2019 Be In Gift Guide: Hikers Edition

If your dreading the activity of trying to find out what your fellow family and friends want for Christmas or maybe your here looking for inspiration, either way Be In has the list for you. This is our annual gift giving list to help the lost find their way. We want to help give your hiking happy friends the gift that will keep giving on their merry journeys. Like every year we aim to list items that will last, are cost efficient, and will please the soul when using. This is 2019’s Becoming Intermediates Gift Giving List: for Hikers.

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Apple watch

First up is an item that is quite expensive and is not entirely the best for hikers, but I think I can justify this one. If your friend is into more outdoor activities or is a naturally active person, an Apple watch can be a great companion tech-item. My first experience into the Apple watch taught me its more than just a device that tells time and redistributes your notifications to your wrist. The watch can provide important information for a hiker. The Apple watch is the best fitness and activity device on the market.

You can grab a refurbished Apple watch, best bought but not limited to apple.com, or from other stores like best buy or walmart for people in the states. Price can range from $150-$250 for a series 3. Additionally, a external battery can be purchased for those who may be away from electricity, like a long distance thru hiker, for extended periods of time.

Inflatable UL pillow

When I started to think of ultra-light hiking I thought that meant a lighter pack would mean a more comfortable hike. While this is true to some extent, there are some luxury items I now cant go without. No more rolling up my used clothes, because your friend or significant other can have an ultra-light inflatable hiking pillow so they can sleep comfortably on the trail or at a camp site without much of additional pack weight.

Gators/hiking socks/sock liners

Not so long ago, Be In released an article on preventing blisters and the core of that article revolved around sock liners. Wearing two pair of socks can seem like a weird way to prevent blisters but there is a science behind it. We recommend reading the article if you haven't. 

Sock liners should be in a thru-hikers arsenal, but liners are not the only option. Double lined hiking socks can achieve the same result but all in one piece of clothing. Either option will save a hiker on walking a trail of pain.

Lets say your hiker has sock liners, what now? Well there is another, in my opinion, crucial hiking accessory for your feet that not every hiker knows about, and that would be gators. Gators fit around the ankle and over hiker shoes. These nifty items prevent rocks and debris from entering the shoe. Imagine going a whole week without a single rock in your shoe.

Go pro hero 8

The best thing you can do when experiencing something new is recording it. Recording how you felt, where you were, what impressed you the most, etc can make an experience much more enjoyable. This type of recording can be done in a journal, blog, facebook post, or what all the kids are doing now, video. We advocate a lot of ultra-light hiking on Be In so it should go without saying that the camera you use to record should tick all the technical boxes but still be light, versatile, and indestructible. For this reason we chose the GoPro Hero 8. 

The camera produces adequate 4k video and has some of the best digital stabilization in the business. It is small and light and can be mounted anywhere. The GoPro is meant to go anywhere even on those long grueling thru hikes, even if that means underwater. The video camera also doubles as a stills camera in a pinch.

Garmin Fenix 6 pro

If the Apple watch isn't hiking specific enough for your friend or family then maybe the Garmin Fenix 6 pro might be closer to their style. The Fenix 6 can do all the basic smart watch functions but includes hiking specific features as well. This smart watch can last up to 14 days of normal use or 72 hours in gps mode. The Fenix 6 comes with not only a heart rate sensor but a blood oxygen sensor as well. The watch can track your runs and walks and help you adjust your pace to maintain the most efficient cadence based on terrain and inclination. The Fenix 6 comes in at a premium price but it is no doubt a hikers tech dream.