In this guide
Disclosure: BEARZ Outdoor® takes part in the Amazon Associates program, and some links on this page are Associates links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Two of the 15 picks and one add-on are our own products, and we say so each time.
Shopping for gifts for hikers, campers or anyone who would rather be outside? The ones that get used are small, useful things that go on every trip, not gear that sits in a closet. Below are 15 picks grouped by how your person likes to spend time outside: picnics, the beach, hiking and camping, plus a few small extras.
Every pick earns its place by solving one real problem outside: a dark campsite, a wet phone, a sandy towel, a cold coffee. Where a pick has a real trade-off, we name it, so you can choose with your eyes open.
Jump to:
- Gift ideas for the picnic and park person
- Gifts for the beach lover
- Gifts for people who hike
- Gifts for the camper
- Small gifts and stocking stuffers
- Gift combinations for outdoor people
Top picks for hikers, campers and beach lovers
- For the hiker: a headlamp (pick 7). Both hands free on an early start or a late finish.
- For the camper: a hammock (pick 10), with tree straps if the listing does not include them.
- For the beach lover: our travel towel set (pick 4) and a roll-top dry bag (pick 5).
- For the picnic person: our Pocket Blanket (pick 1), a seat for two that folds back into a pouch.
- For a small extra: a weatherproof notebook (pick 14).
How to choose a gift for someone who loves the outdoors
Start with where they actually go, not where you picture them. Someone who hikes every weekend, a beach regular and a backyard camper need different things. If they mostly travel, start with our gifts for travelers; for a dad or a husband, our gifts for outdoorsy men are sorted by the kind of man he is.
Then ask three quick questions:
- Do they already own the big gear? Most outdoorsy people do. Small upgrades and refills are safer than a tent or a sleeping bag they may not want.
- Will it pack? If it is heavy or bulky, it stays home. Light and foldable wins.
- Can it do more than one job? A blanket that works on the beach, at a concert and in the park gets used more than a single-purpose item.
If you are unsure about sizes or fit, pick something without sizes. Socks are the one exception on this list, and we explain why below.
Gift ideas for the picnic and park person
1. BEARZ Outdoor Pocket Blanket (our product)
Good for: picnics in the park, beach days and concerts on the grass, for anyone who carries a bag rather than a basket.
This is our own Pocket Blanket, so take this paragraph with that in mind. It opens to 55” x 60” (140 x 152 cm), which gives two adults room to sit. It folds back into a pouch you can clip to a bag with the included carabiner, and our guide shows how to fold it back into the pouch.
The corners have small pockets you can fill with sand or stones. The fabric is water-resistant.
BEARZ Outdoor has been featured in gift lists from Bustle and Women’s Health.
Good to know: it is a thin ground cover, not a padded one. If your person wants cushioning, pair it with a camp pillow. It is hand wash only, in cold water.
Add-on for US shoppers: BEARZ Outdoor blanket stakes (our product). We sell them on Amazon in the United States only. It is a pack of four yellow plastic stakes with a pouch, and they fit the corner loops on our Pocket Blanket. Bright yellow is easy to spot in the sand when it is time to pack up. They are made for sand and lawn, so rocky ground is a job for metal stakes. Outside the United States, fill the corner pockets with sand or stones instead.
2. YETI Rambler 20 oz Tumbler
Good for: the person who brings a drink to the park or coffee to the trailhead.
A long lunch on the grass is better with a cold drink within reach.
Good to know: check the listing for how the lid closes before it rides loose in a backpack.
3. Bicycle plastic playing cards
Good for: picnics, campsites and rainy afternoons in the tent.
A plastic deck survives spilled drinks, damp sand and sticky fingers better than paper cards. It is a small, light gift that turns a picnic into an afternoon. Need games to go with it? Our guide to four card games for camping has easy ones.
Gifts for the beach lover
Packing for a full day on the sand? Our beach day packing guide covers the whole beach bag, and our guide to what to give someone who loves the beach has more ideas for swimmers and sun seekers.
4. Microfiber Towel Set by BEARZ Outdoor (our product)
Good for: beach lovers, swimmers and campers who like a towel with its own carry bag.
Another one of ours, a travel towel set: a 48 x 24 in (120 x 60 cm) microfiber travel towel and a 15 x 12 in (38 x 30 cm) face cloth, with a carry bag and a carabiner. The whole set weighs 7.4 oz (0.21 kg), and the carry bag clips to a beach bag or a backpack strap. The set comes in four colors: navy blue, space gray, mint green and coral.
Good to know: it is one travel towel and one face cloth, not two full-size towels. For care tips, see how to wash microfiber towels.
5. Earth Pak Dry Bag
Good for: beach days, boat trips and paddling outings.
A roll-top dry bag keeps a phone, keys and a spare shirt away from spray and sand. Earth Pak sells it in several sizes, and the small ones fit a beach day without taking over the bag. Earth Pak says to roll the top down three to four times before you buckle it, and to leave a little air inside.
Good to know: the maker says its bags are not meant to stay underwater for more than a few seconds.
6. Hydro Flask Standard Mouth Bottle
Good for: the beach lover who hates warm water.
Warm water on a hot beach is no fun.
Good to know: check the maker’s listing for sizes and details before you order.
Gifts for people who hike
If they head out of signal range, our guide on hiking without internet covers maps, a compass and what to do if they lose the trail.
7. Black Diamond Spot 400 Headlamp
Good for: early starts, late finishes and finding things in the tent.
A light on your forehead keeps both hands free on an early start or a late finish. The Spot 400 has 400 lumens and runs on three AAA batteries or Black Diamond’s BD 1500 battery pack.
Good to know: if they hate buying batteries, look at the rechargeable Spot 400-R instead.
8. Darn Tough Men’s Hiker Micro Crew Socks
Good for: hikers who walk long days.
Good hiking socks are a gift most people rarely buy for themselves. Darn Tough knits its socks at its own mills in Vermont, and this pair is 61% merino wool. These are the men’s version.
Good to know: socks are the one sized pick here. If you do not know their shoe size, check a shoe in their closet first.
9. LifeStraw Personal Water Filter
Good for: day hikers who drink from streams and lakes.
This is a straw-style water filter: you drink through the straw itself. LifeStraw says one filter handles 1,000 gallons.
Good to know: read the maker’s guidance on which water it suits before the first trip. You drink at the source, so it does not fill a bottle for later.
Gifts for the camper
Planning a first trip? Our list of things to take camping fills in the basics.
10. ENO DoubleNest Hammock
Good for: campers who like a nap between two trees.
This one turns two sturdy trees into a place to nap, and ENO says it is spacious enough for two.
Good to know: check whether the listing you pick includes tree straps. If it does not, add a set, or it stays in the bag.
11. MPOWERD Luci Lux Solar Lantern
Good for: the tent or the picnic table.
This one is our pick for a tent or a picnic table, not for the trail.
Good to know: check the listing for how it charges and how it packs.
12. Leatherman Wingman Multi-Tool
Good for: the camper who fixes everything.
Camp is full of small fixes: a loose screw, a tangled cord, a package that will not open. The Wingman packs 14 tools, including spring-action pliers and scissors.
Good to know: check local rules before your camper carries a blade, and if they fly, check the airline’s rules before it goes in a bag.
13. Sea to Summit Frontier Collapsible Bowl
Good for: anyone who cooks at camp and packs light.
This collapsible bowl folds down to less than 2 cm between meals and pops open for oatmeal or chili. It is a small, practical gift for anyone who cooks at camp.
Good to know: it is a bowl, not a pot, so it is not for the stove.
Small gifts and stocking stuffers
Small does not have to mean throwaway. In the UK you would call these stocking fillers, and all of them are useful all year. For a whole stocking’s worth of ideas, see our stocking stuffers for hikers and campers.
14. Rite in the Rain Weatherproof Notebook
Good for: trail notes, bird lists and campsite numbers.
These pocket notebooks use all-weather paper, and the maker says they are tough enough to survive rain, sweat and mud. They suit trail notes, bird lists and campsite numbers.
Good to know: pair one with a pencil, since some pens skip on damp paper.
15. Anker 10,000mAh Power Bank
Good for: long days out, when the phone is the map, the camera and the flashlight.
A phone is a map, a camera and a flashlight. A 10,000mAh power bank with USB-C keeps it going on a long day out.
Good to know: if they fly, check the airline’s rules for power banks before they pack.
Who it suits
| Pick | Suits |
|---|---|
| Our product 1. Pocket Blanket | Picnics, the park and the beach |
| 2 and 3. Tumbler, plastic playing cards | The picnic and park person |
| 4 to 6. Travel towel set (ours), dry bag, water bottle | The beach lover |
| 7 to 9. Headlamp, hiking socks, straw-style water filter | People who hike |
| 10 to 13. Hammock, lantern, multi-tool, collapsible bowl | The camper |
| 14 and 15. Weatherproof notebook, power bank | Anyone, as a small extra |
Gift combinations for outdoor people
These are pairings, not bundles: each item is bought on its own.
- The picnic kit: our Pocket Blanket (pick 1), plastic playing cards (pick 3) and the tumbler (pick 2). A seat, a game and a cold drink.
- The beach bag: our travel towel set (pick 4) plus the dry bag (pick 5). A towel and a safe spot for the phone, both ready before the swim.
- The early start: headlamp (pick 7) plus the weatherproof notebook (pick 14). Light for the trail and a place to note the route.
- The camp kitchen: collapsible bowl (pick 13) plus the multi-tool (pick 12). Dinner, and the small fixes after it.
Gift questions, answered
What are some cool outdoor presents?
The cool ones get used. Think of a pocket blanket, a solar light or a good pair of socks: small, light and good for more than one kind of trip.
What are thoughtful outdoor gifts for hikers and campers?
Pick something they would not buy for themselves. Good socks, a water filter and a pocket tool are all thoughtful, practical choices for anyone who spends weekends on the trail or at camp.
What are some small gifts for people who love being outside?
Start with the small picks: plastic playing cards, a pocket notebook or a collapsible bowl. Each one solves a small problem and goes on most trips.
What do you get someone who loves the outdoors and has everything?
Go for upgrades and spares rather than big gear. Most people who already own the big gear still welcome fresh socks, spare batteries or an extra dry bag.
Can I send these as a gift through Amazon?
Many items on Amazon offer gift options at checkout. Availability depends on the item and the seller, so check the listing before you order.
Shortlist: one gift for each kind of outdoor person
- Picnic and park: our Pocket Blanket (pick 1).
- Beach: our travel towel set (pick 4).
- Hiking: a headlamp (pick 7).
- Camping: a hammock (pick 10).
- A small extra: a weatherproof notebook (pick 14).
You do not need big gear to make someone’s day outside better. Think about the one thing they grumble about on every trip, then solve that. The choice is yours.
Be Outdoors Be Wanderful™
