17 Perfect Gifts for the Adventurer

Travelers want to see the world, while adventurers seek to experience it. If you have someone in your life who seeks more than the roadside photo, who likes his vistas hard won, and who believes the true currency of life is commitment, reward their enthusiasm this holiday season with products designed to help him push his limits. Whether you’re getting to know distant cities or climbing 8,000-meter peaks, these 17 products are perfect for the adventurer in your life.

Patagonia Snap-T Fleece Pullover

This fashion-forward yet warm and comfy fleece is proof that Patagonia makes more than just excellent backcountry gear. The company updated their classic pullover with better-performing materials for lighter weight and more durability. Think of it as a high-performance après-ski garment.

GoPro HERO4 Session

If a skier lands an sweet trick in the woods but nobody films it, did it really happen? Instead of worrying about metaphysics, get GoPro’s compact HD action cam. It shoots 1440p video and takes 8MP pictures, which is impressive, but lots of cameras can do that. What sets it apart is its compact build, ease of use and ability to eat punishment for breakfast (while saving room for abuse for lunch).

Lifts & Bounds Prints

These canvas prints combine a savvy design, topographic maps and quality print to elevate the trail map into a work of art. They’re favorites among the skiers and boarders at GP headquarters.

The Gear Patrol Magazine

The best gift is something that the recipient wants but wouldn’t buy for himself. A basket of pears? No thanks. A trip around the world? Now you’re on to something. While we won’t be bankrolling a trip, we can get you close with Issue #1 of the Gear Patrol magazine, a journey from Wyoming to Chile to Norway (and more), plus product guides and an interview with mountaineer Conrad Anker. Seriously, put down that fruit basket.

VSSL Supplies

VSSL packs emergency essentials like water purification and a fire starter into a durable aluminum flashlight. It’s waterproof and weighs just 18 ounces. Just throw it into your pack and you’ve got all the survival gear you need if something goes wrong on a day trip.

SWIMS Welded Luggage

You don’t need to be in extreme conditions to get your stuff wet or damaged. SIMS makes stylish waterproof luggage so your suits won’t get ruined when the baggage handler drops your bag on the tarmac in a snowstorm. All bags are made with 100 percent waterproof materials and welded seams, like rain boots and jackets are. This is a perfect gift for those with a rough commute.

Mophie Juice Pack H2PRO

This waterproof iPhone 6 case also charges your phone so you’ll be able to take pictures or call for help if the need arises on trips. The case is waterproof, dust-tight and crash-proof — and the rechargeable battery doubles your phone’s battery life.

Giro Contact Goggles

The quality design and interchangeable lenses of Giro’s goggles mean that wearers will be comfortable in all light and weather conditions. We recommend them for everything from running in bad weather to bombing down steep slopes.

Askov Finlayson Explorer Pant

This stylish cotton pant is a durable companion for all your urban adventures. The materials are woven and dyed in Japan and the pant is made in America. The design is reinforced for durability, but it remains light and comfortable — a premium design with the soul of a sturdy work pant.

Citizen Satellite Wave World Time GPS Watch

This rugged yet refined watch is a great companion for any adventure, from the boardroom to the backcountry. It uses GPS timekeeping to keep world travelers on time, and the stainless steel case and polyurethane strap ensure it makes it back from your adventures in one piece.

Eddie Bauer Katabatic 3-Person Tent

This four-season dome tent is quickly becoming the gold standard for professional mountaineers and arctic explorers. It fits three people and their gear and is constructed to control condensation and survive extreme winds and cold. If the person you’re shopping for is serious about climbing the world’s largest peaks or exploring its coldest climates, this is the tent to get.

Black Diamond Revolt Headlamp

The Revolt is a seriously versatile headlamp, with a 130-lumen beam and USB and AAA battery charging. It weighs only 3.4 ounces and has an IPX rating of 4, which means that it can survive rain or being dropped in snow. Its light weight and sturdiness make it perfect for hard chargers like winter trail runners or backcountry skiers.

Mad Rock Mad Crash Pad

This crash pad uses two layers of foam to disperse the impact if you fall while bouldering. When you’re done, it turns into a lounge chair so you and your friends can hang out in comfort at the crag. It’s also light and packable (for a crash pad), with comfy shoulder straps for hiking it around too.

Wetfly Tenkara Back Country Rods

Fishing poles aren’t always lightweight or packable — not ideal for long backcountry trips. Wetfly Back Country rods are designed specifically for backcountry travel. Tenkara rods are just rod, line and fly. It’s different from fishing with a reel — it feels more art than science. The simplicity of tenkara fishing lends itself to the wilderness experience. The Wetfly Back Country rod collapses into a 20-inch tube, making it easily packable; so with any luck, you’ll be eating fresh fish on your multi-day backpacking loop.

DSPTCH × Gear Patrol Heavy Camera Strap

You can’t always baby your camera the way you want to. Luckily, you can protect it with the DSPTCH x Gear Patrol Heavy Camera Strap. It’s made of high-strength orange paracord capable of protecting your investment. It’s also lightweight, made in the USA and guaranteed for life.

Leatherman Signal Multi-Tool

Multi-tools are extremely useful for backcountry users, but most have one big drawback: They’re mostly designed for use around the home, saddling outdoors people with features they don’t need. The Leatherman Signal Multi-Tool was designed by survival experts. It packs features like a whistle and a fire starter. It has 19 tools in total, perfect for when the going gets rough.

The Splurge

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It’s always worth asking, right?

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Toyota FJ Restoration by FJ Company FJ Company restores vintage Toyota FJ 4×4’s to concourse condition, meaning they look and drive like they just rolled of the assembly line. Most restored classic cars live a pampered existence in climate-cooled garages, but these sturdy jeeps are ready to take on the world’s gnarliest roads.

Further Reading

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More guides and gear to fill out your list

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Best Synthetic Down Jackets

Fluctuating down prices and recent innovations in synthetics mean you can now get a jacket that warms like down but performs better in wet weather.

Jimmy Chin Is a Renaissance Adventurer

In 2011, Jimmy Chin climbed one of the hardest peaks in the world, Shark’s Fin on Mount Meru. And what he filmed there became a winner at Sundance.

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