Outdoor recreation has grown steadily over the years, increasing by 5% year-over-year most recently in 2022. That year, over 300 million people visited United States National Parks. The Great Smokey Mountains National Park leads the list of most visitors a year with close to 13 million visits. If you are looking for a gift for the outdoor lover in your life, this is the place for you! We highlight the best gifts for outdoor enthusiasts and share athletic vacation ideas for outdoor recreational getaways. Check out our complete list of US National Parks and start checking each destination off your list.

Getting people outside, together with friends, is the main goal of The Klubb. We have found that little things like having the right outfit or proper gear makes the difference between getting outside or staying indoors. Because we feel that the strongest friendships are formed during outdoor recreation, our goal is to help more people get into the great outdoors. From Athletic Vacation travel guides to finding the proper gear, The Klubb is your source for having fun with friends outside.

Editor Notes: In this article I share with you some of my favorite products as a guy. For anyone shopping for a male outdoor enthusiast, this article is for you. As a lifelong action sports athlete, I’ve received gifts for dozens of athletic disciplines. If you are looking to really make the outdoor lover in your life happy, read on to see the best gifts to buy an outdoor lover. 

This article contains affiliate links. When you click on one of these links and make a purchase, we make a commission.

28 Great Gifts for Outdoor Lovers

Many outdoor recreational actives require some level of gear to participate. Stoke out your outdoor lover with one (or more) of these gifts. Many can be used across multiple outdoor recreational activities. I’ve added the activities which I think the product is best suited to under each title.

1. Outdoor Voices RecTrek Short

Best for: Runners, Climbers, Mountain Bikers, Hikers, Camping, and Lounging.

My number one pick for best gift for outdoor lovers is the RecTrek short by Outdoor Voices. It is a do-it-all short that every outdoor enthusiast needs. The RecTrek fabric is lightweight, 4-way stretch, and super durable. This has been my personal go-to short daily wear and just about every activity.

RecTrek Short

Editor Notes: I’m 6’1″, 180lbs, 32″ waist and the size Medium fits perfect. I wore this short while hiking Stowe Mountain in Vermont… you can read more about the hike here. Overall the short performed much better than other athletic shorts. The heavier duty, rip resistant fabric that is used on the RecTrek held up well as I navigated some of the tighter trails. Other fabrics snag easily and look worn after hikes but the RecTrek withstood even the roughest brush in Vermont.

2. Nalgene 32oz Water Bottle

Best for: Surfers, Swimmers, Runners, Paddlers, Hikers, Camping, Hikers, Climbers… honestly, this is great for everyone.

Nalgene-1000ml

I live off these water bottles. Everywhere I go I have it with me. Because hydration is so critical to athletic performance, I use the easy to track oz measurements on the side to ensure I’m drinking enough fluids. One of my favorite things about this bottle is the wide mouth that makes it easy to load up with ice. I take drinking water seriously and am constantly hydrating. If you are serious about training, get yourself one of these Nalgene 32oz water bottles and track your water intake.

I’ve written a lot about proper hydration in these articles if you want to know more:

3. Athletic Vacation

Best for: Depends on location and activity

An athletic vacation is, as the name suggests, a vacation that is centered around an athletic activity (or activities). Skiing Telluride in the Winter or Surfing Waikiki in the Summer are just a few examples of what an athletic vacation could be. Planning an athletic vacation is different than your normal vacation because the whole trip is centered around athletics.

getaway house Catskills

Read our article on the Best things to do in Aspen in the Summer to see an example of what an athletic vacation looks like. Need helping planning an athletic vacation? Drop us a note at Admin [at] TheKlubb [dot] com.

4. Frost River Leather Journal

Best for: Camping, Hiking, Daily Life

Documenting your epic athletic vacations and outdoor adventures is best done with pen and paper. Having a physical journal that highlights your experiences is a great way to wind the day down. What is so great about the Frost River Leather Journal is how high quality the leather is. The analog practice of journaling has a number of health benefits. Share these benefits with your favorite outdoorsman by giving them a journal from Frost River.

5. Hoka Recovery Slides

Best for: Lounging after activity

The Hoka Slide is ranked #1 in our Best Flip Flops for Men article that you can see here. Anyone who is spending a long time on their feet will enjoy the cloud like comfort of these slides. These slides make the perfect holiday gift for outdoorsmans as they can be worn comfortably with socks.

hoka recovery slides

6. Evoc Pro 3L Hip Pack + 1.5L Bladder

Best for: Mountain Bikers, Hikers, Trail Runners.

Putting in miles requires proper hydration along the way. The Evoc Pro Hip Pack holds plenty of fluids in the 1.5L bladder and has enough space for stashing snacks and gels as well. If you are shopping for an endurance athlete, this is a great gift idea.

7. RovR RollR 60 Cooler

Best for: Camping, Road Trips.

Break away from the crowds and stand out with a RovR RollR 60. These rad coolers come in stylish colors and ultra heavy duty wheels. Roll your cold drinks over rough terrain with ease. If you are shopping for someone who loves the outdoors, this is the best gift for camping. Keeping food fresh in the wilderness is important and the RovR RollR does a great job.

8. Roam 150L Rolling Rugged Case

Best for: Camping, Road Trips, Home Storage

This is not a cooler. The Roam 150L is a rugged storage case that outdoors people use to organize gear and make packing for trips simple. These stackable cases fit effortless in your home and are easily rolled to the car on travel days. By keeping all your gear in one spot, within the Roam 150L Rolling Rugged Case, you can always be ready for your next adventure. Ultra heavy duty, the Roam 150L can be strapped to the roof or other luggage racks making them the best gift for sprinter vans campers.

9. Adventure Medical MOLLE Bag 2.0 Trauma Kit

Best for: A must have for every outdoor recreational athlete of any ability.

If you are buying a gift for an extreme outdoor enthusiast then this the one for you. While it is one you hope they never use (but always bring with them), the Trauma Kit is a must for anyone venturing into the wilderness.

10. CamelBak Rogue Light 5L Hydration Pack

Best for: Hiking, Mountain Biking, Trail Running, Walking,

Made for longer treks and gnarly adventures, the CamelBak Rogue Light 5L Hydration Pack holds plenty of fluids for a full day of exploring. The pack has a single pocket space as well to pack a sandwich and some energy gummies. I like the sleek design of the Rogue Light. When you are on a long trail run or big MTB ride, its good to remember the saying “less is more”.

11. Getaway Cabin Vacation

Best for: Couples retreat, Athletic Vacation, Glamping, Camping

One of the greatest gifts is the gift of experience. Booking a Getaway Cabin is the best way to get outdoors easily. Check out our post on staying at the Getaway Cabin in Eastern Catskills. Booking a tiny cabin is a more sustainable way to travel and encourages digital detox.

getaway cabin

12. Fjallraven Kanken Pen Case

Best for: All Athletes

Journaling is a major part of most athletes daily routine. Getting your outdoor lover a rad pen case from Fjallraven is the perfect gift under $30 for outdoor enthusiasts. Made with Fjallraven’s ultra durable G-1000 fabric, this pen case can handle the roughest camping trips or outdoor adventures.

13. NRS Thrive Inflatable SUP Board

Best for: Water sports lovers, Lake Trips, Camping, Surfers

Standup Paddle Boarding is a great way to get a full body workout while on the water. The serenity of paddling on a lake or in an ocean combined with propelling yourself through the water is a unique experience. If your into water sports, you will love Standup Paddle Boarding. The NRS Thrive is a great Standup Paddle Board for someone who’s never paddled before.

14. GoPro HERO11 Black Mini

Best for: Mountain Biking, Dirt Biking

The newest GoPro, the HERO11 features a screen on both the front and back. The GoPro HERO11 Black Mini does not have the screen but is so small and light weight that it is the best camera for mountain biking.

15. Moosejaw Unisex Bed to Bar Hooded Onesie

Best for: Lounging, Camping, Road Trips

The onesie trend exploded a few years ago. Today, athletes and outdoorsman find comfort in Moosejaw’s Bed to Bar Hooded Onesie. This is a great gift for someone who loves movie night at home.

16. Mammut Men’s Classic T-Shirt

Best for: Mountain Biking, Hiking, Trail Running, Lounging, Camping, Road Trips

Need a simple gift for outdoor enthusiasts, go with a Mammut tee shirt. Classic style, great fit, and an assortment of colors makes it easy to get that last minute gift for him. These tee shirts are great for just about everything. Wear it mountain biking to stand out from the pack or by the campfire for stylish shmore-roasting.

17. Smith Ruckus ChromaPop Sunglasses

Best for: Mountain Biking, Hiking, Trail Running, Road Biking, Beach Days

This is my favorite style for athletic sunglasses. Smith Ruckus sunglasses are super light weight and snug fitting, making them the best sunglasses for hiking. If the outdoorsman in your life needs a sunglass refresh, these are the ones.

18. Sorel Men’s Falcon Ridge II Slipper

Best for: Lounging, Dog Walking, RV’ing

Comfy fur lined slippers are a must when it comes to maximizing recovery. Sorel has been making comfortable winter footwear since 1962 and has it down to a science. For winter lounging, there is no better slipper.

19. Norrona Men’s Svalbard Flannel Shirt

Best for: Looking like a mountain man

A mountain man must-have product. The Norrona Flannel shirts are great for around the campfire or at the local brew pub.

20. Moosejaw Ice Fort 55-Quart Rolling Hard Cooler

Best for: Camping, Road Trips.

All the cooler at half the price of a YETI. Keeps everything just as cold and works great for camping and day trips. Moosejaw has been one of the best online outdoor retailers since 1992 and produces many of their own products based on years of seeing what works. Having been a retailer myself, I love this. When you are the one talking with the customer everyday, you find out what features they want in products. Moosejaw did just that with this 55-Quart Rolling Hard Cooler.

21. Howler Brothers Men’s Bruja Boardshort

Best for: Lake Trips, Surfing, SUPing, Beach Days

You can never have enough board shorts, especially raw Howler Brothers prints. Any outdoorsman will be stoked to get a fresh pair of boardies.

22. Peak Design Tech Pouch

Best for: Travel

This is the perfect gift for the outdoorsman that has everything. The reduced stress of having all your gadgets, wires, chargers, and accessories organized makes this tech pouch worth its weight in gold.

23. YETI Daytrip 3.1L Lunch Box

Best for: Anyone who likes packing their own lunch

Packing a lunch is under-rated. Grab a YETI lunch box and take your lunch game to a whole new level.

24. Frost River National Park Map

Best for: Hikers, Campers, Outdoorsman

A perfect gift for outdoor enthusiasts who love National Parks. Also a great gift for those who are just getting into hikers and campers. Get inspired by the 62 National Parks across 29 States. Over 300M people visit US National Parks each year. These are the gems of the Country and only get better as more people visit.

25. Patagonia Black Hole 70L Wheeled Duffel

Best for: Anyone who travels

When you need to pack for a long expedition or a backcountry ski trip, the Black Hole 70L duffel has you covered. As the name suggests this bag can hold a ton. I have two of these wheeled duffels that I use for (1) ski gear and (2) mountain biking gear. This makes life easy when the spur of the moment trip comes up. Simply grab your duffel and hit the road.

26. Frost River Explorer Duffel Bag

Best for: Travel

Another great option for staying organized and keeping gear in one place, the Frost River Explorer Duffel looks rad and keeps gear organized. Multiple size options make this a great choice for a variety of sports that require different amounts of gear.

27. STIO Basin XT Duffel 90L

Best for: Storing gear and keeping everything in one spot.

Similar to the black hole by Patagonia, the STIO is an extra large duffel that holds all your gear in one spot.

28. Frost River Premium Itinerant Daypack

Best for: Graduate Student Outdoorsman, Glamping

Where style meets quality, the Frost River Daypack has outdoorsman grit and city life function. Perfect for the outdoorsman who is living in the big city. Also great for anyone who needs a quality backpack for daily life.