Best Gifts for Montana Recreationists: Hikers, Backpackers, and more.
We’ve put together this handy list of gift ideas for friends and family that spend time in Montana’s outdoors. There’s something for everyone in here, organized by price ranges so you can easily find gifts within your budget.
QUALITY TENT
The MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2 Tent weighing in at 3.8 lbs. Getting a quality tent from a reputable brand such as MSR is key to having a good backpacking experience.
LIGHTWEIGHT SLEEPING QUILT
The Enigma Enlightened Equipment sleeping quilts are the lightest weight sleeping bag alternative (~.7 lbs – ~1.8 lbs depending on your temperature requirements).
ALL SEASON SLEEPING PAD
The Sea to Summit Comfort Plus Insulated sleeping pad has an R-value (insulation) of 4 which is great for all seasons. The stuff sack also serves as the inflation mechanism – no more getting light-headed blowing up your air mattress!
GPS AND COMMUNICATION DEVICE
The Garmin inReach Mini is our go-to navigation device. With a Garmin subscription, it has the ability to text friends and family and includes the emergency SOS for peace of mind (whether that be for yourself or friends and family).
PORTABLE CAMPFIRE
The Solo Stove is a portable campfire designed to burn superefficient putting off a hotter fire, less smoke, and mesmerizing flames.
LIGHTWEIGHT CAMERA/VIDEO
The GoPro Hero9 is a great lightweight option for documenting your adventures. It takes video in 5K and 20MP photos.
VEHICLE TRANSPORT STORAGE
Any of Thule’s Gear Transport accessories are a great way to transport your gear while maintaining vehicle passenger space.
BACKPACKING CHAIRS
We take our Helinox Chair Zero on every backpacking trip. There really is nothing better than sitting in a chair, leaning back, and putting your legs up after a long day of hiking.
LIGHTWEIGHT BLANKET
The Rumpl Blanket is popular for being a lightweight packable blanket featuring colorful patterns. Comes in multiple sizes – individuals or for 2 to snuggle up in.
BINOCULARS
The Vortex Diamondback 10 x 42 is a great pair of binoculars. Great for picking out goats, sheep, and any of Montana’s wildlife from the landscape.
WARM MITTENS
The Outdoor Research Alti Mittens are the highest-rated mittens for warmth. Montana winters are long and cold – be sure you have a warm pair of mittens on your winter adventures.
WOMENS MERINO WOOL BASE LAYER TOP
The Smartwool 250 Baselayer 1/4 zip is a great base layer for women. The layer is moisture-wicking, warm, and doesn’t retain body odor like synthetic materials.
MENS MERINO WOOL BASE LAYER TOP
The Icebreaker 200 Oasis Crew Top is a great base layer for men. The layer is moisture-wicking, warm, and doesn’t retain body odor like synthetic materials.
UNIVERSAL STOVE
The MSR Whisperlite is a great universal stove. You can use canisters or their liquid fuel bottle, which we found is great for international travel. It’s easy to control the cooking temperature and has a wide burner.
TRECKING POLES
Once you’ve used them a few times – there’s no going back. The Leki Cork Lite is are for all seasons – backcountry skiing, hiking, backpacking, and more.
POLARIZED SUNGLASSES THAT DON’T SUCK
Finding a pair of sunglasses that cover all angles (top, sides, bottom) such as the Native Eyewear Throttle AF Polarized Sunglasses are key for eye protection from the intense Montana sun.
ANNUAL PARK PASS
The America the Beautiful Pass is excellent for all areas managed by the National Park Service, Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and Army Corps of Engineers. Literally the perfect gift for adventure.
ENO DOUBLE NEST HAMMOCK
The Eno Double Nest Hammock is great for relaxing around a campsite or hanging out at the destination on a hike. Perfect for relaxing beside one of Montana’s alpine lakes.
HOT AND COLD THERMOS
This Stanley Thermos is perfect for hot AND cold days. Great for warming up with tea or hot cocoa on winter adventures and drinking ice cold water on hot day adventures.
CAMPING PILLOW
The Sea to Summit’s Aeros Pillow is incredibly comfortable and tiny to pack. No more stuffing clothing in a stuff sack, these are worth their tiny size to pack for backpacking trips.
POWER BANK
The BioLite Power Bank is great for long backpacking trips to keep your navigation and emergency devices powered up.
BRIM HAT
Hats with a brim are great for extra protection from Montana’s intense sun. The Filson Tin Cloth Packer Hat provides shade and repels water with its oil finish tin cloth.
BOILER POT
The GSI Outdoors Halulite Boiler pot is great for your cooking needs. It’s lightweight, easy to clean, and very sturdy.
CERAMIC PAN
The MSR Ceramic Skillet is perfect for cooking up fresh-caught trout in Montana’s backcountry. The ceramic surface is a breeze to clean up.
HEADLAMP
The Black Diamond Spot Headlamp should be in everyone’s backpack on any hike. Great to have in case of an emergency or not!
MULTI-TOOL
The Leatherman Multi-tool is a great compact multi-tool for emergency situations – or not. Perfect for fishing, cutting marshmallow sticks around the campfire, opening cans, and minor fixes that require a screwdriver or flathead.
BEAR SPRAY
You should bring bear spray with you on all hiking trips in Western Montana. In the event of a bear encounter, you will want quick access to bear spray and not need to dig it out of your backpack.
LIGHTWEIGHT WATER RESERVOIR
The Osprey Hydraulics LT Reservoir – 2.5 Liters. The lightweight design and relatively flatter shape when filled are nice.
DARN TOUGH SOCKS
One can never have enough DarnTough socks. These socks have the perfect fit and have a lifetime warranty, so you really can’t go wrong.
VERSATILE CUP/POT
The GSI Outdoors Glacier Stainless Cup/Pot is the only dishware besides mugs that we bring. These cups store nicely and Nalgene bottles fit perfectly in them saving space. Plus they have a collapsable handle.
GOURMET MEALS
GOOD TO-GO makes some pretty gourmet meals and boast using clean ingredients, made in small batches, and even have gluten-free options.
LIGHTWEIGHT MINI LED LIGHT
The MoonlitLED Micro Lantern is a super-compact light great for hanging in the tent or attaching to your jacket for easy access.
REUSABLE ULTRALIGHT COFFEE MAKER
The GSI’s Ultralight Java Drip Coffee Maker is a great gift for people that enjoy quality coffee in the mountains.
NIGHT SKY GUIDE
This Night Sky Guide is an excellent mini-guide to identify and plan for seeing constellations, the milky way, and more. Montana’s backcountry night skies are perfect for stargazing.
CAMPING MUGS
We like GSI’s Outdoors Infinity Backpacker Mug. They come with an insulated sleeve with a handle, and a sipping lid to keep your beverage warm.
LIGHTWEIGHT EXTRA LONG SPORK
The Sea to Summit Alpha Light Spork is a lightweight extra long spork for reaching into premade meal bags without getting messy.
QUALITY COFFEE
Kuju’s Coffee Pocket Pourover is a quality easy to brew coffee option for in the backcountry or car camping.
BLISTER TAPE
Blister Tape is great to have on hand. An excellent stocking stuffer for anyone that is prone to getting blisters while recreating.
ANTIMICROBIAL PEE CLOTH
The Kula Cloth Reusable Antimicrobial Pee Cloth is super absorbent, non-toxic, and has a double snap to keep folded for privacy and to attach to your backpack.
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