REI gift ideas and gift guide 2020: Best REI gifts for the holidays

Outdoor and camping brand REI, an NBC News Shopping reader favorite, has dedicated a portion of its site to gifts: The REI Holiday Gift Guide. From affordable gifts and “nifty” ones to gifts for specific uses and activities, there are thousands of options for you to find the very best gift. REI is, of course, one of many retailers with specific gift guide hubs, among them Nordstrom, Sephora, Amazon, Walmart, Wayfair and many more.

SKIP AHEAD Best gifts at REI by category

If you’re planning to gift anyone in the coming month or two, experts have told us repeatedly to consider doing so sooner than later. As NBC News previously reported, UPS and FedEx anticipate a so-called “shipageddon,” concerned that up to 7 million packages could be delayed. In response, retailers have already started pushing early Black Friday sales and other incentives for shoppers to finalize purchases early.

“Many are speculating consumers will be plagued by out-of-stock items or late packages if they wait until typical holiday rush times to shop,” senior research analyst Jessica Young of Digital Commerce 360 previously told us. To help you find the best gifts this year, and for those specifically interested in REI’s offerings we explore below the best gift options at REI, informed by its 2020 gift guide, by price, brand and category to help you home in on the perfect gift for your giftee. Of course, one easy way to get your shopping done is by grabbing your REI-loving giftee a simple and very useful gift card.

1. BioLite HeadLamp 330

A common brand in Shopping coverage and mentioned in our gift guides, roundups of eco-friendly products and sustainable brands and a recent entrant in our New & Notable column, BioLite’s highly-rated headlamp could be a fantastic upgrade or gift for (yourself or) your outdoors-loving giftee. It allows for multiple modes, from flood light to strobe and the fabric that sits on your forehead is moisture-wicking to help with the hotter months. Promising up to 40 hours on a single charge (which uses micro USB), the HeadLamp 330 shines with 330 lumens. The headlamp has garnered a 4.5-star average rating from more than 570 reviewers at REI.

2. YETI Rambler Vacuum Bottle with Chug Cap

Another Shopping-favorite brand is YETI, whose wares have made into our monthly best buys coverage, gift guides for people who fish and the best last-minute gifts. Designed to be dishwasher-safe and completely leakproof, the highly-rated bottle is simple and minimalist in looks. You can get it in four different colors, including Stainless Steel, Black, Navy and Seafoam. The bottle cap is actually two different caps (hence the chug cap) to give you an actual bottle cap and then an internal one to make sipping much easier and less messy. The rambler has gotten a 4.5-star average rating from more than 760 reviewers.

3. Garmin Instinct Solar Special Edition GPS Watch

Another brand to show up in both our best fishing gifts and last-minute gifts is an iconic purveyor of GPS trackers. This stylish model, which sports a 4.5-star average rating from nearly 30 reviewers, comes in Surf Blue, Tactical Moss and Cloudbreak. It equips a compass, barometric altimeter and navigation via GPS, GLONASS and Galileo. It’s shock-resistant and water-resistant (up to 100 meters) and can help monitor your heart rate, estimated sleep time and pulse oxygen levels. The watch charges by solar and can last up to 50 days or so with it turned on. A serious gift, this makes the most sense for the outdoors traveler in your life.

4. REI Co-op Flexlite Air Chair

The highly-rated Flexlite Air Chair is simple: a compact and stowable folding chair that’s high-quality and durable. Its nylon seat is finished with DWR for water-resistance and it can hold up to 250 pounds. You can gift the Flexlite to anyone who moves around a lot and wants to have an easy sitting position at any time or someone who pays you social visits that are distanced and safe. You can get the Flexlite in Asphalt, Copper Spice and Muted Sage. More than 130 reviewers left it a 4.2-star average rating.

5. Goal Zero Boulder 100 Solar Panel Briefcase

We’ve covered Goal Zero plenty in the past, from our guide to solar power chargers to our guide on the best portable generators. This highly-rated solar panel briefcase fits right in — it’s gotten a 4.5-star average rating from more than 30 reviewers. The brand promises a rugged and durable solar panel for “temporary or permanent” installation. A kickstand built into the panel helps you find the perfect angle and it’s designed to connect with other panels if you plan on upping your output. The 100-Watt solar cell is built into a 25-pound body and is foldable.

To give you a more broad look at what possible gifts you can source from REI, here they are broken down by various filters for your consideration, starting with some very broad buckets.

• Best gifts at REI that are on sale
• REI’s best stocking stuffer-worthy gifts
• REI’s top ten gifts (according to REI associates)

REI has bucketed more than a thousand gifts into these use cases, some of the most popular among its shoppers.

• Best gifts for camping
• Best gifts for cycling
• Best gifts for climbing
• Best gifts for hiking
• Best gifts for running
• Best gifts for snow activities
• Best gifts for traveling
• Best gifts for water activities
• Best gifts for yoga

With more than 180 gift options fit for kids, here are some of the top-rated options.

• Co-op Cycles REV 20 Kids' Bike
• The North Face Youth Eco Trail Synthetic 20 Sleeping Bag
• Tiny Tents Tiny Tent

With 40 gift options fit for pets, here are some of the top-rated options.

• Ruffwear Front Range Dog Harness
• YETI Trailhead Dog Bed
• Ruffwear Gnawt-a-Rock Toy

With more than 60 tech gifts, here are some of the top-rated options.

• JBL Clip 3 Portable Speaker
• AfterShokz Air Headphones
• Goal Zero Yeti Lithium 500X Portable Power Station

With more than 170 gifts under $25, here are some of the top-rated options.

• Smartwool Liner Tech-Compatible Gloves
• Goal Zero Crush Light Lantern
• REVEL GEAR Trail Hound 30-foot Camping Light

With more than 200 gifts under $50, here are some of the top-rated options.

• Outdoor Research Essential Face Mask Kit
• Black Diamond Spot 350 Headlamp
• YETI Rambler Tumbler with MagSlider Lid

With more than 200 gifts under $100, here are some of the top-rated options.

• Teva Ember Moc Slippers for women
• ENO DoubleNest Printed Hammock
• REI Co-op 650 Down Jacket 2.0 for women

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