The Honest Guide to Christmas Gifts for Hikers
As the Christmas shopping season approached this year, I had up until now resisted the trend of adding yet another 2020 Gift Guide to your newsfeeds. Through the end of November, I reflected on my role as a blogger and pretended that I wouldn’t be a cog in the wheel of consumerism.
But this week I realized that whether I blogged about it or not, you’re going to buy a ton of stuff over the next four weeks. And I decided that the least I could do is use my experience and platform to help my readers buy the right stuff for their outdoorsy loved ones. I’m not exactly against the acquisition of things, but I am against waste. So read on if you want to make sure that the piece of gear you buy for your hiking friend doesn’t end up gathering dust at the bottom of their gear drawer.
I’m dividing this guide into four sections depending on the type of shopping you hope to do:
- Consumables – Things that all hikers eventually need and can never have too much of. (<$25)
- Backpacking Essentials – Key pieces of gear for those assembling their first kit for backcountry camping (<$100)
- Exciting Upgrades – Things that will help lighten the load or broaden the horizons of experienced hikers (<$100)
- Big 3 Purchases – Expensive core gear for those of you feeling generous (>$100)
Every product in this guide has been personally tested by me and I think it’s great. As much as a blogger can, I’ll guarantee that whoever receives these gifts will love them.
Consumables
I’m starting with the consumable category because I think it should be the first stop for any holiday shopper. It’s all affordable and guaranteed to be loved and well used by any hiker in your life.
Starbucks VIA Instant Coffee
This stuff is the best balance of quality and convenience for backcountry coffee. It’s light years tastier than any other instant, and almost as good as the stuff you pay $3 for in town, cold or hot.
Backpackers Pantry Pad Thai
More delicious than most of the meals I cook at home, and worth its weight in gold when trading around campfire. Just add hot water. Vegan.
Sante Fe Dehydrated Beans
Legendary on tortillas or in the meme-status recipe Skurka Beans & Rice. Sorry Canucks, only available in the US, as far as I know.
Oreos
They’re Oreos.
Gallon Ziploc Bags
Whether it’s for organizing food, waterproofing electronics, or packing out trash, backpackers love Ziplocs. If you want to reduce waste, urge whoever receives these to wash and reuse them.
ThinkSport Sunscreen
SPF 50+ for protection during those big days in the alpine or desert, and the mineral formulation means that it won’t damage any ecosystems the wearer decides to swim in.
Ben’s Insect Repellent
DEET for when nothing else will suffice. Compact enough to throw in your pack for adventures of any scale.
Dr. Bronner’s Hand Sanitizer
Backpackers used sanitizer every day even before it became cool in 2020, and Dr. Bronner’s is hand sanitizer for the discerning consumer.
Backpacking Essentials
If that special someone in your life is just starting to put their backpacking kit together, these items will be invaluable. Do a bit of probing before you buy to make sure they don’t already have it.
Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter
The industry standard for lightweight, reliable, and durable backcountry water filtration. To be used with the bladders it comes with or screwed onto any standard bottle.
Darn Tough Micro Screw Socks
The gift that keeps on giving. These babies are comfortable and durable, but best of all, come with a lifetime warranty. I’ve replaced two pairs for the cost of a postage stamp.
Snow Peak Titanium Spork
The pinnacle of elegance in 21st century engineering, and my favourite possession.
Zendure 10,000 mAh Power Bank
For safety and social media, keeping devices charged in the backcountry is a necessity these days. The Zendure is lightweight, durable, and can charge to full in only 3 hours as long as you use a powerful enough wall plug (see below).
MEC Air Pillow
An incredible amount of comfort for 1.8oz. Don’t let anyone tell you that a rolled-up sweater under one’s head makes for a good night’s sleep. It’s for Canadians only, the American equivalent being the Sea 2 Summit Aeros.
Exciting Upgrades
So what if you have a friend or family member with a few backpacking trips under their belt? The items below just might make a difference for the hiker that already has it all. Once again, do your due diligence to see if they already have the item.
Hillsound Trail Crampons
For the hiker that wants to venture out in winter or spring and remain surefooted on snow. If that special someone in your life is planning on going snowshoeing this year (especially in North Vancouver), read the seminal blog post by Oplopanax Horridus and consider buying them these microspikes instead.
Bridgedale Waterproof Socks
Hiking on snow will never be the same. Forget about the futile attempt to waterproof your footwear and invest in these socks to keep feet cozy through winter and spring.
Anker Atom Wall Charger
Anyone who’s ever sat inside a café or pub waiting for their phone to charge will appreciate the 30W output of this wall plug. Get in and out of town faster for only 1.8oz. Note the USB C output, for which you may need a Lightning or Micro USB adapter cable, depending on the input of your device.
MEC Air Pillow
This item is a repeat from the “Essentials” section. That’s because some backpackers somehow go years without getting an inflatable pillow. If you ask your loved one about a backpacking pillow and they tell you they’re okay with using rolled-up clothes, buy this for them anyway because they’re wrong. American equivalent is the Sea to Summit Aero.
Big 3 Purchases
If you’ve scrolled down this far, that means the purchases above haven’t managed to whet your appetite for generously spending money on backpacking gear. You want to show how the hiker in your life much you love them by dishing out serious amounts of cash. Normally, I would say that purchases of the “Big 3” (sleep system, pack, and shelter) are intensely personal choices that can’t be made by friends or family. But you’re here now and can’t be stopped, so these are the tried and true items that you can’t go wrong with.
Six Moon Designs Daybreaker
This pack occupies the intersection of affordability, weight savings, durability, and style. It has a volume of 28L which means that it makes either a spacious daypack or minimalist overnight bag for gram-saving ultralighters.
Western Mountaineering Versalite (US link | CA link)
Unparalleled warmth to weight ratio. It’s kept me warm well below freezing temperatures and weights less than 2 pounds. It’s expensive, but if well cared for, there’s no reason it can’t be left to grandchildren after a lifetime of use. Great for that person in your life still using a 6 pound bag from Walmart.
Six Moon Designs Haven 2P Tent
If you know someone still using a heavy dome tent that they brought to a music festival once, it may be time to treat them to an upgrade. This relatively affordable trekking pole tent is lighter than anything you can get from MEC or REI, with top-notch quality.
Conclusions
This holiday season, make the sure the gifts you buy for the hiker in your life are the right ones, and reduce waste. As backpackers, we’re an intensely materialistic and picky group of people, and we probably won’t be happy with whatever’s being recommended in the Gift Guide of your local mainstream outdoorsy publication. So pick something from my list above, and know that someone with experience has put it to the test in the field.