Three men hiking in nature

Our Top Picks: 15 Gifts for Walkers

Looking for a gift for a family member or friend who loves a long walk? Why not check out our gifting rundown of hiking essentials and walking gadgets.

When it comes to buying gifts for those closest to you, there's always a level of doubt or uncertainty around whether your gift will actually be useful or just end up gathering dust in storage.

However, if the person you're gifting is a walking enthusiast, then you’re in luck. We've put together a fantastic list of gifts to put a smile on their face.

By its very nature, hiking is an activity that requires those involved to be carrying as few items as possible. This means that if you can give a gift to a hiking enthusiast, you'll need to think about more than what you they’ll love, but also what will serve them well when walking in nature. It should ideally be a gift that they’ll cherish for a very long time.

Woman hiking using walking poles

Here’s our selection of top gifts for outdoor enthusiasts:

Walking poles

Given their undervalued usefulness, this is a perfect present for walkers. Although commonly believed to be only necessary for the older hiking generation, a walking pole is excellent for helping distribute weight across the body, especially if the person is carrying a rucksack. It’s also great for protecting the knees during a downhill walk. From adjustable poles to hiking sticks for different seasons, you’ll be able to find the right gear for your giftee right here.

3 hikers using head torches to study map

Camping torches and head torches

A gift that takes a winter hiking trip to another level. By equipping your walker with a head torch, they’ll be able to enjoy their trails in the evening and also make campsites that little bit more enjoyable, as they’ll no longer have to cut their trips short with fear of wandering through the darkness. Torches now come in a wide range of styles, but try looking for one that is as lightweight as possible, that stays on for as long as possible, and is easy to charge. It’ll be a gift they won’t forget.

Close-up of flask and travel mug

Flasks and travel mugs

A refreshing outdoor gift that’s both good for the giftee and the planet. While it would be a surprise if your friend or family member was still going on treks with big bottles of plastic water, giving them a new drinking vessel that can hold both hot and cold drinks is a nice idea. It’ll soon become one of their essentials in no time.

GroPro HD Camera 

Give them the gift of capturing memories wherever their trek takes them. The world’s most versatile action camera, great for both taking snapshots and videos, a GoPro is one of the most popular Christmas presents for walkers.

Pen knife

A gift that may not seem necessary to an inexperienced walker, but anyone who has been on their fair share of hikes will know that a pen knife is an outdoor essential. Whether it’s just a long day trail or there are plans to spend the night camping, the versatility of a good pen knife can get walkers out of a variety of tricky situations. With so many uses, it’s really a gift that keeps on giving.

Quechua's compact rain jacket

Compact rain jacket

A great gift for all different walks of life, but especially hiking. By gifting your friend or family member up with a top quality rain jacket that’s easy to tuck away in a rucksack or attach to a belt, they’ll be able to focus on other essential layering items without having to worry about waterproofs.

Close-up of hiking map

Hiking maps and books

Whether they are planning on going somewhere new, or are just needing a bit of inspiration, these are gifts they can use at home and out on their adventures. If you’re looking for a trustworthy source for maps, the ordnance survey is always a good, detailed go-to, and when it comes to books about walking in the UK, this rundown should give you exactly what you’re looking for.

Young girl playing in snow

A hat or a beanie

As you well know, the head is one of the fastest places to lose heat. Show your friend or family member how much you value them staying warm with the hat or beanie that suits them best. This is both a great present and an essential piece of winter hiking apparel.

Leg and ankle gaiters

The fastest way to ruin a hikers day is walking with a shoe full of water. Leg and ankle gaiters protect that pesky ankle area between the trouser bottom and the shoe is protected, allowing your hiking enthusiast to stroll soak free. Just imagine gaiters as wellington boots for those that don’t wish to wear wellingtons.

Garmin GPS unit

 Whilst in the normal world, a smartphone can get you out of any sticky location finding situation, it’s a risky game relying on your phone during a trip to the great outdoors. By giving a Garmin GPS Unit as a gift, you are both ensuring your loved one will always know where they are going, plus you’ve given them the option to free themselves from constantly checking their mobile and spend more time reconnecting with nature.

Boot bananas

One of the quirkier gifts for walkers in our list, but no less useful. A fragrant shoe deodoriser, the Boot Banana neutralises odors and absorbs moisture with antimicrobial properties. Perfect for walking boots are a long day hike, as well as underwear that has seen better days. It may take some explaining to the giftee, but that just means they’ll be all the happier with you once they find out what it’s for!

Nikwax waterproof spray

Waterproof spray

Protecting your clothing (and in turn your skin) from a sudden downpour is vital when out walking. Give the gift of waterproof spray, and make sure your loved one stays dry on their next hike.

A hiking tripod

For hiking traditionalists, this could be seen as an unnecessary addition to their rucksack. However, depending on how much your friend or family member loves to document their journeys, a hiking tripod could be exactly what they need to be able to set up the perfect shot.

Chargeable battery pack

Although hiking is about enjoying all that nature has to offer, it's also vital that at least one person in the travelling party has a fully charged phone. By gifting a chargeable battery pack, you’re making sure the recipient will be able to stay safe should things go wrong whilst out walking. Plus it’s also just a good thing to have in everyday life

And finally, hiking socks

A great gift for him, a great gift for her. Socks are often seen as a staple present come Christmas time, so why not give them a pair that will go the hard yards on their next hiking trip?

Things to think about before buying

What types of trails does the giftee usually do?

Are they a summertime stroller, enjoying coastal walks and campsites sleeps? Or are they a winter walker, who loves trekking through the ice and rain, wrapped up warm in their thermals?

Knowing this type of information can be incredibly helpful when it comes to gift ideas for hikers, as while the person in question may love the gift in principle, there's no point in giving them a present that will not help enhance their hiking experience and will probably just be left at home.

Talk to friends and family! When thinking about gifts for the avid walker, there’s a strong chance they’ll already have a lot of the hiking essentials. Therefore the more people close to them you ask, the better odds you have of getting a unique present. Also it wipes out the chance of buying the same hiking gift as somebody else.

Close up of someone walking

Get your presents ready

This could end up not only being a gift that your friend or family member loves, it could also be the start of something good for you too. Whether you’ve been hiking before or not, it’s an easy activity to get involved in, and could even bring you closer to the person you’ve bought the gift for. With so many ideal hiking trails across the UK, you’ll easily be able to find the perfect day out for you and your loved one. Wherever you're based in the country.

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