Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 12. Notice how we said that right up front? Write it down, put it in your phone — write it backward on your forehead if you have to. If you take nothing else away from this nifty gear roundup, let it be that Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 12.
Now, if you’re on the hunt for some gift ideas, you’ve come to the right place. Whether for your mom, wife, partner, or friend, one of these outdoor gifts is sure to make the outdoorsy woman in your life happy.
We’ve included six gift categories in this collection: Big-Ticket Gifts; Cozy Outdoor Apparel; Fitness and Recovery Gifts; Coffee, Wine, and Cups; Everyday and Adventure Gear; and Outdoor Accessories. No matter which gift you choose, be sure it’s accompanied by a personal touch (a card or cut flowers, whatever Mom will enjoy!).
Big-Ticket Gifts
If this Mother’s Day has cause for extra celebration, here are a couple of big gift ideas designed to bring Mom more fun and more adventure!
Tentsile Safari Vista 3-in-1 Family Tree Tent
It’s a bit of an investment, but the novelty and fun of a Tentsile tree tent is unmatched in the outdoors. We’ve tried the brand’s Stingray hanging tent on numerous occasions and love the feel of lying on the trampoline bottom of the tri-corner tent, suspended above the earth.
The multiperson Safari Vista is big enough for three adults, or two adults and two kiddos. For foul weather or cool nights, equip it with the mesh tent and rainfly. For bug-free relaxation, leave the fly and hang out in the mesh shelter. Or for quick-setup hangouts, just lie down on the suspended trampoline floor for a one-of-a-kind hammock experience.
Sea to Summit Spark Women’s Down Sleeping Bag
The Sea to Summit Spark Women’s Down Sleeping Bag is a great option for the adventurous woman who demands both lightness and warmth in her sleeping kit. Crafted with high-quality 850+ fill power goose down, it offers excellent insulation and moisture resistance, ensuring comfort in damp conditions. The ultralight 10D nylon shell with non-PFC DWR adds minimal weight to your pack, making it ideal for backpacking, hiking, and mountaineering.
With its ergonomic mummy design and thoughtful contoured hood and anti-snag zipper, the Spark Women’s Bag is designed to support restful sleep after a hard day on the trail, helping you recharge for the adventures that await.
Aventon Abound Cargo Bike / Aventon Soltera.2 Commuter
Whether Mom is young or a slightly more mature iteration of young, an e-bike is an awesome way to get outside with ease and leave the stress of driving in the helmet-mounted rearview mirror. Aventon offers a variety of commuter-focused e-bikes to suit the needs of just about any rider.
If Mom wants a do-it-all machine for running errands and joyrides alike, the Abound has loads of cargo space, a built-in computer, and integrated headlight, taillight, and turn signal lights! Or, if her rides are less chore and more fun, the Soltera.2 commuter bike presents a more traditional style with all the motor-assist fun and integrated safety features of the Abound.
Cozy Outdoor Apparel
A good piece of clothing can offer the warm familiarity of an old friend. These are some of our all-time favorite layers, and we think they’d make fine gifts for moms everywhere.
From activewear to cozy joggers, these items can help Mom enjoy her favorite activities — from surfing barrels to reading on the couch.
Patagonia Women’s R1 Air Hoodie
The R1 Air Hoodie ($169) is the ideal midlayer for high-output activity. For ski touring to rock climbing, this nifty full-zip breathes and insulates in equal measure.
Mom will surely appreciate the extended cut of the R1, which covers the entire torso and hips. Even after several decades, the R1 rules the fleece kingdom.
Ibex Performance Socks
Something strange happens to the human brain after age 20. Science hasn’t quite explained why, but at that point socks go from the worst gift ever to the most thoughtful, cherished prize a person can receive. In other words, socks are never a bad gift.
And Ibex makes some of the lightest, fluffiest performance-ready socks out there. This is merino at its best, and these socks are equally at home in a pair of slippers as they are in some trail runners. And what the heck, why not get yourself a pair and you two can match!
Paka Crew
When in doubt, go cozy for Mother’s Day. Paka Apparel surprised our editors at Outdoor Retailer and the brand has been taking the industry by storm — in a fuzzy, comforting sort of way.
The Paka Crew is every bit as plush as it looks, but it’s also breathable, light, and knit by hand. And you won’t have to baby it — Paka is an outdoors brand, so Mom can take this along on picnics and campouts without worry. Oh, did we mention it’s softer than cashmere?
Manitobah Slippers
“Appreciation, not appropriation.” That’s Manitobah’s promise — a certified B-corp, Manitobah is an Indigenous-owned and Indigenous-designed purveyor of boots, scarves, sandals, blankets, moccasins, and more.
The Métis Moccasin represents the brand’s most iconic product. Suede, fur, sheepskin footbed, and intricate beadwork combine to create slip-on that’s both beautiful and functional.
Vuori Clean Elevation Leggings
Soft, durable, and an excellent overall fit — that’s what earned Vuori’s Clean Elevation Leggings top honors in GearJunkie’s roundup of Best Leggings.
Great leggings are akin to a second skin. They’re functional and suitable for just about any activity, and their comfort means that even when it’s time to relax, Mom may not want to take them off.
Fitness and Recovery Gifts
Motherhood is physically strenuous. Carrying a small human around for 9 months is a feat of athletic endurance. And the labor certainly doesn’t end when the baby is born.
When you throw in other pursuits like running, biking, swimming, hunting, and hiking, it’s abundantly clear that moms can benefit from at-home recovery tools. These products can treat sore muscles and facilitate general wellness.
Garmin vívoactive 5
If Mom’s an on-the-go person, she’s probably equally interested in staying connected with her fitness. The vívoactive 5 has a sleep coach, monitors your inner body battery, and tracks fitness metrics for a variety of sports, including running, cycling, pool swimming, even wheelchair-based activities!
The vívoactive 5 will also control your music, contactless payments, and texts. Honestly, the full list of features takes up way too much space here — but you get it all for under $300.
Chirp Wheel Pro Massage Roller
This high-tech roller targets stiff muscles with three vibrating massage modes. The wheel’s 5-inch width is designed to fit between the shoulder blades and ease tension by elongating the spine. An outer foam layer adds comfort without sacrificing the resistance required for targeting tough knots.
The Chirp Wheel Pro is currently available for $100, or $50 off.
Turonic GM5 Massage Gun
In recent years, massage guns have become popular tools for post-workout recovery. We’ve been using the Turonic GM5 ($160) to alleviate aches and pains for several months, and, in our experience, it’s on par with any similar product on the market. And it comes at a reasonable price.
If Mom is a runner, skier, or any other type of athlete prone to soreness, she’ll appreciate the GM5’s numerous modes and attachments.
Coffee, Wine, and Cups
1000 Stories Wine
It’s wine o’clock somewhere — and while moms don’t just like wine, they almost certainly also like wine! And being GearJunkie, we found a wine that has an awesome outdoor story to go with it!
1000 Stories Wine partners with Yellowstone Forever to help preserve and protect bison and their habitat in Yellowstone National Park. We’ve personally tried a variety of the brand’s red and white offerings and can confirm they are delicious! Plus, you can shop for single bottles or join the wine club!
Stanley Quencher Mother’s Day Edition
Lest you think you’d missed the craze, Stanley has even more new colors and designs in store for its infamous Quencher bottle. The Mother’s Day Quencher H2.0 Flowstate Tumbler has some eye-catching hues and makes sure that Mom gets flowers for her big day.
And it carries all the callouts that put the Quencher on the map: cup-holder compatible, double-wall vacuum insulation, reusable straw, and three-position lid.
Grounds and Hounds Coffee Subscription
Save mom from the anxiety of the dreaded empty coffee bag. Grounds and Hounds is a pup-loving coffee company that will deliver a variety of organic and eco-friendly specialty coffee java right to her door. Plus, you can put an extra smile on her face with the knowledge that her subscription helps support K-9 rescue organizations around the country.
Klean Kanteen Rise Mug
Insulated travel mugs may seem like a dime a dozen these days, but Klean Kanteen made some waves when it shifted its line to 90% post-consumer recycled stainless steel. That’s no small feat and it’s a big deal.
As if that weren’t enough, the brand designed some really sleek, handsome options, including the 14-ounce Rise mug here. Elegant and functional, the Rise mug has been a favorite next to the campfire and at the dinner table — and it’s available in a variety of colors!
Everyday and Adventure Gear
Hatcher Pack Adventure Diaper Bag
For new moms looking to start their kids’ adventures early, here’s the pack for you! The Hatcher Pack Adventure Diaper Bag combines storage for diapers, functionality for some hiking essentials, and a front-side baby carrier, all in one.
This pack carries 40 L worth of gear, has 12 pockets, a storable waist belt, laptop sleeve, internal organization, and of course, the detachable baby carrier — suitable for kids 7-35 pounds.
Pit Viper The Italo Sunglasses
Mom doesn’t need Pit Viper sunglasses to be cool. But they certainly wouldn’t make her any less cool either. The Italo is special in that it adds tint-changing, photochromic lenses to the stylish, cat-eye frames.
Plus, for all its bombast, Pit Viper makes bomber, functional, adventure-ready eyewear. If she’s got a lil’ freak flag to fly, these are the shades she’ll need.
Gerber Assert
In the past, we’ve added gardening tools to our Mother’s Day roundup. But you know what, a good knife will do more than just prune flowers — and frankly, moms come in all shapes, sizes, and outdoor persuasions. So you should find a knife that can do just about anything.
The Gerber Assert is one of GearJunkie’s all-time faves — it’s a stellar S30V clip-point pocket knife, suited to a variety of everyday outdoor tasks. Best of all, Gerber lets you customize the blade with a message, image, or special colors. Make it extra special!
Give’r Gloves
OK, remember when we said moms do more than just garden? Well, some moms do garden — and Give’r gloves are some of the best all-around gettin’-dirty you can find. And they’ll be great for anything — inside or out — that requires handling pokey, pinchy, or generally unpleasant things.
Give’r Lightweight Gloves are full-leather cowhide, uninsulated, thin warm-weather gloves that won’t leave mom’s hands sweaty. You can even have these chore-masters specially monogrammed with her initials (or yours!).
Chrome Valencia Totepack
For the mom that tackles it all — by foot, pedal, and car — the Chrome Valencia is a sleek, versatile commuter-friendly carryall option.
The Totepack is made from 100% recycled materials, converts between backpack and tote bag, fits a laptop up to 15 inches, has external organization pockets, and water bottle sleeves. In all, the Valencia boasts up to 22 L of storage and to top it off, comes with a lifetime warranty.
How to Shop for Mother’s Day
Your mom is as unique as a sunrise. And in some ways — like, she’s the only mom that’s yours — she’s one of a kind.
So what makes your mom unique? What makes her tick? What makes her really, really smile? Only you can know those things. So this is where you should start. Consider your mother at her most happy times. Then consider the things that made them happen. That should give you a clue into the perfect Mother’s Day gift.
Next, consider her hobbies. What does your mother do for fun? Is she a hiker? A camper? Does she love to fish or take photographs? In each of those hobbies are dozens of good gifts.
Always consider items that get used up or lost. For example, if your mother is into archery or bow hunting, a box of a dozen arrows of her preferred spine, stiffness, and brand will be a welcome gift. If she’s into hiking, some camping meals, snacks, sunscreen, or even an item like a headlamp or pocket knife will always come in handy.
So your goal is to understand what she does for fun, and then find items that she either doesn’t already own or that she uses up or wears out. Therein lie the perfect gifts.
Why Trust This Author
This article is a collaboration among GearJunkie staff, which includes many sons, daughters, and a handful of mothers. We do our best to help our readers simplify their search. We also aim to provide guidance that will give your mom the best possible Mother’s Day gift.
While we do earn a small commission from products purchased through our links, we only consider our best advice here. Our leadership asks that we treat our readers as we would our friends. And yes, our friends ask us for this advice all the time. They know what we do for work! This is the same advice we offer our closest loved ones.
We hope this helps your search for the perfect gift. Happy Mother’s Day!
