Gifts for outdoor lovers in Canada

Buy for the season they are heading into

Outdoor people are specific. A winter walker needs warm hands and feet; the Kombi mittens and the Baffin insoles do more for them than another gadget. Someone who ice fishes in January will use the Stanley flask now. Someone planning summer trips will get more from the Osprey daypack, the cooler or the park pass, and can wait a few months.

If you do not know their kit, stay with things that suit almost any habit: the first aid tin, cabin socks, a toque, the wool throw. Avoid technical clothing in exact sizes unless you have checked. The Atom in the wrong size is an expensive return.

Some picks work better together. The Stanley flask and a bag of Happy Camper make a winter coffee kit for the ice hut. The wool throw and the Bose speaker suit a cottage weekend. The first aid tin is a good add-on to almost anything here, and it is cheap enough to tuck into a stocking.

What to spend

Under $35: the first aid tin, the socks, the insoles, the coffee and the toque.

From $35 to $200: the Osprey daypack, the Peak Design clip, the Stanley flask and cooler, and the Discovery Pass, which covers a family for a year.

Big spends make sense only for a specific need. The Garmin inReach is for someone who goes beyond cell coverage, on backcountry trips or long cottage roads, and needs a paid satellite plan. The Kombi mittens are for someone whose hands really suffer in the cold.

Running costs and timing

Mention running costs on the card. The inReach needs a subscription, the Celestron telescope needs a compatible phone, and the Kombi mittens need charging before every outing.

The Discovery Pass covers park admission only, not camping or activity fees. Order layers and mitts early in the fall, since sizes and colours sell through before December.

Questions people ask

What do you get someone who loves the outdoors and has all the gear?

Look for consumables and upgrades rather than big new kit. Good socks wear out, first aid tins get used up, and a better camp mug or pillow improves a trip without replacing anything. A national park pass or a National Trust membership also works well, because it gives them a year of trips rather than another object to store.

What are good outdoor gifts under $50?

Darn Tough hiking socks, a LifeStraw filter, the Bunk House first aid tin, the NEMO Fillo pillow, the Kammok Vortek light and a Snow Peak or Sea to Summit camp mug all sit around or under that line at the shops we checked. Each one goes in the pack on most trips, which is the test a useful outdoor gift should pass.

Is a satellite messenger a good gift for a hiker?

Only for someone who goes beyond cell coverage, such as backcountry trips, remote lakes or long cottage roads. The Garmin Inreach Messenger Plus needs a paid satellite subscription for messaging and SOS, on top of the device itself. For someone who sticks to busy trails with signal, the money is better spent on clothing, a pack or a park pass.

What outdoor gift works for a family?

A park pass is the easiest family gift: the Parks Canada Discovery Pass for Canadian families and the America the Beautiful pass for US residents. In the UK, a joint National Trust membership covers couples who visit often. A Rumpl blanket or the Kammok lantern also gets shared around a family campsite.