Gifts for backpackers don't have to mean a $300 jacket, tent, or pack. Some of the most-used gear in a pack costs less than $50, which makes it a good fit for stocking stuffers or smaller budgets.
Some of these are Outdoor Vitals products. Others are from brands we carry because our team uses them.
Key Takeaways
- Warmest for camp: Ultralight Down Booties
- Best for sleep: Stretch Pillow + Sleeping Bag Liner
- Easiest stocking stuffer: Darn Tough socks or the merino neck gaiter
- Always gets used: Peak Refuel meals
- Don't know what they have: an OV gift card
In This Article
What are the best clothing gifts under $50?
Performance tees, merino, and down booties: layers that get worn every trip.
1. Altitude Performance Tee
At 3.6 oz, a base layer built for effort. It breathes, wicks, dries quickly, and resists odor. Comes in long and short sleeve.
2. Darn Tough Light Hiker Socks
Merino hiking socks in crew, 1/4, and no-show, in men's and women's styles. Socks are the stocking stuffer backpackers wear out fastest, and these are the pair they'll reach for first.
3. Merino Wool Neck Gaiter
NuYarn merino with a slanted cut that stays up instead of sliding down. Wear it as a gaiter, headband, or ear cover when the wind picks up on a ridge.
4. OV Fleece-Lined Beanie
A knit beanie with a warm fleece lining for cold camps and frosty starts. It's a limited-edition run with an embroidered OV logo.
5. Ultralight Down Booties
Warm feet at camp, even after a wet day. ExpeDRY™ down sits inside a water-resistant shell, so a creek crossing doesn't cost you a cold night.
What camp and sleep gifts cost under $50?
Small comfort upgrades that most backpackers skip buying for themselves.
6. 1/8" Closed Cell Foam Pad
2 oz of puncture protection under an inflatable pad, plus a sit pad at breaks and a clean spot to kneel while you pitch camp.
7. Ultralight Non-Slip Stretch Pillow
2.6 oz and palm-sized when packed. Silicone grips keep it on your pad all night.
8. Sleeping Bag Liner
Keeps sweat and body oils off the inside of your quilt or bag, so it stays cleaner and needs washing less often. Quick-drying polyester that feels closer to a bedsheet than a bag shell.
9. Flextail Gear Tiny Pump 2x
3.4 oz, about the size of an AirPods Pro case. It inflates and deflates your pad, so you're not doing it with your lungs after a long day. A small luxury most people won't buy for themselves.
10. OV Titanium Long Handle Spoon
0.7 oz of titanium, 8 5/8 inches long, so it reaches the bottom corners of a meal pouch without food on your knuckles.
What trail gear makes a good stocking stuffer?
Small, no-size items that get carried on every trip.
11. Nitecore NU25 UL Headlamp
No sizing to guess. The NU25 UL is bright and reliable, and most backpackers want to try one even if they already own another headlamp.
12. OV Shoulder Strap Pocket
Puts a water bottle or phone on your shoulder strap, where you can reach it without stopping. A Duraflex™ buckle and stretch bands keep it from bouncing. Fits any of our packs.
13. Adventure Ready Ultralight/Watertight .5 Medical Kit
3.6 oz with the basics covered and two layers of waterproofing on the pouch, so supplies stay dry in bad weather.
What food makes a good gift for a backpacker?
Trail meals, because they always get used.
14. Peak Refuel Freeze Dried Meals
Trail food is one gift every backpacker uses up. Peak Refuel is the best-selling meal brand we carry, and the range of flavors means you can pick ones they haven't tried yet.
What if you don't know what gear they already have?
A gift card lets them pick.
15. Outdoor Vitals Gift Card
The easy call when you don't know their size or what's already in their pack. You choose the amount, from $10 to $500, and it's delivered digitally.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What's a good stocking stuffer for a backpacker?
Merino socks, a neck gaiter, a headlamp, or trail meals. Small items that get worn out or used up make the easiest gifts.
Q: Are all of these Outdoor Vitals products?
No. Ten of the 15 are ours. The other five come from brands we carry because our team uses them.
Q: Can members save on these items?
Yes. Live Ultralight Members get their discount automatically at checkout on every item here except the gift card.
Every item on this list is under $50 at full price. Live Ultralight Members save more on each one (gift card excluded), applied automatically at checkout.
Join the Live Ultralight MembershipAbout the Author
Derek Rasmussen is the Marketing Director at Outdoor Vitals in Cedar City, Utah. He's been backpacking since he was 14. He's put a lot of backpacking miles into the Uintas and the Colorado Trail, and spends much of his other time in the mountains around Cedar City. He helps pick the gear for these lists, based on what customers buy and what holds up in the field.
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