The Best Gifts for Thru-Hikers This Year
It isn’t easy to find gifts for ultralight backpackers since the entire point of many ultralight backpackers is to have as few things as possible.
That said, some items can please almost everyone.
These items are justifiably awesome, but sometimes it isn’t easy to justify the price. That’s what makes a great gift, right? What would you love to have but don’t want to spend money on yourself?
A lot of these items are exactly that.
Gifts Under $25
Dr. Bronner’s Organic Hand Sanitizer
If there’s one thing everyone should be doing all the time – but especially hikers – it’s washing your hands (especially before you eat). Sinks and soap may be a luxury on the trail, but Dr. Bronner’s Organic Hand Sanitizer is a luxury that even ultralight hikers can afford. It comes in lavender and peppermint, but I’ve found it difficult to find the peppermint variety. Either way, it’s a great way to stay clean, not get giardia, and smell nice.
Every thru-hiker needs Nikwax Down Wash Direct, which won’t even cut into their pack’s weight! Most people (I know) neglect their down products (sleeping bags and jackets), but they really should be washing them properly with the proper detergent (at least once a year). Nikwax makes down detergent and other detergents for treating other outdoor gear. A variety pack isn’t a bad idea as a gift.
Every good backcountry poop kit needs a trowel. I use (and recommend) the Vargo Titanium Dig Dig Tool; it’s something that a lot of backpackers may find difficult to spend money on, but I can personally attest to the fact that using a rock, your heel, or a stick will not always allow you to get the job done when it comes to digging a hole to poop in. Tell someone you care about their poops (and LNT practices) and get them a trowel.
While we’re on the subject of backcountry toilet time, a Kula Cloth has become a near-mandatory piece of gear for many ultralight hikers. What is it? In its most basic iteration, it’s an incredibly fancy piece of reusable toilet paper (but not the #2 kind). Do I carry a Kula Cloth? You bet I do. Do I use it to pee? No, but I do use it to clean my pot. I’m just trying to fit in – the designs are too awesome to resist.
Self-care is something lots of ultralight backpackers overlook. “Just keep hiking” isn’t always the solution. A single (or a set of) Rawlogy Cork Massage Balls will make saying “no” to caring for your body at the end of each day much more difficult. These lightweight cork balls come in various sizes and weigh next to nothing. A no-brainer for inclusion in any backpacking setup – ultralight or otherwise.
Backpacker’s Pantry Meals are always a great gift option for backpackers. Even ultralight backpackers have to eat. Like fancy hand sanitizers and caffeine-infused chocolate, these meals are awesome but not always awesome to buy (which makes for great gifts). That said, just make sure that special hiker in your life carries a stove before you get them a dehydrated meal.
Darn Tough 1/4 Cushion Socks (Men’s/Women’s)
If there’s one group of people who love talking about socks, it’s ultralight backpackers, and if there’s one sock that ultralight backpackers love, it’s the Darn Tough 1/4 Cushion Socks. Really, any socks from Darn Tough will make an excellent gift, and Darn Tough’s lifetime guarantee means that your gift will be a gift for life (so long as the dryer doesn’t end up eating them).
Have you ever seen someone with some awesome gaiters and thought to yourself, “Those are awesome; where did they get those, and how can I get some?” UltraGam Gaiters are your answer. They come in a huge variety of equally amazing patterns. They are something that you could easily have multiple pairs of (so you don’t have to worry about accidentally getting someone something they already have). And these patterns are seriously awesome.
Space Bear Bags Poop-moji Pouch
I have a Space Bear Bags Poop-moji Pouch for my backpacking poop kit, and I love it. It’s a lot more eco-friendly than the gallon-sized Ziploc I used to use, isn’t transparent, and doesn’t leave much to the imagination when it comes to knowing what’s inside. I would recommend one of the two larger sizes, but if the small suits you (or your gift recipient), go for it (and let me know how it goes).
Gifts Under $50
Hiker and artist Niamh creates awesome (and custom!) illustrations from trails for hikers. Personalized, one-of-a-kind trail-inspired artwork for your thru-hiking pals (or yourself)? Awesome. If you’re going to pick one thing to gift to a hiker this year, it should probably be this (but also probably throw in a pair of socks for good measure).
Chicken Tramper Ultralight Gear Shoulder Strap Phone Pocket
More backpacking companies are catching onto the not-so-much-a-fab-but-actually-awesome trend of putting shoulder strap pockets on their bags. For those packs without pockets (or for those pockets needing improvement), there’s the Chicken Tramper Ultralight Gear Shoulder Strap Phone Pocket. Easy access to your phone is more important than you might imagine on a thru-hike (trust me).
Most thru-hikers bring stoves with them on their thru-hikes, and finding fuel for their stoves at each town stop can sometimes be challenging (although it’s becoming easier). However, many hikers waste fuel by throwing out or leaving half-filled cans in hiker boxes. The FlipFuel Fuel Transfer Device allows hikers to refill their gas cans using other partially depleted gas cans which saves them money and saves gas cans from being needlessly (and oftentimes improperly) disposed of.
FarOut Guides has become one of the top names in long-distance thru-hiking apps. It’s nearly become a must-have “piece of gear” on trails like the Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail, and Appalachian Trail. The problem? The app costs money. The solution? A FarOut gift card! Gift cards from FarOut can be purchased in $10, $20, $40, $60, $80, and $100 increments. Know that the app for the major trails typically costs around $40 (wink wink).
Gifts Under $100
Ridge Merino Solstice Hoodie (Men’s/Women’s)
Sun hoodies have become the top of choice for thru-hikers, and there’s no better option than the Ridge Merino Solstice Hoodie. Ridge is a locally-owned shop in Mammoth Lakes, California just off the Pacific Crest Trail. And they love thru-hikers as much as I love their hoodies (aka a lot).
Pacific Crest Trail Bundle of Three Prints
Is that thru-hiker in your life (or are you) a Pacific Crest Trail hiker? A set of three PCT prints from hiker and artist Niamh (yes, the same one from the custom prints), is an excellent gift idea. Supporting hikers taking inspiration from the trail and using their passion to turn that inspiration into art (or gear) is also an awesome way to help prop up the trail community.
The America the Beautiful Pass allows unlimited entry into all United States National Parks. It’s a must-have for anyone hoping to make more than three yearly trips to National Parks. Yes, you can walk into many parks without paying, but even ultralight backpackers drive to trailheads sometimes.
NEMO Equipment Fillo Elite Pillow
I’m convinced the only thru-hikers who don’t love pillows are the ones who haven’t used one yet. The NEMO Equipment Fillo Elite Pillow is a great place to start. Yes, many thru-hikers may be afraid that they’ll fall in love with a pillow, and it will be added to their base weight, but a good night’s sleep on the trail is worth a little extra weight.
Gifts Over $100
Ombraz Armless Sunglasses won’t count against your base weight since they’re technically worn weight, and they’re designed with outdoor pursuits in mind. They’re affordable and polarized and come in three different lens options, prescription options, four different lens options, and non-polarized options (although I highly recommend the polarized option since it’s only $15 more).
Patagonia Houdini Jacket (Men’s/Women’s)
The Patagonia Houdini Jacket is an ultralight wind jacket (some ultralight backpackers may consider it a shell – it’s not) that can do wonders to keep the chill off. It packs down super small and has a single zippered chest pocket. As far as ultralight clothing goes, you can’t get much lighter than this. It also makes a great cycling jacket.
Safety often gets excused as not being an essential piece of backpacking equipment. Still, a Garmin inReach Mini 2 is a lightweight piece of gear that every backpacker should have in the backcountry – particularly if they’re venturing into remote areas or going out in adverse conditions. It does require a subscription to function and call for help, so if your ultralight backpacker gift receiver already has an inReach, getting them a subscription could be a great gift option.
Katabatic Gear Tarn Down Jacket (Men’s/Women’s)
The Katabatic Gear Tarn Down Jacket was released this year and has quickly become one of my go-to down jackets (it’s even survived my recent gear purge). I wish it came in more colors, but sometimes (especially in the thru-hiking world), you must choose function over fashion.
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I bought a SpaceBear poopmoji bag for my poop kit. I later bought a CTUG Sh!tKit, and the poopmoji bag now holds my hygiene kit – toothbrush, nail clippers, comb. I couldn’t say no to that kind of irony.
(Yes, I cleaned the bag meticulously before changing its use. My trowel was always in a separate ziplock bag, too.)
As long as we’re all packing out our tp 🙂