Outdoor workers tend to get gifts designed for desk workers, which is to say gifts they will never use.
The pen set. The branded coaster. The ‘office-warming’ candle. This guide walks through a holiday gift guide built specifically for the field crews, the site teams, the inspectors, the surveyors, and the maintenance crews who spend more time outside than in. The gifts on this list survive a rainy week and a working glove.
Key Takeaways
- The best gifts for outdoor workers are weatherproof, rugged and useful on site every day: insulated gloves, a portable fire pit, an insulated food jar, a long-range two-way radio and a multi-tool.
- A ForestNation Gift Story pairs a personal message with a real tree planted and tracked in Tanzania, so the gift keeps growing after the holidays. Create your Gift Story message free.
- Kitting out a whole crew? Each tree draws down a field-measured 0.025 tonnes of CO2 a year, verified through our impact methodology. You can gift a forest for your team and let each person follow their own tree.
Image from: Photo via Pexels
Are you hearing holiday music playing in stores or coming from your car’s radio? Or maybe you’ve felt the recent chill of winter weather dropping outdoor temperatures? These are signs that the holidays are fast approaching.
An important part of every holiday season is finding gifts for the people in your life. But what if the person you shop for works outdoors as a hobby, profession, or both? Don’t fear if you’re having trouble coming up with what to buy for them. Whether shopping for yourself or a loved one, these gift ideas are perfect for outdoor workers.
Portable Fire Pit
Image from: Photo via Pexels
Is there anything better than a warm fire pit during winter? If so, we’re having a tough time imagining what that could be. Normally, fire pits might require hiring a landscaper or spending time gathering wood. However, a portable fire pit is an easy and safe way for an outdoors person to enjoy the heat of a warm fire by themselves or while having fireside chats with a group of people.
Gloves
Working outside, especially in the winter, can quickly expose hands to cold temperatures and blistering winds. If outdoor temperatures are especially low or it’s snowing, spending time outside can be downright painful for anyone’s hands.
A simple yet effective way to ensure someone’s hands stay warm is with a nice, new pair of gloves. You have many choices when purchasing new gloves, including those made from fleece, wool, and leather. Don’t forget to throw a few extra pairs of hand warmers in their stockings!
Portable Charger
Not every gift for an outdoor worker must be winter-themed. Some gifts are great to have all year round, such as a portable charger. If you know someone always working outdoors, power supplies are rarely available. Fortunately, a portable charger provides a way for someone to charge their smartphones, tablets, and similar devices without a nearby power supply.
Work Pants
Landscaping, contracting, and farming are just a few outdoor professions that cause people to quickly get dirty or be exposed to harsh elements. Working outdoors means encountering dirt, trees, mud, and other elements quickly leading to stained and tattered clothes.
Keep the outdoor person you know looking stylish with new pairs of work pants. Look for landscaping clothes made to prevent bark abrasions and potentially dangerous tree branch snags.
Insulated Food Jar
As you know, many companies offer insulated cups to keep beverages hot or cold. While this is a great gift idea, you may not know about insulated food jars. An insulated food jar looks similar to an insulated cup. However, these food jars are larger and capable of keeping a hot breakfast or lunch warm all day or night. When the outdoor person in your life gets ready for a break or lunch, they’ll appreciate enjoying their warm meal while being nowhere near an indoor kitchen.
An Outdoor Blanket
Working outdoors sometimes means being far away from home or a hotel. In these situations, the only option is to sleep outdoors. If that’s the case, this person definitely needs a rugged, warm, and durable outdoor blanket.
Outdoor blankets aren’t the same as the blankets you have indoors. Instead, these specially designed blankets can withstand extreme cold. Some outdoor blankets are waterproof, which is perfect for sleeping during rainy days or nights.
Hammock
Spending long hours outside can tire out any person. When this person is ready to call it a day (or night), they shouldn’t have to sleep uncomfortably. That’s why a hammock makes a comfortable, packable pick, and it is an easy win if you are choosing eco-friendly corporate gifts this season.
While it’s a simple item, the hammock has come a long way from a repurposed net. Modern outdoor hammocks are more comfortable and durable than the ones you may recall from movies and television.
Outdoor hammocks can fold or roll up to a fraction of their size, great for saving space. Most hammocks feature durable straps designed to safely hold almost anyone. Plus, they’re durable and made to stand up to the harshest temperatures or weather conditions.
Two-Way Radio
Communication is critical, especially for someone spending time outdoors in deserted areas. Whether the person you shop for travels solo or as part of a group, two-way radios are always great items to have on hand.
Look for a two-way radio that offers superior range. Some of these devices also feature the capability to pick up local weather updates for added peace of mind. If your gift recipient isn’t typically near a power source, companies sell many two-way radios that operate with a simple hand crank.
Multi-Tool
Most people who enjoy a hobby or working outdoors need tools. If you’re unsure what new tools your gift recipients need, why not purchase an incredibly handy multi-tool? A multi-tool can provide scissors, a can opener, pliers, knives, and other essential outdoor tools.
A Durable Outdoor Bag
You’ll typically notice that people who love the outdoors bring many items with them. Considering that, the best way to ensure this person keeps everything together is with a brand-new outdoor bag. A bag or backpack designed for outdoor use typically features waterproof, durable materials.
Gifting a Whole Outdoor Crew
You should now have plenty of ideas for one person who works or plays outdoors. If you are buying for a whole team, the same rule holds: choose something they will use, and make it mean something. Weatherproof kit covers the first part. A living gift covers the second. Planting a tree for each member of a field crew gives everyone something that keeps growing long after the frost, and it quietly says you noticed the work they do outside in every season.
For a wider seasonal plan, our guide to corporate Christmas gifts maps the options by team and budget, and there is a separate walk-through on why corporate holiday gifts reward planning ahead. When you are ready, you can gift a forest for your team and let each person follow their own tree as it grows.
However you shop this year, pick gifts that survive the weather and outlast the wrapping paper.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best holiday gifts for outdoor workers?
Rugged, weatherproof kit they will use on site: a portable fire pit, insulated work gloves, an insulated food jar, a long-range two-way radio and a multi-tool. Choose for the conditions they actually work in.
What is a good gift for someone who works outdoors in winter?
Warmth and durability win. Quality gloves, an insulated food jar that keeps lunch hot, a weatherproof outdoor blanket, and a portable charger for long cold days with no power nearby.
What is a meaningful gift that lasts for an outdoor worker?
A ForestNation Gift Story pairs a personal message with a real tree planted and tracked in Tanzania, so the gift keeps growing after the holidays. The message is free to create and a Tree Kit is $12.
Can I gift trees to a whole outdoor crew?
Yes. A corporate forest gift plants a tree for each person on the team and lets everyone follow their own, which suits field crews and site teams who spend their days outside.
