If your girl isn’t into girly things, it might seem like getting her something special for Valentine’s Day would be too much of a challenge or, frankly, that she wouldn’t appreciate it. Yes, finding the right Valentine gifts for female travelers and adventurers can be tough. A bouquet of flowers or box of chocolates screams “romance” to most people, whereas a new headlamp might not. But all it takes is getting her something that shows you’re paying attention to her needs and wants to make her feel really spacial – and if it’s something she wouldn’t splurge on for herself, then it’s that much better.

Are you planning a camping trip with your girlfriend? Is her current backpack in need of serious repair? This could be the perfect opportunity to get her a great women-specific pack, designed to fit her frame better so it’s comfortable and still holds everything she needs. Maybe she never feels quite comfortable walking into a restaurant (even a casual one) in her zip-off shorts when you go on road trips – in which case a pretty and yet perfectly packable travel dress might be a lovely gift.

On an even more practical level, nothing says love like gifts meant to keep loved ones safe, so anything in the camping safety category or one of the cycling iPhone apps that tells her how to fix her bike if it breaks down in the middle of nowhere are also great options.

Sure, your travel-loving lady friend may swoon if you handed her tickets to Florida and the promise of a few days spent on the beach, but the truth is that you don’t have to spend a fortune to wow an adventurous woman on Valentine’s Day. And that’s just one more reason to love her.

photo by Rich Moffitt

Outdoor clothes, daypacks and field organizers are sure hits gifts for adventure travelers while the tech-lovers will appreciate a waterproof digital camera, helmet cam, or electronics cases for their many gadgets. If you don’t know what your loved one already has and doesn’t have, you can’t go wrong with dry packs or a gift card to an outdoor retailer like REI.

Gift ideas for backpackers can be equally helpful for the adventure-junky in your life. A durable waterproof camera, a couple of compression sacks, or the latest in ultralight backpacking gear will surely make any backpacker or adventure traveler smile this holiday season. Most travelers will say they can never have enough gear: after multiple uses even the best-made stuff can get worn out. So forget the ugly sweaters than will get pushed to the back of the closet or the candles that are nice but impersonal and make the adventure traveler in your life happy this year with a gift that’s perfect for them.

Photo by Al_HikesAZ

Whether you grew up road-tripping with the family and camping in National Parks or if you’ve never set foot in one before, the US National Parks offer something for everyone – from hard-core hikers to those who prefer more of the comforts of home.

No matter where you live in the US, there is a National Park near you. While many people immediately think of the big parks – Yosemite, Grand Canyon, and Olympic National Park, there are so many other smaller, less known National Parks to choose from.  Pick one close to you, or pick your park based on interest – parks that offer camping, wildlife, river rafting, or even parks close to major cities so you can make day trips in and stay in comfort at night.

And if comfort is a concern for you, try glamping, or “glamorous camping” in which you bring some of the comforts of home with you to make your stay less about roughing it and more about enjoying nature in comfort and style. If you’re more concerned about your impact on the environment, skip the glamping gear and go for eco-friendly travel gear instead. Made with low environmental impact in mind, these pieces of gear allow you to immerse yourself in nature without damaging the very nature you came to see.

Photo by Al_HikesAZ

Too bulky I said. I declared you worthless in the central jungles, irrelevant on the Caribbean waters. Damn these stupid fingers and this enabling keyboard! Within hours of that foolhardy post, the rains began to pour on the Caribbean shore (and I made a note to use that clever rhyme in this apology. Having second thoughts on that now.) and I came crawling back into your arms and sturdy zipper.

I may have rejected you harshly, but you were still there for me the next mornings when the rains and chill winds refused to let up. Adding injury to the insult, I used you to keep my backside dry as we boarded a ferry to carry us to the next country. You swallowed your pride, forgot my betrayal and kept me dry. You even dried yourself with great haste using those remarkable synthetic qualities that I had so quickly forgotten.

Please find it in your polyester heart to forgive me. You are always welcome in my pack, even in an Amazonian swelter.

Fondly,

E

P.S. – Sorry about the aftermath of the drinking that one night….

- The fleece jacket. I was warned that the AC on buses can get cold enough to warrant this light, but bulky item. I´ve found that anything with long sleeves should serve the purpose.

- The inflatable pillow. I can´t sleep on a bus anyway, who was I kidding!

- The shortwave radio. Couldn´t pick up anything down here.

- The sleep sheet. Even the dingiest places here had clean sheets.

- Too many toiletries. The American obsession can be tough to break. I haven´t shaved once, but I´ve got all the equipment. And when it´s this humid, I´m not sure that Old Spice deodorant is doing me much good, either.

Just before the trip, we shelled out big for a new SLR digital camera in the hopes of capturing some print-quality images. (The wife is cultivating a professional career. ) Problem is, there’s no way that new, high-tech toy is getting anywhere near that beautiful azure blue stuff. This has had the guys over at travelgearblog and I both wondering the same thing – Is a water proof digital camera worth it? Check out the post over at TGB let us know what you think.

Now, surely anyone who spends anytime in any kind of backcountry anywhere wouldn’t be caught dead without one, but being able to quickly and easily orientate yourself even in a new town can save hours of wandering around and hoping the locals will be able to understand you and know how to help you find where you’re going. A quick flick of the wrist and you’ve located magnetic north as well as which way is which on that never-detailed-enough map in your guidebook.

Bootsnall gear offers one way to know both the time and magnorth with this compass watch. 

For something more traditional, check out the Highgear Trail Pilot. 

Also, with a few exceptions, at least one of your shoe choices should be closed toe. Unless you´re going to be on the beach for the duration of your trip and in some other environment where you know you can get away with sandals the whole time, you´ll probably regret not having a sturdy closed shoe that will keep the (pick one) snakes, broken glass, industrial material, sewage, sandflies, mosquitoes, etc..,  away from your bare skin.

Now  getting back to the main factors:

1. Length of trip: First instinct might be to bring those beaten up old tennies on your jaunt around the world. But odds are that they´re going to get beaten up more in six months of travel than in a year of usual use, so bring something that will last the duration. Use your upcoming trip as an excuse to splurge on a new pair. You don´t want to get stuck in China with a hole in your sole and in need of a Size 15. Just because they make everything there doesn´t mean you´ll be able to find it when you need it. Also consider how long you want to lug around your shoes. Be as weight efficient as possible. Bring what you need, for certain, but be mindful of what you´ll be carrying on your back for the next few months.

2. Climates  - Unless you´ll be journeying far north of the fortieth parallel or to elevations above a few thousand meters, odds are that you´ll probably spend a lot of time in Sandals. They´re cool, easy, light and can get wet without a problem. Get a good pair of Tevas or something similar with adjustable straps around the ankle and toes, flip-flops have many downfalls besides the annoying sound. For cold climates, you´ll have to weight the necessity versus weight equation again for warm boots. Experience has taught me that avoiding frostbite is generally worth the extra weight, but always look into fantastic light weight materials like Gore-Tex.

3. Activities – Again, those Sandals will come in real handy for activities where you might bet wet but dont want to be barefoot. But the main question in this category is how heavy-duty of a boot or walking shoe do you want to lug around for all the inevitable hiking you´ll end up doing. For my last six-month jaunt around Asia, I went with a solid pair of trail running shoes. More support than your average tennies, but less weight than hiking boots. For this current trip, a monther in Central America, I opted for the hiking boots for a few reasons: I had a relatively light load in the pack and could spare an extra pound or so, and the jaunt up the Volcano and through Mayan jungles would also seem to justify lugging them around.

Not surprisingly, BnA has plenty of resources to help out. A popular option is teaching English, and if that sparks your interest, TEFL Logue should be your first stop.

Also, the folks over at our Travel Gear Blog have been raving lately about this guide to short-term adventure jobs. Sounds like perfect lunch break reading – just don’t let the boss see!

• A combination lock for bags on long bus rides and other insecure places.
• Mosquito net and Permithin spray
• Spanish pocket phrasebook (because the dictionary is just too bulky)
• Homeopathic treatments for common illnesses (because Cipro is almost as nasty as diarrhea)
• Nylon zip-away, sun and mosquito repellent pants for half price. Sweet!
• Water filter refill
• Iodine and virus-killing tablets for backup
• Extra tubing for water filter (it got contaminated last time)
• Hydration tablets
• Last but certainly not least… TRAVEL INSURANCE!

Related Posts:

Adventures in Shopping for Adventure
Adventure Planning: Travel Insurance
Why you can’t Drink the Water in Mexico
A look inside my backpack – 6 month trip