2016-12-05

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!

*You can support Trail to Peak at no cost to you by using the links provided below.

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="

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