Gift Ideas for Outdoorsy Men

woman giving her boyfriend a gift present

Solve the problem of buying Valentine’s Day gift ideas for outdoorsy men with this guide to the top gifted stuff for the man in your life.

Whoever the outdoor man in your life is, trying to find the perfect gift can be a challenge. As an outdoorsy man, I thought you might like a few hints as to what gifts would be very much appreciated.
I have split these outdoorsy gift ideas into categories, just to make it easier for you to find a gift that is most suitable for your boyfriend. One word of advice, always check to see whether he has them already. I have specifically chosen these gifts because any outdoorsy man will appreciate them even if he has one already. Always good to get a newer version.

Toys for Outdoorsy Boys

To round up this collection of rather nice gifts for outdoorsy boyfriends, I thought I would include a few toys for those with bigger pockets. I have used all three of these gifts, although I don’t own them, yet (hint hint!).

Inflatable Stand Up Paddleboard

Stand up paddle boarding (SUP) gives you the ability to get out on the water and control where you go with a spot of paddling. What’s more, you don’t even have to lug around a massive board on the roof of your car anymore because you can rent inflatable stand up paddle boards delivered to your door nationwide in the UK. Fits easily in the boot of your car to add a bit of adventure to your weekend outing with friends or family.

This little beauty is brilliant in that it doesn’t take up much space and can be inflated to provide hours of fun on the water. You can use it on lakes, rivers and in the sea. I have had lots of fun using it in Cornwall where the waves weren’t quite big enough for decent surfing, but were enough to play around in. The beauty of the SUP is that you can then paddle back out into the sea, provided you haven’t fallen off and stacked it coming in on a wave. Oh the days sent with sand in your face.
If you want to find out more, I have a comprehensive review of stand up paddleboarding.

Sublue Underwater Aqua Jet Scooter

Underwater scooter

The Sublue aqua jet is a battery powered device that pulls you along on or underwater. The WhiteShark MIX PRO can run for 60 mins & fast charging within just 2 hours.  You can capture epic moments using your smartphone by securing it onto the designated phone mount located on the floater. You can still easily attach your action camera onto the universal mount to transform into an underwater filming tool without additional cost.

We have had a few sessions on these at Center Parcs in Eleveden. It is basically a propeller in a secure housing that you hold in front of you. You can position it to move you in any direction. They are awesome fun and allow you to dive under the water and cruise along at quite a good speed.

It makes the perfect gift if you have your own swimming pool or regularly go on holiday near the sea where the water is clear. If you happen to have a golf villa in Portugal, you will probably want to have one.

The Essential Fitness Tracker for The Healthy Man

Now I don’t have my own fitness tracker because I’m not that competitive. I do however know how well I am doing using my phone stats and everyone else’s fitbits. I am such a cheapskate that I use their times and distances from our group runs that they put on Strava. All I have to do is keep up with them.
Having said that, if you want to know exactly how much activity you are doing and how much sleep you get, the Fitbit is the defacto activity tracker. If you get the Fitbit Charge 2 with the heartbeat monitor, you can use it for interval training, and also for calming meditation sessions.
If you want to track routes, distances, times and heartrate, then you might prefer the Garmin Forerunner 35 GPS Running Watch with Wrist-Based Heart Rate Monitor.

Tools

A man and his tools can create anything

Swiss Army Knife

If you’re indecisive whether to buy this, I’ll make your mind up for you. Buy it. This version of pocket knife is pretty much the perfect Swiss Army Knife because it has fantastic can/bottle openers which double as screw drivers. The scissors are much better than you think, with both blades being very sharp out of the box, and easy to keep sharp. The saw is quite sturdy and top quality. I have cut through three inch diameter branches with it for backwoods camping easily. Great for cutting through branches for a fire pit.
Some say “but do I really need the cork-screw?” – it’s surprising how many times I’ve saved the day with the cork-screw on one of my Swiss Army Knives over the years, when at a party and the host cannot find his/hers for the wine. Oh, and it’s good for untying knots too as well as tangled necklaces.
All round the Huntsman is probably the most perfect of the range, as it has all the main tools you need/want and none of the tools that you’ll probably not really use.

Leatherman Tool

The Leatherman Wave BLACK (with Free Nylon Pouch) multi-tool is a must have to keep in the glovebox. The Leatherman Wave multi-tool is made famous by its outside-accessible blades that can be deployed with just one hand. The new Wave has larger knives, stronger pliers, longer wire cutters, and all-locking blades. Perfect for any job, adventure, or everyday task.
This is just as good quality as you’d expect from a premium brand and so far it’s done all the minor tinkering I’ve set it to without complaint. It has a good selection of tools and the bit driver works well. I got the bit driver extender as well and this feels good in use. It starts to look expensive when you add in the leather case but it ends up being a really compact combination, which is important for motorcycling, camping etc. Expensive but you pay for quality and I’m not disappointed.

Portable Battery Charger Universal Power Bank

Auto-detect: Detects your device to deliver its fastest possible charge speed with 3.4A (max) output. 20,000mAh Portable Charger External Battery Power Bank for iPhone, iPad, iPod, Samsung, most other Phones and Tablets
Huge Capacity 20,000mAh: it charges an iPhone 7 six times, Samsung S6 more than five times, a large capacity of iPad Air 2 almost two times
High-Speed Charging: 2A unique input enables the portable charger to recharge itself twice as fast as 1A input; Dual USB output ports can charge 2 devices at the same time
Safety Protection: Built-in multi-protection system protect the power bank against over current and short circuit. It’ll automatically turn itself off when short circuit or overloading occurs.

Torches

Small Compact LED Lenser Pocket Torch

The Boost light delivers an outstanding 320 lumens from the CREE LED and an amazing 50 hours battery life is achievable on the Low Power (still 40 lumens) light. The re-configured Advanced Focus System optics deliver a wider area of light in either flood or spot beam options than its predecessor the T7 and the new larger Dynamic Switch makes the torch easier to use with gloves on.
I am very possessive over this torch as it has become my household torch, my holiday torch, my cycling torch.
It is very good and very bright. It fits on my mountain bike with an attachment and is perfect in that on roads you can use the half power setting and unlit areas on full power which is excellent as with the beam adjustment it lights up a wide field of view.
On holiday it is perfectly sized for carrying out on those dark beach walks and for lighting the walk back to the villa.

I have a detailed guide to choosing the best LED pocket torch to help you decide.

USB Rechargeable Head Torch

Trail running head torch for night running in the woods
Trail running head torches need more than 100 Lumens of light output

I did a 6am off road run this morning (in absolute darkness, no rain) using this USB rechargeable head torch light. I’m delighted with it. It’s super light weight, has excellent ‘brightness’ allowing me to see hazards such as fallen branches and is comfortable to wear ( I had no cap or hat on). I had been concerned that it might bounce around; not a bit of it!
It is simple to use, then again it’s a light, so you’d expect that.
So if you’re looking for a light for a bit of light running in the dark, this product is exactly what you are after. Easy to charge via USB. Love the idea of no batteries. Very powerful for size glows white or red via button selection.

Body Worn Running Torch

No more holding a torch or having the one strapped to your head bouncing about in that really irritating way. 90-250 lumens of super brightness: High intensity light within 20 meters area illumination distance to ensure you can see potential obstacles or hazards; red taillight with warning triangle for better visibility from oncoming traffic drivers

3 Light Modes With Rechargeable Micro-USB: High beam,low beam, and flashing;synchronous function for headlight and taillight; USB charging only 5 hours, can be used at least 3-5 hours. Please charge every 6 months if you don’t use it for a long time
PERFECT PRESENT: Christmas present or Xmas stocking filler for running lovers. Great birthday gift for men, women or kids
Adjustable Strap With Elastic Chest Band: This running light with flexible strap and adjustable length for comfortable wearing. Fully adjustable fit for runners large and small, just like the straps on a headlamp, you can tighten and loosen the straps to fit your needs
Best Substitute For Headlamp And Flashlight: You’ll Forget You’re Wearing It – It is so comfortable compared to a headlamp that you might just forget you’re wearing anything at all; It keeps your hands free (no holding a flashlight any more)

Food and Drink

Cooking on a campfire
Cooking on a campfire is so satisfying

Biolite Camp Stove That Recharges Your Phone

Turn fire into electricity! CampStove 2 generates 3 watts of usable electricity and stores it in it’s internal powerbank for USB charging of LED lights, mobile phones, and other devices. The internal, rechargeable 2600 mAh battery stores excess power to charge devices, even without a live fire.
USB charge output with 50% more power than our previous CampStove 1, with updated thermoelectrics creating even more electricity from fire, and Smart LED Dashboard gives you real time feedback on fire strength, power output and fan speed settings
Internal jets have 4 fan speed settings to circulate air for improved combustion and efficiency to boil 1 liter of water in 4.5 minutes
Lightweight aluminum legs fold up for nested portability and durability for camping, backpacking or power outages
The FlexLight is a portable, pliable USB gooseneck for quick, controlled light and internal fire-starter makes setup a breeze.

Drinkpod Pocket Flask for Commuters and Walkers

A 200ml or 300ml flask that is brilliant for taking your favourite hot drink with you when out walking the dog or commuting. A strong and lightweight vacuum-insulated capsule flask made from 18/10 Stainless Steel. This flask keeps liquids hot for 6 hours and cold for 24 hours.
Featuring a plastic lip for comfort – Simply unscrew the lid and enjoy your drink straight from the flask.
100% leak proof even when stored or carried horizontally. Available in a variety of attractive colours and sizes.

Chilly’s Bottles Water Bottle

24 HOURS HOT – 12 HOURS COLD: Carry ice cold water or freshly brewed coffee anywhere you go. Using advanced double wall vacuum insulation, your favourite drink can be kept cold for up to 24 hours or hot for 12 hours no matter what the outside temperature is!
LEAK-PROOF: Designed with an airtight and leak-proof lid to prevent any spills. Feel confident when you throw your Chilly’s Bottle into your bag – No Leaks, ever!

ECO-FRIENDLY & DURABLE: Stop using single use plastic bottles with a reusable Chilly’s Water Bottle. We use premium, food-grade 304 (18/8) stainless steel, a metal recognised for its strength and purity. It also protects against flavour transfer. BPA-free, phthalate-free, toxin-free.
TAKE IT EVERYWHERE: The Chilly’s Bottle’s stylish, revolutionary design is lightweight & the narrow mouth makes it easy to drink out of on the go. Perfect for hiking, yoga, sessions at the gym, traveling, long transport, school, & work. The 260ml & 500ml sizes fit most cupholders & the 750ml fits larger cupholders.
CONDENSATION, SWEAT FREE EXTERIOR: Designed for an active urban lifestyle, the Chilly’s Bottle will never cause water rings on your office desk, slippery hands at the gym or a damp mess in your bag.

Comfort

Wrapped up warm in a hat and scarf
Trying to be cosy and warm in winter is just down to what you wear.

There’s nothing worse than feeling cold when you are out and about. Coats and trousers are a personal preference, but you can always buy a few things to keep your man warm.

Waterproof Beanie Hat

Hats have to work as both a base layer and outerwear, but they should be considered as an important bit of kit. The waterproof beanie is fully breathable and waterproof which can’t be said for all of its competitors, whilst including a micro fleece lining for warmth and comfort. It has knitted acrylic for minimised water absorption, and also maximised water repellency. This close-fitting comfortable beanie is suited to a multitude of outdoor uses. reflective logo on the front.
Sealskinz also make waterproof socks which are ideal for winter cycling on that wet commute.

Rechargeable Hand Warmer

I have a full review of hand warmers detailing the pros and cons of each type.

The XGUO hand warmer is the perfect solution for blending a phone charger with a hand warmer.
If you are outdoor enthusiasts, the hand warmer is good equipment to hike, camp, hunt, fish and other sport events.
And it’s also good choice for outdoor workers and those who have blood circulation problems.
I bought this because I wanted to keep my hands toasty when out walking the dog in all weathers, as well as having a power backup for my phone. This product solves both problems. It takes a couple of hours to charge up fully using the included USB charge lead.
As a hand warmer it has 3 different heat settings. The highest setting is great for rapid warming when your hands have got freezing cold but the second or lowest setting is fine for maintaining temperature when placed in the palm of the glove or in a zip pouch in the back of mitts.
I am getting about 6 hours heat on the lowest setting (not 8 hrs claimed) and about 4 hours on the middle setting.
As a phone charger using a USB to lightening lead it works fine. When I go skiing or climbing in the extreme cold I plan to put it in a pouch alongside my phone on a low setting to keep the phone warm and I can switch it over to phone charge if I run low on battery.
I found it to be an ideal size for a man’s glove (large). My wife finds it fine in a mitt but on the large size for her small palms in a glove.
My only criticism is that it is possible to accidentally change the settings by knocking the button on the face of the warmer. A recessed button or slide switch might be better. However you soon realise it has got too cold or too warm and it is easy to correct.

The Perfect Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas for Outdoorsy Men who have Everything

If you just can’t find anything to buy the outdoorsy boyfriend or man in your life because he has pretty much everything, this is the solution. Get him this ultimate gift experience voucher from Buyagift. It allows him to choose from thousands of different experiences from cars, adventure, flying, food and weekends away with you. Unbeatable.

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