We spend a lot of time nerding out on the best outdoor gear here at We Are Explorers, so it was a no brainer to pull together this list of our favourite outdoor gifts ideas under $100.

 

However your friend, family member, or special friend gets out there, I reckon there’ll be a gift idea on this list for them. If you’re planning on spending more than 50 bucks, a whole pineapple, they must be pretty neat, so you may as well get it right. I’m writing this ahead of Christmas, but to be honest any of these gifts under 100 bucks would be the perfect gift at any time of year.

A big shout out to our affiliate partners on this one. If you buy any of the products I’ve selected in this gift guy using one of our links, we get a small kickback. This helps us keep We Are Explorers free. In particular, Wild Earth has supported us for years, they’re a B Corp, stock almost everything, and give us a fair cut of the sales. Legends!

100 dollars a bit much? Check out our updated list of outdoor gift ideas under $50!

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How We Choose the Outdoor Gift Ideas Under $100 on This List

I’ve pulled this list together through a combination of experience in the outdoors, working in an outdoor retail store, buying gifts for mates, and knowing what I’d like to get myself! I know the kind of thoughtful gifts that really resonate, or the best gifts that people never buy for themselves (even if they need it!). We also review gear every week at We Are Explorers, and write about it in Unpacked, our weekly gear newsletter.

Most of the links to products go to the Wild Earth website or Ultralight Gear – they’re both Aussie businesses (like us!) who stock a huge range of brands, and they’ll give We Are Explorers a little kickback if you happen to buy it through their sites, which helps keep WAE’s wheels turning.

Oh and the price is often better than the RRP we’ve listed with each item, but they change often (especially on Wild Earth) so we don’t want to give you a bum steer!

Outdoor Gift Ideas Under $100

Enough chit chat hey? These are my best Christmas gifts under 100 dollars.

1. Sea to Summit Aeros Ultralight Pillow

RRP: $59.99

Seriously, so many people are still heading off on hikes without one of these things. I’m not sure if it’s a misplaced sense of bravado or a reluctance to admit that camping can be comfortable but they’re a serious gamechanger.

The Sea to Summit Aeros Ultralight Pillow weighs 70g in the large size, 10g more than the regular size (worth it). It inflates easily, it’s tough, and it’s ergonomically shaped. Appreciated by everyone over the age of 21 – a crook neck can ruin a trip.

Another option is the Nemo Fillo Elite Ultralight Pillow which has a more traditional shape, for the aesthetic, but it’ll set you back 20 to 30 dollars more.

2. Flextail Tiny 2X-Ultimate Outdoor Pump

RRP: $69.95

I got one of these at the start of the year and it’s kind of a game changer. It’s a 96g air pump, vacuum pump, and lantern. No more dicking around with inflation bags for your sleeping mat or (gasp) breathing into it until you get dizzy. No more moisture going into your mat or pillow either, so it won’t get gross and mouldy. Thanks technology!

If the person you’re buying this gift for is a car camper there’s a bigger pump for $15 more that also works as a powerbank. Cheering!

 

3. Fjallraven High Coast Hip Pack

RRP: $84.95

Fjällräven stuff is so so nice, yet often falls into that ‘luxury’ category. Go on, spoil your friend who never has pockets in their leggings on hikes, is a tragic with their passport overseas, or loves running unencumbered at a festival with this tough little bum bag. It even packs into its own pocket!

 

4. Black Diamond Cosmo 350 Lumen Headlamp

RRP: $74.99

This one’s for that friend who’s always battling around with their phone light. It’s time for them to go handsfree! At 350 lumens the Cosmo headlamp is decently dazzling without going overboard or getting too heavy (79g, laughing!).

The Cosmo is also very flexible, it can run off of AAA batteries, which is important for longer trips where you might not be able to recharge, or you can swap in this Black Diamond Rechargeable Battery & Charger which is sold separately. Nifty hey?

 

 

5. Nitecore NB10000 Gen 3 Ultralight Power Bank

RRP: $79.99

Speaking of charging, this is the perfect gift for that friend who’s always trying to bum some juice for their phone. Nitecore are changing the game with their lightweight power banks. The NB10000 power bank weighs 150g and can recharge an iPhone 15 Pro 1.9 times. There are bigger ones on Ultralight Gear’s site too, with the price and weight going up incrementally.

Read more: Nitecore NB10000 GEN2 Powerbank – Reviewed & Tested

6. Toaks Manual Coffee Grinder

RRP: $55.95

There’s nothing like grinding up fresh beans on the trail. Sure, the Toaks Manual Coffee Bean Grinder is not one for the weight weenies, but if you don’t mind carrying 354g of stainless steel, wood, and even ceramic in the conical burrs (for 56 bucks!) then you’ll be rewarded with a fresh, evenly-ground brew. Toaks also make a famously-good titanium cup which our reviewer Jess loved.

 

7. Matador Global Travel Adaptor

RRP: $65.95

I’ve wanted one of these universal travel adaptors forever and I always put it off until the day before I’m flying overseas and it’s way too late to buy one (I’m NOT paying airport prices). If you’ve got someone in your life who’s a travel demon but hasn’t treated themselves to a proper all in one, may I suggest that you do. They’ll love you forever.

You can charge six devices at once with this thing, including a powerful high-capacity USB-C port and smart charging to dish out power correctly.

8. Victorinox Climber Swiss Army Knife

RRP: $99.95

Did you know Victorinox Swiss Army knives were this affordable? I did NOT, which meant that when I got one from someone, I was really touched. I’ve chosen the ‘climber’ model here because honestly, those little scissors are the most useful thing on there, far more than the little saw.

If you want to level up, grab one of these and get it engraved with their name or an in-joke, it’s cheap and really shows you care.

 

 

9. SOTO Amicus Stove with Piezo Igniter

RRP: $89.99

There are some really cheap hiking stoves out there, which are awesome until they’re not. SOTO doesn’t play that way – the Japanese brand is dedicated to lightweight, minimalist camping and make reliable, efficient stoves that don’t cost the earth. I like this SOTO Amicus stove because it has a piezo ignition, which beats using a lighter any day of the week. As far as durable outdoor gift ideas under $100, this fits the brief.

Read more: SOTO Amicus With Igniter Hiking Stove – Reviewed & Tested

 

10. Stratus Outdoors Camp Stool

RRP: $99.00

Don’t mess with the classics! This simple stool design is surprisingly stable, versatile, and aesthetically pleasing, and with stainless steel fittings it should last forever like all Stratus Outdoors gear. The only thing modern about it is the rPET canvas used for the seat, which is made from 13 plastic bottles!

Whether it’s a chair for your space-strapped mate or a foot-stool for their glamping setup, I’m convinced this camp stool would never be left behind.

 

11. Osprey Ultralight Stuff Day Pack

RRP: $69.95

It’s one of those bags that packs up into something the size of your fists, but it’s made by Osprey so it won’t tear apart after three uses (souvenir hauls). I’ve never met someone not stoked with one of these, it’s the equivalent of putting pockets on a dress, just damn thoughtful. What’s more, it has a bottle pockets – a feature often dropped from small bags when it really shouldn’t be.

For well under 100 dollars you can make someone’s day this holiday season with the Ultralight Stuff Day Pack.

 

12. Thermarest Z Seat Sit Pad

RRP: $59.95

One of the best gifts you’ve never thought of, a piece of foam! Nah but it is more than that, it’s tough foam that folds up neatly and properly insulates bums from cold rocks, or even a snowy seat in the backcountry. It’s no ultralight hiking chair, but at 60g even the biggest weight weenie might consider resting their toosh on the Thermarest Z Seat Sit Pad. It’s the little luxuries right?

 

Outdoor Christmas Gift Ideas List, stock photo, thermarest z seat

 

13. ATKA 8X21 Binoculars

RRP: $66.95

Twitching, or ‘birdwatching’ if you hate fun words, is popping off right now, and the most ideal outdoor gift ideas under $100 for someone who’s expressed the faintest interest (this is called a ‘twitch) is…

Binoculars! Sure, binos (it’s lingo) are one of those weird products that can run into the many thousands of dollars if you’re obsessed, but you’ve gotta start somewhere and a tough, foldable pair like these ones from ATKA are sure to send your aspiring bird nerd friend into a hole from which they may never recover.

Want to go deeper? We have a whole article on binoculars just for you. And Jess compared the Standard and Field Issue from Nocs Provisions.

 

14. Staun Offroad Tyre Deflators Heavy Duty

RRP: $92.95

Has your friend bought a fourbie and insists that they don’t need to deflate their tyres, they’ll just power through it? It’s not just about not getting stuck, it also respects the track or beach by not churning it up. A pair of tyre deflators like these will have them on their way, and they won’t have to borrow yours every time you engage 4WD.

15. Alton Single-Wall Titanium Cup

RRP: $54.99

The crew at Alton know a thing or two about tough gear for classic missions, and the Titanium Single-Wall 600mL cup is a classic. It’s a cup and a pot that can be used directly on the fire and is super tough for its 102 grams. You can grab some long handle utensils too, great for stirring or dipping into deep dehydrated meal packets.

 

 

16. Luci Pro Outdoor 2.0 Solar Compact Inflatable Lantern

RRP: $69.99

It’s simple but god it’s good. Luci’s Pro Series Outdoor 2.0 lantern weighs 156g, charges via solar or USB, lasts 50 hours, and collapses to under half its inflated size (3.8cm thick to be exact). Having a lantern is SO nice when you’re out in the wilderness and the compact size and lightweight design of Luci’s models means the legend you give this to will never have to leave it behind.

 

 

17. Knog Scout Travel Luggage Tag

RRP: $94.95

Got a special someone in your life who’s always stressing about losing their luggage/bike/insert-expensive-outdoor-gear-here? Hit them with this smart luggage tag from Knog (not literally!). It’s compatible with the iOS system on iPhones, so make sure they have one of them and then they can track their gear through foreign airports, across the roofs of buses or strapped to the side of a donkey. There’s also a motion sensitive alarm if they want to get all James Bond.

 

 

 

 

More Outdoor Gift Ideas

If I’ve done this right, you’ll already have a pretty idea of what you’re getting your special someone, you might have even bought it already (use our links if you’re a legend).

If not though, I’ve put some links below to our other gift guides. Good luck!

 

Feature image by Tim Ashelford

Table of contents image by Benjamin Weisner

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