Collection: Gifts for Him

How to Choose an Outdoor Gift for Him

Most people shopping this collection are buying for someone who already owns gear. That changes the question from what he needs to what he will use hardest, or what he would not buy for himself. The sections below sort the collection by the kind of person you are shopping for.

Gifts for the hiker

For a hiker, the reliable gift is the layer that goes on every trip. A lightweight insulated hoodie adds warmth without bulk on high-output days, and a softshell hoodie handles wind and cool mornings. A waterproof three-layer rain jacket is the men’s rain shell Outdoor Research is known for, and an ultralight jacket that packs down small can stay in a pack year-round. For someone fully equipped, a trail cap fills a gap most hikers have and gets worn on nearly every outing.

Gifts for the skier or snowboarder

Gloves are the category that wears out fastest and gets replaced most often, which makes them the strongest gift in this group. GORE-TEX gloves and mitts are built for resort and backcountry days, and a shell mitt covers the coldest conditions. A warm knit beanie rounds out a larger gift or works on its own.

Gifts for the everyday outdoor guy

Not everyone on the list is a specialist. Fleece is the category that gets worn most, on trail and off: a full-zip fleece hoodie works as a mid-layer or a jacket on its own. A versatile outdoor pant carries from a walk to a weekend. For warm weather and year-round sun, a lightweight sun hoodie is the piece that stays in rotation long after the holidays, covering the arms, neck, and head on long days outside.

When he already has everything

Start with what wears out. Gloves, beanies, caps, and neck gaiters take the most abuse and rarely get replaced until they fail, so a quality version lands well even in a full closet. The other angle is a piece a step above what he would buy himself, like a GORE-TEX glove or a three-layer rain jacket. Every piece is backed by the Infinite Guarantee.

Shopping for someone else on your list? Shop the full gift collection.

FAQs

What do you get a man who hikes?

Start with the layer he wears on every trip rather than a specialty tool. A technical fleece or a softshell hoodie gets used in more conditions than anything bought for one specific activity, which is why it outlasts the novelty of a gadget. If he is already equipped, hiking pants and caps are the items most people wear out rather than own in multiples.

Are gloves a good gift for someone who already skis?

They are one of the best, precisely because he already skis. Gloves and mitts take more abuse than any other piece of winter kit and most people ski on a worn pair longer than they should. A GORE-TEX glove or mitt is also the kind of upgrade people hesitate to buy for themselves, which is what makes it work as a gift.

Can a gift be exchanged if the size is wrong?

Exchanges follow the Outdoor Research return policy, so check the return window on the order before the holidays. Every piece is also backed by the Infinite Guarantee, which applies to the product itself, so the person receiving the gift is covered the same way the buyer would be. Accessories like gloves, hats, and neck gaiters avoid the question altogether.

What layering pieces make good gifts?

Mid-layers, because they are the part of a kit people own fewest of and wear most. A grid fleece or an insulated hoodie sits under a shell on cold days and works as an outer layer on mild ones, which means it gets used across most of the year rather than a single season. Base layers are the other reliable choice for anyone who skis or hikes in winter.