The Ultimate Men's Adventure Gift Guide

1. Nalgene Ultralite ($12)

2. Travel Soap Carrier ($14)

3. Long Handle Spork ($15)

4. Waist Ruckpack ($20)

5. Merino Wool Sock ($20)

6. Chess/Checker Kit ($21)

7. Fleece Headband ($23)

8. Packable Bowl ($23)

9. Yeti Rambler ($25)

10. Packable Towel ($25)

The Nalgene bottle has been a staple in the outdoor community for years. This ultralite bottle is a spin on their classic design that cuts the weight down by a whopping 40%. This makes this bottle the perfect gift for the weight conscious hiker, backpacker, or climber on your list!

Carrying a bar of soap while traveling shouldn’t be difficult. This Matador soap pack is simple, effective, and gets the job done without having to worry about my soap container exploding in my luggage. This has weirdly been one my favorite new travel gadgets.

A long handled spork could almost be considered an essential backpacking tool if you indulge in freeze dried meals in the backcountry. This titanium spork is as light as they come and it’s significantly more durable than the plastic options on the market meaning you can toss it in your backpack without having to be overly delicate with it. Seriously, I love my spork!

I’ve been living the fanny life for the last 3ish years and I’m never looking back. All your necessities right on your waist less than an arm’s length away? If that’s wrong then I don’t want to be right! This bad was recently on a bargain sale for $20, but this might have shifted to a different price bracket when you read this.

I have absolutely no idea how socks ever got a bad reputation as a holiday gift. The older I get the more I appreciate a fine pair of socks and these merino wool socks from REI certainly fit the bill. These are comfy and durable and I will certainly be buying more for myself in the future.

This packable chess/checker board is the perfect size to stuff in your bag and carry to camp. The board folds in half and stores the game pieces neatly inside. The board is also magnetized to keep everything in place when playing on uneven surfaces. I don’t own this personally, but it’s on my list this year!

For those chilly and active days in the backcountry nothing works quite as well as a fleece headband to regulate head temps. My ears get cold easy (is that weird?) and this piece of gear keeps them nice and toasty while letting the rest of the sweat/heat escape from my noggin. This is a massive help when keeping my glasses and googles fog free on those grueling ascents! I also think they look kinda rad, but that’s beside the point.

I’ve tried a variety of camping plates and bowls over the years and so far nothing has come close to this packable bowl from sea to summit. It’s lightweight, durable, and takes up minimal room in my pack. Best of all this bowl is sturdy during use. I’ve had a number of collapsible bowls that were a bit too good at the collapsing part and always made a mess. Not this bowl though. It’s sturdy when ya need it and packable when ya don’t. Not sure it will ever be beat!

Would a gift guide be complete without a Yeti insulated cup? This cup is on my wish list because it solves one of my least favorite features of insulated cups…stackability. I’ve grown tired of insulated cups taking up every square inch of cabinet space. These cups carry all the convenience of a traditional Yeti tumbler with added functionality of packability. A win-win in my opinion!

Packable towels have been around for awhile now and boy have they been a game changer! These towels fit in the palm of you hand and are ultra absorbent. They’re perfect to toss in your backpack for a quick dip in that backcountry alpine lake or in your gym bag for a post workout shower. A full size, fully functional towel in the palm of my hand? Yes please. I’ve used these for years and I never see myself not owning one.

1. National Park Bottle ($28)

2. Smokey Bear Calendar ($28)

3. Darn Tough Socks ($30)

4. Matador Stash Pocket ($30)

5. Watercolor Kit ($36)

6. Arcade Atlas Belt ($40)

7. REI Trail Cube Organizer ($40)

8. REI Trail 5 Waistpack ($50)

9. Aeropress GO ($50)

10. Big Agnes Tent Lights ($50)

This bottle has all the convenience and practicality of a standard nalgene PLUS the added fun of checking off all of the national parks you’ve visited! I get unreasonably excited every time i get to add a new sticker!

I don’t own this calendar yet but it’s on my wish list this year! The Landmark Project makes a few different calendar options and they’re all beautiful. PLUS this a rad company that gives back to local charities and puts in tons of volunteer hours around the country. We went out for a local trail day here in Tahoe with their team and their commitment to their mission is commendable! An awesome group of people that make great products!

I mentioned this earlier but good socks make GREAT holiday gifts! These Darn Tough Full Cushion socks have been my go-to’s for years. They are indeed Darn Tough. I owned my original pair for almost 8 years. I could’ve likely sent them in for warranty since they’re guarnteed for life, but I put those bad boys through the ringer so I figured I could just buy another pair to support this company. Added bonus… these puppies are made right here in the USA! Their Vermont manufacturing plant has been running for 40 years. I’d say that’s pretty RAD!

The new trend of running more front pockets on backpacks is here to stay. This stash pocket is undoubtedly my favorite addition to my backpack in years! It mounts to backpack shoulder straps and houses a phone or point shoot camera in the main padded pouch and I like to store my sunglasses and chapstick in the stretchy pocket. Having these items in an easy to access pocket has been so nice while traveling through airports and in the backcountry.

I’ve seen two of my friends carrying this kit around and I’m jealous every time. The first friend whipped it out at the local brewery and had a masterpiece completed by beer two. The second friend hiked it into a backcountry ski hut and painted some beautiful nature murals. This one is making my wish list for this holiday season.

Seriously this is the best belt I’ve ever owned. I liked it so much I bought a second one in a different color. I don’t tuck my shirts in so having a second color was really pointless, but it was a good enough reason to buy another belt. Can’t recommend them enough!

Does anyone like messy gear? Take your gear organization to the next level with these gear cubes!

This is my go to pack for mountain biking adventures or shorter hikes where extra layers aren’t required.

Honestly, you can’t beat the quality of Aeropress coffee. This kit is ultralight and packs down to a compact size for backpacking. This is a must have for any backcountry loving coffee enthusiast!

When the sun sets in the backcountry lighting is everything. Most people get by with just a headlamp, BUT a nice set of small packable string lights makes camp feel 100x’s more cozy. This set from Big Agnes is great because it can be ran on it’s triple A battery pack OR a portable power bank, it comes with hooks for easy hanging, AND its carrying case utilizes a light dispersing material letting this set double as a small lantern.

1. Slackline Starter Kit ($60)

2. Silky Folding Saw ($65)

3. Gerber Bushcraft Hatchet ($70)

4. Zoomtube Monocular ($80)

5. Eno Doublenest Hammock ($85)

6. Hest Pro Travel Pillow ($90)

7. Kelty Wayback Biggie ($90)

8. Leatherman Multi Tool ($90)

9. Petzl Adjama Harness ($95)

10. REI Trail Pack Cooler ($99)

I’ve owned the same slackline for almost 9 years now and it still works flawlessly. It’s so fun to set this thing up at camp or in the backyard and watch everyone try to walk it like a fresh born baby ostrich. I can’t guarantee you’ll have success walking the line, but I can guarantee you’ll have fun trying! As an added bonus I’ve found walking a slackline to be an incredible workout for your core and all of the stabilizing muscle in your lower body.

A simple and highly effective tool. We use a similar saw every year to cut our Christmas tree and I’m shocked every time at how quickly it gets the job done! These are super light and packable and great for light duty trail work!

Dudes like destruction. I don’t know why that exist in most men, but it does. I promise that annihilating a log with this hatchet and then setting that log on fire will ignite every males caveman instincts. I own multiple hatchets, axes, and mauls. I don’t really need them all, but the smile they put on my face is worth every penny. I’ve added this hatchet to my wishlist this year because it also contains a storage compartment in the handle that fits a lighter perfectly. It’s truly the perfect tool for your favorite caveman.

I’m not sure what happened to me in my 30’s but suddenly I have an over zealous interest in birds. I bought a ridiculously large/heavy camera lens just to scratch that itch. However, there’s tons of times i don’t carry it out because it’s just too inconvenient. On a hike recently a friend of mine whipped this contraption out of coat pocket and I was blown away by its size to performance ratio. It’s been on my wishlist ever since!

Hammocks are nothing new. This luxurious lounging device has been around for years and somehow you still don’t own one. It’s time to fix that. Buying this double hammock for your favorite male friend is almost like buying a gift for yourself too. This unit packs down to fit in one hand and it’s our favorite way to lounge around camp, or read a book on a mountain, or take a nap in the backyard, or… well you get the point.

I know this is a crazy price for a travel pillow but how much is your sanity worth? You already know you’re going to book that red eye flight because it’s $10 cheaper so you might as well splurge on this pillow with all the money you’re saving. In all seriousness I had all but given up on travel pillows until this thing. Unfortunately, my wife will attempt to save that $10 on the red eye flight and this travel pillow has helped me become more okay with that reality.

Nothing is worse than sitting by a campfire and still being cold. The Kelty Biggie can fix that. We purchased a Kelty Biggie early in the year and it quickly became my favorite camp blanket. It’s reasonably packable (I pack it backpacking for Fitz’s dog bed) and it’s HUGE!

Every guy needs at least one nice multitool. This Leatherman is sure to fit that need. I carry mine on every backcountry outing as one of those “just in case“ tools.

Know a guy who’s looking to get into climbing? Or maybe someone who’s harness has seen better days? Well let me introduce you to the Petzl Adjama. I ran this harness for years (probably a little too long). It’s a bargain price for the comfort and functionality that this harness provides and it will be a perfect gift for the climber on your list.

Those beers aren’t gonna carry themselves to the river, but that guy you know probably will. Backpack coolers have really made hiking in adult beverages to those “off the beaten path” swimming holes so much more convenient. This pack carries enough for the whole crew so you can load it up and watch him carry all your things so you can enjoy your river day without breaking a sweat.