Gift Guide for Your Favorite Camper

With so much camping equipment out there, it can be hard to make sense of it. What’s useful? What’s fluff? What’s quality? We’re here with some quality suggestions for the camper in your life.

Mountainsmith Morrison Tent

We’ve talked about a wide variety of tents before. Cost, capacity, and comfort all factor into the decision, and you can read about some of those options here. But a good tent is a must-have, and a great place to start looking is this two-person from Mountainsmith Morrison.

Coleman Cooler

There are a lot of cooler options out there, for a wide variety of trip lengths and purposes. We’ve talked about them before. But this Coleman is one of the all-around best – assuming you’re not trying to carry it on a hike or anything.

Lonely Planet’s USA’s National Parks travel guide

Lonely Planet’s guides are widely relied-upon in general. Their book on America’s nationally-protected lands is a great way to start exploring – and camping in – our gorgeous country.

Pendleton Camping Blanket

Every now and then a piece of camping gear will cross over into the mainstream. Remember when North Face jackets were suddenly everywhere? Right now, the camping blanket is having a moment. It’s understandable, though. Pendleton blankets are costly, but fantastic.

Ugly Stik Rod and Reel

What’s a camping trip without a little fishing? There’s a whole world of great rod and reel sets out there, but you can’t go wrong with this Ugly Stik. And a set of lures never hurts, either.

TETON Sports Scout Backpack

Backpacks are very personalized – after all, you’re probably going to spend a lot of time toting it. So you’ll want to be careful to get a size and shape that’s comfortable to the person who’ll be wearing it. But a nice internal frame backpack like this one is a good place to start.

Walking Stick

Walking sticks aren’t for everybody, but a nice one never hurt. You feel like you’re part of a grand tradition when you go down a trail with a walking stick in hand. If you’re a traditionalist, there’s always a nice wooden one. If you’re in the mood for something newer, you have plenty of options, as well.

Hiking medallions

Hiking medallions are keepsakes that you typically find at trails and campgrounds. These are usually meant to go on a walking stick, but you can use them in any number of ways. A medallion from a place your camper has visited can make a great keepsake. But fair warning – you might be starting a collection.

MalloMe Camping Cookware Mess Kit

Plenty of people have done their spin on mess kits over the years, but this one from MalloMe is sort of brilliant. Made from Anodized aluminum, it comes with a pot, a nonstick pan, 2 bowls, utensils, and more. And on top of all that, it’s BPA free!

Paracord Bracelet

Anyone who’s read Lord of the Rings knows you can’t go wrong with a bit of good rope. This bracelet cleverly puts 12 feet of strong rope on your wrist – alongside a compass, fire starter, emergency knife, and whistle. It’s good in a pinch, and surprisingly unobtrusive to have so much packed into it.