Group Tests and Best Buys

Top 12 Gifts For Outdoorsy People 2018

From great value down jackets to quality knives that'll last a life time

It’s December and Christmas is only days away now, so we thought we’d help out those who are still looking for gifts for outdoorsy family members and friends, by putting together a list of the hiking, climbing, trail running gifts that would make for excellent Christmas presents.

The products we’ve selected all range from £6 to £130, so whether you’re looking for a big memorable present or a stocking filler, we think you’ll find what you need here. You can be sure that you’re buying a quality item as everything we’ve featured made it into our Outdoor 100 list of products and/or performed well in testing.

And by the way, we’ve gone for practical stuff here – head elsewhere if you want novelty!

A Magazine Subscription

There are loads of great options out there. These days, long-time favourites like The Great Outdoors and Trail have been joined by wonderfully crafted thick mags like Sidetracked, Another Escape and Rucksack. Keep an eye out for Christmas subscription promotions and get a bargain.

Hydro Flask Food Flask – £29

As well as making some great options for keeping liquids hot (or ice cold) Hydro Flask also have a nifty solution for keeping your grub warm.

The new Food Flask has double wall vacuum insulation so you can be sure that your lunch will be the perfect temperature even if you prepared it before breakfast. And the pro-grade stainless steel makes it virtually indestructible.

Full Review

MSR Trailshot – £40

This filter by MSR is one of our favourite items this year thanks to its tiny size, light weight and quality performance.

You simply drop the tube’s end in, say, a stream or even a muddy puddle, then place the spout to your mouth and squeeze and suck. It’ll filter out bacteria, protozoa and particulates and at a commendable speed of one-litre per minute.

Full Review

Trekmates Drypack – £30

A fully-waterproof 30-litre daypack for £30 is pretty much unheard of, especially one that’s as well thought-out as this.

The Trekmates Drypack is made from a waterproof nylon that has a 210 denier rating and ripstop construction – so don’t expect it to snag or tear easily. Useful features include its external storage straps, hipbelt and rolltop closure.

Full Review

Granger’s Active Wash – £8

The new Active Wash from Granger’s is a formula for technical baselayers – natural or synthetic.

Typical washing detergents that you’d pick up in a supermarket won’t often guarantee that the technical fibres of your baselayers will be cleaned properly – often odours are simply just masked. This, on the other hand, will give a thorough and safe wash, and even on fabrics that require low temperature washes.

Full Review

Patagonia Better Sweater – £90

The Better Sweater by Patagonia is a simple, warm product that you can rest assured as been produced in a sustainable manner.

The heathered polyester material is dyed in a process that uses less dyestuffs, energy and water in comparison to typical fleeces, and it’s put together with Fair Trade Certified sewing.

Full Review

Kershaw Shuffle – £24

Kershaw have an absolutely gigantic collection of knives, but there’s one in particular that really stood out to us, at least in the context of kit for backpacking.

That knife is the Kershaw Shuffle. It has a short and stubby blade which gives a minute and unobtrusive closed length of 8.3cm, plus there are a couple of bonus features in the form of a belt clip, bottle opener and flathead screwdriver.

Full Review

Helinox Chair One – £95

When you’re camping, a chair can make a big, big difference to the experience, especially when the ground is wet, but lugging a one up a hill isn’t always realistic….

… unless you have one of these. Weighing in at just 890g and packing down to a small size, this is one of the most portable chairs out there. It’s also strong enough to take loads of almost 23 stone, and it’s extremely comfortable.

Full Review

Coleman CXS+ 300R – £35 (GoOutdoors membership price)

This headtorch has loads of clever features and if you’re a GoOutdoors member you can pick it up for the fair price of £35

Its rechargeable lithium-ion battery gives 50 hours of light when you’re operating the bulb on its lowest setting. If you’re using all the bells and whistles it’ll provide two and a half hours run time off a full charge. What bells and whistles are talking about then? Well, there’s a 300 lumen max setting that can reach 50 metres, a sensor that allows the wearer to cycle through the settings of the torch by just swiping a hand over the bulb and a REAX mode involving reactive light technology.

Full Review

OEX Zenon Ultra LT Jacket – £130 (GoOutdoors membership price)

This might be the most expensive item in this list of our recommended Christmas gifts, but we’ve included it because it’s still a big bargain.

Quality down jackets don’t come cheap, but this is one of the few exceptions. It’s lightweight at 217g but it’ll still pack a punch in terms of insulation thanks to its efficient 800 fill power duck down. It’s hydrophobic as well, so it’ll actively repel water and keep its loft when you get caught out. GoOutdoors members can pick this up for just £130.

Full Review

Nikwax Down Wash Direct – Price Varies

Down jackets need proper looking after if you want them to perform at their best, and this doesn’t have to be difficult.

Down Wash Direct is a way of cleaning your down kit safely and efficiently in just one simple step. Just add a measurement of the solution in the washing machine with the down item you’re cleaning and it’ll wash the insulation without making it clump while also helping to restore any water-repellent coating by removing dirt and natural oils.

Full Review

Morakniv Eldris Neck Knife Kit – £50

This little knife from Morakniv, a brand with a 125-year heritage, is simple but functional and you can count on it lasting a long time.

It also comes with a useful accessory kit that includes a sheath that doubles as a handle extension, an easy-to-use fire lighter, a secondary safety lock and a paracord rope so you can hang it around your neck.

Full Review

Stanley Master Series 1.3L Vacuum Bottle – £75

With its 1.0mm thick stainless steel construction this is a great flask for those who need something that’ll stand up to some bashing around.

The Quadvac insulation will keep its contents got for up to 40 hours, so you could fill this up with coffee at the start of a camping trip and still be able to warm the bones over a day later. It’s rust proof and free of BPA, a chemical used in some metal food containers that recent studies have found to be harmful.

Full Review