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Some gifts are nice. Others change how a whole trip feels. This list is about the second kind. These gifts for backpackers are the bigger presents, the ones worth wrapping and putting under the tree. I own all seven, and I carry them on my North Woods trips.
To be clear, none of these are impulse buys. That’s exactly why they make good presents. Backpackers will happily research gear for months. However, they often talk themselves out of buying the one thing that would make them more comfortable. So this is your chance to buy it for them.
Why Bigger Gifts for Backpackers Are Worth It
Here’s something I’ve learned the hard way. Cheap gear costs you twice. First you pay for it, and then you pay again when you replace it. As a result, I now buy things once and buy them well.
There’s another reason, too. My body has a few miles on it. I have a replaced ankle and a two-level lumbar fusion, and I’m still out there. Because of that, comfort isn’t a luxury for me. It’s the difference between loving a trip and counting the hours until it ends.
Every gift below solves a real problem. Some keep you hydrated. Others help you sleep, sit, cook, or stay on your feet. All of them have earned their weight in my pack.
The Sleep Gift: NEMO Tensor All-Season Sleeping Pad
If I could only recommend one thing on this list, it would be this pad. Sleep decides everything on a backpacking trip. After a bad night, every mile feels longer. After a good one, you feel like a new person.
The Tensor is 3.5 inches thick. That matters because I’m a side sleeper, and thin pads let my hips hit the ground. This one doesn’t. It’s also quiet, so I don’t wake the whole campsite when I roll over.
Then there’s the warmth. It has an R-value of 5.4, which measures how well a pad insulates you from cold ground. In other words, it handles chilly spring and fall nights in Minnesota. It also comes with a pump sack. Therefore, you can inflate it in a few bagfuls instead of huffing and puffing after a long day.
Who it’s for: side sleepers, cold sleepers, and anyone whose back complains in the morning.
Get it here: NEMO Equipment Tensor All-Season Sleeping Pad
The Comfort Gift: Helinox Chair Zero
I used to think camp chairs were for car campers. I sat on logs, rocks, and the ground, and I told myself it built character. Mostly, though, it built a sore back.
Then I got the Chair Zero. It weighs about a pound and packs down to roughly the size of a tall water bottle. Even so, it holds up to 265 pounds. It sets up in under a minute, and the poles snap together on their own.
The best part is the backrest. After a full day under a pack, leaning back feels incredible. Consequently, I linger at camp now. I drink my coffee slowly and watch the lake. For a backpacker who has been sitting on the ground for years, this is the gift she didn’t know she needed.
Who it’s for: anyone with a cranky back, plus anyone who likes to enjoy camp instead of just surviving it.
Get it here: Helinox Chair Zero Ultralight Compact Camping Chair
The Trail Gift for Backpackers: LEKI Makalu FX Carbon Trekking Poles
I think of trekking poles as four-wheel drive for my legs. They steady me on roots and rocks. They also take some of the load off my knees on long downhills. With a replaced ankle, I value every extra point of contact.
These are folding poles, which is what sets them apart. They collapse to about 16 inches, so they fit inside a pack or a suitcase. Then they snap together in seconds when the trail gets rough.
Because the shafts are carbon, they’re light. Each pole weighs about nine ounces. Meanwhile, a lever lock lets me change the length quickly, shorter for climbs and longer for descents. The foam grips are comfortable in my hands, too.
One tip before you buy. They come in two length ranges, so check her height against the size chart.
Who it’s for: anyone with knees, ankles, or balance worth protecting, which is all of us eventually.
Get it here: LEKI Makalu FX Carbon Trekking Poles
The Food Storage Gift for Backpackers: Ursack Major XL Bear Bag
I’ve used an Ursack since they first came out. In fact, I’ve converted more than one canister-loyal friend along the way. Every one of them is glad they switched.
Here’s why. Hanging food from a tree is harder than it sounds. You need the perfect branch, a good throwing arm, and patience you don’t have at 9 p.m. With an Ursack, you skip all of that. Instead, you cinch the bag shut and tie it to a tree trunk.
The Major XL holds 15 liters, which is plenty for a long trip or for two people sharing. Meanwhile, it weighs just 8.8 ounces. A hard-sided canister weighs several times that. For the best results, pair it with an odor-proof liner bag, which is sold separately.
One honest caution. Ursacks are not approved everywhere. Some parks, including Yosemite, require a hard-sided canister. So check the rules where your backpacker likes to go.
Who it’s for: backpackers in bear country who are tired of the nightly rope wrestling match.
Get it here: Ursack Major XL Bear Bag
The Camp Kitchen Gift: Toaks Titanium 900ml Pot
A stove is only half of a camp kitchen. You also need something to boil water in, and this pot is the one I carry.
Titanium is the reason. It’s strong, it doesn’t rust, and it weighs almost nothing. This pot comes in at 4.4 ounces with the lid. Even so, it holds 900 milliliters, which covers dinner and a hot drink in one boil.
The details are smart, too. The handles fold flat against the side. There are measuring marks, so I know exactly how much water I’m adding to a meal pouch. Best of all, a small fuel canister nests inside. As a result, my whole kitchen packs into one neat bundle.
Who it’s for: new backpackers building a first kitchen, and anyone ready to retire a heavy old pot.
Get it here: TOAKS Titanium 900ml Pot
The Water Gifts: Two Ways to Stay Hydrated
Water is heavy, and you can’t carry enough for a whole trip. Therefore, every backpacker needs a way to treat it and a way to drink it. These two gifts cover both.
Katadyn Hiker Pro Water Filter
My review of this filter is titled Not Flashy. Just Reliable. That still sums it up. The Hiker Pro is a pump filter, so you drop a hose into the water and pump clean water into your bottle.
Why choose a pump? Because it works in places other filters struggle. For example, it can pull from a shallow puddle or a murky pond edge. It’s also great for groups, since you can fill several bottles in a row. As a result, it’s the filter I trust on longer trips.
Who it’s for: backpackers who travel in groups or want a filter that works anywhere.
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. That’s the title of my review, and it’s also my hydration philosophy. A bladder sits inside your pack with a hose over your shoulder. So you can sip as you walk without stopping.
That small change makes a big difference. When water is easy to reach, you drink more of it. Then you feel stronger in the afternoon, when most hikers start to fade. In addition, the wide zip top makes this one simple to fill and easy to clean. Three liters carries me through a long day.
Who it’s for: anyone who forgets to drink until she already has a headache.
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
How to Choose the Right Gift for Your Backpacker
Not sure which one to pick? Start with what she complains about. Complaints are a gift guide in disguise.
If she says she slept badly, buy the sleeping pad. If she groans every time she sits down at camp, buy the chair. Similarly, if she dreads hanging her food at night, the Ursack will make her very happy. And if her knees ache on every downhill, go with the trekking poles.
For newer backpackers, I’d start with water. The hydration bladder is useful on day hikes too, so it gets used right away. Meanwhile, the Hiker Pro is a filter she can grow into as her trips get longer.
Finally, if you still can’t decide, ask her hiking partner. Trail friends know everything. They’ve heard every complaint, usually more than once.
What If She Doesn’t Backpack Yet?
Good news. Most of this list still works. The chair is just as welcome at a campground, a kid’s soccer game, or the end of a dock. Likewise, the hydration bladder slides into any daypack and gets used on the very first hike. The trekking poles are just as useful on a day hike, too.
The sleeping pad is a smart pick for car campers too, because a good night’s sleep matters no matter how you got there. In fact, comfortable gear is often what turns a day hiker into a backpacker. So don’t wait for her to start before you buy it.
A Few Things to Know Before You Buy
First, check sizes. Sleeping pads come in different lengths and widths, so find out whether she prefers regular or wide. The trekking poles come in two length ranges as well.
Second, consider where she hikes. An Ursack is a great fit for a lot of trips. However, it won’t work in parks that require hard canisters.
Third, order early. Popular gear sells out before the holidays, and nobody wants to wrap a printout.
My Honest Final Verdict on Gifts for Backpackers
All seven of these have made my trips better. Still, if you want my ranking, here it is. The sleeping pad comes first, because sleep changes everything. The chair comes second, because comfort keeps you coming back. After that, choose based on what your backpacker needs most.
Looking for something smaller? I also wrote a guide to stocking stuffers for hikers and backpackers. In addition, my full list of Christmas gifts for hikers has all 14 of my favorites in one place.
You don’t have to be healthy to live fully. You just have to keep showing up. The right gear makes that a whole lot easier.
Thanks for being here. Now go adventure.
What’s the one piece of gear that changed backpacking for you? Tell me in the comments. I’d love to hear what made the difference.
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