Christmas List: Outdoor Gear

News & Tips: Christmas List: Outdoor Gear

Christmas is getting close and the shopping has already begun. If you're looking for the perfect gift for an outdoor enthusiast (or gift idea for others), where do you even start? Don’t panic — Santa’s little helper is here to help you out.

ChristmasListOutdoorGear blog
If the hunter on your gift list makes their own jerky, then you can't go wrong with jerky seasoning.

Outdoorsmen love their gear and new gimmicks come out every day to help them be more successful. I’m lucky. I get to test outdoor gear for literally hundreds of companies every year. I’ll list out some of the gear that I’ve had good luck with. Some will be well established products and some will be new to the market. Well let’s get started.

  • ThermaCELL units. If you live in mosquito country these are a must have. On a recent hog hunt in Florida the rancher handed me a lit ThermaCELL unit and then my rifle. That’s how important they are in bad mosquito country.

  • ThermaCELL Heated Insoles. These are great if he hunts in a deer blind, snowmobiles, fourwheeling and ice fishing. I’ve also had people in seminars tell me that they’re good for skiing or if you have diabetes. Wow, they almost sound like a new vitamin!

  • Havalon Knives. They have many popular models. Check out the Piranta or the Baracuta models.

  • Knives of Alaska. They have numerous models of knives offered to the Outdoorsman. All are well made knives.

  • Jetboil Flash Tomato Cooking System. This is a really cool little unit. I think hunters/fishermen need to open their eyes and use them. I used one this summer on my backpacking and flyfishing trips and loved it.

  • Smith Abrasives Knife Sharpening Gear. They have the widest array of knife sharpening gear on the market. I’m on Pro-staff with them and even I can’t keep up with all of their gear. They seem to invent something new every week. They offer a lot of options.

  • High Mountain Seasoning. If they like to make sausage and jerky they make the best seasonings on the market.

  • If they have a revolver, they need some speed loaders. I use HKS speedloaders and have never had a malfunction. Get him two and a holster.

Well, there are a few hot items that you can’t go wrong with. I realize that everyone has a budget. My college-aged daughter constantly amazes me. She is on a tight budget but she always shops her little heart out and finds something that is special to her daddy. She can find something that touches me for $20 because she cares. You can do the same.

Here are a few more options. Give them a Bass Pro Shops' catalog and tell them to pick out 10 items that they want. Who doesn’t love to browse through a catalog and daydream? That way you know the’ll love your gift but it would still be a surprise.

Buy them something that they use frequently and they’ll think of you every time that they use it. If you spend a lot of money, they’ll appreciate the sacrifice but it may still just be another blender stored in the closet.

And in the midst of all the hustle and bustle of the Holidays, don’t forget the real reason for the season.