Article: Gifts for outdoorsmen
Gifts for outdoorsmen
...who already own the gear
- The hardest gifts for outdoorsy men to find are for those who already own the tent, the stove and the jacket. What they lack are the things that sit alongside the gear and go on every trip.
- Gloves for the fire and the woodpile, a pot gripper for the Trangia, a keychain, a hip pouch and a tin of leather wax all fit that description.
- Gloves need a measurement of the hand. The other gifts in this guide need no size.
- Waxed canvas and vegetable-tanned leather darken and soften with use.
- Our bags and leather goods carry a lifetime warranty for the original owner against defects in materials and manufacturing.
The first gift for someone who spends his weekends outdoors is easy. By the fifth, it gets harder.
His hallway already tells the story. A tent that has seen a few seasons, a stove in its bag, a headlamp, more jackets than hooks. Buying him another piece of equipment usually means competing with something he chose carefully himself.
So we suggest looking in a different place. Not at the gear, but at the things he handles around it: the gloves he wears at the fire, the keys he carries to the car at the trailhead, the pot he lifts off the flame, the leather he never quite gets round to looking after.
This guide gathers gifts for outdoorsmen who already have the essentials. Everything here is made to be used hard and to show it.
What to give an outdoorsman who has everything
Start with what he touches most on a trip, not with what he might be missing.
Fire, wood, keys, the cooking pot, the pack. These are the points where things wear out, get lost or are replaced with whatever was cheapest at the petrol station. A well-made version of one of them is used on every trip rather than kept for a special one.
The gifts for outdoorsmen below all start from one of those points.
Leather gloves for the fire and the woodpile
Most outdoorsmen own gloves. Fewer own a pair they trust near a fire, which makes gloves one of the more useful outdoor gifts for men, as long as the size is right.
Gjöra gloves
The Gjöra gloves are made from full-grain Pittards cowhide, cut and sewn by skilled artisans in Ethiopia. The tight grain of the leather gives natural abrasion resistance and good protection against heat.
When the gloves reach our workshop in Sweden, we work a traditional blend of natural waxes, fats and oils into the leather in several stages. The finish gives a water-repellent surface and a scent of Nordic pine. Because the process is done by hand, no two pairs look exactly the same.
They feel stiff at first and gradually take the shape of the hand. They are unlined and fitted with brass eyelets, so they can hang from a keychain when they are not being worn.
For longer days by the fire, the Gjöra Elk Skin gloves have a longer cuff, designed to shield the hands and wrists from fire and abrasive objects. They are made in the USA from elk skin, soft and thick, and receive the same wax finish.
Vuogas gloves for rough work
The Vuogas gloves took more than a year of development and testing. They are made in the USA from full-grain goat hide, with seams placed on the outside for a smooth interior.
The palm and fingertips are reinforced with extra leather. Each fingertip has double seams in Kevlar thread and a leather tab that rolls over the seam to protect it. A paracord loop makes them easy to store when they are off.
We work with glove makers in Ethiopia, the USA and Japan, and finish some models ourselves in Sweden. We prefer to be open about where different parts of the work take place. You can read more about how our gloves are made or see the full gloves collection.
Measure the circumference of his dominant hand and compare it with the size chart on the page for that specific glove. The charts differ between models.
For the Vuogas gloves, we recommend the larger size if he falls between two. If you cannot measure without giving the gift away, choose something from the next sections instead: none of it needs a size.
For the camp kitchen: a pot gripper for the Trangia
If he cooks on a Trangia, he already owns the stove, the pots and the windshield. The part he reaches for every time is the pot gripper.
Our Red Pliers are made for the Trangia cooking set and anodised in Sweden with a surface treatment called CompCote®. A polymer is built into the layer, which increases resistance to corrosion and abrasion. The red colour also holds up better in ultraviolet light than conventional dip dyeing.
Each pair comes in a Woolpower case made from recycled felt, which makes it easy to give as it is. The pliers grew out of our collaboration with Trangia.
It is a small gift. It will also be in his hand at every meal he cooks outdoors.
Small outdoor gifts for him to carry every day
Some of the most used things on a trip are also used at home on Monday.
A keychain for the hunter
The Hunter's Edition keychain was inspired by Scandinavian hunters. A genuine Norma cartridge crown is cut off and set on top of our classic copper rivet.
The keychain is made from 2.5 mm Swedish vegetable-tanned leather from Tärnsjö Garveri, with a solid USA-made HK hook and a matte black button stud. It holds keys, or a pair of gloves by their eyelets.
It ships in a handmade box, which makes it one of the simpler gifts for hunters who already have the rifle, the boots and the jacket. For everyday use without the cartridge, the Crud Keychain follows the same construction.
A hip pouch for the things he keeps reaching for
Phone, keys, a lighter, a small knife. On a walk or around camp, these tend to end up in the wrong pocket.
The Tind hip pouch has a 35 mm belt loop and closes with a roll top and a solid snap button. Rolled, it measures 17 by 13 cm. The Nika hip pouch takes a different approach, with a main compartment and an exterior pocket, both closed with YKK brass zippers.
Both are made in Sweden from 18 oz waxed canvas with leather details from Tärnsjö Garveri.
Gjöra gloves
Full-grain Pittards cowhide, natural wax finish applied in Sweden, unlined.
Size: hand circumferenceRough workVuogas gloves
Goat hide, Kevlar thread, reinforced palm and fingertips.
Size: hand circumferenceCamp kitchenRed Pliers
Pot gripper for the Trangia, anodised in Sweden, in a Woolpower felt case.
No size neededFor the hunterHunter's Edition keychain
Norma cartridge crown on a copper rivet, HK hook. Ships in a handmade box.
No size neededOn the beltTind hip pouch
18 oz waxed canvas, roll top with snap button, belt insert 35 mm.
No size neededDay tripsNova backpack
18.5 litres, 18 oz waxed canvas, leather straps to carry a rolled blanket.
No size neededA pack made from canvas instead of nylon
He probably has a technical hiking pack already. What many outdoorsmen lack is a bag for everything that is not an expedition: the day trip, the walk to the cabin, the train to the trailhead.
The Nova backpack is made from 18 oz waxed twill canvas with 3.5 mm leather details from Tärnsjö Garveri. On the front, a leather patch with two slots holds a rolled blanket. The back is padded with compressed sheep wool, and the bottom panel is reinforced. It holds 18.5 litres.
For a weekend away, the Kvåle duffle holds 37 litres, with an exterior zipped pocket, three interior compartments and an adjustable leather shoulder strap.
Both bags carry a personal serial number registered to the original owner. Our canvas comes from Halley Stevenson in Dundee, and you can read more about it on our page about waxed canvas.
New waxed canvas can transfer some wax to clothing during the first two to three weeks. Dark clothes are a good idea until it wears in.
A layer he will wear under everything
Jackets are personal. A base layer is easier to get right.
The Vald T-shirt is knitted in Sweden from 60% mulesing-free merino wool and 40% Tencel, at 170 g/m². It works on its own in summer and as a base layer on cold mornings. For colder days, the Orrevik sweater uses the same blend at 350 g/m². Both are in the apparel collection.
Help him look after the gear he already has
An outdoorsman who has everything also has leather that has dried out and canvas that has not been cared for in a while. A gift can help with that too.
Our Crud leather wax was developed for the Gjöra and Molg gloves and works on other leather gear as well. It is made in Sweden from locally sourced beeswax and natural fats and oils, in 30 ml and 100 ml tins.
A few things worth passing on with it:
- Use very little wax. Work a small amount into the leather with a cloth. The leather may darken slightly afterwards.
- Clean canvas with water only. A soft brush, cold water and a sponge, then hang it to dry. Soap and detergent remove the wax and void the warranty.
- Keep canvas away from machines. No washing machine, no dry cleaning, no tumble dryer.
- Leave the marks alone. Scratches, darker patches and softened edges come from use. They are not defects.
The full instructions are in our product care guide.
Repair rather than replace
Outdoor gear gets knocked about. We would rather repair it than see it replaced.
The original owner has a lifetime warranty against defects in materials and manufacturing. Normal wear and tear, accidents and misuse are not covered, but we can often repair those too, at a reasonable cost. Shipping is paid by the owner.
The full terms are on our warranty and repairs page.
Made in Sweden, made to last
Crud is a small Swedish brand founded by Alex Bechet after more than ten years in the fashion industry, driven by a long interest in the outdoors.
We design and make bags, backpacks and leather accessories in Sweden, in small batches, from 18 oz waxed canvas and vegetable-tanned leather from Tärnsjö Garveri.
Our gloves are made with skilled partners abroad and, depending on the model, finished in our workshop in Sweden.
We would rather make one thing that lasts than several that do not.
Choosing gifts for outdoorsmen
The gifts for outdoorsmen that last are rarely the ones with the most features.
They are the gloves that go dark around the fingertips from the fire. The pot gripper that lives in the Trangia. The keychain that comes along to every trailhead. The pack that carries the blanket to the same lake every autumn.
Look at what he handles most. Measure his hand if you choose gloves. Pick something that will show where it has been.
Then leave the rest to him.
Whether you are looking for Christmas gifts for outdoorsmen or a birthday present, you will find the smaller pieces in our accessories collection and the packs and duffles in the bags collection.
Frequently asked questions about gifts for outdoorsmen
What do you buy an outdoorsman who has everything?
Look at the things he handles around his gear rather than the gear itself: gloves for fire and firewood, a pot gripper for his stove, a keychain, a hip pouch or leather wax for the leather he already owns. These are used on every trip and are rarely bought by the person himself.
How do I choose the right size of leather gloves as a gift?
Measure the circumference of his dominant hand and compare it with the size chart for the specific model, as the charts differ between gloves. For the Vuogas gloves, choose the larger size if he is between two. If you cannot measure discreetly, choose a gift that needs no size.
How do you clean a waxed canvas bag?
Brush off dirt with a soft brush, then clean with cold water and a sponge and hang the bag to dry. Never use soap or detergent, as they remove the wax and void the warranty. Waxed canvas should not go in a washing machine, a tumble dryer or to a dry cleaner.
Are Crud gloves made in Sweden?
No. Depending on the model, our gloves are made in the USA, Ethiopia or Japan. Some models, such as the Gjöra gloves, are finished with a natural wax treatment in our workshop in Sweden. Our bags, backpacks and leather accessories are designed and made in Sweden.
What does the Crud lifetime warranty cover?
It covers defects in materials and manufacturing for the original owner. Normal wear and tear, accidents and misuse are not covered, but these can often be repaired at a reasonable cost. Shipping costs are paid by the owner.
Written by Oliver Lauterwein
