Top Gifts for Hikers Under $30

If you need to purchase a gift for the hiker in your life there are tons of great gifts out there that don't have to break your wallet. Here are some of the top gifts for hikers under $30.

Book of Local Trails

A friend of mine is actually an avid hiker. Her birthday was a few weeks ago and when looking for a gift for her I came across a book of 100 different hikes that could all be done within a 30 mile radius of our town. She hikes every weekend and knew about a few of the trails mentioned in the book, but was completely unaware of quite a few great hikes that are right in our backyard. Since I gave her the gift she's called me a few times just to thank me for the hike she just went on. With a hike in your town you can go on a hike on a whim one afternoon rather than having to plan an elaborate out of town journey.

Rock, Bird, or Tree Identifying Book

If you know a hiker, then chances are they also a nature lover. If you know what types of nature they are particularly interested in, then a good book to help them identify what they see can be an excellent gift. Learning what they see when they see it can make going on hikes all the more enjoyable.

Multi-Tool or Pocket Knife

One of the neatest pocket knives I've ever seen was a small Swiss army knife that not only was a knife, but was also a USB flash drive. A knife like that one would be a perfect neat gift for a hiker, who is a business person by day. A USB Flash drive can also be great for hikers who may go on month long (or more) hikes and want the ability to carry around their email addresses and contacts for use on foreign computers.

Outdoor Survival Kit

LL Bean actually sells a pretty neat "Outdoor Survival Kit". The kit contains a small knife, rain poncho, emergency blanket, first-aid kit, duct tape, compass, emergency whistle, flashlight, waterproof matches, and a carabiner clip. All of those items fit inside a large plastic water bottle. For hikers who want to conserve space in their backpack this can be an excellent combo deal. Of course you can't use the water bottle as a water bottle if you have it filled with all sorts of neat things, but it's a great way to package them as a gift. The entire kit from LL Bean runs around $20. If you don't want to buy a kit from LL bean you could create your own kit using items you think your gift recipient might enjoy.

Ice Cream Ball

Have you ever been on a long hike and wanted a nice bowl of ice cream at the end? Now ice cream is a possibility for hikers and campers with the ice cream ball. With an ice cream ball you add ice and rock salt to an empty plastic ball along with other ice cream making ingredients. Once you've put the appropriate ingredients in the ball you can pass it around or kick it around with your fellow hikers. 20 minutes later you will have ice cream!

Coffee or Wine Traveller

If you're gift recipient enjoys drinking wine or coffee then a traveler can be a great idea. In both cases you can purchase something that will hold a thermos of coffee or a bottle of wine, and also two glasses. A traveler can be a great way to travel with beverages, and an excellent gift idea.