When you think about camping, it’s sometimes hard to imagine camping stocking stuffer gifts. After all, tents, sleeping bags, and camp chairs are great camping gifts but they’re all too big for stockings. There are, however, some camping gear accessories that can fit into a stocking . . . and are affordable, too.
The trick is finding a camping gift that is useful while camping . . . but also maybe interesting and useful to a person who appreciates the great outdoors.
In a hurry?
Skip down to our #1 Best Camping Stocking Stuffer Gift for 2023!
Best Camping Gear Stocking Stuffer Gift Ideas
If you think about camping, you’re outside away from the comforts of home — especially if you’re camping in dispersed camping sites without the amenities of a campground. You’ll need light and rugged dishes and utensils for eating. If you’re lucky, you’ll also be able to have a campfire. Right there you have three areas to focus on: camping lights/lanterns, camping utensils, and fire starters.
To expand on those three, think about things that provide comfort while camping — like an inflatable camping pillow for sleeping in a tent or anything that helps deal with pesky insects, like insect repellants. For camping gifts that are more fun, animal playing cards can be great on rainy days. Those are some camping stocking stuffer ideas. For our best camping stocking stuffer picks for 2023, read on!
25 Camping Stocking Stuffer Gifts Under $25!
1. Sea To Summit Cool Grip X Tumbler
The Sea To Summit Cool Grip X Tumbler is a collapsible silicon camping cup that can handle hot drinks like coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. Because it collapses, it doesn’t take up much room in a camping box. Better yet, your camping enthusiast can take it hiking or backpacking, too. The X Tumbler holds just under 12 ounces and is easy to hold, but if you have a big camper who wants a larger cup, go with the 16.2 oz X Mug.
2. Alps Mountaineering Versa Pillow
Question: What is the most forgotten piece of camping gear? The pillow! OK, it might actually be matches, a can opener, or sunscreen but the point remains. A lot of people forget pillows — and sometimes have a hard time packing full-size bed pillows in their cars. Enter an inflatable pillow. Not only are they surprisingly comfortable, they fit in a stocking and are packable enough to store and take anywhere.
Upgrade option: Sea-to-Summit Aeros Premium Pillow
3. BioLite SunLight Solar Lantern
The BioLite Sunlight Solar Lantern is, by far, our favorite lightweight packable lantern. First, it puts out a lot of light. Second, it’s rechargeable via a USB charger. Third, it’s also solar powered! After you use it at night, leave it on the picnic table to charge back up during the day. The build quality is excellent and the light is crisp and clean. Highly recommended.
Upgrade option: BioLite AlpenGlow 250 — you lose the solar option but gain party colors
4. UCO Titan StormProof Match Kit
If you’re going to buy waterproof matches, you might as well go all in and go big: The UCO Titan Stormproof matches are overkill for most campfire needs, but that’s not the point! They’re windproof, burn for 25 seconds, and they’ll even keep burning under water. If you want your camper to make a statement at the next campsite, these are the matches to get. Better yet, the pack might be important survival gear on any wilderness hikes that go wrong.
5. Stanley Adventure Nesting Two Cup Cookset
Handy for hot drinks and soups, plus small enough to take on hikes!The Stanley Adventure Nesting Two Cup Cookset is a handy stainless steel cooking pot that’s great for boiling water for coffee, hot chocolate, oatmeal, ramen noodles and freeze-dried soups and meals. It’s small enough to take hiking, and the two nesting cups keep this cool kit tidy and easy to store.
6. L.L.Bean Cresta Wool Socks
You can’t go wrong with wool socks for any self-respecting outdoor enthusiast. Sure, synthetics dry fast and can wick and all that, but merino wool still insulates when wet . . . and won’t get stinky. That’s the power of merino wool. It’s hard to beat the value of the L.L.Bean Cresta Wool Socks.
Upgrade option: At a slightly higher price point that is above our $20 price limit for this camping gear stocking stuffer list, Darn Tough gets our nod. Read our Darn Tough review here . . . or just go nab some Hiker Micro Crew Midweight Hiking Socks for everyone on your list and be done shopping!
7. BUG BITE thing Removal Tool
We’re not sure what the science says, but we know that some people somehow attract more mosquitoes than others. And get stung and bit more often. Maybe they freak out and cause the bites — or maybe they freak out because of the bites. If you have a camping enthusiast who gets itchy welts from mosquito bites and/or fears insects, grab a BUG BITE thing Removal Tool. It basically just sucks out irritants — which is what you want when you have bug residue in your skin.
8. Humangear GoKit Light 5-Tool Mess Kit
There are lots of mess kit options out there, but we like humangear’s GoKit Light because it just fits together so nicely. You get a plate, bowl, and a spork, which counts as two items. So what’s the fifth part of this mess kit? Look closely and you’ll see a toothpick. OK, that’s cool and useful and kind of a gimmick — until you need it in the backcountry (which we have).
Upgrade option: Humangear GoKit Deluxe 7-Tool Mess Kit, which comes with the cool cupCUP (cupCUP also sold separately)
9. Stanley ‘The Perfect Brew’ Pour Over
Simple and rugged!There are a lot of pour-over camp coffee filters available these days, but the Stanley The Perfect Brew Pour Over might be the best. First, it’s rugged so it won’t get broken in your camp box. Second, the fine mesh is structured to keep the grounds out and still let the goodness filter down without making a mess. Stanley also offers a Camp Pour Over Coffee Set that comes with a matching mug, but the price point is usually over our stocking stuffer limit.
Upgrade option: The Stanley Adventure All-in-One Boil + Brewer French Press Coffee Maker delivers all-in-one French Press awesomeness for coffee lovers who, well, appreciate the super-tasty French Press technique.
10. Coghlan’s Inside Cooler Light
This little camping gadget stocking stuffer hits all the marks. It’s inexpensive yet functional . . . and most every camper has a cooler they’ve had to get into at night.
11. Rolla Roaster Marshmallow and Hot Dog Roasting Forks
There are many competitive roasting stick options available, but the collapsible Rolla Roasters did it right first. They’re made in America in Idaho, so keep that in mind before you opt for the super cheap competition. These roasting sticks expand out to 42 inches (but collapse to fit into a stocking or camp box). Better yet, the Rolla Roaster includes a wheel in the handle that lets you rotate the fork to give your marshmallows or hot dogs a perfect roast. So good.
Upgrade Option: The Solo Stove Roasting Sticks are the most rugged roasting sticks we’ve tested all year. We also appreciate how they break down into a handy storage wrap, too.
12. überleben Zünden Fire Starter
Even if you’re not a survivalist, you can have fun starting a campfire with sparks. This ferro rod style fire starter will give you thousands of strikes. We like to hand over our ferro rods to kids and adults alike, giving them a fun camping challenge: Can you start a fire with sparks?
13. überleben Zünden Spoon
If you see a theme here, you’re paying attention! The überleben Zünden Spoon is just a wooden spoon carved out of hardwood. Is it better than a steel spoon or a polycarbonate spork? Not really — but it’s made out of wood! You want to get closer to nature? Eat from a wooden spoon. It’s strangely satisfying and we don’t know why.
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14. Nite Ize LED Micro Lantern
This little lantern is tiny but effective. You can clip it most anywhere — we especially like them for the interior roofs of our tents.
Upgrade option: L.L.Bean Trailblazer Rechargeable Micro Lantern
15. Black Diamond LiteWire Carabiner
Your camping enthusiasts is also likely an outdoor enthusiast, which means they’ll have plenty of uses for a high-quality, super-strong, lightweight carabiner. Our favorite by far is the Black Diamond LiteWire Carabiner. Sure, these are used by rock climbers, but you don’t have to be a rock climber who risks your life to appreciate a good carabiner. The attachment options are endless around camp, especially if you have paracord handy (see #19 below). If all else fails, this carabiner might even get used to attach a water bottle to a backpack.
Stocking stuffer idea: Nab the LiteWire 6-pack to drop into multiple stockings.
16. Exotac candleTIN Hot Burn Wax Candle
17. Humangear capCAP+
This cap turns any standard wide-mouth Nalgene bottle in to a water bottle you can easily drink from! Seriously, lots of water bottles these days come with big wide lids. The wide openings make it easy to add ice cubes and clean them, but they’re a pain to drink from. We also use our humangear capCAP+ on insulated stainless steel water bottles . . . and have no idea where the original lids ended up.
Add-on gift idea: Nalgene Wide Mouth Water Bottle
18. Black Diamond Astro 300 Headlamp
You can buy cheap headlamps anywhere, but if you want a high-quality, affordable headlamp that puts out crisp, usable light around camp, go with the Black Diamond Astro 300.
19. Gear AID 550 Paracord and Carabiner
This high-quality 7-strand 550 paracord is a necessity around camp. You can use it as a clothesline or use it to hang lights, tarps, or even a bear bag. We don’t know any self-respecting campers who can’t appreciate paracord. Just saying.
Upgrade option: Rapid-Rope, which is twice as strong and comes in a handy can-style dispenser.
20. REI Co-op Multi Towel Mini
This handy towel is large enough to wash your face and absorb 3x its weight in water. It’s also handy as an impromptu dishtowel. It comes in a small carry pouch for hiking, too.
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21. LifeStraw Personal Water Filter
The LifeStraw is one of our favorite survival gifts. It’s basically a water filter that filters out bacteria to make drinking from streams and lakes safe. While you don’t need it in most camping situations, it’s the kind of gift a camping/outdoor enthusiast can appreciate for emergencies. If you’ve ever ran out of water on a hike up to a mountain lake, you’ll understand why the LifeStraw is a good idea.
22. Glow Sticks for Camping
If you’re looking for kid-friendly stocking stuffers, glow sticks are great for camping. Kids can play with them, of course, and they also work as night lights in tents. For adult campers, they’re handy — and useful in emergencies.
23. Camping and Backpacking Knots Cards
The ReferenceReady Outdoor Knots Camping and Backpacking Knots cards pack shows you step-by-step, color-coded instructions for tying the most common (and important) knots you can use for camping, backpacking, and survival.
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24. Coleman All-Purpose First-Aid Tin
The Coleman All-Purpose First-Aid Tin is a great little first-aid kit for campers that comes in a classic metal container.
Editor’s Note: If you’re looking for a camping gift for kids, you should know that this particular first-aid kit includes a small razor blade.
25. Coghlan’s Tent Peg Mallet/Puller
Coghlan’s Tent Peg Mallet / PullerThis handy camping tool is simple but oh so handy. It’s lightweight, works great and you can toss it safely into your tent bag or a camp box.
Upgrade Option: For an awesome stainless steel and aluminum upgrade, check out the popular MSR Stake Hammer.
Bonus Camping Stocking Stuffer
The Radiate Portable Campfire is a small, portable go-anywhere outdoor fire. It’s made in the USA and it’ll burn 3-5 hours. For the size, it’s 13 ounces and 4-inches in diameter.
More Gift Guides!
If you’re looking for gifts for more outdoor adventurers on your shopping list this year, check out these focused gift guides:
- 75 Camping Gifts for Campers & Outdoor Fanatics
- 45+ Best Gift Ideas for Fly Fishing Fanatics
- 65+ Best Gifts for Hunters 2023
- 20 Stocking Stuffers for Hunters
- 25 Best Gifts for Bowhunters
