Western Outdoor Times - Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!

May is when we celebrate our moms, and if your mom is the outdoors type, I've got lots of ideas for special gifts. The great thing about gifts for camping is that many of them do double or even triple duty: They're great for camping, but also for survival and for moms who are preppers. So here are a bunch of ideas for your mom, whether she camps, off-roads, hikes, hunts, preps, fishes, or all of the above.

Biolite Campstove 2 Bundle

I've written about the BioLite CampStove before because I have one and I absolutely love it. This tiny stove can run on twigs and sticks, and still let you cook with a big pan, make coffee really fast, and even charge your phone while you're doing it. When it's windy out, John and I use ours instead of a campfire because the flames are inside the cylinder and much less likely to blow around.

This new CampStove 2 Bundle includes a dynamite little KettlePot that boils water, cooks meals, and stores the CampStove when it's not in use. I wish I had one! It also includes the little USB FlexLight, which plugs into the stove for power and can light up whatever you are cooking. This thing is awesome! It's $229.95, and you get a free bag of gourmet food-safe pellets to fuel your stove as a free gift.

Your mom is sure to love these – they sure come in handy when the power goes out during those monsoon storms, too. Oh, and they have free shipping when your order is over $55.

Maglite Mother's Day Edition Flashlight

Maglite says don't let your mom drain her phone using it as a flashlight – get her a "World's Best Mom" special edition Maglite that will light clear to the end of an entire football field. The flashlight is small enough to go in her purse, but big enough to keep on the bedside table and uses two AA batteries. It has two power settings: maximum for the brightest light and a 25 percent power setting to conserve battery power for reading at night or in case of a prolonged emergency. It comes in a presentation box with batteries.

This beautiful little flashlight is just $32.95. Also available are "i<3 you mom" and "I love you Mom" in script and Mothers' Day Bundles that include brightly colored LED key chain flashlights. Plus, if you hurry you can save 30 percent on your entire order with the code MOM30.

Gamakatsu's 10/20 Dry Bags

Keeping your gear dry and dust-free is difficult sometimes whether you are riding off-road, boating, hiking, or camping. Nothing is worse than getting to the campsite to find that your jacket or your food is wet or dirty. Regular ditty and duffel bags don't cut it – you need dry bags to keep your gear clear and dry.

Dry bags can be expensive, which is why I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Gamakatu's Dry Bags are so reasonable. The 20 liter bag is only $21.16, and the 10 liter bag is just $15.52. The tops roll and clip to prevent leaks, and there is even a front zippered pocket for wallets, phones, etc. They roll down compactly to store and they have a shoulder strap so you can sling one over your shoulder and tote it down to the beach or the river.

Grayl Geopress™ Purifier

I saw these at ISE in March and I was very impressed. This little bottle makes 24 ounces of safe, clean drinking water in just eight seconds. All you do is fill up the outer sleeve, then insert and press down the inner sleeve and watch as it fills with clear, purified water. It makes any water safe to drink: removes pathogens, filters out sediment, filters out chemicals, pesticides and heavy metals, and has virtually no setup time. It also vents air while purifying and prevents cross contamination. It has comfort pads for easy pressing and the bottom is non-slip so you can use it on any surface. This is absolutely amazing.

The cartridge is rated for 350 cycles (or 65 gallons). When it starts to take 25 seconds or so to press, it's time to replace the cartridge. The shelf life of the cartridges is 10 years for an unused and airtight cartridge. They are $89.95, but if you sign up for their emails you get 10 percent off your first order. They come in four colors. Get her an extra cartridge while you're at it.

Survivor Filter

These guys have all kinds of water filtration systems, including a water bottle that you squeeze and even electric systems. The water bottle has a flow rate of 2L/minute, and all you do is fill, squeeze, and drink. It costs $40 and they say it has been tested to show 99.99% filtration removal of bacteria, parasites, VOC's, toxic chemicals, heavy metals, and unpleasant tastes and odors.

One of these replaces 426 single-use water bottles, which is great news for the planet and Mom's pocketbook.

For campouts with the whole family, prepping, or survival purposes, you can't beat the Survivor Filter™ Pro X Electric Water Filter. It's $125 and it passes the water through three separate filters. It can used directly from a fresh water source, pumped into the attached cup, or pumped into any portable hydration pack.

The whole thing weighs less than a pound and will do up to 95 gallons of water on 2 AA batteries. It will also work with a plug or a mobile charger. If Mom has a BioLite solar panel, she can use that. It's pretty cool. They've got some great stuff!

UST Brands Flexware™

John and I do a lot of camping, hunting, boating, hiking, and off-roading, and I know that most of the time, space is at a premium. We like to travel as light as possible, so I absolutely love Flexware. This stuff is awesome – the dishes, buckets, cups, bowls, etc., all collapse down like an accordion so you can stack a ton of gear in very little space.

Flexware is ideal for stowing in the camping box or taking along on the OHV. We have a dedicated Flexware bowl for Mochi's water, and there is even a Flexware coffee drip so Mom can make a cup of real coffee at the campsite.

Best of all, this stuff is really affordable. The 10 liter bucket is less than $15, the Mess Kit (two-compartment bowl) is under $13 and it comes with a utensil with a spoon on one end and a fork on the other, the coffee drip is under $5, and the bowl is less than $8. They even have a sink!

Gosun Portable Solar Oven

Maglite Mother's Day Edition Flashlight

One thing Arizona has plenty of is sunlight, so why not use some of that free energy to cook? When you're out for a weekend in the forest and you're not allowed to have a fire, Mom can use the sun to cook dinner. The GoSun Portable Solar Oven weighs just two pounds, reaches a max temperature of 550 degrees, cooks most meals in 20-30 minutes, and can even boil 14 ounces of water, using just the sun. GoSun also has solar coolers, solar panels, solar lights – you get the drift.

The GoSun Portable Solar Oven only costs $139. One of these isn't just for camping – Mom can use it on picnics, for summer days when she doesn't want to heat up the house by turning on the oven, even on the boat! Perfect for Arizona moms.

What Every Mom Wants

Time with the people she loves is high up on every mom's wish list, so make time for your mom this year. It doesn't have to be on Mothers' Day – you can give her a homemade gift certificate good for one hike together, a camping trip, a fishing trip – whatever. No matter where you take her, Mom will love it because you're there and she loves you. Happy Mothers' Day!