Best Gifts for Hikers This Holiday Season

Way better than wet wipes, these "InstaShowers" are great after overnight flights, long hikes, or sweaty days at the beach when you don't have time to clean up properly. The perfect stocking stuffer.

Honor your love for public lands with this game that you can play at home or around the campsite. Choose a route strategically and "trek" to the different national parks collecting souvenirs along the way. Great for adults and kids.

High peformance, lightweight, waterproof daybag. It's the right size for most day hikes with two external water bottle pockets for easy access. Read my full review to see what makes it so great.

This annual pass provides free admission to all national parks and other National Park Service sites for an entire carload/family traveling together.

Hey, I live in Buffalo so I know all about winter hiking (er... snowshoeing). The right base layers mean even the coldest days are fine for adventures and Underarmour Coldgear 4.0 is a brand I trust and love.

I hate hats, but sometimes they serve a purpose.  This one will keep the sun off your face and it has insect shield technology to repel mosquitoes, no-see-ums, and more.

What packs compactly, boils water in a flash, and even works in windy conditions like those in Deadhorse, Alaska? Only the Jetboil!

No doubt that beautiful destinations inspire great art, and this heavy-duty sketchbook with watercolor pencils is the perfect way to capture the moment.

I can't remember who told me to buy one of these when I adopted a puppy, but a car seat cover is worth its weight in gold, keeping your seats clear of hair, dirt, and anything else your dog might track in from the trail.  It clips right in and out, washes up easily, and has a mesh panel so your dog can watch out the front window.

Hanging a pair of binoculars around your neck is heavy, but this harness distributes the weight easily so you can comfortably wear them all day.

I got caught scrambling with a flat tire at Guadalupe Mountains National Park, so now I recommend anyone heading toward the backcountry be prepared for the drive as much as the hike! This has jumper cables, an air compressor, basic first aid, and more.

Sure, any towel will do, but these ones are lightweight and fold/roll down into tiny sizes, which makes them great to throw in your daypack.  I make do with the small (wring out and re-use like a chamois).

Anyone who loves adventurous sightDOING needs a headlamp for late night animal sightings, caving, camping, and more.

There's something about slipping off your hiking boots and letting your feet breathe to help you push onward! These sandals are much lighter than your typical hiking sandals but with much better grip than flip flops. In short, the best of both worlds and a must-add to your hiking shoes collection.

Pamper yourself at home or on the trail with this easy-to-pack massage ball kit. Use all 6 to target different body parts or just carry one along with you for a midway pick-me-up.

For outdoor lovers, a pair of trekking poles can make adventures so much easier to tackle!

For anyone who loves adventure travel, this handle slips onto water bottles as a sturdy carrier.  The paracord unwinds into a 12 foot rope in case of emergency and there’s a carabiner, compass, signal whistle, and fire starter built in.  Talk about an all-in-one hiking gift!

Performance wear that you're not embarassed to wear at a brewery after your hike! My Prana Halle pants are my all-time favorite style, with water-repellent fabric, roll-up legs, plenty of stretch for adventures, and a classic trouser fit.

Last I checked, there were no electrical outlets in the woods. If you expect to go through a lot of battery (perhaps for using your phone as a camera or GPS), this power bank will give you plenty of charge while you're outside.

So easy to use and it filters out 99.99% of bacteria, making it possible to drink from streams or rivers without fear. It screws right onto any standard size water bottle or Platypus. As far as I'm concerned, this is the best water filtration system on the market.

Happy feet make happy hikers! No matter how wet, sweaty, or gross my feet have gotten, with Smartwool I’ve never had cold or blistered feet. I've tried summery lightweight styles and thick winter socks and they're all great! The only thing they're missing is a compression sock (but you can get a great merino wool version from Darn Tough Socks).

AllTrails is my favorite resource for trail planning. You can search for hikes, mountain bike routes, and more and read reviews from other trekkers. Though the free version is pretty good, the annual pro subscription adds a lot of features for only $30/year...my favorite being the ability to download trail maps for offline use. It's WAY cheaper than a GPS and nice to only carry your phone!

Any hiker is going to run into rain at some point, guaranteed. I love my rain jacket since it's adjustable around the neck, waist, and wrists for better waterproofing. Plus, it's breathable, which can otherwise be hard to find in a rain coat. This once is great.

This 1,000-piece puzzle will keep anyone busy and reliving their favorite outdoor memories. Featuring vintage posters from U.S. national parks, this one is a high-quality design that's fun to put together and would be great framed afterward.

Sometimes finding the perfect hiking gift is impossible, but an REI gift card allows someone to find whatever they're looking for from a store with great selection and unbeatable customer service. Hint: they have gear rentals, too, which is often if someone wants to try something before they commit!