Holiday Gift Guide for Hikers
Looking for the perfect gift for the hiking enthusiast in your family? Or perhaps you’re a hiker yourself and you’re putting the finishing touches on your wish list but need a little help. Have no fear - tripleblaze.com is here to help you out! Here are 8 hiking accessories organized by price that any hiker would love to receive this holiday season:
Cheapskate (under 30 bucks)
Sigg Water Bottle ($22)
Plastic water bottles are so 2007; fortunately for you the Sigg Lifestyle 0.6L Bottle is made from high grade aluminum. Because this bottle is made from aluminum it’s lightweight, recyclable, and won’t retain tastes from your beverages like plastic bottles can. The Sigg Lifestyle line comes in a variety of colors and patterns making this a semi-customized gift sure to please any palate.
Wenger MicroLight Swiss Army Knife ($29)
The classic hiking gift is back this year and this model from Wenger has it all: a mini flashlight, tweezers, toothpick, nail file, screwdriver, and scissors plus still leaves room for a surprisingly sharp blade! No hiker should leave the house without a do-it-all tool like the Wenger Swiss Army Knife - even if he or she is only hiking to the mall 
Suunto Compass ($29)
Remember these? Compasses are the original GPS units and this is another inexpensive item no hiker should be without. This compass from Suunto is lightweight, durable, and doesn’t need batteries making it perfect for emergency situations. Speaking of emergencies the included mirror is great for signaling rescuers - let’s see your GPS unit do that!
Gifts for good friends (under 100 bucks)
Camelbak Day Star Womens Hydration Pack ($60)
Water is essential to life, especially when hiking to the top of a 14er in the summer. The Camelbak Day Star holds 2L of water which should be enough for all but the longest hiking day trips and this pack is specially designed for women. Includes plenty of pockets to haul all your other gear too.
Camelbak Octane 8+ Hydration Pack ($80)
Yep, it’s another hydration pack but we’re convinced that every hiker needs one of these. The Octane is a larger pack than the Day Star so we recommend it for manly men who sweat a lot and who need to carry a ton of gear. This cavernous day pack is large enough to hold extra clothes, snacks, 2L of water, and all your other hiking accessories securely without making you feel off balance on the trail.
High rollers (hiking gifts over 100 bucks)
Suunto Vector Altimeter Watch ($199)
This is the must-have watch for any backcountry explorer. The Suunto Vector tracks your altitude for summit attempts and includes an electronic compass to help you get down the mountain at the end of the day. A built-in barometer tracks changes in pressure which means this watch is your early warning system for dangerous storm systems. Sadly this watch doesn’t include a temperature sensor - for that you’ll still need the Weather Channel
Arc’teryx Gamma SV Jacket ($350)
The Gamma SV is easily one of the most high tech outdoor jackets you can buy but you’ll be tempted to wear it even when you’re not venturing outdoors. Great for skiing, hiking, and climbing, this jacket wicks moisture away from your core, keeping you warm and toasty in even the most extreme cold weather conditions.
Garmin GPSMap 60CSx ($299)
I’ve owned a number of GPS units over the years and the GPSMap 60CSx is easily the most versatile and rugged unit I’ve encountered. This GPS is great for hiking and backpacking but with additional software you can use it to navigate in your car or on your bike! Other, newer GPS models may add more bells and whistles but the GPSMap 60CSx is a solid, dependable choice for hiking and outdoor enthusiasts.
Next week we’ll share our holiday gift guide for camping - stay tuned for the best deals and ideas!
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November 29th, 2008 at 9:20 am
I’m a big fan of the CamelBak hydropacks. Mine’s almost 4 years old, has been all over the country, and looks brand new!
January 13th, 2009 at 6:59 am
Instead of a Sigg bottle, Kleen Kanteen is a great alternative. Sigg’s aluminum may not leave a taste at first, but it will later, as well as leach toxins into your water after the lining starts to deteriorate from normal use. Stainless steel is the way to go.