THE TOP 20 GIFTS FOR OUTDOORSY PARENTS: Fun Ideas For Every Budget
Post Summary: A complete guide on the best gifts for outdoorsy parents.
Are you looking for a fun gift for a pair of adventure-loving parents? As a self-proclaimed adventure couple who also happen to have a little human, we know just what parents will want wrapped up and gifted or shipped over and delivered.
These are all items we have personally used or would love to be gifted. Our gift guide for outdoorsy parents will cover every budget from a small, simple offering to a special over-the-top, AKA expensive gift.
Whether campers, backpackers, extreme adrenaline junkies, or just parents who like to commune with nature, you’ll surely find a fun gift idea they’ll love.
LOOKING FOR MORE GIFT IDEAS? Check out these posts.
Is The RadRover The Ultimate E-Bike For Adventurers?
35+ Gifts For National Park Lovers
45 Perfect Gifts For A Hiking Mom
21 Gift Ideas For Adventure-Ready Women
Camping Gifts For Kids They’re Guaranteed To Love
30 Glamping Accessories To Take You From Camp To Glamp
Camper Must-Haves You’ll Be Glad You Bought
*This gifts for outdoorsy parents post may contain affiliate links, which means we might earn a small commission if you purchase from them. This is at no extra cost to you! We only recommend products and services we truly think are helpful.
TOP THREE GIFTS FOR OUTDOORSY PARENTS
These are our top three picks from our full list of outdoor gift ideas for parents.
- MOST UNIQUE: Campfire Beer Caramelizer
- BEST FOR TRAVELERS: Where Should We Camp Next
- MOST USEFUL: Teva Reember Camp Shoe
BEST GIFTS FOR OUTDOOR PARENTS UNDER $25
1. WHERE SHOULD WE CAMP NEXT BOOK
When looking for the best outdoor gifts for parents, you can’t go wrong with anything that inspires exploration and adventure with their kids. The book Where Should We Camp Next is a visual feast of ideas on where to camp in the US. While it has a strong focus on camping, there are also yurts, tree houses, and cabins that are sure to excite any adventure-ready family.
2. YETI WINE TUMBLER
Wine tumblers are the perfect hybrid gift for outdoorsy parents who also love to kick back with a glass of wine. While there are a variety of wine tumblers available, Yeti Wine Tumblers strike the perfect balance between being stylish and practical. With their double-wall insulation, they’ll keep your wine at the perfect temperature, whether you’re sipping a crisp chardonnay on a hot summer day or a robust zinfandel by the campfire. The spillproof lids make them ideal for travel or backyard glamping.
3. NEMO PORTABLE SEAT PAD
A portable seat pad is something that, once you have it, you can never go back. The NEMO Chipper Reclaimed Closed-Cell Foam Seat is a lightweight seat pad you can fold into your backpack on a day hike or backcountry weekend. After an hour of sitting on a rock or tree trunk, everyone will covet your cushy pad. We keep these fantastic multi-use items in the back of our trunk for all kinds of uses, whether gardening, an outdoor concert, or a mid-break picnic on the trail.
4. ÜBERLEBEN ZÜNDEN FIRE STARTER
If you have a pair of adventure parents who thrive on returning to basics, this beautifully hand-crafted überleben Zünden Fire Starter is a no-brainer piece of outdoor gear. Outdoorsy parents will love the durability of the hardwood handle and teaching their kids how to use a Ferro rod.
While at it, you can also throw in a USB rechargeable flameless lighter. You know, for the moments you want to use newfangled technology.
5. LEATHER CAMPING MUGS
Personalized engraved enamel mugs that parents can take with them on their outdoor adventures are a great gift for parents who will love the artisan detail. Available in a range of colors, you can mix and match to suit their unique personalities.
BEST GIFTS FOR OUTDOOR PARENTS UNDER $50
6. RADIATE PORTABLE CAMPFIRE
No fire pit or wood for roasting marshmallows? Not a problem with the Radiate Portable Campfire. With one match, you can have artisan s’mores for 3- 5 hours. When you’re done for the night, smother the fire with the lid for a safe, easy end. Made of recycled soy wax and recycled paper briquettes, the fire is free of toxic smoke and embers. Perfect for backyard barbecues!
7. DARN TOUGH SOCKS
Darn Tough is a family-owned, Vermont-based business that has been producing high-quality socks for over 40 years. So confident in the quality of their socks, they offer a lifetime guarantee; if it doesn’t last, they’ll send you a new pair.
The Sunset Hiker two-pack is a pair of his and her socks designed to keep your feet warm, dry, and comfortable, no matter the weather conditions. Made of high-quality merino wool, it’s the essential hiking sock! Also, they’re darn cute.
8. PORTABLE SOLAR CHARGER
A portable solar charger from Big Blue allows you to harness the sun’s power to recharge your gadgets and stay connected, even when you’re off the grid. Whether camping, hiking, or just spending time in nature, a portable solar charger is an essential tool to help you stay connected and powered up. With their lightweight and compact design, the charger is easy to carry and can charge various devices, from smartphones and tablets to cameras to GPS devices. We always travel with a power bank and a solar charger—a must-do for adventure parents.
9. CAMPFIRE BEER CARAMELIZER
This is the gift you didn’t know you needed. For real, one go with the Campfire Beer Caramelizer, and you’ll wonder why you didn’t buy this unique gadget years ago. Created from a German tradition, the caramelizer is heated up in the campfire and then dipped into a cold brew to create a frothy, rich texture that brings out the sweet, smoky flavors of the beer. You can also use it for hot chocolate, cider, and cocktails, making it perfect for the entire family. And no, it doesn’t make your drink warm! Just frothy, foamy, amazingness.
10. WISE OWL OUTFITTERS DOUBLE HAMMOCK
A portable hammock that can go from backyard, to creekside, to the campsite is a must-do gift for adventurous parents. We love our Wise Owl Hammock and that all three of us can lay it in comfortably. It stood up to pretty fierce weather in Yellowstone National Park and remains leakproof and rip-proof after five years. Easy to set up and transport. Win-win.
BEST GIFTS FOR OUTDOOR PARENTS UNDER $100
11. TEVA REEMBER SLIP ON SHOES
The ultimate camp shoe. Available in a fun variety of colors, Teva’s Remember shoes are a classic for a reason. They go from strolling around your campsite to leisurely walks around the neighborhood with your kids. They’re the perfect shoe gift for an outdoorsy parent who loves to marry style and practicality. My favorite part about them is the collapsible heel. Perfect for lazy folks like me who just want to slip the shoe right on. They even have kid’s sizes, too, so you can get a pair for the entire family!
12. AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL PASS
An America The Beautiful Pass is the closest thing you can get to a gift certificate for the national parks. The pass grants you entrance into all the national parks and includes more than 2,000 federal recreation sites like national landmarks and monuments. The pass is valid for one year and covers entrance for a driver and all passengers in a personal vehicle at parks that charge per car or up to 4 adults at parks that charge per person. It is a fantastic gift for parents planning a national park road trip.
We used one on our trip through the east coast national parks and it saved us a ton of money!
13. NOCS PROVISIONS GOGGLES
A set of lightweight, waterproof goggles that can be used for birding, hiking, and nature gazing is a great gift that the entire family can enjoy. The Nocs Provision Goggles strike the perfect balance between being high quality and easy to travel with. It also doesn’t hurt that they come in a variety of fun color combinations.
14. SLACKLINE KIT
A slackline kit is an excellent gift for parents who want something to entertain their kids. Put the slackline up and watch them amuse themselves while you sit back and enjoy a cold beverage. Or hop on and test out your balancing skills! The Flybold Slackline Kit is easy to put up and can be used at home or while you’re out enjoying the wild.
15. L.L BEAN FLEECE SWEATER
A warm sweater for a cool morning jog or a brisk night out at camp is the life of a parent who relishes time outdoors. A cozy sweater is a classic item that never gets old. You can’t have too many! We love the fleece sweaters from L.L. Bean for their warmth, durability, and great color choices.
BEST GIFTS FOR OUTDOOR PARENTS OVER $100
16. TREKKING POLES
The older you get, the more you realize you want to keep your knee joints healthy. Whether you’re a hardcore thru-hiker or hitting the trails on the weekend with your kids, trekking poles are life savers for parents. REI’s Traverse Trekking Poles are high-quality poles that weigh in at one pound and can accommodate a height range of five feet and up. The cork handles are a welcome feature allowing for more comfort on your hike. I never used to hike with trekking poles, and now that I’ve started, I always use them for high-elevation hikes so my knees won’t hate me the next day.
*If you like the idea of trekking poles but want something a little more budget-friendly, we bought these hiking poles for our older parents, and they love them.
17. NEMO JAZZ DOUBLE SLEEPING BAG
The NEMO Jazz 30 Double Sleeping Bag is the perfect gift for outdoorsy parents who love to camp in comfort and style. The overfilled quilt and featherbed-style bottom are insulated with 100% recycled Stratofiber synthetic insulation, making it soft and plush. The bag also comes with an integrated machine-washable sheet, making cleaning easy. The bag is ideal for 30-degree temperatures and up.
*For a cheaper option, check out the Kelty Tru Comfort Doublewide Sleeping Bag.
18. COLEMAN OCTAGON TENT
A family-sized tent that you can fully stand in AND has a swinging door. Check! This may not be the tent for backpacking, but it’s fantastic for backyard camping and car camping. One person can set it up, but you can get it up in ten minutes if the whole family pitches in. We camped in the Coleman Octagon Tent during a TORRENTIAL downpour in Yellowstone, and I’m happy to say we stayed completely dry.
You can see more pictures of the tent in our DIY Glamping post.
19. JACKERY PORTABLE POWER STATION
The Jackery Portable Power Station is an essential outdoor gift for parents who love to have all the gear. Perfect for camping trips, stowing in your car for emergencies, or for your house when the power goes out. If you’re gifting gearhead parents…they’re going to love this.
20. VEER CRUISER
The ultimate adventure wagon is, hands down, the Veer Cruiser. This well-engineered wagon is no simple beach accessory but an all-terrain ride that can handle snow, sand, hills, rocky trails, and a simple outing to the farmers market. It isn’t until you’re a parent that you can really appreciate the allure of a wagon. This is the Mercedes Benz of wagons (I’ll let you check the price below), but it’s the perfect high-end gift for outdoorsy parents who want to take their kids on adventures but might need the help of a wagon.
That’s our full roundup of the best gifts for outdoorsy parents. Which one is your favorite? Let us know what other gifts you think are great for adventure-ready parents in the comments below. We might add them to our gift guide!
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