Are your looking for ideas for gifts for campers and hikers? That’s exactly what we’re going to cover in this article.
For a lot of outdoor lovers, me included, when we see something we want we go ahead and buy it. So you may have to be creative and find something they didn’t even know existed. Or something they didn’t know they wanted.
There are thousands of things out there that might make a great gift. The choices are overwhelming, especially if you aren’t much of an outdoorsy person yourself.
If you have no clue what they would like, then take a look at this list of 20 popular items, in no particular order, you can find on Amazon that any camper or hiker would love to own. Even if you don’t see something on it that you want, it may give you some ideas.
20 gifts for the campers and hikers in your life
1. Solo Wood Burning Backpacking Stove
*This thing is amazing for campers
Great for campers and backpackers, this wood burning backpacking stove by Solo would make a great gift. You can burn twigs, wood, pinecones and other things you find around your campsite for fuel. This stove is perfect for simply boiling water for your coffee or oatmeal in the mornings. It is also great for cooking bacon and other types of meat. There are a lot of possibilities and any serious or casual camper would relish this little stove. It is very popular on Amazon and has 4.8 out of 5 stars.
2. Garmin Foretrex 401 Waterproof Hiking GPS
This waterproof GPS navigator would be any hiker, backpacker, or camper’s best friend. It tracks your position the whole time you are out in the wilderness and allows you to retrace your steps if you get lost. Store waypoints, connect to your Mac or PC, and even share routes with another Foretrex 401. It takes AAA batteries and according to Garmin gets about 17 hours of battery life. This is a bit of a drawback in my book but it’s still a great product and has great reviews.
3. Garmin GPS Receiver
Never get lost again with this GPS device. It has a color screen and terrain maps of the entire U.S. including all State and National Parks. Upload all of your data to Garmin Connect and the sync it up to your smart phone for easier viewing. It has tons of cool features like this and is a step up from the previous GPS device. A great gift for the serious backpacker.
4. MalloMe Camping Cookware Mess Kit
This cookware set would pair great with the wood burning stove at the top of this list. It’s very affordable and comes with tons of bonus gear. Aside from the pots, pans, silverware and other cooking utensils, you will also get a mini stove, fire starter, cleaning sponge, and even a free guide on how to cook smores. Very cool gift idea for hikers and camping enthusiasts that won’t break the bank!
5. WEN 56200i Super Quiet 2000-Watt Portable Inverter Generator
This camping generator obviously cannot fit into a backpack, so it’s targeted towards campers who either have an rv or use campsites. It’s extremely quiet and won’t keep your neighbors up if you run it at night. The generator has two 120V outlets and 5 USB ports. It will run 6-8 hours on a full tank of gas and weighs just under 50lbs. It’s not the most inexpensive item on this list but it’s a high quality generator and the recipient of this gift would surely love it.
6. Osprey Men’s Atmos 65 AG Backpacks
*Best backpacking (overnight hiking) backpack hands down
Speaking as an owner of multiple Osprey backpacks, in my opinion they make the best backpacks hands down. The Osprey Atmos 65 is no exception. This pack however is going to be for extra long, overnight or even multiple day hikes. It’s one of the biggest packs that Osprey makes and can hold all the gear you’ll need for a thru-hike. So if the person you are thinking about gifting this to is into long distance hikes like the Appalachian trail, then this is definitely the pack for them. Osprey has a lifetime warranty as well, you really just can’t go wrong with an Osprey backpack.
7. LifeStraw Personal Water Filter
*Best stocking stuffer for camper or hiker
The LifeStraw Personal Water Filter is inexpensive, small and will fit in any backpack, and is a super easy way to purify water while out in the wilderness. It’s the perfect accessory for all hikers and backpackers to have if their hydration bladder runs dry. It can filter up to 1000 gallons of water and last a person for up to 4 years. This item is insanely popular on Amazon with currently over 7,200 reviews and 4.6 stars. You simply pop the caps off, stick it directly into a body of water, prime it a few times, then start drinking. A really great gift and would pair great with several different items on this list like the survival kit below.
8. Texsport 9 Cup Stainless Steel Percolator Coffee Maker
Perfect for the coffee lover. Nowadays you’d be hard pressed to find someone who will not drink coffee. Ok, sure I know some people who won’t drink coffee but this isn’t for them. What’s better than unzipping the tent in the morning, starting a fire, and getting some coffee going? This can go directly on a campfire grate and would also go perfectly with the Solo wood burning backpack stove on this list. With some fresh ground beans and this little percolator you can have some hot coffee in just a few minutes! Great gift for any coffee drinking camper.
9. YETI Tundra 45 Cooler
If you want to buy someone the best cooler they’ve ever owned, then this is the one. Yeti makes the toughest coolers available. You could certainly get a cheaper one for a fraction of that price, and it will have a fraction of the quality of a Yeti. Keep in mind when buying a premium cooler like this that it would likely be the last cooler they’ll ever need. Did I mention you get a five year warranty with one of these? If the price isn’t an issue for you then you can all but guarantee someone would be overjoyed to get one of these as a gift.
10. Hydro Flask 40 oz Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle
Just a very high quality beverage container. It will keep your hot drinks hot for up to 12 hours and your cold drinks cold for a full 24 hours. This one doesn’t require a lot of thought, it’s just likely the best water bottle a person will ever own. If you don’t believe me check the reviews on Amazon. It’s very durable and is a bit on the heavy side. Keep in mind it is not dishwasher safe so it is hand wash only which doesn’t bother me too much. I use these so much if mine is in the dishwasher I feel naked without it just for that short period of time. It’s really quicker and easier just to wash it out by hand really quick. A great choice for a stocking stuffer or combo gift with another item on this list.
11. Foxelli Trekking Poles
*If the hiker in your life doesn’t have these, then they need them!
Trekking poles are great for taking some of the impact off of your knees and feet when out on the trail. They certainly aren’t needed but they’re just one of those things that are really nice to have. Trekking poles also help you find sure footing when stepping on ground that you can’t quite see, like when crossing a river, stepping in snow, or even mud. If you want some more choices, check out the article I wrote that give you 5 great options for trekking poles.
12. Camp Chef Big Gas 3 Burner Grill Black/red
This is a great portable propane grill for any camper. The whole unit weighs around 87 lbs and according to manufacturer specs you get about 608 square inches of cooking space. Unfortunately the legs do not fold up on this particular grill but they are removable for easy transport and storage. Great choice for the RV camper or someone who has the room to store a grill. There’s nothing like a steak, hamburgers, or bbq chicken at your campsite.
13. Bear Butt Camping Hammocks
*These things are great!
A very simple and useful gift, these lightweight hammocks are great for camping or backpacking. They are super lightweight at under 2 lbs and made of a durable, high quality nylon material that will last for years. You basically just throw each end around a tree, hop in and relax. When you are done just stuff it back into its pouch and you are good to go. Currently under $30 on Amazon, these are very affordable. Pair it with another item from this list like maybe the LifeStraw and you’ve got a great little combo gift!
14. GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker Portable Folding Rocking Chair
This foldable rocking chair is great for sitting around a campfire, but would also work in a number of other scenarios. It supports up to 250 lbs and just weighs 12 lbs. Perfect for throwing in the trunk of your car or in the back of an RV to take on a camping trip. It has great ratings on Amazon and at the time of writing this is about $61. Considering it is a high quality, foldable rocking chair that’s a great deal. This chair is of my favorite gift ideas for campers. And yes it does have a drink holder for a beer!
15. EILIKS Emergency Survival Kit
Get a little bit of everything all in one box, for super cheap. This would make a great stocking stuffer or secret santa gift for the outdoorsman. According to the manufacturer listing on Amazon this kit contains a flint stone, scraper, flashlight, swiss card, mini light, updated compass, updated tactical military knife, whistle, tungsten steel pen, emergency thermal steel and black sturdy box. This isn’t something you would carry with you on a long hike, but it’s definitely something you could keep under the seat in your truck or car for emergencies. Again, pair it with another item on this list for a good combination gift.
16. Keith Titanium Ti3060 Canteen Mess Kit
*Great for any primitive camping enthusiast
How about the last canteen someone will ever need? This canteen by Keith is made of pure titanium and has a lifetime warranty. Obviously you can drink your water out of it but it can also be used for cooking directly on the fire. Titanium is very lightweight and extremely strong. It is virtually rust proof, inhibits bacterial growth, and is hypoallergenic. It’s pretty pricey for sure, but for the serious backpacker this would make a great gift.
17. Nikon 7577 MONARCH 5 10×42 Binocular
These are targeted mostly at bird and wildlife watchers. They are lightweight and more importantly made by Nikon. They are very clear and have great focus, and are considered the binocular of choice for most outdoor enthusiasts. If the recipient of this gift is a bird watcher, you can rest assured they will love them and get years of use out of them. If they already own a Nikon camera, then they are aware of the quality products Nikon produces.
18. GoPro Waterproof Digital Action Camera
*Literally any outdoorsy person would love a GoPro
This one probably needs no introduction or explanation, almost everyone has heard about the GoPro phenomenon over the last several years. GoPros are great for any outdoor activity, this includes hiking or backpacking. There are also many GoPro mounting options for hiking to consider that are pretty inexpensive and would go great with the camera. I do not own one as of yet, but I can tell you if I got one for Christmas this year I would be super pumped. In my opinion this would make a killer gift!
19. Oakley Men’s Half Jacket 2.0 XL Iridium Sport Sunglasses
I own this exact pair of Oakleys and they are some of the best sunglasses I have ever owned. They are very lightweight and very comfortable on your face, you can hardly even feel them when you are wearing them. Of course these would work great for a hike, but would also be great for golfers and other outdoor sports. The have semi-frameless lenses and are pretty flexible. If the lenses can be popped out and replaced pretty easily if you scratch them. Oakley makes great eyewear and this model stays true to the brand!
20. Leatherman – Surge Multitool, Black with Premium Nylon Sheath
*Can’t go wrong gift idea for campers or hikers
Leatherman makes great multitools, really the best. Their 25 year warranty is hard to beat and the quality of the products is second to none. I’ve owned a couple of them over the years and got a ton of use out of them. The big one I had that was similar to this one, I lost unfortunately. The one drawback of the warranty is if you lose your Leatherman… but it happens unfortunately. This particular one has 21 different tools includingknives, pliers, screwdrivers, wire cutters, an electrical crimper, a wire stripper, scissors, bottle and can openers, files, a saw with blade exchanger, an awl, and a ruler (per the Amazon listing). Buy this little guy with confidence knowing it will last a lifetime!
Wrap up
Finding the perfect gift for the outdoor enthusiast can be tough. Luckily for you though there are tons of options out there!
Consider asking their significant other or friend if they have something you are interested in buying, but sometimes you may have to just take a chance and pull the trigger on what looks like a good purchase.
