Gifts For Backpackers For Under $100
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What To Get A Hiking Gearhead
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Have a backpacker in the family or a friend who likes to hit the trail for days, weeks or even months at a time? Or maybe it's the gearhead in you you're shopping for. Whoever the gift may be for, here are some ideas of backpacking gear for under $100.FYI: I've either owned or at least used all of the items below and give them all a thumbs up.
Contents at a Glance
Gifts for Backpackers
$50 - $99.99
A Backpacker's Water Filter
The water may LOOK clean, but it's always best to filter backcountry sources.
The Hiker Pro includes includes the prefilter, bottle adapter and carry bag, and it conveniently screws onto to the top of wide-mouth Nalgene bottles to make filling a lot easier.
Learn more about purifying water in the backcountry.
Katadyn Hiker PRO Water Microfilter
Amazon Price: $69.95 (as of 05/31/2012)
The Hiker Pro adds these featured to the original Hiker filter:
- Removable filter protector extends cartridge life in challenging conditions
- Quick connect fittings make installation and removal of input and output hoses easy
- Allows direct attachment to drink tube
- Additional hydration connector fitting for quick filling of hydration packs
Other Key Features:
- Long lasting AntiClog pleated cartridge requires no maintenance or cleaning
- Very large filter surface for fast output
- Easy to use because of minimal resistance while pumping
- Active carbon core reduces unpleasant tastes and odors from the water
- Small pre-filter on in-hose protects the filter cartridge life in turbid water
- Compact design and easy operation
- Easy Fill Bottle Adapter attaches directly to a drinking bottle
Activated carbon is used in the Hiker Pro to reduce harmful organic and inorganic substances, and remove unpleasant tastes, odors, chlorine, pesticides (lindane, DDT) and trihalomethanes (THMs).
An Inflatable Backpacker's Sleeping Pad
Give the gift of comfort in the backcountry
Big Agnes Insulated Air Core Mummy Sleeping Pad
Amazon Price: (as of 05/31/2012)
Price: $64.95 - $84.95
The Big Agnes pad packs down to the size of a Nalgene bottle.
Customized for mummy-shaped bags, the insulated Air Core is made to last, with a durable nylon top and bottom and a sturdy I-beam construction that eliminates welded seams. The I-beam design has several benefits: minimized cold spots, a consistent airflow, and extra stability while you sleep. The pad is also warmer than most sleeping pads, with a temperature rating down to 15 degrees F. That's because the pad is insulated with either PrimaLoft Eco insulation (20-inch pads) or M3 synthetic insulation (25-inch pads).
The pad comes in three mummy sizes:
Small: 20 by 60 by 2.5 inches, weighs 18 ounces
Medium: 20 by 72 by 2.5 inches, weighs 21 ounces
Long: 20 by 78 by 2.5 inches, weighs 23 ounces
A High-Quality Petzl Headlamp
Light up the night with hands free
This is the headlamp I use, both for backpacking and for Search and Rescue, so I can vouch for the quality and the extra brightness when you really need it. And it's nice that it takes AA batteries, just the same as my GPS and flashlights, so I don't have to carry other battery types.
Petzl E87 P MYO RXP Headlamp
Amazon Price: $75.99 (as of 05/31/2012)
Features of the Myo RXP
- Regulated power levels: constant lighting power, automatically switches to reserve power mode when batteries are almost discharged
- Multiple lighting levels: Choose from among ten levels between 8 to 140 lumens
- Wide Angle lens allows you to quickly switch from flood beam lighting to focused, long-distance lighting
It's recommended that you use alkaline/NiMH batteries. Lithium batteries may overheat.
A Popular Jet Boil Backpacking Stove
Jet Boil stoves are fast, compact, and easy to use.
Flash Personal Cooking System
Amazon Price: (as of 05/31/2012)
Price: $77.55 - $110.00
Sale: Lower price available on select options
The Jet Boil stove weighs 15 ounces and has a 32-ounce capacity.
Other Features:
- About the size of a Nalgene bottle when assembled
- 1 liter insulated hard-anodized aluminum cooking cup
- High-performance burner base with built-in piezo electric igniter
- Heat exchanger improves fuel efficiency, and the regulated flame provides maximum efficiency
Gifts for Backpackers
$25 - $49.99
A Quality Princeton Tec Headlamp
Affordable and dependable
The Corona comes in blue, black, and green and uses AA batteries.
Princeton Tec Corona 8 LED Headlamp (Blue)
Amazon Price: $39.36 (as of 05/31/2012)
Features:
- POWER: 90 Lumens
- LAMP: 1 Ultrabright LED, 3 Ultrabright LEDs, 5 Ultrabright LEDs, 8 Ultrabright LEDs
- BURN TIME: 70 Hours
- BATTERIES: 3 AA Alkaline or Lithium
- WEIGHT: 228 Grams
A Lightweight, Compact and Fast Backpacking Stove
This little backpacking stove weighs just 3 ounces and boils a liter of water in under 3.5 minutes.MSR Pocket Rocket Stove
Amazon Price: $33.91 (as of 05/31/2012)
Other Features:
- Glove-friendly controls allow precise flame adjustment and stability
- Micro-burner, tri-sectional clip protects flame in light wind gusts
- Uses clean burning MSR IsoPro premium fuel
MSR recommends 4 ounces of liquid fuel per person per day for cooking or 8 ounces per person per day for melting snow and cooking.
At high altitude, MSR stoves may burn "rich," which hinders vaporization. Reducing the fuel bottle pressure and opening up the windscreen can offset this.
MSR stoves burn best when the fuel bottle is pressurized to 15-25 psi. That's equivalent to about 20 pump strokes for a full 22-ounce MSR fuel bottle. As the fuel burns, the air space in bottle grows larger, and pressure decreases. You'll have to pump more to maintain the same pressure.
A Compression Stuff Sack
Backpackers can stuff and compress their sleeping bags, clothing, and anything else they want to make smaller.
This compression sack comes in seven different sizes, from X-Small to XXX-Large. This is the large size (6.5 x 15 inches), but you can change the size selection when you order.
Granite Gear Round Rock Solid Compression Sacks (Large)
Amazon Price: $26.50 (as of 05/31/2012)
Granite Gear compression stuff sacks were designed to easily compress lofty items such as sleeping bags and clothing to a nearly rock solid state. They evenly distribute the stress of compression and prevent bulging.
Gifts for Backpackers
Less than $25
A Quality Multi-Tool
For all sorts of tasks and repairs on the trail and in camp
The Gerber Suspension Multi-Plier is 6.5 inches long, with a closed length of 4 inches, and weighs just 6.7 ounces. The multitool also comes with a nylon ballistic-cloth sheath.
Gerber 01471 Suspension Butterfly Opening Multi-Plier with Sheath
Amazon Price: $22.99 (as of 05/31/2012)
The Gerber Suspension Multi-Tool Features:
Needle-nose Pliers
Wire Cutter/Stripper
Straight Blade
Serrated Blade
Phillips Screwdriver
Large and Medium Flathead Screwdrivers
Scissors
Bottle Opener
Can Opener
Saw
Awl
Lanyard Ring
A Glow-in-the-Dark Water Bottle
Easily found at night
Nalgene 32-Ounce Tritan Wide Mouth Glow Water Bottle, Green
Amazon Price: $8.99 (as of 05/31/2012)
The Bottle needs to be charged (in the sun) first before it will glow. The longer it is in the light, the longer it will glow.
A Map Case
To keep maps, guidebooks and other papers dry and handy
The case is also a good place to keep pens, pencils, and a compass.
SealLine Map Case, Large
Amazon Price: $19.95 (as of 05/31/2012)
This tough, waterproof map case has D-rings for easy attachment to backpacks, kayaks, canoes, and handlebars.
Comfortable, Non-Cotton Hiking Socks
For men and women
Wigwam Unisex Merino Wool Comfort Hiker Crew Length 2-Pack Socks, Charcoal, Medium
Price: $18.95 - $33.28
Sale: Lower price available on select options
The Wigwam Merino Wool Comfort Hiker sock is made of soft 62/64s-grade Australian merino wool for warmth and comfort.
A Good Firestarter
Zippo Outdoor Line Emergency Fire Starter (Orange, 4.50 x 4 x 6.25)
Amazon Price: $9.98 (as of 05/31/2012)
This reliable flint wheel ignition easily lights the water-resistant waxed tinder sticks. The O-ring sealed case keeps the contents dry.
Are You a Hiker, Backpacker, Camper?
If so, what's on your wishlist?
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MysticTurtle
Nov 27, 2011 @ 5:16 pm | delete
- Dear Santa, I need a new tent and a new backpack, and a new sleeping bag....
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KM9999999
Oct 26, 2011 @ 2:42 pm | delete
- Nice list of stuff here. I wouldn't mind having a few of these items.
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SaintFrantic
Oct 7, 2011 @ 8:47 am | delete
- Great essentials for good price
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adityashinde
Jun 17, 2011 @ 12:45 am | delete
- and I want each and every one of those items in my kit !
thanks for sharing :)
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bakerwoman Jun 15, 2011 @ 8:34 pm | delete
- The Big Agnes air-core Mummy sleeping bag looks very interesting. Thanks for sharing all these wonderful gifts.
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