Holiday Gift Guide 2024: Best Gifts For Travel To Extreme Locations

There’s no shortage of gift ideas for travelers out there. In most circumstances, something like a new journal or suitcase will do the trick.

But what about family and friends that are adventure travelers, flinging themselves off to extreme locations? What do you buy someone who has the Amazon, Antarctica, or Alaska on their 2025 travel list?

In these cases, there’s an opportunity to be a little more tactical with your gift, purchasing something that will make the journey more pleasant, comfortable, and safe.

With that in mind, here are some gift ideas for the adventure traveler in your life who has remote places in mind:

Jacket

Skiers, snowboarders, and trekkers often find themselves immersed in mountain environments, where the weather changes quickly. They need gear that can zip up to ward off the elements and also tear down quickly to vent during periods of activity.

New to the U.S. market this year is the Velez Evolution from Paramo. They call it a smock, but it’s much more evolved than that. Twin zippers—one beside each breast—allow for quick venting during high activity or sun exposure. It’s completely water and wind proof on the outside, and keeps you dry inside with a directional fabric that prevents condensation from building inside the jacket when your body heat rises.

The garment looks big when laid out, but it packs down well, to about the size of a water bottle. It also eliminates the need for two jackets (an insulating jacket with a shell over top), which saves a lot of space overall.

Rain Gear

The number one rule of travel is always buckle your seatbelt. The second is to always remember your rain jacket. Hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts need rain protection that’s both packable and durable to block rain, wind, and perhaps even snow. Whether you need just a jacket or a complete set depends on the adventure, of course.

The Chugach jacket and pants from KUIU are great for tropical outdoor areas like the Amazon. They both have large vents for temperature control, and the set weighs about 27 ounces combined. If you just need the jacket, it’s less than 15 ounces and can roll down to the size of a water bottle, stashing easily even in small suitcases.

If going into colder wet weather, say, in Alaska, you may want to upgrade to the Yukon set, whose jacket and pants weigh a bit more (about 49 ounces together) but offers more weather protection and thicker, warmer materials.

Socks

Taking care of your feet is imperative to comfortable travel, and it’s even more important in extreme climates. The type you need depends on where you’re headed and what you’re doing, and a company like Farm to Feet makes it easy to personalize your selection. From snow sport to tactical wear, you can find the thickness, length, and durability you need. All socks are made in America.

Snack Packs

A hungry traveler is an unpleasant traveler under normal circumstances, let alone remote and extreme locations.

Fuel Goods is a customizable snack service that will deliver to your door, allowing you to tailor your snacks directly to your adventure. Snack bars, bags, hydration tablets, chews, and other nutrition options are available.

There are a number of ways to set it up. You can buy someone a gift card and let them choose their own contents, or you can get them a pre-arranged bundle that’s tailored by Fuel Goods to a specific sport/adventure or dietary preference.

With so much to pack, snacks are easy to forget, yet so crucial to feeling good on the go. It makes for a very thoughtful and useful gift, one that certainly won’t go to waste.

Boots

When traveling to Arctic regions, like the north of Scandinavia, Greenland, or Antarctica, having a reliable pair of winter boots is a must. The intensity of the footwear will depend upon the nature of the travel, but you’ll want something that’s insulated, waterproof, and sturdy with an elite, slip-free grip.

Those visiting the White Continent way down south, or hiking across glaciers in Alaska, or mountaineering in Nepal, should consider a brand like Zamberlan, which makes a variety of outdoor footwear, including multi-purpose alpine boots that are extremely light in terms of what they are capable of withstanding—about four pounds for the pair—making them a good option for those conquering high peaks or playing in the backcountry.

For something even lighter and made for more general hiking, Zamberlan’s Approach Line has a variety of winter worthy hiking boots.

Sun Protection

Sunshirts can be worn throughout the day in both tropical and desert environments, making them a valuable addition to any traveler’s suitcase for their sun/bug protection, moisture wicking, and cooling effect. Sunshirts keep sunburn at bay, but also help prevent the sun from zapping a traveler’s energy.

Sunshirt brands are endless, but there are some key differences, the biggest being whether the sun protection comes from chemicals that are infused into the fabric or from the fabric itself. Personally, I prefer the latter, not only because it’s more natural, but because you can’t “wash out” the sun protection.

JOJU sunshirts are made of nylon, polyester and spandex, and no chemicals are applied to the shirt. They are machine washable and dryable, which makes maintenance easy. Tight fitting and soft, they’re comfortable enough to wear around all day.

Gloves

Gloves are one of those things you don’t appreciate until you suffer through a cold spell without them, or worse, with a pair that’s subpar. Many gloves can provide immediate warmth, but travelers in extreme locations will want a pair that is functional, packable, and waterproof. Leki Gloves come in a variety of styles where the mobility and warmth can be matched with your specific adventure.

Connectivity

Want to stay in touch with your traveler when they are off in faraway lands? Consider hooking them up with a mobile internet device, such as Starlink Roam, that can be used all over the world, from the remote polar regions to the interior of Africa or the Amazon. This will help them not only plan their trips, but keep in touch with the outside world, including work and personal correspondence.