Christmas Gifts for Hikers: 14 Things From My Own Pack That I’d Happily Unwrap Again

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Shopping for someone who would rather be on a trail than in a mall? You’re in the right place. These Christmas gifts for hikers come straight out of my own pack. I own every single one, and each has earned its spot on my North Woods trips.

In other words, this is not a list of shiny things I found on the internet. It’s the gear I reach for when I’m packing for the Superior Hiking Trail or the Boundary Waters. Some of it costs less than a pizza. Some of it is a real splurge. However, all of it gets used.

How I Picked These Christmas Gifts for Hikers

My rule is simple. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t ride in my pack. I’ve wasted enough money on gear that looked great in the store and failed on day two. Therefore, everything here passed the only test that matters: I kept carrying it.

I also have a body with opinions. A replaced ankle, a fused lower back, and fibromyalgia will do that. As a result, I care a lot about weight, comfort, and anything that makes camp easier. If you’re buying for a hiker with a few miles on her, these picks were chosen with her in mind.

Finally, a quick note on how to use this list. I grouped the gifts by what they do. If you’re filling a stocking or hunting for one big present, though, skip to the cheat sheet near the end.

Water Gifts for Hikers Who Like to Stay Upright

Dehydration is sneaky, and bonking sucks. So water gear is where I’d start for almost any hiker on your list.

Katadyn BeFree Water Filter

I call this one the cool aunt of my pack. It’s a soft flask with a filter built into the cap, so you scoop water from a lake or stream and drink. There’s no pumping and no waiting. Because it’s so easy, I drink more, which is the whole point. It’s a perfect gift for day hikers and for anyone who thinks water filters are complicated.

Read my full review: The Cool Aunt of My Pack: My Honest Review of the Katadyn BeFree Water Filter

Get it here: Katadyn BeFree Water Filter Bottle

Katadyn BeFree Replacement Cartridge

This is the gift nobody asks for and everybody needs. Filters don’t last forever, and a slow filter makes for a cranky hiker. If your person already owns a BeFree, a fresh cartridge keeps the cool aunt going. Plus, it’s small, light, and easy to tuck into a stocking. Just confirm they own the BeFree first, because it won’t fit other filters. Or better yet, buy them both for her.

Read my full review: Keep the Cool Aunt Going: My Honest Review of the Katadyn BeFree Replacement Filter

Get it here: Katadyn BeFree Replacement Filter

Katadyn Hiker Pro Water Filter

Not flashy. Just reliable. The Hiker Pro is a pump filter, which means it shines when you’re filling bottles for a whole group. It also earns its keep when the only water around is shallow. I reach for it on longer trips when dependable matters more than fast and cute. It’s a great pick for the hiker who is starting to plan overnight trips.

Read my full review: Not Flashy. Just Reliable. My Honest Review of the Katadyn Hiker Pro Water Filter

Get it here: Katadyn Hiker Pro Water Filter

Platypus Big Zip EVO 3 Liter Hydration Bladder

Because bonking sucks. A hydration bladder lets you sip while you walk, so you don’t have to stop and dig for a bottle. As a result, you drink more often without thinking about it. The wide zip top makes it easy to fill and clean, and three liters gets me through a long, hot day. If your hiker still carries a single water bottle, this gift will change her afternoons.

Read my full review: Because Bonking Sucks: My Honest Review of the Platypus Big Zip EVO 3 Liter Hydration Bladder

Get it here: Platypus Big Zip EVO 3 Liter Hydration Bladder

Camp Kitchen Gifts That Get Used on Every Trip

Next up is the kitchen. A hot dinner or lunch fixes almost anything, and so does coffee. Coffee first. Always coffee first.

MSR PocketRocket 2 Stove

My review of this stove is titled A North Woods Love Story, and I meant it. It’s tiny, it weighs about 2.6 ounces, and it boils water fast. In addition, it’s simple. You screw it onto a fuel canister, light it, and you’re cooking. That makes it a wonderful first stove for a new backpacker. It’s also a solid upgrade for anyone hauling an old, heavy one.

Read my full review: MSR PocketRocket 2 Stove Review: A North Woods Love Story

Get it here: MSR PocketRocket 2 Ultralight Stove

TOAKS Titanium Long Handle Spork

Yes, I’m recommending a spork for Christmas. Hear me out. The long handle reaches the bottom of a freeze-dried meal pouch, so your knuckles stay out of the stroganoff. It weighs 0.65 ounces, and the polished bowl feels smooth instead of scratchy. Besides, it’s the kind of small upgrade hikers rarely buy for themselves.

Get it here: TOAKS Titanium Long Handle Spork

Sea to Summit Frontier Ultralight Collapsible Camp Cup

This is the cup that holds my morning coffee. The silicone walls fold down almost flat, so it slips into a corner of my pack or fits into my TOAKS pot and takes up next to no room. Then it pops open into a real cup when I need it. It weighs just a couple of ounces. As a result, I get a proper mug of coffee at camp without carrying a bulky one.

Get it here: Sea to Summit Frontier Ultralight Collapsible 12oz Camp Cup

TOAKS Titanium 900ml Pot

Every camp kitchen needs one good pot, and this is mine. It holds 900 milliliters, which is enough to boil water for dinner and a hot drink. It weighs 4.4 ounces with the lid. In addition, the handles fold away and a small fuel canister nests inside, so the whole kitchen packs into one tidy bundle. A bonus; it will hold my Sea to Summitt Collapsible cup and my lighter. This pot also has measuring marks, which take the guesswork out of freeze-dried meals.

Get it here: TOAKS Titanium 900ml Pot

Ursack Major XL Bear Bag

I’ve used an Ursack since they first came out, and I’ve converted more than one canister-loyal friend. Instead of hanging your food from the perfect branch, you tie this bear-resistant bag to a tree trunk or hang it from a sturdy lower-hanging limb. The Major XL holds 15 liters and weighs 8.8 ounces, which is far lighter than a hard-sided canister. However, check the rules where your hiker goes. Some parks, including Yosemite, still require a hard canister.

Get it here: Ursack Major XL Bear Bag

A Trail Gift for Hikers Who Want to Keep Their Knees

Most of this list is for camp. This one, however, earns its keep while you’re walking.

LEKI Makalu FX Carbon Trekking Poles

Trekking poles are like four-wheel drive for your legs. They take pressure off your knees on the downhills, and they keep you steady on roots, rocks, and creek crossings. These fold down to about 16 inches, so they stash easily on a pack or in a suitcase. Because the shafts are carbon, each pole weighs about nine ounces. Meanwhile, a simple lever lock lets you adjust the length in seconds. With a replaced ankle, I value the extra points of contact.

Get it here: LEKI Makalu FX Carbon Trekking Poles

Sleep Gifts for the Hiker Whose Back Has Opinions

My back has opinions now. After a two-level lumbar fusion, a good night’s sleep outdoors is not a luxury for me. It decides whether I enjoy day two. Therefore, these are the two gifts I’d call life-changing.

Nemo Tensor All-Season Sleeping Pad

This is the big one on my list. The Tensor is 3.5 inches thick, so my hips don’t hit the ground when I sleep on my side. It also has an R-value of 5.4. In plain terms, that means it insulates well enough for cold Minnesota shoulder seasons. Meanwhile, it packs down small to the size of a Nalgene bottle. I have the regular-wide size because my shoulders are broad, and it only weighs 19 ounces packed. This is my fourth sleeping pad, and I finally got it right.

Get it here: Nemo Tensor All-Season Ultralight Insulated Sleeping Pad

Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Inflatable Pillow

I spent years sleeping on a stuff sack full of clothes. Don’t be me. This pillow packs down smaller than a coffee mug and weighs just a few ounces. The top is soft instead of plasticky, and you can adjust the firmness with a breath or two. As a result, I wake up without a kink in my neck. It’s a small gift that makes a big difference. Did I mention the herniated disc and the bone spur in my neck? The Regular size at 2.8 ounces is all you need.

Get it here: Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Inflatable Pillow

Camp Comfort: The Christmas Gifts Hikers Won’t Buy Themselves

Now for the fun stuff. These two feel like extras until you own them. Then you wonder how you ever camped without them.

Helinox Chair Zero

For years I sat on logs and rocks and called it character. Then I got this chair. It weighs about a pound, packs down to roughly the size of a tall water bottle, and holds up to 265 pounds. Because it has a real back, my spine gets a break at the end of the day. If your hiker has been sitting on the ground for decades, this is the gift that gets the happy tears. This chair, the Nemo Tensor, and the Aeros pillow are non-negotiable items in my pack.

Get it here: Helinox Chair Zero Ultralight Compact Camping Chair

Sea to Summit Lite Line Clothesline

This is my favorite little surprise on the list. It’s a beaded cord about eleven feet long, and it weighs 1.3 ounces. You tuck wet socks between the beads, so you don’t need clothespins. As a result, your gear dries overnight instead of riding wet in your pack. It also works in hotel rooms, which makes it a great gift for travelers too. Halfway through our Collegiate East trek, we strung up two of them in a hotel room to dry all the clothes we’d hand-washed in the sink and tub.

Get it here: Sea to Summit Lite Line Camping and Travel Clothesline

A Few Tips Before You Buy

First, find out what your hiker already owns. A quick peek in the gear closet works. So does asking her hiking buddy, who will know exactly what she’s been complaining about.

Second, know what’s not in the box. The stove needs a fuel canister, which is sold separately and can’t be shipped everywhere. Similarly, the Ursack works best with an odor-proof liner bag, and that’s a separate purchase too.

Third, think about how she hikes. Day hikers will love the BeFree, the bladder, the trekking poles, and the chair. Backpackers, on the other hand, will get the most out of the sleeping pad, the stove, and the Ursack.

Fourth, check sizes. The trekking poles come in two length ranges, and sleeping pads come in regular and wide.

Last, order early. Outdoor gear sells out before the holidays, especially in popular sizes and colors.

Quick Cheat Sheet: Stocking Stuffers and Big Christmas Gifts for Hikers

Short on time? Here’s how I’d sort the list.

For stocking stuffers, go with the Toaks spork, the Lite Line clothesline, the BeFree replacement cartridge, the BeFree filter, the GSI collapsible cup, the Aeros pillow, or the Pocket Rocket 2 stove. They’re all small enough to fit in a stocking. For more details, see my post on stocking stuffers for hikers.

For bigger gifts, look at the Hiker Pro filter, the Platypus bladder, the Nemo Tensor pad, the Ursack, the Helinox chair, the Toaks pot, and the Leki trekking poles. These are the ones worth wrapping. I go deeper on each in my post on gifts for backpackers.

My Honest Final Verdict

If I could only give one gift from this list, it would be the sleeping pad. Sleep changes everything on a trip. The Helinox Chair Zero is a close second. However, if the budget is smaller, the spork and the clothesline punch way above their weight.

Above all, buy the thing your hiker will use. Gear that sits in a closet isn’t a gift. Gear that gets her outside one more weekend is. You don’t have to be healthy to live fully. You just have to keep showing up, and good gear makes showing up easier.

Thanks for being here. Now go adventure.

What’s the best piece of hiking gear you’ve ever been given? Tell me in the comments. I’m always looking for my next favorite thing.