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This list of the best gifts for outdoorsy women is basically my wishlist. Combined with hiking and backpacking things I already have and LOVE! From stocking stuffers for outdoor enthusiasts – hikers, campers, backpackers, bikepackers, and cyclists. To unique gifts in price ranges from $20 to $100, and some splurge gift ideas, as well.
Hiking & Backpacking Gifts for Her:
This gifts idea list is divided into five sections. Jump ahead to:
And with that, the caveat of this list, is that some items (and depending on the person), are really best selected by the person using the item! For example, things like backpacks do not make good gifts, unless they have already tried and selected the one they want and told you about it. If in doubt, ask or buy someone a gift card! So I’ve tried to make this list mostly giftable fun add-on items! And of course many of these items are giftable for guys too, but it’s geared toward the ladies!
Gifts under $10 (Stocking Stuffers for Hikers & Outdoor Enthusiasts)
Here are some of my favorite smaller items under $10. Great stocking fillers for any outdoor enthusiast – hikers, cyclists, mountain bikers, backpackers, and camping ladies.
Camping twinkle lights
Since campfires are banned in many areas for the bulk of the hot summer backpacking season, having some twinkle lights as a pretend campfire for nighttime conversation and hangouts has been so fun. A friend introduced me to this idea last year, and it’s been a great way to keep the campfire vibe conversation alive. Amazon $6+
Refillable Travel Atomizer Spray
Mini Spray Bottle Atomizer – These little bottles come as a 3 pack, great for gifting or stocking stuffers! I use a similar tiny atomizer spray bottle for bug spray. I love that they’re small, leakproof, and packable for travel, camping, and hiking. So much nicer than taking a large bug spray that you may or may not need! Amazon $7
Coffee, wine or beer travel tumbler
Zak Designs 11.5oz Double Wall Stainless Steel Tumbler – I have this budget double wall stainless steel insulated wine tumbler from Target. It’s made by Zak! Design and is $10, about half the price of more popular ones made by YETI, and Hydroflask. I love those brands, and have their very well made coffee mug. I received the Zak! wine tumbler for my birthday, and it’s been a great addition to camping trips for wine, cocktails, or fizzy water. I loved it so much, that I bought their handled coffee mug ($10) for a friend. Target $10
Outdoorsy stickers or patches
Some of my favorite stickers this year have been designed by Kate George. They’re either adorable or LOL funny – or both. Like this “I just need a minute” sticker. Kate George $3+ (She also designs a lot of collab prints like for Buff headbands, Kula Cloths and more. Check her shop for fab gifts!)
When in doubt, gift stickers or patches! There are tons of cute outdoors stickers at REI and other shops as well, including National Park stickers. Great for gear, water bottles or your car. REI $4+
Playing cards or games
REI Playing cards – Small games, like a deck of cards are great for camping trip evening time around camp. These have a cute design, but are just basic playing cards. REI has a lot of other cool camping games from outdoor games like bocce to puzzles. REI $8+
Chapstick with spf!
ChapStick SPF 15 Lip Balm – I’m a diehard Burt’s Bees fan, and they stopped making their Burt’s Bees Lifeguard SPF lip balm! After getting a sunburn on a hot day of biking, I finally caved and bought some Chapstick brand SPF 15. These are a great stocking stuff for sporty friends! Target $3 for a 3 pack
Backpacking meals
Backpacker’s Pantry Cuban Coconut Rice & Beans – I think anyone who spends some time backpacking in the summer can appreciate a night off from cooking with a backpacking dinner. The Backpacker’s Pantry Cuban Coconut Beans and Rice has been a recent favorite, along with a Pad Thai from them. Then again, I was pretty hungry by the time I ate these so… YMMV. REI $10
Hiking snacks and camping food
All the hiking snacks! – These all make great stocking stuffers! We all like different snacks while doing our outdoor thing, but one of my favorite things is trading snacks and discovering a new favorite! So here are some of my recommendations: Nuun electrolyte tablets (Strawberry Lemonade!) REI $7 – great for staying hydrated while cycling or hiking! Jelly Belly caffeinated Extreme Sport Beans (Watermelon flavor!) REI $1.35 – since I don’t always get my afternoon cold brew while adventuring, I love these for an afternoon boost. Olive Oil packets – I kind of want to buy a bunch of these and split them up! Amazon $13 How great for backpacking cooking! Honey Stinger Waffles REI $1.75
Fancy Instant Coffee
Coava instant coffee packets – For some camping trips it’s nice to skip the coffee prep gear, and just have a few instant coffees. So these packs from Coava Coffee are a real treat for camping! $16 for 6 single serving or Kuju ones for $2.50 REI $2.50 each.
Buff headbands
Buff headbands UV+ – One of those Swiss Army knife type gear items. It can be a headband to keep wind off your ears while hiking, is thin enough to easily fit under a bike helmet (unlike most beanies), can be used around your neck as a make shift scarf, you can even pull it up to use as a mask when needed! And it’s so lightweight (1 ounce!) that it’s an essential hiking item to keep warm or protected from sun if needed. REI $6.83-15
Voile Straps
Voile Straps Nano Series 9″ – What started out as ski straps, are now used for all kinds of sports. I first got a few of these for my fat bike for bikepacking adventures, and now use them for all kinds of things! On my SUP, for extra help securing my hiking poles while I wasn’t using them on the windy Kalalau Trail and even just around town! These things are so cool! Voile $4+, REI $6+
Bandana
REI Printed Bandanas – These bandanas are great for outdoor activities where you might need a tissue, or a hand wipe, or a mask, or face cover, or almost anything! Depending on the season, REI also has lots of cute different patterns to choose from. REI $8.
Sea to Summit Wilderness Wipes
Sea to Summit Wilderness Wipes – I’ve been using these since a kayak camping trip to Panama in 2007. And are one of my go-to backpacking essentials. Yes, you could just use baby wipes, but these sheets are thicker, fragrance free, and feel so great after a long day of hiking or biking! You can also choose from compact size (6″x8″) or extra large size(8″x12″), and they also sell a larger pack of 36 for $10 (27.8 cents each). And while a pack only weighs a few ounces, I usually just put 1-2 per day in a ziploc bag to save on space and weight. REI $4.50 for 12 (37.5 cents each)
Sea to Summit Wilderness Wash
Sea to Summit Wilderness Wash – After one too many times of my travel soap leaking, I finally snagged this 1.3 ounce everything soap at REI. I love that it’s super tiny, and has a leak-proof cap. Use it to wash yourself, your dishes, or even your laundry. You can also get a larger refill container, as needed later. REI $4 1.3 ounces
Chafing lotion or cream
Chamois Butt’r HER cream – While this cream is intended for cycling, it can also be used for running or hiking or any other chafing issues. I appreciate that Chamois Butt’r offers a women specific chamois cream. After really ramping up my cycling mileage this year, I did use this cream pre and post long rides and it really helped! So did getting a new seat that actually fit my sit bones. I ended up buying the 10 pack of 9ml travel packets. These are great for travel, bikepacking and just keeping in your bike bag. You can reseal it with a piece of washi tape. Plus give one to all your friends. A great deal, at only $1 each! Amazon $10.
Gifts for Outdoor Women under $20
Some of these gift ideas in the $10 to $20 are also small enough to be stocking stuffers! But that can add up quick! So consider these gifts under $20 when you’re looking for a complete gift for your favorite hiking ladies.
Hiking & camping sit pad
Therm-a-rest Z Seat Pad – This one falls in the nice to have, not HAVE to have category. But after a particularly dusty backpacking trip this summer, when everyone seemed to have one of these sit pads, I really wanted one! They’re super lightweight – 2 ounces, and pack down pretty small. There’s also a NEMO one for $20, but it’s a bit heavier and harder of a pad than the Thermarest one. But I think it makes a better makeshift ground table. Ha! So if you’re going with friends, coordinate who is bringing sit pads and who is bringing hammocks. You can’t use them all at the same time, so it’s nice to have different seating options to trade. REI $16, Evo $16
Post-Hike Soak
Saje Wellness Muscle Melt Bath Salt – Saje makes some of the nicest bath salts for post-sport soaking! Their Muscle Melt bath salts are the most similar to their previously named “Apres sport”. They also make some great oil blend roll ons for pain release etc. Saje gives out product gift bags after running the SeaWheeze Half Marathon, and I’ve been a fan ever since! Saje $20
Wool socks or running socks
What once fell into the sarcastic “Wow, thanks for the socks, mom.” category, is now met with a “sweet! new socks!” This is 40? Some of my favorite socks are very sport specific. Writesock Cool Mesh II dual layer for running (the only socks I can wear for long runs to not get blisters!), Smartwool ultralight cycle socks for cycling (and running and hiking!), Darn Tough Hikers & Smartwool crew for hiking and camping. These are my tried and true favorite socks. And they make great stocking stuffers. ;) And keep an eye on these during REI sales for nice deals!
KAVU travel pouch
KAVU Pixie travel pouch – I love these cute, small pouches! Great for toiletries for backpacking or holding snacks for hikes. I’ve also found some cute random pouches in the back to school section at Target in fall! 4 ounces REI $16
Kula Cloth
Kula Cloth Reusable Antimicrobial Pee Cloth – This is a reusable pee cloth, made of antimicrobial material. Wait what?! “Eww! That sounds gross!” is what most of my lady friends said when I first mentioned it. But now many of them own a Kula cloth too. Here’s why you [might] need one. If you ever stop to pee in the woods or outdoors while hiking, camping, or biking, I’m sure you’ve seen piles of strangers “pee pee TP”. Now that’s what’s gross! And carrying around used tissue with pee on it is also not fun. So use the Kula Cloth to wipe, then fold it in half and it snaps together, and can hang on the outside of your pack, or in a side pocket if you prefer. The Kula cloth has really been a game changer for biking, backpacking, and camping, especially in these COVID times when you’d rather just pee outside than in a gross portapotty. REI $20
Reusable resealable bags
Rezip reusable resealable bags – After realizing just how many plastic bags I was using for backpacking food and organizing, even though I was reusing them as much as possible, I decided one of my next purchases would be some reusable ones. I’m loving the tiny Rezip ones that sit flat on the bottom, and the slightly larger flat ones. These are great for backpacking lunch food items and organizing. They are a bit heavier than ziploc, but are also sturdier, so I’m able to use fewer while packing. I still use Ziploc bags (actually the IKEA ones), because honestly, sometimes you DO need a bag that you can throw away. Consider them tiny garbage bags. Another nice one in this category is the reusable bee’s wax wrap. This can even keep a hard cheese good for backpacking or bikepacking! Amazon $20
Lightweight trowel
Deuce of spades backpacking trowel – This is one of the most lightweight #2 shovels. It’s only .6 ounces and if you’re looking for a bit heavier duty trowel, the new #3 is still only 1 ounce, but twice as strong for easier and faster digging. REI $20 or $22
Quick dry travel towel
REI Co-op Print Multi Towel Lite – I’ve had one of these REI quick dry towels since 2007 when I did a RTW trip. And I still use and love it. It’s great for camping – backpacking or bikepacking when you know you’re going to be near water or need to dry off! I like this smaller one because it’s lighter and smaller to pack, but still bigger than the hand towel size. So it’s not the size that you could wrap it around you but it’s enough material to dry off and better than not having a towel at all! REI $11
Fitness band for sport watch
Sport Loop Apple Watch Band – With so many people getting fitness bands and watches (Apple watch, fitbit etc) lately, a good gift idea is a sport band to go on the watch. I have the basic Apple Watch and the band that comes with it isn’t super comfy for longer workouts in hot weather. But I love it for easy workout tracking and heart rate metrics outdoors (cycling & running) and indoors (with DIY Peloton spin classes) So I’ve been looking for a softer fitness band to use. Amazon $10+
Pocket knife
Opinel No 6 Stainless Steel Pocket Knife – I’ve had this backpacking knife on my list for awhile. I still have a pocket knife that works fine for picnics and camping food, so I haven’t bought this one yet. But when I really need a new one – I think the No 6 or No 8 will be it! REI $14
Regional Hiking Guidebooks
Day Hiking Mount Hood: A Year-Round Guide – While a lot of our hikes these days are researched and found online, there’s still a place for real books! I’ve been surprised at some of the hikes I’ve learned about in some regional hiking books that are barely on the radar of sites like Alltrails etc. REI $17+
Outside magazine subscription
Outside Magazine – Sometimes it’s nice to just read a real magazine and not just scroll endlessly through outdoor and travel inspo on Instagram. Outside Magazine: $15/year or Backpacker magazine: $15/year
Camping cookbooks
I love cooking, but I’m a pretty basic camp cook. I do enjoy trying to up my camp cooking game though, and these cookbooks are great inspiration! Also fun to read in winter while you wait for some warm summer camping weather. REI $13+
Coffee Table Books
I love the Amber Share’s Subpar Parks project on Instagram. So her recent coffee table book Subpar Parks: America’s Most Extraordinary National Parks and Their Least Impressed Visitors would be a funny gift for any National Parks lover. Amazon $19
Parks passes or permits
Another great idea for a stocking stuffer or useful gift that they’ll actually use, is a parks pass. Just make sure they don’t already have the pass and that they need it! Ideas for hiking and parking passes are: NW Forest Pass, Oregon’s Sno-Park permit day use, National Parks pass, America the Beautiful etc. REI $5+ or Recreation.gov
Outdoorsy Gifts for Women: $20-$50
$20 to $50 is one of the easiest price ranges to gift in! It’s a substantial enough budget to get something bigger and a bit easier to find a meaningful gift. So here are some ideas of gifts for outdoorsy women in the $20-$50 range.
Outdoor gift cards!
REI Gift Card – Sometimes the best gift is a gift card! You can even say, “hey, I thought about buying you xyz, but I wanted to let you pick the color or didn’t want to just add a return to your to-do list!” Ummm THANK YOU! REI $10+
Waist Pack
Patagonia Ultralight Black Hole Mini Hip Pack – I got this Patagonia fanny pack for my BFF last year, and it’s been one of her favorite gifts! Great for short hikes when you just need your keys, phone and a snack. And the color options are super cute and fun. REI and Cotopaxi also make waist packs for the about the same price (REI Co-op Trail 2 Print Waist Pack. REI $29
Travel coffee mug
Hydroflask 12oz Coffee Mug – this mug has been my favorite on-the-go coffee mug for the last 5 years. I love that you can close the lid and toss it in a bag or backpack if you need to hustle off somewhere. Also great if you have kids and just can’t have spillable coffee out. $30 at REI (but they go on sale a few times a year), but you can usually find some sale colors on the Hydroflask site for less! REI $30, Hydroflask $22+
Sporty cheap sunglasses
goodr OG polarized sunglasses – These sunglasses from REI are great for summer and being out on the water too. And at $25, they’re in the cheap sunglasses range, but are actually pretty great quality. I also have had great luck with the Surfer Shades from Target. $25 is about the max I pay for sunglasses, because of dropping them, leaving them behind, or crushing them in a bag. REI OG Surfer glasses $25, Circle round lens sunglasses REI $25, or Target Surfer Shades $20
Phone charger
Portable Power bank phone charger – This newer style of smaller power banks is great. This one will charge your phone 4x, is just slightly larger than a deck of playing cards, and weighs about 8 ounces. I’ve carried this one on multiple bikepacking trips and backpacking trips so far, including backpacking the Napali Coast in Kauai. It holds a charge and can recharge your phone over 3x. So if you’re using your phone sparingly on a trip, it’s a great charger. Amazon $22
ENO Hammock Helios Ultralight straps
ENO Hammock Helios Ultralight straps – Already have a camping hammock? The ultralight straps might be a fun upgrade for someone who needs new hammock straps and is trying to upgrade their gear to cut weight! The original ENO straps are 9 ounces, and the ultralight ones are 4.3 ounces. The packed size is only half an inch less, and the maximum weight capacity is 300 pounds instead of 400 pounds. So the lower weight capacity is also worth considering, if you use this hammock with 2 people, that’s two 150 pound people. And the straps are 16″ shorter than the original. So given that extra info, at only $5 more, the ultralight straps might be worth it for your situation or not! Check out the comparison: REI $35
Camping Lantern
Black Diamond Moji lantern – This one is on my list for car camping trips. It’s stylish, only 3 ounces, compact (3″x3″x2.5″), has a long lasting battery, 100 lumens, and is pretty affordable at $25. REI $25
Head lamp
Black Diamond Cosmo 300 Headlamp – If you’re looking to up your head lamp game, Black Diamond has tons to choose from. I’ve had mine for almost 15 years, but when I need an upgrade, I’ll get one of the Black Diamond Cosmo headlamps. REI $30
Travel aeropress or pourover coffee filter
AeroPress Go Travel Coffee Press – For the AeroPress coffee fan. Now there’s a travel edition! This still weighs 11.5 ounces, but it’s more compact than the original AeroPress, and includes everything you need, since it’s a mug and press all in one. REI $32
Small water filter
Katadyn BeFree Collapsible Water Filter 20oz/.6L – This small collapsible water filter by Katadyn/Hydrapak is amazing. It’s super easy to use and packable! I used it backpacking on the Napali Coast trail in Kauai (here’s my full Kalalau Trail packing list) and it was the only filter we needed. It works great in combination with a wide mouth Nalgene to filter into. I also like that you can drink the water right away versus the tabs that need to sit. REI $40
Map & Travel Art
Pacific Crest Trail map art – There’s so much cool budget map art these days. Etsy, IKEA, DIY, it’s everywhere! And there are even some cool national parks and travel scratch-off maps! Another idea is a gift card to print out their own pictures for framed art or an album! Mpix $20+, Etsy $28+
Things to Wear: $20-50 Gifts
I recommend you ask women for ideas when it comes to apparel. I personally do not like it when apparel or shoes are purchased as gifts. Unless i’ve identified the item already and put it on a wishlist for family, it’s almost always going to be exchanged for something else! That said, here are some apparel purchases that I’ve loved in the last year! So consider this an idea list. When sometimes it feels like everyone you see doing outdoor sports is geared up in their standard issue Patagonia gear, here are my favorites. The pieces I get asked about by strangers. And no, I’m not bagging Patagonia they’re a great company. But variety is the spice of life!
REI Base layers
REI Co-op Lightweight Base Layer Crew top – REI makes a lot of lightweight and midweight base layer tops. I have found this Longsleeve crew top to work great as a base layer without getting too hot. REI $28+
Everywhere Shorts
Roxy New Impossible Love Beach Shorts – These shorts are my new favorite shorts and became my summer uniform this year. The design is super flattering for athletic legs, and there’s enough coverage in the rear, but they’re still short! I can hike, run, SUP, camp, and have even biked in them. They dry pretty quick and I love them so much I now have them in 3 colors! Roxy $40 (usually sales to get them for $20-30)
Open-Back Tank
GapFit Breath Open-Back Tank – I have purchased these tie-back tanks for a few years now. I love that they are both breezy and cute, while still having some coverage. And you can tie the back tighter for a more closed back snug fit, or looser to have it more open and breezy. Gap $30 ($18 during their 40% off sales)
Roxy Sun Hats
Roxy is my go-to for trucker hats, and cute summer tanks, shorts, and swimsuits. I feel like they’re often overlooked as an outdoor brand! But they have tons of cute and quality gear. They’re not just for surfers! Roxy $11+
Cheeky Bikinis
Beach Classics Cheeky Bikini – Last summer was seeing way more mainstream adoption of the cheeky bikini. I love Roxy for their surf inspired swimwear. Their suits are made to last and stay put. That’s what’s great about surf brand swimwear and not just fashion swimwear. So if you haven’t given the cheeky bikini a try, consider Roxy or other surf brands. They’re actually more flattering than you might think. Just size up! Roxy $35+
Gifts for Outdoorsy Women: $50-$100
Gifting in the $50+ price range is usually a lot easier to find ideas. So if you need some inspiration, here are my favorite gifts for outdoorsy women over $50.
Sun Shirt
Mountain Hardwear Crater Lake Hooded Sun Shirt – This sun shirt is great for super light coverage while hiking, kayaking, or paddle boarding. It also makes my list for What to Wear Paddle Boarding! I’m pretty picky when it comes to sun shirts and this one is actually lightweight enough. It acts as a great rashguard for water activities as well. REI $60
Ultralight Down Jacket
Uniqlo Puff Ultralight Down Jacket – This puff is warm and packable. Plus it seems to have lasted just as long as those I know who have the Patagonia Nano Puff ($200). It’s a great budget option if you just don’t have the budget for a Patagonia piece. And also makes my list for what to wear hiking in winter. Uniqlo $70
Adventure Sandals
Bedrock Cairn Adventure Sandals – These are the best summer sandals for biking, hiking, and water activities. If you’re the kind of person who loves flip flops in summer, these are a great sporty alternative to Tevas. Great grippy Vibram soles, comfortable straps and some fun colors. I’ve put a ton of hiking, biking, bikepacking, and backpacking miles on these for a full season and they’re still in near perfect shape! The only thing I don’t like about these is the $105 price tag. But after owning them for a bit, I would say they’re worth the price. But a great item to snag at 20% off with the REI semi-annual sales! REI $105
Camping Hammock
ENO DoubleNest Hammock – This ENO hammock has been one of my favorite gear purchases from the last couple years. I’m now one of those people who is always scouting tree positions. Like oooh, that would be a great spot for a hammock! This hammock is definitely a splurge purchase, but it’s worth it. Hammock is $70, and the straps system is $30, so $100 total. Sometimes you can find sale prints though! While it’s not the lightest item to pack, it can be worth it depending on your backpacking style. Check out my backpacking gear list spreadsheet to calculate your backpack weight with this gear addition! Weight: 1 pound, 3 ounces. Hammock: REI $70, Hammock straps: REI $30
Insulated Growlers
Stainless steel insulated growlers are great for keeping things cold while camping or back at the trailhead for after a hike. Hydroflask makes great products, and I own a 32oz, but this year I bought a Zak design 64oz growler for $20, and it’s been great for keeping water cold without using a cooler during car camping trips! So depending on your budget, here’s a save and a splurge option! REI $60
Down travel blanket
Rumpl Puffy Blanket – These down travel blankets look great for camping and adding a little extra warmth outside. REI $99+
Splurge Gifts: $100+
Gifts for outdoorsy women over $100, has to be the easiest category. And if you’re spending $100, you probably have a pretty good idea of what gear they might want. But if you need any ideas, here are some favorites!
Food Dehydrator
Samson Silent Food Dehydrator with stainless steel trays – I finally got a food dehydrator this year! As an outdoor enthusiast and a mom, I realized just how many single-use snacks and wrappers we go through on a monthly basis. Dehydrating your own backpacking food and snacks not only saves money, but is less wasteful, in the long run, for most packaged items. Amazon $109
Ultralight camp chair
Helinox Chair Zero – The Helinox camp chairs pack down small and weigh less than a pound. But they are also not cheap! REI $120
Wearable sleeping bag or poncho
Poler Stuff Napsack – There are some great down wearable sleeping bags out there now. Poler Stuff makes a few and Backcountry always seems to carry some of these funnier items. But remember, if you’re going for a wilder or funny gift, make sure they can return it if it doesn’t suit their outdoor life needs! REI $130
Outdoor Adventure Rental Item, Class, Hiking Permit, Race Entry etc
One of the best gifts can be letting someone sample something they’ve been interested in or wanting to try without committing to a huge price tag of the item. Things like renting a snowboard and taking a lesson, renting snowshoes, renting a camper van for a weekend to sample #vanlife, renting a fat bike or mountain bike, SUP, climbing etc. Check out REI Rentals and Classes or search for Outdoor Gear Rentals near me.
The Gift of Travel
Last but not least – one of my favorite gifts is experiences! As mentioned in my Portland gifts post, the gift of travel or a local adventure is such a fun gift. That said, I also love to plan. So I’d love an adventure as a trip, but I also would probably wanna help plan it! :P Priceless, jk definitely a Price $$$
Inflatable SUP or foldable kayak
ISLE SUP Explorer 11’6″ Touring SUP – Two of my favorite big outdoor purchases in the last two years have been the Oru Kayak Inlet in 2020. And the ISLE SUP Explorer Touring Inflatable Stand up Paddleboard in 2021. I love that they’re both super easy to store, transport, and use. Which means I actually can use them way more often! Check out my review of the Oru foldable kayak here. ISLE SUP – from $645, Oru Kayak – from $899
I hope you’ve enjoyed this idea list for gifts for outdoorsy women! Happy gifting!
