Best Gifts for Hikers: 11 Small Gifts for Backpackers

Here are 11 gifts for hikers they’ll go head over heels for. All of these gifts fit perfectly inside a backpack for easy packing, and lightweight hiking. These gifts for backpackers will bring a smile to any outdoors-person’s face.

Best Gifts for Hikers

Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter

As many of you may know, I hate one-use plastic water bottles. I don’t buy them at home and I do everything in my power to not buy them while I’m hiking. That is why I love my Sawyer Squeeze water filter. It is always in my carry-on so I don’t have to buy water in airports and is so small and lightweight I barely notice it’s there.

The Squeeze removes 99.99999% of bacteria, such as salmonella, cholera and E.coli. In addition, it also removes 99.9999% of protozoa like giardia and cryptosporidium.

This is the perfect gift for any hiker who is environmentally conscious on and off the trail. Because of this water filter, I haven’t purchased a plastic water bottle in years!

Garmin Instinct Watch

When it comes to the Garmin Instinct watch, think Apple Watch, but for the outdoors. This watch does it all! It’s waterproof up to 100 meters, connects to your smartphone, has GPS, and it tracks heart rate and activity.

In my opinion, this is the BEST gift for hikers on this list.

Read More: Top Travel Gifts for Her

Gifts for Hikers: Petzl Actik Headlamp

No matter where I’m going I always have a headlamp, and I always have my Petzl. Whether I’m on the trail and it gets late or I’m in an area with questionable power, I’ll never be without a light. Even when you’re not on a trail, having a headlamp is an important piece of emergency gear.

Over the past 8 years I’ve only had 2 headlamps and they’ve both been Petzls. They’re lightweight and only need 3 AAA batteries to run. This headlamp fits in the palm of your hand. There are very few flashlights with the power that this one has that are smaller.

Mountain House Dehydrated Meals

I don’t know about you, but at the end of a long day of hiking, I’m really last and don’t want to cook. This is why I absolutely love Mountain House dehydrated meals. They have so many delicious flavors. My personal favorites are Pad Thai with Chicken, Lasanga, Chili Mac with Beef, and Fettucine Alfredo with Chicken. They even have pretty tasty ice cream sandwiches. They make me feel like an astronaut.

TravelFlips Language Flashcards

Strolling through my local bookstore with the Nanny Kids recently I came across a box of Travel Flips flash cards for common Spanish words and phrases inside. Because I’m trying – and kind of failing due to my own language learning downfalls – to learn Spanish I picked them up.

Travel Flips have definitely helped me pick up a few more words and phrases! The best part; they come in 6 languages – Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, French, German and Italian. And with 60 flashcards inside this will help any hiker stay busy on the trail and practice a new skill.

Read More: The Roaming Nanny Holiday Gift Guide

Buff Neck Gaiter

gifts for backpackers

It’s not secret that I love Buff. I have been using their products for years and never go on a hike without at least one. The original Buff neck gaiter is an essential item for any hiker and would be an amazing gift for backpackers.

Buffs can be worn around the neck, covering the ears, as a headband, a hat, and I frequently wear them around my neck and puff it up to cover my ears and chin. They are extremely versatile as well as small and easy to wash. Plus they come in so many different styles!

Gifts for Hikers: Sea to Summit Sleeping Pad

best gifts for hikers

I know your first thought it a sleeping pad is a gift?!? Yes! This pad, when rolled up – and it is easy to do – is smaller than a nalgene bottle. I take this Sea to Summit sleeping pad on most hikes I’m on. It’s great lightweight sleeping pad for Spring, Summer, and Fall.

Sea to Summit makes some amazing products and I’ve been using their stuff since I first started hiking when I was a kid. Their high-quality products make the best gifts for hikers.

LifeProof iPhone Case

For your hardcore hikers or your clumsy adventurers the Life Proof phone case is a MUST! I have dropped and stepped on my phone. It has been subjected to freezing cold temperatures and one of the Nanny Kids accidentally dropped my phone in a river. Through all of that, my phone survived.

If you know a hiker that doesn’t have a Life Proof case, get it for them. They come in lots of colors and protects a phone like no other case I’ve ever had. This is one of the best gifts I’ve ever received!

Gifts for Hikers: Portable Solar Charger

Regular portable chargers can get heavy and take up too much space in a backpack. Anker’s Multi-Panel Solar Charger is a great gift for backpackers. Compared to many other chargers it’s lighter and you don’t need to plug it in.

Please note that this only makes the best gift for hikers that explore in open areas. As it needs full sunlight to charge completely.

Sea to Summit Dry Sack

best gifts for hikers

Every hiker needs a Sea to Summit dry sack (and probably more than one). I keep one in my day pack just in case it rains. Everything stays dry and if I’m not using it, it folds up and lays flat. I’ve been through a lot of stuff stacks and I’ve found that the Sea to Summit ones are durable and last a long time. These are a perfect gift for backpackers and come in all different sizes.

Gifts for Hikers: Darn Tough Socks

Socks, at least for hikers always make a great gift, especially if they’re Darn Tough Socks. Made in Vermont of Merino wool, these are the best socks out there., and I’m not just saying that because I live in Vermont. They’re the best socks going because they’re guaranteed for life. Yes, life. If they get a hole in them you bring them to aDarn Tough retailer and trade them in for a new pair!

Jetboil Minimo

A good cooking system can make or break a good overnight on the trail. While the original Jetboil (which is also a great gift) was a bit bulky the newer Jetboil Minimo is smaller and boils water just as fast. I don’t know many hikers that don’t want this system. It would be a great surprise to receive it as a gift for any hiker that loves weekend and week long trips.

Which of these Gifts for Hikers do you want to receive? Let me know in the comments.

Love it? Pin it!

Leave a Comment