Looking for the perfect gifts for hikers? We started our hiking journey ten years ago, and these are the things we love.
Hiking wasn’t always in our vocabulary. We both grew up in Atlanta in immigrant families and thought, “so you’re basically walking for fun?”
It wasn’t until we started training for the Inca Trail in 2012 that we fell in love with exploring the outdoors and realized there are so many beautiful places you can only get to on foot.
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Last Updated: December 7, 2022
25 Best Gifts for Hikers
For Day Hiking
1. Day Pack
A reliable and comfortable day pack helps you bring everything you need. We have a few different day packs we rotate through depending on the length of the hike or whether we need our camera equipment.
See Related – The Best Travel Backpacks
4. Headlamps
Even if you don’t plan on hiking at night, sometimes we get lost, and hikes can take longer than anticipated. Headlamps are always helpful; we like to leave one in each bag just in case.
Pro Tip: If you’re buying for someone who camps or does astrophotography, get one with a red light feature.
11. Crampons
Crampons are a good gift if you’re hiking on icy trails. They help give you extra grip where it would typically be slippery. Unless they go on seriously icy trails, they may not need crampons with crazy spikes. The chain or small ones work best for us and are more travel-friendly.
12. Gaiters
Gaiters are great to help keep things out of your boots. You can either go with a cold weather gaiter to help with winter hiking or warm weather gaiters to keep rocks out of your shoes, which we use more in the desert.
We’ve been on multiple snow adventures like snowshoeing and were always jealous of our friends who were more prepared with gaiters and never got snow in their shoes.
13. Rechargeable Hand Warmer
We used to carry hot hands on cold weather hikes, but ever since we discovered rechargeable hand warmers, we have used these to avoid creating more waste. They’ve been great to warm up our hands when we’re shooting photos at night or climbing through send temps too!
14. Hiking Books
Although you can find a lot of trails online, if your friend likes the tangible feeling of books, you can also pick up a local hiking book.
17. Camping Shoes
After a long hike, it feels good to get out of your boots. We bring flip-flops when we’re going as light as possible or Danner Jag Lofts if it’s cold. The heel also steps down, so slipping them on and off is easy.
18. Sleeping Bag
A lightweight but warm sleeping bag is an excellent option if you’re going for a splurge or if you’re splitting a gift with multiple people. We both have REI sleeping bags that have been amazing for the price. They are lightweight and keep us warm.
Pro Tip: If you run colder, consider getting a women’s bag, which has more insulation, or down booties.
19. Jetboil
We aren’t big camp cooks and prefer easy meals. When we’re backpacking, we bring our trusty Jetboil. It makes warm drinks and boils water for our Mountain House meals or ramen.
20. Dry Sack
We carry a dry sack with us anytime when we travel. I keep one in my suitcase and usually have a small one in my backpack. You never know when you’ll need to keep your gear dry.
21. LEATHERMAN Multi-Tool
A multi-tool is a backpacker’s best friend. It’s one of those things you may only realize you need once you do. And when you do, you’ll be glad you have it.
24. Dr. Bronners
We love Dr. Bronners at home and when we travel because of its many uses. You only need one soap to do it all, although I don’t recommend it as toothpaste!
25. First Aid Kit
We recently learned that bandages, sterile supplies, medication, and protective equipment all have expiration dates. Since first aid kits come in all shapes and sizes, it’s an easy gift. We carry a small one with us on day hikes and a larger one for longer outings.
More Gift Ideas for Hikers
Can you think of other great gifts for hikers that we missed?
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“Discovery consists not of seeking new lands but in seeing with new eyes” – M. Proust
Esther + Jacob
Esther and Jacob are the founders of Local Adventurer, one of the top 5 travel blogs in the US. They believe that adventure can be found near and far and hope to inspire others to explore locally. They explore a new city in depth every year and currently base themselves in Las Vegas.
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