Great Gift Ideas for the Hiker on Your List

Looking for a great gift idea for the San Diego Hiker in your life? Or maybe you’ve just been extra good this year and deserve to buy yourself a little something special (you were pretty awesome this year). We’ve got your gift list covered with our Holiday Gift Guide. These are all items we have used and tested in our many hiking adventures and are confident that your hiker will be ecstatic to find any of these under the tree.

Afoot and Afield: San Diego County: A Comprehensive Hiking Guide  Jerry Schad’s Afoot and Afield San Diego has long been considered the Bible of San Diego hiking. This book contains descriptions of 250 different hikes of varying difficulty levels throughout the entire county, and showcases the best of San Diego’s trails. This guide provides clear, concise descriptions of each trail, and often includes historical background information on the area. Sadly, Schad passed away in 2011 so this, the 4th edition of the book, is likely the last. No San Diego Hiker’s library is complete without this gem.

 

50 Best Short Hikes San Diego If your hiker already has a copy of Afoot and Afield, they might enjoy Schad’s final work 50 Best Short Hikes San Diego. This book covers the same wide variety of landscapes as Afoot and Afield, but focuses on shorter trails between 1 and 8 miles long. This book is perfect for someone who is either just starting out with hiking, or who loves getting outdoors but doesn’t always have the time for hikes that take all day.

 

Darn Tough Hiking Socks Usually socks are considered a lame gift, something that Grandma or Aunt Gladys gives and kids have to pretend to be thankful for. But Hikers are different – a quality pair of socks in our stocking will bring us true and heartfelt joy. A good pair of hiking socks can mean the difference between a fantastic day on the trail or a painful, grueling, blister-infested death march. Darn Tough socks come in several varieties, including CoolMax – designed to wick moisture away from the skin – perfect for hot San Diego summers, and Boot Socks, made with Merino Wool – great for stopping odor on long or multi-day adventures. The best thing about Darn Tough? These babies come with a LIFETIME guarantee. If you manage to wear these guys out, send them back, and Darn Tough will replace them for free. FOREVER.

 

Camelbak Hydration Backpacks Hydration packs are a must for all but the shortest of hikes. Say goodbye to cumbersome water bottles and enjoy the convenience and comfort of the hydration bladder. Camelbak has a huge variety of different packs, with reservoirs of anywhere from 1 to 3 liter capacities. We’ve been through several different brands of hydration packs, and found that Camelbak offers the best in terms of comfort, reliability, and features. If you’re looking to buy a Camelbak for hiking, I recommend going all the way and getting one with a 3 liter reservoir. This offers you the maximum flexibility – you have the 3 liter capacity for longer hikes, and if you’re going on a shorter hike and don’t need 3 liters, just don’t fill it up all the way. I carry the CamelBak Fourteener 20 (pictured to the left) which provides a large amount of space for just about anything I might need even on the longest day hike: jacket, lunch, maps, headlamp, water filter, first aid kit – I can load this bad boy up and still have tons of room for carrying piles of trash down from Mt. Woodson. My intrepid husband and photographer carries the slightly more compact CamelBak M.U.L.E 100oz. Whichever option you go with, a Camelbak will be a welcome addition to your next hike.

Under Armour® Alter Ego Graphic T’s Cotton may be a big no-no on the trail, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be stylish. Under Armour’s fun Alter Ego collection offers several shirts made with UA’s signature Moisture Transport System to keep your Hiker cool and dry. They also contain anti-microbial technology so we’ll smell as good we look. Available in Men’s, Women’s, Girl’s, and Boy’s.

Happy Holidays and Happy Trails!