Yesterday I shared videos of Mr. Handsome’s guitar rendition of “Silent Night.” Today I have a written guest post from him that I think you’ll really enjoy. Even if you aren’t looking for a gift for an outdoorsman, I encourage you to read it just for a laugh. The little jokes he includes are a great showcase of his witty personality.Finding The Perfect Gift for Your Outdoorsman
Choosing the perfect Christmas gift for your outdoorsman doesn’t have to be difficult. If he likes to hike, fish, hunt, backpack, canoe, kayak, mountain climb, or just watch The Outdoor Channel, these are gift ideas that he is guaranteed to love.
Headlamp
When an outdoorsman is in his element (the outdoors) it’s easy for him to completely lose track of time. It is not uncommon for an outdoorsman to find himself in the middle of the forest or lake after dark without any source of light. Buy him a good headlight or flashlight so he can find his way back home to you.
Knives
If your man loves the great outdoors, he can never have too many knives, mostly because it’s so easy to lose or ruin them. Whether he drops his knife in the lake, leaves it in the rain, runs it through the laundry, or breaks it in half trying to jimmy the lock on his own truck, he will always appreciate a new knife. You can buy him a fillet knife, a hunting knife, or just a good old fashioned pocket knife. You can make it extra special by having his name engraved in it.
Shoes
Women aren’t the only ones who like shoes. Believe it or not, avid outdoorsmen often need multiple types of footwear, including…
1. Hiking Boots: If your man likes to trek through the mountains and forests, he will love a pair of hiking boots. Quality hiking boots are lightweight, durable, and fashionable. But don’t skimp and buy the cheap ones. His feet could be in these shoes for hours, so he will need good support. Buying a solid pair of hiking boots will save money in the long run because he won’t be running all his other shoes into the ground (no pun intended) trying to hike in them.
2. Versatile Water Shoes: There is a whole new market of high quality waterproof sandals that are great for both land and water use, including hiking, fishing, boating, and biking. One of the most popular brands is Keen. Again, these shoes save money in the long run because your outdoorsman won’t ruin his other shoes when he falls out of his canoe and gets soaked.
3. Waders: If your outdoorsman enjoys fishing in creeks and streams, rubber waders would make a great gift. They come in boot length, waist length, and all the way up to his chest.
Meat
We have all heard of the companies that will deliver chocolate or flowers to a gal’s home at the beginning of every month (usually for an exorbitant amount of money). Well men also like gifts that keep on giving, but instead of chocolate or flowers, give your red-blooded outdoorsman something he will really enjoy: meat. Fill the freezer with steaks, ribs, pork chops, and pulled pork, and if you really want to spread holiday cheer, offer to cook it for him every so often. Even better if you can purchase the meat from a local farmer. If your outdoorsman is a vegetarian, you can stock the freezer with his favorite meatless meals or bring him a new batch of baked goods every several weeks.
Fishing Gear
You may not know what type of fishing gear your guy wants, so I have included some ideas that have worked great for me.
1. Strike King SHCKVD15F-538 KVD Flat Side Crank Bait: Great for catching big bass.
2. Strike King Crappie Joker, Junebug/Chartruese Glitter: I have used this jig tail to literally catch 100 crappie (a type of fish) in a day. Get a 1/16 ounce black jig head, and he will be set.
3. Corn Powerbait: If he likes to fish for trout, this will work great.
Hiking/Outdoor Socks
These socks are made with moisture-wicking properties that keep the feet dry while outdoors. Get a good comfy pair, and he may even enjoy wearing them around the house.
Binoculars
When he hikes to the top of a mountain, he’ll love a good pair of binoculars to help him see for miles around. Binoculars are also great for bird and nature watching.
Lawn Chair
Great for relaxing around a fire.
Beef Jerky
I know this is the second time I have mentioned food, but it is always a rough situation to be in the middle of the woods and hungry. Get him a good stash of beef jerky or trail mix so he doesn’t starve on one of his outdoor quests.
Cell Phone Case
It’s a tough life to be the cell phone of an outdoorsman. You have to constantly endure being dropped, scratched, sat on, or soaked in water. Buy your outdoorsman a strong case or cover for his phone so you can reach him in case of an emergency.
Camouflage
For an outdoorsman, camouflage is always in style. Whether it’s a hat, shirt, blanket, or truck, buy him something with camouflage, and he will love you forever.
Mine goes to Bass Pro and Cabela's and buys whatever he wants, by himself. Makes my life so much easier!
Sometimes Mr. Handsome will do that too, if he wants something super specific. 🙂
Ellie
Lol. I wasn't expecting the lawn chair. It was so random it made me laugh.
Sounds like Mr.Handsome sure likes his meat.
Haha. 🙂
I like lawn chairs too because when I get tired of fishing, they make for a great place to sit and read a book. Lol. And yes, he loves his meat!
Ellie
What a man's man
According to Merriam-Webster, a man's man is "a man noted or admired for traditionally masculine interests and activities."
Ellie
Where did you see that?
Men can have more "feminine" interests too!
I love my Keen's sandals (and for the record, I'm female). Great on a day of hiking when it's too hot to wear hiking boots- I've worn them in Hawaii on multiple occasions.
I have a pair too, and I agree that they're great!
Ellie
My husband likes to hunt and fish and he goes and buys his own gear. I like the picture of Mr. Handsome it made me chuckle. He is too cute for words. This blog should be called Ellie and Mr. Handsome or Lily, Ellie and Mr. Handsome. Ha! Ha! I love your blog it is funny and informative.
Thanks! Glad to hear you're enjoying the blog. 🙂
Ellie
Cute. You know….all of these suggestions would work for the outdoor enthusiast. Man or woman.
That's true, they would. 🙂
Ellie
I do not approve of how sexist this is, does he just expect his wife to stay home while he has adventures? What about her own adventures? A woman's job is not just to serve her husband and not live her own life.
You must have seen Ellie's posts about fishing and camping with him.
She's trekked along with him more than I ever have with my husband! Mowing the yard and walking to the mailbox is about as wild as I get with outdoor adventures.
I thought this was so good that I almost took it to the local outdoor store to post, but then I reigned in my excitement and did not do that. Good ideas all in one place thanks.
Haha! We're glad to hear you enjoyed it! Are you an outdoors enthusiast?
Ellie
Yes but like you I spectate more the guys a lot
Yeah it's a pretty sexist post… As if these gift suggestions are only good for men… I'm female and I want almost all of them!
And you don't need a fancy phone case to call your wife if she's right next to you in the woods, instead of, you know, back home in the kitchen.
Oh good grief! Obviously if you follow this blog, you know that Ellie and Mr. Handsome do all kinds of outdoor things together. It's also ok for guys to hang out with other guys and going fishing or hunting or hiking… Some women don't like to do those things. My dad enjoys hunting and my mom doesn't. She is always looking for something interesting to get him. Mr. Handsome is a man, so he was listing things he likes from a man's perspective. He didn't say women wouldn't like any of those things. I enjoyed his sense of humor.
I'm pretty sure he didn't mean anything sexist with this post.
He's just trying to give us gift ideas while telling us how they might be useful with some humor.
I really enjoyed this post.
Thanks Mr.Handsome!
Really good gift ideas!
Ellie stock up on meat! Lol.
Well… this is a blog written by a housewife/journalist about her domestic life. If you like something different then please write it. Perhaps a blog for outdoorsy women and what they'd like for christmas. I'm sure it would make a great read.
I don't always agree with Ellie and Lily on all things Duggar but I like to read about her recipes and her husband. For the record: My spouse loves being outdoors and I hate it. I prefer reading a good book, drawing and yes – cooking. We are both fine with that. Nothing sexist about that only different preferences and a different upbringing.
I'm as sensitive to sexism as the rest of you, but I saw no offense in this post. It's a list of gift suggestions that her guy would like, and she thought other guys might like, too. If you're so offended, then why haven't you brought up sexism when Ellie posts about what she's been cooking? You could call her out on that, pointing out that men can cook and should be in the kitchen, too. In other words, lighten up…it's almost Christmas, and Ellie was simply trying to help by posting what's obviously on her mind right now – gifts. Can you all say you have the perfect gift ideas every year, with no suggestions needed from someone genuinely trying to be helpful?
Cute post. Glad to see my guy is not the only one who thinks you can never have too many knives!
Also, head lamps may look goofy, but they are a seriously handy piece of a equipment. Mr Handsome is totally right, you should always have one in your pack, you never know when your day trip will run a little long. I got one for my guy a few years ago and he got me my own last year because I was always borrowing his.
May I also recommend backpacking stoves, we like ours for long day trips too, sometimes it's nice to have a hot drink or meal mid day 🙂
Sounds like you and your man are outdoors enthusiasts. 🙂 A backpacking stove is a great idea!
Have a very Merry Christmas.
Ellie
Why doesn't the outdoors man go hunting for his own meat to fill the freezer?
Ewww, I wouldn't eat anything these days that wasn't USDA inspected, and even doing that is iffy!
Love the list for outdoor gifts. I'm from Newfoundland so this is one sweet list. Don't forget the custom handle for the knife. My girlfriend likes pink camo and my sister is a hunter, so the list is not just for men.
Hi Joe,
I've always wanted to visit Newfoundland. I was born in Alberta, but the farthest east I have been is Mont-Tremblant (very pretty area). Do you live in a small town?
Ellie
Thanks for the ideas! My hubby is a muso and outdoorsy bloke as well – and I was really struggling for gift ideas! Guess who'd getting a knife and beef jerky for his birthday now!
Lol. Glad to help, Imogen! I admit I've never tried beef jerky. Is it good?
Ellie