Looking for a few easy little gifts to add to the stocking of your favorite outdoor lovers this year?
I don’t know about you, but I always forget about stocking gifts until it’s too late, and then I end up filling stockings with candy and toiletries from the grocery store.
Not this year! There are so many useful little gifts for outdoor lovers out there, so I’m compiling my favorite little things into one robust gift guide.
Whether you actually add these to someone’s Christmas stocking, or you just want some little gift ideas for your favorite adventurer, here are the best stocking stuffers for hikers in 2022.
Merino Neck Gaiter or Buff
If your favorite hiker or outdoor lover regularly finds themselves outdoors on cold or windy days, they will absolutely love this super soft merino neck gaiter from Woolx.
Merino wool provides exceptional warmth without bulk, wicks moister away from your body, and has microbial properties so it stays odor-free!
This little bundle of warmth fits in your pocket, which makes it the perfect stocking stuffer for all the hikers on your holiday gift list!
Woolx is a small company based in upstate New York that specializes in producing exceptional clothing from ethically sourced merino wool.
Nocs Provisions: Lightweight, Waterproof Binoculars for Hiking
Nocs Provisions Standard Issue 8×25 binoculars may just be the perfect hiking companion. They are rugged, lightweight, and waterproof, plus they come in a nice array of bright colors. I have a pair stashed in my daypack so that they come with me on every hike.
These binoculars also have great optics so they’re perfect for an impromptu birdwatching sesh or for scoping out the next ridge on your next hike. Each pair comes with a lifetime warranty. Pair these with a bird field guide and you’ll inspire a new outdoor hobby!
Shokz OpenRun Headphones: Stay Aware While Enjoying Your Hiking Playlist
The open-ear design of the Shokz OpenRun Headphones provides big sound without blocking out the rest of the world. They are dustproof and waterproof with a battery life of 8+ hours per charge. There is a volume button on the side and the neckband that connects the two earpieces is extremely comfortable.
These sporty headphones are the perfect gift for hikers who want to enjoy their favorite playlist or podcast outdoors. The sound is impressive and they stay on even during a bouncy trail run.
Bottle Bright: Keep Those Water Bottles Funk-Free
Biolite 325 Headlamp: Light Up the Night
The BioLite Headlamp 325 is so ridiculously comfortable that if it weren’t so bright, you’d forget you were wearing it. Unlike other headlamps we’ve tried, this one sits flush on your forehead and is easily recharged with a micro USB cable. Four versatile light modes are suitable for all conditions – white light, red light, white strobe, and red strobe.
The light lasts about 40 hours on the dimmest setting and three hours on the brightest setting. It weighs under two ounces and can tilt up and down to zero in on your book, cocktail, or trail to the outhouse.
This is considered an entry-level headlamp and BioLite makes two more models that are more rugged and powerful, but the 325 is truly one of the best we’ve ever tried and one of the best stocking stuffers for hikers on your list.
AllTrails Pro Gift Card: Indpespensible for Hikers
Give your favorite hiker access to detailed offline topographic maps, trail descriptions, and GPS navigation with the robust AllTrails+ app. This powerful app is a game-changer for hikers, allowing you to search trails, read reviews, download maps, and find directions to the trailhead. I have found trails I would have never known existed with AllTrails, and I consider it the most useful app on my phone.
The free version of AlllTrails is fantastic and worth downloading, but the pro version allows hikers to download maps for offline use, which means you can be out of range for cell service, but still use the map features. Off-route notifications will send an alert if it notices that you’ve gone off the trail, and the Lifeline feature will alert family and friends if you don’t make it back to the trailhead and check-in by a predetermined time.
Sterling Hiking Boot Pendant
This is the world’s tiniest sterling silver hiking boot. Perfect for your favorite backpacker, through-hiker, or outdoor enthusiast.
Created using lost-wax casting and oxidized to give definition to the finer details, this beautiful pendant is made by a Canadian artisan.
As with anything handmade, every piece will vary slightly, making it a one-of-a-kind stocking stuffer. Comes with your choice of a snake or rolo silver chain in a length of your choosing.
Mosquito-Proof Head Net
Anyone who has hiked in Vermont in late May knows that some bugs (looking at you, black flies!) just can’t be deterred. For those days, this lightweight head net from Sea to Summit is a lifesaver! Weighing just an ounce, this head net provides protection from pesky insects without inhibiting visibility. A small stuff sack is included.
While this practical stocking stuffer for hikers may not be the most coveted item on their list, you can bet they’ll be singing your praises next summer when the mosquitoes and black flies come out to play.
Darn Tough Socks
For all of you naysayers that think giving or receiving socks as a gift is boring, think again! Darn Tough Socks are the best on the planet for so many reasons!
First of all, they are made from merino wool, which means they will keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer, and they wick moisture (sweat) away from your feet so that you don’t get blisters.
Darn Tough socks are made right here in Vermont and they come in gorgeous color combinations that are so much fun to wear.
Finally, Darn Tough socks are unconditionally guaranteed for life. The return process is easy, but honestly, each pair lasts me at least five years, so I rarely have to send them away.
I promise that any hiker on your holiday gift list will adore a pair of these socks!
Lightweight Power Bank
A portable charger is essential for day hikers and backpackers, and the myCharge portable power comes with built-in lightning and USB-C cable, a folding wall prong, and 4400 mAh, which will charge most cell phones four times but can also be used to charge up your headlamps, tablets, and cameras.
This myCharge power bank weighs just 6.3 ounces and has an extra USB port for non-compatible devices. It makes a great stocking stuffer for all of the hikers on your list. Mine has enabled me to stay connected on the trail during long hikes and it gives me peace of mind to know that I can charge my phone and headlamp in emergency situations on the trail.
Minus33 Merino Wool Gloves
These wool gloves from Minus33 are lightweight enough to take on every hike. On the coldest days, hikers can use them as a warm liner under waterproof mittens, but they are light enough to wear alone during the shoulder season.
Created from 85% merino wool, 10% stretch nylon, and 5% elastic, these gloves are perfect for hikers. Merino is essentially a miracle fabric – it’s antimicrobial, keeps hands toasty warm in the winter and cool in the summer, and wicks away moisture, keeping your hands dry and comfy.
Bottle Bright Cleaning Tablets
Here’s a stocking stuffer gift for hikers that is more useful than it is exciting. Bottle Bright cleaning tablets will keep all those water bottles and hydration reservoirs clean and fresh so that your favorite hiker will enjoy water breaks on every single hike.
Biodegradable Bottle Bright tablets keep containers clean and operating at peak performance with no scrubbing. We clean all of our bottles with these twice a year.
What are your favorite stocking stuffers for hikers? We’re always searching for fun ideas to add to our gift guides!
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Tara is a freelance writer and travel blogger with a passion for outdoor adventures. She is the co-author of AMC’s Best Day Hikes in Vermont and currently blogs at Back Road Ramblers and Vermont Explored, where she shares travel tips, adventure destinations, and vacation ideas for the wanderer in everyone.