Best Gifts for Hikers, Backpackers, Outdoorsy People (2026)

Yes, you read that right. Socks. SOCKS! You should gift socks. Outdoorsy people can never have too many socks. We’re hard on socks, which almost guarantees this gift will see some use. What your outdoorsperson especially needs is merino wool socks. Merino wool is a super fiber. It will change their lives. Did you know you can wear merino wool for several days in a row without smelling like you just spent two weeks at a Phish reunion? Just kidding, Phish fans. But it’s true. Merino wool will change your friend or loved one’s backpacking life. It’s comfortable, has virtually no odor no matter how long you wear it, and helps your body thermoregulate, staying warmer when it’s cold, cooler when it’s warm.

Darn Tough socks in particular are comfortable, stand up to considerable abuse, and have some of the highest merino wool content of anything we’ve tested. They also come in a nearly endless array of fun colors and designs. If you want something warmer, I love these Minus 33 Expedition Weight merino socks ($24).

Opinel’s classic folding knife practically begs to be taken on a hike with some good hard chorizo, soft Spanish cheese, and a nice baguette. It’s the first step to hiking, European style. Or at least how I imagine Europeans hike (always with delicious cheese, cured meats, and cheap wine—please don’t ruin my vision, European readers). I got my Opinel as a gift from a friend, and I love it. And I am an outdoor person, so I am living proof that this is a good gift.

Opinel makes dozens of variations of this knife to choose from when gifting. Grab them a kit with a bento box, or a nature-loving friend might like the version with handles designed by different artists. The one version I don’t recommend is the carbon steel. The material is great, but in this case, when you’re throwing it in your backpack and possibly forgetting about it for long periods, carbon steel will rust. Stick with stainless steel when gifting this.

Being outdoors and cooking over a fire are intrinsically linked in my mind, having grown up in a family that didn’t consider it camping if some cast iron pot of beans wasn’t simmering over the fire. I’ve tested a slew of cast iron pans over the years, but these are my favorite for cooking on an open flame. They’re thick-bottomed—which means a more even heat—but not overly heavy thanks to the thinner side wall. That lightness makes them easier to maneuver over a fire (and it’s also nice when you’re cooking at home on a stove).

Lancaster’s cast iron has a smooth finish, which gives these pans a much more nonstick surface than rough pans (not that rough pans can't be plenty nonstick, but they do take more seasoning effort on your part). This is especially nice when cooking over an open flame, where burns happen somewhat more frequently (at least while you’re learning). This one pairs well with the cookbook below.

Cooking on Fire is a gorgeous book of recipes and techniques for cooking over an open flame. It offers a good mix of recipes, from simple, delicious veggies to slow-cooked meats that take hours. It also includes plenty of background on different types of fires and cooking techniques, plus all the recommended equipment (for example: spits, forked sticks, cast iron pans, and so on). It’s everything you—er, sorry, your outdoorsy friend—need to start cooking over a fire.

I really want to try the fire-inside-a-log technique pictured on the cover, but I haven’t gotten around to it yet. So far I’ve only had a chance to make the grilled pork belly, with grilled carrots and “Krabbelurer” griddle cakes for dessert. All of them were excellent, though of course, perhaps that universal rule applies more so here than with any other form of cooking: your results may vary. In the end, though, this isn’t really a gift about cooking. It’s a gift to remind us all to slow down and take our time, with food and everything else.

This book changed how my kids and I see the world. I originally bought it because I thought my kids might like it (which they did), but then I stole it, read it cover to cover, bought a sketchbook, and, following along with the book, started to see the world in much more detail than I ever had before. Don’t worry if your giftee is not an artist. I am the opposite of skilled when it comes to drawing, and I still love this book. More than drawing, this book teaches you to look closely, observe and record the world around you, and form your own understanding of what you’ve witnessed.

If you want to put together a kind of “curiosity kit” gift package based on the one in the book, pick up a hand lens (I like this one because of the way it blocks out the light, though there are higher-quality lenses), some nice pens, and a millimeter ruler to go along with it. You could also check out our guide to journals and notebooks, though those tend to be very personal choices and might not be the best gift unless you know exactly what your giftee wants.

VSSL’s Java G25 grinder is nearly indestructible. I’ve been using mine every morning for about five years, most of that time living on the road. I’ve dropped it on concrete, gravel, and more, and it’s still going strong. In the same time, two glass grinders and one plastic grinder have broken and failed me. I know what you’re thinking: it is expensive, but it’s an investment, and it lasts. Finally, this summer, a thin piece of metal that surrounds the grinder gave way. I contacted VSSL (as a regular customer), and they sent out a replacement immediately, making this a Buy It for Life contender.

VSSL started life making ultra-durable camping tools—waterproof canisters with flashlights, compasses, first-aid kits, and more. The Java G25 comes from that same lineage, made of aircraft-grade aluminum and built to survive the zombie apocalypse—or a bumpy ride to your favorite campsite. Despite all that, it’s still relatively lightweight (about 14 ounces; not heavy, but you wouldn’t bring it backpacking). The handle is clever: it folds out for great leverage while you grind and can also act as a hook to hang the Java when you’re not using it. The conical burrs inside produce a nice, even grind that covers the full spectrum of brew possibilities, from French-press coarse to espresso-fine.

What is camping without brewing coffee over a morning fire? And what is coffee if not from a moka pot? This is the classic Bialetti that all other moka pots are based on. It’s made of heavy-gauge aluminum that heats evenly and can handle being placed directly on the coals (make sure your outdoorsy person puts it on the edge of the fire to avoid melting the handle). It’ll brew about a 4-ounce cup of very dark coffee (not technically espresso since it’s not under pressure, but it’s as close as you’ll get outdoors).

If your outdoor person isn’t a moka pot lover, other coffee options include this exquisite titanium French press from Snow Peak. It weighs just 6.3 ounces, so you can even take it on the trail if you’re dedicated to your coffee. Then there’s the tried-and-true Aeropress Go, which you can use in a variety of ways, pack on the trail, and use in a hotel room—and it makes all-around good coffee.

This 3-inch folding metal box, designed to burn twigs efficiently, has inspired almost religious devotion. Firebox stoves come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but my favorite is the smallest, the Nano, which I’ve used for years as both a wood stove and a gas stove—it’s what I use with the moka pot above—and even as a grill (also an alcohol stove).

It’s my top pick for backcountry cooking. I suggest this as a gift because outdoorsy people are practical, and they won’t buy it for themselves because they won’t see the benefits until you buy it for them. With the Firebox Nano, you can build a small fire out of twigs and cook a steak on it. Who wouldn’t love that? It’s an amazing thing to realize how little fuel it actually takes to cook something. Grill asparagus, shrimp, homemade tortillas. I have done all of this, and more. Beyond practicality, it is fun.

Did I mention that I love merino wool? Everyone needs more of it, especially the outdoorsperson. Wool keeps you warm when it’s cold and cool when it’s warm. In a comparison study against other fabrics (on runners), the wool fabric shirt performed best in both hot and cold conditions. It’s effective because merino wool offers insulation, breathability, and moisture-wicking thermoregulation. Wool is also odor-resistant and very comfortable, which is just icing on the cake.

These T-shirts from Unbound are my favorite of the merino shirts I’ve tested. These are the softest, best-made, best-fitting T-shirts I’ve ever worn, merino or otherwise. They’re incredibly versatile. I’ve worn them doing everything from backpacking in the summer heat to rolling jiu-jitsu to sitting around the fire on cool autumn evenings. I also like that they don’t have a “sporty” cut or stitching. They’re just … T-shirts.

Traveler’s Notebooks are legendary, and for outdoorsy people who like to record their travels or observations, this is a wonderful place to do it. Originally released by the Japanese stationery company Midori, the simple, elegant leather cover with its myriad inserts proved so popular that it was spun off as its own company. The leather cover is really just that—a leather binding that you can fill with whatever notebook (or notebooks) you want. For example, I use the process described here to keep three notebooks within the covers of my traveler’s notebook. I have one dot-grid notebook for planning, one plain notebook as my journal, and one heavier-paper notebook for sketching and using watercolors to nature journal.

I will confess I used to dislike the slightly odd size. The full-size Traveler’s Notebook is 8.7 by 4.9 inches, which is slightly narrower than A5. It’s a little different, but I’ve grown to love it. There’s also a “passport” size at 5.3 by 3.9 inches. Note that there are many imitators. I would avoid the cheap Amazon knockoffs; it’s a gift after all.