Holiday Backpacking Gear: 50 Gifts Under $50

Early Winter on Gale River Trail - White Mountains

Tis the season where we need to start thinking about holiday gifts for our hiking and backpacking friends and family. It’s tough to find great gifts that these picky fanatics will appreciate and since I fall into that target category, I thought I’d help you out with a few suggestions. (I hope my wife is reading this post!)

Finding good gifts for outdoor lovers that cost under $50 is actually rather difficult, but you’ll find something for everyone in this list including: dog owners, beginners, dreamers, foodies, greens, ultralight backpacking fanatics, day hikers and even astronauts!

1. REI Flash 18 Urban Backpack. Great daytime carryall.
2. Snowpeak Chopsticks. Cool camping utensils. Ultralight.
3. Fexix Mini Flashlight. Waterproof, compact and reliable flashlight.
4. Black Diamond Orbit Lantern,  Tiny frosted glass lantern for winter camping.
5. The Backpacker’s Handbook by Chris Townsend. A comprehensive classic.
6. Dr. Bronner’s Soap. A revelation, if you’ve never tried it. Does not attract bears.
7. The Ultimate Down Hat, from Black Rock Gear, 0.74 oz. Incredibly warm, handcrafted hat.
8. Petzl e+Lite, 1 oz. A backpacker classic.
9. Black Diamond ATC, Still the best all-round belay device.
10. Hammock Camping: The Complete Guide by Ed Speer. The classic on hammock camping.
11. Moosejaw Hoody Sweater. I wear one of these almost every day. Very comfortable.
12. Suunto A-10 Compass. Great all-round compass. My main compass. Also great for beginners.
13. Outdoor Research Helios Sun Hat. A great sun hat.
14. REI Chefware Long Spoon. Perfect for eating freezer bag meals.
15. Ultimate Survival Technologies Sparkie Fire Starter. 0.85 oz. I want this!
16. Swiss Army Spartan Knife. You can never go wrong giving this as a present.
17. Thermarest Z-lite Sleeping Pad. 15. oz. Accordian design provides stiffness for  frameless backpacks.
18. Leatherman Micra with Scissors.  The TSA took mine away. Need a replacement!
19. Advantage Pet Partition. Keep your dog safe traveling to the trail.
20. The Monkey Wrench Gang by Edward Abbey. A ribald, outrageous, wilderness, counterculture romp.
21. Women & Thru-Hiking on the Appalachian Trail by Beverly Hugo. $16.95. Practical advice from hundreds of women long distance hikers.
22. Osprey Crampon Pocket. Keep your crampons from shredding your gear.
23. Acorn Slipper Sock Slipper. Worn by astronauts in space. Good winter slippers.
24. SAM Splint. Portable moldable first aid splint.
25. Black Diamond Windweight Gloves. Good windproof for winter gloves.
26. Colorado Trail: The Official Guidebook. Definitive guide to this 468 mile trail.
27. Backcountry.com Gift Certificate. It you’re clueless, give them a gift card.
28. Leukotape P Sportstape. Great blister prevention tape.
29. Ruff Wear Safety Vest for your doggy friend. Blaze orange dog safety coat.
30. Chico Marsupial keychain Wallet. Keep your keys and wallet organized when backpacking. Has a clip to secure to the inside your pack.
31. Golite Dome Umbrella. Keep sun and rain off your face when hiking.
32. REI Lifetime Membership, $20. Lifetime discount on great outdoor gear. Pays an annual dividend too!
33. Nalgene Travel Kit (Plastic Bottles). Great for repackaging small quantities of liquids to save pack weight.
34. 40 Below Insulated Water Bottle Holders. No zippers so you can open these with mittens on.
35. Freeze Dried Fruit. Quick to rehydrate. A berry sampler.
36. Tubbs Snowshoe Poles. Inexpensive hiking or winter poles. Great value.
37. Freezer Bag Cooking: Trail Food Made Simple by Sarah Kirconnell. The freezer bag cooking bible and recipe book written by a foodie goddess.
38. John Muir Trail Map-Pack: Shaded Relief Topo Mapsby Tom Harrison. The preferred maps for JMT thru-hikers.
39. Packit Gourmet Gift Card, $50. Fantastic backpacking meals, grocery, and cooking gear.
40. Backpacklight.com Online Annual Subscription. Excellent ultralight backpacking articles I learned a lot from this site.
41. PACKRAFTING! An Introduction and How-To Guide by Roman Dial. Hike and float.
42. Vargo Foldable Wind Screen. Folds flat. 1.3 oz.
43. Nikwax Map Proof. Make your maps waterproof!
44. Transcend 16 GB SDHC Class 6 Flash Memory Card. Never, ever, run out of space for photos and movies on your digital camera.
45. Pacific Crest Trail Association Gift Membership, $25. Includes a wilderness permit for hiking in excess of 500 miles on the PCT. Give someone something to dream about.
46. Digital Postal Shipping and Kitchen Food Scale. Take the first step in lightweight backpacking and weigh your gear.
47. Black Diamond Spot LED Headlamp.  Great headlamp for short days and less sunlight.
48. Patagonia Capilene 1 Long Sleeve Jersey. Silky and warm. The perfect winter base layer.
49. Optimus Crux Canister Stove. Lightweight powerhouse.

_______________

A drumroll Please….

What should #50 be? Leave a comment!

Tags

• backpacking gifts
• gifts for backpackers
• best gifts for backpackers