Best Gifts for Hikers, Backpackers, Outdoorsy People (2026)

Save Story Save this story Save Story Save this story Featured in this article Merino Wool Socks Darn Tough Merino Socks Read more $26 Shop (Men’s, Darn Tough) The Best Knife for Fancy Hiking Opinel No. 8 Folding Knife Read more $23 Shop (Opinel) Gift Sun Protection Solbari Ultra Wide Brim Hat Read more $79 Solbari Laws Guide to Nature Journaling John Muir Laws The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling Read more $35 $21 (40% off) Amazon Buying gifts for the outdoor enthusiast is damn near impossible. Your hiking/camping/cycling outdoorsy friends are often serious gearheads, meticulously poring over reviews, guides, and the perennial wisdom of ounce-counting Reddit users to find the exact right thing . Don't stress trying to pick that exact right thing yourself. The chances of you figuring it out and getting it for them as a gift is exactly zero. That doesn't mean you should punt and buy an REI gift card —although they might like that, especially with REI's annual Labor Day sale coming up. But gift cards are lame. Instead, get them something they totally didn't expect: one of these fun, useful, sometimes whimsical things that are almost guaranteed to not only delight them but actually get used outdoors. And what about you? While you’re here, don’t you need to replace your sleeping pad? Don't forget to check out the rest of our buying guides , including our Best Sleeping Bags guide , our Best Barefoot Shoes guide , and our Best Merino Wool guide. Updated July 2026: I’ve removed a few sold-out items and added a hat from Solbari and a nice leather journal. But I'm sticking with the socks as our top pick. If you get nothing else, just get the socks. Trust me. Merino Wool Socks Photograph: Scott Gilbertson Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Darn Tough Merino Socks $26 Shop (Men’s, Darn Tough) $26 Amazon (Women’s) Yes, you read that right. Socks. SOCKS. You should gift socks. Outdoorsy people can never have too many socks. We're hard on socks, which almost guarantees this gift will see some use. What your outdoorsperson especially needs are merino wool socks. Merino wool is a super fiber . It will change their lives. Did you know you can wear merino wool for several days in row without smelling like you just spent two weeks at a Phish reunion? Just kidding, Phish fans. But it's true. Merino wool will change your friend or loved one's backpacking life. It's comfortable, has virtually no odor no matter how long you wear it, and helps your body thermoregulate, staying warmer when it's cold, cooler when it's warm. We love Darn Tough socks in particular because they're comfortable, stand up to considerable abuse, and have some of the highest merino wool content of anything we've tested. The also come in a nearly endless array of fun colors and designs. If you want something warmer, I love these Expedition Weight Minus33 merino socks ($24) . The Best Knife for Fancy Hiking Photograph: Scott Gilbertson Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Opinel No. 8 Folding Knife $23 Shop (Opinel) $23 $17 (26% off) Amazon Opinel's classic folding knife practically begs to be taken on a hike with some good hard chorizo, soft Spanish cheese, and a nice baguette. It's the first step to hiking European style. Or at least how I imagine Europeans hike (always with delicious cheese, cured meats, and cheap wine—please don't ruin my vision, European readers). I got my Opinel as a gift from a friend, and I love it. And I am an outdoor person, so there is your living proof that this is a good gift. Opinel makes dozens of variations on this knife that you can pick from when gifting. Grab them a kit with a bento box, or a nature lover friend might like the version with handles designed by different artists. The one version I don't recommend is the carbon steel version. Carbon steel is great, but in this case, when you're throwing it in your backpack and possibly forgetting about it for long periods of time, carbon steel will rust. Stick with stainless steel when gifting this. Gift Sun Protection Photograph: Kat Merck Photograph: Kat Merck Chevron Chevron Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Solbari Ultra Wide Brim Hat $79 Solbari No matter what I’m doing outdoors, whether it’s hiking, running, kayaking, or even just sitting in a pool float, I somehow end up sweating off my sunscreen. Maybe that's just a me problem, but if you’ll be in the sun for an extended period of time, a wide-brimmed, packable hat is always a good idea. This lightweight yet sturdy one from Solbari is made of UPF 50+ nylon and cotton fabric that’s reversible. There’s a colorful side (navy, pink, ice blue, or green) and a cream side—I’ve found that turning it to the cream side when the sun is extra strong helps to deflect light and cool things down. It’s also got a handy hole in the back for ponytails and braids, and the 5-inch brim in the front and 6-inch brim in the rear are longer than most hats of this style, to ensure you’re well-covered. It’s adjustable for different head sizes via a toggle in the back, and there’s a detachable chin strap, though for some reason this addition makes me feel like an elderly river-rafting guide, so I leave it off. (Though if it’s windy, it’s going back on—just call me Class Five Cloris.) — Kat Merck Laws Guide to Nature Journaling Photograph: Scott Gilbertson Save to wishlist Save to wishlist John Muir Laws The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling $35 $21 (40% off) Amazon $33 Bookshop This book changed the way I, and my kids, look at the world. I originally bought it because I thought my kids might like it (which they did), but then I stole it, read it cover to cover, bought a sketchbook, and, following along with the book, started to see the world in much more detail than I ever had before. Don't worry if your giftee is not an artist. I am the opposite of skilled when it comes to drawing, and I still love this book. More than drawing, what this book is teaching you is to look closely, observing and recording the world around you, and to form your own understanding of what you've witnessed. If you want to put together a kind of “curiosity kit” gift package based on the one in the book, pick up a hand lens (I like this one because of the way it blocks out the light, though there are higher-quality lenses ), some nice pens , and a millimeter ruler to go along with it. You could also check out our guide to journals and notebooks , though those tend to be very personal choices and might not be the best gift unless you know exactly what your giftee wants. Coffee, Coffee Now Photograph: Scott Gilbertson Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Bialetti Moka Pot $42 $40 (5% off) Amazon (3-cup) $60 $39 (35% off) Amazon (Induction Compatible) What is camping without brewing coffee over a morning fire? And what is coffee if not from a moka pot ? This is the classic Bialetti moka pot on which all other moka pots are based. It's made of heavy-gauge aluminum that heats evenly and won't complain if you put it directly on the coals (although the plastic handle will, so make sure your outdoorsy person puts it on the edge of the fire). It'll brew about a 4-ounce cup of very dark coffee (not technically espresso since it's not under pressure, but it's as close as you'll get outdoors). If your outdoor person isn't a moka pot lover, other coffee options include this exquisite titanium French press from Snow Peak. It weighs just 6.3 ounces, so you can even hit the trail with it if you’re dedicated to your coffee. Then there's the tried-and-true Aeropress Go ($50) , which can be used in a variety of ways and is light enough to pack on the trail and simple enough to use in a hotel room—and it makes all-around good coffee. A Tiny Wood Stove Photograph: Scott Gilbertson Photograph: Scott Gilbertson Photograph: Scott Gilbertson Chevron Chevron Save to wishlist Save to