody loves a YETI. And the 10-ounce Rambler is great whether you’re sipping coffee at camp or enjoying a cold one in your kitchen. It sports double-wall vacuum insulation and burly stainless steel construction — a solid little mug that will last for years.
Yellowbird Organic Hot Sauce
Upgrade your camp kitchen in the easiest possible way — hot sauce! This set of four delicious hot sauces includes Organic Serrano, Organic Sriracha, Organic Habanero, and Organic Ghost Pepper. Made in the USA, these 2.2-ounce bottles are the perfect addition to your backpack or car camping pantry.
Goal Zero Crush Light
Leave it out in the sun to power up, then turn it on at night for some extra light around the campsite. The Goal Zero Crush Light accordions down for easy storage and provides up to 60 lumens with variable brightness settings.
HeroClip Small
This falls in the category of things you never knew you always needed. And once you get one, you can never go back. Essentially a carabiner with a rotating hook, the HeroClip ($15-20) allows you to hang gear from just about anywhere.
I always take one backpacking, find it indispensable while camping, and use it to organize the gear closet once home. (This also makes a great stocking stuffer.)
Opinel No. 8 Folding Knife
This knife would make a great gift or stocking stuffer. For $17, the Opinel No. 8 Folding Knife gets you a 3.28-inch (everyday carry-friendly) carbon steel blade and varnished beech wood handle, for an easy-folding, affordable price tag.
Rumpl Beer Blanket
This cozy, ultralight koozie from Rumpl keeps your canned drink insulated and cold (but your hands warm). The Rumpl Beer Blanket ($8) has a synthetic insulated construction made with a 30-denier ripstop recycled polyester and a DWR finish.
It comes in five colors, and cleverly also comes in a six-pack. And, it packs down into an oh-so-cute beer blanket stuff sack.
‘Bears Don’t Care About Your Problems’ by Brendan Leonard
Whether it’s 11 ways to make a chairlift ride more awkward or a comprehensive gear review of a spoon, Brendan Leonard has a charming and hilarious way to speak to all outdoorspeople.
The Semi-Rad author’s rudimentary drawings pair perfectly with his insights on the everyday absurdities of adventure life. Anyone who’s ever pitched a tent or bagged a peak will enjoy this collection of poignant short stories and silly observations.
Long-Lasting, High-Quality Outdoor Gifts
Cotopaxi Cubos Travel Cubes
Know someone who loves to travel? Gift any of Cotopaxi’s packing cubes — there are 2L, 3L, and 10L sizes all under $25. The cubes are super lightweight with mesh panels for breathability. And they’re colorful and one of a kind, thanks to Cotopaxi’s use of 100% repurposed fabrics.
Check Price at REICheck Price at Cotopaxi
GSI Outdoors Infinity Backpacker Mug
At just $11, it’s hard to argue with this mug as the go-to for backpacking. It’s light at just 3.5 ounces and holds over 12 fluid ounces of liquid (a good-sized cup of coffee!). It has a top that seals well, and it insulates well enough to keep drinks warm while you prep for your day on the trail.
It’s our editorial director’s favorite, and we bet your hiking partner will love it too.
Eddie Bauer Fireside Lounge Socks
Give the gift of coziness with these ultralight, yarn-spun socks. The winter Fireside socks are made with a blend of acrylic, polyester, and spandex for the perfect balance of comfort and stretch.
Black Diamond Black Gold Liquid Chalk
Liquid chalk not only does the trick for absorbing sweat so you can climb hard, but it’s also much less messy, and even has a high concentration of alcohol (which we all know kills germs!)
If your special outdoorsy someone likes to hit the crag, grab the Black Diamond Black Gold Liquid Chalk ($20). Black Gold contains Black Diamond’s super-porous formula of magnesium carbonate and Upsalite to give you added grip.
To-Go Ware Bamboo Utensil Set
Standard utensils aren’t super exciting, but these ones are! The To-Go Ware Bamboo Utensils ($15) set includes a fork, spoon, knife (non-serrated), and chopsticks that slide into a space-saving carrying sleeve.
The sleeve even has a carabiner attached. And, the set is one of the most durable we’ve used — we’ve tossed them into work bags and backpacks, washed them hundreds of times, and they haven’t cracked or stained.
MountainFLOW Eco Wax
MountainFLOW makes its wax as sustainable as possible — with plant-based materials and no fluorocarbons. The quick wax is easy to apply, just rub on and off you go. Or, opt for MountainFLOW’s Hot Wax version.
Swiftwick Maxus Zero Running Socks
Our staff loves, loves, loves these running socks. The Swiftwick Maxus Zero Tab Running Socks ($15) have padding in all the right places and a tab on the back of the ankle to prevent rubbing — and they perform well across exercises in lots of temperatures. Their compression fit and wicking capabilities aren’t too shabby, either.
If you know someone who loves to run and is always running out of socks, add these to your cart.
Gerber Gear Curve Keychain
Get a useful and sleek little multitool at a great price. The Gerber Curve ($14) has six functions (including screwdrivers and a blade) and weighs just one ounce. Plus, it fits on your keychain!
REI Gift Card: $20 and up
This is never, ever a bad gift. An REI gift card means you don’t have to know what that special someone needs. We’ve given and received our fair share of these, and they’re always a hit. (REI gift cards are available from $10 to $1,000.)
Tiny Tents
This tent first sold out when it came to market. Thankfully, it’s back. And this may not be an actual piece of gear (at least not full-size), but the Tiny Tent is awesome. The mini-model of a camping tent has a tiny 18 by 18-inch footprint, and all the features of a real tent (think zippers, poles, and a rainfly).
Looking for other gift ideas? Find more here:
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