Whether you’re shopping for a seasoned adventurer or someone just discovering the joys of the great outdoors, finding the best camping gifts can be tricky. That’s why we’ve done the hard part for you. Drawing on years of experience and real-world testing, we’ve rounded up our top picks—so you can skip the gimmicks and choose something truly useful.
We aimed to include a range of products, including essential camping gear like sleeping bags, mattresses and shelters to camping accessories we consider essential. Spanning from budget-friendly to splurge-worthy, this list has tried and true recommendations for every camper. So whether you’re searching for a holiday gift or an upcoming birthday, dive in below.
Best camping gifts: Our top picks
Thermarest NeoLoft
$239 | thermarest.com
Buy from:
The original manufacturer of the self-inflating camping mattress keeps refining what it means to sleep comfortably outdoors. The Thermarest NeoLoft is a 4.6-inch-thick, all-season air mattress with unique features that rival your bed at home. The pad features a unique matrix of internal air chambers to cradle your body without the awkward rigidity of a typical air-filled mattress. I especially like the addition of side rails, which—combined with a new, grippier surface fabric—kept me from rolling off the pad. Several sizes are available, all tipping the scales at under two pounds.
Crazy Creek AirLounger
$200 | crazycreek.com
Buy from:
CRAZY CREEK AMAZON REI SCHEELS
The Crazy Creek AirLounger is an ideal camping gift for those who prefer (and have the requisite flexibility) to sit on the ground. As its name implies, the AirLounger is a new take on the classic Crazy Creek ground chair, which gets rigidity from an inflatable frame. Compared to the increasingly popular legged chairs, the AirLounger is more versatile: it’s a great choice for uneven ground and even using it inside a tent.
Montana Knife Company Mini-Speedgoat 2.0
$285.48 | montanaknifecompany.com
Buy from:
Tiny but mighty, the Mini-Speedgoat 2.0 from Montana Knife Company is a camp knife so light you’ll never need to leave it behind. Weighing just 1.2 ounces with a three-inch full-tang blade, its handle is wrapped with six feet of 550 paracord. In a pinch, campers can use the paracord to handle the unexpected—fix a guy line or a bootlace. Made in Montana, MKC was founded by Josh Smith, who became the youngest master bladesmith in the world at the age of 19.
Exped LuxeWool Pillow
$49.95 | exped.com
Buy from:
Looking for a deluxe camping gift? Check out the wonderfully comfortable Exped LuxeWool pillow. It features a soft cotton fabric and cozy wool insulation, with foam chip filling that’s just the right firmness for a great night’s sleep. Meant for base campers, the full-size LuxeWool manages to compress to the size of a loaf of bread.
Sea to Summit Telos 3 tent
$560 | seatosummit.com
Buy from:
SEA TO SUMMIT BACKCOUNTRY REI SCHEELS
More of a splurge gift, the Sea to Summit Telos 3 tent is an impressive piece of backcountry architecture for three-season use. Incredible spaciousness is the main calling card of the 39.5-square-foot Telos 3. A unique wing-shaped cross-pole at the ridge creates near-standing headroom, remarkable for a tent that weighs less than four pounds. The rain fly can also be arranged for partial coverage and used as a basic sun shelter.
Best-value camping gifts
Lifestraw Sip
$50 | lifestraw.com
Buy from:
LIFESTRAW BASS PRO SHOP REI SCHEELS
The Lifestraw Sip is billed as a “reusable stainless steel filter straw” that removes microplastics, bacteria and parasites from water. About the size of a penny whistle and weighing less than 100 grams, this new product slips easily pretty much anywhere—into a pack or into a stocking as a thoughtful holiday gift. The filter is rated to last at 1,000 liters. Using it is easy—no pumping, batteries or filling—it works just like a straw.
NestOut two-panel solar charger
$79.99 | nestout.com
Buy from:
A great deal on portable power, the NestOut two-panel solar charger puts out 14 watts of power in full sun, which is plenty to quickly charge mobile phones, tablets and battery storage banks. Two USB outlets allow you to charge multiple devices at the same time, and a storage pocket allows you to carry a compact battery pack (or two) together with the panels. The panels fold into a durable, slim package that weighs barely a pound.
Camping gifts for him
Alex Crane Campo sweater
$255 | alexcrane.co
Buy from:
The Alex Crane Campo crewneck sweater is a long-term investment in coziness that makes an easy transition from shoulder-season use in the backcountry to casual Friday at work—or Christmas dinner, as the case may be. Made of impeccable Italian merino wool, it’s available in nine colors. The fit is athletic and trim.
Bajio 12 South sunglasses
$259 | bajiosunglasses.com
Buy from:
If you haven’t experienced the crispness and clarity of premium glass lenses on a sunny day on the water, the Bajio 12 South sunglasses are a good place to start. Larger, aviator-style frames fit most men’s faces nicely and offer great protection from the sun’s rays. With polarized lenses and a stylish, surf-inspired look, they’re a good all-around choice for road-tripping and travel, camping and doing anything around the water. The 12 South can also be customized with prescription lenses.
Camping gifts for her
Therm-a-Rest Boost sleeping bag
$299.95 | thermarest.com
Buy from:
Many women sleep colder than men, making the new Therm-a-Rest Boost sleeping bag a great gift for a special woman in your life who loves to camp. The Boost features a unique modular design with shifts from a semi-rectangular bag for more freedom to toss and turn in mild conditions to a slimmer-fitting mummy for more warmth, with a zipper (AKA “WarmZip”) on the front of the bag. Other clever features in this three-season (0 C- and 6 C-rated versions are available), 650-fill down bag include arm zips for reading and accessing the WarmZip. Available in three sizes.
Anian Tin Cloth Cap
$30 | anianmfg.com
Buy from:
Made by a small Canadian manufacturer that promotes sustainable textiles, the Anian Tin Cloth Cap is stylish backcountry headwear that makes a great stocking stuffer for campers. As its name implies, the Tin Cloth Cap is tough as nails and sheds precipitation like a metal roof. The sizes run a little small; this slim fit, combined with vibrant colors, makes it an excellent camping gift for women.
Camping gifts for kids
Kammok Roo double hammock
$84.95 | kammock.com
Buy from:
A hammock is great fun around the campsite for kids and adults alike, perfect for reading, relaxing and expending excess energy. The Kammok Roo double hammock packs down the size of a jar of peanut butter and weighs barely a pound, yet is spacious enough for two adults, with a weight capacity of 500 pounds. The soft fabric is cool and comfortable and sourced from recycled, pre-consumer waste.
Black Diamond Wiz headlamp
$29.95 | blackdiamond.com
Buy from:
BLACK DIAMOND AMAZON REI SCHEELS
Here’s a great gift for the young camper on your list: the Black Diamond Wiz headlamp has all the features you would expect in a great headlamp, as well as a kid-proof design that works right-side up or upside down, an automatic shutoff that prevents the batteries from draining and a breakaway safety strap. The twin-LED design puts out 30 lumens of light, which is plenty for nocturnal missions around the campsite and reading in the tent.
Feature photo: iStock
