The Best New Giftable Outdoor Magazines of 2024

Photo Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailer

Over the past five years of working as a writer and editor for Nature, I’ve noticed a number of new, independent print publications – many of which would make great gifts, especially if there’s a person in your life who loves being in moved by nature. These magazines feel more tailored and specific than general outdoor publications, delving deeply into topics like skiing, climbing, backpacking and travel, while also exploring aspects that feel strange, new and refreshing.

Some of them contain detailed stories about life in the Mountain West, some feature adventure sports photography on huge prints (making them seem more like coffee table books), and still other titles have recently been revived after being out of print for decades, while several are only available in printed form. Here are some titles that caught my eye this year.

Mountain indicator first published in the 1960s, discontinued in 1979 and republished in 2020 when publisher Mike Rogge bought the rights to publish the title for the price of a beer. If the story takes place in a mountain town, that’s not a problem Mountain indicator – and part of what makes this magazine remarkable is the physical size. It’s printed on 11″ x 17″ matte paper, with photos sometimes spread across two pages, so it’s quite visually impressive and feels like you’re flipping through a stack of posters (and actually, there are a lot of them). buy). earlier covers than prints). It is published twice a year, in spring and autumn, and its stories are only available in printed form.

The stories in Adventure diary — which started as a blog in 2008 and is now published quarterly – reminds me of my favorite travel stories from the past National Geographic problems. They touch on every part of the world (I never thought I’d learn about Slovenia’s most important mountain peak – and now hiking it is on my bucket list) but feel carefully curated.

This reader-supported, quarterly magazine is my favorite magazine that covers everything backpacking, from travel inspiration and thru-hiking culture to wise commentary on public lands issues and in-depth reviews of outdoor gear. What particularly stands out to me Hiking trails is his serious approach to the way backpacking is treated. Each story contains practical insights that read like advice from a Friend for a new trip you’re about to take, be it a local out-and-back or the Appalachian Trail. Some pages I dog-eared in a recent issue included details about a secret wilderness area in the Adirondacks and a recipe for spicy Japanese curry.

Climbing photography – which can include shots of large walls, close-ups of small, intricate granite holds, and mountain panoramas – looks best when presented in large format Summit Journal. (summit was the first monthly climbing and mountaineering magazine in the USA and is now published twice a year Summit Journal.) While it’s not quite the same as seeing the Winds or the Bugaboos in person, it’s still full of inspiration for future trips.

Ori is a new bi-annual travel magazine, the first issue of which was published just last year. Instead of following the old formula of sending correspondents to far away places and reporting to them, Ori hires local writers and photographers to tell his stories, like this article about the Afrobeat scene in Lagos, which I really enjoyed and which was documented by Nigerian photographers and writers. (There’s even a scannable QR code that links to a curated Afrobeats playlist.)

That’s not exactly a new Publication as it has been in print since 1992, but The surfer diary is the gold standard for those interested in surfing (or reading about the people who do). Unlike other surfing publications TSJ It’s not always about documenting hard-working surfers doing their aerials. I like that it takes a slower, more holistic approach to storytelling, ranging from long pieces to photo essays to undiscovered breaks to profiles of board shapers and forgotten surfing legends. TSJ Often there are stories that focus on different eras of surfing’s rich history and are accompanied by slideshows full of archival photos. (I once got a surfing lesson in Hawaii from an instructor on Waikiki Beach, and a few months later I spotted him in my copy in an old photo from the 1970s along with other notable Hawaiian surfers TSJ.)

Ski culture has influenced the art, fashion and style worlds, but ski media has not always shown how it works the other way around and how art can influence skiing. Tough package Editor and founder Zach Seely wanted to show this in this new bi-annual ski magazine. He grew up skiing in Utah, but found that the ski industry primarily produced two images of the sport: a gritty mountain-town vibe and a bougie, elitist approach—and, as I’ve observed, often a mix of both. Tough package is a refreshing read as it looks at ski culture through a more artistic lens.

Produced in Brooklyn, Victory diary is equal parts Vice and what I would imagine the print version of an ESPN to be 30 for 30 what a documentary would look like. I enjoy flipping through the heavy, 11-by-17-inch pages, where massive amounts of athletes frozen in motion sit alongside stories of players excelling in competition at every level, from the NCAA to the Olympics. One of my favorite articles in a recent issue was about the Icelandic football scene.

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