The best Budget-Friendly Outdoor Stocking Stuffers
Let me tell it to you straight: our WildKind mamas have strong opinions about outdoor gear! Between the four of us, we have eight kids and more than 25 years of experience in the outdoor industry, so we know a thing or two about what is actually helpful…and what’s just fluff.
That said, we also know that it’s hard to find affordable gifts that are useful for your outdoor family. Below, we’ve included our favorite time-tested stocking stuffers that will go the mileage—and cost you less than $50. If you have a particular question about any item, just shoot us a comment below. We’ll be sure to respond quickly!
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Edgie-Wedgie
There are literally only two “props” we recommend for parents who want to teach their children to ski, and this is one of them. An edgie-wedgie is a rubber device that attaches ski tips together for small children, helping their legs form a pizza-shape with their skis so they can learn to control their speed on the slopes.
For younger children—especially those under the age of four— an edgie-wedgie can be crucial since the kiddos often do not yet have the muscle memory to continually create that shape with their skis. By using the edgie-wedgie, you’ll help your child remember the position so they can continue practicing their skills on the slope. Neat, right? Buy here.
Lucky Bums Ski Harness
Ok, let’s be clear: when you receive this ski harness, immediately remove the leashes and throw them in the trash. Do not pass go, do not collect $200, and definitely do not use the leashes. Got it?
But once you’ve dumped the leashes, the rest of the Lucky Bums Ski Harness is a beyond-useful tool for parents on the slopes and is the second ski prop we recommend. Not only does this small, backpack-like device allow your child to carry his/her own snacks while skiing, but the handle is exceptionally useful when needing to boost small children on and off the chairlift. As any ski parent can attest to, picking your children up from the ground is a major exercise in patience….but this makes that process a lot easier, while also saving your back. Buy here.
Kula Cloth
If you’ve been around the WildKind block for a half minute, you’ve probably heard us rave about our Kulas. This is no different! Our team of moms believe that Kula Cloth changed the game in the backcountry for anyone who squats when they pee.
What is a Kula? It’s an antimicrobial pee rag that you can use to wipe while camping, hiking, skiing, etc. The sun’s UV rays help disinfect it in between uses, and they you can just rinse it out when you get home. Not only is this much cleaner for families on the trail (our daughter has her very own Kula!), but it minimizes backcountry waste—no toilet paper left behind.
Bonus: We’ve partnered up with Kula to design two of our very own, family-inspired Kula Cloths. Find those here and here.
Alpine Start Backcountry Coffee
If you’re like us, you cannot function without coffee. (And if you can, good on you!) But we also found most instant coffee gross tasting, yet none of us wanted to carry along the weight of an backcountry french press. That’s where Alpine Start comes in. This single-serve, instant coffee actually tastes good and instantly dissolves into our mugs—no chunks or weirdness floating around in there. Plus, if we’re really feeling foggy, we can double-down our efforts with their Coffee with Benefits: Immunity + Focus, a coffee pre-loaded with non-dairy creamers, MCTs, and other vitamins to keep you alert and ready for a day of chasing your kids. Buy here.
Voile Strap
It’s tough to pronounce but we swear: you need a few of these in your outdoor kit. A voile strap was originally designed to hold ski tips together for alpinists who carried their skis in an A-frame position on their backpacks. While the straps are still used that way, they’ve also grown into one of the most handy tools to have around.
Did your tent pole bust? Use a voile strap to rig it together. Did your hiking boot blow up? Use the strap to keep it in place until you get back to the car. Need to attach a few random items to the outside of your backpack? Voile strap, yet again. Their usefulness knows no boundaries, so we suggest grabbing at least two or three. (They’re less than $10!) Buy here.
Roll-Top Dry Bags
Get thee to the store and snag yourself some dry bags. Like the Voile strap above, the usefulness of dry bags is unparalleled. These waterproof bags use roll-top enclosures to keep things dry while also allowing you to shrink the bag down to whatever size is needed. As an added bonus, they same waterproofing capabilities also mean the bags trap scent inside, making them the best option for families who need to pack dirty diapers out of the backcountry. For families with multiple kiddos and/or packing logistics, these bags also make organization a cinch. Buy here.
Therm-a-Rest Z-Sit Pad
It doesn’t matter whether you’re hiking, camping, backpacking, or skiing: dry seats are often tough to come by. The Z-Sit Pad takes the work out of tough terrain by adding warmth and minimizing discomfort, no matter where you are. (Tip: We’ve even used this pad at soccer games!) Plus, the foam-cell insulation weighs very little, so the entire pad clocks in at a mere 2 ounces….yeah. That’s practically a tissue. Buy here.
WildKind Monthly Summit Membership
Obviously, we have a clear bias here, but also: we know our stuff. For just $14 per month, you can join our Summit membership program that gives you access to a like-minded community of outdoor families, member events like family hikes and ski tours, access to both our Virtual Ski School and Camping with Kids courses, exclusive rotating discounts, and discounts on WildKind retreats like hut trips! Sounds like a no brainer to us! Buy here.
GSI MicroLite Water Bottle
For the love, we’re honestly not sure why these water bottles haven’t taken off, but they haven’t….and it looks like they’re discounted, so we recommended snagging them now before they go away forever. GSI took the same technology used in double-wall, vacuum insulated water bottles (like HydroFlask and Yeti) only they smashed the walls to make the material thinner—and lighter. End result: the same cold/heat retention as the fancier water bottles but at a weight similar to a plastic Nalgene. Genius. Buy here.
