Backpacking gear has gotten very expensive. But here are 25 backpacking gifts for $25 or less, that any backpacker would love to receive. Many are made by smaller backpacking gear manufacturers.
Micro Scissors are super small, super light, and super safe. You’ll find lots of backcountry uses where scissors perform better than a knife and make the job easier. And at just 0.17 oz (4.7 g), they’re definitely worth their weight. The precision-ground stainless steel blades start sharp and stay sharp. The finger holes are oversized and elongated for use with or without thin gloves. A silicone safety cover keeps the sharp tips from stabbing you and your gear. The cover is tethered to the handle, so you’ll never lose it.
Elastic cords for attaching your bear can or a sleeping pad to the outside of your backpack because it won’t fit inside. Available in multiple colors, each elastic cord has reflective stripes. Each cord comes with 4 lightweight mini cord-locks.
Cold Soaking Jars offer a revolutionary way to enjoy your favorite trail meals without the fuss of traditional cooking. Simply add water to your food and let it soak for 30-60 minutes while you hike. No stove, no boiling water, no cleanup. It’s that easy. This leak-proof jar is made of FDA-compliant high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic, which is rigid and has good impact and chemical resistance. Its translucent design, smooth inner walls, and ribbed lid make for easy access and cleaning.
If you’re buying a gift for an Appalachian Trail thru-hiker or section hiker, there’s a pretty good chance that they sleep in trail shelters that have mice. If you want to tickle their funny bone and protect their food bag, give them a set of old-school mouse traps to bring along on their backpacking trips. Just bait them with cheese or peanut butter. I once met an Appalachian thru-hiker named “Stretch” who carried mouse traps from shelter to shelter and would surround his sleeping pad with them each night. Needless to say, I didn’t see many mice in the shelters on that section hike.
These handy squeeze bottles were easy to buy when REI sold them, but they’ve been hard to find since. They each hold 1 fluid ounce (29.5 ml) and great for repackaging small quantities of shampoo, conditioner, sunscreen, moisturizer, hand sanitizer, and other cosmetics.
The ultimate in simplicity, this folding pad is your go-anywhere, do-anything comfort companion. Whether you’re taking a trailside break or enjoying a picnic in the park, this pad has your back (and your backside). Lightweight, waterproof, and moisture-resistant, it folds up small and stashes easily in your pack or pocket.
This 10-pack of ultralight tent platform anchors makes it a snap to set up a tent on a wooden tent site platform. The anchors slide in between the boards and provide a secure anchor to tie down a tent. The highly visible red color also makes them hard to lose.
Reduce the amount of toilet paper used in the backcountry while preventing the dreaded chafing and “monkey butt” that results when your crack isn’t clean. This handy bidet attachment screws onto regular plastic water/soda bottles so you can clean up anywhere, even at the office. Very popular with thru-hikers!
Banish blisters forever with these ingenious Injinji Liner Crew Toe Socks. Wear these light and breathable liner socks under thicker outer socks as a first line of defense against moisture and blisters, or wear them alone as your go-to socks for everyday adventures. Made with Coolmax, these synthetic socks wrap each toe individually, preventing the friction that causes blisters.
Hikers don’t need or want to carry a thick wallet when hiking or backpacking because they only need to carry a driver’s license, a credit card or two, an insurance card, and some cash. The WEBO Hiker’s Wallet is made with XPac waterproof fabric and has a waterproof zipper to keep valuables dry. It’s available in a wide range of bright colors, making it easy to locate inside a backpack when it’s needed.
12. Long-Handled Titanium Spoon with Polished Bowl
Ideal for eating, stirring, or scraping the last scraps from your dehydrated meal pouch, the TOAKS Titanium Long Handle Spoon with Polished Bowl is a durable, light addition to your ultralight kit.
If there’s one thing all hikers and backpackers have in common, it’s sore feet. If there’s no one around willing to give you a foot massage, especially after a long day of hiking, you can carry an ultralight cork massage ball to work out the knots and help relax your aching feet. Weighing a bit more than one ounce, this 2.5″ cork massage ball is the size recommended by massage therapists and physical therapists for soothing myofascial tissue pain and plantar fasciitis, loosening sore muscles, and improving mobility. So have a ball and give your feet a break.
Handy organizer for holding all your toilet essentials, including a cathole trowel, sheewee, tissues, and plastic bags if you need to pack out your waste. Made with Dyneema, it is expertly crafted for durability and convenience on the trail. With a spacious, seam-taped main pocket, this bag offers water resistance for items like toilet paper, wipes, or tent stakes.
A must-have in bear country, the Counter Assault Cross Draw Bear Spray Holster provides multiple ways to carry a bear spray canister. You can attach it to your pants belt or your backpack’s hipbelt and wear it like a holster, or attach it to your backpack’s shoulder strap with MOLLE tactical straps and a carabiner so it doesn’t bounce, and it’s at the ready when you need it. The holster fits 10.2 oz and 8.1 oz canisters so you can ward off an encounter with Yogi or Boo Boo.
This simple, easy-to-use shoulder strap pocket fits most packs. It attaches securely and easily with one vertical strap and two horizontal wrapping wings. A front mesh stretch pocket makes it the perfect extra storage pocket. Available in two sizes, both under $25.
This 5′ x 9′ Tyvek groundsheet is incredibly useful for protecting the bottom of your sleeping pad from splinters or nails if you sleep in Appalachian or Adirondack shelters. This type of Tyvek folds up small but is tough as hell. It also works well as a tent footprint.
A Kula is a reusable antimicrobial pee cloth for anybody who squats when they pee. It’s self-sterilizing and dries when clipped to the outside of your backpack, eliminating the need to bury toilet paper in the wilderness. Female hikers swear by it.
Hikers and backpackers usually line the inside of their backpacks to prevent rain from leaking through the backpack seams and making their gear and clothing wet. They often use plastic bags which eventually find their way into landfills. It’d be much better and environmentally friendly if they could reuse the same waterproof pack liner, like this one from Six Moon Designs, again and again. Their pack liner is a 50L waterproof rolltop bag with taped seams that many hikers and backpackers use to safeguard their gear from moisture. Its brightly colored exterior helps make things easier to find inside a dark backpack.
Proper Leave No Trace practice means digging a cathole at least six inches deep when doing your business in the woods. This task is less tiresome with the classic Dirtsaw Deuce of Spades Backpacker’s Trowel. Serrated “teeth” and a tough, aluminum build can dig into some seriously solid ground and through small roots. It also weighs just 0.6 ounces and tucks into an outside pocket on your pack.
Hikers and backpackers share wilderness areas with hunters and it helps when hikers wear highly visible blaze orange clothing during hunting season so hunters can see them more easily. This lightweight Minus 33 Merino beanie is super warm and can be used for hiking or sleeping in cool weather. One size fits most. It’s also available in a wide range of colors.
This 6-pack of ultralight Vargo Titanium tent stakes combines the classic Shepherds Hook design with the lightness and durability of titanium. Weighing just 8 grams each, they have a fluorescent orange head, making them hard to lose. These tent pegs add almost no weight to your backpack while their titanium construction assures they’ll hold up to hard use.
The Swiss Army Classic pocket knife is a longtime hiker favorite because it’s super lightweight but packs many of the tools that hikers need daily, ranging from a small pair of sharp scissors and a knife to a nail file, toothpick, and tweezers. Weighing just 0.7 ounces, it’s easy to clip to the outside of your backpack with a mini-biner for easy access. Replacement toothpicks and tweezers are also available since they’re usually the first thing you lose.
Black Diamond is not known for making headlamps with trivial (easy-to-remember) controls, but the rechargeable and dual fuel Astro 300 breaks the mold. This single-lens single-switch headlamp has a white light and three brightness levels: high, medium, and low, with full strength, dimming, and strobe modes. It can be powered by three AAA batteries or a 1500 mAh Lithium-ion rechargeable battery that recharges with a micro-USB charge port and has an IPX4 rating, stormproof to withstand rain and sleet from any angle.
Tired of your Helinox Chair sinking into the ground? These no-sink feet will prevent the dreaded slow sink of these great chairs. Fits Chair One, Chair Zero,
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