Gifts for a hiker?
December 9, 2010 4:25 PM Subscribe
Gifts <$50 for a husband with a new hiking obsession?
I'm getting him a sleeping bag that's on his wish list but would like to surprise him with one or two smaller hiking-related items as well. He likes gadgets, photography, and seems to be focused on keeping everything super lightweight. Books would be good, too. He's mainly hiking in western Washington.
I'm getting him a sleeping bag that's on his wish list but would like to surprise him with one or two smaller hiking-related items as well. He likes gadgets, photography, and seems to be focused on keeping everything super lightweight. Books would be good, too. He's mainly hiking in western Washington.
small First Aid kit.
pad to go with the sleeping bag
nice socks
hiking stick
posted by lobstah at 4:32 PM on December 9, 2010
pad to go with the sleeping bag
nice socks
hiking stick
posted by lobstah at 4:32 PM on December 9, 2010
The Freezer Bag Cooking method has revolutionized my wife's hiking meals. Their starter pack of a cozy and a cookbook is awesome. http://www.trailcooking.com/store/fbc-starter-kit
posted by spinturtle at 4:34 PM on December 9, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by spinturtle at 4:34 PM on December 9, 2010 [1 favorite]
This stuff sack pillow is one of my favourite hiking items ever. It weighs hardly anything, takes up almost no space, and provides a very comfortable pillow when camping. Something like it would be perfect.
Swiss Army knives are always nice too.
posted by ripley_ at 4:42 PM on December 9, 2010
Swiss Army knives are always nice too.
posted by ripley_ at 4:42 PM on December 9, 2010
First aid kit
Pocket knife
Headlamp (small, light ones are great, because you can carry them all the time, just in case)
Waterproof overmitts (great for cold, wet weather)
Lightweight tocque and thin gloves (ditto)
Socks (wool)
Boot waterproofer
Alcohol stove / pot set (very light if you are just cooking for one (and you are patient))
Water filter (good ones are a little over your budget)
posted by ssg at 4:49 PM on December 9, 2010
Pocket knife
Headlamp (small, light ones are great, because you can carry them all the time, just in case)
Waterproof overmitts (great for cold, wet weather)
Lightweight tocque and thin gloves (ditto)
Socks (wool)
Boot waterproofer
Alcohol stove / pot set (very light if you are just cooking for one (and you are patient))
Water filter (good ones are a little over your budget)
posted by ssg at 4:49 PM on December 9, 2010
A compass!
posted by jeffamaphone at 4:50 PM on December 9, 2010
posted by jeffamaphone at 4:50 PM on December 9, 2010
Does he have all of the Ten Essentials? Start there.
posted by grouse at 4:51 PM on December 9, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by grouse at 4:51 PM on December 9, 2010 [1 favorite]
Hiking, photography, ultra light, gadget... Sounds like he'd enjoy a monopod trekking pole.
posted by Balonious Assault at 4:57 PM on December 9, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Balonious Assault at 4:57 PM on December 9, 2010 [1 favorite]
He likes gadgets, photography, and seems to be focused on keeping everything super lightweight
Get him a mini-tripod. There are many, ranging from $1-$100. Here's a funky little one.
posted by googly at 5:11 PM on December 9, 2010
Get him a mini-tripod. There are many, ranging from $1-$100. Here's a funky little one.
posted by googly at 5:11 PM on December 9, 2010
An ID bracelet, in case of misadventure. I got one of these for Mr Corpse (a runner) based on recommendations on AskMe, and he seems pleased with it.
posted by The corpse in the library at 5:21 PM on December 9, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by The corpse in the library at 5:21 PM on December 9, 2010 [1 favorite]
nth'ing a good LED headlamp. I've also always found a candle lantern to be a good companion for camp.
The SAS Survival Handbook is cheap, small, but packed with information.
A good stainless thermos. Indestructible, lightweight, and having the ability to store hot water can be priceless, even for day trips.
A sturdy knife, capable of chopping kindling.
SuperFeet insoles, highly recommended.
Essential goodie bundle of small folded space blanket, plastic poncho, lighter (infinitely more convenient and reliable than matches for non-emergency use, IMHO), lightweight utensils, bowl, insulated mug, blister/burn/cut/pain/diarrhea 1st aid, paracord, duct tape, nalgene water bottle, water purification tablets.
Assorted topo maps of local hiking spots for practical and wishlist purposes.
posted by hungrysquirrels at 5:28 PM on December 9, 2010
The SAS Survival Handbook is cheap, small, but packed with information.
A good stainless thermos. Indestructible, lightweight, and having the ability to store hot water can be priceless, even for day trips.
A sturdy knife, capable of chopping kindling.
SuperFeet insoles, highly recommended.
Essential goodie bundle of small folded space blanket, plastic poncho, lighter (infinitely more convenient and reliable than matches for non-emergency use, IMHO), lightweight utensils, bowl, insulated mug, blister/burn/cut/pain/diarrhea 1st aid, paracord, duct tape, nalgene water bottle, water purification tablets.
Assorted topo maps of local hiking spots for practical and wishlist purposes.
posted by hungrysquirrels at 5:28 PM on December 9, 2010
And even better than the SuperFeet insoles, at least in my experience, are the Montrail heat moldable insoles (you warm them up in the oven and then stand on them, shaping the foam to your feet). Worth the $30 that they cost many times over.
posted by ssg at 5:33 PM on December 9, 2010
posted by ssg at 5:33 PM on December 9, 2010
A nice, but small, compass.
A leatherman is far superior to swiss army knives, but either would be good. Swiss army knives are more likely to fit within your budget.
A nice walking stick/staff - Etsy has a nice selection of hand carved ones that might fit the budget.
If you're looking at a sleeping mat, I would recommend a Thermarest.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 5:36 PM on December 9, 2010
A leatherman is far superior to swiss army knives, but either would be good. Swiss army knives are more likely to fit within your budget.
A nice walking stick/staff - Etsy has a nice selection of hand carved ones that might fit the budget.
If you're looking at a sleeping mat, I would recommend a Thermarest.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 5:36 PM on December 9, 2010
If you get him a hikers first aid kit, throw some aleve and a small tubes of super glue.
A good multitool/Swiss army knife
Good wool socks
A watch (I like some of the Coleman ones, sturdy but not to pricey to be afraid to lose)
A hat with a brim. (Army surplus ones are great, fold up small, water proof, and come clean with just water)
Some mini bic lighters
A mini combo salt and pepper shaker.
posted by token-ring at 5:55 PM on December 9, 2010
A good multitool/Swiss army knife
Good wool socks
A watch (I like some of the Coleman ones, sturdy but not to pricey to be afraid to lose)
A hat with a brim. (Army surplus ones are great, fold up small, water proof, and come clean with just water)
Some mini bic lighters
A mini combo salt and pepper shaker.
posted by token-ring at 5:55 PM on December 9, 2010
If you're interested in the headlamp idea and he's trying to go light on everything, this Petzel lamp is the one I'd recommend. It has an emergency whistle in case he needs to call for help, flashing mode, red lights (to preserve night vision if he's in the dark), etc. And without the case, it's only an ounce. Seriously, it's tiny, but it gives off a lot of light, and I've been very happy with mine. Anything bigger, and I wouldn't take it on day hikes. But it's so tiny I just throw it in the pack even if I'm headed out for just a few hours...just in case.
posted by BlooPen at 7:11 PM on December 9, 2010
posted by BlooPen at 7:11 PM on December 9, 2010
I'd be hesitant to give any gift to a hiker without talking about it first. Some people tend to be rather particular about things they have to lug around in a pack for miles on end. As a data point, I'll reference the 1 1/2 lb travel alarm clock given to me as a Christmas gift from a thoughtful person because she knew I was really into hiking. My base pack weight is around 10 lbs, so I just couldn't quite see carrying something that heavy.
That being said, there are lots of fun, useful, lightweight items to make up a good kit. There are lots of great options for lightweight cookware, lighting, clothing, etc. One of my favorite items is the Jetboil cooking system.
http://shop.jetboil.com/index.php/flash.html
posted by boba at 7:57 PM on December 9, 2010
That being said, there are lots of fun, useful, lightweight items to make up a good kit. There are lots of great options for lightweight cookware, lighting, clothing, etc. One of my favorite items is the Jetboil cooking system.
http://shop.jetboil.com/index.php/flash.html
posted by boba at 7:57 PM on December 9, 2010
My fiance and I enjoy lightweight backpacking and hiking. Here are some thoughts for nice gifts in that price range:
A subscription to BackpackingLight.com.
The book Lightweight Backpacking & Camping: A Field Guide to Wilderness Hiking Equipment, Technique, and Style
A titanium mug
A Platypus water reservoir
A lightweight stove, like this one from Snowpeak
posted by TrarNoir at 8:00 PM on December 9, 2010
A subscription to BackpackingLight.com.
The book Lightweight Backpacking & Camping: A Field Guide to Wilderness Hiking Equipment, Technique, and Style
A titanium mug
A Platypus water reservoir
A lightweight stove, like this one from Snowpeak
posted by TrarNoir at 8:00 PM on December 9, 2010
I love my Katadyn water filter. It's the previous version of the MyBottle and it's lightweight, fast and easy. It's not terribly useful for filtering water for cooking, but it sure makes grabbing a drink during the day so much nicer.
posted by advicepig at 8:48 PM on December 9, 2010
posted by advicepig at 8:48 PM on December 9, 2010
If he's an ultralight guy you will need to be pretty careful about what you buy him. He may have an exact item it mind that is 6.5grams less then whatever you get and he'll end up shaving his toothbrush even more to try to compensate for the weight differential =]
If he's going to be doing a lot of winter hiking and some overnight trips a good pair of vapor barrier sock liners would be an awesome gift. They keep the feet warm, minimize sweating and prevent water vapor from entering the oversock\boot so everything stays dry.
These are my favorite.
posted by zephyr_words at 10:27 PM on December 9, 2010
If he's going to be doing a lot of winter hiking and some overnight trips a good pair of vapor barrier sock liners would be an awesome gift. They keep the feet warm, minimize sweating and prevent water vapor from entering the oversock\boot so everything stays dry.
These are my favorite.
posted by zephyr_words at 10:27 PM on December 9, 2010
Buy him the book The Complete Walker by Colin Fletcher. It is a very readable guide to hiking - the philosophy and the equipment considerations. I am not really a hiker, but enjoy reading through it, it is good writing.
A small snippet of an Amazon review: OH MY GOSH. 800+ pages of the most useful, precise information i've ever read anywhere (and i've read a lot). these two guys know their stuff, and are eloquent, realistic, CLEAR, and mildly humourous when they talk about it. this is so far above & beyond the quality of other books on the subject - i'm blown away. i've been reading it nonstop for 5 days. it covers everything: shoes (from full-scale boots to trail runners to hiking sandals & tons in-between), socks, packs, tents, clothing, weather, food, cooking, stoves, lights, hats, animals... the authors have EXTENSIVE experience and it really shines through. there is an extensive listing of additional reading material on every subject they discuss, plus gear lists from various trips of their own. this is a treasure trove.
posted by AnnaRat at 11:44 PM on December 9, 2010
A small snippet of an Amazon review: OH MY GOSH. 800+ pages of the most useful, precise information i've ever read anywhere (and i've read a lot). these two guys know their stuff, and are eloquent, realistic, CLEAR, and mildly humourous when they talk about it. this is so far above & beyond the quality of other books on the subject - i'm blown away. i've been reading it nonstop for 5 days. it covers everything: shoes (from full-scale boots to trail runners to hiking sandals & tons in-between), socks, packs, tents, clothing, weather, food, cooking, stoves, lights, hats, animals... the authors have EXTENSIVE experience and it really shines through. there is an extensive listing of additional reading material on every subject they discuss, plus gear lists from various trips of their own. this is a treasure trove.
posted by AnnaRat at 11:44 PM on December 9, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks everyone. I got the Petzel headlamp and The Complete Walker, but I'll keep coming back to this list for future gifts!
posted by HotToddy at 8:11 PM on December 10, 2010
posted by HotToddy at 8:11 PM on December 10, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Miko at 4:28 PM on December 9, 2010 [6 favorites]