Over 100 Gifts For Hikers

Every hiker knows that out on the trail, we can’t always rely on “google maps” to get us through.  It is important to have good old-fashioned paper maps and any downloaded maps from apps and other programs.  Of course, these maps would need to be purchased if you know the hiking trail your hiker is planning to hike.  You can find various maps here on Amazon.

However, it is also important to protect the maps with a cover.  If you are looking for a gift for hikers under $25, consider purchasing one of these map cases to protect their maps on the trail:

• Kosibate Map Case -Waterproof military hiking map pouch holder with clear window and lanyard

• Osprey Ultralight Map Wrap- Waterproof welded seams, clear window attachment points

• AquaQuest Trail Map Case- 100% waterproof document dry bag holder with clear window & lanyard

An invaluable gift for a hiker is a handheld GPS.  Of course, who knows GPS better than Garmin?  The Garmin GPSMAP 64st has overwhelmingly positive reviews on Amazon.  However, a few reviewers did prefer the older model (Garmin 60csx), citing complaints that the topographical map and the battery life are not as good.

The more economical Garmin eTrex 30x Handheld Navigator received high marks as a replacement for the older Garmin 60CSX with the ability to add a larger micro SD card and a battery life of almost 24 hours. 

Finally, if you want a handheld GPS that does it all, consider getting the hiker in your life the new Garmin Inreach Explorer+. 

Just as it’s still essential to have a paper map despite all the technological gadgets a hiker can take with him, it’s still necessary to carry a good compass.  The adage goes, “never trust your life to a battery.”   There are some basic features that every trail compass should have.  After the basics, there are a few other features to consider adding depending on the trail’s location worldwide.

Every compass should have the following:

• Magnetized needle
• Rotating bezel
• Baseplate
• Orienting arrows and lines

Extra and advanced features include:

• Magnifying lens
• Luminescent indicators
• Declination adjustment
• Sighting mirror
• Clinometer
• Global needle

Price ranges vary due to features and sometimes the build of the compass.  Remember that an accurate compass doesn’t need to be fancy or cute; it requires it to function!  Here are the top compasses for hiking that we found based on recommendations from REI and reviews on Amazon.

• Suunto A30 Compass is the most basic beginner compass.  Reviewer complaints included that the declination is fixed and that the compass easily breaks if dropped.  This compass may be a good option for a child or a beginner, but it is probably not the best choice for the more experienced hiker.

• The next level up would be the Suunto M-3 D/G models.  Moving up to this level adds the adjustable declination.  The D model needle is only for hiking in the northern hemisphere and is slightly less expensive.  The G model also has adjustable declension and the same basic features as the A30 and M-3 D models but has the added benefit of having a globally balanced needle allowing hikers to navigate any trail in the world.

• Finally, the top-of-the-line mirrored Suunto MC2-G compass has all of the features of the above models, including the globally balanced needle. Still, it has the addition of a mirror for complete accuracy when taking your bearings.

If you really want to give the serious hiker an amazing gift, consider getting them one of these hiking watches with altimeters. A hiking watch with an altimeter adds that extra layer to navigation and enables the hiker to traverse both on and off the trail with certainty. 

Using a topographical map and an altimeter watch, the hiker can determine their exact location by checking their elevation and comparing that to the elevation point on the map. It can also help a hiker who leaves a trail to navigate along a compass bearing. Utilizing the altimeter watch, a hiker can quickly assess whether they have lost too much elevation and, thereby, are off course and can quickly make the necessary corrections.

Here are some of our favorite hiking watches with altimeters:

• The Suunto Traverse comes in 1st place for packing the best punch for the value. It is highly rated for its rapid GPS connectivity, battery life, accuracy, and price tag. 
• The Garmin Fenix 5 is everything you expect from Garmin in terms of navigation and GPS, complete with breadcrumb tracking and the ability to add up to 1000 points of interest.  It is very customizable and great for those also into fitness with its heart rate technology. 

A good hiking sun hat is an invaluable tool for a hiker.  It’s important to find a sun hat that is comfortable, not too hot, and provides adequate protection from the sun and other outdoor elements. 

If the hiking hat chosen doesn’t meet these requirements, it won’t be worn, and the hiker won’t be protected. 

Here are a few of the best hiking hats on the market:

• Tilley Endurables LTM6 Airflo hat-  is one of the best-rated sun hats on the market. It receives high marks for durability, airflow, and fit.  We can recommend a no better hiking hat.

• Sunday Afternoons Unisex Ultra-Adventure Hat -gets high marks for being lightweight and comfortable. However, a few reviewers found it wasn’t great for high wind conditions. 

• The Columbia Sportswear Bora Bora Booney II Sun Hats is the least expensive of our three hiking sun hat recommendations. However, Columbia has an overwhelming number of positive reviews and would be an excellent choice if you are in the market for a hiking sun hat for under $30.

Again, a good pair of sunglasses make a great gift for hikers.  While it may be tempting to buy just any pair of sunglasses, trust us when we say not all sunglasses are created equally.  I have the privilege of being married to an eye doctor, so I have heard a thing or two about protecting your eyes from the sun.  Our favorite sunglasses for hiking are Maui Jim and Costa. 

These brands offer full UV coverage, comfort, and excellent polarized lenses for maximum visibility.  A third option that we love for its unique ability to float in the water if dropped is the Amphibia Floating Sunglasses.  If you are interested in purchasing any of these frame lines directly from us, we can offer free shipping.  Contact our office directly at (423) 323-3799 or visit Destination Eyecare for more information.

We have tried so many different brands of sunscreen due to the skin sensitivities and allergies in our family.  There is only ONE BRAND that has passed the test: Badger 

We love this stuff!  It does go on thick, so use it sparingly, but it works very well, and no one in our house has had an adverse reaction to it as it’s natural and organic.

We also love their other products and recommend them as excellent gifts for the hiker in your life.

Choosing comfortable hiking clothes is a must!  A hiker needs clothes that fit the trail, weather, and hike length.  Here are some great options for the base layer (the layer that touches the skin), outer layer, undergarments, and hiking boots and shoes.

The base layer is probably the most important layer to get right! This layer is touching the skin and may or may not have additional layers on top, depending on the weather.  A hiker needs this layer to wick moisture well, be cooling, durable, and, if at all possible, resist odors. Avoid cotton for the base layer.

The one material that meets all of these requirements is Merino Wool.  This wool is nothing like the wool you probably remember as a kid!  It is non-itchy, very soft and flexible, and extremely odor resistant.

We recently switched our socks to the merino wool brand and loved them even for daily wear!  I am pretty certain I will never go back to cotton.  We like both Smartwool brand and Farm to Feet.

The middle layer is worn when the base layer isn’t sufficient and can consist of hoodies, fleece jackets, sweat pants, or other comfortable materials.  Again, wool is still also a good choice here. 

Finally, for the truly dedicated rain-or-shine hiker, these outer layer options will be the perfect gift.  Layering is truly the key to a successful backpacking experience.  A great pair of snow pants, a coat, and gloves make wonderful gifts for hikers. 

On to a crucial component in a hiker’s gear: The Best Hiking Boots!  Again, the choice here has to do with the type of hike, and it can be difficult to purchase a hiking shoe or boot for a friend, but if you know your hiker well, here are a few of our favorite brands:

• Xero Shoes Daylite Hiker

• Merrell Men's Moab 2 Mid Hiking Boot

• KEEN Women's Targhee 2 Mid-Height Hiking Boots

• Vasque Men's Breeze III GTX

• Salomon Women's Quest GTX Trail Running Shoe

Headlamps are surprisingly affordable, considering the improvements made with technology.  Here are three of top rated and most-reviewed headlamps on Amazon:

• Slonik Headlamp- super bright and powerful, with a 100,000 hours

• Victoper Rechargeable Headlamp- 8-mode, waterproof, and has more than 4,000 reviews with a 4.5 -star rating

• Amaker Led Rechargeable Headlamp- designed for work, camping, hiking, and other outdoor activities

Tactical flashlights are great for camping and hiking. No one wants to think about being in a dangerous situation on the trail, but it is a necessary part of preparing for overnight hiking and backpacking.

Tactical flashlights can be extremely helpful in a potentially dangerous situation, not to mention they are well-built and handy flashlights to own.  They have a tail-activated switch making them easy to turn on. The extremely bright LED light can aid in momentarily blinding an aggressor and helping you find anything else you might need in the pitch dark of the night.  One of these tactical flashlights should make an excellent gift for the hikers and campers in your life. 

• GearLight TAC LED Flashlight

• WUBEN C3 Flashlight

• Streamlight 88810

Finding a portable (and packable) lightweight camping lantern can be challenging, but thanks to technological advancements, there are some options.

Here are our picks for the best camping lanterns for hikers:

MPOWERD Luci Outdoor 2.0 – Inflatable Solar Light - The extremely lightweight (4.4 ounces) MPowerd Luci light is solar-powered and lasts up to 18 hours. Perfect for hiking and backpacking. Very affordable.

LE LED Rechargeable Camping Lantern- Convenient, portable, and versatile. Dimmable and has 4 light modes. Lasts up to 12 hours.

LuminAID PackLite Nova USB Solar Inflatable Waterproof Light- Great for camping, hiking, fishing, emergency preparedness, patio parties/picnics, fun in the pool, and more. Makes a perfect gift.

For the mac daddy of all First Aid Kits, we recommend the Adventure Medical Kits Sportsman Series Grizzly First Aid Kit.  This kit has everything a serious hiker needs, including wound care, fracture, sprain care, and hospital-quality first aid supplies for up to 14 people. 

If you are looking for something a little less robust, we recommend either the Adventure Medical Kits Mountain Series Daytripper or the Adventure Medical Kits Adventure First Aid 2.0 Kit

The Leatherman multi-tool is a perfect gift for a hiker.

For a top-of-the-line option, consider the Leatherman – Charge Plus TTi Multitool, Stainless Steel with 19 tools.  The hiker with this Leatherman will be the go-to fix-it man on the trail.

The Leatherman – Wave Plus Multitool with 18 tools and the Leatherman – Wingman Multitool, Stainless Steel are also great options and have everything a hiker needs.

Well, we finally made it to something every hiker loves and always needs in their pack!  Hiking snacks!!  What better gift for a hiker than to fill up his pack with his favorite snacks?

For the serious backpacker, it is crucial to carry at least an extra day’s worth of food. I have to say, though, my favorite snack comments were those that said they always carried Skittles and Chocolate.  Of course, this wouldn’t fit my low-carb lifestyle, but sometimes you deserve a reward after a difficult summit. Am I right?   

In our 9 Best Tips for Hiking with Kids, our outdoor bloggers overwhelmingly mentioned Skittles as the snack to motivate their kids on the trail!

Another fun option and the perfect gift for your hiker might be one of these  “Hangry Kits.” 

Water, of course, is crucial!  We recently purchased some CamelBak Mini-Mules for our kids, which made a huge difference in their ability to go further and hike longer.  

Also, check out this article on the best water bottles for travel for more hydration gift ideas.

This last aspect of the Ten Essentials is targeted toward the day hiker.  Backpackers, of course, will need shelter, but for the purposes of this article, we are listing shelter needed by a day hiker in an emergency.