Gift Ideas for Your Adventure-Obsessed Loved Ones

Updated March 11, 2024 03:13PM

Coleman 1900 Collection 3-in-1 Propane Stove ($230)

Coleman released a collection of car-camping products that hearken back to the 122-year-old company’s original designs, but with more than a century of tech upgrades, like burners that can crank 24,000 BTUs and a rotary igniter to light them without matches. The three-in-one grill, griddle, and stove turned out perfect burgers and pancakes.

Arc’teryx Alpha Parka ($999)

We tailgated in this 850-fill, RDS-certified goose-down parka after a nighttime skimo workout in temperatures near zero with 20-mile-per-hour winds. The liquid-crystal polymer ripstop shell made short work of hoary gusts, while ample loft left testers feeling invincible in the freezing cold.

Petzl Nao RL Headlamp ($170)

Petzl updated its ultra-endurance headlamp to deliver 750 additional lumens (1,500 total) via a 3,200-milliampere-hour lithium-ion battery that sits comfortably at the back of the user’s head. The result is a lamp with a balanced feel that’s 35 grams lighter than its predecessor and can last long enough for an evening of running in the dark when set to energy-saving reactive mode.

Yeti Roadie 48 Wheeled Cooler ($450)

Yeti created the most agile large rolling chest we tested, thanks to a taller profile and a burly telescoping handle that’s more akin to overnight luggage than what we’d expect on a cooler. That, coupled with the brand’s legendary durability and ice retention, made this our favorite car-camping container.

Danner Women’s Douglas Boots ($260)

If you have room for only one boot on a mixed-bag adventure, make it this one. It’s good for hiking and so much more. The Douglas has a 100 percent full-grain leather upper, so it dresses up with a nice pair of jeans, but it’s also a respectable day hiker, aided by a grippy Danner Wedge outsole, supportive steel shank, and Gore-Tex liner.

SS22 Snow Peak x Pendleton Towel Blanket ($135)

Two great outdoor-style powerhouses came together to create this 70-by-40-inch towel-blanket hybrid, which is larger than a beach towel but portable enough to throw in a daypack. Pendleton western patterns hide silhouettes of simple Snow Peak Takibi stoves on a durable loop-cotton knit.

MiiR Cold Brew Filter ($14.95) and Tomo Insulated Vessel ($59.95)

MiiR’s stainless steel Cold Brew Filter slips easily into the 33-ounce Tomo, and steeps lovely cold brew through micro-perforations that were so tiny, nearly no sediment was let through—even when grounds were extra fine. The result is a delightfully crisp cold brew in an insulated vessel meant for two happy campers.

Exped Megamat Max 15 Duo ($460)

Exped made the thickness of their already-warm and cush Megamat 50 percent greater, resulting in a car camping pad so luxurious our testers found themselves preferring it to their mattresses at home. On top of an impressive R-Value of 10.6 (they suggest it for temps down to 70 below zero) and perfectly firm cushioning, we fell in love with how supple and quiet the 50-denier stretch fabric was on the sleeping surface.