UpNorthica, a publication focused on canoe camping and Up North excursions, has posted a list of great outdoors-minded gift ideas. From a blow-up pillow to camp journals and a neat canoe seat, UpNorthica’s Pam Wright dishes on a dozen options for that hard-to-gift outdoorsy person on your holiday list.
SealLine Map Case, $16.95. Great gift for a buddy starting to assemble a kit for backcountry exploration or canoe trips. Not only does the SealLine case protect your maps, it can hold permits, licenses and other important documents safe in one accessible and waterproof place. A double-zip enclosure keeps it watertight. At 12 × 16 inches, the medium-size case can hold a large section of your paddling route map visible without a lot of folding. More info/purchase gift.
Hail Merry’s Miracle Tarts, $4.99. After a long day of hiking or XC skiing, we love to bite into some chewy, sweet goodness. Hey, we all need survival food! Hail Merry has a delicious pack of four tarts that you’ll want to give as yummy gifts. The chocolate, almond, mint and lemon tarts are made with organic ingredients like coconut oil ganache, raw blue agave, lemon zest, raw almond butter and dark cocoa. All tarts are raw, vegan, gluten-free, and amazingly good to eat. Give a four-pack, one of each Miracle Tart flavor, for $20. More info/purchase gift.
Vargo Hexagon Backpacking Woodstove, $39.95. Light on your pocket book and light to carry, the hexagonal design of this small, wood-burning backpacking stove is made up of collapsible hinged panels that snap into place. Put wood and kindling inside and ignite — the flame is concentrated upward, limiting heat loss and concentrating the action on your cooking pot. A hinged door on the side provides access for adding more wood fuel to the fire without ever removing your pot stewing on top. Comes in either stainless steel ($39.95) or, to save some more weight, an upgraded titanium build at $59.95. More info/purchase gift.
Big Agnes Sleeping Giant Memory Foam Pillow, $29. Shoving a fleece jacket under your neck at night for an ad hoc pillow can lead to disastrous, neck-creaking results. Big Agnes’ foam pillow has been a staple of our camp sleep system for over a year, and we’ve had no more neck pain or shoulder soreness as a result! It is an inflatable air pillow with a foam liner and nylon zip cover. Use the mouth valve to inflate up to your preferred pillow firmness before bed. Comes with a stuff sack and compresses down to a small package that’s worth adding to your pack. Great gift for campers in need of a smidge more luxury for their outdoors sleeping experience. More info/purchase gift.
