How To...Holiday Shop for Hikers - 10 Gifts Ideas for 2024

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Shopping during the holiday season is rarely simple and straightforward. It is made even less so when having to do it for someone who is an avid hiker or backpacker, regardless of whether they simply focus on enjoying a weekend walk in the woods, are the gram-obsessed ultralight hiker, or are psyched on tackling famously long thru-hikes such as the Pacific Coast Trail (PCT), Appalachian Trail (AT), or Continental Divide Trail (CDT). Either way, choosing a gift that’s both practical and thoughtful can make all the difference.

This year, forget the generic presents and boldly go for gifts that’ll elevate their outdoor experience. From gear upgrades to cozy essentials, our expert staff personally tested and gathered 10 top universal gift ideas for hikers and backpackers in 2024. No more guessing what to get; each item was handpicked to be universal so they enhance any hiker's journey, no matter the season or terrain they’re tackling. We want these gifts to get out on the trail, not get returned!

So, whether you're looking for something small and handy or a game-changing upgrade, keep reading to discover the best hiking gifts this holiday season!

1. The Go-To Award-Winning Bag: Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil™ Daypack 20L

SHOP HERE - $44.95

Not only do we love it, but the Ultra-Sil™ Day Pack won the Backpacker Editors' Choice Gold Award in 2017...and for good reason. It is a minimalist backpack that has incredible strength-to-weight performance and packs down to the size of a tennis ball (not a joke...see above). The 30D siliconised CORDURA® fabric and reinforcing bar-tacks at stress points enable it to withstand loads many times its own weight.

With a 20L capacity, it's perfect for a summit pack, carrying groceries when on foot or on a bike, or as an extra traveling tote. The tiny packed size also easily fits onto your key ring, in a jacket pocket or purse, or at the bottom of a big thru-hike pack so you have small pack for any smaller objectives or peak-bagging along the way.

With non-padded shoulder straps, the typical maximum load limit recommendation for a comfortable carry is 15 lbs/7 kg, but as with all gear, your own creativity will tell what is going to work for you personally.

2. The One Spork/Spoon to Rule Them All: Titanium Backcountry Cutlery

SHOP HERE - options from $8.95 to $19.95

The staff pulled out the store abacus last week and came to a stunning conclusion - if we had a nickel for every time one of us had broken our favorite spoons or sporks while on a multi-day backpacking trip or even during lunch on a day hike, we have approximately $1.35. That may not seem like much money, but then again, in today's day and age, you can put that much money on a new cryptocurrency and become rich overnight so maybe a change of strategy is what's called for.

In this case, that change should be to stop buying plastic cutlery for your backcountry trips. These three titanium sporks/spoons are essentially impossible to break, easy to clean, come in different sizes so they fit inside your desired bowl/pouch, and are still super light. No one would ever dream of scoffing at this gift, if anything, they are going to fall in love with it so much that they start giving them out as gifts as well.

3. Haters Gonna Hate So Be a Diva and Sleep Well: Inflatable Camp Pillows

SHOP HERE - $49.95 to $59.95

One of our staff members who is a Marine reservist and works as guide for NOLS and Sierra Mountain Center used to take a lot of (misplaced) pride in never taking a pillow of any sort into the backcountry. He would just use his sleeping bag stuff sack filled with his extra layers. By his own admission, it "worked" just fine, but my oh my was it a silly mistake borne out of youthful exuberance. He recently got an Sea to Summit Aeros Ultralight Inflatable Pillow while guiding some rock climbing out in southwest Utah and the verdict is that he is never going back.

Both the Sea to Summit Aeros Ultralight Inflatable Pillow and Big Agnes Rapide SL Pillow weigh in at ~2 ounces and pack down to the size of less than soda can so you are not going to notice neither the weight on your back nor the space taken in your pack. They can also be adjusted to be as firm or squishy as you like via the inflation valve. Treat yourself to some of the best backcountry sleep you'll ever have and by extension some of the best backcountry days ever after too.

4. The Indispensable Midweight Layer for Any Trip: Patagonia R1 Air Full-Zip Hoody

SHOP HERE - $179.00 - MEN & WOMEN

A lot of attention is paid to buying great hardshells a.k.a. rain jackets or super warm puffy jackets, and rightly so, but this comes at the expense of the equally as critical midweight layer in which you are going to spend a large majority of your time wearing while out on trail, even under your rain jacket. This mid-layer needs to be able to retain enough body heat to keep you warm while moving on chilly or cloudy days BUT also somehow be breathable enough so as not make you sweat or retain sweat. Thankfully, modern material science has the answer for this problem. The Patagonia R1 Air Full-Zip Hoody is our favorite to do this nuanced, difficult-to-do job and we are confident it will do the job for you too, whether you are wearing it at home or out on the trail. There is also a version without a hood for slightly cheaper ($129) if getting it for simpler in-town uses, but we always recommend buying outdoor clothing with hoods whenever the option exists as it allows for retention of key body heat from your neck and head if needed.

5. The Fuel Your Body Needs to Go the Distance: Tailwind Nutrition Endurance Fuel

SHOP HERE - $2.75 (individual stick) & $40.99 (bulk bag = ~24 sticks)

You can have all the ambition in the world but you cannot escape the physical reality that your body needs proper nutrition to enjoy the outdoors at any level safely. The go-to favorite for our staff and most locals is Tailwind Nutrition rather than Nuun or other popular brands like Mio. We all regularly use Tailwind, some of us multiple times per week in fact.

Why is it so special? First off, it's the primary race fuel for record-setting ultra-marathoner Courtney Dauwalter. Second, it is non-GMO, gluten free, vegan, dairy and soy free. Third, its three-part focus makes it the ideal drink powder for any day outdoors: 1) Electrolytes - it contains sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium to speed the absorption of fuel and replace what you sweat out. 2) Water - it also maximizes your absorption of water more than if you were to drink water alone. 3) Energy - it has sugars, but not "empty" sugars. The dextrose and sucrose in it matches what your body is designed to absorb so it enters through your bloodstream quickly without challenging the digestive system or causing stomach issues.

*Some flavors are available with caffeine if desired.

6. Get the Best Tires for Your Lambor-Feeties: Darn Tough Hiker Boot Full Cushion Socks

SHOP HERE - $28.00

All Men's Socks -- All Women's Socks -- All Kid's Socks

You would not put sketchy tires on your brand new Lamborghini, right? Well, all we can say is you should also not put sketchy socks on your Lambor-feeties. They are your only mode of transportation out there on trail so treat them well so they treat you well in return. Our staff swears by Darn Tough socks not only because of their high quality that you would be hard-pressed to get to fail, but also because the company stands by their quality with lifetime warranties in case you do. In the rare chance of an issue, we have easily redeemed this warranty without fail in the summer for many PCT hikers passing through town and our local customers who put in a lot of miles. We would be happy to help you too.

If that was not convincing enough, you do not have to take our word for it. Darn Tough Hiker Full Cushion socks were also named the Best Hiking Sock of 2024 by Outdoor Gear Lab. The material blend of wool, nylon, and lycra helps prevent blisters while still providing the maximal comfort possible.

7. The Only Trekking Poles You'll Need: Leki Khumbu Lite Trekking Poles

SHOP HERE - $119.95

Trekking poles may seem unnecessary to the uninitiated or certain purists, but after you use them once, you never look back. We carry a full complement of Leki poles here at the store and that is because they are tough, reliable and will provide you with faithful years of service, no matter what type of beating you put them through. If the shaft does somehow break on them, there is a lifetime warranty on them that we can help you redeem via our staff.

We love the Leki Khumbu Lite poles as the ideal all-around trekking pole regardless of what you are planning to do. Each pole is light at 0.5 lbs, as durable as an ox, comes with Leki's patented ergonomic grip, and Speed Lock+ system for easy size adjustment without ever needing a multi-tool.

8. Filter Your Water, Not You Fun: Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter

SHOP HERE - $53.75

Nothing ruins a hike or the days after a hike more than getting a water-borne illness. Avoid that completely with the water filtration system overwhelmingly preferred by our staff, all of our visiting PCT hikers, and also got a specific shout out in a post by the famous thru-hiking influencer couple, Renee and Tim! We also have the Sawyer Micro if that is your jam.

Easy, efficient, and effective. Weighing just 3 ounces, the Squeeze Water Filter ensures you have access to clean water in the backcountry or anywhere in the world.  Buy a soda or water bottle with threads anywhere in the world and screw the filter directly onto it.  Simply fill up the bottle at a lake, stream, or river, and then squeeze the bottle through the filter water into your mouth or into another bottle.

Rated to 0.1 micron absolute filtration, it removes 99.99999% of all bacteria, such as salmonella, leptospirosis, cholera and E.coli, , removes 99.9999% of all protozoa (such as giardia and cryptosporidium), and it also removes 100% of microplastics.

Backed by a lifetime warranty, the versatile, award-winning Sawyer Squeeze Filter is incredibly simple to use and fits in the palm of your hand, making it ideal for backcountry trekking, international travel, emergency preparedness, and more.

9. Keep Clean by Staying "Dirty": Dirty Girl Gaiters

SHOP HERE - $29.99

If you ask a focus group of hikers, backpackers, and trail runners, what are the most annoying things you encounter while out on the trail (or off the trail)? Easily included at the very top of that list is getting sand, pebbles, dirt, rocks, etc. in your shoes or boots. This gift not only solves that problem, but solves it in unbeatable style! Who said outdoor gear needs to be boring and earth-toned?

Dirty Girl Gaiters are our favorite option to keep unwanted hitchhikers out of our shoes and boots whether it be for a day hike, a long expedition, or something in between. They work best for low to mid ankle hiking shoes or running shoes and are super light weight (weighing less than 2oz per pair). They attach easily and securely to your shoe, coming with a small piece of velcro (included) to be attached to the back of the shoe so they never come off, no matter the activity. They come in tons of different patterns and colors available in store and on our website so be sure to find the one that vibes for you. Get a pair (or three) today and make your next jaunt a fashionable one!

...and last, but certainly not least...