If you’re looking for the best gifts for hikers then you’ve come to the right place. We’ve harnessed our passion for boots on the ground into this handy gift guide for all budgets. Let’s go.
The Best Gifts for Hikers
Hikers can be fanatics or they can be otherwise everyday people who just enjoy stretching their legs at the weekend and whenever they travel.
Does your hiker have a special trip planned, say into the tropics? If so, check out this post on what to wear in the jungle, brought to you straight from the Amazon. No, not the shopping place. The real Amazon.
You can also get inspiration for essential hiking gear from our handy packing list for a hiking trip here. Finally, if it’s not all about the hiking, then take a look at this gift guide for an outdoorsy girlfriend over here.
In the meantime, let’s walk you through (boom!) this guide to the best gifts for hikers.
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Luxurious, gorgeous socks. Yes, socks
Nothing makes a bigger difference to hikers than a decent pair of socks. And yet, they are the very things that beginners overlook and experienced hikers tend to get stuck in their ways.
So what are your options? Well, you can opt for an eco-friendly set of bamboo socks, like the ones offered by Sockshop. The bamboo is 3-4 times more absorbent than cotton, offering great moisture wicking and keeping feet warm on chilly days.
The Best Home gift for Hikers
Order a beautiful, personal map print as an ideal gift for hikers through Weeframe on Etsy here. You can choose whichever route you want, from the Path of the Gods in Italy to the Appalachian Trail in Alabama.
Buy this great gift for hikers from Tiny Print Shop Co on Etsy
The best mug for hikers
Not only does the design set hiking hearts on fire but the practical nature of this mug makes it a winner, too. Clip it onto a backpack for a smash resistant way to have a reviving cuppa while enjoying the great outdoors. It’s the perfect stocking stuffer or stocking filler for hikers. Buy on Etsy from the Tiny Print Shop Co here.
The best Water Bottle for hikers
Every hiker worth their salt requires a good water bottle. And there are many different ones to choose from. I like the idea behind these collapsible water bottles on Amazon. They’re great for day hikers, backpacking and those who love a city break because you can squish them down when not in use.
The Best Luxury gifts for Hikers
What about some more luxurious hiking gift ideas? Read on, dear reader, read on.
52 Hikes a Year gift on Etsy from Whake Studios
A sustainable hiking challenge
Combine a competitive streak with a year long challenge with this hiking tracker from Whake Studios. Can your hiker fit in one hike a week for a whole year? Allow this crafted wooden gift to help them to keep track.
The best camera for hiking
When it comes to searching for luxurious gift ideas for hikers, you can’t get much more luxurious than a decent camera. But which kind of camera is best for outdoor adventure?
Without a question, the GoPro. Small, lightweight, waterproof and built for action and adventure, it even comes with software that will pick the best parts from your bouncing day of adventure and automatically create a video for you.
I’ve used my GoPro everywhere from the riverbanks of the Danube to the waterfalls of the Amazon rainforest. When it comes to the best camera for hikers, the GoPro is the one.
The best satellite communication for hikers
The Garmin InReach Mini 2 is the most popular satellite communication device around for hikers. With a battery life that lasts for up to 14 days, the lightweight device is compact and allows for communication when normal phone signals can’t cope. Its digital compass helps for navigation and the TracBack routing feature allows you to retrace your steps back to the start if needs be. Check out shopping options for the Garmin InReach Mini2 here.
The Best Gifts for Beginner Hikers
A waterproof map holder
One of the best tips I ever had when it came to packing for a hiking trip was this: take a waterproof map holder with you. It works just as well for cycling trips, when you can fix this gadget to the bike.
But whether through rain, sweat, sunscreen or sangria, the last thing you want to get wet is your map. And so, a waterproof map holder like this one makes the a great gift for beginner hikers.
A Water Filtration System
Clean drinking water is one of the most important things in the world. But it isn’t always accessible. For hikers planning to be off the grid and camping for weeks, you’ll need a substantial water filtration system. But for those who may not be able to carry all the water they need for a day trip, these compact and handy water filters should do the trick. Check out all the specs for these water filters on Amazon here.
A First Aid Kit
The former doctor in me cannot help but suggest a first aid kit as a hiker gift. It just makes sense. This hiking first aid kit, for example, is waterproof and lightweight and easy to slip into a daypack. It contains what you need to manage cuts, scrapes, bites and blisters on the trail, as well as a set of bandages for more serious injuries.
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The Best Foodie gifts for Hikers
The way to a hiker’s heart is through their stomach. Or something like that.
Some of the best hiking gifts are the simplest. Tuck in with these suggestions…
Homemade Trail Mix
If you’re the kind of person who likes to create homemade gifts, then turn your attention to some nourishing trail mix for your hiker in question. Affordable, healthy and definitely appreciated on the road, it even makes a great snack for any side of travel. Some people have even been known to scoff it when not hiking at all.
Not that you heard that from me, of course. Oh no.
Find a great recipe for making homemade trail mix here.
Kendal Mint Cake
A legendary food source in the Lake District, one of the best places to visit in England, Kendal Mint Cake is a sweet but supportive hiking treat. It comes in hearty slabs of crystalline goodness and only hiking, or some other vigorous pursuit, can justify the calories…Buy some gorgeous and delicious Kendal Mint Cake here.
Fishermens Friends
Hotter than a hot sauce in Louisiana, a Fishermen’s Friend brings warmth and comfort to a cold and drizzly situation. Which explains why they’re so popular in England. Stock up on a stash of Fishermens Friends as a stocking filler for a friend and warm their cockles right the way to the peak. Buy some FF online here.
A handy collapsible dog bowl from Travstar
The Best Hiking gifts for dog lovers
If you’re going to be out all day and yet you can’t be sure when you’ll run into a safe spot for drinking water, then these collapsible bowls for dogs are a genius idea. They fold down into a lightweight disc that easily fits into any hiking daypack or backpack.
The Best Hiking Gifts for Families
A Decent Headlight
For families who love camping, a decent head torch is an essential. From finding things in the middle of the tent to finding the toilet in the dark while carrying a small child, a head torch is so much better than a normal torch. You can also hang it from the tent or use it inside as a nightlight on epic trips that form part of your family bucket list.
Find an example of what I mean on Amazon with a head torch like this. It’s a perfect gift for hikers and campers.
A National Parks Pass
One for those who are likely to be in America, the National Park Service in the US offers a National Parks Pass which makes a thoroughly thoughtful gift for hikers who like National Parks!
Valid for 12 months, it provides access to over 2000 federal recreation sites, allowing for plenty of family adventures.
Trekking Poles
Shh… I kept this one to the end. Because… I am not convinced that they really make a great gift. I don’t think that most people need them. And if they do, they’re better off buying them themselves in a shop where they can make sure they’re getting the right size. There, I said it and entered one of the biggest conundrums in hiking history… That and sleeping bags. People need to research these themselves.
Happy gift giving!
More Gift Ideas for People Who Love to Travel
We have a fantastic collection of unique travel gift guides that focus on sustainable travel, adventure and just exploring the world and enjoying life.
Check out the following:
- Travel themed gifts for kids that parents will approve of
- The best travel gift ideas for men who love to travel
- Last minute online gifts that show you care
- The best gift ideas for couples who love to travel
- The best Italian themed gifts for people who love Italy
- Your collection of gift ideas for an outdoorsy girlfriend
- The best gifts for someone going travelling
Bookmark this hiking gift guide for later on Pinterest.