11 Practical Gifts for Outdoorsy Women
A gift-giving guide from the She Explores team
During the gift-giving season, we often like to think outside the box—whether that’s shopping small from favorite artists, looking at experiential gifts, or making DIY presents that affirm connections. But we can’t deny that the holidays are also an opportunity to give something useful.
In that spirit, we scoured social media, looked at the goods we’ve loved from our podcast supporters this year, and tapped a couple tried-and-true retailers for practical gifts that are perfect for outdoorsy women at a variety of price points.
Looking for more gift ideas? Check out our GIFTS tag for more of our guides.
1. Merino Wool Accessories | Minus33
Merino wool is soft, sustainable, moisture-wicking, incredibly warm… perhaps the perfect material? We could go on and on about how much we love wearing merino wool socks, base layers, hats, and more. We love that Minus33 is a US-based wool mill and their Heritage Collection is made right in New Hampshire.
EXCLUSIVE CODE: Since Minus33 supported the She Explores podcast this year, you can get 15% off by using our code 15EXPLORE at checkout!
2. Angler Headlamp | BioLite
Headlamps are super practical gifts for campers, hikers fond of alpine starts or sunrise summits, and are also a great thing to stash in a day pack or emergency kit. This one is super slim and sleek, with multiple light modes.
3. Ultralight Bags | Allmansright
Woman-co-founded and based in the Bronx, Allmansright is a small biz who believes the outdoors is for everyone. Their bags are made out of ultralight and tough Dyneema Composite Fabric, and super versatile for packing. (Also waterproof!)
The medium size food bag can hold 3-4 days worth of food, with two carabiner attachment points for hanging and a reflective strip. And the stuff sacks have pull tabs and a cord lock for ease-of-use!
4. Sustainable Midlayer Fleece | Tentree & HikerKind
The thing we love about a good midlayer fleece, is that not only is it ideal for layering up during cold weather outdoor adventures, but they’re also items we reach for year-round comfort and warmth—even on days spent at home.
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HikerKind Pullover Fleece, 83% recycled Polartec | $183
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Tentree Ethically-manufactured TreeFleece Crew | $58
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- Hikerkind
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- Tentree
EXCLUSIVE CODE: Tentree was another supporter of the She Explores podcast this year! you can get 15% off by using our code EXPLORE at checkout!
5. Solar Light + Charger | MPOWERED
This item does double duty—providing a compact rechargeable ambient light source and serving as a solar charger for USB devices. MPOWERED Luci lights have been a staple in our camp kit for years, so this upgrade is an exciting multi-function gift that could be used in so many places.
6. Packable Travel Towel | Packtowl
For campground showers, alpine lake swims, hostel bathrooms, an impromptu ocean dip… a travel towel is small and so versatile.
7. Hiking Pants | Alder Apparel & Alpine Parrot
Are pants a practical gift? These are certainly versatile. Both Adler Apparel and Alpine Parrot offer technical pants with SO many pockets, plus lots of stretch and high waistbands for comfort—that are super functional for hiking, but also stylish for wearing WHENEVER. Alder offers a wide range of sizes and Alpine Parrot is specifically designed for size 14-24. Both companies are woman-owned with a focus on community, sustainability, and inclusivity.
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- Alder Apparel
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- Alpine Parrot
8. Backpacker Medical Kit | AMK
Okay so an outdoorsy loved one might already have some first aid supplies they pack on hikes or trips, but a refresh in a sleek kit always comes in handy.
9. Portable Satellite Communicator | Garmin
We’ve wanted one of these for so long but have yet to splurge on ourselves, because while not technically essential, a satellite communicator is super practical for communication and safety for basically anything outdoors. There are fancier options out there but we love that the mini version is a more affordable gift while still providing the most important features.
10. Canvas Pack | Topo Designs
Topo has a wide variety of sizes, colors, closures, and more in their line of packs, but we like this light version for its versatility. It’s got a laptop sleeve and outer pocket and it’s a great size for a day hike or pseudo-purse situation. Made of durable canvas, it’s tough without looking super technical for use in town or on campus.
11. Outdoor Activity Decks | Asking Going Outdoor Journal Tour
An activity-based item might not be as technically practical as some other items on our list, but we love these card decks because of the meaningful capabilities to generate reflection and connection anywhere.
The conversation deck will come in handy with old friends and new, with prompts that skip the small talk and go straight to meaningful conversation—with new and old friends alike. And although the meditations deck is still in a pre-order phase, we couldn’t help but include the creation of Outdoor Journal Tour co-founder Kenya Jackson-Saulters. Each card features a bite size meditation or visualization practice that help tap into the therapeutic benefits of the natural world.
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