My friend is asking for suggestions on what to get her fiance who loves all of the above activities. I have no clue, but was wondering if you could help - she's looking to spend about $100, possibly more if it's the right kind of gift.
ryan c
Favorite Answer
Set up a camping trip for him. Buy a map, a 30pack, some food, gas money, and camp fees. Most state park are like $5 a night to camp.
?
I do a lot of camping myself and I have a lengthy MS Excel file to refer to when I am packing for a trip. Since I go out for a month or more, a list is an essential item to be sure I'm not forgetting something important and it can be easily edited for things that I discover that I would like to take on the next trip. I would suggest the same for your friend.
Now, here's a couple of items from my list that I would suggest.
1. Head band LED flashlight. This is really handy since I can use it to walk around at night and keep my hands free. It has also become my light source for reading at bedtime which is something I do to make me sleepier.
2. Hand held GPS device-has many uses like keeping you from getting lost or helping out if you do get lost. It is not commonly available for under $100 but a gift card will get you most of the way there on the purchase and if someone else wants to give a gift card also........
3. I like toast when I'm camping with coffee or oatmeal and there are a variety of small pop-up campfire toasters that will hold 4 pieces of bread-place it over a stove or embers frm a campfire and makes great toast.
4. I use color coded rubbermaid containers to pack my camping stuff in and they are easy to load and unload plus I can go right to the appropriate colored container for the categorized stuff for camping.
I could really go on for a long time, but these are some of my favorites gleaned from many years of camping. Have a beer and enjoy!!!!!
musicimprovedme
There is a website called campmor.com with all kinds of gizmos and you can search the gift guide. REI is another great outdoor store (also online) and setting him up a membership there means that you pay a little more upfront for gear but you get a no-hassle return policy (to try gear and see if you like it) and access to great scratch and dent or used gear sales.
You can spend less than a hundred and get a really nice polartec vest or sweater. Or some UnderArmor garments. Both are warm wicking layers to keep them comfortable in winter outdoors. A cute idea would be an old timey union suit (one piece long johns with a trapdoor for sitting down activities).
You could also spend about a hundred for a bivy sack for a sleeping bag. This adds warmth and protects nice sleeping bags from damage...and the right one will be waterproof breathable. Look for the Bibler Bivy.
You might put together a gift basket...handwarmers, mini rolls of toilet paper, camp suds, scent lock products like body wash and clothing detergent, bug spray, fishing lures, corrrect ammo for his guns, water bottle or thermos, camping foods like jerky and self heating meals, etc. Tons of little accessories.
You can get him a multi tool or a buck knife or fishing knife.
There are nice headlamps, you will get a great one for well under a hundred dollars. Look for LED with a red lens option (which doesn't draw bugs). Some are really lightweight, others are fancier with a separate battery pack or different lighting options.
You can do a titanium cookset for camping. This is ultralight and hard wearing if he does backpacking but the price is high, especially if he isn't concerned about weight. Another cooking accessory is a backpackers french press for coffee. Yet another...a camping stove...many to choose from for all types of camping. One cool thing my friends have is a charcoal grill that looks like a toolbox. Very easy and quick grilling.
You might look into Carharts coats and coveralls. If price is a factor, I think Dickie makes a similar line of really rugged stuff.
Camping hammocks are great. Check out the Hennessey Hammock for lightweight easy shelter off the ground. It is a hammock with a rainfly, eliminating the need for a tent. Some are more expensive than other but they start at about 100 dollars.
You can also get him a thermarest sleep pad...self inflating. You can get a very nice one for 100 dollars.
These are items that aren't so personal that you can choose them for someone else. I wouldn't buy anyone a sleeping bag or backpack or any boots or raingear.
For the beer...you can get him a fridge that works in a car. It holds about a 12 pack. Or you can get a large cooler and start filling it with his fav brew.
jamsoftheweek
he's probably picky about his gear, so a gift card is a good way to go, however impersonal it seems.
its hard to say without knowing what region they live in or under what circumstances - if he has a place that he usually goes to hunt or fish on (whether he owns or leases hunting or fishing land or a boat or can charter a deep sea excursion if they are near the coast), she could go with him (and bring a 12 pack). especially if it is something that interests him that she doesnt know much about, he would probably enjoy sharing it with her, if only for one trip. even if she just packs up his gear, a picnic, and some beer, he might enjoy playing a guide/fisher for her on the shore of a river or lake. =)
im not sure how much a guided deep sea excursion would cost - maybe more than her budget, but it would probably be enjoyable for both (and beer drinking is okay since someone else is driving the boat).
Arya
I am not sure what city or state you live in, but there is a great outdoor wilderness/camping store in the city of Tarzana (Southern California) called Adventure 16 and they will have anything you want on fishing/camping/hiking/rock climbing etc.. You could always get a gift card too if you're not sure what exactly to buy! It's a great GUY store and my guess is he will love whatever you get for him since you are putting so much love and thought into his gift. Good Luck!!!