It’s that time of year when you start to consider gift options for your loved ones (or for yourself). As we do every year, we present you with some of our favorite outdoor gear in this holiday gift guide — including gear from brands who are OWAA Supporting Groups (corporate members). But this list isn’t just about our Supporting Groups and it’s certainly not sponsored, so we’ve filled it with gear that our staff have personally tested in the field and would recommend to friends and family.
These are ideal gifts for outdoor media professionals – and outdoor consumers alike!
Quick View List
- Outdoor books
- Adirondack Fragrance Farm – Bug Wipes
- B3nth underwear
- Bug Bite Thing
- Dragon Alliance Upcycled Opus sunglasses
- Duckworth Sawtooth shirt
- Duer No Sweat Relaxed Taper Pants
- Epicka 105 Pro electrical adapter
- Gordini’s MTN Crew Artist Mitts
- GoSun Chill Solar cooler
- Head Peace headband
- HercShirt 3.0 t-shirt
- Helly Hansen LIFA Active Solen Graphic Hoodie
- Lowa FORTUX GTX trail runners
- Maglite XL50 Flashlight
- MantisX Firearm Training System
- Matador Refillable Toothpaste Tubes & Flatpak Soap Bar Case
- MyTopo maps
- Papa’s Pilar rum
- Six Moon Designs All Day Carry backpack
- Solo Stove tabletop fire pits
- Star Brite cleaners
- Tentsile Trillium XL 6-Person Camping Hammock
- Teren Daily Driver Puffer Jacket
- The Outdoor Afro Inc and REI Co-op collection
- WorldNomads travel insurance
- XTRATUF Sharkbyte kicks
Outdoor books
As we do every year, we kick things off with the gift of reading. Many OWAA members are authors and have written guide books, children’s books, ‘how to’ guides, instructional manuals and even fiction! Our curated list of members’ works on Bookshop.org now includes more than 130 titles. You can also check out the wide array of outdoor offerings from our friends at Far Country Press and Mountaineers Books.
Adirondack Fragrance Farm – Bug Wipes
These handy wipes come in packs of 18 and are great for kids as well as adults. Great to keep in the car (or boat, camper or UTV) too. – $12. Learn more.
B3nth underwear
Quick-drying, men’s undies that come with a ‘pouch’ to handle your goods (“It lifts and separates!”). My underwear drawer is pretty much full of nothing else now and they come in boxer briefs, trunks, briefs and full lengths. $32 (for the boxer briefs). Learn more.
Bug Bite Thing
When someone sent me a sample of this product, I was super dubious. Then I tried it and was amazed at how well it works! Now we have them stationed all over the house in the warmer months. It’s a chemical-free suction tool that alleviates itching from bug bites by removing the insect saliva from underneath the skin. $9.99. Learn more.
Dragon Alliance Upcycled Opus sunglasses
Classic shades with a rounded silhouette, color optimized lens and 100% UV protection. Not only are they made of 100% recycled water bottles, they also fold relatively flat to better fit in your car, backpack or pants pocket. $140. Learn more.
Duckworth Sawtooth shirt
Warm and toasty 100% Merino Wool flannel shirt, forged into existence at the nation’s oldest woolen mill. Great for the backcountry – or a brewery run! This quickly became a ‘go to’ piece for me. $279. Learn more.
Duer No Sweat Relaxed Taper Pants
I tried a pair of these once and immediately fell in love. I grew to love that pair so much that I eventually stocked up and now most of the pants in my closet are these (in various colors). Super comfortable with plenty of give to sit and move – but still look sharp! A great pant from ‘trail to tavern’. $129. Learn more.
Epicka 105 Pro electrical adapter
For your long haul adventures, this little, all-in-one adapter includes four different plugs that adapt to 200+ countries & regions and allows you to charge up to six devices at once. $22.99. Learn more.
Gordini’s MTN Crew Artist Mitts
These synthetic leather mitts are waterproof, windproof, breathable – and stylish AF. They have a 600-fill DownTeck with high-pile fleece lining and there are eye-catching, heat-embossed designs from environmental artists for both the men’s and women’s versions. $89.99. Learn more.
GoSun Chill Solar cooler
Great for car camping, overlanding or boating, this portable cooler doesn’t need ice. It will keep food cold, frozen, dry, and organized while the included PowerBank lets you charge devices and power your Chill day and night. $399. Learn more.
Head Peace headband
A ‘necessary accessory’ to absorb sweat during a yoga session, hide fly-away hair when you’re running late, and warm your ears on a chilly day. They use a fair trade, ethical manufacturing company in Nepal that helps women coming out of slavery and sex-trafficking earn a living by providing them employment opportunities in the garment industry. $15. Learn more.
HercShirt 3.0 t-shirt
This shirt utilizes innovative metal infusing technology, blending beechwood, copper, spandex, and a few other materials, into one shirt that keeps you looking, smelling, and feeling good. The manufacturer says that the shirt can go over 100 days without having to be washed. (I haven’t gotten to 100 days yet, but it’s doing great so far!) $100. Learn more.
Helly Hansen LIFA Active Solen Graphic Hoodie
Ideal for adventures with long sun exposure (like sailing, spring skiing, hiking, etc.) this hoodie was designed to deliver sun protection and comfort on hot days. It boasts two particularly cool technologies too. Their S.Café process infuses the hoodie’s fabric with used coffee grounds, giving it UPF 50+ sun protection without the use of chemicals. Cool, right? Meanwhile, their LIFA ACTIVE tech wicks moisture away from your skin to keep you dry. So it’s quick-dry, odor-resistant and durable. $64 (women’s). Learn more.
Lowa FORTUX GTX trail runners
While I’ve been a big fan of this German company’s footwear for sometime now, I’m really digging their new trail runners. It’s a waterproof, distance-focused shoe designed for longer runs/hikes on trails in all weather conditions. Features include a speed lace, smooth rocker, durable jacquard upper and cushioned midsole to provide maximum comfort mile after mile. $190. Learn more.
Maglite XL50 Flashlight
This powerful little water-resistant light has a sleek, tactical design and includes next gen LED technology. There are three modes: momentary, full and strobe and other colors are available. Run time is six hours and 45 minutes in high or a whopping 25 hours in low, while beam throw is 224 meters. $100. Learn more.
MantisX Firearm Training System
Got a hunter or target shooter on your list? Help them further improve their accuracy with this dry-fire gun training system. It takes a data-driven approach toward achieving shooting mastery and it works with any firearm (pistol, rifle, or shotgun). The system analyzes every shot and generates actionable data to help improve accuracy quickly. Starting at $99. Learn more.
Matador Refillable Toothpaste Tubes & Flatpak Soap Bar Case
I was excited to discover this brand at a travel goods show as they’re truly dedicated to adventure travel and not just trying to add ‘travel’ as a category. I mean, for years I wondered why someone hadn’t invented a better, smaller, packable case for a bar of soap, or a refillable toothpaste tube. Well, these guys did, and so much more. $10 and $14 respectively. Learn more.
MyTopo maps
With more than twenty years of experience providing custom-printed maps, MyTopo will ship your custom map within 24 hours. They offer United State Geological Survey 7.5′ topographic maps, and aerial/satellite photographs custom centered on any place in the US or Canada. They can also overlay private land boundaries to provide landowner names and parcel boundaries on topo or satellite maps. Then add public land boundaries, U.S. Forest Service roads and trails, lake bathymetric contours, and GMU boundaries, if you like! Prices vary but topos start at $16.95. Learn more.
Papa’s Pilar rum
As a bunch of outdoor writers, we often like to sip something nice after a long day in the backcountry. And what better thing to sip than a high-quality, artisanal rum named after Earnest Hemingway’s boat – and that comes in a bottle shaped like an old-school canteen? I enjoyed all their flavors but was most impressed (and surprised by) their white rum. Starting at $32.99. Learn more.
Six Moon Designs All Day Carry backpack
Designed for walking trails and hut-to-hut adventures, I quickly fell in love with the ‘ADC’. Super lightweight, well-designed, intuitive pockets, large volume and a beefy (and comfortable) suspension system. Excellent as a longhaul trip carry-on, weekender bag or, as designed, for adventures like the El Caminito del Rey in Spain or hut-to-hut hiking in Switzerland. $335 (35L). Learn more.
Solo Stove tabletop fire pits
I had to review Solo Stove’s tabletop fire pits for an article and my whole family quickly fell in love. Great for chilling on the front porch or a deck, using it on a picnic table at home or at a campground, for lighting up parties and more. We use ours often now since it’s so much easier than building a ‘real’ fire. They also offer a variety of fuels to burn in the stoves too. Starting at $39.99. Learn more.
Star Brite cleaners
If you’ve got the toys, you need to take care of them. Not only is Star brite the marine industry’s leading manufacturer of waxes, polishes, cleaners, teak finishes, motor oils, and more – they also have cleaners for recreational vehicles, homes, powersports equipment, motorcycles and even aircraft. Prices vary. Learn more.
Tentsile Trillium XL 6-Person Camping Hammock
The world’s largest production giant hammock, and the biggest suspended hang out space anywhere on the market. Made from tough black mesh and with enough space for six adults – or ten kids! It’s a great option for large group trips. Even better, if building the ultimate basecamp is your plan, you can set it up underneath any Tentsile Tree Tent to create the ultimate, one-of-a-kind, multi-storey hammock tent stack for serious fun. Currently on sale for $384.30 (normally $549.00). Learn more.
Teren Daily Driver Puffer Jacket
Right out of the box, I was loving this piece. The fit was great, the lines were super smooth and uncluttered and I was immediately impressed by all the pockets (eight of ’em!) for your gear. This Chattanooga-based company was founded by local guides and they use Bluesign certified fabrics & recycled water bottles in Primaloft Gold insulation to reduce waste and conserve natural resources. It’s also equipped with both DWR finish and is naturally hydrophobic to keep you warm even if caught in the rain or on the slopes. $269.95. Learn more.
The Outdoor Afro Inc and REI Co-op collection
Gotta give some love to these two great brands who came together to develop this inclusive clothing collection. REI said of the collection, “Together with Outdoor Afro Inc., we co-created a camp and hike collection in collaboration with the Black outdoor community, offering a range of sizes and colors so everyone can feel like themselves outside.” Heck, yeah! $6.95-$98.83 Learn more.
WorldNomads travel insurance
Why not make sure that you (or your loved one) are covered for your next big outdoor trip to another country? Even their Basic Plan covers over 250 activities, up to 180 days per trip. It includes emergency medical coverage, trip cancellation & interruption, coverage for lost or stolen baggage and emergency evacuation and repatriation. Prices vary based on coverage amounts and your home country. Learn more.
XTRATUF Sharkbyte kicks
As someone who’s worked from home for decades now, I’ve searched long and hard for the perfect work-from-home-shoe. Well, now I’ve found it. Super comfy, amazingly light and yet still shoe enough to run outside for the mail, grab something from the car, run the kids to school, etc. And, if you happen to have a boat, they’re designed as a deck shoe, so you can wear them there too! $85.00. Learn more.