Best gifts for campers 2020

If you have outdoor-loving people in your life you may be wondering what to buy them for their birthday or for Christmas. Gifts for campers can be difficult to find, especially if they seem to already have a lot of the camping equipment they need for trips away with their tent, motorhome, caravan or camper van. 

*This post contains affiliate links and some products we’ve been sent for review*

However, I think you’ll find some inspiration here. So, what are the best camping gifts? Below are some ideas for every budget and interest.

Looking for a present everyone in the family can enjoy? Check out my post about gifts for the whole family.

Budget gifts for campers

Tin mugs

I love a good slogan mug and a tin one is essential when you’re camping.

This fun tin camping mug* costs £9.99 plus P&P from Amazon.

Leather travel journal

I’m always jotting down notes on my iPhone whatever holiday we are on. But if you or your favourite camper prefer a good old fashioned book for nature notes, sketches and memories then this one* is an ideal camping companion. It costs £13.99 on Amazon

On the spot bite zapper

You’re a moving feast for mozzies while you’re camping. So why not give your loved one this nifty tool to tackle itchy bites while in the great outdoors. The Zap-It!* Is a small piezo device designed to zap the itch of a mosquito or insect bites with a low electrical impulse created by crystals.

No batteries are needed, it fits beautifully into your pocke,  and it can be used by the whole family. It’s also reasonably priced at £5.95.

Quirky gifts for campers

Wall art

You can’t always be camping – sad but true. But that doesn’t stop you bringing a little bit of camping home. Wall art will help remind campers of their favourite trips, whether it’s a funny slogan, a collage of holiday snaps or montage of destinations.

This slogan print* costs £9 on Amazon.

We also love the bespoke icon prints designed by My Icon Story. You can pick out the icons you want to include in your wall art to make it a truly personalised camping gift. Prices start at around £25.

A hammock for two

What better place to hang out when camping than a hammock slung between a couple of trees. You don’t even need to be camping; the garden will do too!

This double hammock* takes two and even comes with its own mosquito net to keep bugs at bay. You can buy it for £21.99 from Amazon.

Foodie gifts for campers

A special treat

If the camper you know is a hardened pro then fill their stockings with a few camping ‘delicacies’. Ready to eat chocolate pudding will go down a treat on their next expedition. Doesn’t it look delicious? LOL! It’s sure to raise a smile on Christmas Day.

Ready to eat chocolate pudding* costs £4.22 per sachet from Amazon.

Campingaz Party Grill

If your camping friend is more into freshly cooked meals then the Campingaz Party Grill might be up their street. We have the 600 model which packs down into its own carry bag and can handle anything from cooked breakfasts to pizza and barbecues.

Read our full Campingaz Party Grill 600 review.

You can buy the Campingaz Party Grill* 600 for £154.99 from Amazon.

Sporknife

Who needs a full set of cutlery when you are traveling light? A multi-use Sporknife from True Utility is compact and durable making it the perfect utensil for camping.

You can by a sporknife for £10.00 from Millets.

 

Jet boil camping stove

This is a must-have for tea lovers who camp. Get your brew fast with the Flash 2.0 Camping Stove. It boils 500ml of water in 100 seconds.

You can buy a Jet Boil Flash 2.0 camping stove for £120.00 from Millets.

Stackable pots and pans

A robust set of pots and pans with removable handle are ideal for camping and using in motorhomes, camper vans and caravans. It’s an essential that no camper should be without and they may welcome a new set as a practical gift.

You can buy this Tefal camping pot and pan set* with utensils for £122.42 on Amazon.

Experiences for campers

National Trust or English Heritage membership

We love our National Trust membership – we are never far away from a beautiful country property or traditional cream tea. English Heritage membership is just as rewarding and you can even take your four-legged friend to most sites too.

Buy National Trust family membership* for as little at £10.50 per month and English Heritage family membership* for as little as £7 a month.

Wine or beer tasting

While your favourite campers are touring the countryside they can pop into a vineyard or brewery for a spot of tasting. Experiences like this cost a wallet friendly £15 per couple and can be redeemed at more than 20 locations around the UK.

Buy a wine or beer tasting experience for two from Buyagift.com*.

If you’re looking for more seasonal activities the would make for good Christmas presents then check out my Christmas days out in the UK, festive events in Cornwall and Christmas activities in Devon posts.

Practical gifts for campers

BioLite Sunlight camping light

The BioLite Sunlight allows you to light up your campsite, either for ambient lighting or an outdoor party. You can scroll through the colour modes of 100 lumen white, full colour or auto-cycle through colours for party mode. Charge the panel with the micro USB charging input or with the 0.45w solar panel on the back.

Buy the BoiLite Sunlight for £20.00 from Millets.

Head torch

When you’ve got to go in the middle of the night you’ve got to go! A head torch is handy for those midnight dashes to the toilet block and tinkering around your pitch after dark.

This compact headtorch from Petzl is a favourite among outdoor enthusiasts. The Tikka is a classic headtorch with three lighting modes including a wide beam for proximity lighting, movement and extended distance vision. The headtorch has a comfortable fabric strap and is ideal for campers, walkers, Scouts and Duke of Edinburgh Award participants.

Buy the Petzl Tikka head torch for £30.00 from Millets.

Winter sleeping bag

If you know someone who isn’t put off by camping in the cold then a cosy sleeping bag will help them warm at night. The Vango Nevis 300 is a technical, lightweight sleeping bag, designed for scout groups and Duke of Edinburgh Award participants, which makes it ideal for anyone who loves exploring.

It is a 3-season bag designed to withstand temperatures as low as -7°c. It also packs away into a more compact size than normal sleeping bags and is low in weight.

Buy the Vango Nevis 300 winter sleeping bag for £60 (reduced to £34.99 when this post was published) from Outdoor World Direct.

More sleeping bags for families

We have recently reviewed the Vango Roar Double and Vango Kanto Junior sleeping bags for kids, which work for both camping and touring caravan holidays.

Buy the Vango Roar Double* and the Vango Kanto Junior* from Amazon.

Tent cleaning kit

Help your camping friend keep their tent or awning clean and ready for their next adventure with this cleaning kit for waterproof fabrics. This all-in-one fabric care kit from Grangers includes everything you need to care for your tent’s fabrics.

Clean and protect your tent or awning’s fabric whilst also restoring its water-resistance and UV rating.

Buy the Grangers tent cleaning kit for £22.00 from Millets.

OS Map annual subscription

There’s no chance of getting lost during outdoor adventures with a 12 month OS Maps subscription. This gives your camper access to all OS maps for the UK on any of their digital devices. They can either map read off their smart phone or print out hard copies.

Buy an annual subscription to OS Maps for £30.00 from Millets.

Cool bag

A decent cool bag is super handy for camping trips, either for packing with fresh food or frozen meals. And everyone needs somewhere to keep the beers cool!

The Red Original cool bag keeps ice frozen for days and there’s no need for it to be plugged into a battery or mains electrics.

By the Red Original cool bag for £159.99 from Red Originals.

Packing cubes

We are big fans of packing cubes and are yet to find a type of holiday where they don’t work. The camper in your life will love being able to organise their clothes and other belongings using these space-saving cubes with a mesh top panel for easy identification of contents and a webbing handle for convenient carrying.

Buy packing cubes from Millets for £12.00.

Luxury gifts for campers

Outdoor watch

Suunto Watch is a smart watch that you wont be afraid to take outdoors. This robust time-piece comes with tracking, route mapping, and Point of Interest Navigation with breadcrumb view in real time. It also measures calories and paces, it can warn you about bad weather, and has up to 100 hours battery life.

Buy the Suunto Watch* on Amazon.

Gifts for campers who love water sports

Compact paddle board

Red Paddle Boards have created the smallest board package in the world which packs up into a rucksack and weighs in at 8kg. This 9’6″ board with pump, paddle, fins, leash, and bag is ideal for campers who haven’t got much room, yet wish to explore when they’ve reached their destination.

Buy the for £1,299 from Red Original.

If you want to check out other Red paddle boards take a look at our review of the Ride 10’6″ and Ride 10’8″ paddle boards.

Camping gifts if you want to stay connected

Smartspot

What’s a smart spot, you might ask. Well, it’s a wifi hotspot that you can use when you are travelling, and more.

The Skyroam Solis X* combines global 4G LTE WiFi, a remote camera, a power bank, and integrated smart assistant to let you see, listen, speak, and connect from down the street or across the globe. If you know a camper who never wants to be off grid then this is the device for them.

Buy the Skyroam Solis X* for £179.99 on Amazon.

Solar Battery Pack

Campers need never run out of phone or tablet battery as long as the sun shines with a solar battery pack. This one from Pealiker allows you to go off grid without losing charge.

Buy it from Amazon* for £35.99.

The best backpacks for campers and travellers

Versatile backpacks

A top backpack for campers and global travellers is the Vango Freedom II. It comes in two versions: the 60+20L and 80+20L.

It offers a spacious main section in the backpack and a detachable 20L front compartment which can be used as hand luggage. This makes it ideal if your camping friend is planning on a backpacking trip or regularly travels.

It is also hydration compatible, so it is ideal for hiking and day activities too.

You can buy the Vango Freedom II 60+20L for £100 (reduced to £74.99 at the time of publication) form Outdoor World Direct.

You can buy the Vango Freedom II 80+20L for £120 (reduced to £89.99 at the time of publication) form Outdoor World Direct.

Need to buy for a family? Check out my post about gifts for the whole family.

Disclosure: some of the items in this post have been gifted to us. Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. They are marked with *. If you click on one of these and make a purchase I may earn some commission. This does not affect the price you pay. 

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