Top 50 Gifts for Backpackers, Hikers and Campers This Year

Choosing a good gift is tough. We’ve been there, scratching our heads and reading blog post after blog post about how to pick a gift for a friend or family member that’s really into a hobby. It’s extra hard to pick out a gift for someone that has a hobby we know nothing about. If you’re not a hiker, camper, backpacker or an outdoors person, choosing a gift is a daunting task. There are so many gadgets, pots and pans, tents, boots, specialized clothing, knives and many other things to pick from.

Worse yet, you’re not really sure how its used or if your friend actually needs that piece of gear. We know how frustrating that can be, and we wrote a big, encompassing blog post on how to choose a good gift for your outdoors-y friend.

We’ll break it down in a few categories to make it easier, and we’ll list the pros and cons of every gift. Read on (or skim) and let’s figure out what gift to buy together.

Victorinox Knife

Most people have heard of Swiss army knives, and with good reason. Not many people know that Victorinox are the world-renowned company that makes the best swiss army knives. They’re versatile little multitools that are very useful out in the wild, letting you whittle wood for kindling, clean your gear or trim your nails, and have many other small, useful features. When they’re not used out in the wild, the handy screwdrivers and other bits can be used around the house. There’s one downside to this gift; if your friend already has a knife he trusts, he won’t really need to have two. The gift-knife might end up being a paperweight; still, it’s a multitool, and it can be used around the house.

Neck Gaiter

A neck gaiter, while it might sound complicated, is just a fancy elastic windproof scarf. It functions like a dream, and is a fantastic gift for anyone that has a “cold neck” during the colder seasons of the year. They’re made out of a poliester-cotton blend, and they wick sweat away easily. The downside is that it’s not all that fashionable, but it works better than any scarf you can get.

Stormproof Matches

Matches are a handy, inexpensive gift. Most of the time we have a pack hidden somewhere in the kitchen and we forget about it. Stormproof matches are, like their name implies, water and nature proof. They’ll keep working in the harshest of environments, and if by chance your hiker friend doesn’t like lighting fires while they’re on the trail, these inexpensive and lightweight matches are a great plan B in the case of an emergency. The small match kit takes up very little space and is very lightweight, and it’s easy to pack it and forget about it.

One more pro: even if your friend has stormproof matches or some other way of starting a fire, more matches are never a bad idea.

Quality Wool Socks

There’s no better gift than great, warm, quality wool socks. While it might seem that they’re a lot pricier than normal socks, their quality and resistance to wear and tear more than makes up for the cost. Some pairs of socks can take years of abuse. There are no downsides to buying wool socks as a gift. The only plausible downside is if you get the wrong-size socks, but you’ll be able to exchange them in the store.

Flashlight

Having a trusty light out in the wild if extremely important. Nobody wants to be caught outside in the dark with no light, and because lamps are so lightweight, most campers have their main light and their backup light stashed somewhere in their backpack. An extra lamp is a fantastic gift for a friend that’s in love with the outdoors. They’re even useful around the house, in the case of a power grid failure, a storm or some other mishap, you’ll be glad you stashed a flashlight in a nearby bedside table. Flashlights are a great, budget-friendly gift all around.

Camelbak Water Bottle

A hiker needs about half a liter of water per hour (that’s 2 cups of water per hour), or else he risks being dehydrated in the wild. And the last thing you’d want is to be dehydrated in the wild. Headaches, nausea, fatigue and other problems are quick to follow, and you’re not going to have a good time. So be sure to pack water. A quality water bottle is a fine gift for any hiker, and there’s no such thing as having too much water bottles on you.

Leatherman Multitool

A more serious version of the Swiss Army Knife, the Leatherman is practically a household name at this point. This multitool has it all, pliers, blades, saws, screwdrivers, and many more. The most important bit are the quality pliers that can really help you out in some situations in the wild, but are most useful for ranchers and hunters. Hikers might enjoy having a good multitool, but most don’t require it; that’s the downside of this gift. If you can, ask if your friend has ever felt that they are missing a knife or some other tool while they’re on a hike; if they say that they don’t use knives, go for a different present. If they do, a Leatherman Multitool is a great gift that’ll meet all their needs.

Shoe/Boot Drier

For the friend that goes on weekend hikes, or even longer ones, a portable battery-powered shoe drier is a good gift. It’s lightweight and dries out your boots by blasting warm air into them. Anyone who’s been on a hike knows that most boots take hours to dry off, and if you’re in a humid climate they might not dry at all. If your friend complains about wet boots and soggy socks, this will solve that problem. You should check if your friend actually needs a boot drier. If you’re in a dry place like Arizona, they most likely won’t need one. There’s a small caveat with this gift: some hikers prefer keeping their pack weight as low as possible, and this item isn’t useful enough for them.

Portable Mosquito Repellent

Unless you’re hiking in the winter, or in the Arctic, mosquitoes are going to be a problem. Especially in more humid states like Louisiana, Florida or Tennessee. This insect repellent creates a 15-foot zone of protection and uses regular stove fuel canisters (your hiker friend most likely has several of these around his house). This product is small, light, efficient, silent, odorless and safe; it’s one of the best mosquito repellents out there, even compared to most electric powered ones. There are almost no downsides to this product, it’s effective in the wild and the backyard.

Ranger 2.0 Compass

The humble compass seems like something you wouldn’t want to carry in the wild. You have your phone, your phone’s GPS, your satellite personal locator beacon and specialized hiking GPS, or some other gadget. And yet, many hikers choose to bring their trusty topographical maps and their compass. While the devices we use today are leagues ahead the shoddy GPS units of old, having a trusty backup option that takes up very little space is not a bad idea. If your hiking friend is someone who’s new to the hobby, leaning how to orient themselves via topo map and compass is a fun hobby. In any case, a compass is a fine and useful gift.

A Quality, Versatile Headlamp

Most hikers prefer to use headlamps instead of flashlights, because it frees up their hands. This SNAP modular headlamp is a fantastic gift for any hiker; it’s strong and useful enough to be the primary light source, and can also be used as a magnetic lamp (means it attaches to metal surfaces, like a car or tent pole), a bike light, a flashlight, and it can be clipped on to your gear. Having this versatile tool in the great outdoors will make your life easier, and your nights brighter.

Outdoors Gourmet Kitchen Set

This gift is aimed more at the camping crowd, or the backpacker group’s dedicated chef. A whole outdoors kitchen set that has everything you need to make a hearty meal on a trail. Quality, lightweight cooking utensils let the camp chef work his magic, and if your friend is the dedicated cook or a happy camper, he’ll get a lot of use out of these. If your friend isn’t into camping or cooking, and they’d rather eat prepackaged meals cooked in a cup, this is not a good gift for them.

X-over Mitts

Most people do not know that you can wear regular winter gloves and wear specialized, waterproof and windproof mittens or bigger gloves over them. This is how most winter hikers and mountaineers keep their hands warm; and the materials, quality and tech going into these mitts and gloves is astounding. You can even use touchscreens with them. These mittens are a great gift for anyone living in a colder climate, or an avid mountain climber.

Metabottle Filter

Clean water is always a concern out in the wild; while most people think that you can just scoop a handful of pristine spring water and drink it, we would seriously advise against that. You never know what you might get, no matter how pure the water looks, and many people got botulism or cholera from an otherwise great looking and refreshing spring. This is where pump-free Microfilters come in, and this bottle is one of the sleekest and simplest filtering solutions out there. It has two halves, and you unscrew the bottom half, scoop water up, and screw it back on. When you turn the bottle upside down, it’ll slowly filter through the microfilter; this bottle can filter up to a 1,000 liters of water during its lifetime. This is a fantastic gift for any hiker out there as most trails have watering holes along the way.

XT Hammock

Most of us played around the backyard with rope net hammocks, or maybe even fell asleep in one after a while and woke up with those itchy marks. Not the best experience. These days, when we’re older and more capable, we know that a real outdoors hammock is just as good as a sleeping bag; personal preference still applies. This hammock is made out of 100% parachute nylon, meaning it’s tough and durable. This isn’t your regular, boring polyester that makes you sweat; it’s breathable, dries quickly and resistant to mildew. It has a built-in bug net that’ll keep the nasty little insects away and let you have a good night’s rest. It’s great, regardless if you’re going to use it to camp in the woods overnight or just look at the stars in your backyard. Even if you hiker friend isn’t a fan of hammocks, they can set it up in their backyard for some casual lounging.

Pocketrocket Stove Kit

If your friend is looking to upgrade their backpacking “kitchen” or is a newcomer that like hiking with a group, this stove kit is a convenient gift. This aluminum cooking set has it all, it has one big pot, two bowls, two mugs and mug lids, two sporks, and a lid. And the entire cooking set fits into the pot. This pack is relatively light, easy to use and carry, and is a fantastic gift for a newcomer to the hiking world. Experienced hikers that already have their own cooking set (and some make do with just one cup, one spoon and one stove) might not get much use out of this gift. If your friend is experienced, maybe a different gift would serve them better.

Outdoor Research Crocodile Gaiters

Gaiters are hard textile garments worn over your lower leg and your shoe. Most people don’t need them and never used them, but gaiters are a fantastic piece of gear to have in the wild; they protect you from water, insects, branches, debris, thorns, rocks, and even your own crampons or your friend’s crampons. In the old days, they used to be made out of hard leather, but nowadays they’re made out of polyester. These are a great gift for newcomers and experienced hikers; most experienced hikers like having gaiters with them.

Silverthorne Sleeping Bag

We’ve already covered the hammock as a sleeping option out in the wild. Let us introduce the humble sleeping bag; anyone who’s camped outside has probably used one of these at one point or another. Most newcomers to the hobby don’t understand how crucial it is to have a good, trusty sleeping bag, as night in the woods get pretty cold. Modern sleeping bags are warm, easy to store or transport, and easy to wash (in an efficient front loaded washing machine). Be sure to buy a fitting sleeping bag as their length varies; very tall people should get bigger sleeping bags.

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Sleeping Pad

Sleeping pads are insulating pads that help keep your sleeping bag warm; they’re not important for people hiking in warmer climates, but crucial for people hiking in colder climates, mountaineers or anyone that has to spend a night out in the cold. The ground is very cold, and it will suck the heat out of you and your sleeping bag. That’s why a good sleeping pad is a life saver. This specialized, high-quality ultralight sleeping bag uses air as an insulator from the ground and when deflated takes as much space as a water bottle. This is a fantastic gift for someone that periodically hikes or camps in the cold.

Jetboil Flash

The Jetboil Flash cooking system is one of the easiest, lightest and fastest stoves out there; it’ll get a liter of water boiling in under 200 seconds, which saves precious time in colder climates. It’s very efficient and it wastes very little fuel. It also works consistently at temperatures as low as 20F, and is compatible with all the other Jetboil accessories like the Coffee Press and the Cooking Pot. All in all, Jetboil wants to meet all your outdoors cooking needs with this all-encompassing system. It might be a bit more expensive, but it’s one of the best gifts for newcomers and experts alike.

Platypus GravityWorks Filter

Like the name implies, this is a water filter powered by gravity. You get two plastic bags, you fill one up with water you find on the trail and then hang the bags. You can even do this on the move by attaching the bags to your backpack. Gravity will do the rest and you’ll eventually have a bag full of filtered, usable water. This filter system gives you 4 liters of water in 2.5 minutes, and it has an 8 liter capacity meaning that you’ll have enough water for both you and a few people in your group. Like other quality microfilters, this system can filter up to 1500 liters of water, which is enough to completely fill 5 bathtubs. The one downside is that this is a bit of a specialty item; if your friend is someone who doesn’t like hiking in groups, he’s far better served with a simpler water filtration system like a lifestraw or a filter bottle instead of this one. If your friend likes hiking in a group or with a significant other, this is a great gift.

MSR Elixir 2 Tent with Footprint

The MSR Elixir 2 is a quality tent made for two; but it’s fantastic and has a lot of room for the solo hiker too. It’s free-standing, meaning it’s a beginner friendly tent; you don’t have to stake it and pitch it. It comes with its own footprint; this is the insulating material that keeps the tent safe from the ground debris such as sharp rocks or general wear and tear. This tent has a breathable mesh fabric and a solid canopy; this lets it provide both ventilation and warmth. MSR is one of the best tent manufacturers on the market, and their tents are trustworthy. This is a great gift for someone who’s just getting into hiking and camping, or an experienced hiker looking to upgrade his tent’s quality.

Adventure Sol Survival Medical Kit

Let’s be honest here; most wilderness treks are very safe. You have a higher chance to get in an accident in a city than out in the wild. Forests are lonely, but they are relatively very safe places. While this is nice to hear and we’re proud at everyone staying safe in the wilderness, we still advise that everyone carries a small medical kit for the unfortunate accidents that may happen, no matter how statistically rare they might be. Anti-histamines, topical ointments, sterile bandages, scissors and other pieces of medical gear might save your friend’s or someone’s life out there. You might be the closest person to the accident site. The other things this pack has are an emergency blanket, compass, whistle and a way to start a fire. Newcomers to the hobby often forget about the importance of having a medikit on you in the wild. Yes, most of them will never have to use it in their life, but it doesn’t weight much and might save someone’s life.

A nice, quality Ultralight Camping Cup

A good cup lasts an entire lifetime. It eventually gets a bit banged up, has a dent or two that you know are there but never bothered to fix. The bottom is a bit charred after all this time, and it’s either been scratched to hell and back or has one or two “scars” that truly make it your own. It eventually becomes a piece of home away from home. If your friend doesn’t have his own cup by now, this is a fantastic and inexpensive gift.

Outdoor Research Low Gaiters

High gaiters might be too much of a culture shock to our newcomers, and that’s why we’re suggesting the low gaiters; they’re easier to use and feel more natural to people that have never worn them before. Newcomers who have already hiked a few miles and had trouble with snow, water, thorns, small rocks and other debris finding their way into their boot will love you for this gift.

Folding Stool

Most newcomers make the mistake of thinking there’s any place comfortable enough to sit on in the forest; and who can blame them? Most movies have specially crafted stumps and rocks that the actors can sit on, and naturally people will assume there’s a place to sit and rest. Forests aren’t so kind in the real world, and there’s only one way to guarantee a clean, dry, moss-less place to sit. Bringing your own chair, seat pad or stool. Surprise your friend by giving him a small, lightweight, foldable stool to bring on a hiking trip.

Experienced hikers have already tested and bought a lot of gear; they know what works for them and what they like. They already have a quality pair of boots, a good tent, sleeping bag, accessories and anything they might need. The best tip we have for people that want to buy a gift for an experienced hiker is to get something that’s always useful or something consumable like dehydrated meals.

Quality socks

You can pack too many socks for a hiking trip, but you can’t have too many socks at home; that’s why a good, quality pair of smartwool socks is a great gift for any hiker. There’s no worse feeling than being ready for a trip and suddenly finding out that your socks are ripped or damaged in some way, and you not having any spare quality socks stashed for a rainy day.

Quality hoodie

A good, durable and water-repellent hoodie is just the thing you need in colder climates. It has a big front pocket to keep your hands warm and a hidden security pocket for your Phone or ID. And it’ll keep you warm, as long as there’s no strong winds around. All in all, this hoodie, when paired up with a wind-proof jacket, is protective enough for late fall hikes.

Quality pants

Nothing cuts a trip short as a bad ripping sound and you finding out your new pants have a huge gash that exposes your inner thigh to the elements. Thankfully, you weren’t hurt, but your pants are now dangling in the wind and you suddenly realize how cold it actually is. You scramble for duct tape and hope ti holds for just a while longer, and you head home.

To avoid these annoying and embarrassing moments, you should wear tough, abrasion and rip-resistant pants that are free-flowing and easy to wear and move around in. The relaxed motion pants are designed for a maximum range of motion out in the wild, and they’ll last at least a couple of seasons. Even if your friend has a pair of pants they trust, having a backup option isn’t a bad idea.

Hiking meals

Dehydrated meals are fantastic. They are; they’re nothing like military MREs or bland, dehydrated store-bought instant mashed potatoes; real hiking and trail food is made to last far longer than an MRE, and is a lot tastier. Besides, they don’t have the dietary problems MREs have; if you have a friend that would rather hike on MREs than real trail food, please give them a couple of bags and watch them change their mind.

The Best Leatherman Multitool, the Surge

The Leatherman Surge is one of the largest multitools they make; it has the largest pliers, the longest blades, replaceable hard wire cutters and other bits make it one of the most versatile multitools out there. It’s built out of hardened stainless steel and is practically a must have for any household. Due to its size and weight, it’s far more useful to campers, photographers, fishers and hunters than hikers. These outdoorsmen aren’t as concerned with size and weigh, and the added utility and the ability to fix their gear really requires having a multitool on you.

A Good Heavy-Duty Folding Knife

The Buck Knives 395 is a fantastic gift for anyone spending a lot of time outside. Many hikers do not use knives at all while they’re on a hike, but some do and swear by the added utility of having a good, quality knife. First ask your friend if he carries a knife with him to make kindling, chop a vegetable or whittle a piece of deadwood for fun. Most hunters and fishers like having a knife as it’ll help out with both their gear and their game, and this is a perfect gift for them.

Hiking Shoes

A good pair of boots is one of the most important pieces of gear a hiker has. They should be tough but soft and pleasant to wear, water-resistant but also breathable… In short it’s really hard to find a pair that balances all this out. That’s why we recommend one of the most popular boots in the USA, the Merell MOAB 2; they’re a perfect middle of just waterproof enough and breathable enough, with a balance between price, durability and comfort. It has a few great features, such as the sticky Vibram rubber outsole that’ll help you on the hike, and a protective rubber toe cap that’ll save your toes if you accidentally kick a rock or a stump (happens more often than you’d think). If it’s within your budget, this is one of the best gifts for a hiker.

Camelbak Crux Water Reservoir

Camelbak became a hiker’s household name a while back. It really felt like a revolution was coming, and that we’d all leave our old plastic bottles behind and just pack all our water in an easy to carry container on our backs. In reality, the humble plastic water bottle remains a great option, but the camelbak is still a great option for people that love having their hands free. It’s simple to use, you just bite down on the valve and get a nice sip of cool water; no need to rummage around your pack or unscrew a bottle, meaning that you can keep walking and re-hydrating yourself. While this doesn’t really seem like a big improvement to most people, through-hikers want to keep moving as much as they can. They’re a bit competitive and every second they save counts. If your friend has likes going fast through a hike, he’ll love the camelbak. It doesn’t come without downsides though. They’re tough to clean, and most people that are okay with using a simple water bottle consider them unnecessary extra weight.

Long Sleeve Base Layer Shirt

This Under Armour base layer long sleeve shirt is a fantastic piece of clothing; it’ll keep you warm. It’s practically skin-tight, but it doesn’t feel like it’s squeezing you or restricting your movement. It’s made out of a polyester/elasterell blend that wicks away sweat and dries really fast; and despite being made out of synthetic threads, it prevents odors which is extra useful for hunters and campers that are mindful of how they smell. This base layer top is the best gift for a hiker that isn’t quite ready for the colder weather.

Javapress cup

A nice cup of coffee is just the thing you need on a cold morning on the trail, but you’re far away from home and all the convenience of a store-bought cup. What do you do? Bring a good hiking javapress and some coffee of your own, and make one of the best cups of coffee you’ll ever taste. The location and the scenery are very important, and the rest of the camp will love you and your coffeemaker.

Even back home, handmade coffee tastes better than the coffee coming out of a machine.

The North Face Women’s Electra Backpack

Surprise your girlfriend with a high quality backpack specifically made for women. Experienced hikers know that “unisex” backpacks are no good on a hike, where you’ll be carrying a considerable load over a long distance. And worse yet, some newcomers think that they can just take their kid’s school backpack and hike hassle-free. They quickly learn that having a backpack made to fit your body type and form makes the trek a thousand times easier. That makes this gift the best choice for your girlfriend that’s into hiking, but didn’t bother to upgrade her backpack in a while.

Therma Rest Seat Pad

As we stated, there is no place to sit and rest in the forest unless you’re really lucky. That’s why you’ll take a small, inflatable seat pad and you’ll have a dry and warm place to sit anywhere on a trail. This seat pad is more compact and comfortable than a stool, and the air provides a good insulator from the cold and damp ground. If your girlfriend is planning a long hike, this’ll help her out on the trail, but this gift is pretty much useless for most campers that bring their own chairs.

Quality Outdoors Leggings

Quality base-layer leggings are just the thing for your nature loving friend. They’ll keep her warm and insulated, are lightweight and tight fitting, but flexible and breathable. They wick away sweat and are practically odorless. They’re very hard to rip or tear, and provide a bit of protection when trekking through undergrowth or mountain climbing. And they come with pockets.

Surprise your girl with the best leggings she’ll ever wear.

Wine Bottle

Having a glass of wine in the evening is a perfect end to a great day; imagine doing the same out in on the trail. This flexible plastic wine bottle will keep the wine chilled and safe during your backpacking trip. Wine gets sour and soils due to air, and most plastic bottles can’t keep the air out well enough. That’s why you generally have to drink the entire wine bottle in a few hours after you uncork a glass bottle or open a plastic one, because air will seep in and eventually spoil your wine.

These Platypus wine storage bottles are extremely airtight, they allow zero air inside and will keep your wine safe even during multiple days of hiking as long as they’re chilled enough and safe from UV rays. And they come in a pack of 4, meaning you can pack both white and red wine on a single trip. A fantastic gift for a friend that enjoys a good glass of wine in the wild.

Hiker vs. Camper gifts. Hikers, campers and backpackers are all very similar, but they have their own small differences. Hikers and backpackers, are people that go on a hike through a nature trail. They have everything they need in a backpack.

Great gifts for them are generally lightweight and of higher quality. Some hikes take an afternoon or a whole day, while some other trails can take months. It’s a good idea to discuss the gift with them instead of surprising them. Campers are usually people that don’t walk a lot in the wild; they go to the camping ground with their car and then set up their camp and stay a while. Sometimes they stay for only one night, and other times they can set up for a month or two.

Camper gear doesn’t have to be as high quality and lightweight as backpacker gear, and anything you buy them goes. Maybe it’s a new pot or pan, maybe it’s a new stove, that might be too heavy for a backpacker, but a perfect gift for a camper.

What about hunters, fishermen, forest rangers, or anyone else that spends a lot of time in the wild?

Most gifts for hikers and campers are universally useful to anyone who spends lots of time in nature. Knives, tents, first-aid kits, dehydrated meals, boots, clothes, etc. are all useful.

Surprise gift, or not? This is a complicated question and it depends on your friend, the friend’s experience and gear level and your relationship with them. If your friend is someone who loves surprises, surprise them! Pick a gift that matches their hiking needs the most and buy it.

If your friend is an experienced, avid hiker that has a lot of gear, you’re stuck with the least favorite question most people ask themselves: “what do I buy for a hiker friend that already has everything?” The answer, if you still want to surprise them, are consumable items! Food, matches, anti-blister kits and socks!

They’ll get the most use out of these items, as they most likely have a very high quality tent, boots, jackets and other gear. Buying a $60 pair of boots for a friend that has a $400 pair isn’t the best idea.

A meaningful gear upgrade?

To make sure your gift is useful, you can talk to the hiker friend; there’s something that the friend misses, or a piece of gear to be upgraded such as a higher quality tent, sleeping bag or tent footprint, you most likely won’t know what to buy.

You might not surprise your friend, but you’ll definitely upgrade their hiking experience. Gifts don’t have to be surprises, especially expensive gear upgrades.

The safest gift option

The simplest and the safest gift is an e-gift card; they’ll figure out what works the best for them and get it themselves. Some people believe that a gift card isn’t a meaningful gift, but it is; you’re wishing the best for your nature loving friend but you admit that you do not have the expertise and the experience to choose the best out of all those outdoor brands to get them a gift they’d actually use and like.