20 Ultralight Gifts for Hikers and Backpackers

The Hyperlite Southwest 55 backpack stands up to its glowing reputation in the ultralight community (and I agree – it’s one of the best packs out there). The soft frame molds to your body and the waterproof design means I’m never worried about a rain cover. The 55 liter is the perfect size for a multi-day adventure, and it’s pounds less than most other backpacking packs.

Any backpacker would love to receive the Enlightened Equipment Revelation Sleeping Quilt as a gift. It’s incredibly light and compresses down very oh so small. The quilt design is less restrictive than a mummy bag, making it more comfortable for side sleepers and anyone who tosses and turns at night. I recommend getting the 10-degree version with 850 FP for maximum versatility.

I’ve been using and raving about this Zpacks tent since since 2019. If you’re buying for 1-person, get the Zpacks Duplex or for 2-people get the Triplex – that way there’s a little room to spare. This ultralight tent uses trekking poles for setup and is surprisingly solid even in windy and rainy conditions. This is a splurge that any backpacker looking to cut down on their weight will be thrilled with.

The Six Moon Designs Silver Shadow Umbrella is a great gift for hikers who want to stay cool and protect their skin from the sun. I recently used this on a backpacking trip through Paria Canyon and will never hike in the desert without it again. It only weighs 8.9 oz and can be attached to your backpack using this hands free kit. It also offers rain protection if you get caught in a downpour.

I use this Hyperlite Camera Pod to carry my camera when I’m hiking and backpacking. It’s ultralight, weatherproof, and padded enough to protect your camera while hiking through rugged terrain. I use a carabiner to clip it to my pack so my camera is always easily accessible. If the hiker you’re shopping for shoots with a bigger DSLR camera, get the large size.

This Versa Flow Lightweight Water Filter is my new water filter of choice. It weighs a mere 2 oz and screws onto a majority of plastic water bottles. I used it on a recent backpacking trip and couldn’t believe how quick and easy it was to use.

When filtering water using the filter I just mentioned, I use this CNOC Outdoors 2L water container (28mm thread) as my dirty fill bag. It weighs 2.8 oz, and with the wide opening, it’s very easy to fill even in the smallest streams. You attach it to the filter and then either squeeze the bag to push the water through the filter or let gravity do the work.

The NB10000 Gen 2 Power Bank by Nitecore is small but mighty. At only 5.29 oz, this ultra lightweight energy brick is 40% lighter than others on the market, making it a great choice for carrying into the backcountry. It fully charges my dead iPhone Pro two times, and I also use it to charge my headlamp and Garmin Mini.

The Enlighted Equipment Torrid Jacket (men’s) / (women’s) is one of the most practical jackets for ultralight backpacking. Weighing 7-8 oz, it’s incredibly light, and the synthetic insulation is designed to dry quickly and keep you very warm in all weather conditions. For backpackers looking to shave ounces from their base weight, this is a gift they will appreciate.

Every backpacker I know has at least a half dozen half-filled fuel canisters sitting in their garage. This handy Flipfuel device allows you to transfer leftover fuel in one canister to another. That way you don’t waste the leftover fuel, and you don’t have to guess if there’s enough in the canister for your next trip.

I recently upgraded to this 3.5″ thick NEMO All Season Sleeping Pad, and what a difference it made in my sleep. It’s very compact, a cinch to blow up with the pump sack, and weighs around 1 pound depending on the size you get. I personally recommend the wide width as it gives you a bit more room to roll over in the middle of the night.

This Pillow strap is a game changer for backpacking and would make a great stocking stuffer. I was so sick of my pillow slipping off of my sleeping pad in the middle of the night, and this offers the perfect solution. You just slip your pillow inside the cover, and then the strap goes around your sleeping pad. I used this for 4 nights recently, and my pillow stayed exactly where it was supposed to.

The Bearfoot Theory x Kula Cloth is an excellent gift for female hikers and backpackers. This antimicrobial reusable pee cloth makes going pee so much easier. It eliminates the need for toilet paper and keeps you so much cleaner than drip drying. After you use it, you just hang it on your pack and then throw it in the washing machine when you get home.

The Garmin Mini 2 is a must for all hikers and backpackers. I carry it with me on all of my hikes. It allows me to send and receive custom messages from family or friends, and it can also be used to send an SOS message if you have an emergency in the backcountry. It does require a subscription, but that’s worth the small price to ensure that you can communicate if something goes wrong.

This Ultralight TOAKS Long Handle Titanium Spoon ensures you can reach the bottom of your backpacking food pouch without having to get food all over your hands. It weighs less than 1 oz and is the only utensil I bring on my backpacking trips.

I never go day-hiking without this Gregory 3D Hydro 3 liter hydration reservoir in my pack. It makes it so easy to drink on the go, and the design specifically allows the inside to dry more quickly after washing it, which prevents mold and bacteria from growing. I especially like that the hose disconnects from the reservoir. This makes it a lot quicker to refill since you don’t have to thread the hose through you pack every time.

This Bogler Ultrailght Trowel makes digging catholes in the backcountry so easy. It’s strong, has serated edges, and is long enough to dig through 6″ of rocky soil. At 0.48 oz, it’s the lightest trowel on the market.

Weighing 1.59 oz, this Nitecore 400 Lumen Rechargeable Headlamp weighs a fraction of other headlamps on the market, making it a great choice for ultralight hikers. It’s very bright, has great battery life, and is easy to cycle through the different settings. My favorite thing is how easy the band is to adjust.

As I get older, my hands are starting to show their age thanks to all of the sun exposure I’ve gotten over the years. These lightweight, comfortable éclipse Sun Gloves offer UPF 50+ protection and come in a lot of different colors. These mean you don’t have to worry about keeping sunscreen on your hands when you hike.

This “Poop-moji” Pouch is a lightweight solution for carrying your poop kit and concealing any used toilet paper that you are packing out on your hiking trips. It fits a small trowel, toilet paper, and hand sanitizer, and I promise you’ll get a good laugh when you gift this to any hiker.