45 Stocking Stuffers For Outdoorsy People They Actually Want

The insect repelling No Fly Zone socks from L.L. Bean have been a game changer for all of our trips this past year. From hiking the Grand Tetons to avoiding mosquitos in our own backyard, we’ve been able to enjoy the outdoors without fear of mosquitos, ticks or other pests. Plus, the material is made with a naturally sourced bug repellent. And, yes, the socks actually work! We feel so much safer hiking in tick country wearing these.

If your outdoorsy stocking stuffer recipient loves camping and/or backpacking, consider gifting them some yummy dehydrated backpacking meals. All they have to do is add boiling water, and these packable lightweight meals become full home-cooked meals on the go. My favorite backpacking meal I’ve tried so far is the Mountain House spaghetti with meat sauce. My husband, Kenny, loves the Peak Refuel breakfast skillet.

Why settle for multiple short camping utensils when you can have an extra long camping spork all in one? The backpacking meal packages can be deep, and I personally hate getting my hand full of food. Kenny and I use these extra long camping sporks to avoid messy hands, and we swear by them.

I just purchased this exact collapsible backpacking mug for myself for camping and backpacking trips, and I’m so excited to use it. It’s lightweight, extremely packable, collapses flat and is silicone to endure hot coffee, tea and fireside hot cocoa temperatures. It’s the perfect stocking stuffer for outdoorsy people.

This next outdoorsy stocking stuffer is genius. The JoGo Brew Straw is a stainless steel straw with a connecting coffee and tea filter. All you have to do is add hot water to your coffee grounds or tea leaves, sip through the filtering straw, and you have yourself an easy camp caffeine setup. (Don’t tell Kenny, but he’s definitely going to find one in his stocking this year.)

What’s a stocking stuffer gift guide without fun snacks? For the outdoorsy people, trail mix is an obvious go-to. I prefer to make mix my own at home (you can find all my trail mix ingredients in my travel snacks blog post here), but individual trail mix packs are perfect too.

Likewise, beef sticks and beef jerky packs are a fantastic outdoorsy stocking stuffer, as they provide a much-needed nonperishable protein source during and after long hikes. I love the Chomps beef sticks as well as the Paleovalley beef sticks. Kenny, who prefers jerky, likes the Archer grass-fed beef jerky.

Having a pillow while camping makes a huge difference in quality of sleep in the outdoors. These cheap inflatable camping pillows are inflatable, so they pack down tiny and are ideal for backpacking trips. Plus, they’re perfectly stocking stuffer size.

Shopping for a hiker? Avid hikers love (and need) moisture wicking socks. Whether they’re hiking through river crossings or simply sweaty, the Darn Tough moisture wicking merino wool socks are popular in particular. Or, if you’re looking for a vegan version, I personally wear and like these affordable crew compression socks.

Anyone who knows me knows I’m obsessed with my handheld rechargeable fan while traveling. In the outdoors, it keeps me cool on long hikes and promotes essential air flow at night when I’m car camping. It comes with a lanyard to make it hands-free, and, like I said, it’s rechargeable. So, I can plug it into my portable charger to keep it running nonstop.

Camping string lights are the newest addition to my SUV camping setup, and they totally elevate my camping experience at night. Not only are camping string lights super aesthetically pleasing, but they also provide an essential light course when it’s dark.

Speaking of light, sunglasses are obviously necessary for outdoor lovers, which means sunglasses would make the perfect stocking stuffer for outdoorsy people. In fact, I received a pair of sunglasses in my stocking once, and it’s still one of my favorite stocking stuffers ever. For prescription sunglasses, I opt for Zenni Optical sunglasses because they are so budget-friendly. Otherwise, Goodr is another great brand, as they promote non-slip, non-bounce active sunglasses (mine were gifted by Public Lands).

Moreover, a pocket survival book is a fun stocking stuffer that is actually practical and helpful too. With this gift, you’ll help keep your favorite outdoorsy person safe on all their adventures. Kenny actually just purchased this exact book for himself, and he learned a lot from it!

Similarly, any outdoorsy person would definitely find a mini first aid kit helpful. Although, hopefully they won’t actually ever have to use it, of course. I personally bring this General Medi mini first aid kit on every outdoor trip, especially if I’ll be hiking.

Another fun small outdoorsy gift idea is a national park sticker from their favorite US national park. There are a ton of great national park sticker options on Etsy and Amazon, but I personally love the look of the stickers from The National Park Store.

Not to be dramatic, but I’m really proud of myself for coming up with this stocking stuffer for hikers. AllTrails is the industry standard for hiking trail maps. I use it on every hiking trip. It’s way better than both Google Maps and Apple Maps for hiking. The premium subscription allows hikers to download trail maps for offline access, which is essential on some hikes, and starts at just $34.99 per year. Even a one-year subscription would make a great gift.

My husband, Kenny, received these reusable hand warmers for Christmas a few years ago, and they have been extremely helpful on chilly camping trips. They’re much more sustainable than single-use hand warmers, and they’re super easy to reuse. All you have to do is put them in boiling water to reinstate them to their non-warming state.

A heat source is one of the 10 essentials for hiking, whether that’s a match kit or a lighter with fire starters. Because these essentials are small, they each make great stocking stuffers for campers, hikers and backpackers.

LifeStraws are basically mini water filters that can be used as a backup water source in the outdoors. Although there are many water filtration devices that are excellent for backpacking trips, the LifeStraw is a good stocking stuffer size option.

Have you have been in the outdoors at night with zero light pollution, whether camping or hiking in the backcountry? It’s dark at night. Really dark. This is why outdoorsy people can always make good use of a pocket size flashlight.

As an outdoorsy person myself, a quick drying towel is super helpful when I take an outdoor shower, a quick lakeside swim or even to dry off after rain. We have microfiber towels, which are both quick drying and extremely lightweight and compact. Perfect for travel and backpacking!

Navigation is another one of the 10 essentials for hiking. While many hikers rely on their phone’s compass for navigation, a backup physical compass is ideal to have in case the phone dies. Obviously, most compasses are relatively small, so they would fit in a stocking with no problem.

A simple pack of metal carabiners is sure to be put to good use by all outdoorsy people. Whether they’re just clipping their water bottle to their backpack or something more sophisticated, adventurers will never complain about having extra carabiners on hand.

Does your stocking stuffer gift recipient love watching wildlife? Then they would love a pair of pocket binoculars for travel. Unless they have an expensive pair of high-tech binoculars already, an affordable pair will get the job done for casual wildlife sighting.

Next, most backpackers recommend carrying some sort of multitool like this one in the outdoors. That way, you have a set of lightweight tools on hand in case of campsite setup mishaps, and a knife on hand for a variety of scenarios. Bonus: these multitools are perfect stocking stuffer size.

Here is another stocking stuffer for outdoorsy people that I’m really glad I remembered: mini citronella candles! If these candles are lit around a campsite, the citronella scent will help keep pesky mosquitos at bay. Unfortunately, I’m severely allergic to peppermint, which is a common ingredient in citronella candles, so I can’t personally use these candles. However, this would make a great small gift for most outdoorsy people. I have tried other candles from the Murphy’s brand (gifted by Murphy’s), and I really liked them.

Likewise, a travel size bug spray like this Natrapel DEET-free bug repellent, would protect your favorite outdoor lover from insect bites too.

Sometimes, extra buggy destinations and hikes, such as mountain destinations and hikes, call for extra bug protection in the form of a mosquito head net. We have this mosquito head net to protect our face from the bugs. It was super cheap and is tiny, which, obviously, is an ideal stocking stuffer.

Now, let’s go over a few outdoor hygiene essentials that would make practical — yet funny and TMI-ish — stocking stuffers for outdoorsy people. First, biodegradable camping wipes can be used for outdoor potty breaks and quick primitive campsite showers. For women, I recommend the Rael pH balanced feminine wipes for potty breaks. (But, remember, these wipes should still be packed out. Leave no trace!)

Similarly, ladies have to wipe — even in the outdoors. It’s just a fact! The Kula cloth is a antimicrobial reusable pee cloth, designed for women, that serves as a popular alternative to single-use wipes or toilet paper while exploring the outdoors.

Didn’t think these outdoor stocking stuffers could get any more TMI? Think again! (Last weird one, I promise.) Digging cat holes is necessary to sustainably go No. 2 in the outdoors in some locations. A cheap cat hole trowel like this one that we use is, therefore, a practical yet somewhat comical stocking stuffer for nature lovers. “When nature calls,” as the saying goes. You can find more funny travel gifts under $25 here.

Now, if you’re willing to splurge a bit on stocking stuffers, these options would be unforgettable gifts for outdoorsy people. First, the America The Beautiful annual national park pass is arguably the best stocking stuffer on this entire list. It provides unlimited access to all of the US national parks, plus some additional park areas, for an entire year. We’ve been annual park pass holders for a few years now and love it. The pass is the size of a gift card, so there will be no issues sneaking it into the bottom of a Christmas stocking.

Although pricy, the Garmin inReach Mini 2 could be lifesaving. If your outdoor lover spends a lot of time in the backcountry and they don’t already have a satellite communicator, they need one of these. Basically, the Garmin inReach Mini allows users to send and receive texts, and send SOS location signals without cell service in case of emergency.

Backpackers love the Jetboil camping and backpacking stove for good reason, myself included. The Jetboil is a compact camping stove that is lightweight, packable and slides into a stocking. It boils water in under two minutes, making backpacking meal and coffee time a breeze. Plus, it comes with a custom fit pot, so no additional purchases are necessary other than the propane tank (which you can’t fly with anyway, by the way).

Or, another great backpacking stove is the MSR PocketRocket. This one is even smaller — literally pocket size — and significantly cheaper than the JetBoil, which is ideal for a stocking stuffer. But, it does not come with a pot, so a pot or pan would be necessary to use it, in addition to the propane tank, too. It’s a fantastic stocking stuffer for outdoor lovers, nonetheless.

Since your stocking stuffer recipients love the outdoors, it’s safe to assume that they also love action-packed adventures. Whether they like whitewater rafting, zip lining, scuba diving or sky diving, the GoPro HERO13 is a waterproof action camera that will capture all of their most epic adventures. I just received this exact GoPro for my birthday, and I can verify that it is indeed an awesome gift for adventurers.

Alternatively, the Insta360 camera is another action camera that any adventurer would love. But, unlike the GoPro, this camera can shoot 360-degree footage.

Does your outdoorsy stocking stuffer giftee like photography? Then this is the stocking stuffer for them. The Peak Design camera clip enables photographers to securely attach their camera to their backpack strap so they don’t have to reach into their backpack every time they want to take a photo. I can attest that this camera clip is an absolute game-changer for hikers and travel photographers. I also suggest you check out my gifts for photographers under $50 for similar ideas.

I never hike without my GPS-enabled Apple Watch for a few reasons. First, I can send out an emergency SOS signal on my watch if necessary. Second, I love getting maps and AllTrails directions sent straight to my wrist without having to check my phone. Lastly, it is so easy to track steps, mileage and elevation gain on hikes with my Apple Watch. I’m not even a daily Apple Watch wearer, and I never hike without this generous stocking stuffer.

Ever since I got this Black Diamond headlamp for Christmas last year, I’ve never gone on another road trip without it. Staying hands-free at night while still having a light source is game-changing on any campsite. This headlamp in particular is super durable, built for the outdoors, waterproof and has a red light mode, which is needed to keep your eyes adjusted to nighttime darkness.

The L.L. Bean Insect Shield apparel also comes in hoodie form. Like I said earlier, these clothing articles from L.L. Bean have been a game changer for avoiding bug bites on all of our outdoorsy trips, even if we aren’t wearing bug spray. Better yet, this hoodie is thin enough to roll up and stuff inside a stocking.

Finally, while I’m certainly not against tent camping, I absolutely love car camping. I swear by our luxury SUV camping setup for maximum comfort on road trips. We have a variety of Luno custom car camping gear, but, to be honest, most of the gear is too big for a stocking. The Luno window screens and Luno privacy curtain we use, though, are stocking stuffer approved and make the perfect addition to any car camping setup.