Looking For The Perfect Gift For The Outdoor Kid In The Family?
With the holidays approaching, these gift ideas are sure to inspire unforgettable experiences, from backyard fun to epic camping trips.
Our family has personally tested and loved these products over the years, and we're confident they'll be the perfect gift for any outdoor lover.
One of my favorite purchases- The FunWater Tiki SUP. Even my pup loves it!
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KAVU Rope Bag
A school backpack is just that, designed for school. And they are huge. A good traveling backpack is smaller and more thoughtfully designed, with pockets for tablets, water bottles, snacks, and miscellany like chap-stick and sunglasses.
Our Kavu bags have traveled everywhere with us- on the trail, on bike rides, as carry-on bags, and around town.
It has just enough pockets and is big enough to hold what you really need but not anymore. As a bonus, you’ll have your pick of dozens of fun designs.
See my Ode to the Kavu for the full rundown on why I love this bag.
KAVU Rope Bag (Buy On KAVU)
2. JetBoil Flash Cooking System
As any camping family knows, having the motivation to get out of your warm, cozy tent to emerge into the cool of the early morning requires the promise of a hot cup of coffee. And FAST!!
Hello JetBoil! Just add the water, and it’s boiling in less than two minutes. It has made breakfast a breeze with coffee, hot chocolate, and oatmeal ready within minutes.
It’s also great for all the gourmet freeze-dried meals on the market today. (Mountain House Beef Stew is a current fave!)
Prior to getting the JetBoil, I always waited impatiently for my Coleman Stove (which I still love and use) to boil a pot of water. The JetBoil has been a game changer. Wish I had discovered it years ago!
JetBoil Flash Cooking System (REI) or (Amazon)
3. Slackline
The simplicity of setting up this slackline in any outdoor environment is brilliant, and it’s a surprising amount of fun for the entire family.
It is difficult to master but in a good, challenging kind of way. The kids love practicing on it and all you need are two trees.
It is not just for your house either. I saw a kid set one up at a campground during an extended stay and he was quickly the most popular kid there.
Trailblaze Slackline Kit with Tree Protectors | Slack Lines for Backyard for Kids and Adults (Amazon)
Fun on the Slackline in the backyard.
4. ENO Hammock (or knockoff)
These hammocks are all the rage and for good reason. They are easy to set up, and kids love hanging out in them.
To be fair, I also love hanging out in mine. In fact, one of the main reasons I bought the kids a hammock was so I could get mine back.
These hammocks are small enough and light enough to take camping or string one up in your backyard. They make for the perfect reading nook or quiet nap space.
The ENO is the popular brand. But, you can easily go with a knockoff version, which are significantly cheaper than an ENO and work just as well.
If you go with a knock-off brand, do invest in the ENO straps. They are well made and easily adjustable to several lengths. The straps that come with the less expensive hammocks often require that you find two trees a precise distance apart.
Also, get a large, or double-nest hammock. It is more comfortable for full-size adults and easier for kids to pile in with their friends.
ENO DoubleNest Hammock - Lightweight, Portable, 1 to 2 Person Hammock (Amazon)
5. Luci Light
This solar-powered inflatable light is a great stocking stuffer. It works fantastically well and is waterproof, making it a valuable addition to any nighttime adventure. We clip ours to our paddleboards and kayaks for sunset and nighttime floats.
The kids love taking the lights camping to hang in their tents, and they are bright enough to play cards by.
They are fun even just to use in the backyard telling ghost stories. It takes a few hours in sunlight to charge completely, but they hold the charge for months. The light lasts for several hours at high power.
(They also make a great gift for stashing around the house in case of power outages. They seem to hold their charge way better than any of our battery-powered flashlights.)
MPOWERD Luci Lux: Solar Inflatable Lantern Rechargeable via Solar or USB-C, 65 Lumens
6. A Portable Charger
With all our gadgets nowadays, the battery drain struggle is real. Although I am still a map person, I admit I like to use All trails on my phone and track mileage with my smartwatch.
A portable charger has become a veritable necessity for anyone taking a long trip.
There are a multitude of options out there, but I like anything Anker makes. I have been using their chargers for years and have never had a problem with any of the models I own.
I have one that still holds a charge after 4 years and several hundred charges. For its small size, I like the Anker PowerCore 10000.
Anker PowerCore 10000, One of the Smallest and Lightest
7. Swurfer
Swurfing In The Backyard
It may look like just a swing, but it is SO much more fun. The Swurfer is an outdoor “kids” toy that adults will have just as much fun on.
Think of it as a stand-up swing that gives you a good core workout.
You will need a tree with a fairly large branch, or you can hang the Swurfer between two trees on a cable.
It can also hang under a tall deck. Installation isn’t difficult and everybody will want to play which makes it a pretty good gift in my book.
It’s also a handy gift for the grown-up that's actually just a kid masquerading as an adult. You know exactly who I mean.
8. ExPed Megamat
The Exped Mega Mat is the best inflatable sleeping pad that I’ve ever owned. It’s pricey but has been oh so worth it.
I love tent camping—the coziness inside the tent, reading, and playing cards by flashlight, the sounds of birds signaling the dawn of a new day, and the often extraordinary views upon unzipping the tent flap.
Exped Megamat 10
But as the decades have rolled by, my body no longer appreciates a night's sleep on the ground without a proper mattress.
I am happy to report that I have finally found “THE ONE” and it has recharged my camping life yet again.
After years of trying out different sleep pads like an obsessed camping Goldilocks, the Exped Megamat is a clear winner.
See my blog post The Sleeping Pad That Will Make You Want To Tent Camp Again for the full rundown on why I love it.
ExPed Megamat 10 (Amazon) or (REI)
9. FunWater Tiki Paddleboard
Getting out on a river to explore or just taking a paddeboard out on a lake and jumping off to swim is always a crowd-pleaser. Kids that groan at the thought of hiking or biking will grin at the thought of an afternoon on the water.
And with an inflatable version, you don’t have to worry about transport and storage like you do for a hard-sided kayak or SUP.
I extensively researched stand up paddleboards with the goal of finding the best beginner inflatable SUP that wasn’t heavy, was durable, and was more importantly, affordable.
And I struck gold with the FunWater Tiki Paddleboard. Between us, we now own 3, and they have stood the test of multiple seasons on the water. (And the test of dogs too!)
Note that as of this writing it’s on sale for $159 on Amazon! It comes with an oversize storage bag, air pump, and paddle.
See my full review: The Funwater Tiki SUP- We Love This Inflatable Paddleboard!
FunWater Inflatable Ultra-Light Stand Up Paddle Board
10. Osprey Backpack
I tried to show how the tension mesh panel lifts the backpack away from your back by about an inch. Just enough for airflow but not enough to mess up your balance.
We have been long- time fans of Osprey since I bought my first backpack capable of taking me on a backcountry camping trip through the White Mountains of New Hampshire way back in 1996. (Wait! How did I get this old???) Anyhoo, that backpack is still around and I am Osprey true believer.
I finally replaced my old day hiking pack with Osprey’s Hikelite 28 as a birthday present to myself last spring and I wish I had done it a couple of years ago. I love the tensioned mesh back panel that keeps the pack just slightly off your back, allowing some air flow. After spending a summer hiking with it in my beloved, yet oh so humid Smokies, I don’t know if I could ever go back to a regular backpack.
The tension rods for the back panel also help keep the pack upright when you put it down, making it so much easier to find stuff inside the pack. And the Hikelite has Osprey’s typical thoughtful details like pockets on the hipbelt and a handy front shove-it pocket. I haven’t found anything to dislike about this pack yet and I wish I had bought it years ago.
Check for sale prices for the Hikelite 28 on Amazon or REI’s website.
Final Thoughts
I hope you have a Merry Holidays full of gifts you totally love and no white elephants this year! If you have any other great gift ideas that you and your outdoor family love, please drop them in the comments. We are always on the lookout for new gadgets, hacks, and cool things to take on our adventures.
Happy Trails! - Amy