Top 50 Gifts for Pack Lovers
Mrs Pack Config’s guide to buying for the outdoorsman or woman in your life.
Christmas is my absolute favourite time of year. Family time, the food, the lights, and most of all I love giving and creating gifts for my loved ones. However there is something that fills me with dread at this time of year, choosing a gift for my pack-loving, simple-living, quality-essentials-only husband (Nat Wagstaff!). One gift can be difficult, let alone letting friends and family know what to buy, or worse a stocking!!
Being married for 9 years now I have a little bit of experience so I’ve put together this list of gift ideas for the outdoorsman or woman in your life to hopefully inspire you. If you are the outdoorsman/woman here’s something to send to all your family and friends who keep asking you what you want for Christmas.
The List.
This is not going to be a conclusive list, or cover every brand or possible idea. Instead this is a collection of gear that has been reviewed or used by Pack Config contributors so they carry our seal of approval.
Below you will find three lists:
$15 and under » For those smaller advent/stocking items
$15 – $50 » For main Christmas gifts
$50+ » Special items for that special person
$15 and under
Firestarting kit:
1. Tinder-Quik fire tabs
2. LMF Maya Dust
3. Bic lighter
4. Firesteel
5. Stormproof matches (Read our article here)
Useful tools and attachments:
6. Survival Blanket (article here)
7. Gorilla tape (article here)
8. ITS Riggers Rubber Bands (article here)
9. Anker charging cable– for iPhone
10. Glowsticks
11. Storm whistle
12. Sharpies
13. Space Pens – write anywhere pen
14. Field Notes notebook
15. Paracord
16. Grimloc Carabiner (article here) – bag clip
17. Petzl Carabiner – large bag clip
18. Microfibre towel
19. ClimbOn! – intensive skin repair (article here)
20. Mechanix Wear gloves (article here)
21. Drybag
22. Spork
23. Collapsible bottle
24. Shemagh – Multi use scarf/survival item
25. Patches:
There are so many out there, that these deserved a section on their own. A good place to start is the Pack Config patches but here are a few of our other favourite patch stores:
Pack Config Store
Prometheus Design Werx
ITS Tactical
Orca Industries
Triple Aught Design
(Back up to $15 and under)
(Jump to $50+)
$15 – $50
26. PDW Expedition Watchband Compass (article here)
27. Klean Kanteen bottle – if they like metal
28. Nalgene bottle – if they prefer plastic
29. Thyrm Cell Vault – spare battery storage
30. LuminAID PackLite – Camp Light
31. Mora Knife – all round camping knife
32. Powerbank – on-the-go charging unit
33. Laplander – forester saw (article here)
34. Head torch
35. Water Bladder
36. Markers – reflective, glow in the dark patches
37. Watch Cap – beanie (article here)
38. PDW Pouches, TAD Pouches, GORUCK Pouches – pack organisers
(Back up to $15 and under)
(Back up to $15 – $50)
$50+
39. Leatherman Wave – this is Nat’s favourite tool!
40. GOPUCK – rugged on-the-go charging unit (article here)
41. Action Camera – there are alot of these on the market now, we had a lot of fun messing around with a mid-range one over the Summer.
Packs:
42. GORUCK Bullet Hydration Pack (article here)
43. Hill People Gear Tarahumara Pack
44. Cub Ruck by Cub Cubs (article here) – Great pack for kids
45. TAD Litespeed Pack (article here)
46. Mystery Ranch ASAP Pack (article here)
47. Prometheus Design Werx SHADO Pack (article here)
48. Arc’teryx Khard Pack (article here)
Photography Specific Packs:
49. Lowepro Whistler BP 350 Pack (article here)
50. F-Stop Tilopa BC Pack (article here)
Top Tips.
Always choose quality over quantity.
If your loved one is anything like mine (and I assume they are as they have sent you this list), they would always rather one high quality item over little cheap bits. It’s taken me many years to understand that, yes, he really does want that really expensive water bottle over a plastic drinks bottle from the supermarket. Fortunately the reasoning behind that is that he will keep that really high quality one for years instead of months, and it will have a lot more benefits to it than any old one off the shelf.
The more useful the better.
The presents that have always been a big hit around here are the ones that are useful in multiple or clever ways, hopefully you’ll find a few like that on this list.
Streamline, hardwearing, lightweight products are winners.
Pretty much what it says above! Always think about how the item would cope being carried about in a pack. Even if it’s an everyday, carry it to the office and back kind of product these features will still be appreciated.
Show the love with personalisation.
Many of the products on this list have the ability to be personalised. Metal objects can be inscribed, team or unit colours can be chosen, meaningful patches can be added. All these little touches can mean a lot to those who appreciate the more subtle things in life!
If you want to create something homemade for your pack lover, one of my husbands favourite gifts was this firestarting kit I made him from an empty Altoids tin. I sanded an empty Altoids tin to give the paint some purchase, then painted it and added a personal message with a sharpie. I filled it with stormproof matches, fire dust, vaseline coated cotton wool, a few homemade bottle top candles, a lighter and a firesteel, but you could choose any of the smaller items on this list. Paracord bracelets, keyrings, or grenades (yes thats a thing!) are fun to make too.
Lauren Wagstaff Mrs Pack Config
The encouragement and inspiration behind much of what goes on here, Mrs Pack Config has played a massive role in carrying this blog forward and now she takes to the stage herself to share her thoughts and wisdom.
