Best Gifts for Hikers Under $150

The holidays are wonderful. They’re also a consistently stressful time for many people. That’s why we created this handy thru-hiker gift guide: so you can find the perfect present for the hiker in your life, even if you know nothing about hiking yourself.

This is our guide for gifts from $50-$150, but you can help your loved one gear up for their next big adventure at any budget:

• Best Gifts for Hikers Under $50
• Best Gifts for Hikers Under $300
• Best Gifts for Hikers Over $300

Best Gifts for Hikers Under $150

Zpacks Vertice Rain Mitts

• MSRP: $70
• Weight: 0.74 oz

“In the throes of pre-trail worry before my GDT thru-hike this summer, I bit the bullet and shelled out $70 for these ultralight rainshell mitts. I have suboptimal circulation in my fingers when things get cold and wet, and had tested all sorts of combinations in the past — fleece liners, running liners, ski gloves or neoprene-and-leather sailing gloves over top — and no matter what, after about 5 hours of rain, my hands were in bad shape.

“These shell mitts, worn over cheap Decathlon fleece liners, were absolutely clutch in this wet, cold summer on the GDT. Worth every penny. They would eventually wet out, but they still helped retain heat in a way that glove combinations in the past hadn’t. When things got really gnarly in section F, I added a third layer — fleece liner base, disposable nitrile midlayer, rainshell outer mitt. Hands stayed working in some truly heinous weather.” — Caitlin Hardee

The Cold Case Thermal Phone Case

• MSRP: $60
• Weight: 3.1 oz

In this day and age of digital maps and navigation apps, it is more important than ever to keep your phone working no matter the conditions. Letting your electronic devices get cold at night is a sure way to start the day with zero power, so it’s a good idea to sleep with them as you would your water filter. For extra protection at night or for cutting the cold during the day, check out this battery-saving pouch.

“This is a great piece of kit if you like to recreate in harsh conditions, hot or cold. It’s temperature-proof, has great drop protection, is submersible, and floats. Fits my giant iPhone and extends the battery life by a ton on backpacking adventures. Great for camera batteries too!” — Deirdre Rosenberg

Alpenblow Micro Sleeping Pad Inflator

• MSRP: $60
• Weight: 0.3 oz

“I haven’t tried this one specifically, but I am a staunch supporter of a pad inflator. They are so much easier than an inflator bag; you can hook it up and walk away to do other chores while the pad inflates. This is the smallest, lightest one I’ve seen on the market, and it uses a very small amount of your phone battery instead of having to carry an additional battery.” — Katie Jackson

I was gifted this inflator last Christmas. Unfortunately it’s not compatible with my older-model Therm-a-Rest, but I’ve tested it with a friend’s pad and can confirm that it works and is much quieter than most other pad inflators I’ve seen. — Ed.

Chicken Tramper Ultralight Gear 2.5L Switchpack Fanny Pack

• MSRP: $65
• Weight: 5.2 oz
• Materials: X-Pac (VX21)

“I’m a fan of a huge fanny pack; I like keeping all my snacks for the day in an easily accessible spot so I don’t have to stop and take my pack off to eat. This one is large enough to fit my daily food and a few other things I want close at hand. Plus, the colors are fun.” — Katie Jackson

Zpacks Bear Bagging Kit

• MSRP: $65
• Weight: 3.2 oz
• Includes: Food bag, rock sack, and cord

This popular bear bagging kit includes everything you need to execute a proper bear bag and protect your food from critters big and small. The food bag alone is an awesome organizational addition, and the rock bag plus cordage are so lightweight and small that you won’t notice them until you need them.

Sambob Alpha Joggers

• MSRP: $100
• Weight: 3.7 – 4 oz
• Size range: XS – XXL (unisex)

“As long as you’re willing to take care of the fabric (read: maybe only wear these around camp and at night?) alpha is a pretty superior material for thru-hiker’s pants. It’s super lightweight, incredibly warm and cozy, and SAMBOB lets you customize the colors. I’ve never thru-hiked without sweatpants of some sort and I don’t think I ever will. It feels simply too good to pull them on at the end of a hard, chilly day.” — Katie Jackson

Hyperlite Mountain Gear Versa Fanny Pack

• MSRP: $79
• Weight: 4.3 oz
• Volume: 2.5L

“Thank goodness for Millennials and Gen Z for doing the important work of making fanny packs cool again, because the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Versa has become a staple for me both on and off the trail. Impressive in itself — since I’ve seen some post-trail fanny packs that should only be cleaned with a flamethrower — yet mine, with its durable black Dyneema fabric, still looks as good as new.

“It’s lightweight, minimal in all the right ways, and surprisingly spacious; I’ve packed everything from sunblock to snacks and even my 15-ounce 26,000 mAh battery pack comfortably, finally getting some weight off my back.” — James Townsend

Enlightened Equipment Torrid Booties

• MSRP: $70
• Weight: 1.4 oz
• Fill: Climashield APEX synthetic insulation

These booties keep your toes toasty in your sleeping bag. According to Trek writer Madeline Newel, “These booties are my perennial favorite piece of gear. They are so lightweight and so warm. They live in the bottom of my quilt, so I don’t even have to think about them until I snuggle up at night.”

Hammock Gear Down Hood

• MSRP: $80
• Weight: 3.6 oz

“I used this every single night on the CDT. Not only did it keep my head toasty warm, but it muffled noises to help me sleep and let my bug net work better at night when I was cowboy camping.” — Katie Jackson

Kahtoola Ghost MICROspikes

• MSRP: $104
• Weight: 6.8 oz. (pair of mediums)
• Material: 12 stainless steel spikes with elastomer harness

“They’re Kahtoola microspikes, but even lighter! If you do any hiking over ice or hard-packed snow, spikes help you stay stable and safe, and make your pace a lot faster than if you were cautiously stepping and sliding over each snow patch.” — Katie Jackson

Sea to Summit Thermolite Reactor Extreme Sleeping Bag Liner

• MSRP: $80 – $85
• Weight: 12.1 – 12.8 oz.
• Added Warmth: Up to 25 degrees F

A sleeping bag liner is a great way to add warmth to your sleep system without having to shell out for a brand-new bag. We’re not sure we quite believe the claimed warmth bonus of up to 25˚F, but the difference is noticeable. As a bonus, the liner will protect your sleeping bag from body oils and thru-hiker odors so that it stays cleaner longer.

Alpine Gremlins Dyneema Pack Liner

• MSRP: $76-$100
• Weight: 0.7-0.8 oz
• Material: 0.51 oz DCF

Pack liners are a popular alternative to traditional pack covers. They are always there to keep your stuff dry, so you never need to “wait and see” if the rain is going to stick around. While trash compactor bags are a popular liner option among thru-hikers, purpose-made options have their advantages. While this one is way more expensive than the disposable option, the DCF material is lightweight, tough, and transparent.

“This has finally replaced the role of trash bags in my gear list. It’s more durable, it helps eliminate single-use plastic, and it’s light as hell.” — Matthew Kok

Petzl Actik Core Headlamp

• MSRP: $85
• Weight: 3.1 oz (with batteries)
• Max Brightness: 450 lumens

I used this headlamp for many years and thousands of miles. It’s super durable and even survived hours of use in the midst of a literal hurricane, not that I would recommend that. My favorite feature is the flexible charging options: while I almost always rely on the rechargeable Core battery, carrying one set of spare AAAs gave me peace of mind knowing that even if I unexpectedly ran out of charge mid–night-hike, I could still power the headlamp. — Kelly Floro

Hikerkind Dress

• MSRP: $80
• Weight: 6 oz
• Materials: 86% Nylon 14% Elastane

“Athletic material, two pockets, durable, perfect length, and fun colors? What more could you want from a hiking dress. I find hiking in a dress to be more fun and easier (especially when it comes to peeing!) than hiking in shorts, and I love not having to deal with that feeling of my shirt getting bunched up under my pack and riding up my back.” — Katie Jackson

MSR PocketRocket Deluxe

• MSRP: $85
• Weight: 2.9 oz
• Avg. time to boil: 3 min 18 sec.

“My go-to stove is the MSR PocketRocket Deluxe. Slightly bigger than the PocketRocket, the Deluxe provides good support for a pot and has a built-in igniter, but still weighs under three ounces. Great heat output adjustment as well,” says Trek writer Jim Rahtz.

READ NEXT — The Best Backpacking Stoves for Thru-Hiking

Smartwool Base Layers

• MSRP: $90 – $130
• Material: 50 – 100% merino wool

Who wouldn’t want to receive a set of super-soft, 100% merino wool base layers? Hikers need base layers for camp wear and as a next-to-skin active layer in the colder months. Smartwool makes garments with different weights of fabric, so there’s something for all conditions. Smartwool also has a line of merino-blend Intraknit base layers for active wear. Read our review of Smartwool’s Classic merino base layers.

BearVault BV475 Trek Bear Canister

• MSRP: $90
• Weight: 36 oz
• Capacity: 9.3 liters

“In a changing world where bear encounters are more common and bear hangs are less effective, Bear Vault is the way of the future — particularly, one in which we respect wildlife and alleviate our own bear-related anxieties. My Grandma is particularly fond of this one because she knows it means the bears will be too busy fiddling with it to pay my tent a visit — and I’m fond of it because I know my food will live to see my stomach.” — Oats!

Vargo Bot

• MSRP: $100
• Weight: 5.2 oz.
• Capacity: 1 L

This ultralight titanium bottle-pot hybrid works as an ultralight cooking pot, a wide-mouthed water bottle, and a container for cold soaking food. It even has a heat-resistant O-ring to prevent leakage. The Bot appealed to me as a microplastic-free water storage alternative, and after a I saw a hiking friend use it to cold-soak gourmet lunches every day, I was sold.  — Kelly Floro

Ursack Major Bear Bag

• MSRP: $110
• Weight: 7.6 oz.
• Volume: 10.7 L

This tough-as-nails bag weighs a fraction of a bear canister, and the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee lists it as a bear-resistant product. (Note that not all parks/areas recognize an Ursack as an adequate substitute for a bear canister, though). It’s the best of both worlds: no need to haul a heavy, bulky, uncomfortable bear canister around, and no need to brain yourself with a poorly thrown rock bag while trying to execute a bear hang. You’ll sleep soundly knowing you’re keeping both your food and the local wildlife safe.

Black Diamond Trail Trekking Poles

• MSRP: $120
• Weight: 17 oz per pair
• Materials: Aluminum shaft, EVA foam grip

Black Diamond trekking poles are a common sight on the trail, and for good reason. They’re sturdy, reliable, and comfortable to use. This pair features foam handles that are durable and ergonomic.

Montbell Tachyon Wind Pants

• MSRP: $109
• Weight: 1.9 oz.
• Material: 7-denier ripstop nylon

Ultralight wind pants make a perfect gift for a thru-hiker. Many people don’t want to spend the extra money on a wind shell and opt instead to use their rain gear for wind protection, but a dedicated set of wind pants is a beautiful thing. I have both these pants and the matching 2.5-ounce wind parka. I probably wouldn’t have bought these things for myself (both were hand-me-downs, thank you Hiker Santa), but now they’re indispensable layers that I never hit the trail without — literally. They’re so small and light I even bring them on day hikes. — Kelly Floro

Katadyn Steripen Ultra UV Water Purifier

• MSRP: $135
• Weight: 4.9 oz.
• Removes: Bacteria, protozoa, viruses

The Steripen stands out from other water purifiers and filters because 1) it works even in freezing temperatures, and 2) it removes viruses (most products only get bacteria and protozoa). At less than five ounces, it’s competitive in the weight department, too. It takes about a minute and a half to purify one liter of water and should be able to treat 50 liters between charges.

Enlightened Equipment Torrid Insulated Pants (Women’s | Men’s)

• MSRP: $140
• Weight: 4.8 – 7.7 oz

EE applies their unbeatable lightweight synthetic insulation design to the humble pants. Climashield APEX will keep you toasty when the mercury falls, and custom color combinations are sure to match every hiker’s personality.

“Insulated pants are one of the best possible investments for shoulder-season trips. Not only are they lighter than thermal baselayers, but way warmer. Highly recommend!” — Brandon Chase

Helinox Chair Zero

• MSRP: $139
• Packed Weight: 17 oz (1 lb 2 oz)
• Capacity: 265 lb

“While I necessarily wouldn’t take it on a long hike, I love bringing my Helinox on shorter sections. It’s lightweight and shockingly comfortable. It’s even my go-to chair for hanging around the fire with my friends and roommates when we’re all just hanging out, and I like to keep it in my car just in case.” — Moose Juice

Overwatch x Rescue Subscription

• MSRP: $80/year
• Compatible with: Garmin, Zoleo, SPOT, many iPhone and Android models

This subscription service is a great complement to a satellite device or even an ordinary smartphone with satellite messaging capabilities, integrating seamlessly with up to three devices and providing emergency response coordination and financial coverage for rescues and emergency medical treatment. This is a legitimately useful gift for a hiker, and it’s also perfect for gifting to someone you won’t be seeing in person — no need to fuss with shipping!

Altra Lone Peak 9 Trail Runners (Women’s | Men’s)

• MSRP: $145
• Weight (pair): 19 oz women’s | 22.4 oz men’s
• Heel-toe drop: 0 mm

Hikers go through shoes like overexcited puppies go through chew toys. Gifting someone technical footwear can be a bit risky since everyone’s feet and preferences are different. Still, if you know your hiker’s preferred size and style, a fresh set of kicks is a thoughtful gift that’s virtually guaranteed to go over well.

Not sure what type of shoe to get? If you’re shooting in the dark, aim for Altra’s iconic Lone Peak trail runners. Their zero-drop, minimalist design, and wide toebox have helped make these shoes insanely popular on America’s long trails. They’ve more or less dominated the thru-hiking market for years.

READ NEXT — The Best Trail Runners for Thru-Hiking

Disclosure: Many of the products reviewed on this site, including some of the above, were provided for free for the purpose of review. This list was originally published on 12/1/20. It was updated by our editorial staff on 11/12/2025.

Featured image: Graphic design by Chris Helm (@chris.helm).