For the people who already buy all of the sport-specific gear that they could possibly need or want but are still super outdoorsy and active, what do you get them for a gift? A bottle of wine is kind of generic, tickets to the movies are too boring, but a certain piece of running gear seems presumptuous. Don’t worry, I have some favorites for outdoorsy types, from cheap AF to ‘I would get this for my significant other’ level. (Like the other gift guides for this year, I’m trying to shy away from any pieces that require size choices since, being athletic myself, I really hate when well-meaning people try to guess what size or style of clothing works for me. It rarely hits the mark, even when it’s a great idea!)
Travel Bamboo Sheet Set
I’ll be honest, this is on my Christmas list this year after switching our bedsheets at home to bamboo ones. If your outdoorsy person does a lot of travel, either camping and sleeping bag or hotel/airbnb setups, this bamboo sheet set is such a great gift—and something that they likely won’t have already, unlike, say, a sleep mask or travel pillow! But bamboo is so nice and moisture wicking for sweaty sleepers, and it’s SO soft, compared to those -10 thread-count sheets most hotels / AirBNB houses have. And it’s great for summer camping when stuck on top of a sleeping bag because it’s so hot, or as an added layer in the winter. (We actually brought our top sheet with us when we camped this summer and it made a huge difference to comfort.)
North Face Booties
These are kind of the perfect gift for someone who already has pretty much everything and is really picky about their outdoors gear. You don’t want to try to get them, say, a cycling kit—but these booties are perfect for an active person who still wants to be cozy in slippers in the winter. I bought a pair of these after our last cold-weather hike and holy $hit they are a game-changer. I wore them after a race in October and I had 10 different people come up and ask where I got them.
(Also available in men’s)
- Get them here
- $60
Books, Books, Books
I’m listing books in every gift guide because obviously, I’m a bookworm and reading is my life.
- Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow.: Quick-Fix Recipes for Hangry Athletes
- Shred Girls: Lindsay’s Joyride
- The Brave Athlete
- Mind Gym: An Athlete’s Guide to Inner Excellence
- The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance
- Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World
- Endure
Credit Card Sleeve
I give these to EVERYONE. They’re kind of a must-have for anyone who doesn’t bring a purse everywhere (and great for if you have a runner or cyclist friend who always forgets his or her wallet and has to borrow money for coffee on rides/runs…). I love these as nice stocking stuffers / add-ins for gifts that you feel like need a more personal touch—actually, if you’re going the gift card route, this is the perfect vehicle for delivery!
- Get them here
- $7/2
Shred Girls Dad Cap
Now, admittedly, this isn’t the most runner-y of caps, and if you’re dealing with a gear-sensitive runner, I’ll advise against this. But most of the runners I know are more than willing to wear a comfy cap that looks rad, even if it doesn’t breathe perfectly. So… I am obsessed with this 90s-esque dad cap and will personally spend most of 2020 wearing the hell out of it.
Camping Wine Glasses + Coffee Mugs
I really love these tumblers because they’re multi-purpose for classier car camping/#vanlife. No, I wouldn’t hike with them, but we do keep them in our van’s food box so that we can enjoy morning coffee in smaller mugs and the occasional glass of wine in something a little fancier than a water bottle. (I don’t love the clear plastic wine glasses for camping because they aren’t multi-purpose!)
Turkish Towels
These are my favorite multitasker, ever since my friend showed up at the lake with one, and I’m slowly replacing all of our towels with this as our old ones fall apart. It’s basically a combo of a super soft blanket but ultra-absorbent towel-like qualities, so it’s the perfect beach towel or spare blanket, which makes it the ultimate car-camping accessory / a brilliant thing to have in your car (or in your house if you have frequent guests but not a large linen closet).
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