10 Gift Ideas for Outdoorsy Drunks

Outdoorsy drunks: you know the type. You might even be the type! 

Whether you're shopping for yourself or your like-minded friends, here are 10 Gift Ideas sure to satisfy.

1. A Vintage 1960s Travel Bar

Outdoorsy people enjoy travel. And drunks enjoy bars. So outdoorsy drunks will love their own travel bar! Executair made these cases in the 1960s and '70s. Several models were available which include various combinations of bottles, cups, and bar tools. You can find them in excellent condition on Ebay, many for under $50. I got the one above, with the original hangtags still on it, for around $60. They're lockable, so make sure the one you get either includes the keys or is unlocked.

2. Flasks and Growlers

Any outdoorsy drunk worth his salt and limes already owns a flask or two. But trust me, they can use a third! Drink holding technology marches constantly forward, leading to cool new shit like growlers. Perfect when you're looking to keep 64 ounces of your favorite microbrew fresh. Or when you're looking to armor a couple bottles worth of tequila. Respectable flasks'll put ya back $20-50. I like my basic Stanley which was $25. Growlers are $30-75. I don't have a growler of my own to recommend (HINT!!!) but here's a damn fine review.

 

3. A Place For Somebody To Set Their Butt

Nothing complements a fine outdoor cocktail like a fine outdoor place to set yer butt. Conventional camp chairs are fine but when weight, space, or dope-ass style are a concern, I'd suggest the Alite Monarch Rocking Chair. It kind of rocks on two feet, sits low to the ground, packs down to the size of a can of Foster's Lager, and weighs around a pound. Perfect for paddle trips and the like. 70-ish bucks. 

 

4. A Proper Muddler!

Friend: If you've made brandy old fashioneds without a muddler, you haven't made brandy old fashioneds. Now, muddlers aren't specifically for outdoor use. But the best ones are made of wood and "wood" is 4/5 of the word "woods." Woods are specifically outdoors. I've made a few muddlers in my day, turning cherry or maple on a lathe like the ones above. A fine gift if you've got a lathe. If not, you can buy one of these Pug muddlers, which are freaking gorgeous. OR! I was thinking it would be easy to make an especially outdoorsy (and almost free) version of a muddler. Like this:
            • Cut a fresh 10-inch length of maple, about an inch in diameter
            • Whittle or peel the bark from the working end of the muddler
            • Sand the working end of the muddler until smooth
            • Carve the rest for style
            • Wipe it down with kitchen mineral oil to preserve/class up
            • Accessorize with some maple branch swizzle sticks
 

5. Likker Jars and/or Likker Jar Supplies

Well, I've posted on infused liquors before. For the record, I'm a fan. They're a delicious item to bring to any party – a gift that's way better than some stupid-ass bottle of wine. You better get cracking though. Whatever you whip up needs a few weeks to acquire its beautifully boozy patina. OH! AND! Holy shit I got one more idea! You could also give someone all the necessary gear so they can make their own infused liquors. By "necessary gear" I mostly mean: Mason jars, booze, and fruit (you can get them all at your local grocery store).

 

6. A Hammock! And String Lights too!

A hammock and string lights make for a fine combo gift. ENO makes nice versions of both if you're looking for some one-stop shopping. I'd recommend the double hammock, even for single use ($70). There's just something wonderful about pulling the sides over you, cocoon style. The lights ($20) seem to last forever on three AAA batteries. Perfect over a hammock, a tent entrance, or backwoods bar.

 

7. The Gift of Fire

Outdoorsy drunks love drinking around campfires. You know what else they love doing around campfires? Looking at fire! While any Bic'll do the job (usually), I recently bought a blowtorch of a thing that's already saved me on several rainy camping trips. Wet tinder? No problem. This sucker'll dry it and light it both. I got this Turboflame Windproof Lighter on Amazon for $23. You'll also need a canister of butane to fill it which is like $5.

 

8. Swizzle Sticks

Swizzle sticks rule. You could make some! Or you could buy a kajillion vintage swizzlesticks on ebay for like almost nothing! I know swizzle sticks aren't an outdoor-specific thing. But damn it, let's make 'em so.

 

9. Metal pint glasses

Alright, so most of my metal pint glasses were collected from various outdoor-related trade shows. For a gift, you'd probably want to buy some. They're a little spendy, but pretty much indestructible. You can get a four-pack for around $30. A small price to pay for such badassedness.

 

10. Vintage Bottle Openers Yo!

CHEAP! COOL AF! We're lucky to live in a world that's flush with vintage bottle openers. I've always thought the flat ones are especially sweet: a little bit of beer history that you can carry around in your wallet, clip to a carabiner, or hang with some cordage from a tree. Pretty much every brewery made 'em back in the day. You can find 'em on Ebay for around $5 a piece.