14 Gifts for the Hiker and Camper

If you’re going into the wild, it’s important to carry enough water. But water is bulky, awkward, and most of all, heavy. Designed by leading water treatment experts at MSR, the TrailShot is a portable, light and easy to use filter. Almost any fresh water your loved one draws from the river or lake can be made drinkable by this simple device.

2018 is the year when your loved one will finally stop fumbling with their iPhone flashlight to find the trail when they get caught out after dark. Stick a rechargeable headlamp with Ledlenser’s patented focusing system in their daypack. It uses reflective elements to illuminate closer objects and faraway objects with the same clarity.

Your friend is so bold, even their bourbon goes on adventures! Each barrel of Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea has crossed the equator four times and visited thirty ports. Temperature fluctuations, briny air and constant rocking help tease the flavors out of the wood. Perfect for sipping around the fire, especially at seaside campsites.

Every car should have a blanket in it. Go put this one in your loved one's 4x4. We’ll wait here. Blankets are useful for everything from unexpected winter car trouble to impromptu picnics. Rumpl’s gorgeous, high-tech throw packs down small and is resistant to both water and odors.

Fire holds a primal appeal, but it’s difficult to justify a ground fire in a year when the entire West Coast seems to have gone up in flames. Kamoto’s portable, stainless-steel fire pit works with wood and charcoal, has pieces for protecting against wind and collecting ash. When the fire's out, it can be folded up and packed in seconds.

Here's a gift for serious rock climbers. Byredo, a company founded by long-time rock jock Ben Gorham, makes a line of scents meant to evoke the outdoors. The latest Byredo offering is inspired by the pioneering big wall climbs in Yosemite in the 1960s. Think patchouli, the high breezes on Half Dome, and s'mores at Camp 4, not sweaty feet.

Drat it, Patagonia, you did it again. The Micro Puff jacket is lightweight, water-repellent, wind-resistant, warm, and compressible—a worthy successor to the ubiquitous Nano Puff. Bite the bullet and buy it for your loved one. We’ll all be wearing them in a year anyway.

A knife is an indispensable piece of outdoors equipment, and buying your camper one this beautiful will help ensure they won’t lose it. The exceptionally tough steel blade is set in a fine American walnut handle so they can cut cords, shred tinder, or slice and dice whatever's needed.

What’s better than bacon and eggs for breakfast? Bacon and eggs that you’ve dragged across a lake and cooked in the dawn light by the water. Otterbox's new cooler keeps ice frozen for up to 14 days, so it can keep your comestibles cold even on the longest weekends. It’s also certified bear-resistant by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee, so you can throw your toothpaste in there and lock it up after dinner.

Stand-up paddleboarding is the perfect family sport. Thrillseekers can surf waves, and parents can explore placid water with kids by pushing them around on it. This bundle comes with Red Paddle’s award-winning Ride 10-foot, 6-inch inflatable board, backpack, pump, repair kit, RSS battens, and a water-resistant phone case.

Yes, we all wish we were sleeping in that tricked-out Mercedes Sprinter van with a queen-sized feather bed and a sous-vide machine, but a car-top tent is an affordable compromise. This versatile three-person tent fastens to most roof racks. You can upgrade the accommodations by adding the aluminized canopy that provides extra warmth and protection in rough weather.

Ready to get on that #vanlife? If your loved one wants to start going on long van-camping trips, may we suggest the only FWD minivan on the market instead of that rickety old VW Westfalia they've been eyeing on Craigslist. The Sienna is the perfect vehicle for stealth camping in the ski resort lot to get the first chair lift on a weekend morning. They can also park at the Whole Foods without dinging the SUV next to them. And yes, it's still a minivan, so it's especially great for families with kids.