Table of Contents
- What matters for the hiker and wild camper?
- Gift Ideas for hikers Below 25 euro
- Gift Ideas for hikers 25-100 euro
- Gift Ideas for hikers Above 100 euro
- Hiking gift Ideas for Her
- Thoughtful giving considerations
- FAQ
For most of us, outdoor and mountain lovers, hikers, camping fanatics, and adventure travellers count; the fewer things we have, the better. We like to travel ultra-light, and consumerism is not something we support. The holidays are coming, and preferably, we just receive a few pesos to put into the adventure fund instead of a present.
These are the best gifts for hikers I’ve personally carried across the GR11, Waitukubuli, and countless island and coastal trails. Choose hiking gifts that are practical, durable, eco-friendly and truly will be used on hikes or camping.
If you’re looking for the perfect adventure present to gift to a hiker, camper or adventure traveller, here are some valuable, eco-friendly and practical gift ideas for hikers, campers, and adventure travellers who love to go wild. Or if your friend, brother, or mum insists on receiving your travel gear wish list, here are some adventure gift suggestions that pretty much every hiking lover would love.
Everything tested by yours truly hiking +1500 km and +150 nights of camping.
Gift ideas for hikers Updated December 2025
What matters for the hiker and wild camper?
What to gift someone who loves hiking? What are unique gifts for hikers who have everything? Hiking gear is super personal and most of us hikers are pretty particular about our preferences aka researching for months what item exactly we as hikers want. That said, many of us are frugal and wouldn't gift some items to ourselves, even though we'd be sooo happy with it. Hiking gear has to be lightweight, ideally ultralight. Hiking and camping gear has to be durable and sustainable to be able to use for many adventures ahead. Every piece of gear has to have a clear purpose in the backcountry.
So what are some unique and best gifts for hikers that you can actually give and that would be a welcome gift for any hiker?
Gift Ideas for hikers Below 25 euro
Explore these small gifts for hikers. These are budget-friendly hiker presents but oh-so-appreciated items by outdoorsy people and long distance hikers.
Dehydrated meals | Make an effort and make your own :) Or get some from brands like Adventure Food or Decathlon (LOVE the Rice Coconut Dahl).
Spork | A Spork is a spoon and a fork in one. A super useful and fun gift. A titanium or wooden one is light and stylish.
Portable Travel Bidet | A travel bidet like Culo Clean helps to do your thing without creating any waste. It's much cleaner too. This is a meaningful gift. You'll help hikers stay zero waste and keep clean the pretty places and national parks.
All Trails Subscription | Give the gift of adventure. The best trail app in my opinion. Here's a Gift Subscription Offer.
Hiking socks | A gift for the hiker you can't go wrong with. Merino wool hiking socks are generally the favourite. Check REI, Backcountry, or Bever for some sweet deals. You can't go wrong with Darn Tough socks or Smartwool socks.
Pee rag | Gifts for women! A simple cloth to absorb the drips. A game-changer for women who hike, or camp, or vanlife, or sail, or anyone who sometimes pees outside! Kula Cloth is a famous brand that looks funky.
Nothing If you're not sure just give nothing, but your presence (as a trail angel on trail :)) Or just ask what they would like.
Ultralight Dog Bow l For those exploring with a dog, this nitesize dogbowl is ultralight. I even brought two on my recent hike, one for drinking and one for food.
A compass. A really cool and lightweight compass is a great hiker gift. More of us should actually carry one! This Suunto mini compass you can easily clip to a backpack.
A fire steel starter is a sweet gift for a wild hearted adventurer
Your Encouragement and Support | You don't have to ‘get it' but just some words of encouragement, support or admiration will give us hikers superpowers. Hiking IS one of the most sensible, productive, superpowering things to do. We are not ‘wasting' our time. We are investing in a healthy body, mind, and soul to be there for you, our work, our projects and to be able to give back. I made a video about why hiking, and especially long-distance hiking is such a magical thing to do.
Gift Ideas for hikers 25-100 euro
Medium-budget hiking goodies that make a great gift for outdoor lovers and wildcamping.
Water filter | I love the Maunawai Hiking filter. It's the best waterfilter out there. It's durable, though a little on the heavier side for a long-distance hike. For the ultralight hiker, I recommend the Katadyn BeFree
Lunch or Dinner in town | How exciting to arrive into town after days of hiking. Especially on long trails our budget need to last for a while and we skip most restaurants and head to the store for a picknick pack. A gifted restaurant meal would be quite the joy! Bonus points if you as a friend or family member joins in for the company.
BPA free water bottle | I've been hiking wayyy to long with a toxic ‘single use' water bottle (that I re-used a zillion times). It's simply one of the most lightweight options out there but the plastic is toxic. A titanium water bottle (on my list mum;)) or Tristan plastic water bottle are the most lightweight and healthy options out there.
Headlamp | This Mactronic headtorch is ultralight, without batteries (just USB), and with a red light option.
A night in a hotel | after weeks of sweating, sleeping on an airmat, and an occasional dip in a stream, a night in a hotel = priceless
Battery Pack | Nitecore has the most lightweight rechargeable battery pack. A favourite amongst hikers. I hiked across the Pyrenees with it and hopefully many more trails.
Sitting Pad | Great for picknicking, sitting, sleeping, or for the dog who comes with you.
Ultralight pillow | A small inflatable pillow can make or break the hike. I love the Sea2Summit one. It's one of the lightest out there.
Merino wool hiking shirt | The shirt that doesn't go stinky. An excellent gift for your hiking buddy;). Iceabreaker and Smartwool have some nice ones.
Merino wool hiking legging | A luxurious hiking essential to not get cold hiking. I have the icebreaker200 and LOVE it. I also just wear it as a legging.
Sun hoodie | Perfect for hiking in summer to protect from the sun. Many of the sunhoodies out there are synthetic and made from plastic. I love the Merino wool Icebreaker sunhoody made from natural materials. I wore it in my hike across the Pyrenees. It doesn't get stinky ;)
A sit pad | I didn't think I needed this until I was given one for my recent hike with my dog. Practical for sitting and sleeping on cold, wet or spikey ground. It's an extra insulation. And it's great for yoga and stretching. And for the dog:)
Trail Guidebook / App | Are they planning a long distance hike? Gift the actual guidebook of the trail, hardcopy and/or ebook. The trails in the states usually use the Faroutguides . Many trails in Europe have a Cicerone guidebook.
Backpack Camera Clip | This Peak Design backpack clip is not the most lightweight item but what a gamechanger in capturing the adventures. This is a simple but very strong metal clip to attach to your backpack so you can capture the magic in a second. The ultimate gift for vlogging hikers.
Thermo underwear | A Merino wool top, underpants, legging and shirt can make (or break if you don't have one) a hike or backpacking trip, especially when hiking in winter. Icebreaker, Smartwool and Branwyn are some ecominded brands in this department. I've been SO happy with my Icebreaker legging and longsleeve. It kept me warm in times of need while hiking and now in winter while in the campervan.
Gift Ideas for hikers Above 100 euro
The most important hiking items are a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat and backpack. But these are usually quite the investment and rather personal so you may want to involve the person you're looking to give a hiking gift, involve in the process.
E-Book Reader | A valuable travel companion for anyone. I love this Kobo Clara because it's lightweight, waterproof, has a background light, a small size, and it's made from recycled plastic from the ocean. I wouldn't bring it on ultralight long-distance hikes, but I do use it on any other travel, sail, vanlife, or backpack adventures to read adventure stories and plot the plan for the next hiking adventures.
A backpack | A light weight travel back pack | I finally invested in one: Osprey Eja. This is the only female-shaped lightweight backpack with a frame below (1.2 kilos). It's perfect for those who love long-distance hiking. I used on my recent hike across the Pyrenees (GR11) and love love love it. This backpack comes in 2 sizes that are very adjustable. A holiday gift that's hard to wrap gift though ;)
A sleeping mat | The very best sleeping pad in my opinion and used by many long-distance hikers is the Thermarest Neoair. What a gift to get! If you sleep well, you hike and recover well and will continue adventuring.
Garmin Inreach Mini 2 | The best hiker gift for mum or dad to give! A personal tracking GPS device is a cost-effective satellite device that allows text communication, location tracking, and emergency alerts in the unlikely event that someone gets lost or injured anywhere in the wild. It gives the mums (and yourself) a lot of peace of mind. At any given time you can connect. Also your loved ones can follow your hike. The Garmin Inreach Mini 2 is lightweight and chosen by hikers often. I have mine for 6 years already.
A tent | Once you have a good tent, you'll go out hiking more and more. I've tested both Agnes Copper Spur and Fly Creek. For 2 persons I recommend the Coppur Spur. For solo long distance hiking or hiking with dog the Fly Creek is great (it's lighter but smaller). They are not cheap legendary hiking houses.
Hiking gift Ideas for Her
Kula Cloth + leash. A simple cloth to absorb the drips. A game-changer for women who hike, or camp, or vanlife, or sail, or anyone who sometimes pees outside!
Thoughtful giving considerations
Quality over quantity. Hiking gear is meant to last and used for many hiking adventures ahead. We don't need more stuff, we just need quality gear for happy, safe and longterm adventures.
Buy as local as you can. Here’s why. If you have to buy online (rethink that), check second-hand first, order from the little shops, and check what has been created near you on sites like Etsy.
Give the gift of being an adventure buddy! Instead of giving ‘a thing', invite someone to your hike, or show interest in joining.
Not sure about what to gift the adventurer? Give a giftcard instead. In the USA, a REI gift card is priceless, or a Gossamer Gear Gift Card for Ultra light gear, in the Europe a giftcard from Bever or Decathlon would put a smile on someone's face.
KISS – Keep it Simple Stupid for wrapping the gifts. Just use an old newspaper, T-shirt or towel, a rope to tie it together and that’s it. Here are a few more ideas in the Refuse-reduce-recycle department.
FAQ
What is a good gift for a hiker?
A good gift for a hiker is something light, useful and durable. Think of items that make long days outside easier or more enjoyable. Practical gear that solves a real trail problem is always appreciated. The best gifts are usually the ones that earn a permanent spot in the pack. If not sure, ask the person you want to give and adventure present. What we do not want is things we don't use.
Hikers want gear that works. Reliable layers, smart tools, lightweight essentials and small comforts that support long days on the trail. They also appreciate gifts that align with their values. Quality over quantity, items that last, and things that help them stay connected to nature without extra weight.
I hope you can pick something from the adventurous gift ideas. Happy giving with one of these hiking gifts in this guide for the outdoor adventure people.
Last but not least, choosing the perfect gift for someone's hiking adventure is about more than the item itself. By gifting an item you may help someone get into hiking! Or help the already avid hikers stay safer, more comfortable, and motivated to get outside. If you can support someone by getting outdoors by gifting an outdoor gear item, do it! We can never have enough nature time and most of us need more.
Embrace the wild, one thoughtful item at a time.
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Disclaimer: As always, opinions are my own. What drives me is encouraging you to connect to nature and care for nature. If you’re looking to purchase, huge thanks if you purchase something from this gift guide via this website. At no extra cost to you, orders and bookings through this website give me a tiny piece of the pie that helps me keep investigating, exploring, and creating content about outdoor adventure travel in tune with nature.
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