It’s that time of year when some of you may be working on your gift lists for the holidays, or maybe you’ve already completed them! If you’re already receiving the gift of camp this summer, you may want to add some camp-gifts to your list this year. Considering the season, we thought it might be helpful to share some great gifts you could use next summer! Without further ado, we present the top ten things to put on your gift list for a summer at Colvig Silver Camps!
10. Icebreaker Wool Hiking T-Shirt
As you know, we ask campers and staff to bring wool or synthetic clothing to camp for our backcountry trips. Wool and synthetic clothing are much better suited for outdoor travel than cotton fabrics (which can actually be dangerous to wear in alpine climates). Synthetic clothing tends to be more affordable, but it’s the time of year to ask for the things we really want! Add this to your list for an awesome upgrade to your hiking threads. Why wool? Wool is a natural product and does not retain odor like most synthetic products, so your clothes will still smell fairly fresh even on day 4!
9. FITS Hiking Socks
Good hiking socks are paramount to a comfortable backpacking experience. There are a lot of great sock companies out there, but FITS gets our vote! Their socks are extremely comfortable, fit phenomenally well, and have cool colors! Socks have come a long way, and today you don’t really need the big thick sock or even a liner for hiking. There is a phrase going around the industry, “Light is Right”, so when looking for hiking socks, lightweight socks tend be better these days than heavier weight socks due their efficient construction that minimize weight and bulk (no excess bunching in the toes), in addition to minimizing rubbing and blisters!
8. Osprey Trip 20 Day Pack
Osprey makes lots of great backpacks and you really can’t go wrong with any of them. The cool thing about the Trip 20 is that it’s very packable. You can use this pack as your possibility sack in camp as you go from activity to activity, or you can stuff it into your backpacking pack for trips and use it as a summit pack when you make a peak attempt. Really want to go on the “Three 14ers” trip? This pack would be perfect! You can also try the Ultralight Stuff Pack which is super lightweight and packable!
7. Marmot Precip Jacket
When it comes to rain gear you mainly have two options: a poncho or a rain jacket. When it comes to comfort in the backcountry, rain gear is a pretty important item. You can certainly get by with a poncho, but if you want to upgrade your outdoor apparel, a decent rain jacket is a good place to start. Prices can vary a lot on rain gear as some companies have proprietary fabrics and constructions and some use fabrics like Gore-Tex. If you want to spend a little more on a really solid rain jacket Gore-Tex is typically the way to go. But if you want to save a little and still have a comfortable and effective piece of Rain Gear, The Marmot Precip Jacket is a great option! You can add the Precip Pants for a really bomber set-up, too!
6. Big Agnes Sleep System
Big Agnes is doing some really great things in the outdoor industry. Their proprietary sleep system is probably our favorite. The days of sliding off your sleeping bag, or rolling around to find your face on top of your pad, or not being able to zip up your bag because you happened to roll onto the zipper are over. Big Agnes makes great sleeping bags that do not have insulation on the bottom, but instead have a sleeve to slide your pad into that provides insulation, and also minimizes weight and bulk. It’s about as close as you can get to sleeping in your own bed on a backpacking trip. Big Agnes pads are inflated pads so you do need to be careful not to puncture it (though Big Agnes does provide very easy to use patch kits with the pads). Our recommendation for summer backpacking in the Rockies is a 20 degree bag. We also recommend synthetic bags for use at camp since they will still maintain some insulation capabilities when wet. Big Agnes down bags use Downtek (a water repellent down) and may be a good option, too, if you feel ready for the responsibility of properly caring for a down bag of your own! One more thing, Big Agnes is stationed here in Colorado and runs out of Steamboat Springs!
5. MSR E-Bivy
This option may be best suited for Pathfinders, but could be something to consider if you are planning on coming to camp for many summers. As many of you know we use tarps for shelter instead of tents. We use tarps because they require less maintenance than tents and last longer under the kind of use they get in a program like ours. The best way to add an extra bit of weather protection is with a simple bivy sack. The MSR E-Bivy is the perfect solution for bombproof protection on backpacking trips in the San Juans. Not ready to invest in a bivy for your adventures? The next best thing is some sort of ground-cloth cut to size. TyVek is a great product to cut to size and add a layer of protection between your sleeping pad and the ground.
4. Light My Fire Titanium Spork
When it comes to utensils in the backcountry, light, simple, and strong is the way to go. Light My Fire makes a plastic spork that’s prone to snapping in half if not treated with absolute care. Rest assured knowing the Light My Fire Titanium Spork is unlikely to ever snap on you.
3. Crazy Creek Hex 2.O Original Chair
Increase your comfort on the trail with a very handy, foldable, and rollable chair that fits nicely in your pack. Crazy Creek makes all sorts of cool camp chairs, but the Hex 2.0 is light and easy to roll, making it great for backpacking trips. It is probably the easiest to pack of all the Crazy Creek chairs!
2. Patagonia Nano Puff Jacket or Pull-Over
We all know what an awesome company Patagonia is, not only for their innovative products, but also for their dedication to environmental causes. The Patagonia Nano Puff Jacket is an all-purpose, synthetic, insulated jacket. It’s warm. It’s light. It’s packable. And it looks cool. The Nano Puff can be used as a light jacket for cool weather on its own, or you can layer it with a shell for improved protection from the elements. In addition, it’s pretty stylish, so you may consider wearing it to school or the movies.
1. Osprey Aether 70 and Ariel 65
Are you ready for your own backpacking pack? At camp you discover your love for exploring the wilderness and you may find that it is something you will want to continue doing after camp, or maybe you will want to work for camp and lead trips! Osprey makes many wonderful packs. If you are looking for a super solid pack that is highly functional, then the Aether or Ariel series will be perfect. We recommend a volume of about 70L for camp, so the Aether 70 and Ariel 65 are great! A pack that is your own should fit really well, and feel like an extension of yourself. Osprey also makes great packs for young kids, so if you aren’t quite ready for the adult sizes, you could look at the Ace 50 or Ace 75.
In addition, things like hacky sacks, decks of cards, books, packable games, camping bowls, friendship bracelet kits, and bandanas make great little gift ideas too!
We hope you enjoy these gift ideas! If you have any questions about them, please feel free to give us a call or send us an email. Remember, write and/or engrave your name, or your camper’s name, on everything they bring to camp! It’s the best way to ensure that items coming to camp return home with their campers!
