Switchback Travel: The Best Editor-Recommended Gifts for Hikers

The Best Editor-Recommended Gifts for Hikers

Backpacking takes a bit of strength and stamina, as does running and many other outdoor ventures. But hiking is for everyone, the young and the old, those with hiking skills and those just starting, the nature lovers, the adventure seekers, even kids and dogs. When I think of great hiking gifts, I think of things that are not only practical but also charming and fun, things that make outdoor time part of daily life, not separate. I’ve been covering hiking gear as a professional tester for over a decade, and I spend most of my days trekking in Tahoe National Forest, where there's something like 400 miles of designated trail, a connection to the PCT, as well as enough backcountry to last several lifetimes. This is the gear I’d recommend gifting to anyone who likes walking around in the woods. And if your giftee likes hiking—but very far, or very fast, or with lots of heavy things—we have gift guides for travelers, runners, and backpackers, too.

Continue reading to learn more about gifs for hikers, written by Eve O'Neill.

Managing Editor

Eve O'Neill

Expertise & Background
Topics of Expertise: Freediving, whitewater rafting, surfing, snowboarding
Education: BFA, Directing for Film, North Carolina School of the Arts
Years of Writing: 18+
Years of Gear Testing: 9+
Certifications: AIARE I & II, AIDA 3 Freediver, First Aid, CPR, Wilderness First Responder, Swiftwater Rescue
Previous Publications: Wirecutter, Self, Editorialist, Sunset Magazine, NYTimes

Why I Chose This Career
When I first started working as an editor, the ethos of what we did was grounded in one thing only: service to the reader. This appealed to me deeply. It added purpose and motivation to the task of writing, and as review sites became more and more commonplace, it remained a guiding force that kept me interested. My friends are sometimes surprised when they ask me a gear question and I don’t know the answer (because don’t I test gear all day?!), but for me, it’s never been about the gear.

How I Began My Career
I began working for Wirecutter, one of the earlier online review sites, in 2015, and my career in publishing took hold from there. Prior to that, it was a decade-long zig zag through filmmaking, food, wine, magazines – it took a long time to find something that fit me, and it’s an approach that’s served me well.