Hikers are a picky bunch who tend to be particular about their gear. Years of field-testing all kinds of equipment means they usually like what they like, whether it be a specific brand of the best hiking socks, a particular color bandana, or a just-right fabric weight for their go-to Merino wool base layers. This is doubly true for seasoned hikers with tons of backcountry miles under their belts—er, boots.
So, gift-giving can be a challenge for anyone shopping for a favorite hiker in their life. But, fear not! We’ve done the hard work for you by rounding up our picks for the best gifts for hikers in 2022. Whether they happen to be a day hiker, a weekend car camper, or a hardcore thru-hiker, we guarantee there’s something on this list for them. Give them some more incentive to get outside and scramble to the next destination with our top gifts for hikers, below.
These do-it-all boots move seamlessly from the streets to the trails. They’re lightweight, flexible, and guarantee plenty of traction against any terrain.
The Suunto 5 Peak offers a long list of must-have features for novice hikers and veteran trailblazers. Seven-day battery life, 80 sport modes, and excellent water resistance are all baked into this sub-$300 sports watch.
Gerber upgrades the iconic spork with its all-new Devour multi-fork. The award-winning tool offers nine functions, making it useful for cooking, eating, and even cleaning.
Hike far enough, and wet weather is inevitable. Sea to Summit’s TPU guide waterproof case helps keep hikers prepared by protecting their phones, maps, and essential electronics.
Smartwool’s 150 Merino collection is perfectly weighted for the unpredictable weather of spring and fall. This long-sleeve t-shirt works equally well as a standalone layer or base layer for cooler weather.
Most hikers only need a simple fixed-blade knife for emergencies. With a 2.3-inch blade, Morakniv’s aptly named Eldris light duty knife is compact and perfectly sized for hikers.
A good power bank is essential for any hiker’s emergency kit and Blavor's solar charger will surely come in handy. Once it's fully charged, it can recharge a phone up to 3.6 times. A mag-safe pad is built right in, or you can use a cord. It also comes with a bright flashlight capable of throwing a beam 165 feet away.
Mountain Hardwear’s stretch ozonic jacket is lightweight, breathable, and waterproof. It's the perfect addition to any hiker’s pack for those inevitable showers on the trail.
Most hikers hope they’ll never need an emergency radio, but it pays to have one packed if they do. Midland’s ER40VP is a practical, all-in-one survival device with NOAA weather alerts, AM/FM radio, SOS strobe lights, a flashlight, and a built-in battery that can be recharged by hand crank or solar. You can even charge your phone on it.
A good flashlight or one of the best headlamps is another hiker essential. Olight’s bright S1R II flashlight features an ultra-compact design perfect for clipping to a belt or backpack.
With the Katadyn BeFree water filter bottle, nearly any natural water source can be turned into clean pure drinking water. The easy-to-use filter never needs to be backflushed and the soft side pouch takes up minimal space when not in use.
For leisurely day hikes with your kids or significant other, this soft-sided camp cooler is lightweight, roomy, and guaranteed to keep your trailside lunch cold for hours.
For impromptu trail picnics or extended lounging in the backcountry, Dometic’s new GO camp blanket is a dual-surface, multipurpose blanket that’s ready for just about anything.
Good insoles are almost as important as good boots. Superfeet’s Trailblazer comfort hiking insoles are purpose-built to be comfortable, durable, and supportive for miles and miles of hard hiking.
This perfectly pocketable pair of binoculars is ideal for hikers who love to birdwatch, scope out the trail conditions ahead, or just keep tabs on everyone in their group.
Mike Richard has traveled the world since 2008. He's kayaked in Antarctica, tracked endangered African wild dogs in South Africa, and survived a near-miss great white shark attack in Mexico. His travel advice has appeared on the websites for Forbes, Travel + Leisure, CNET, and National Geographic. He loves the great outdoors and good bourbon, and (usually) calls Tulsa, Oklahoma home. Mike also enjoys speaking in the third person.