The 12 Best Designed Gifts to Give Hikers This Holiday Season

Field magazine

The best gifts for hikers will meet the necessities of a day on the trail, but not every trail. The beauty of hiking is that whichever corner of the world you find yourself in, be it a national park teeming with tourists or a remote stretch of Japanese coastline, that day’s experience will be different. For this reason, the best hiking gift list will cover the basics with room for a little whimsy to inspire farther flung hikes in the new year. And that’s exactly what this hiking gift guide aims to achieve.

We won’t bog you down with recommended trekking poles and a laundry list of different hiking boots, nor will you find sleeping bags or a set of snowshoes here. Though best believe we’ve got some great hiking pants in store. We’re keeping our best hiking gift ideas to a well curated head-to-toe rundown of essentials—each product is one we either have first hand experience with, or it’s from a celebrated brand we trust. Many check both boxes.

So read on for lightweight, durable pants that can pull double duty in town, rugged footwear made with the highest grade materials, and a backpack handmade by devoted craftspeople in the good old U.S. of A. Plus a whole lot more. (Pro tip: an “America the Beautiful” National Parks Pass makes the perfect stocking stuffer—or a Garmin InReach Mini if your holiday bonus came early this year.)

Hiking isn’t just about going up and coming down again, it’s about enjoying every part of the journey—and that extends to the things we take along with us. Read on, enjoy, and have a great holiday season!