Look! The best Christmas gifts for outdoor enthusiasts – inspired presents for adventurers

Christmas is nearly upon us once again, and if you are wracking your brains trying to think of that perfect present for your outdoor-loving partner, parent, sibling or friend, we’re here to help.  

If all else fails, the best walking socks are the perfect pressie for hikers (seriously, they are), but if you want to get something a little more interesting, you're in luck. Here we have made a list (and checked it twice) of adventurous and nice gift ideas for people who like to spend spare time outside, camping, hiking and biking. 

If you're looking for presents for non-hikers, checkout or full Christmas Gift Guide for a wide selection of gifts. 

The ace Coleman 360 Light and Sound Lantern projects a party atmosphere into any outdoor setting. The main light is one of the best camping lanterns around, but not only does it  supply the lumens, it also boasts a brilliant Bluetooth speaker that can pump out the tunems, transforming your tent or camping spot into a funky al fresco disco.

Every outdoors person needs a good camping knife or multitool on their bat belt of gadgets and gear, and the Leatherman Bond EDC is one of the best on the market. The Bond boasts an all-stainless build and excellent quality pliers with wire cutter, ably supported by a cast of smaller utility blades including a knife, Philips screwdriver, can opener, file, two flathead screwdrivers and a marlin spike-style tool, and there’s a rule scale on the back of the grips. As our reviewer points out, the simple fact is, sometimes you really need a set of needle nose pliers to fix something, at which point the Leatherman is the single best rucksack tool on the planet. The 2.9 in main blade is also UK legal carry length, making this 14-toolbox into a flexible option to stash wherever.

Whether you’re winter walking or actually out camping in the colder months, early evenings and crisp night skies offer a fantastic opportunity to stare up into the heavens and explore the universe. Although there are some excellent telescopes available, for a more portable and easier-to-use option, the best binoculars can, arguably be a much better choice for outdoorsy types, and the Celestron Skymaster Pro 20x80 binoculars are our top selection. These are big bins, there’s no getting away from that fact, but with bags of magnification and huge objective lenses these giant-sized astronomy binoculars will really please the star-gazer in your family.

The stars might be twinkling beautifully around Christmas, but clear winter skies send temperatures plummeting, so having a heated outdoor chair is absolutely brilliant. Chairs in the Vango Radiate range feature a section warmed by a power pack, so you can comfortably sit outside for longer. The perfect present for cold-hating campers, glampers and van lifers, the sturdy Vango Radiate DLX is one of the best camping chairs around. Besides keeping your back nice and cosy, it also folds flat for hassle-free transportation (which makes it easier to wrap too).

Every outdoorsy person needs a portable power source, and the BioLite Charge PD 80 is one of the best power banks on the market. The PD 80’s dimensions make it perforce for packing in the pocket of a rucksack, and the bank has a tough design, so it can be knocked around a bit on the trail and still do its job, topping-up head torches, watches, smartphones, cameras and other essential electrical devices. 

To be really fit for purpose these days, the best gloves need be more than just warm - they need to have an etip finger so you can still operate touchscreen devices without removing your mittens. Practical, warm and well-featured, the snowsports-focussed TNF Montana Futurelight Etip gloves make a great gift for the outdoors person in your life. 

Mid winter adventures almost always require you to at least take a torch with you, in case you get caught out by the descends darkness, so a headtorch makes the ideal Christmas gift. Petzl make some of the very best head torches around, and the Iko Core comes from the specialist brand's ‘Performance’ range for more technical activities. Powered by Petzl’s ‘core’ rechargeable Li-Ion battery, unusually designed, astonishingly bright and very light, the Iko Core is perfect for trail runners and hikers.

The best smartwatches can be eye-wateringly expensive, but with the impressive Kiprun GPS 500, Coros have taken away all the bells and whistles to keep the price down while still providing all the performance and features your adventurous loved one will want to use while running, hiking, biking and enjoying various other outdoor pursuits. A fraction of the price of most multisport wearables, the Kiprun GPS 500 tracks 11 types of activity and offers decent GPS and heart-rate accuracy.