Best Gifts for Hikers: Must Haves for Hitting the Trails
Hikers are a unique breed, in that they can never, NEVER, get enough gear! In fact, one of a hiker’s favorite pastimes is to meet other hikers and swap stories on who has the best goods! Shopping for the best gifts for hikers is an exciting endeavor, because there is bound to be something that the hiker in your life will love to add to their inventory! Gift ideas for hikers range from the basic necessities, to the accessories that just make hiking more comfortable and fun! Shop this guide to the best gift ideas for hikers to get inspiration for the hiker in your life, or for yourself!
Disclosure: Below are some affiliate links-these are all products I highly recommend. I won’t make any recommendations on this page that I haven’t tested or personally used! Enjoy this guide to the best gifts for hikers!
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the Best Gifts for Hikers Guide
Don’t know what to buy the avid hiker in your life? Or looking to increase your own hiking inventory? This guide to the best gift ideas for hikers covers it all!
The Best Clothing Gift Ideas for Hikers
It’s all about being comfortable when you are out hiking, otherwise, you won’t look forward to hiking! Make your hiker as comfortable as possible with the right clothing and the right layers! You can’t go wrong with any of these, as they follow the hiking rule of avoiding cotton! These clothing options offer the best in protection, reliability, moisture wicking, breathability, and warmth!
It’s hard to find the perfect balance of a fully waterproof jacket, that is also lightweight and friendly to a backpack’s weight limit! A lot of fully waterproof and windproof jackets are bulky and not easy to compress or pack, or they aren’t breathable, or they are stiff and inflexible. On the flip side, often jackets that are more lightweight, flexible, and breathable, come as water – resistant, but not fully waterproof. What should you do if you want the perfect balance? Look for the perfect blend of lightweight, easily compressible and packable, flexible, and fully waterproof and windproof jacket out there! And it only weighs 4 ounces, so your backpack will thank you!
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Wool is the perfect material to go to for layering. These wool layers are perfect for hiking and exploring in, and they also are perfect for just lounging around a fire! It doesn’t hurt that they are breathable, moisture wicking, quick drying, and odor resistant due to the Merino wool material!
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This is the tank I practically live in during the summer! Same great wool qualities, but made for the warmer weather!
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Take care of those extremities with the right footwear and headwear!
- Darn Tough is renowned in the world of hiking! Darn Tough makes the best hiking socks, hands down, and they come in so many colorful options!
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Depending on a hiker’s preference, you can tackle trails in both hiking boots or trail runners. Hiking boots are preferable for steeper and rougher trails where extra support and stability are needed, such as an extended scree field, whereas trail runners are perfect for more predictable trails, and long distance hikes where you may benefit from a lighter shoe that will keep your feet feeling fresh, like when tackling the Grand Canyon’s Rim to Rim hike! These two options will do the trick no matter where your hiker is wanting to trek!
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These two headwear items are an absolute must for any hiker’s inventory! Enjoy all the different color choices and options, and if you haven’t hiked with a Buff before, get ready to fall in love with its multi-functional purposes, including being a head covering, neck covering, baklava, or headband!
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The Best Hydration Gift Ideas for Hikers
Never send a hiker out on the trails without an adequate water transportation system! With these gift ideas, your hiker will be set for any trek! From traditional methods to innovative new systems, these are the best hydration gift ideas for hikers!
The cool thing about this innovative water bottle is that it is collapsible, making it pack friendly. It also comes with the filter built in, so it’s great for on the go hydration and efficiency!
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Lifestraw is a trusted name among hikers. You have several different options here, from the simple one piece Lifestraw that allows the user to drink straight from a water source, or the Lifestraw water bottle that comes equipped with a filter built in, which allows the user to fill up the water bottle straight from a water source, and then drink from it.
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Prefer a more traditional hydration system? You can’t go wrong with the ultra insulated option of a Hydro Flask water bottle, or the durable and reliable Nalgene water bottle.
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Want the ultimate in on the go hydration? A water hydration bladder may be what you are after! Just make sure that you have a backpack that is hydration bladder equipped. I love this Platypus model because it can easily carry a full 3 liters of water, and it is wide mouthed which makes filling, emptying, cleaning, and drying a cinch!
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These two unique gifts for hikers include an easy way to clean those hydration bladders and bottles (because you and your hiker are going to need to take care of that occasionally), and the perfect boost to add to your water!
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The Best Food Prep Gift Ideas for Hikers
Food is kind of crucial, and let’s face it, it just makes the payoff of a good hike that much more worth it!
What’s the best way to actually cook a hiking meal? Jet Boil packs a bit bigger punch, and a smaller sibling would be the MSR Pocket Rocket stove. Both capable of cooking your grub on the trail!
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And don’t forget, you’ll need a simple, yet multi-functional, utensil set to enjoy your food with! This set is compact and lightweight, making it perfect for your pack!
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Need a little coffee to go with that breakfast meal? Or maybe a brew at the end of a sunset hike? This trio of hiking gifts will allow your hiker to splurge on a little comfort coffee!
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- treat yourself on your hike with this Travel Coffee Press and Espresso Maker, both perfect for your pack!
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Below are a few of my favorite hiking snacks for those shorter day hikes!
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READ MORE>>> Find out why Peanut Butter is the ultimate power fuel!
The Best Hiking Accessory Gift Ideas for Hikers
These gift ideas for hikers include items for a well rounded, safe, and responsible hike!
- Save your legs, get the most trusted brand of trekking poles! These Black Diamond trekking poles are equipped with cork handles, which is great for combating sweaty palms that might otherwise slip on traditional plastic or rubber handles.
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- You may think you’ll never need one, until you need one! Whether you plan to hike at at night or the early morning, or you just happen to mis-time your hike, it’s always best to be prepared with a fully charged headlamp! This no bounce 750 lumen Biolite headlamp is also perfect for the hiker in your life who also loves to run! It’s lightweight, and a full charge will light your way for up to 5 hours!
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- Being able to compress your stuff in your pack can be a lifesaver, as well as help keep things clean, dry, and organized! Protect your gear and store it the right way with this compression stuff sack.
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- Rips and breaks happen, and nothing is better than taking care of unexpected gear mishaps than the duct tape of the camping world – Tenacious Tape Gear Patches!
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- Having a backup power source is critical, and this solar battery pack utilizes the sun’s energy to power your devices!
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- Do you know a hiker who loves to explore the outdoors in winter? There’s a good chance they may need a little extra traction and grip for their winter hikes and climbs, and that means grabbing a pair of the best and most reliable microspikes! These attachable set of “teeth” on the Kahtoola Microspikes are what got me through my explorations of Greenland and it’s polar ice cap!
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- Sweat happens on hikes, and when it gets to be too much, it’s nice to have a handy way of soaking it up, like with this handy travel hiking cloth, a sweaty hiker’s best friend! Also works great for hiking and camping clean up situations!
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If you like to relax at the end of a long hike, there’s no better way to do so than to chill in a hammock!
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- You never know when you’ll need to help of a multi-use tool, but you’ll be glad you have one when you do! Get the trusted brand of Leatherman Multi – Use Tool and be ready for any surprises!
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These nifty little gifts are perfect for cold weather exploring and camping. They are small, easy to pack, and easy to use, and will make those winter nights outdoors far more comfortable and toasty!
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Always do your research ahead of time, but if your hike takes you into bear country, and you are planning to overnight it, you will want to invest in a bear canister for storing your goods, and carry bear spray as a back up deterrent!
- grab this protective duo of a secure Bear Canister and Bear Spray
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- Enjoy unwinding at the end of a long hike by writing and journaling? This fully weatherproofed journal means a little rain on your hike won’t ruin your creative musings!
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The Best Hiking Necessities Gift Ideas for Hikers
Don’t hit the trails without a few basic necessities!
When picking out a tent for hiking and backpacking, you want one that is easy to set up, durable, weatherproof, and, very importantly, conscientious of weight! The MSR Hubba Hubba Tent is the perfect combination of all of the above qualities!
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- The other crucial element of hiking basics is your backpack. If you are backpacking overnight, you will need a reliable and comfortable pack with enough storage for all your necessities. Think internal frame for a backpacking pack. Check out this Osprey 65 liter pack.
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- For a day hike situation, you still need to ensure that your pack has ample room for all the hiking necessities and sufficient water storage! The Camelback Helena 22 Liter Pack is my go to for all my day hikes, and it is hydration bladder compatible!
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The Best Emergency Gift Ideas for Hikers
No matter how experienced a hiker is, you cannot always predict when challenges arise! Be prepared and responsible with these emergency gift ideas for hikers! These emergency gifts for hikers cover all the basics, from fire, shelter, warmth, medical, and communication.
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- a must have for emergency signaling – a combo Safety Whistle and Emergency Signaling Mirror device
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Best Comic Relief Reading Material for Hikers
If you know a hiker that loves the outdoors and National Parks, they are guaranteed to get a chuckle out of this gift!
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Hopefully this guide to the best gifts for hiker provided you some gift buying inspiration for your fellow hiker or yourself! Be sure to check out the SHOP for more active travel resources and inspiration!
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Last update on 2023-08-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
