Gift Guide for Outdoorsmen

And the gift guides continue! This exceedingly handy gift guide for hunter-fisher types was written by my friend Melanie/Big Mama for her own blog recently. She offered to share it here, too, in case you’re stumped about what to get the outdoorsy dudes in your life. Thank you, Melanie! –Ree

By Melanie Shankle.

Maybe it’s just me but I always think my husband is the hardest person to buy presents for every year. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t share my opinion that clothes and shoes and makeup are great gifts. Or maybe it’s because I don’t share his opinion that you can pretty much find anything you could possibly want in life at Academy.

So I asked him for a few suggestions that might help you figure out a few ideas to get for the husband, son, dad, nephew, boyfriend, uncle or grandpa on your gift list.

Here are his suggestions. We tried to include a range of prices and items that will work for more than just an outdoorsman, although it does lean heavily on the outdoors experience. See above reference to Academy.

 
1. Under Armour Flats Guide II Fishing Shirt

This is his favorite fishing shirt, hands down. And he’s tried them all. He prefers the long-sleeve version in a shade of blue or light green so as not to scare the fish. However, there is a short-sleeve version if you think that might be better.

And really you can’t go wrong with anything Under Armour for men and boys of all ages.

 
 
 
2. Surefire Flashlights

This is his favorite brand of flashlight. There are a ton to choose from but the important thing is that you get one that’s LED.

 
 
 
3. Outdoor Edge Swing Blade Knife

I bet my husband owns 456 knives, many of which he’s had since childhood. He likes this knife but mentioned a couple of others depending on your price range and cutlery needs.

He also likes this knivesofAlaska trekker whitetail/GH combo that he received as a gift a few years ago. He said it will flat cut some stuff up.

And also recommended this columbia river knife and tool which is what he carries everyday. Because, you know, everyone needs an everyday knife.

 
 
 
4. Leupold vx-3 Scope

A good scope is pricey and so this falls on the high-end of the spectrum. I would never even attempt to buy him a scope for an occasion unless he wrote all the specifics down for me. But maybe you’re braver than me.

He says any of the Leupold VX series are good scopes.

 
 
 
5. Cambelbak Hydration Backpack

This would be a great gift for any sportsman in your life. They come in various sizes and styles depending on your hydration needs.

 
 
 
6. LED Headlamp

Tuesday morning the power went out in our house about 6:00 a.m. I immediately woke up because our ceiling fan and my sound machine cut off and it was dead still. And then Perry came walking in our bedroom wearing his headlamp because he is like a Boy Scout, ALWAYS PREPARED.

This is one of his favorite headlamps and he has several even though he only has one head. You just want to make sure it’s an LED version and that you can make some references to Coalminer’s Daughter while he wears it.

 
 
 
7. Warthog Knife Sharpener

Okay, I have to say this is the best knife sharpener ever. We’ve had ours for years and we use it to sharpen all our knives. It works like a charm.

 
 
 
8. s=Smartwool Socks

We love our Smartwool socks around here. They aren’t cheap but they keep your feet warm and dry. Perfect for everyday use or hiking or hunting or whatever.

 
 
 
9. North Face Quarter Zip Fleece

I bought one of these for my dad last Christmas and he’s a fan. This is a great gift because it’s super soft, totally comfortable and not bulky. It’s perfect to wear indoors and out.

 
 
 
10. GoPro Camera

Perry doesn’t have one of these. And I don’t know if he wants one. But my best friend’s husband has one and uses it all the time to record hunting trips, sporting events, fishing trips, etc. I always think it’s really cool.

 
 
 
11. =Bose Soundlink Mini-Bluetooth Speaker

We don’t have this either but people rave about it. We do have an old Bose radio that we’ve had for years and the sound is so good. This would be great for someone to keep in a home office or a work office or in the kitchen or wherever you want. I’m not the boss of you.

 
 
 
12. Kodiak Portable Power Bank

My husband doesn’t have a smart phone because he still prefers his flip phone. I know. I can’t talk about it. But no matter what, this portable power bank could come in handy whether you’re in a deer blind, hiking in the middle of nowhere or, worse, stuck in an airport with limited electrical outlets.

 
 
 
13. Kleen Kanteen Beverage Bottle

I nearly called this a water bottle, but P corrected me and it’s a BEVERAGE bottle. And I have to say that it is the best beverage bottle ever. It truly keeps hot things hot and cold things cold for a long time. I used to send my daughter to school with one last year and by the end of the day it still had ice cubes that hadn’t melted.

 
 
 
14. Leica Rangemaster

Perry says he loves a rangefinder. This is his favorite but there are several brands and kinds, including one called a pin master for golfers. That’s some hard core golfing.

 
 
 
15. Bushnell Trophy Cam with Night Vision

I can’t believe I almost forgot to include this. Perry has several game cameras set up at the ranch and he loves them. You can check your cameras to see what animals are coming in to what location and figure out a hunting strategy.

Or maybe you could use it in your driveway to see if it’s a cat or possum that keeps climbing on your car every night.

So there you have it. Hopefully there might be a something here that will help you with your Christmas shopping. If all else fails, you can always get some pajama pants at Old Navy or a gift card to Cabela’s.