Once again, we’ve scoured the outdoor industry for the best gear for outdoor enthusiasts to give to their adventure-loving family and friends. The following items are surefire winners for your gift exchanges.
Rux Packing System Mesh Bundle
An array of ‘packing solutions’ exists out there, but the new Rux Packing System products are the best we’ve seen. The mesh bags and cubes are tough, lightweight, and very compressible. The bundle includes a 20-liter bag, a 10-liter cube, and a 2-liter ‘pocket’. These are perfect for organizing things like socks and underwear (2-liter), shirts and baselayers (10-liter,) and pants, jackets, and sweaters (20-liter). The breathable mesh walls keep your clothing fresh and improve compressibility. This is the perfect gift for active travelers. $100. Buy now.
Rux Cube Cooler
Some of us grew up with colorful lunchboxes. It’s hard to beat a classic Scooby-Do lunch box. But the Rux Cube Cooler comes close. This 5-liter insulated soft cooler is perfect for kids who need to tote lunch to school, or hikers who want to keep their charcuterie meal cold during a trek into the desert. The Cube Cooler is built from an RF-welded TPU material that is tough, durable, and stain-resistant. The cooler features a water-tight roll-top closure and is roomy enough for a lunch for two, or one hearty lunch with a bottle or two of beverages. $64. Buy now.
Grayl 24oz GeoPress Ti Purifier
One of the most vital issues for backcountry travelers is hydration. Efficient, safe backcountry travel requires proper hydration. But water weighs a lot – 2 pounds per quart. So, any system that lets hikers ‘harvest’ water in the field can be a huge benefit. The Grayl GeoPress Purifier system puts a water purifying filter right into your bottle. And the titanium version cuts the weight to a mere 20 ounces for a 24-ounce container. The filtration system is an elegant design. Just fill up the outer shell from any water source. Press in the inner shell (with integrated filter) and drink.
The titanium outer shell also doubles as a cookpot, thus eliminating the dreaded ‘single-function gear’ designation (for best efficiency in backpacking – and in life – look for gear that serves more than one purpose). So at just over a pound of pack weight, you get a water filtration system, a water bottle, and a cook pot. $176. Buy now.
Grayl Mission Tote 45L
Gear storage and transport have long been a problem for outdoor enthusiasts. A range of plastic totes, Cordura duffels, and various storage bags have been tried and largely rejected as suitable solutions.
The new Grayl Mission Tote system proved to be one of the best options for both storage and transport of random outdoor gear. The 45-liter tote earned our favorite designation as a good option for our fly fishing gear. It gobbled up our fly fishing sling pack, our rolled-up waders, and a selection of jackets, sandals, wading shoes, and other accessories. After a fishing trip, my wife and I would dry our gear then store it in our Mission Totes. When it came time to hit the river again, we’d just grab our totes and take off without delay.
The totes also work well with the Grayl Accessory Pods, but we liked them with the Rux packs (see above). For those who need more storage, the tote is also offered in a 58-liter option, as well as a smaller 32-liter version. $125. Buy now.
Coros Apex 4 smart watch
Modern technology has changed the world of watches, especially for outdoor adventurers. The classic chronometer has gave way to way to tech watches that measure time, elevation, direction, and distance. Modern smart watches, though, do so much more, and the new Coros Apex 4 highlights the best of the modern innovations.
This ‘watch’ provides a complete adventure tool whether you are a trail runner, hiker, climber, skier, or mountain biker. The Apex 4 boasts incredible battery life – up to 65 hours with all features fully activated. I’ve used it for a week-long backing trip without a recharge using simplified GPS settings. It also has some of the best mapping functions I’ve seen in a watch. The user interface is also remarkably clean and intuitive, with just a couple of side buttons and a rolling control dial.
The Apex 4 includes a fast, efficient GPS, heart rate monitor, sleep monitor, and a host of other features that come to health-focused smart watches. But the Coros Apex does each function as good or better than the competition.
The Apex 4 comes in two sizes: 46 mm face and 42 mm face. The 46 mm is ideal for just about everyone. The 42mm is best for those with very slender wrists or extreme weight-consciousness. The 46mm weighs just 64 grams with the silicone band. $479, Buy now.
Paka Hoodie
Hooded apparel has become a common trend this decade, but the Paka Hoodie sets a high standard that other sweaters can’t meet. The Paka Hoodie boasts a unique blend of alpaca wool (65 percent) and recycled nylon fiber (35 percent). The Hoodie is lightweight and breathable, but also warm and cozy. The design features a comfortable neck opening and a sleek hood that cups the head without constriction or bulk. The overall fit is sleek without being tight.
The Hoodie, available in men’s and women’s sizing, is the best mid-layer hoodie we’ve ever worn. $149. Buy now.
Paka Women’s Aire Base layer
The women on our test team often complain about baselayers. Arms can be too long, torsos too short, necks too tight – or too droopy. The Paka Aire, though, earned universal acclaim for fit and comfort. The women’s specific long-sleeve tee shirt features a soft, ultra-light blend of alpaca wool and Tencel – a fiber derived from eucalyptus.
The Aire, though incredibly light, proved to be warm and cozy whether worn by itself or as a baselayer under other hiking apparel. The cut of the Aire provided enough torso coverage to be tuckable into pants – and long enough not to ride up under packs. Overall, the fit was sleek without being too tight or constrictive. The neck opening especially earned praise for being roomy without sag. $75. Buy now.
adidas Skychaser AX5
The newest addition to the well-respected adidas Terrex collection of trail shoes, the Skychaser AX5, could be their best hiker yet. The Skychase AX5 Gore-Tex provides waterproof support on the roughest mountain trails. We scrambled around the Cascades and Olympic ranges in Washington for months and found a lot to like about the shoes. The fit is snug in the heel but roomy in the toebox. There’s great support underfoot without being overly stiff or constrictive. The heel cup, though supportive, is also well-padded and comfortable, so when scrambling over uneven terrain, there’s no heel pressure or bruising.
Priced under $100, the adidas Skychasers are sure to please any enthusiastic hiker who wants support and comfort without bulk and weight. $90. Buy now.
High Camp Parkside Wine Flask
High Camp has established itself as a leader in offering wilderness-ready flasks (see their original Firelight Flask in this review package and this one).
One of their newest offerings moves out of whiskey into fine wine flasks. The Parkside Wine Flask, offered in a limited Sundown Edition, is the ideal carrier for your favorite wine. The insulated steel flask holds a full 750ml bottle of wine and includes two insulated wine goblets.
The tough 18/8 steel construction stands up to the worst abuse you can dish out. And as a bonus. $25. Buy Now.
