Buying gifts for hikers isn’t as easy as you might think. I mean, chances are they’ve already got the basics covered – hiking boots, a hydration pack, hiking pants – and if you’re not an avid hiker yourself, it can be difficult to know what to actually buy them.
Like, aren’t they just going outside and … walking a lot? How much stuff do they actually need?!
Well, as the unofficial representative for People Who Hike, let me be the first to say: WE LOVE GEAR. We love gear so much. We love studying up on it and measuring it and weighing it and testing it and testing it again and making weirdly specific decisions about it and doing more studying/research and then returning it and buying something else and then testing THAT. And on and on and on.
Hiking gear is a hobby. It’s an addiction.
Sure, Grandma Gatewood may have casually strolled outside to hike the entire Appalachian Trail at age 60 with a sack thrown over one shoulder and a pair of crappy tennis shoes on her feet (bless her, she was a queen) but these days, a solid chunk of us are more like the guy at the gear store who completely overwhelmed Bill Bryson in A Walk in the Woods. For anyone who’s curious: yes, hiking-related pop culture references are pretty much the only ones I actually ever “get.” Please direct your non-hiking-related pop culture references to my husband. Thank you.
What I’m trying to say here is: there is LOTS of stuff you can buy the hiker in your life. So we picked out all of the things that we wish someone would buy US for Christmas this year (hint hint, fam).
Here’s how to shower your friend/family member/loved one in hiking shwag without breaking the bank (because like … you love them, but you don’t $200 pair of hiking boots love them, ya know?).
Table of Contents
Psst: Looking for more gift guides? Here are a few suggestions for everyone on your list!
- 50 Perfect Gifts for Every Type of Travel Lover (& for Yourself)
- 30 Eco-Friendly Gifts for Travelers: Sustainable Gift Guide
- 6 Super Practical Gifts for Coffee Snobs who Travel
Gifts that Every Hiker Actually Needs
Sometimes you just want to get someone something they really NEED. It’s like how my mom always got me socks and underwear for Christmas growing up, and I didn’t realize how much I relied on that annual haul until I graduated college and, for the first time in my life, had to buy my OWN socks and underwear.
My childhood ended right there, in the intimates section at Target. It was a sad day.
So go on: buy your loved one an incredibly useful, highly practical gift – because it’s just SO much more special that way!
Ah yes, socks: the best gift ever that nobody really appreciates until they’re a grown-up.
Socks are actually a crucial tool in a hiker’s arsenal – the wrong socks can ruin your hike with blisters, sweaty feet, or just an irritating hole 10 miles into an otherwise enjoyable hike – not to mention that lovely post-hike odor. So don’t get your loved one the wrong socks. Get them the BEST socks for hiking: wool socks made by Darn Tough. Wow, is it just me or do I sound like I’m a rugged outdoorsy dude with a massive beard starring in a commercial for socks?
These cult favorites are so rugged and long-lasting it’s literally their name, and merino wool is surprisingly versatile and hands down the best material for hiking clothing in EVERY season. Pick up a pair of Women’s Socks or Men’s Socks.
50% of hiking is actually just eating trail snacks. The other 50% is dreaming about what you’re going to eat after your hike. Hiking turns your body into a calorie burning, fuel craving MACHINE, and there’s no better excuse to stuff yourself silly with hiking snacks (BECAUSE YOU CAN).
So get your loved one some totally extra snacks for their next hike, like a freeze-dried ice cream sandwich, dried chile mango, an “energy” Stroopwafel, or moscow mule gummies (they’re way easier than carrying cocktail kits up a mountain).
I’m going to be brutally honest with you: I’ve only cleaned my hydration pack a few times over the last several years, and it’s horrifyingly grimy.
I was all ready to throw in the towel and just buy a brand new bag to hold the 100oz of water I take with me on every hike (because I’m a camel) but then I discovered these cleaning tablets! They magically clean out even the grimiest of water bottles and hydration bladders (yes, they’re called bladders) – with no scrubbing required.
I’m buying like 8 of these and stuffing them into my own stocking this year.
Listen, I get it: bug repellant is not exactly the most romantic-sounding gift. But you know what? It’s the kind of insanely useful gift that gives over and over again, namely via a distinct lack of itchy misery.
Here’s why this particular bug repellant is gift-worthy. Most insect repellents give you an unpleasant oily feeling you get after applying them, an icky hacking cough you develop after spraying them, and that skin-burning feeling you get after applying 100000% chemicals to your skin.
But there is ONE insect repellant that avoids these pitfalls, and it’s this amazing lightweight bug repellant lotion. You rub it into your skin and it absorbs crazy fast with no oily residue. It lasts all day. The coverage is amazing. It doesn’t smell disgusting and it’s never made my skin burn.
I love it, and we take it with us on every backpacking trip.
This is one of our tried and tested travel essentials and we’ve noticed that we tend to get a LOT fewer bites than our travel companions! Gift your loved one a bottle of this and let them know we swear by it.
Is that a bear? Or a moose? Or an owl? Without a pair of lightweight, pocket-sized binoculars, you may never know! Binoculars turn an ordinary hike into a cool nature scavenger hunt.
Although I’ve mocked my mom’s birding hobby for my entire life, now that I’m in my 30s I find myself reaching for her binoculars every time we go on a hike together and saying things like “ah yes, I see the snowy underbelly and bright plumage” and then going home and looking up birds on my bird identification app and then building them little birdhouses and putting out little birdfeeders for them and oh god, I’ve actually turned into my mom.
Gifts for Hikers from Worriers
If you’re prone to worry and anxiety (hello, hi, I know you can’t see me my both of my hands just shot straight up) you’re probably the sort of person who expresses their love and care through anxiously preparing their loved ones for the absolute worst.
Anxiety is totally a love language, and hiking definitely veers into “probably NOT dangerous, but like … it totally COULD be” territory.
Like, I know your friend or family member or loved one probably knows WTF they’re doing, but you also just read about someone dying in some park somewhere so now you’re incredibly concerned about their safety.
Totally understandable, and also, you would really get along with my parents, you guys have a lot in common.
Here’s how to mask your anxiety in some legitimately useful gifts that any hiker will appreciate!
Every hiker should bring a first aid kit with them on every hike, whether they’re going for 3 miles or 13. This compact little Day Hike First Aid Kit has all the basics for a day hike from bandages to antiseptic wipes.
If you take your emergency preparations one step further, in addition to a first aid kit, every hiker should also have some necessities covered just in case: a way to start a fire, emergency shelter, and back-up navigation.
REI actually recommends 10 essentials for any adventure into the backcountry, but if I had to drill it down to 3 for even the most casual hiker, it would be those.
The Sol Survival Medic Kit is about the size of an altoid tin and includes must-have essentials for fire-starting, water purification, and gear repair.
Weighing a mere 6.1 ounces, this tiny little kit is one of the most useful things you can give to any hiker!
An entire survival kit built into one little bracelet?! How nifty is that?!
The bracelet itself is woven from paracord – a must-have in any emergency kit – and includes a built-in compass, flashlight, and firestarter – PLUS tiny little tools like a knife and saw blade!
Remembering to bring along a few just-in-case tools is as easy as sliding this onto your wrist.
In this one tiny tool, you get a loud whistle, a thermometer, a magnifying lens, an LED light, a signal mirror and a compass with a glow-in-the-dark dial. Talk about value: this gift PACKS in usefulness.
A whistle is a crucial emergency item for anyone venturing into the backcountry (for both location and wildlife reasons – actually, don’t think too hard about it, it’ll just stress you out) and the other bonus functions all add that “absolute last resort that I hope you never, ever need… but just in case” flair.
Imagine hiking to the top of a very tall peak only to be greeted by a giant, looming storm cloud heading RIGHT toward you. For hikes at a high elevation or in the mountains, storms are a major concern – and it’s crucial to know how much time you have and how bad it’s going to be to make a game plan. Unfortunately, your phone often doesn’t have service in those scenarios.
Enter this solar-powered radio, which also doubles as a flashlight and phone charger. The rechargeable battery provides up to 10 hours of light or 4-6 hours of radio broadcast, so you can latest updates about the weather. Or, you know, just to jam out to your favorite tunes. That’s fine too.
You just clip this lil’ guy on your pack to charge up in the sun, but in a pinch there’s also hand crank (or you can just charge it before your hike with the USB cable, but where’s the fun in that?)
Hiking wisdom dictates that you should have backups of some of the essentials, including fire and water. I personally recommend bringing 2-3 backups, because I am constantly on the verge of an anxiety attack at any given moment.
So, I always carry a little pack of stormproof matches with me. Stormproof matches are way more rugged than the puny matches that you can pick up at a restaurant – they’ll light even after being submerged in water.
This tiny little kit keeps them safe in a little waterproof container, includes extra strikers JUST IN CASE, and even floats in water. Dang, that’s handy.
These amazing little lifesavers allow you to drink even the dirtiest puddle safely, thanks to an incredibly advanced purification system that also somehow weighs only 2oz.
I once saw an in-person LifeStraw demonstration where the rep drank from a bowl of water with a few handfuls of dirt thrown in, and it was like watching a freakin’ magic show. This has a permanent place in my day pack as an emergency back-up plan in case I ever run out of water.
Running out of water on a hike is my personal worst nightmare: I’m like a camel, if I don’t drink enough water I just like… deflate. Wait, is that … not what happens when camels don’t drink enough water?
Anyway, in the vein of having multiple backups of the things I need to survive, I keep plenty of these water purification tablets on hand, tucked into various pockets.
They make a great backup-backup plan – and they weigh next to nothing. Your loved one will be hella glad to find a few of these stuffed into their day bag if they ever need them.
As someone who has had the terrifying and miserable experience of misjudging the length of time I needed for a hike and being stuck out in the wilderness after dark, let me tell you, I will NEVER go hiking without a headlamp ever again. Jeremy and I thank our lucky stars that we had ours on us during our disastrous Cataract Falls hike, because otherwise we would have been completely stranded in the dark overnight in Northern California (aka bear territory).
But armed with our headlamps, we were able to continue hiking – carefully – back to our car and made it out safely. After that experience, we highly encourage everyone to bring a headlamp, even on a casual day hike!
Not Sexy but Very Practical Gifts for Hikers
Hiking isn’t exactly the sexiest sport. It’s rare that someone finishes a hike smelling fresh and looking like a snack (more likely looking FOR a snack, tbh). This section of gifts acknowledges the unsexy truth about being a bada$$ hiker and helpfully provides some incredibly practical tools that they will absolutely use.
For non-hikers: I’m going to attempt to delicately dance around grossness here, but let’s just say we’ll be solving some very basic human needs in the great outdoors.
Also, fun fact: “Not Sexy but Very Practical” is also a great way to describe literally everything about me. Badum-ssh. Sorry, I had to. Because practical is in the name of the blog. See? Making bad jokes and then explaining them – definitely NOT sexy. OK, moving on.
Ever looked down and realized with horror that you’re knee-deep in a plant whose name begins with the word “poison?” Yeah. Us too.
Be a bro and help your hiker friend avoid an itchy fate! This is a super inexpensive stocking stuffer way that’s too useful to pass up.
- Toilet Kit
Look, we did say this wasn’t the sexy section. Here’s the thing: every hiker, at some point, is going to have to do their business out in the wilderness. And that is actually not the easiest, nor most pleasant, experience, especially if you’re a woman – let’s just say that the physical mechanics of this particular maneuver are not the easiest to get the hang of.
Having a toilet kit consisting of a handy little toilet paper dispenser and a cat-hole trowel (for efficient, way-less-icky, leave-no-trace compliant digging) plus biodegradable cleaning wipes to make the whole situation a lot less… sh**y. Hey, I said I wouldn’t be gross, I didn’t say I wouldn’t make awful jokes.
If you’re feeling especially generous, gift your favorite lady hiker a handy pStyle and a cute little carrying case! What you’re really giving her is the freedom to go whenever, wherever – without having to do a balancing-while-holding-several-layers-of-clothing act. And that’s priceless.
From the back of your heel to your inner thighs to your … *ahem* posterior cleft, most serious hikers will experience unpleasant chafe at SOME point in their life.
Buy them this little stick of balm and they’ll think of you every time they narrowly avoid a rash. Aww, how sweet.
No matter how well broken in your hiking boots or trail runners are, blisters are still a looming possibility, and they have the power to turn a pleasant hike into a painful slog.
Save your loved one the misery of hiking through the pain with these handy blister bandages! They’ll think of you with gratitude every single time they get a blister.
In most places, going outdoors is like sending a DM to the head of Ticks United Inc. and saying “u up?”
Ticks are an inevitable fact of an outdoorsy life, and they’re … not pleasant. Enter this nifty tick remover, which is hands-down the least gross way and most effective to remove a tick – and for the curious, scientific sort, you can even send the offending bug in to get tested for lyme disease.
Trust me: this tiny little tool is CLUTCH for an adventurer.
Extremely Cool Gifts for Hikers (Not Necessarily for Hiking)
Not every hiking gift has to be super practical. There’s definitely something to be said for rad hiker schwag that your loved one could never justify buying on their own but is stoked AF to receive from somebody else.
Whether it’s unnecessary luxuries for the trail or stuff to help ease their craving for backcountry adventures while they’re sitting in an office, here are some gifts that are totally rad, but not necessarily useful. Look, sometimes even practical people like me want unnecessary stuff.
This will do literally nothing for your friend’s hiking performance, but it will make their daypack look really cool and earn them mad hiker cred.
Pick up a patch or pin featuring their favorite National Park, the thru-hike they’ve been section hiking for years, or maybe just a lil’ something that says “I’ve been an REI member since before you were born.” OK no, it doesn’t LITERALLY say that, but that’s definitely the message it sends.
This waterproof pen and notebook allows your friend or loved one to write their deepest, most self-reflective thoughts – and the quotes that will surely show up on future Instagram posts – IN THE POURING RAIN. How cool is that?!?!?!
Plus, the pen has the word “space” in it. Space is cool, ’nuff said.
Covered with mountains an inspiring quote that a life outdoors is a life well lived, this gorgeous mug is a wonderful reminder that there’s a big, beautiful world outside just waiting to be explored!
geous mug is a wonderful reminder that there’s a big, beautiful world outside just waiting to be explored!
And sometimes – like at 4am before a particularly grueling sunrise hike – that’s really all you need. Well, and a lid so you can take your coffee to go. This mug has both.
- A Good Book
One thing that always makes me inspired to get outside and hike is reading about other people getting outside and hiking. I have a whole shelf in my apartment dedicated to books written by or about other adventurers, and when I’m feeling lazy, I pull one down from the shelf and find myself lacing up my hiking boots a few hours later!
From memoirs like Wild – which made all of us feel like we were capable of thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail – to educational how-to manuals like The Field Guide to Wilderness Survival or The Great Outdoors: A User’s Guide, a book is the perfect gift for your friend or loved one to enjoy at home, preferably with a National Parks mug of hot tea sitting next to them. Oooh, I totally just described my favorite way to spend a wild Friday night.
So, I had a tough time picking a category for this gift, because they ARE pretty useful, but also there’s never been a moment on a hike where I was like “man, I really wish I had a Swiss Army Knife right now” that didn’t involve some combination of cheese and salami.
So, are they a necessity? No. Are they cool and genuinely useful? Totally.
Because if I DID have a Swiss Army Knife – especially this one, which has a knife, a bottle opener, AND a corkscrew – I’d probably chuck a whole block of cheese, a 6-pack, and a bottle of wine into my pack just because I COULD.
So enable your loved one’s summit picnics and get them an adorably literal Swiss Army Knife, or this cute version featuring a lil’ camping scene! Who knew Swiss Army Knives could be so cute?!
When All Else Fails …
Just stick a $25 REI Gift Card in your loved one’s stocking. It’s like, the BEST gift you can give – the excitement of their very own REI shopping spree! Just remember to pass along the link to this post to help them spend that sweet, sweet cash 😉
Are you ready to make it rain hiking gear? Which item are you most excited to buy for your friend – or for yourself? We don’t judge. Drop us a comment below!
Psst: Looking for more gift guides? Here are a few suggestions for everyone on your list!
- 50 Perfect Gifts for Every Type of Travel Lover (& for Yourself)
- 6 Super Practical Gifts for Coffee Snobs who Travel
- 30 Eco-Friendly Gifts for Travelers: Sustainable Gift Guide
- 28 Totally Unnecessary Travel Gifts (That You’ll Low-Key Want)
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Disclaimer: This post was created in partnership with REI. All opinions, recommendations, awful jokes, and hiking-related pop culture references are 100% our own and totally not their fault. Partnering with REI was a dream come true for us – they’re an INCREDIBLE company and we’ve been REI members for years. I even have some still-great REI gear passed down to me from my grandmother, who is a certified bada$$. We love them!
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I hope someone would give me that ‘if all else fails’. 😀
Right?! Or maybe like 25 of those 😛
Ugh. Yes! Been looking for this post for a while now. I love hiking, so does my partner. Thanks for your suggestions. I hope I can surprise her this Christmas with the best gift for hikers 😉
Protein….stroopwaffles??? This *post* is a freaking gift. Bookmarking for subtle forwarding to family when the time is right.
Hahaha right?! Thank you for sharing my excitement about Stroopwafels in any/every form <3
Aw, this is a great post! Wished I had it couple of weeks ago because I was struggling to buy a gift for my boyfriend’s mom (she’s a keen hiker). At least I’ll have some good ideas for christmas 😉 thanks for sharing some really good suggestions- probably the insect repellent lotion! Didn’t know a lotion version existed 😮
YES and it’s fantastic! Def bookmark for Christmas, you’ll totally get some girlfriend points 😉
Bodyglide Anti-Chafe Balm!!! I’ve needed that for years. Add to cart now. Re: lifestraw. I bought one, but it’s really hard to drink from. Either I’m doing something wrong, or you have to have extraordinary sucking abilities..which I don’t have 🙁
Hmmmmm I don’t know! I have a bunch of Lifestraw products but I don’t use the straw as often as I use the water bottle, which is basically just a lifestraw stuck into a water bottle 😛 It does take a bit of work but maybe you need to clean yours out and flush some stuff through? I also have this syringe lookin’ thing that helps to clear it out. I would probably do some research and see if that’s normal because I don’t think it’s supposed to be THAT difficult :-/ maybe get in touch with Lifestraw and see if they’ll send you a replacement?
I LOVE GEAR! Travel and hiking gear I’m all in! Before I went to Peru, I kept reading about Darn Tough socks and I had a bit of sticker shock. So I only purchased one pair. I wore them for the first time on my 5 day hike to Machu Picchu. I wore them every single day. On day 4, I thought it might be time to change them because they’d gotten wet crossing a river the day prior and hadn’t dried…so I did.. Within an hour I had blisters in the other socks I had…. I immediately put the Darn Tough socks back on and donated the other socks to the next hostel…. never looking back!
Wow – I just wrote a lot about socks…
OH YEAH they’re the BEST. They really are worth the price! They last for freakin’ ever, too. I love them! Put them on your Christmas gift for sure. Getting socks for Christmas is the besttttt.
The 6 function whistle sounds awesome! Thanks for the new ideas!
Always here to help people pack their wish lists full of new goodies 😛
Thanks so much! This post is so comprehensive and useful, especially with the Christmas season coming up!
I had a tick twice on my last Africa trip and in the MOST unfortunate places ever. Just thought I’d share and make you laugh. Great post and you’ve given me some great ideas! For myself….lol
That sounds … traumatizing D: I’m lucky that we don’t have ticks here in California – but also I’ve totally gotten out of the habit of doing a tick check after a hike, which isn’t great lol
Great post! I love your humour and writing style, and this guide is thoughtful and useful.
Well thank you Emma!
So I was just in REI today testing the shoes you recommended in your travel shoes article, and now this?! I’m unemployed, Lia, what are you thinking writing this at this time?
For real though, I’ve never heard of permethrin spray and I am VERY intrigued. I hate bug spray so much that I will most often choose to be bit, and then I’m gross and scabby for the next 2 weeks because I have no self control with not itching. Does it wash out?
LMAO well the good news is everything is on sale for the next 2 weeks so at least your money will stretch a lil’ further 😛 As for permethrin, it wears off after either 6 washes or 6 weeks (although I feel like it kinda lasts for longer than that – we didn’t respray during our 6 month long stint in South America and still felt like it was working). I treat my clothing before every big trip and I’m covered the entire time. It’s super clutch for spraying things like PJs and socks, because my legs/ankles always get bitten up while I’m asleep! I will also say that I HATE bug spray too but I LOVE the bug lotion I linked – it’s not smelly, super lightweight, doesn’t irritate my skin, and you don’t get it in your mouth trying to apply it lmao. So you might consider giving that a try too!
OMG I WANT SO MANY OF THE THINGS ON THIS LIST RIGHT MEOW. I have never even HEARD of Permethrin Spray until now but it sounds like a total lifesaver! I’m legit adding a plethora of these to my Christmas wish list. Also, snacks on snacks on snacks. The gift you can never go wrong with!
Right?!! I was so hungry scrolling through all the snacks 😛 and YES permethrin spray is life! We never travel without it if we’re going somewhere with bugs (especially lookin’ at you, South America and Southeast Asia…)
I have heard of it (it sounds amaaaaazing) but you can’t buy it in Canada. I feel like I might need to go South of the boarder and take a peek in REI!!
Aw man that sucks! Depending on how far you are, that’s a good idea 😉 like if you’re in Vancouver, you’re just a hop, skip and a jump away from the REI flagship store in Seattle, plus you get to eat some chowder while you’re there, so that seems worth it 😛