25 Trail Tested Gifts for Every Bikepacker
Finding the perfect gift for the bikepacker in your life can be tricky, especially if you’re not familiar with the gear and gadgets we rely on for our adventures. As someone who loves bikepacking, I know how much we value items that are lightweight, durable, and practical for the trails.
To help you out, I’ve put together a list of my favorite bikepacking gift ideas—things I’ve used and loved or would be thrilled to receive myself. From essential gear to thoughtful extras, these picks are sure to inspire new adventures and make any bikepacker’s journey even better!
Under $20
Humangear GoTubbs
These little 0.4 oz containers are super helpful for organizing small items on bikepacking trips like ibuprofen (aka vitamin I), other medications, ointment (see All Good Goop below), spices, etc… They open by squeezing the sides and the lid pops off. They also come in medium (2oz) and large (5oz) sizes.
Voile Straps
Voile straps, utility straps, titan straps – whatever you want to call them, they’re super useful on bikepacking trips. These stretchy little bands can be used to secure gear onto your bike, hold together a broken rack, or even be used in emergency situations. I recommend getting a few different lengths.
Sea to Summit Spork
It may seem like a minor inconvenience, but I really don’t like having to reach my hand into my food-coated dehydrated meal pouch to get the last bites. Instead, I use this Sea To Summit long-handled aluminum spork to scrape it clean – no messy hands!
Backpacker’s Pantry Dehydrated Meals
Most bikepackers choose to rely on dehydrated meals for their adventures. Not only are they lighter in weight, but they also don’t require much cooking after a long day in the saddle. Just boil some water, pour it into the pouch, wait a few minutes, and dinner is served! They are expensive, though, so I’d be stoked to receive a bag or two of Backpacker’s Pantry as a gift. (Pro-tip: get the two servings!)
All Good Goop
I always pack a small container of All Good Goop on my bikepacking trips because it’s super versatile. It can be used to soothe sunburnt lips, moisturize dry hands, or be applied down there to help prevent (or appease) chafing.
Kula Cloth
The Kula Cloth is really handy for bikepacking, especially for women. It’s essentially a ‘pee rag’, so it allows us ladies to have a more pleasant (and dry) time peeing in the woods. One side of the Kula Cloth is made from a soft, absorbable material while the other side is waterproof. When not using it, you can fold the cloth in half, snap it together, and attach it to a bag or pack to air dry.
Pact Outdoor Trowel
Depending on what type of bikepacking adventure you go on, most riders will need to go #2 in the woods at some point. The Leave No Trace guidelines say to dig a hole at least 6 inches deep to do your business, so it’s handy to carry a trowel. The problem is, most lightweight trowels are flimsy and not very good. The design of the Pact Outdoor Trowel, though, makes it one of the best. It’s lightweight but sturdy and the sharp point cuts through tough ground and small roots.
Under $50
HANDUP Cold Weather gloves
If you’ve bikepacked in cold weather, you know how miserable cold hands can be (not to mention dangerous if you can’t feel the brake levers!) If your bikepacker is planning some spring, winter, or fall trips, gift them a pair of HANDUP Cold Weather Gloves. They’ll thank you!
Luci Solar Light
Keep the lights on at camp no matter where your bikepacking adventures take you a solar lantern. You can charge it up before your trip and then use solar power to keep it charged throughout. It also collapses down when not needed and simply blow it back up when you roll into camp.
Therm-a-rest Z-Seat
My friend Michelle brought a Therm-a-rest Z-seat Pad on our Cross-Washington Mountain Bike Trip and I have to say I was a bit jealous. While I spent meal times sitting on the hard, thorny ground, she had a cushy thorn-protecting pad to sit on. It only weighs 2 ounces and it can easily be strapped onto the exterior of bags or stuffed inside a pack.
HANDUP Gloves
Not all bikepackers prefer to wear gloves when they ride, but I personally do. Maybe it’s because I’m a mountain biker first and always wear gloves when I ride singletrack. If you think your bikepacking friend would like some gloves for their next adventure, my go-to gloves are HANDUP Gloves. They’re super durable and they come in fun patterns and colors!
Roll-Top Dry Bags
Depending on what your bikepacking set-up looks like, roll-top dry bags can be a great way to organize gear on your bike. They’re waterproof, compressible, and can be packed into tight spaces. My go-to dry bags are the Osprey Dry Sacks with a see-through window, which makes packing and finding gear so much easier!
LifeStraw Peak Squeeze
If I’m heading out on a short bikepacking trip where I know there will be reliable water, I’ll take a simple water filter like the LifeStraw Peak Squeeze. This soft-sided water bottle has a filter that can remove 99.9% of bacteria and parasites. You can drink straight from it or squeeze it to fill larger bottles. If you need to filter larger quantities of water, I recommend the LifeStraw gravity filter below.
Under $100
Da Brim Hat
Goofy? Yep. Functional? Absolutely. I first saw a Da Brim cycling visor on my Cross-Washington bikepacking trip and was immediately jealous. It may look a bit silly, but if you’re pedaling under the hot sun all day, you’ll soon forget about looking like a goon.
Rogue Panda Happy Jack Snack Bag
It’s important for bikepackers to have quick, easy access to food, which is why I love the Rogue Panda Happy Jack Snack Bag. It attaches directly to the handlebars and front fork, so you have access to snacks while you ride. There’s nothing worse than being hangry on a hike-a-bike section…
BioLite Charge PD 40
Solar charges are great in theory, but honestly they don’t work super well (at least I haven’t found one). Instead, it’s better to use a power bank like the BioLite Charge 40 PD. It can juice up to 2.5 phones on one charge and it can charge multiple devices at once. It also comes in two other sizes – 20 PD and 80PD.
LifeStraw 3L Gravity Filter
Most bikepacking trips require riders to filter water along the route whether that’s a river, stream, lake, pond, or even muddy puddles. The LifeStraw 3L gravity filter is the best one I’ve tried. It’s fast, compact, lightweight and the filter can be removed and used as a straw or screwed onto a narrow-mouth bottle.
Bikepacking Subscription
Bikepacking.com is the leading online resource for everything bikepacking including routes, maps, trip reports, forums, gear reviews, and more. They also offer a yearly subscription that includes 2 annual journals filled with adventure stories from bikepackers around the world as well as regular giveaways for members, industry discounts, exclusive gear, and more. I’ve been a member for more than four years, mostly for the journal, but the other perks are great, too!
$100+
Jetboil Stash
Cooking on a bikepacking trip tends to be pretty simple (hello dehydrated meals), but you’ll still need a stove to boil water. I love the Jet Boil Stash cooking system. It comes with a 0.8 L pot with a lid and it all weighs just 7.1 ounces.
Ibex Merino Indie Hoodie
The Ibex Merino Indie Hoodie is a staple piece of bikepacking apparel for me. Not only is Merino wool super cozy, but it’s also warm, wicks sweat, and doesn’t smell!
Rogue Panda Custom Frame Bag
Rogue Panda makes custom bikepacking bags in Flagstaff, Arizona. Unlike other brands that have one-size-fits-all bags, Rogue Panda actually makes frame bags that fit your specific bike model. You can also choose your own colors, patterns, and style like a doubledecker.
Patagonia Nano Puff Jacket
I bring my Patagonia Nano Puff jacket with me on almost every bikepacking trip. It’s lightweight, stuffable, and very warm which comes in handy on chilly nights. It also comes in a hooded or non-hooded version (my preference is hooded).
Garmin Edge 840 Bike Computer
I have a Garmin Edge bike computer that I use on my bikepacking trips and I love it. It does take some time to figure out, but once you’ve spent an hour or two playing around with the settings, it’s very user-friendly. I never go on a bikepacking trip without it! You can read my full review of the Garmin Edge 830, which is the previous model.
Big Agnes Copper Spur Bikepacking Tent
I recently invested in the Big Agnes Copper Spur Bikepacking UL2 tent and I have to say I’m quite impressed. It has shorter poles for easier packing on a bike and it comes in a handlebar carry case if you want to strap it on the bars. I also love the fast fly option if you’re bikepacking in warmer temps and don’t need to bring the full tent.
Read next
Looking for more gift ideas? Check out these other two-wheeled focused gift guides:
I love hearing from you and appreciate your comments! However, if you leave a rude, unconstructive, or spammy comment, it will be deleted. It’s cool to be kind. Have an awesome day!