Happy Holidays! If you love giving (and getting) outdoor gear gifts for the holidays you are in the right place! I’ve listed 40 awesome gift ideas here for family hiking, biking, camping and skiing. There’s something for every budget and every activity, PLUS you’ll have a chance to WIN some awesome gear for the outdoor lovers on your list. Just scroll down!
Before we get started, you should know that most of these links are affiliate links meaning I get a small commission at no extra cost to you, if you purchase something after clicking through this link. Please do so . I’m saving up for backpacking gear for the whole fam.
Hiking
Deuter Kikki Pack
We got this adorable pack from Deuter for my now six-year-old daughter last August. It’s so fun to have on the trail and the perfect pack for preschoolers. I like the bright colors and that the opening is easy for little hands to control. My daughter now uses the Deuter Kikki as her kindergarten backpack, and I smile every time I drop her off at school.
MSRP – $45.00
Now you can WIN a Kikki too! Just join the giveaway below!
Real Shades
These sunglasses are the BEST kids sunglasses out there. The flexible material will not break! You can bend Real Kids Shades totally back, stick them in your mouth, even twist the frames so they point north and south and they bounce back to normal shape immediately.
The elastic keeps the glasses on my toddler’s head (or she can wear it as a necklace, which she loves). Seriously, I love Real Kids Shades for my toddler AND they have styles for kids of all ages – even young adult and adult.
MSRP – $12.95 – $29.95 (but you can find them cheaper on Amazon)
Adidas Terrex GTX
Adidas sent us these kids’ shoes for Big E to review and the first time he wore them he said “Mom! These shoes bounce with every step. Watch!” I watched as he walked and didn’t really notice a difference, but he did and that’s what matters.
The Terrex GTX has a TRAXION outsole for maximum grip, a GORE-TEX lining for breathable waterproofing and a speed lacing system that Big E loves. He’s not a shoe laces kind of guy.
The adidas Terrex GTX for kids are awesome hiking shoes, with great tread and comfort.
MSRP – $110.00
Ecco Womens BIOM Venture GTX
Ecco is known for high quality leather footwear, but I have to say these BIOM Venture GTX shoes offer all around comfort. Ecco sent me a pair to review. The BIOM natural motion technology allows my foot to kinda roll with every step, and the tough rubber outsole makes it a good all around shoe – hiking, biking, walking in the grocery store, it’s got you covered.
It took a while to get used to the speed lace system and at first the Ecco BIOM Venture GTX seemed too slim for my foot, but ever since I broke them in, they’ve been awesome.
And the GORE-TEX waterproof surround is super impressive! I wore these Ecco BIOM Venture GTX shoes on an inflatable kayak adventure and saw the water just bead off the whole time I paddled. WOW. I soaked them at the end when I stepped totally in the water, but that’s to be expected.
MSRP – $190.00 (but I found them on sale here for $89.95)
Mount Inspiration T Shirts
I love these shirts! I worked with Mount Inspiration for my September Scramble Outdoor Challenge this year and got to try out some of their styles for myself. They are the COOLEST!
Made from recycled cotton, these nature-friendly designs not only inspire you to get outdoors more, they’re gentle on the environment (just check out their upcycled collection). Not only are their designs awesome (my faves are Love Your Mother Earth and May The Forest Be With You), but I love supporting small, US-based companies that love the outdoors. And they have stickers too.
MSRP – $25.00 – $48.00
adidas Outdoor Xperior Womens Active Top–
The Xperior has the wrist seam higher up than in typical shirts – on the mid lower arm and it’s made out of thicker jersey stretchy fabric. I like that design because it keeps my arms warm, but allows my core to let off steam as I sweat
MRSP – $79.00
Hydroflask
If you’re looking for a beverage container that keeps hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold look no further than Hydroflask. Their Tempshield double walled, vacuum-insulated water bottles and tumblers really work! How do I know? Because I tested it!
My tots and I filled six different water bottles with ice water to test which ones kept the ice frozen longest. After eight hours, the Hydroflask standard 21 oz bottle was the only one with ice still frozen. It’s now my go to water bottle – I’m not sharing it with anyone else in the fam!
I love Hydroflask’s bright color options AND they recently released their new 12 oz kids’ wide mouth bottle. Cool. Literally.
NOTE: Our Hydroflask sports cap leaked like crazy, so I recommend the regular or straw cap option.
MRSP – $24.95 – $39.95 (On sale for 50% off at REI through 11/20/17, On sale for 25% off at Hydroflask with code HYDRO – 25 until 12/3/17)
Lifestraw Go and Play
Keeping water cold is one thing, but what about drinking water from ANY water source? If you’re looking for a hydration solution with built-in filtering look no further than Lifestraw.
I’ve reviewed the Lifestraw Go before, but that was before they came out with their new 2 stage filtration. Now Lifestraw has added a replaceable activated carbon capsule to reduce chlorine, bad odor and taste and organic chemical matter like pesticides and herbicides. Put that together with the hollow fiber membrane filter that removes 99.9999% of bacteria like E. Coli and 99.9% of protozoa like giardia and cryptosporidium and you’re set for any hydration situation.
With a Lifestraw Go you can fill your bottle straight from the river. And what’s even better is that they just this year came out with the Lifestraw Play – a water bottle designed with kids in mind. This 10 ounce bottle has the same powerful 2 stage filtration, but it’s designed with kids in mind. I love the colors and the interchangeable cap design.
To top off all of this Lifestraw goodness, every Lifestraw bottle you purchase provides clean drinking water for a child in the developing world for an entire year through their Follow the Liters campaign. Good for you, good for the world.
MSRP – $39.95 – $44.95 (30% off + FREE shipping from Nov 23 – Nov 27)
Biking
This summer my family and I got into mountain biking and now I’m a little addicted. Next to snowboarding it’s my favorite sport! What can I say? I have a thing for speeding down mountains apparently.
Since mountain biking is my new favorite, I had to include some great gifts for the family bikers on your list. You’re gonna love these!
ElevenPine Uprising Shorts and Liberator Liner
These biking shorts for women and men from ElevenPine are ingenious! They’re designed to zip up tight for your bike ride, but unzip to allow for non-biking moments. You know, like when you want to walk into a restaurant or coffee shop and don’t want to show off your buns and thighs in all their glory. They’re also great for hiking, running, yoga, climbing, paddle boarding, camping and more.
The Uprising Short with Liberator liner fits great, is comfortable in the saddle and brilliantly designed. It’s available in mens or womens and now you can win a pair from ElevenPine for yourself!
MSRP – $129.95 but they’re going on sale for just $74 soon!
WIN a Uprising Short with Liberator Liner in the giveaway below!
Five Ten Freerider Pro Mountain Bike Shoes
I’ve never had dedicated mountain biking shoes before Five Ten sent me a pair of Freerider Pro shoes to demo. I’ve gotta say, they are not fun to walk in, but they are AWESOME for biking.
Unlike regular tennis shoes or hiking boots, the Freerider Pros are designed to have a flat sole that creates a platform while you’re pedaling. I don’t love that for walking, but many people do. Five Ten has a reputation for style off the bike as well as on.
The really cool aspect of the Freerider Pro, however, is the Stealth Rubber outer sole of the shoes. It’s like magic!
The stealth rubber prevents any slipping on the pedals. I didn’t even realize my foot slid on the pedals until I tried these shoes out, and now it feels like the rubber connects me to the bike like it’s an extension of me. It’s awesome for control when biking downhill.
Not only does Five Ten have sweet styles for adults, but their mountain biking line also comes in children’s sizes.
MSRP: $150.00 (but I found some kid’s styles on sale for $69.95 here)
Woom Bikes
Imagine a shiny red children’s bicycle waiting beneath your Christmas tree, decorated with a big bow. Now imagine that bike is designed especially with your child in mind – low geometry, stylish design, easy to grip handles, soopa doopa hoops (wheels).
That bike exists! It’s waiting for you!
Woom (pronounced Voom) bikes are great for kids of all ages. Whether you need a balance bike for your toddler or the 26 inch Woom 6 for your tween or teen, Woom has a bike for every kid in your family.
We’ve had Woom bikes for Big E and Little G for two summers now and have been so impressed with how quickly they both learned how to ride. Little G never used training wheels thanks to Woom. We love them so much I asked them to start an affiliate program so that I could share the Woom awesomeness with all of you. These bikes are bomb!
MRSP – $199 – $499
Prevelo
Now if your elementary-aged child is ready to move off the pavement and onto the trail, I’ve got to recommend the Prevelo Zulu Three or Zulu Four mountain bike.* Like Woom, these bikes are designed with kids in mind. The low geometry, high class parts, and full front suspension fork make this bike perfect for riding off road.
Prevelo sent us a demo Zulu Three bike at the beginning of this summer, but I didn’t really appreciate how great it was then.
It took several months for Big E to get good enough to really ride the trails with us and now that he can, I’m even more impressed by Prevelo.
The handling, easy adjustable seat and perfectly sized tires make for some awesome mountain bike riding. It’s not cheap, but I swear this bike is better than mine. The one warning I’d give is to buy extra tubes – 20 inch presta valve tubes are a unique commodity, which we found out one flat tire too late.
*Prevelo has a great Alpha series for on pavement riding as well.
MSRP – $899.00
Kickstand
Serious mountain bikers will be laughing at me for this gift suggestion, but I really believe that family biking requires kickstands.
Typically a mountain bike doesn’t have a kickstand. It adds weight, can catch on branches and brush, and doesn’t really work on soft dirt or sand. Serious mountain bikers don’t really need them, because they don’t plan on ever letting go of their bike.
However, if you’re a biking parent, you know that you stop frequently along the trail to adjust helmets, throw rocks in water, or calm a crying toddler in the bike trailer. I love having a kickstand! It makes those parenting stops and starts so much easier since I don’t have to put my bike down in the dirt or find something to lean it against.
Some people (like Mountain Dad) may disagree with me here, but I truly believe that kickstands are the best mountain biking accessory out there.
MSRP – $9.50
adidas Terrex Tracerocker 1/2 Zip
This lightweight fleece is perfect for fall biking! It keeps wind from cutting through as I speed down hill, while still feeling light and comfortable.
The adidas Terrex Tracerocker 1/2 Zip has a light comb weave on the interior and longer sleeves with thumb holes, perfect for keeping hands warm but not to hot while biking in fall.
MSRP – $55.00
ElevenPine Uprising Shorts and Liberator Liner
For Camping
WeBoost Drive Sleek Signal Booster
We often camp in remote places with little or no cell phone reception. Sometimes that’s a blessing – to just get away from it all. But sometimes it’s nice to be able to find your way when you’re lost, or be able to contact a medical professional in case of an emergency, or to call a tow truck if you have car trouble.
That’s where WeBoost comes in. Their Drive Sleek cell phone signal booster will amplify existing phone service up right from a cradle inside your car. You could get up to 32 times better coverage!
I really could’ve used it on our most recent camping trip to Moab, Utah, USA. Since we camped on BLM land far from town, it was tough to keep in touch with everyone in our group. The Drive Sleek would’ve been great for that, but the weBoost Drive Sleek unit they sent me to try out didn’t arrive until the day we returned. I’m excited to try it out on our next camping adventure!
Fewer dropped calls. Access to service in case of emergencies and More opportunities for me to post pretty instagram photos of our outdoor adventures for all of you. 😉 What’s not to love about the weBoost Drive Sleek? And now you can win one for yourself!
Price: $199.99
You can win your own in the giveaway below!
CampMaid Deluxe Dutch Oven Tool Set
I’ve spent a lot of time dutch oven cooking this year, especially in October 2017 as part of my camp cooking challenge. I’ve gotta say, CampMaid Deluxe Dutch Oven Tools make Dutch Oven cooking so much easier!
Dutch Oven cooking is one of my favorite ways to prepare food outdoors, but like with all things outdoors, having the right gear can make a big difference. CampMaid’s lid holder and serving stand keeps your lid off the ground (and dirt out of your food). Combine it with the CampMaid charcoal holder and flip grill and you can turn your dutch oven into a grill or pizza oven. Plus I love CampMaid’s Charcoal Chimney and that fact that everything folds up to fit inside the dutch oven for storage!
If you love Dutch Oven cooking, you’ve gotta try CampMaid.
MSRP – $79,99 – $125.99 but the four piece tool pack is currently on sale on amazon for $73.64
Yeti Tundra 65 Cooler
Last October I bought a Yeti Tundra 65 cooler for Mountain Dad for his birthday. It was 2016, we had just completed our National Park-to-Park Highway seven week camping adventure, and throughout the entire trip we struggled with ice melting too quickly in our cooler.
Every two to three days we had to stop our adventures to find a store that sold ice. Plus all that melting ice made for a wet soggy mess inside the cooler. Not cool. Literally.
So in October after we were home safe and sound, I purchased a special birthday gift for Mountain Dad – a Yeti Tundra 65 cooler. I’d heard about how awesome Yeti coolers are at keeping food cold for longer and it was time to try it out for myself.
I could not be happier with the Yeti Tundra 65! The thick insulated walls keep our food cold for up to a week. On our last five day camp out (part of my 30 Outdoor Meals in 30 Days camp cooking challenge) we still had 1/3 of the ice by the end. It’s made camping so much easier because I never worry about food spoiling now.
Yes, the Yeti Tundra 65 is expensive (I nearly choked paying so much for it) but it is the last cooler I will ever buy and has been totally worth the money.
MSRP – $399.99
Human Gear Uno Spork
I got a sample of the Uno and Duo at Outdoor Retailer this summer and since then, these sporks have become my favorite camping accessory. Plus they’re perfectly sized to fit in Big E’s lunchbox for school.
MSRP – $3.95
Adidas Outdoor Womens Terrex Lite Down Hooded Jacket
I’m kinda late to the puffy game. Many outdoorsy people already know the lightweight, warm, easily packable benefits of puffy down jackets, but I never had one until now.
Adidas Outdoor sent me their Womens Terrex Lite Down Hooded Jacket to try out and I’ve gotta say I LOVE IT! It’s a great lightweight jacket that is super warm, has zippered pockets and an elastic hood that is surprisingly comfortable. The Womens Terrex Lite Down Hooded Jacket is perfect for fall and winter hiking and camping. I wore it constantly on my recent five day fall camping trip in Moab, Utah, USA and especially like that it’s easy to shove in a pack or under a truck seat.
The Womens Terrex Lite Down Hooded Jacket would be the perfect gift for the camping lady in your life.
MSRP – $159.99
Chaos Hats
Not only does Chaos offer a great selection of winter beanies for kids and adults, they have summer hats for the whole family as well.
You may be wondering why I put these winter hats in the camping section instead of the skiing section. Well for one you should always wear a helmet for skiing, but mostly I include them her because we use winter hats ALL YEAR ROUND when we’re camping. It gets cold at night even in the summer! We have a stash of winter hats under the seat of our truck that has saved us from many cold camping nights.
But don’t take my word for it! WIN a hat for you and your child by participating in November’s Thankful for NATURE challenge. Two lucky participants will win a parent and child hats of their choice just by showing that they are Thankful for NATURE.
MSRP – $17.50 – $64.95 but many styles are on sale right here – Chaos Hats on Amazon.com
WeBoost Drive Sleek Signal Booster
For Skiing
For those of you who don’t know, I live full time near Sundance Mountain Resort in Utah. That means that the tots and I do a LOT of skiing and snowboarding in the winter, so we’ve learned what items make skiing SO MUCH EASIER! Even if you’re not a ski family, you’ll like these gift suggestions for those cold weather outdoor adventures.
The Hydrolite pack is great for the travelers on your list. So why would I include it in the skiing section? Because of a few key features.
First, when not in use, the Hydrolite from Matador packs smaller than a standard water bottle. PERFECT! It’ll fit easy in a suitcase for your next ski trip, and you can pull it out for that day on the slopes.
Second, the Hydrolite is built from ultra light waterproof Cordura. Keep those extra gloves totally dry even with a tumble on the snow.
Third, if you’re skiing backcountry, the built in Sawyer Mini water filter in the Hydrolite allows you to fill the water bladder from any water source you’re by.
The Hydrolite offers great flexibility. Use it for skiing, traveling or throw it in the car for a quick day pack option when camping. I’m always a fan of well thought out gear, and the Hydrolite is exactly that.
And what’s great is that they’ve offered to give one of you lucky readers a Hydrolite for your own to try! Just enter the giveaway below for your chance to win!
Price: $189.99
You can win your own in the giveaway below!
TOBE Outerwear
If you’re serious about spending time outdoors this winter, you should definitely look into TOBE Outerwear. This Swedish based company makes technical snow protection that is top of the line. They sent us monosuits for Baby L and Little G and I’ve gotta say, WOW.
TOBE Outerwear mono suits feature a 3 layer construction that is 100% windproof and waterproof. The interior fleece is lightweight and comfortable, perfect for layering. 
The Parvus model, which we have for Baby L to try out, comes in bright blue or red, making kids easy to spot on the slopes. The Novus is a bit higher quality, with a thicker waterproof membrane, completely waterproof zipper and reinforced knees.
Every part of TOBE Outerwear’s monosuit from the removeable hood to the elastic boot straps is well thought out and of high quality. I’m stoked to take my kids out skiing in these! There will never be complaints about being cold again.
Bogs Boots
I’ve written about the magic of Bogs Boots before, but I wanted to mention them here because of their new cute kids styles!
The Baby B Moc boots that Bogs sent us for Baby L to try out have a sturdy rubber outer sole, are 100 % waterproof (except when she pours puddle water inside them), and it’s rated for -22 degrees Farenheit! I know she’ll have warm toes this winter.
We also got to try out the Classic Mossy Oak style with Big E. At first I wasn’t sure the rubber outside and 7 mm Neo-Tech insulation would really keep Big E warm to -40 degrees, as Bogs claims. There’s no fuzz or fur on the inside and the walls seem thin. However, I didn’t take into account how AWESOME the lightweight Neo Tech Insulation is!
He’s jumped through puddles, walked in snow, slid on ice and never complained about cold toes. These are great boots for kids winter activities AND they have beautiful styles for adults too.
MSRP – $54.99 – $79.99
adidas Outdoor Kids CW Snowpitch Slip-on Boot
This year I begged Adidas Outdoor to send me a pair of their Kids CW Snowpitch Slip-on Boot for Little G and they actually did! Thank you!
My fashion conscious six-year-old has strong opinions about her footwear. Her current favorite pair of shoes is too tight, half covered in unraveling sequins and has no traction on the sole. I desperately want her to wear different shoes, but again, she’s got strong opinions.
So when she opened these boots up for a birthday gift I held my breath. She tried them on. Then she walked around with them outside! When I asked if she liked them she said, “Yeah. They’re warm.” It’s a win!
I couldn’t be more pleased because the adidas Outdoor Kids CW Snowpitch Slip-on Boots are made with Climaproof and Primaloft technoligies to keep her feet warm and dry. The sole is made from TRAXION rubber for max gripability on icy surfaces. These boots are great for kids.
MSRP – $90.00
Timpworx Handmade Ski and Snowboard Holder
Did you know that Mountain Dad is a woodworker, product developer and inventor? Last winter he designed this Ski and Snowboard holder to mount our ski gear on the wall when it’s not in use.
It’s been great! Hang your skis and snowboard on the wall. Show off the artwork, keep it dry before your next ride, and when you take it down, the solid wood ski holder with the mountain design still looks great.
Each of these ski holders are handmade in the Wasatch mountains of Utah (technically in our garage) and come in walnut or pine.
MSRP – $19.99 – $29.99
Online Family Ski School
This last ski gift idea is my absolute favorite, because it’s one made by me! I’ve been working hard with BraveSkiMom.com and kidproject.org to develop the ultimate resource for teaching kids to ski.
The Online Family Ski School brings together decades of real life experience teaching kids to ski. If you’ve ever been frustrated on the bunny hill trying to help your 3-10 year old safely get down the mountain, the Online Family Ski School is for you. In it, Kristen Lummis, Alyssa Erickson and I teach you about ski equipment for kids, how to dress for winter weather, and how to teach kids to wedge, stop and turn through games that make learning to ski fun for kids.
The course launches in the next few months and I want you to be the first to hear about it. Sign up here and you’ll be in the know PLUS you’ll get free family ski tips right to your inbox. Or join the giveaway below and you’ll be automatically added to the Online Family Ski School mailing list.
For the rest of the 40+ Holiday Gift Ideas, check out these other Holiday Gift Guides and Giveaways!!
There you have it Outdoor friends. I hope you found what you’re looking for here, but if you haven’t, check out these gift guides from other Outdoor Family Blogger friends. Happy Holidays!
See you in the Outdoors,
~Mountain Mom
PS – This post is chock full of affiliate links. If you purchase something after clicking on the link I get a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Great gift guide, Susan! We love Deuter packs and Woom Bikes too!
Curious about the Tobe snow suits. Do you need to layer quite a bit under them when the temperatures dip? We are trying to find a good one piece son suit for our son who now needs a 4t but need something warm as he loves to be outside no matter the temps playing. He will gladly play for a couple hours when the temps are -25oC but isn’t keen on having to wear many layers under. These look great but that is my concern.
Katy, We haven’t had a chance to play with the TOBE Outerwear suits in weather that cold yet, but they are designed to keep kids warm ALL day. TOBE is big in the snowmobiling world, which I find to be colder than skiing or snowboarding since you’re sitting and moving fast so the wind keeps you cold. The waterproof 3 layer system on these suits is super high quality and I trust that it will really do it’s job. On the inside there’s a fleece inner liner, but it seems kinda thin to me so I plan to still have my kids wear merino base layers and a fleece or puffy mid layer under the TOBE suit. I’m super impressed with them so far though and excited to have dry warm kids this ski season. Sorry I don’t have more personal experience – we’re just waiting for more snow!
Love those ski holders! We’re renovating our entire basement, and we’ve been looking for clever and unique ways to lessen the clutter. So we are going to hang all the guitars, but I never even thought to hang the skis! (My husband wanted to keep them in our soon to be built shed, but I’m worried they’ll be stolen)
Jay, Yeah we love these ski holders! Mountain Dad came up with the rustic wood design and I love how they work, super easy and the skis and my snowboard are up off the floor, looking beautiful on the wall. I hope you enjoy them!