Gifts for walkers and hikers: what to look for

The best gift for someone who walks is something they will reach for on every walk. This guide goes by kind of gift rather than by brand: the right sock or jacket depends on where and how they walk, and what to look for stays the same when this year’s models change. One gift near the end is our own product, and it is marked as ours.

The short answer

For someone who walks every day: good socks, a light rain layer that packs small, something that makes them visible on dark evenings, or a watch that counts their steps. For someone who hikes: trekking poles, a headlamp, or a day on a trail they keep talking about. The one gift to avoid as a surprise is a pair of walking shoes, because fit decides everything and only the wearer can judge it.

For everyday walkers

Socks, and a spare pair

Walking and hiking socks are mostly merino wool, synthetic fibres, or a blend of the two. Which one matters less than most shop labels suggest: a 2022 study of hikers found that the mix of natural and synthetic fibre in a sock made no difference to blisters. What did make a difference was wet socks, which came with almost twice the risk of blisters. So a good gift is a couple of pairs, enough for a dry pair on longer walks.

Thicker cushioning feels soft in roomy shoes and cramped in snug ones. If you don’t know their shoes, a medium thickness is the safe choice.

A light rain or wind layer

A jacket they will actually carry is one that packs into its own pocket or a small bag. What to look for:

• Waterproof or water-resistant. Waterproof keeps out steady rain. Water-resistant handles a short shower.
• A hood that stays put, with a drawcord or an adjuster at the back.
• Vents or underarm zips, because walking fast in a sealed jacket gets warm.

Something to be seen in the dark

Autumn and winter walks often end after sunset. The UK’s Highway Code advises pedestrians to wear something light-coloured, bright or fluorescent in poor daylight, and reflective materials after dark: armbands, sashes, vests, jackets or footwear, which drivers using headlights can see up to three times as far away as non-reflective ones. A reflective vest or armband, or a small clip-on light, is cheap, useful and easy to get right.

A watch that counts steps

A phone only counts the steps it is carried for: in a 2019 study, iPhones recorded about 12% fewer steps over ordinary days than a research pedometer worn at the same time, and the gap was larger for people who often left the phone behind or carried it in a bag. A watch or fitness band on the wrist counts all day, phone or not. What to look for:

• It works with their phone. Check that the watch pairs with the phone they have and can share its steps with Apple Health on iPhone or Health Connect on Android, so their other apps can use the count. Our guide to syncing wearable steps to Apple Health covers how that works brand by brand.
• Battery life that suits them. Some watches need charging every night, others last a week or more.
• A screen they can read outdoors and without glasses, if that matters to them.
• Water resistance for rain and washing up.

A small bag

A hip pack or a light daypack holds keys, phone, water and a layer, and frees their hands. For everyday walks, small is better: a bag that is too big tends to stay at home.

For hikers

Trekking poles

What to look for:

• Adjustable length, so the poles fit the person and can be shortened for uphill and lengthened for downhill.
• Folding or telescoping small enough to strap to a pack or fit in a suitcase.
• Rubber tip covers for pavement and rock, which come off for soft ground.
• Comfortable grips and wrist straps that adjust.

A headlamp

A headlamp keeps both hands free on a trail that runs late or starts before dawn. What to look for:

• Rechargeable or batteries. Rechargeable saves buying batteries. Spare batteries can be swapped in on a multi-day trip, far from a charger.
• A red light mode, for reading a map or moving around a hut without dazzling anyone.
• A water-resistance rating of IPX4 or higher, which is rated for splashing water and copes with rain.

Something to drink from

A bottle that fits the side pocket of their pack, or a hydration bladder with a drinking tube for long days. For winter hikes, an insulated bottle keeps water from freezing and tea hot.

Traction for ice

Slip-on cleats or spikes stretch over shoes or boots for icy pavements and winter trails. Light cleats suit town pavements, and longer spikes suit packed snow and ice on trails. They are sized by shoe size, so this is one gift where you need to know theirs.

A map or guidebook

A printed map or guidebook for a trail they have mentioned wanting to walk. Pair it with a day off together to walk part of it.

Shoes: give the fitting, not the pair

Shoe fit is personal in ways a gift buyer cannot check. HealthLink BC, the health service of British Columbia, advises buying shoes at the end of the day, when feet are more swollen, having both feet measured and fitting the shoes to the larger one, standing and walking around the shop during the fitting, and leaving about a finger’s width (roughly 13 mm, 0.5 in) between the longest toe and the end of the shoe. None of that can be done on someone else’s behalf. A gift card for a shop that fits walking shoes, or a trip there together, does the job better than a box under the tree.

Experiences

Not every gift has to be gear:

• A guided walk or a walking tour of a city they love.
• A weekend on a trail, with a night in a hut, an inn or a B&B along the way.
• A walk you plan for them, a route to a viewpoint or a café they have never been to, with you along.

A gift from us: reTrek PRO

We make reTrek, so this one is ours. reTrek gives everyday walks a goal. They pick a famous route, like the Camino de Santiago, the Inca Trail or the Nakasendo in Japan, and every walk moves them further along it, with a short film about the place waiting at each milestone. Story quests unlock chapter by chapter as they walk, and their choices shape the ending. It suits someone who means to walk more and keeps putting it off: with a trail to finish, there is a reason to go out today.

The gift is 12 months of reTrek PRO: every route and story quest, including the ones added during their year. It is a one-time payment and nothing renews. It works on iPhone and Android, their year starts when they claim it rather than when you buy it, and the card can be printed, downloaded or sent in a message. See the reTrek gift card.