Every gram counts on a long trail. So a gift for a hiker has to earn its place in the pack. If it doesn't get used every day, it gets left in the next village.
And to be fair, we hikers and campers just don't want many things. So be careful. If you're not sure, better just stick with the socks. That's always good.
My name is Suzanne. I've walked 2,500+ km of long trails. I walked 850 km across the Pyrenees on the GR11 with my dog Wingo. We did the Fisherman’s Trail in Portugal and the Waitukubuli Trail through the jungle of Dominica. We crossed three of the Canary Islands on the GR131. And there were many more trails here and there, in Spain, Morocco and Peru.
Updated October 2026.
My favourite hiking gifts
Looking for a gift for someone who likes hiking? These are my favourites.
Small and useful
A Kula Cloth, a Culo Clean, a spork, a tiny compass or a whistle.
For the pack
A light pillow, a water filter, a lightweight head torch and a lightweight battery.
To wear
hiking socks, a beanie, merino layers or trail runners.
Bigger gifts
A stove, the Osprey Eja 48, a two-person tent or a Garmin inReach Mini 2.
Not a thing at all
A night in a real bed mid-trail, dinner in town or a gift voucher.
What do you give a hiker who has everything?
Often the best gift for a hiker isn't a thing at all.
A night in a real bed mid-trail. You can book it for them, or give a voucher for one night anywhere on the trail. Bonus points if it has a bath.
Dinner in the next town. Even better if you join them for it.
Walk a section together.
Some trail angel support. Just an offer to pick them up or drop them off at the trailhead.
Cheer them on. If your hiker friend or family member documents the adventure on YouTube, Facebook or wherever, share it. Like it, comment on it, be an ambassador for it. That really helps and it's so motivating.
It's often the strangers who are our biggest cheerleaders on the internet. But it makes so much impact if the people close to us are supportive. Even just a little compliment like hey, that's such a cool video you made. It's super nice to hear.
A gift voucher. REI in the US. Bever or Decathlon in Europe. Or an AllTrails+ gift subscription.
And check the second-hand market first. There's so much to be found there. Or just use what you have. Etsy is great for handmade. Here's why buying local matters.
Wrap it simple too. I use an old newspaper or a tea towel with a piece of string. More ideas here.
Small gifts for hikers
A Kula Cloth. It's a pee cloth that clips to the outside of your backpack. I carry one, plus their little leash for easy peeing. Handy for every woman who hikes.
A Culo Clean travel bidet. It turns any plastic bottle into a bidet. No toilet paper left behind in nature.
Some wool for the feet. It's my feet health hack. If you are worried about blisters or sore feet, you simply stuff a little bit of hikers wool on the sore spot. The pressure point changes and your feet will be fine in no time. It works magic. No need to buy the expensive branded one from the outdoor store. Any piece of wool will work.
A titanium spork. Spoon and fork in one. On the GR11 I ate with my coconut spoon, my favourite piece of gear. So any spoon you love will do.
A tiny compass. I think that's very cool. Or a whistle. Both weigh almost nothing.
A good phone cover. The phone will likely drop a lot on trail. Mine is an old Otter one and it's great. Covers for the camera lenses of the phone are nice too. These kind of little things.
A Spotify Premium subscription, so you can download music. On trail, that's great.
A little pouch to put on the backpack strap. Also amazing. I carry the Gossamer one for my phone and snacks.
Freeze-dried meals. If you can make them your own, amazing. Otherwise Decathlon has them too. That's pretty nice. Electrolytes are always welcome as well. I always have some in my kit.
A jar of homemade sunscreen. I carry my own DIY sunscreen and toothpaste.
For someone who wants to start hiking
Know someone who dreams of their first nights outside? I wrote Your First Hike, a field guide for your first two to seven nights on a trail. Start with what you have and let the trail teach you.
Hiking gear gifts for the pack
A light inflatable pillow. I carry the Sea to Summit one. It packs down to almost nothing and you sleep so much better.
A water filter. A Katadyn BeFree is lighter for hiking, so that's the one I carry. In the van I use a Maunawai. Here are all the filters I tested.
A lightweight head torch. Mine is the Mactronic Rebel. It needs to recharge more often, so pair it with a lightweight battery. I carry a NiteCore 10,000.
Hiking poles. Amazing to have. Mine are second-hand telescope poles. Check the second-hand market, there's so much to be found there. On the GR11 a storm snapped two of my three tent poles. I duct-taped them to my trekking poles at 3 in the morning.
A sit pad. A dry, warm spot at every break. It doubles as a bed for the dog.
A trail guide or a subscription for a navigation app. On the long trails in the US, like the PCT, you use FarOut guides. For apps there's AllTrails+ or Gaia GPS, and in Europe the Cicerone guidebooks are good. Here are the hiking apps I use.
A camera clip for the hiker who films. I added the Peak Design clip at the end of the GR11.
Clothes for the trail
Make sure it's natural materials. The more synthetic things can get quite stinky.
Hiking socks. Great. We always need socks. Sometimes they don't survive on trail.
A nice beanie or a buff. Skip cotton.
Icebreaker merino. The legging and the thermal shirt are my long-trip go-to. Not only on trail. I also wear them when living in the van. They're just super comfortable. Pyjamas for when it gets cold.
A good puffy jacket. Mine is a light down hoody from Ayacucho. Down is lighter and warmer than synthetic, but it needs to stay dry.
A good rain jacket makes all the difference. I carry a Patagonia one.
A nice lightweight fleece. Amazing. Mine is from Decathlon.
A cool hiking shirt or shorts. Also nice. A merino shirt, or the Icebreaker sun hoody for the sunny stretches.
Merino wool underwear. Crazy expensive, but it's really nice to have on trail.
Some good sunglasses. Also amazing. I wear Sunski.
Trail runners. For long distance hiking, the Altra Lone Peak changed my life. I walked the GR11 in them and many other trails. I also really like the Topos. Similar comfort to me, but they last a little bit longer.
Bigger hiking gifts
These are personal. If you go big, talk to your hiker first or let them choose size and colour.
A stove
A light stove is really nice to get. I use a small Optimus that screws on the gas.
The Osprey Eja 48 backpack
I carried the Osprey Eja 48 across the GR11 with Wingo. It's a framed lightweight backpack. Not ultralight, but it can carry a little bit of load. It's made for the women's body and quite adjustable. Here is my full Osprey Eja 48 review.
A Thermarest NeoAir sleeping mat
I sleep on the Thermarest NeoAir X-Lite. Sleep is almost everything on a long trail.
A tent for one, or for two plus a dog
My tent on the GR11 was the Big Agnes Fly Creek. Light enough for a long trail, with room for me and a small dog. Too small for two people. I tried it, it did not go well.
When I go hiking with my partner Jonatan, we use the Big Agnes Copper Spur. Perfect for us two and the dog. Really amazing tent.
A Garmin inReach Mini 2
I've had the inReach Mini for many, many years now. It works fine. Most important is that you can be found in case it's needed. You can check the weather with it too. It's also a gift for the people at home, because they can follow your route. The device needs a subscription to work. It's quite costly. But especially as a mum, what you most want is to know where your son or daughter is hanging out, right? So make sure they get the subscription too. Very smart gift. Here is my full review.
Hiking gifts for her
I'm a woman who hikes, often solo with my dog. These are the gifts I would love to get myself.
A Kula Cloth and their leash. I use their face towel too.
A menstrual cup. The solution that changed my travel life. On the trail I use the OrganiCup. No waste to carry out and nothing to buy in the next village.
The Osprey Eja 48. A framed lightweight pack, made for the women's body and quite adjustable.
Icebreaker merino for the trail and for cold nights after. And merino underwear, if you want to spoil her.
Gifts for hiking with a dog
I crossed 850 km of the Pyrenees with my dog Wingo. He has his own little kit.
Two Nite Ize bowls. One for water and one for food. They weigh almost nothing.
A foldable pad for the dog to sit and sleep on. Mine was third-hand.
Paw wax for rough ground and hot rocks. I use Vetramil.
A good leash, and a tick remover in the first aid kit.
What not to buy a hiker
Well, don't buy anything if you're not sure. We want minimum things. Or go pick something together.
Hiking and camping gear is super personal. So don't buy a backpack, shoes or a tent unless your hiker chose it. Or let them pick the size and colour.
Skip the gadgets and the stuff. We just don't want many things. Everything we take, we carry on our back.
And skip synthetic clothes. They can get quite stinky. Natural materials are much nicer.
Everyone brings way too much on the first trip. Extra socks, a second book, 3 headlamps, backup batteries for the backup batteries. So don't add to the pile.
And don't buy anything new and expensive before they know they like it. Lots of people invest in gear, go once, don't like it and never go again. So check the second-hand marketplaces first. Vinted, Marktplaats, Facebook Marketplace and r/GearTrade on Reddit are full of near-new gear.
If you're not sure, better just stick with the socks. That's always good.
Let your presence be the present
If you're not sure, let your presence be the present. Or your support. Walk a section with them, cheer on their videos or offer a lift to the trailhead.
Want my full gear list?
Everything I carried on the GR11 is on my LighterPack, with the weights. And I send a free email every now and then with what's working on the trail and where I'm walking next.
FAQ: gifts for hikers
What is the best gift for a hiker?
Socks. We always need socks and they don't always survive the trail. Make sure they're natural materials, because synthetic things can get quite stinky. For a bigger gift, a light stove or a Garmin inReach Mini 2.
What are good hiking gifts for her?
From a woman who hikes: a Kula Cloth, a menstrual cup like the OrganiCup, the Osprey Eja 48 backpack, Icebreaker merino and merino underwear.
What are good small gifts for hikers?
A Kula Cloth, a Culo Clean bidet, a spork, a tiny compass, a whistle, freeze-dried meals or a bit of wool for the feet.
What is a good gift for someone starting out hiking?
Good hiking socks, a water filter, a lightweight head torch and a guidebook or app for a trail near them. And check the second-hand market first for the bigger gear.
What do you give a hiker who has everything?
Something that isn't a thing. A night in a real bed mid-trail, dinner in the next town, a gift voucher or walking a section together.
What is a good Christmas present for a hiker?
Icebreaker merino for cold mornings, a nice beanie, a light pillow, or a guidebook for the trail they're dreaming of next year.
What are good hiking gifts for him?
Most of this list works for him too. Good hiking socks, a puffy jacket, a lightweight head torch, a light stove or a Garmin inReach Mini 2.
What should you not buy a hiker?
Anything you're not sure about. Hikers want minimum things, so go pick something together. Skip big personal gear they didn't choose, like a backpack, shoes or a tent. Gadgets and more stuff. And synthetic clothes, because they get quite stinky. If you're not sure, stick with the socks.
Is a gift card a good gift for a hiker?
Yes. Hiking gear is personal, so a gift card lets them choose. REI in the US, Bever or Decathlon in Europe. Or book them a night in a real bed mid-trail.
What are good gifts for hikers with dogs?
Two light Nite Ize bowls, one for water and one for food. A foldable pad to sit and sleep on. Paw wax and a tick remover.
Stay wild.
With love, Suzanne
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Read next
Van life gifts: what lives in my van
Eco-friendly travel gifts
My Osprey Eja 48 review
The GR11 across the Pyrenees with my dog
The hiking apps I use
Black Friday outdoor deals, the conscious guideWatch on YouTube
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