It can be daunting to find the right gifts for the hiker in your life. The outdoor enthusiast that isn’t happy with any other thing than spending time out in the woods or on the highest mountain tops. There are so many hiking gadgets to choose from so it’s not always easy to find the best gifts for hikers.
There is no denying there are a lot of useful and cool gifts for hikers that you can get at all price ranges. I’m here to help you pick the right ones.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. That means that if you make a purchase through one of those links, I will get a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
I’m Linn Haglund, the face behind Andalucia Hiking. I’m an avid hiker and after calling Andalucia home for over 10 years, I’ve covered my share of peaks, ravines, rivers, and valleys across all 8 provinces. I’m here to help you navigate this incredible region with thorough hiking guides, hiking tips, and gear recommendations.
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Table of Contents
Best gifts for hikers
Windbreaker
A good windbreaker is something that every outdoor enthusiast can’t get enough of, which is why it’s one of the best gifts for hikers out there. You can’t go wrong with this, and if you make it an eco friendly jacket, even better. I love VAUDE for their sustainable approach and here are a couple of good alternatives for women and men.
VAUDE Women’s Escape Bikeight Jacket
VAUDE Men’s Escape Light Rain Jacket
Hiking pants
Hiking pants make great presents for hikers and VAUDE has a great selection of sustainable ones. You want them to be water and wind repellent while they still breathe and some stretch in the fabric is a lot more comfortable than not. These hiking pants from VAUDE are great.
VAUDE Women’s Strathcona Pants
VAUDE Men’s Strathcona Pants
Hiking shoes
Hiking shoes definitely make for good gifts for hikers. Day hikes and easier trails usually don’t require proper hiking boots so a good set of hiking shoes that are rough enough to handle uneven terrain, have a good grip, and decent soles are a must. Salomon has a great selection and has accompanied me across the world on an incredible amount of hiking routes, never disappointing.
Salomon Women’s X Ultra 3 GTX Hiking Shoes
Salomon Men’s X Ultra 3 GTX Hiking Shoes
Hiking boots
A set of good, water repellent, durable hiking boots are one of the most important accessories a hiker needs. They need to hold the feet in place and give cushioning, even during more technical descents. Again, Salomon does a great job with hiking footwear and their boots are no exception, both for women and men.
Salomon Women’s X Ultra 3 MID GTX W Hiking Boots
Salomon Quest Prime GORE-TEX Men’s Backpacking Boot
Vegan hiking socks
Believe it or not, but good hiking socks are so important. The worst thing is to wear too thin socks that result in blisters or socks that slip down. You can get a wide range of vegan hiking socks that are wool-free, breathable, and still keep your feet warm in cold weather.
Both long and short socks are a hit as they will be used for different types of hikes and different times a year. There is no doubt hiking socks are great gifts for hikers if you’re on a budget. You can find all my favorite vegan hiking socks and what to look for here.
Darn Tough Coolmax Zuni Micro Crew Cushion Sock – Women’s
Balega Women’s Enduro V-Tech
Balega Enduro V-Tech Low Cut Socks For Men and Women
Micro fleece jacket
Micro fleece jackets are perfect for layers when hiking and a great gift for hikers. Unfortunately, most fleece is made with microplastics and that’s something we don’t want more of on the planet. VAUDE produces their newest fleece from wood cellulose which makes the fabric biodegradable. You can read more about it and see which models are eco friendly here.
VAUDE Women’s Rienza Hooded Fleece Jacket
VAUDE Men’s Smaland Lightweight Soft Fleece Jacket
Solar powered portable charger
When going on long treks it’s important to be able to charge your phone whether it’s used for taking pictures or emergency calls. The best hiking gifts are the ones that you can use on any hike and the solar-powered portable chargers are great even for multi-day treks as they charge up with daylight.
FlexSolar 40W
Day pack
If you’re looking for a gift for hikers that can’t go wrong, go for a good quality, sustainable day pack. Osprey is leading on the market for sustainable backpacks and production. Their high-quality products are loved by hikers all over the world and make great gifts for day hikers.
Osprey Sirrus 24 Women’s Hiking Backpack
Osprey Stratos 36 Men’s Hiking Backpack
Hydration bladder
There’s nothing like a hydration bladder when hiking long-distance day-hikes or multi-day treks. It saves a lot of time as you can drink while you walk, but it also means you don’t have to take off and on the backpack every time you’re thirsty. Especially when hiking in warm weather, this is a lifesaver.
3L Hydration Bladder
Trekking poles
Trekking poles are great gifts for a hiker going in uneven terrain, steep descents, or tend to get knee pain on the way back down from those high peaks. Though a knee brace for hikers would probably be the best support, this is something I recommend each person buy themselves to make sure it’s a good fit. Trekking poles, on the other hand, can be adjusted to height and are great gift ideas for hikers. Hiking poles give good support and absorb a lot of weight from your knees downhill. You can see my complete post about trekking poles and top recommendations here.
Foxelli Aluminum Trekking Poles
GPS Watch
A GPS Watch is a great friend for hikers which helps them not getting lost. Definitely one of those unique gift ideas for hikers that will be highly cherished. Garmin makes high-quality GPS Watches that handle low temperatures, shock, and are water-resistant.
Garmin Instinct
Hiking leggings
A pair of good hiking leggings are sure to be appreciated by any female hiker. Comfortable with a durable stretch material is always welcome to walk with. A great brand focusing on sustainability is Marmot. And they happen to have some really nice hiking leggings!
MARMOT Women’s Trail Bender Tight
Water bottle
Water bottles are perfect gifts for a hiker that’s conscious about the environment. The great thing about reusable water bottles is that they can be used daily and not only when hiking. This is the perfect present to help look after the environment by reducing plastic waste. Greens Steel is a wonderful sustainable brand and their water bottles are high quality, keeping the water cool at least 24 hours, which is incredible when going on hot weather hikes.
Greens Steel water bottle
Headlamp
Most hikers have been stuck in the woods after dark, explored a cave, or gone wild camping. And all these activities are in need of a good headlamp. I found it useful to have two, as sometimes you go hiking with a friend that didn’t bring light. And when my two headlamps broke, I was happy that my friend brought two for our cave hike. That’s why I suggest you gift a two-pack of headlamps. You never know – maybe you’ll be the one using the reserve one day!
GearLight LED Headlamp
Multi-tool knife
A multi-tool knife is a truly useful gift for any hiker or outdoors person. You never know what situations you’ll come up in and the multi-tool knife can usually solve the weirdest situations.
POHAKU 13 in 1 Portable Multifunctional Multi tool
Portable Bluetooth speaker
If you’re looking for gifts for trekkers that love to listen to music, then a portable Bluetooth speaker is a perfect idea. There is nothing like sitting in the mountain by the tent listening to your favorite tunes making a magic moment even more memorable.
SANAG Bluetooth Wireless Mini Speaker
Satellite communicator
If you’re looking for gift ideas for extreme hikers make sure you get them a satellite communicator. This can be a lifesaver when in remote areas with no phone coverage. the lightweight Garmin InReach Mini is excellent with options to download maps, check the weather forecast, and with a satellite subscription, it can trigger an interactive SOS to search and rescue monitoring center. This is an expensive gadget but can be a lifesaver for those who hike off-grid.
Garmin InReach Mini
Emergency Blanket
An emergency blanket should be in any hiker’s backpack. It can be the difference between life and death if waiting for help in cold areas, but it can also cool the body down if overheated by the sun. Another great use for an emergency blanket is when wild camping on a cold night. Wrap yourself in the emergency blanket before getting into the sleeping bag. It makes a huge difference! These are so lightweight you won’t notice you carry them with you, but such an amazing value when you use them.
Swiss Safe Emergency Mylar Thermal Blankets
Caps
Hikers will always appreciate a caps to protect their heads from the sun. This is one of the accessories they won’t get enough of, so it’s hard do go wrong. As a sustainable brand, Marmot has a few nice caps’ to choose from.
MARMOT Retro Hat
Neck gaiter (Buff)
The multi-use piece of fabric that every hiker will love. A neck gaiter can serve so many uses. Cover your face and neck for the wind, use it to cover your ears for the wind, or use it as a beanie. This is an all-time favorite to bring hiking.
Sun UV Protection Neck Gaiter
Binoculars
Does the hiker in your life like to observe wildlife? Sometimes you can’t see wildlife as close as you’d like to and using binoculars to see them closer can be extremely rewarding. Especially big birds can be hard to see properly when they fly high. This is truly a meaningful gift.
Occer 12×25 Compact Binoculars
Post hike Cork Massage Balls
Post-hike cork massage balls are the perfect gift ideas for hikers! They’re lightweight and can be brought on a multi-day trek to massage sore muscles or when coming home from a day hike.
AQUANIMOUS Cork Massage Balls
Water filter
A good water filter is a must when hiking longer distances where you have to refill water bottles in natural sources so you assure your drinking water is safe. There are a lot of different water filters out there. I recommend LifeStraw or Steripen to bring hiking.
LifeStraw water filter
SteriPEN Ultra Water Purifier
Lightweight Tripod for mobile
A lightweight tripod for mobile phone is maybe the best gift for hikers so they can freeze their memories for a lifetime. And be in the pictures themselves. It’s important that it’s lightweight or it will most likely be left at home to save weight. It’s also great value with bendable legs so that it can be placed on uneven places in nature and still take straight pictures. I’m super happy with this one from UBeesize that includes a Bluetooth remote control.
UBeesize Tripod S
Lightweight Hammock
A lightweight hammock is the perfect gift for hikers that like to sleep under open sky or simply don’t want to carry their tent. But seriously, who doesn’t love to sleep in a hammock?
ENO SingleNest Hammock
Crampons
Crampons are the perfect gift for any hiker that heads out on icy trails. They can easily fit outside their hiking boots and are a lifesaver when it’s slippery on the trail in winter.
Kahtoola MICROspikes Traction System
Dry sack
A dry sack is a must when hiking rivers and the perfect gift idea for the adventure hikers in your life. Make sure you get a dry sack that handles rough handling as hiking through rivers and gorges often include sliding, jumping, and bumping into rocks.
Earth Pak Waterproof Dry Bag
Thermos
A good thermos is the perfect present for a hiker to bring a hot drink to enjoy at night by the tent or at the top of a windy peak. It shouldn’t be underestimated how much warmth it can bring to an otherwise cold day.
Fijoo Stainless Steel Thermos
Lightweight cup
A nice cup to bring hiking and camping is a thoughtful gift for anyone. Perfect for an overnight hiking trip whether it is to enjoy a warm cup of tea at sunset or the morning coffee.
Rouge River Tactical hiking cup
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