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Trail & Terminal

05 — Gifts / Guide

Gifts for campers who have everything

Somebody with a full gear shed does not need another thing to store. What they do need is the stuff that runs out and the stuff that wore out.

By Brijon M.Last updated How we pick
A well-stocked gear shelf with camping equipment

The short answer

Buy consumables they will use, replacements for things that wear out, or something from the categories experienced campers under-buy -- good socks, coffee gear, repair supplies. Or buy a trip rather than an object, which costs them no storage space.

01 — The premise

The problem with gifting an experienced camper

Someone who camps a lot has already bought everything they decided they wanted, usually after research, and often in the specific version they prefer. That creates three problems for a gift.

Duplication. Whatever obvious thing you buy, they probably have it. Lanterns, chairs, headlamps, bottles -- the safe gift categories for a beginner are the duplicated ones for an expert.

Preference. They have opinions. A specific tent, a specific stove, a specific brand of sock. Buying a different version of something they have deliberately chosen is a slightly awkward gift.

Storage. A full gear shed is a real constraint. Another object to find space for is a mild liability rather than a pure gain, which is the thing gift guides never acknowledge.

So the brief changes. Rather than finding gear they lack, find things that get consumed, things that have worn out, categories people reliably under-buy, or gifts that are not objects at all.

02 — Strategy one

Consumables, which are never duplicates

The great advantage of a consumable is that it cannot be a duplicate. Everyone runs out.

  • Blister tape. Experienced walkers recommend it and still run out of it. See first aid kits.
  • Fuel. Propane or isobutane canisters, bought locally since neither ships by air. Unexciting and immediately used.
  • Lithium batteries. Better than alkaline in the cold, long shelf life, and every battery item needs them.
  • First aid restock. Kits get used and never restocked. A restock pack is a genuinely thoughtful gift.
  • Fabric repair patches and seam sealer. Everyone has a tent or jacket that needs attention.
  • Detergent sheets and biodegradable camp soap.
  • Good coffee, and filters for whatever they brew with.
  • Waterproofing wash-in treatment. Rain shells lose their water repellency and almost nobody re-treats them.

03 — Strategy two

Replacements for things that wear out

Outdoor gear wears out in predictable places, and experienced campers put up with worn gear for far longer than they should because replacing it is never urgent.

What wears outWhy it is a good gift
SocksThey wear through at the heel and nobody owns enough good pairs
Camping chairThe fabric tears at the frame stress points, usually within two or three seasons
HeadlampStraps perish and cheap ones were never regulated. An upgrade is welcome
Water filterThey are cleanable, not eternal, and flow degrades. A spare is useful
Sleeping bag linerWashable, extends the bag's life, and almost nobody owns one
Insulated bottle lidGaskets perish and lids get lost. A replacement lid is oddly welcome
Tent stakesThe ones that come with tents are poor and get bent or lost. A set of good ones is a real upgrade

04 — Strategy three

The categories experienced campers under-buy

These are the things people know they should have and never prioritize, which makes them the genuine gaps in an otherwise complete setup.

  1. 01Good socks, in quantity. Almost everyone owns two pairs of good socks and six pairs of bad ones. See gifts for hikers.
  2. 02A first aid kit, properly stocked. People buy one kit, use half of it and never restock.
  3. 03A repair kit assembled in a pouch. Patches, zip ties, cord, spare buckles, needle and thread. Nobody assembles this; everyone wishes they had.
  4. 04Camp coffee. A disproportionate number of campers tolerate instant while caring about coffee at home. See camping meals.
  5. 05A sleeping bag liner. Adds warmth, keeps body oils out of the insulation, and extends the bag's life by years. Almost nobody buys one. See sleeping bags.
  6. 06Good tent stakes. The ones in the bag are an afterthought, and a set of solid ones is a noticeable upgrade in wind.
  7. 07A closed-cell foam mat. As a sit pad, a dog mat, or a layer under an air pad in the cold. See sleeping pads.

05 — Strategy four

Gifts that are not objects

For someone with a full gear shed, the best gift may take up no space at all.

  • A campground booking. A reservation at somewhere good, ideally somewhere that books out. This is the strongest gift on this page for someone who owns everything.
  • A national parks annual pass. Covers entry across federal recreation sites for a year, and it is a gift that gets used repeatedly rather than once.
  • A wilderness first aid course. Genuinely more valuable than any kit, and the thing experienced outdoors people most often say they should do.
  • A gear repair service or a membership to an outdoor retailer's co-op, where applicable.
  • Your time. Offering to go with them, or to look after a dog or children so they can go, is a real gift and costs no storage space.
  • A gift card toward one specific sized item -- a pack, boots, a bag. Being handed the right one beats being handed the wrong one politely.

06 — What to skip

What to avoid entirely

  • Another lantern, chair, bottle or headlamp. The safe beginner categories are the duplicated expert ones.
  • A different version of something they chose deliberately. If they have a specific stove, they chose it.
  • Novelty camping gadgets. They have seen them and decided against them.
  • Anything sized. They know their sizes and you probably do not.
  • Branded apparel. Size, fit and taste at once.
  • Large items without asking about storage. A full gear shed is a real constraint, and an unwanted large object is a burden rather than a gift.

What to buy

The gear we would buy for this

Trail & Terminal earns a commission when you buy through our Amazon links, at no extra cost to you. It does not change which products we pick -- see our affiliate disclosure and selection method.

1

Best for the thing almost nobody owns

Sea to Summit Thermolite Reactor Liner

Adds warmth and keeps body oils out of a bag's insulation. Experienced campers know and still skip it.

The clearest example of an under-bought item: it is cheap, it protects an expensive bag, and almost nobody buys one. <strong>Check first:</strong> whether they already have one. See <a href="/trail/best-sleeping-bags">sleeping bags</a>.

Specs

  • Thermolite fabric liner
  • Manufacturer-stated warmth gain of several degrees
  • Packs very small
  • Machine washable

Good for

  • Extends an expensive sleeping bag's life by years
  • Washable, where a down bag is a careful once-in-a-while job
  • Also usable alone as a hot-weather sheet or in hostels

Bad at

  • Manufacturer warmth claims in this category are generous
  • Can twist and bunch while you sleep
  • They may already have one
2

Best for the thing they put up with

AeroPress Go Coffee Maker

A disproportionate number of campers tolerate instant coffee while caring about it at home.

Camp coffee is the most reliable gap in an otherwise complete setup. <strong>Check first:</strong> that they care about coffee. <strong>They will still need:</strong> filters and good coffee -- include both. See <a href="/camp/camping-meals">camping meals</a>.

Specs

  • Press-style brewer with a paper filter
  • Packs inside its own travel mug
  • One cup at a time
  • Durable plastic construction

Good for

  • Addresses something most campers tolerate rather than solve
  • Packs into its own mug, so no new storage problem
  • Nothing to size

Bad at

  • Slow for a group
  • Needs filters, which run out
  • Useless to someone content with instant
3

Best for the kit nobody assembles

Gear Aid Tenacious Tape Repair Patches

Permanent fabric repairs for tents, jackets and pads. Everyone has something that needs it.

Anybody with a shed full of gear has a tent, jacket or pad that needs attention. Assemble a repair pouch -- patches, zip ties, cord, a needle and thread -- and it becomes a proper gift. <strong>They will still need:</strong> nothing.

Specs

  • Adhesive-backed ripstop patches
  • Bonds permanently to tent and jacket fabrics
  • Works on inflatable pads
  • Flexible and washable

Good for

  • A permanent fix rather than duct tape, which leaves residue and fails
  • Someone with a lot of gear definitely has something torn
  • Flat and light, so it creates no storage problem

Bad at

  • Only useful once something is damaged
  • Needs a clean dry surface to bond
  • Unexciting to receive alone
4

Best for the thing everyone needs more of

Darn Tough Hiker Micro Crew Cushion Socks

Everyone owns two pairs of good socks and six pairs of bad ones. Socks wear out.

Socks are effectively a consumable, which is exactly what makes them the right gift for someone who owns everything -- they wear through and nobody owns enough good pairs. <strong>Check first:</strong> shoe size. See <a href="/gifts/gifts-for-hikers">gifts for hikers</a>.

Specs

  • Merino wool blend
  • Seamless construction
  • Cushioned sole
  • Unconditional lifetime warranty

Good for

  • A consumable in practice -- they wear out and get replaced
  • Nobody ever has enough good pairs
  • Lifetime warranty makes it a gift that keeps giving

Bad at

  • Unexciting on its own
  • Expensive per pair
  • Warm for hot climates

Questions

Frequently asked

What do you buy a camper who has everything?
Consumables they will use up -- blister tape, fuel, batteries, first aid restock, coffee, repair patches -- or replacements for things that wear out, like socks and chairs. Or something that is not an object at all: a campground booking or a parks pass.
What camping items do experienced campers under-buy?
Good socks in quantity, a properly stocked first aid kit, an assembled repair pouch, camp coffee gear, a sleeping bag liner, decent tent stakes and a closed-cell foam mat. All cheap, all known to be useful, all never prioritized.
Is a campground booking a good gift?
For someone with a full gear shed, it is probably the best gift on the list. It takes no storage space, it gets used, and popular campgrounds book out months ahead -- so securing a date at somewhere good is genuinely valuable.
What should I not buy an experienced camper?
Another lantern, chair, bottle or headlamp -- the safe categories for beginners are the duplicated ones for experts. Also avoid a different version of something they chose deliberately, anything sized, and large items without asking about storage.
Is a gift card a good outdoor gift for an expert?
For the sized categories, yes. Packs, footwear and sleeping bags all depend on measurements and fit that you probably do not have, and being handed the right one beats being handed the wrong one politely. Pair it with a note about what it is for.

References

Back up a level

This page sits in Gifts -- for the camper, hiker or traveler you are shopping for.

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