When you’re looking for gifts for the men in your life, it makes a lot of sense to think about their hobbies. If you have a camping aficionado in your life, let me help you brainstorm some great gift ideas! Check out these camping gifts for him below!
(This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you make a purchase through my link I receive a small commission at no added cost to you. See my policy page for more information)
Get him a great Camping T-Shirt or other outdoorsy wears
An awesome camping shirt: These following shirts are all designed by small business crafters and available online on Etsy.
Wooden Framed Sunglasses will allow him to be eco-friendly, stylish, and ready to face a sunny day. If he hasn’t tried polarized sunglasses, like these below, be sure to introduce him!
An outdoorsy hat: Sun protection is so important! And, can by stylish too!
Luxury Camping Chairs
Chairs are essential on a camping trip. Lots of options exist, so here are a few things to take into account when choosing a chair:
- How large is he? Larger, wider chairs exist for the bigger guy. Make sure the weight limit holds up as well.
- Would it be helpful to have a tray for food, drinks, or a book?
- Is a carrying strap helpful?
- Is space-saving more important?
- Is mobility and support an issue? Would a straighter stiffer chair be preferred?
The reclining, swinging NEMO camp chair: This one is top on my wish list. I’ve tried them in the stores and they’re sooo comfortable. A good quality one will swing evenly and smoothly. There’s good head support for reclining back for an evening of star watching or snoozing. While this chair does have a high weight limit, some reviews suggest it is most comfortable for a narrower body type.
This Rocker Chair offers movement while relaxing, which can be preferred for some. It’s nice and wide, which accommodates a larger guy, too. There are also versions of camp rockers that have a rounded bottom, but I’d worry these wouldn’t feel smooth on rocky or uneven ground.
The Director-Styled Camping Chair can be the preferred chair for a guy which wants more support and a studier chair. This one even has a side tray with a space for a drink and an organizer on the other side. This just might be perfect!
The Zero Gravity Chair: These are perfect for the guy that likes to relax with a good book or cold beer at the campsite (or for his afternoon snooze). Some of these will even have a shade attachment to help keep him cooler too.
The Padded Camp Chair: If you’re lucky enough to grab one of these when they’re available at Costco or Sam’s Club, all good… but, if you missed out, this one is available on Amazon. Do know that these chairs can actually be surprisingly heavy and are not compact when folded like the standard portable camp chair…. but they are comfortable!
For the Guy that likes a good campfire:
Telescoping Marshmallow Roasters will always come in handy! Use them for marshmallows or hot dogs (or anything else you can poke onto the ends!) and he will get tons of use out of them whether camping or at home.
This is a fun item for the camping guy who seems to already have everything he needs… a customized fire poker!
Help him keep his cans cold by the fire with this Yeti can insulator. Yeti has a great reputation for quality and these are super well-rated and popular online. Oh, and they come in lots of colours, not just pink!
These fire packets will cause flames to change colours: green, blue, purple, white… mesmerizing to watch.
For his morning coffee and afternoon Brew:
He may be camping, but it doesn’t mean he has to go without his morning coffee! Lots of options exist for making a cup of coffee and not slacking on the flavor.
This enamel percolator is your traditional campfire coffee maker. It’s classic and lightweight.
But if he craves something stronger or a bit more gourmet, a French Press or AeroPress will be appreciated. Don’t forget to gift him some great coffee beans with this.
Here are a few more items that ‘the fellow that likes to get his drink on’ might appreciate:
An upgrade on the camping essentials:
Thinking about camping essentials, a few main things come to mind. If he loves to camp, chances are he already has these things, but maybe he needs an upgrade or could use a different style to fit his needs. Either way, here are a few camping essentials to get you thinking:
Tents:
The one-man Tent: Does he like to camp on his own? Does he have a tent that is appropriate for his size and amount of gear? A compact tent is perfect for solo adventures.
This one has great ventilation, plus an optional vestibule for keeping his gear safe from inclement weather, however, it’s a bit on the heavier side for hiking and backpacking at just over 4lbs.
The sleep hammock: Maybe he’d like to try sleeping off the ground? This hammock includes a bug mesh and rain cover. It is lightweight and well-rated, available through REI.
Two person light-weight tent: The Big Agnes Copper Spur is a quality light-weight tent, for 2 people… or just one with room to move. There are doors and vestibules on both sides so you won’t need to climb over your sleep partner (or dog or gear) to get in and out. It’s weight is just over 3 lbs.
(We have this exact tent… so far we have no complaints)
Sleeping Pads
There’s no shame in wanting to be comfortable while sleeping! While he may not want to add any bulk to his pack or take up extra space while packing the car, this sleeping pad won’t make him choose between sleeping comfort and packing less. It rolls down to the size of a thin water bottle and weighs in at only 14.5 ounces!
And, if he’s into backcountry hiking in cold temperatures, this Neo-Air Xlite sleeping pad is is highly rated for warmth, comfort, and being lightweight; although, it is a big noisy for light sleepers.
Camp Cots:
If packing space isn’t an issue or if sleeping comfort takes precedence, these cots are great options! While large and rather bulky, they will almost guarantee a comfy night’s sleep, even in a tent.
For the Camping Kitchen:
Preparing food while camping versus making food at home is a smidge different. Ok, it’s really different! Cooking while camping is more akin to pioneer living, especially if he’s cooking over an open fire.
Thankfully, modern conveniences have been translated into portable options for camping, so he doesn’t have to work quite as hard for food if he doesn’t choose to! Finding camping gifts for him just got a whole lot easier!
Coolers
He always needs a good-sized cooler for camping! It’s helpful to think through his needs. A wheeled cooler is easier to transport from vehicle to campsite but often doesn’t come with a drain to let out the water from ice melting. Size is a factor as well. If he usually camps with the family, he’ll need a larger cooler. For a single person, a smaller cooler will be enough. Maybe he just needs to upgrade his old cooler. No matter what his need, there’s a cooler out there for him!
Coolers also come in a wide range price and quality range. Your standard Coleman cooler is perfect for a family weekend camping trip… fill it with ice and away you go. But, if you’re looking for luxury and the possibility that your drinks will be so cold the condensation runs off over your hands, then you might want to look at the Igloo or the Titan Deep Freeze!
Camp Cooking and Campfire Roasting
Camping is already a little more work than booking a hotel. If he doesn’t want to make it any more challenging, especially if he’s a beginner camper, I recommend a camp stove versus cooking every meal over the fire. The standard propane Coleman two-burner stove is great if he’s cooking for a crowd. Or, for a bit of a fancier option, for the guy that loves to grill, maybe the Cuisinart propane grill with cover.
Here are a few more gadgets to make things around the camp kitchen easier.
- The camp griddle can be used on the standard two-burner stove for your morning pancakes, eggs, and bacon.
- The slim fold portable camp kitchen will make setting up all the cooking gear easier and leave more room on the picnic table for eating and playing… instead of being piled with food and tools.
- Get him a classic set of durable enamel camping dishes instead of the random collection of hand-me-downs and plastic ware he might currently be using.
- Then, make sure dish washing is a breeze with a collapsible dish tub and collapsible dish drying rack.
- And, lastly, how about a double pie iron cooker… because two pies are just better than one, right?
If he’s out on his own in the backcountry, he might appreciate a small light-weight Snow Peak stove or a complete Jetboil stove system.
Camping Pots: The best option, if he doesn’t have a weight limit, is to invest in a cast iron pot and a fry skillet duo. They aren’t as difficult to clean and maintain as it seems and they have the versatility to be able to be used over an open campfire or on a camp stove… and he’ll be able to cook anything from soup to bread to bacon. You might want to add an oven mitt or silicone handle covers to go with those too!
But, if weight is an issue and you’re looking for something that can be used in both the front and backcountry, maybe a new set of nesting stainless steel pots would be nice.
For the Guy who likes Camping & Reading:
The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs will help him to learn the skills of seeing and reading the outdoors such as tracking, forecasting, and reading the signs of the geology and geography.
Bush Craft 101 will show him everything he’s ever wanted to know about living and surviving in the wild.
Location specific guides are also nice ideas and usually appreciated by the guy that likes to know details. Think guides to animals, foraging, how-to manuals, trail maps, histories, and such.
Or, how about a story of someone who’s lived and adventured and camped in the biggest sense of the word.
For the Gadget Guy:
Help the guy in your life be prepared for anything! Here are a few items that help him to never be in a bind while camping.
A Portable Solar Powered Phone Charger is always handy when he’s out and about. This particular one is well-rated, compact, and also doubles as a flashlight.
Or if this isn’t enough power, ramp it up with this portable 500 Watt portable power station! He’ll be able to charge up his laptop and phone, run a fan in the tent when it’s hot, even plug in a stereo for some tunes!
Our Portable 500 Watt Power Station
Take a close look at all the various inputs on this unit! It’s easy to charge with a regular outlet or purchase these portable solar panels so he can charge it when he’s out in the bush!
READ MORE: Click here to read the whole review on this charging system
A multipurpose tool is guaranteed to be handy, whether camping or at home! Save space while packing and have all the necessary tools in one compact place.
Here are a few more useful items that might prove handy or fun to have around the campsite.
- This hanging lantern is bright and also has a fan for providing a bit of air circulation in a stuffy tent or camper.
- Crank and solar powered flashlight, radio, and phone charger
- The all-popular LifeStraw for personal water filtration
- A light for inside the cooler or the kitchen tub so you can find what you’re digging for in the middle of the night.
Camping activities and adventuring
Once he’s out camping, what is there to do?
The inflatable paddle board: Being inflatable, this paddleboard is compact and easier to transport and carry. All components can be packed up and all contained in one bag. If he hasn’t tried paddleboarding, it will be a truly enjoyable new adventure! (You might want to buy a second one so that he has an extra and you can paddle along too!)
This particular board (the SereneLife) is one of the bestsellers and highest rated boards on Amazon.
Inflatable Kayak: Also inflatable, this will pack easily and allow for more water fun!
This very popular inflatable kayak is for one person; however, 2 person kayak/boats also exist.
Camping is an adventure that never gets old, right? And, while camping in and of itself is often enough of an activity, it is nice to have a few other ‘activities’ on hand.
Some classic campsite games: Ladder Toss or Bean Bag Toss? Maybe a quality Frisbee or Horseshoe set?
Camping gifts that keep on giving
Subscription boxes for the camping guy:
The Cairn subscription box is popular with outdoorsy folks. You can either receive the regular monthly box or opt for the more specialized quarterly box with higher priced items. If you’re not ready to commit and want a trial box first, there is a one month purchase option.
The Isle Box is a quality quarterly subscription that describes itself as containing the latest brand name new outdoors gear. This box is a bit unique in the opportunity to specify gender, shirt, and shoe sizing, and food preferences when joining the program.
Memberships, passes, and gift cards
Saving the best idea for last.
- National park passes
- Wildlife center memberships
- Gift cards to his favorite stores
- And camping snacks and treats!
While some may think it’s a lot of work for very little relaxation, it’s all in how you approach it. Many of the above-listed items will make camping a little easier and much more enjoyable. Tons of other items exist to enhance the camping experience! Do a little digging or ask a friend who loves camping. You’ll likely unearth lots of other essential camping gifts. Finding camping gifts for him is way easier than you thought.
If you’re still determined to find the perfect camping gift and want even more ideas, check out these other gift guides!
