The best outdoor gifts for him are tools he will use every time he heads out: a good knife, a hatchet, a multitool or a kit that puts the camp basics in one box. Pick by what he does outdoors and how much you want to spend, and you can't go far wrong.
This guide is for Australian buyers shopping for Christmas, a birthday or Father's Day. It is sorted by the kind of bloke you are buying for, then by budget, with a few notes on what makes a tool worth giving.
How to pick an outdoor gift he'll actually use
Most outdoor gifts end up in the shed because they were bought for the idea of camping, not for the camping he does. Three questions sort it out quickly.
What does he do outdoors?
A man who car-camps on long weekends needs different gear from one who splits a winter's firewood at home or hikes with everything on his back. Weekend campers get the most from kits and hatchets. Firewood blokes want splitting tools. Hikers and anglers want something light that folds or clips to a belt.
What does he already own?
Have a look in the ute or the camping tub before you buy. If he already has a cheap knife he complains about, a better one is a good gift. If he has three hatchets, buy him a sharpening stone instead.
Will it last?
Steel, wood and leather age well and can be repaired, resharpened and oiled. Plastic gadgets rarely survive a second season. A tool that gets better with use says more than one that gets thrown out in March.
Outdoor gifts by the kind of bloke
For the weekend camper: a kit with the basics in one box
If he camps a few times a year and likes a fire, a kit covers it in one go. The Field Kit pairs a compact full-tang hatchet with two sheaths, a pocket sharpening stone and a ferro rod for lighting the fire. It packs small enough to live in the ute.
For a bigger step up, the Ironwood Bushcraft Kit puts three tools together: the Stonecut fixed blade with a micarta handle and leather sheath, a Hudson Bay axe with a forged high-carbon steel head on a straight American hickory handle, and a dual-grit silicon carbide stone. Cut, chop and sharpen, all from one gift.
For the bushcraft and fire bloke: a fixed blade with a leather sheath
A fixed blade is the tool that does most of the work at camp: feathering sticks, carving, preparing food. The Brumby is a compact full-tang knife in Sandvik 14C28N stainless steel with a hardwood handle and a leather sheath. Stainless matters if he camps near the coast or leaves it in a damp pack.
If he cooks at camp, the Stonecut (Micarta Handle Edition) has a wide blade made for slicing and food prep, in 8Cr14MoV stainless steel with a stonewashed finish. Micarta holds its grip wet or cold. Not sure which shape suits him? Our guide on how to choose a bushcraft knife covers steel, blade shape and handle materials.
For the man who likes a pocket knife: a slip joint
A slip joint is the old pattern your grandfather probably carried: no lock, a spring holds the blade open and closed, and it does the small jobs well. The Slip Joint has a D2 steel drop-point blade and a G10 handle. It suits opening boxes, cutting cord and trimming line on the boat.
Want both? The Brumby & Slip Joint Field Kit pairs the fixed blade with the folder, and the Campcraft Knife Bundle does the same with the Stonecut. More on the pattern in what is a slip joint knife.
For the fixer: a multitool that rides on his belt
Some men can't walk past a loose screw. The Ironstone Multitool is built around a set of pliers with cutting and fastening tools folded into a stainless steel body. The knife blade is 5Cr15 stainless, the wire cutters are replaceable, and it comes in a genuine leather belt sheath.
For the firewood man: something to make splitting easier
If he spends Sunday mornings on a woodpile, a splitting wedge is a small gift he'll use all winter. Wilora's is high-carbon steel with a twisted profile that pushes the fibres apart and is less likely to get stuck in knotty hardwood rounds. Drive it with a maul or sledgehammer, not the back of an axe.
For chopping kindling at camp, the Bearded Camp Hatchet has a forged steel head on a hardwood handle with a leather sheath.
Outdoor gifts by budget
Prices change through the season, so we keep the gift range sorted into bands on the site:
- Gifts under $50: stocking fillers and Secret Santa. Folding knives including the Slip Joint, the Field Kit, compact hatchets and the splitting wedge.
- Gifts $50โ$100: the main present. Fixed blades like the Brumby and Stonecut, the Ironstone Multitool, knife bundles and bushcraft kits.
Or browse everything in one place at Gifts for Him.
A sharpening stone: the add-on most people forget
Every knife and axe goes blunt, and a blunt tool is a frustrating gift. Adding a stone costs little and keeps the main present working for years. The round silicon carbide stone is made for axes and outdoor blades and fits in a pocket. Many of the kits above already include one.
A note on giving knives in Australia
A knife is a tool for camp, work and the kitchen, and that is how these are made and sold. Every Australian state and territory has rules on carrying knives in public, so a fixed blade belongs in the pack or the camp box until it is needed. If you are buying for someone under 18, skip the blades and check your state's rules first.
Frequently asked questions
What do you get a man who loves camping?
Something he'll use at every camp: a fixed blade knife, a compact hatchet or a kit that combines them with a fire starter and sharpening stone.
What is a good outdoor gift under $50?
A folding knife like the Slip Joint, a compact hatchet kit or a splitting wedge. The under-$50 band above has the full list.
When should I order for Christmas?
Earlier is better. Wilora ships Australia-wide, and carriers get busy in December. Check Australia Post's Christmas cut-off dates for your state and order before them.