Looking for some guidance on gift ideas for boys this Hanukkah? We’ve compiled a solid list of gifts for this holiday season that’s bound to include something perfect for the young man or men you’re shopping for. We’ve included some neat new gadgets, outdoor gear and some cool apparel in order to hit all the bases — there’s something here for every kind of kid!
1. Holy Stone 1080P Camera Drone RC Quadcopter with 120° Wide-Angle HD Camera
Holy Stone
Does your favorite young man have an interest in remote controlled devices and/or photography? Here’s an awesome drone that combines the two hobbies into one! This is a great value for a beginner to intermediate skill level drone. It’s a good entry level model for newcomers to learn how to operate a drone and also a pretty righteous and highly capable drone for those who already have some experience. For a top of the line, advanced level drone check out the seriously impressive DJI Phantom 3 Professional Quadcopter. This model by Holy Stone comes with a high quality 1080P camera for taking video that can be switched out with a Go-Pro if preferred. It’s capable of some pretty righteous footage and would be a lot of fun to fly around anywhere from the neighborhood to the great outdoors. There’s all sorts of fun applications for a camera-compatible drone that will ensure you never get bored with it. All in all, this is a seriously cool gift that will no doubt be the talk of this year’s Hanukkah!
Price: $199.99 & Free Shipping
Buy the Holy Stone 1080P Camera Drone RC Quadcopter with 120° Wide-Angle HD Camera here.
2. Boombotix Weatherproof Bluetooth Speaker
Boombotix
Are you shopping for a music lover? This powerful little bluetooth speaker by Boombotix will ensure whoever you’re shopping for always has music on hand. This portable, weatherproof speaker sounds really great for the size and cost — and you won’t be disappointed with how tough this little boom-box is. I purchased this speaker over a year ago last summer, and it has played countless hours of music for me. The powerful clip on the backside of the speaker makes it easily attached to a backpack strap or anywhere really. I take mine fishing and to the beach on a regular basis and it sees a lot of splash and a lot of sand — but nothing has stopped it yet. This would make a great gift for anyone who loves the freedom to jam out anywhere but is hard on their belongings….AKA most young men. On a full charge the Boombot speaker will play music for around eight hours — pretty killer battery life if you ask me. If whoever you’re shopping for doesn’t have a Bluetooth compatible music device then fear not, you can use the auxiliary plug. This speaker can even be “daisy-chained” to other Boombotix speakers for more volume output. All in all, if you want to give the gift of bringing music along anywhere, definitely check out this tough, dependable and LOUD speaker by Boombotix. On a final note — I purchased mine for $60 at RadioShack last year and consider it some of the best money I’ve ever spent considering the use it’s gotten, so Amazon’s price of $16 seems almost unreasonable for such a sweet little unit!
Price: $18.49 — $24.99
Buy the Boombotix Weatherproof Bluetooth Speaker here.
3. Phantom Aquatics Panoramic Scuba Mask Snorkel Set
Phantom Aquatics
Having a mask and snorkel to do some free diving can be really fun. It’s a great gift for young men who have a passion for exploration and an interest in aquatic life and the underwater world. Depending on where you’re located, there may be a lot to look at underwater at your favorite beach, lake or stream. When visibility is good, it’s like entering a whole different world with a nice mask on. This snorkel and mask set by Phantom Aquatics is a great value, and honestly a pretty decent option for serious scuba divers as well. I myself am a certified diver and prefer a single lens design rather than masks that separate the lens for each eye. By having only one lens, your field of vision is more fluid and not split by a divider. Furthermore, the lens on this mask curves around the side housing in order to give you a truly panoramic view. The mask material is silicone, and customer reviews give the comfortability rating a thumbs up. I was taught to always rub regular toothpaste on the inside of a new mask lens before initially using it in order to ensure the mask wont fog up on you. The toothpaste removes the residues left over from manufacturing that can cause your mask to fog up. The snorkel here is pretty standard, but it does include a purge valve which is a nice feature. At $35 this set is a great buy and with the proper care (make sure to rinse with fresh water after use in the ocean!) it should last for years of underwater exploring. This is a gift that any underwater enthusiast would love to own and also has potential to inspire a new interest and hobby for the amateur free diver.
Price: $34.99 & Free Shipping (42 percent off MSRP)
Buy the Phantom Aquatics Panoramic Scuba Mask Snorkel Set here.
4. Winner Outfitters Double Camping Hammock
Winner Outfitters
Hammocks are a big up and coming outdoor item these days, and for good reason. A good hammock packs small, can be set up in a variety of places and is fun and relaxing to casually lay out and swing on! It’s a fun thing to have for use in the backyard, the wilderness or anywhere really! This hammock has a whopping 500 pound weight limit, and claims to provide plenty of space for two people. The 210T nylon parachute fabric employed in its design is what allows this hammock to be both strong and light. Winner Outfitters includes two tree friendly straps and carabiners with this hammock so it comes ready to rock. At $27, this is a very reasonably priced hammock, and customer reviews insist the quality is adequate. Winner Outfitters also offers a single hammock if you find the double is a bit excessive.
Price: $26.99 & Free Shipping (61 percent off MSRP)
Buy the Winner Outfitters Double Camping Hammock here.
5. Makanu Mahogany Soprano Ukulele with Gig Bag
Makanu
Some boys just love to noodle around on a guitar. For the musician who finds it hard to be without instrument — this ukulele by Makanu is a great item to own for playing on the go. This is one of the higher reviewed ukes on the market, and it comes at a very reasonable cost. It’s a 21 inch soprano ukulele with 12 frets that’s paired with white nylon strings and silver geared tuners. The body and neck are mahogany and covered with a clear, high gloss finish. If one of the boys in your circle is a talented string player, they might get a big kick out of owning this little instrument for jamming anywhere, anytime. This little guy conveniently comes with a carry bag so you can avoid getting the thing too beat up and dirty when you’re traveling with it. As far as small, cheaper ukuleles go, this model has the best reviews for staying in tune and for ease and comfort of play.
Price: $39.95 & Free Shipping
Buy the Makanu Mahogany Soprano Ukulele with Gig Bag here.
6. Celestron 127EQ PowerSeeker Telescope
Celestron
Are there any young men in your life who have an interest in the night sky? Here’s a great telescope for the amateur or aspiring astronomer. This 127mm aperture and 1000mm focal length telescope is a great option for an affordable and easy to use first telescope. There’s no tools required for assembly with this one, so putting it together out of the box is a breeze. It’s essentially as simple as connecting the tripod to the telescope, and then attaching the desired eyepiece — piece of cake. The PowerSeeker 127EQ includes a 3x Barlow lens which triples the magnifying power of each lens. There’s two eyepieces included, their focal lengths are 4mm and 20mm. Celestron even includes some free software with this telescope that you can use to learn and locate thousands of celestial objects. It’s 17 pounds, so this telescope is pretty easy to travel with. There’s a two year limited warranty included on this unit so you can buy in confidence. Celestron offers an accessory kit for their PowerSeeker line if you want to expand this telescope’s abilities a bit. For the beginner astronomer, the idea behind this unit is to not waste any time learning to view the night sky in detail. A gift like this is fascinating to master and will never get old — it could very well inspire a new found passion for astronomy!
Price: $107.95 & FREE Shipping (36 percent off MSRP)
Buy the Celestron 127EQ PowerSeeker Telescope here.
7. Forum Novelties Men’s Lite-Up Menorah Chanukah Sweater
Forum Novelties
Here’s a silly gift that’s bound to see some wear at this year’s holiday party and beyond. Gift this one early on this Hanukkah so it can see some use. This 100% polyester sweater is a head turner for sure — the menorah candles light up or can be switched to a blinking mode. You’ll have to gently hand wash this one so don’t toss it in the wash. According to customer reviews this is actually a pretty comfortable sweater, so this can be worn for fun as well as for being cozy this December.
Price: $21.09 – $42.49 & Free Returns
Buy the Forum Novelties Men’s Lite-Up Menorah Chanukah Sweater here.
8. GoPro HERO5 Black Action Camera With Adventure Kit
Beach Camera
The newer GoPro cameras are pretty incredible. Whether or not the boy you’re shopping for is into action sports or outdoor adventure, this is a fantastic camera for just about any purpose. The “Ready for Adventure” kit includes the GoPro Hero5 Camera, 64GB microSD card, card wallet, card reader, camera cloth, selfie stick, an HDMI cable, cleaning kit and even a camera case! It’s all there! GoPro’s are totally waterproof and super compact, so they’re great cameras for underwater photography, action sports and even nature photography and videography. You can really get creative with your GoPro and use it for capturing all sorts of unique footage. This is a great value bundle pack with everything you need to get going. Operating a GoPro is pretty darn easy so this will make a great gift for boys at pretty much all ages. A good camera is an investment for sure — this model is bound to last for years of capturing awesome footage. The newest model GoPro (the GoPro 6) has even better stats concerning image quality and stabilization and even has voice controlled settings. If you’re shopping for an action camera enthusiast then definitely give the newest GoPro a look.
Price: $429.00 & FREE Shipping
Buy the GoPro HERO5 Black Action Camera With Adventure Kit here.
9. Spikeball Game Set
Spikeball
Are you trying to find a gift for a highly active young man? If you’ve been to the beach or park lately, you very well may have seen some groups playing Spikeball. I see this game played all over, and at first I thought it looked kind of silly. When I finally got a chance to play I immediately understood why this game has become so popular. It’s very comparable to volleyball in how its played — with two people on each team. The game is super high energy and fast paced — a great activity if you want some rowdy competition with friends. The game conveniently breaks down into a carry bag that is worn as a light backpack — so it’s a lot less intensive than bringing a volley ball net to your picnic or beach day fun. This is a truly exciting group game without the hassle of lugging anything too cumbersome that’s sure to become a hit. Rivalries are bound to ignite and tournaments will likely ensue on a regular basis with Spikeball around…definitely a ton of fun for boys of all ages.
Price: $59.99 & FREE Shipping (25 percent off MSRP)
Buy the Spikeball Game Set here.
10. COR Waterproof Dry Bag Roll — Top Backpack
COR Surfboard Racks
This dry bag style backpack by COR could be just what the young man in your life needs! It offers all the benefits of a traditional dry bag, but really strives to provide the comfort and storage capacity of a good backpack. This is a pack that will actually float if dropped in the water — it could be perfect for rafting, paddle boarding and other watersports. There’s an interior padded laptop sleeve so you can stow your electronics knowing they will be both dry and secure. The air mesh padded back panel and shoulder straps create pretty good lumbar support, so this pack is a fine option for doing some serious hiking as well. It’s challenging finding a true dry bag that will also behave and operate like a nice backpack, so this pack really has it going on. Reflective patches on the front of the pack also add to its safety stats when riding a bicycle at night or if trying to signal for help. Perhaps the best feature that’s bound to come in handy is the large water resistant zip side pocket, allowing you to effectively organize the contents in this pack. If you’re gift buying for someone who spends a lot of time out in the elements, the gift of dry gear is bound to go over well!
Price: $49.99 & Free Shipping (44 percent off MSRP)
Buy the COR Waterproof Dry Bag Roll-Top Backpack here.