When it comes to buying gifts for the adventure traveler or outdoor enthusiast, the default purchase is typically equipment.
But there’s more to outdoor gift-giving than gear. And let’s be thankful for that. After all, unless your intended recipients have told you precisely what they want – down to size, color and model number – choosing just the right gear can be a tricky proposition.
As often as not, a gift certificate is the way to go.
But here’s another idea. Most of us already have enough stuff. What we really crave is new experience. So, as long as you’re considering a gift certificate, why not make it redeemable for something a little less tangible and a lot more memorable?
What follows are some experience-oriented gift ideas – none of which require wrapping – for the adventurous travelers on your shopping list.
Club membership
For adventure-loving singles or anyone else who likes to share their outdoor experiences with others, membership in an outings club would make an ideal present.
The granddaddy of all such organizations is the Appalachian Mountain Club (established in 1876), which has chapters all across the Northeast and one in Washington, D.C. The AMC offers instruction in everything from sea kayaking to rock climbing and maintains a network of lodges and backcountry huts where members enjoy discounts.
For $50, the AMC is now offering a “gift membership in a bottle.” The membership card comes inside a water bottle along with a club decal and a subscription to AMC Outdoors magazine. Call 617-523-0636 for more information, or order it online at outdoors.org.
Headquartered in Seattle, The Mountaineers is the Pacific Northwest’s answer to the AMC. Now celebrating its 100th anniversary, the legendary alpine club offers gift memberships for $108. Purchase by calling 206-281-7775 or online at mountaineers.org.
Lifetime license
If you need a present for the devoted hunter or angler, a lifetime fishing or hunting permit may be the solution. Many states now offer them. In New York, for example, a lifetime fishing license for residents between 12 and 65 years of age costs $350. For those 65 and over, it’s just $50.
Contact the appropriate licensing agency in your state to inquire about lifetime permits. (Colorado offers lifetime licenses only to the disabled; they’re free.)
Passport to adventure
If you were thinking of buying someone on your list an annual national parks pass, be advised that the program is being restructured for 2007. In addition to the national parks, the new pass is expected to cover entry fees to other federally managed lands as well, including wildlife refuges and national forests. Check with the National Parks Foundation, 202-238-4200 or national parks.org for more details.
A good alternative to the national parks pass would be an annual pass to any of the state park networks. Maryland, for example, offers an annual state parks pass for $75 (800-830-3974), while the Texas state parks pass costs $60 and is good for entry to any of more than 100 parks and historic sites (512-389-8900).
For a complete listing of states offering annual parks passes, visit usparks.about.com/blstatepasses2.htm.
Flying lessons (and fly-tying lessons)
Lessons make great gifts for anyone seeking a new challenge.
For the water-loving adrenaline junkie, kiteboarding lessons might be just the ticket. Instructors in this high-flying new sport – best described as a melding of windsurfing, wakeboarding and sky diving – have set up shop from Nassau to Maui.
West Coast Kiteboarding, 619-813-2230 or westcoastkite boarding.com, to mention just one, has gift certificates for lessons in San Diego and Baja, Mexico. Private instruction runs $125 per hour.
If you’re looking for something a little less intense, try fly-tying or rod-building classes. Angling clubs and fly shops all across the country offer these courses, which are a great way for people to gather and talk while using their hands – even if they don’t fish. Call your nearest fly-fishing outfitter to learn about classes in your area.
Guided getaways
For the would-be world traveler on your list, consider a gift certificate with an international adventure travel company like World Expeditions, 1-888-464-8735 or world expeditions.com, which offers a wide array of destinations and travel options, from trekking in Nepal to sailing the Maldives.
Slip a gift certificate in the full-color catalog and you’ll soon have them dreaming up the trip of a lifetime.
The lead-up to the holidays is also a good time to think ahead to summer, whether that means reserving someone their favorite campsite on Memorial Day or booking them on a float trip through the Grand Canyon.
According to Steve Markel at O.A.R.S. (800-346-6277 or oars.com), a California-based outfitter that has been running the Colorado since 1969, Grand Canyon trips can easily book six months in advance. But if you act now, you could still reserve a spot for you and a loved one.
And what could be a better gift than that? After all, if it really is the thought that counts, then forethought must surely count double.
