YETI · Outdoor & Camping
V Series 55 Cooler
Vacuum-insulated stainless. Ice for days, not hours.
$1,000+
See Price →The Boyfriend Outdoors · /camping-gear/
The Boyfriend Outdoors: camping gear that outlives the trip
Outdoor gear is a category where brand loyalty is earned rather than marketed, because everything gets tested against weather. The stuff that survives ten seasons is not the stuff with the best photography.
What follows is weighted towards the pieces that get used at home as well as at a campsite, which roughly doubles the value of the gift.
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The gear that lasts a decade
True vacuum insulation in a stainless shell, which roughly doubles ice retention over rotomoulded plastic.
VICIYOO · Outdoor & Camping
Hard Shell Rooftop Tent
Sixty seconds from parked to in bed. Turns his truck into a basecamp.
$1,000+
Buy This for Him →
The things that also work in a garden
Smokeless, so nobody smells like it afterwards. And optics that are as good on a hill as on a deck.
Tents, stoves and light
The three purchases that make a first camping trip pleasant rather than instructive.
Garmin · Outdoor & Camping
Garmin inReach Mini 2 Satellite Communicator
Two-way messaging and SOS with no phone signal. The one that matters if he hikes alone.
$250–$500
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YETI · Outdoor & Camping
YETI Tundra 65 Hard Cooler
Sixty-five quarts, ice for days, and effectively indestructible.
$250–$500
Shop Now →
Jetboil · Outdoor & Camping
Jetboil MiniMo Backpacking Stove Cooking System
Boils water in about two minutes and simmers properly, which most camp stoves cannot.
$100–$250
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YETI · Outdoor & Camping
YETI Roadie 15 Hard Cooler with Shoulder Strap
The one-person YETI. Fits behind a seat and holds a day's worth of ice.
$100–$250
Get It Here →
Helinox · Outdoor & Camping
Helinox Chair Zero Ultralight Camping Chair
Weighs a pound. The chair that actually gets carried rather than left in the car.
$100–$250
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Coleman · Outdoor & Camping
Coleman Sundome Camping Tent with Rainfly
Sets up in ten minutes, survives rain. The tent that gets people camping.
Under $100
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Black Diamond · Outdoor & Camping
Black Diamond Spot 400 Headlamp
Four hundred lumens, dimmable, waterproof. The headlamp that lives in the truck.
Under $100
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Helinox · Outdoor & Camping
Helinox Chair One Collapsible Camping Chair
Heavier and sturdier than the Zero. The right one if it lives in a truck rather than a pack.
Under $100
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TETON · Outdoor & Camping
TETON Sports Celsius Sleeping Bag
Rated properly rather than optimistically, which most bags at this price are not.
Under $100
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YETI · Outdoor & Camping
YETI Rambler 36 oz Insulated Bottle
Leakproof cap, holds ice overnight. The bottle that ends the cheap-bottle cycle.
Under $100
Shop the Pick →
YETI · Outdoor & Camping
YETI Rambler 26 oz Insulated Bottle
The size that fits a bag and a cup holder. Most useful of the range.
Under $100
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Osprey · Outdoor & Camping
Osprey Daylite Commuter Backpack
Osprey's lifetime guarantee on a fifty-dollar daypack. Hard to argue with.
Under $100
Buy This for Him →
Osprey · Outdoor & Camping
Osprey Daylite Expandable 26+6 Travel Pack
Expands by six litres when he inevitably buys something on the way home.
Under $100
Buy This for Him →
Coleman · Outdoor & Camping
Coleman Triton 2-Burner Propane Camp Stove
Two adjustable burners and a wind block. Real cooking at a campsite rather than heated tins.
Under $100
Get It Here →
Gas One · Outdoor & Camping
Gas One Propane Double Burner High-Pressure Stove
High pressure, so it boils a pot fast. The one for fish fries and crab boils, not just eggs.
Under $100
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Foxelli · Outdoor & Camping
Foxelli Rechargeable Headlamp, 1200 Lumens
Rechargeable and waterproof to IPX7. Twenty dollars, and he will use it at home more than camping.
Under $100
Buy This for Him →
Coleman · Outdoor & Camping
Coleman 400L LED Camping Lantern
Coleman have made camp lanterns since 1900. Water and impact resistant.
Under $100
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Coleman · Outdoor & Camping
Coleman LED Lantern with Battery Guard
The battery guard stops corrosion in something stored eleven months a year.
Under $100
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Wise Owl Outfitters · Outdoor & Camping
Wise Owl Outfitters Hammock Tree Straps
Most hammocks ship without straps. These are the ones that do not damage trees.
Under $100
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Camping & Outdoors FAQ
What is the best camping gift for a boyfriend?
A cooler, if he does not have a serious one. It is used at campsites, tailgates, beaches and in the garden, so the cost per use is lower than almost anything else outdoors.
Are expensive coolers worth the money?
For multi-day trips, yes. Vacuum-insulated stainless roughly doubles ice retention over standard rotomoulded plastic, which is the difference between restocking on day two and not restocking at all.
What is overlanding?
Vehicle-based travel where the journey is the point — self-sufficient camping from a truck or 4x4 rather than a fixed campsite. The kit list starts with sleeping, storage, power and water.