Christmas is only a few weeks away, and I’m sure some of you are still looking for gifts to buy for your loved ones. If you’re coming up short on ideas for the adventurers and explorers in your life, I’ve put together a list of 30 items they’re sure to enjoy. I’ve divided the list up into big ticket items at $100 or more, mid-range items from $25-$100, and stocking stuffers under $25. Happy holidays, everyone!
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Trail to Peak Holiday Giveaway!
I’ll be giving away a brand new MSR Pocket Rocket lightweight cooking system this holiday season. There are two ways to enter. 1.) Follow me on Instagram and tag your hiking photos with #trailtopeak. 2.) Follow me on Facebook and add a hiking photo to my page tagged #trailtopeak. The winner will be selected on December 15, 2016.
Gift Items $100 And Up
1.) Tents- When it comes to gifts that push you out the front door and make you want to explore, nothing really compares to a new lightweight tent! Tents are literally your home away from home. Here are some of my favorites.
Tarptent Double Rainbow
Z-Packs Duplex
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Ultamid 2
Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2
2.) Backpacks- Backpacks are one of the most versatile tools for hikers, campers, and backpackers. I have one for just about every activity. Hydration vests are great for trail running, low volume packs are great for short trips, and high volume packs are great for longer backpacking excursions. Here are some of my favorites.
Ultimate Direction Fast Pack 30
Salomon SLAB Peak 20
Osprey Exos 38
Osprey Exos 58
Hyperlite Mountain Gear 3400 Southwest
3.) Trail Shoes- Shoes are my personal favorite when it comes to gear. Much like backpacks, outdoor explorers need different tools for different jobs. Snow, ice, mud, hardpack, and sand, all provide different challenges on trail. Here are some shoes that can handle them all.
La Sportiva Mutant
Altra Lone Peak 3.0
New Balance Leadville v3
Salomon Wings Pro 2
Hoka One One Challenger ATR 2
4.) Sleeping Bags- When you’re sleeping outside, it’s important to keep warm and comfortable at night. These sleeping bags should do the trick.
Sierra Designs Zissou 23
Sea To Summit Spark
ZPacks 20 Degree Bag
Enlightened Equipment Revelation 20
5.) Sleeping Pads- A nice sleeping pad needs to be paired with a great sleeping pad. It’s very important to insulate oneself from the cold earth when sleeping outside. These pads are some of my favorites.
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm
6.) Down Jackets- I’m not recommending too many clothing items, as most people have those items already. Down jackets are the exception. I see a lot of hikers and backpackers going without on cold summits, so make sure your loved ones don’t endure the same fate.
Patagonia Down Sweater
Arcteryx Atom LT Hoody
7.) Camera And Lens- Engaging photo and video are the cornerstone of Trail to Peak. In my opinion, Sony’s mirrorless cameras are the gold standard for hiking, backpacking, and travel. Check out these cameras, lenses, and accessories.
Sony a6500
Sony a6000
Sony 50mm
GoPro Hero5
See my Camera Guide post here
8.) Sunglasses- You need to protect your eyes when spending long hours out in the sun. Here are my favorite shades for mountain adventures.
Julbo Explorer
Julbo Bivouak
Julbo Vermont
Julbo Venturi
9.) Trekking Poles- I went without trekking poles for years, and immediately regretted my ignorance the first couple of times I took a pair out into the mountains. If you have any friends or family members going without, this might be the time to nudge them in the right direction.
Black Diamond Trail Pro Trekking Poles
Black Diamond Distance Z Poles
Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork Poles
Cascade Mountain Tech Carbon Poles
10.) GPS Watch and Satellite Receiver- I use a GPS watch to track all of my hikes. Having mileage, elevation, and other vital stats are critical for in hike performance and being able to share on the blog later. I also use a satellite device in the event I ever need to shout out an SOS. My satellite receiver also allows me to message family when out of cell signal.
Suunto Ambit3 Peak
Garmin Fenix 3
Delorme inReach
Gift Items $25-$100
11.) Cooking System- A year or so ago, I tried to go “cook-free” on a few backpacking trips to save weight. It was pure misery to finish a long day of hiking and then have to eat cold food.
Jetboil Flash
MSR Pocket Rocket
12.) Water Filter- A water filter is a “must-have” for every camping, backpacking, and travel enthusiast.
Sawyer Micron Water Filter
Sawyer Mini
13.) Microspikes And Ice Axe- As the cold months of winter grow near, keep your loved ones well equipped for ice on the trails.
Hillsound Trail Crampons
Black Diamond Raven Ice Axe
14.) Lanterns- Lanterns are a great item to have for car camping.
Etekcity 4 Pack of LED lanterns
15.) Head Lamps- With the days growing shorter, it’s nice to have a nice headlamp to illuminate the trails on those days when you get a very early or late start.
Black Diamond Storm Headlamp
Petzl Tikka Headlamp
16.) Multi-Tool- A solid multi-tool is a staple for every outdoor adventurer and traveler.
Leatherman Wingman
Leatherman Skeletool
17.) Cook Set- Cooking on the trail can be a chore with heavy pots and tableware. You can really lighten the load with these kitchen pieces.
Snow Peak 2 Piece
Snow Peak 4 Piece
18.) Compass- With modern technology, the old school compass is often overlooked. When the batteries die on a GPS, this compass will be their to guide the way.
Suunto M-3 G Compass
19.) Gift Card- This can be listed in any price category, and is the perfect gift for the undecided shopper.
$25 Amazon Gift Card
Gift Items Under $25
20.) Maps or Guide Books- Give the gift of inspiration with a map. Nothing gets my mind spinning with adventure like the joys of exploring a physical map. This is an especially thoughtful gift if you know a certain individual has their eyes set on a certain region.
John Muir Trail Guide and JMT Maps
Tour du Mont Blanc Guide
Camino de Santiago Guide
21.) Bars and Nutrition- The perfect stocking stuffer in my opinion.
Probars
Clifbars
Tailwind
22.) Stuff Sacks- I can never have enough of these to help organize and protect my gear.
Sea to Summit nylon sacks
Sea to Summit light sacks
23.) Tent Stakes- Lightweight tent stakes are a welcome addition to every backpacking kit.
MSR Groundhogs
Vargo J Stakes
TOAKS V Stakes
24.) Socks- Another perfect stocking stuffer.
Darn Tough Socks
Drymax Socks
25.) Underwear- Probably not a gift for those you don’t know very well<img src="https://s0.wp.com/wp-content/mu-plugins/wpcom-smileys/twemoji/2/72x72/1f642.png" alt="