Updated on November 29, 2024
Whether they hike, swim, race four-wheelers or snowmobiles, ski, or love to bask in the sun, there’s plenty of tech to enhance the experience. This gift guide covers all the best tech gifts for outdoor adventurers on your list, and those who love some R&R at the beach, by the pool, or while sipping hot cocoa by the fire at the cabin.
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Smartwatch
The ideal smartwatch for an adventurer who uses an iPhone is the Apple Watch Ultra 2, the most rugged model in the line with specific features tailored towards outdoors users. The latest version comes in black titanium and includes all the same features as the original, including an ultra-bright display, up to 36 hours of battery life (72 hours in low power mode), and water resistance down to 100 metres. From the customization action button to special features for training runners and accurate GPS, this is the watch the athlete and outdoor activity lover covets. It starts at $1,099.
JBL Clip 5 Portable Bluetooth Speaker
The JBL Clip 5 is ultra-tiny, water- and dust-proof with an IP67 rating, with a built-in carabiner for easily clipping it just about anywhere. You can even pair two for stereo sound. Use it for shared music on the go, clip it to a bicycle for music while riding or to your backpack while hiking, or even bring it to the beach or use it by the pool. Selling for just $100 through Erikson Consumer, it runs for up to 12 hours per charge plus an extra three with Playtime Boost. Customize audio using the JBL Portable app. With so many cool colours and patterns from plain white to camo, it’s a fabulous little speaker for adventurers.
TerraFlame by Solo Stove The Runner
Solo Stove is known for its popular smokeless fire pits, but the company is always innovating with new products and form factors. The latest is The Runner, a tabletop fire pit that looks like a warm and cozy soundbar. No, you can’t play music from it. But you can cleanly burn bioethanol flames (it comes with a one-litre bottle) for an inviting ambiance, and extra warmth on a cooler night. Like other Solo Stove products, the flame is smokeless and doesn’t require ventilation, which means you can even use it indoors. A handy snuffer instantly extinguishes the fire when you’re ready to go to bed while a funnel makes it easy to refuel. But ideally, it’s a great gift for the outdoor lover. It sells for US$130.
YETI 35 Hard Cooler
A $375 cooler? It sounds ridiculous but consider that it might be the same for someone who is willing to spend that much on a pair of shoes or a watch. And there’s a level of prestige with YETI. This YETI 35 Hard Cooler is perfect for the person who will make good use of it, whether it’s for packing up for the RV or campsite, tailgating, on the boat for a fishing trip, or weekends at the beach. It can fit up to 39 cans and 13 kg of ice it fits nicely on a four-wheeler or inner tube. The up to three inches of PermaFrost insulation will keep your food and drinks nicely cold and keeping condensation away. This baby is built to last as well, with YETI claiming that it’s virtually indestructible and two hinge pins and an interlocking design that prevents the hinge from breaking. . It even meets the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC) standard for bear-resistant containers when you use it with the extra-long-shank Master locks. Yes, this is not your average cooler. Plus, it can also be used to hold hot items as well, like fresh barbecue ribs or brisket you’re transporting to a party an hour away. Oh yah, and it comes in lots of colours, too.
Bluetti Elite 200 V2 Portable Power Station
Perfect for traveling by car, RV, trailer, even boat, the Bluetti Elite 200 V2 portable power station is designed for back-up at home as well as use during outdoor adventures. It comes equipped with LiFePO4 (LFP) batteries with an impressive 6,000+ charge cycle lifespan, ensuring 17 years of use, which the company says is 12 times longer than typical lithium-ion batteries. It is also the first power station to pass 33 rigorous CNAS battery tests, providing reliability for both home and outdoor applications. For camping, RVing, and off-grid living, it powers devices such as microwaves, coffee makers, and water heaters. Additionally, Power Lifting mode boosts output to 3,900W for high-demand devices like hot plates and hair dryers. Measuring 13.7 x 9.8 x 12.6 inches, it’s perfect for RVs, tiny homes, and camping setups. The Elite 200 V2 charges to 80% in just 50 minutes with a dual AC and solar setup. The optional 560W car charger provides a full charge in under four hours, while the 1,000W solar input and built-in solar tracking allow for off-grid charging. Get it for $1,599.
Lander Boulder Lantern + Charging Hub
Combining both a lantern with a wireless charger, the Lander Boulder Lantern + Charging Hub (US$120, Erikson Consumer) is a 350-lumen LED lantern that affords up to 300 hours of light for your camping trips, cave explorations, or other outdoor nighttime adventures. It can also charge four devices at once, including one via a Qi wireless charging surface and three others via cables. It’s a powerful 13,400mAh capacity power bank that can charge a single phone up to four times per charge itself. Recharge the lantern via USB-C, pop it into your backpack, and voila! You have light and emergency charging power in one.
JBL Rallybar Vehicle Soundbar
Yes, this is a soundbar for your car. The JBL RallyBar is a water-resistant Bluetooth soundbar with a 150W rms amplifier and dynamic LED lights. It’s ideal for strapping to a golf cart, boat, or other vehicles, like your truck or RV while parked at the campsite or trailer park. Use it on its own or connect it to others using built-in broadcast mode for an epic campground party with neighbors. The patent-pending mounting kit offers multiple position options and Bluetooth, USB disk, and Aux-in players are all supported. Hi-Res Audio is even supported for Aux-in input sources. At $1,200, it’s a great investment for RV owners and outdoor enthusiasts. Get it in Canada through Erikson Consumer.
Nestout Power Bank 5,000mAh
This handy device looks like a mini water bottle but it’s actually a powerful portable charger that’s great to keep in a camp or hiking pack for back-up power when needed. At just US$40, it’s dustproof, shock-resistant, and waterproof, and has both USB-A and USB-C ports. Charge it up in about two hours then pop it in your bag for peace-of-mind. It has a hard-shell body and shock-absorbent cushion and can be submerged for up to three minutes at 3.2 feet of depth. Modular in design, connect other accessories to turn it into a flashlight or mini tripod.
JBL Go 4 Miniature Bluetooth Speaker
This tiny little portable Bluetooth speaker can literally fit in your pocket to bring with you virtually anywhere. The JBL Go 4, available for $70 through Erikson Consumer, packs a big audio punch in its small size, and you can get JBL Pro Sound when you pair two together, or use JBL Auracast to connect many of them for immersive sound. Get up to seven hours of play time per charge, adding another two with Playtime Boost to optimize performance if you’re running low and still have a few more hours of your cycle or beach volleyball game. Available in a variety of colours inspired by the latest street fashion and lifestyle trends, like camo and purple, you can even fine tune the sound in the JBL app. It’s the perfect portable speaker to bring with you anywhere and it won’t weigh you down.
Amazfit T-Rex 3 Smartwatch
This smartwatch screams rugged, and at a fraction of the price of others of its kind, like the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, it’s worth looking at if you’re on a tight budget and not tied to either phone ecosystem. Designed specifically for adventurers, it meets military-grade durability standards with its stainless-steel body, offers long battery life, and has a large 1.5-inch AMOLED display that offers up to 2,000 nits peak brightness. It comes with access to free offline maps and contour maps with turn directions, and health features like readiness and heart rate variability. Choose from more than 170 workout modes, including the new Hyrox Race mode, Freediving, Ultramarathon, and an upgraded Strength Training mode. With this mode, create your own training templates in the Zepp app and sync them to the watch to then follow the routine from your wrist. The battery lasts up to 27 days with typical usage, or up to 180 hours (about a week) of maximum GPS usage. Enhanced privacy measures offer options for GPS discretion. With Zepp OS 4, connect to third-party fitness devices and enjoy an AI assistant powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4o technology. At US$280, it’s as affordable as premium rugged watches come.
Altec Lansing Hydra 2.0 Portable Speakers
Mount, clip, or stick these speakers just about anywhere to enjoy audio on the go. The line, which was introduced at CES 2024, includes models with a built-in magnet that allows you to stick them to metal surfaces, perfect for a golf cart or ATV. The speakers also include a carabiner clip that can connect to a backpack during hikes, mount-ability for bikes, and a bungee cord option for the back of a truck tailgate. Naturally, the speakers are dust- and waterproof with an IP67 rating and come with a bike mount and carabiner clip. Called “EVERYTHINGPROOF,” they can even float in water. Hydra 2.0 speakers also feature a built-in six-degree pedestal base for optimal audio dispersion and Party Sync for pairing over 100 speakers. They offer Qi wireless charging while playing music. Models include the HydraTrek (clip to a belt for hikes or stick to a golf cart); HydraMini 2.0 (use at the beach); Hydra Active (runners and outdoor adventurers); HydraWave (carabiner clip and bungee cord); HydraMotion 2.0 (mount to a bike, ATV, motorcycle, or jet ski); HydraJolt 2.0 (pair up to 100 for a backyard barbecue); HydraBlast 2.0 (long play time of up to 24 hours with quick and wireless charging); HydraBoom 2.0 (deep bass and Party Sync for surround sound); and HydraShock 2.0 (best of all the models with extra power, LED lights, party sync, quick charging, and more).
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra
Yes, the Amazfit T-Rex 3 is so much cheaper. But if you have a Samsung Galaxy smartphone and live within the Samsung Galaxy ecosystem, you’ll want to spend the extra bucks on the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra. Made from a Titanium Grade 437 frame, it boasts 10ATM water resistance, twice as much as most standard smartwatches, and is rated to be used at a wider range of altitudes, from 500 meters below sea level to 9,000 meters high. It employs a new cushion design and works with a dynamic lug system. Track all types of workouts, including multi-course workouts using the new Multi-sports tile. There are features specific for cyclers, like Functional Threshold Power (FTP). Activate an Emergency Siren for safety, a useful feature for ladies who go trail running in the early morning or late-night hours. Post-workout, check stats at-a-glance with dedicated watch faces for Galaxy Watch Ultra, which automatically switch to Night Mode for optimal readability in the dark. In direct sunlight, meanwhile, you’ll have no issue thanks to the impressive peak brightness of 3,000 nits. What about battery life? Galaxy Watch Ultra lasts up to 100 hours (four days) in Power Saving mode and 48 hours in Exercise Power Saving mode. Measuring 47mm size, making it ideally suited to larger wrists (or those who like bulky watches), it comes in Titanium Gray, Titanium White, and Titanium Silver. It’s $880 in Canada but makes a wonderful gift for a loved one you know just upgraded to a new Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
Harmon Kardon Luna Portable Bluetooth Speaker
The Harmon Kardon Luna portable Bluetooth speaker comes housed in soft-touch fabric with an anodized aluminum top panel. Listen to favourite tunes while gardening or relaxing on the deck through the two-way speaker system. IP67 dust- and water resistance means you can safely bring it to the pool, beach, or backyard, too. Get up to 12 hours of built-in battery life so it will last through an entire tanning session or family game of flag football at the park. Distributed in Canada by Erikson Consumer, it comes in grey or black and you can find it for about $250.
H20 Audio Tri Pro Multi-Sport Headphones
For about $200 in Canada, pick up the H20 Audio Tri Pro Multi-Sport Headphones for a swimmer on your list. They’ll appreciate having these headphones to wear while swimming. Yes, even completely underwater. Listen to a podcast, a playlist, or motivational speech. They use bone conduction technology so fit around the back of the head and atop the temples. Download music directly to the headphones’ built-in storage or “record” content from streaming services using the unique Playlist+ feature. Read more about how this works and my experience with these headphones in my review.
Sonos Roam 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker
The Sonos Roam 2 portable Bluetooth speaker employs a revamped design compared to its predecessor along with easier-to-use controls and quicker set-up process. You get the same sound and bass but now with a refreshed design that includes a monochromatic logo and separate power and Bluetooth buttons. It can be more easily connected to your mobile device or other audio source via Bluetooth, right out of the box. You can also set it up on a Wi-Fi network at home, integrating it within a larger Sonos system. It boasts the same up to 10 hours of continuous playback per charge along with the same IP67 water- and dust-resistant rating. Available in Olive, Sunset, Wave, Black, and White, it’s $229.
Nikon Stabilized Binocular Series
Nikon’s Stabilized binocular series includes new 10x and 12x models that reduce vibrations caused by hand movement by approximately 80%, says Nikon. This makes it possible for you to view distant objects like birds and other wildlife, sporting events, concerts, and landmarks more clearly. Weighing just 13.9 ounces for the 12x model, you can track and view subjects for long periods with minimal fatigue of the eyes or arms. For extended viewing, they are powered by a pair of AA batteries, providing up to 12 hours battery life. Foldable for storage and easy packing, an auto-power shut-off function prevents unnecessary battery consumption if the binoculars are left powered on. This function is engaged after approximately 60 minutes, letting you focus on the view while minimizing the need to press a button repeatedly to activate the stabilization. The ergonomic design fits comfortably in the hand, with a large focusing ring that enables quick focusing. Turn-and-slide rubber eyecups with multi-click facilitate easy positioning of the eyes at the correct eyepoint. The Nikon Stabilized 10×25 S and Stabilized 12×25 S models are available for an MSRP of $849.95 and $859.95, respectively.
Lander Commuter Backpack
Adventurers will love the Lander Commuter Backpack, which is 25 litres in size, designed to be an everyday carry bag for hikes, day trips, and more. The best thing about this bag is that it’s designed to carry all your essentials for a trip or excursion but also has a crash pad for a laptop up to 17 inches in size so you can use it as your daily backpack, too. The Crash Pad is made of TPU-coated rip-stop material that protects against impact and water while also being breathable. It has a reinforced top-grab handle, padded back straps, a non-skid bottom, and water-resistant material. The 25L cargo section includes pockets for boots, dirty clothing, and smaller items. There are also exterior straps and a water bottle pocket. At US$150 and available in Canada through Erikson Consumer, it’s a bag they’ll get tons of use out of, both when on outdoor adventures and for daily commutes.
ACR Bivy Stick Satellite Communicator With Subscription
If you’re often traveling off the grid or in dangerous or unfamiliar terrain, a satellite communicator provides peace-of-mind. The ACR Bivy Stick is US$200 and works with a subscription that will run you $25/mo. for the basic month-to-month plan or $20/mo. for an annual plan. With the lightweight device and subscription, you can enjoy two-way and group messaging, emergency SOS, GPS tracking, and location sharing, beyond what you’d get with cellular coverage. Message and track up to 12 Bivy Sticks, great for those traveling in groups so everyone can keep track of one another. Use the SOS button in the event of an emergency to send a distress signal to Global Rescue. The Bivy app provides inspiration for various adventures and lets you keep track of yours, including pace, mileage, altitude, and more.