Hiking Gifts for Men

When buying a hiking gift for a man, you must first know what he already has. Avid hikers may have all the necessities, so you'd be better off shopping for accessories or more unusual items. If your man is new to hiking, he may need the necessities to get him started. In either case, if you put in some planning and thought, you are sure to find a hiking gift to make him happy.

  1. Clothes

    • Clothes make fine hiking gifts for a man. Take an inventory of clothes he may need. Hikers need to wear layers of clothes, so t-shirts, short-sleeve and long-sleeve shirts, sweatshirts, shorts and long pants, lightweight windbreakers, heavier weighted jackets, hiking socks, hats and high-quality hiking boots will all come in handy. If you aren't comfortable buying these things yourself, purchase a gift card to a specialty hiking store or treat him to lunch and a shopping spree.

    Supplies

    • Being out on the hiking trail requires the right supplies. A practical gift idea is to purchase a backpack and then fill it with needed supplies -- sunscreen, sunglasses, flashlight, compass, maps, multi-tool, bug spray, whistle, hand sanitizer, mirror for signaling, binoculars, waterproof matches, hand warmers and emergency snacks. These supplies are not specific to male hikers but are things that all hikers need.

    Unique Items

    • For the hiker who has everything, consider starting a collection of pins for the national parks he has visitied. This is something you can continue to do for him as he visits more parks. Also consider purchasing a variety of hiker-themed picture frames, then finding some photos of him hiking or of his favorite hiking locations to frame. Other interesting gift items include: travel mugs, zipper pulls, coasters, CDs of nature sounds for bedtime, wall posters and pictures of hiking locations and a book of hiking trails. A membership to a hiking club also makes a good gift.

    Expensive Items

    • For a more expensive gift, consider a GPS system. You can also get a set of 2-way radios, a headlamp for night hikes, a range finder, a professionally led hike in an exotic location, a solar gadget charger, wireless weather station, a handcrafted walking stick or digital camera that can take panoramic shots. Although these gifts may cost a little more, they will be treasured by any male hiker.