2021 Gear Gift Guide

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Do your friends have the tie-down straps they need to get that tree home? Read on for more stocking-stuffer ideas.

A spectrum of our favorites, collected and coddled through the year: here’s our Gear Gift Guide. These are items that really stood out to us or made our adventures better in some way. If you’re looking for something that isn’t a tangible item wrapped in a box, check out our “No-Box” Holiday Gift Guide, too.

Minus 33 Midweight Merino Wool Beanie. We met these folks at the Outdoor Media Summit, and — wow — their merino is amazing. They brought these beanies as swag, and it’s the softest wool we’ve ever felt. Well-made, with a great family start-up story behind the company.

REI gift card. Such an easy, no-brainer gift. Write a heartfelt message and let them choose from the candy store of outdoor gear. (For the women in your life, a Title Nine gift card is a great option too.)

MPOWERD solar lanterns. We talked about these in our multi-purpose gear post, and they’re back for the holidays. They shrink, glow, float, clip on, travel, and self-charge by solar. Tent, backyard, boat, or elsewhere, these will light the way.

Sea to Summit hanging toiletry bag. This was given to us a couple of years ago, and Cristen commandeered it — she hasn’t looked back. It has a ton of storage for its compact size and lots of organization, from hotels to sailboats to campground showers.

Kammok Roo Double camping hammock. We love hammocks and take them everywhere. If you have an outdoor lover who hasn’t yet enjoyed the bliss (and usefulness) of a hammock, this is a great one to stick under the tree.

Rab Dispatch 50L duffel. This duffel will get you there — and get all the souvenirs back, too. It’s sharp-looking on the baggage carousel, has thickly padded shoulder straps for the trek to your hostel, and is heavy-duty and water-resistant.

Osprey Transporter bags. We’re thinking of their commuter-style, laptop-carrying bags for folks getting back to the office or telecommuting from home or the local coffee shop. Padded laptop and tablet pockets, tons of nooks for pens, notebooks, and cables, and comfy straps that cinch close if you’re riding a bike to work.

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite sleeping pad. We touched on these in our podcast episode about camping sleep systems. Your sleeping pad can mean the difference between a night and a great night — and Therm-a-Rest has led the charge on pads for decades.

Thermacell MR300 portable mosquito repeller. Our caveat: we use this on our sailboat, anchored near mangroves along the Florida coast in spring. If that’s not endorsement enough, it’s the size of a flashlight, lays on any surface, and works.

AeroPress coffee maker. We drink plenty of coffee — if you’ve listened to the podcast, you know local coffee shops are one of our favorite things to seek out in new towns. Our brewing evolved from an electric maker to a pour-over until we found the AeroPress. Now we can make coffee or great espresso, and it packs tight and goes everywhere. We’ve added a reusable metal filter and a USB-rechargeable frother over time.

Hiker’s Brew sampler and an insulated mug. While we’re on coffee, let’s complete the kit. Hiker’s Brew focuses on sustainable coffee in a small, multi-use, compostable package that keeps it fresh for the trail — and it’s some of our favorite. Add a two-cup insulated mug (we don’t mess around in the morning) and you’re set.

A clip-on safety light. A small clip-on that glows or flashes — perfect for a late run or trick-or-treaters, but we love putting one on our dogs’ harnesses when we walk them at night in campgrounds or marinas, so others can see them coming.

Upcycled bicycle-tube jewelry. Delicate designs made from discarded bicycle inner tubes — weightless, waterproof, upcycled jewelry, hand-drawn and laser-cut. Earthy accessories with unique flair, for bike lovers and beyond.

Sea to Summit Stretch-Loc straps. These. Are. Amazing. In lengths from 12 to 30 inches, they secure almost anything — bikepacking gear, SUP paddles, even roof racks. Talk about multi-use; it never hurts to have a couple in a pinch.

Eddie Bauer Kids CirrusLite Down hooded jacket. It’s tough to buy solid (and necessary) gear for kids when they grow so fast, but cold weather is nothing to mess with. Eddie Bauer’s kids’ winter coats fill that gap, and the CirrusLite has become our son’s favorite. It doesn’t hurt the wallet either, and there are lots of colors.

Therm-a-Rest Stellar tech blanket. Packable, fast-drying, warm, and lightweight, this one made our multi-purpose gear list, too. You might think you have enough blankets at home — but we daresay this replaces at least three of them. It’s so nice, even our dogs try to steal it.

Ruffwear Knot-a-Hitch dog tether system. We can’t leave the pets out. Our tail-waggers go almost everywhere with us, but many places require leashes, and a campsite can become a tangled mess. String this between two trees, clip on the lead, and the pups can move around camp safely while you set up and make dinner.

A cat travel tent. We can’t leave out the cat, either — he travels with us too. He’s not cooperative on a leash, so we make his RV life as interesting as possible. Seeing tiny dome tents made for cats finally hit the market makes my heart happy; now your cat can have their own basecamp on the road or at home.

Stasher reusable silicone bags. Sick of disposable plastic bags? Reusable silicone bags are our go-to at home, at school, on the road, and in the boat. They save money and landfill space, wash easily, and are easy for little fingers to open and close. We use them for food, crayons, magnets, and small toys.

REI Multi-Towel Lite. Once, we had a water leak in a small space and grabbed the nearest towel — this one. It holds eight times its weight in water, wrings out nearly dry, and goes back for more. It’s also so soft it nearly feels like a blanket, whether you use it for camp showers, hair, the beach, or hot yoga.

Hydro Flask Cooler Cup. Our quick-grab item this summer. It looks like a metal koozy for a can, but it also switches into a cup for hot or cold drinks. Every trip to the lake or pool, we stuck a cold can inside and that refreshing temperature lasted much longer.

Zippo HeatBank 9s rechargeable hand warmer. A winter item. Many of us have used chemical heat packs that last eight hours and get tossed. Now there are USB-rechargeable hand warmers (and versions that run on lighter fluid). For anyone who wants to get out on winter trails or slopes, having one in a pocket warms you up fast on the chilliest days.

Minus 33 merino socks. Beanies for your feet. Like the head version, Minus 33 didn’t skimp on quality or softness, and the padding under the heels and toes really stands out — perfect on hikes or while staying cozy on the couch.

Outdoor Research Gripper sensor gloves. Grab these on the way out the door and your hands stay warm all the way to school or the office — and you can still scroll, text, and check email with them on. Windproof and water-resistant, too.

Outdoor Research Kids Adrenaline mitts. We can’t leave the kiddos out. The snowball-shaping palm seems made for snow, as do the insulation and waterproofing. A longer collar and two cinch points keep them where they belong and the elements out, so the adventure lasts. (At least two candy canes fit in each mitten, safely, when hung by the chimney with care.)

Buffs. We’ve always loved Buffs for hair control, sweat control, style, and function — and shaping one into a balaclava makes even more sense than it used to. Stick one in a stocking and your loved ones will stay stylish and warm on runs, rides, hikes, and while shoveling snow.

Nemo Moonlite reclining chair. Imagine enjoying a lunar eclipse or a summer meteor shower from a steady camp chair that reclines — or kicking your feet up at a backyard fire ring with friends. Nemo makes a very comfortable chair. Pair it with a warm blanket and a hot drink and you’ve got a cozy night ahead.

Nemo Helio pressure shower. We don’t talk about this one enough. If you kayak, SUP, sail, take pets on trails or water, get muddy or dusty, mountain bike, rock climb, or van-life and boondock — anywhere it’d be nice to rinse feet, face, hands, or body without running water — you’ll love adding this. Even with the stickiest sand or dust, the pressure behind the spray gets you, the kids, and the pets clean enough to feel great before a long drive or turning in.

Ruffwear Highlands dog sleeping bag. Our dog, Jack, believes his body was made for soft things. Like the cat tent, this may be indulgent, but it makes us smile — and makes the dog feel special with his own matching, squishy bed. He’s one of the pack, after all.

MyMedic medical kit. Update those first-aid kits and keep them ready for the backcountry. There’s a size and arrangement for every activity, from road trips to day hikes to expeditions.

We hope our Gear Gift Guide helps! It’s always fun to put together — both to help with your holiday shopping and to look back at the creativity the outdoor industry keeps coming up with to make getting outside more comfortable and fun. All the best in your gift gathering, and happy holidays from Keyword Adventure!