50 Backpacker Gift Ideas! {Clever Gifts}

Get some gift inspiration for the backpackers and hikers on your gift list with these fun Backpacker Gift Ideas!

Got a backpacker or hiker on your gift list?? These Backpacker Gift Ideas are the perfect gifts for budget travelers and outdoors lovers! From the funny to practical gifts, all backpackers will love these gift ideas!

Backpacker Gift Ideas

Backpacker Gift Ideas – Hiking and Camping Gift Guide:

Funny Camping T-Shirt

For the humorous camping-lover on your gift list, this funny camping t-shirt is the perfect gift idea! (Especially if they appreciate good tacos!)

Mini Deck of Cards

A mini deck of cards is the best offline entertainment you can give a backpacker! Mini deck of cards are lightweight, fit anywhere, and are so fun to play with friends, or even a game of Solitaire!

Waterproof Socks

No backpacker that I know of enjoys getting their feet wet, so having waterproof socks along is a life saver every time! This is a gift that they’ll really love!

National Geographic National Park Trail Maps

With amazing scenery, National Parks are some of America’s best places to visit! However… there is often no cell phone coverage, so these National Geographic National Park Trail Maps are life savers for backpackers! These are a few I have and love…

Hiking T-Shirt

When the mountains are calling, you’ve just got to go! The perfect t-shirt for any outdoors lover!

Camping Utensils

These fork/spoon camping utensils are a fun way to eat when camping. Plus, they’re lightweight, so they fit nicely in a backpack!

Daypack

When it comes to purchasing gifts for backpackers, giving them a day pack is always a safe idea! 😉 Day packs are handy for day hikes and sightseeing, because they can easily hold cameras, water bottles, snacks, etc.

Hiking Compass Ornament

Backpackers will love decorating their Christmas tree with this hiking compass ornament! Such a fun stocking stuffer idea!

Garmin GPS

A Garmin GPS is a nice gadget to have on hand when hiking. Any backpacker will love this!

Mini First Aid Kit

To ensure that the backpacker on your gift list stays safe, a mini first aid kit is the perfect gift to buy them. And let’s be honest: A Swiss Army First Aid Kit is pretty sweet!

Flint and Steel

For the backpacker who loves camp fires, flint and steel is the perfect gift idea!

Moleskin

Perfect for wrapping around blisters, cuts, and other wounds, moleskin is a no-brainer to have on a backpacking trip. Plus, it is very lightweight, perfect for keeping the backpack light!

Starbucks VIA Packets

Starbucks VIA Packets are lightweight, inexpensive, and simply the most efficient way for backpackers bring their favorite coffee along! For back-country hiking, these are nice, because they they simply last forever, and for backpacking through cities, it is a budget friendly alternative to coffee shops and cafes!

Hammock

For the backpacker who loves to sleep outside or nap between the trees, a hammock is an awesome gift idea!

Microfiber Towels

When the sweat comes, there’s no better, easier way than to wipe it off with a lightweight microfiber towel!

Paracord Bracelet

Combine a compass, fire starter, knife and paracord, and you’ve got this epic multipurpose bracelet! These are such a fun use of space with practical tools!

Compass

Not all who wander are lost, but for the wanderers who do get lost, a compass is a gift they need! 🙂

Mini Scissors

Perfect for cutting moleskin, dehydrated food packages, Starbucks VIA packets, and so much more, a pair of mini scissors is so useful! Any backpacker will put these to use! I sure have!

Swiss Army Pocket Knife

This Swiss Army Pocket Knife includes a blade, tweezers, a nail file, and so much more! If you’re looking for some bang-for-the-buck when shopping for the backpacker on your gift list, this Swiss Army Pocket Knife is the perfect little stocking stuffer they’ll love!

Phone Camera Clicker

So many times, in group photos, there is always one person missing: the photographer! It’s time to end the debates on who takes the photo by using this Phone Camera Clicker!

Headlamp

Perfect for hiking at night, or through caves or any dark place of sorts, a headlamp is simply one of the more practical gifts a backpacker needs. I definitely enjoy putting mine to use!

Trekking Poles

A serious life saver for steep ascents and descents on the hiking trail, trekking poles make hiking so much easier! Mine came in to be very useful on a day hike in the Grand Canyon.

Mini Lantern/Flashlight

Space and weight are two major considerations that need to be taken into account while backpacking, so combining two useful tools – a lantern and a flashlight – is simply an epic idea!

Contigo Water Bottle

For the backpacker who like to stay trendy (and hydrated), this is the perfect gift!

Collapsible Water Bottle

A more lightweight, space saving alternative to the Contigo Water Bottle above is a Collapsible Water Bottle. This is great if the backpacker’s pack is already pretty heavy.

Life Straw Water Purifier

When the backpacker’s water runs out, it’s time to turn to the Life Straw Water Purifier! This amazing tool is able to purify water from streams, rivers, or rain water!

Lightweight Sleeping Bag

All overnight hiking backpackers need sleeping bags, but ones that are light enough to fit into a backpack during the day. You can solve their problem by giving them a lightweight sleeping bag!

Inflatable Pillow

An inflatable pillow is the perfect gift to go along with the lightweight sleeping bag. It’s super light in weight, and it feels very comfortable at night!

Sunglasses

Sunglasses are simple, yet nice gifts that any backpacker loves! It’s a great way for them to protect their eyes from the sun.

Credit-Card Sized Survival Tool

For backpacking through cities, having a survival tool that can fit in the credit card slot in their wallet is pretty awesome! This tool can be used for a can opener, screwdriver, ruler, and so much more!

Space Food

Lightweight and filling, space food is a gift every backpacker needs to have in order to stay full and energized!

Backpacker Gift Ideas – Travel Gift Guide:

National Geographic City Maps

When their phone’s battery is low, or they don’t have any coverage, these National Geographic City Maps are great backup maps to have on hand for backpackers! With 3-D Buildings, maps of the local transit system, and more, these are pretty awesome gifts anybody backpacker will love! My map of Rome was a life saver on my trip to Italy.

Travel Journal

The best way for a backpacker to record their travels is by having a travel journal! They can remember the highlights of their trips, people they met along the way, and so much more!

Free Starbucks Gift Card

This is a win-win scenario, because you can get free Starbucks gift cards for the backpacker on your gift list!

World Socks

A pair of world socks is great for travelers!

Contigo Travel Coffee Mug

For the coffee lover, this is an awesome gift idea! These Contigo Travel Coffee Mugs keep drinks hot and insulated for hours, and are a great way for travelers to enjoy their favorite drinks on the go!

Money Belt

This Money Belt is the perfect gift to give a traveler to keep their belongings safe and snug… and out of site.

Money Band

Travelers can keep their cash easily organized and stashed away with this Money Band! This would be great to put inside of a money belt, to keep it safe from pickpockets! You know… when traveling in those certain areas. 😉

Cord Tacos

A ‘Cord Taco’ is a round piece of leather that folds and snaps around folded cords, and is the handiest thing you can have to keep cords organized.

Scratch Map

Scratch Maps are a fun way for backpackers to show off where they’ve been after their trip!

Rick Steves Pocket Guides

These Rick Steves Pocket Guides are the perfect gift for a traveler looking for the best things to do, where to eat, etc. – choose from individual cities. I got one before traveling to Rome, and it was so helpful!

Iphone Camera Lens

These attachable camera lenses are an easy way to add a fun twist to the average phone picture while traveling! There are wide angle, macro, and fisheye lenses that attach directly to your phone’s camera lens, just like below! Check out all camera lens attachments here.