Hiking & Outdoors Stocking Stuffers Under $10 for All Ages

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Stocking stuffers are some of my favorite gifts to give and also to receive. And my kids adore them, too! I love giving a few useful little outdoors stocking stuffers each year.

Here are a few of our favorite stocking stuffers for outdoorsy kids and families – I hope they’re helpful!

Headlamp

Headlamps are so functional for so many use cases – camping, hiking in caves, reading in bed, or finding things in a dark hotel room. Plus, they’re just fun and my kids love each having one. It’s the perfect hiking stocking stuffer! This 2-pack has excellent reviews and comes out to under $9 per headlamp.

Where to Buy: REI | Amazon | Backcountry

Duct Tape or Tenacious Tape

As my kids like to say, “tape works for everything!” Duct tape has solved so many issues for us, from cars to our home to shoes. It’s great to have on hand. Tenacious tape is newer and less messy, and also comes in convenient patches for quick fixes.

Where to Buy: Amazon | Target

Baby/Kid Wool Socks

Speaking of socks, these are our very favorite little baby/little kid wool socks. So soft and cozy and warm. We also love THESE and THESE for older kids.

Food/Drink/Snacks

Every adventurer has different preferences on energy, so investigate a bit to find out what your loved one enjoys. Things like energy gel, trail mix, or electrolyte packets might be a good idea.

Fire Color Changing Packets

How fun are these?? My kids would go nuts to see the campfire change colors!

Carabiners

Carabiners are imminently useful and we always have some clipped onto each kid’s hiking backpack. They’re perfect for hooking on jackets if they get hot, keeping water bottles from getting lost, and about a million other uses.

Where to Buy: Amazon | REI | Walmart

Snap Back Goggles

We’ve owned and loved these goggles for years – they’re great for kids with sensitive heads because they don’t pull hair since they snap in the back. Perfect if you’re headed on a warm-weather trip!

Sanitizer Holder

We always like having a little hand sanitizer bottle on each hiking backpack. This one is great for a teenager and I love this classy one for an adult. And this set is adorable for kids (and comes in a 6-pack).

Where to Buy: Walmart | Target | Amazon

Waterproof Playing Cards

These are great to take on the go so they don’t get destroyed by the pool, beach, or a spilled drink on the plane.

Mitten Clips

Will you be doing some cold weather adventuring? Mitten clips are so useful. This style runs through the sleeves so they stay together and attached to the coat!

Where to Buy: Amazon | Walmart | Etsy

Collapsible Water Bottle

I can’t believe how inexpensive these are and how small they get! Super convenient for travel or when spending time outdoors.

Mini First Aid Kit

It’s always a good idea to have a few first aid supplies along on a hike or outdoor adventure, and my kids love each having their own small one in their backpacks. This little portable first aid kit is great with a few basics. I’m getting one for each of my kids’ stockings and adding a few extra medical supplies myself.

Where to Buy: Walmart | REI | Etsy

Bug Bite Thing

Speaking of first aid, this Bug Bite Thing is really helpful for removing venom from bites right away to reduce itchiness and irritation. It went in Dan’s stocking last year and has been a staple since.

Mini Handheld Fan

These are great for warm weather travel, but I also saw a couple people using these on the plane on my last flight, which was very warm despite the cool weather. Helpful to have on hand if you run warm!

Compass

Navigation skills are great to develop, and a little lightweight compass is perfect for practicing.

Where to Buy: Amazon | REI | Walmart

9-in-1 Multi-Tool Pen

I gave this exact thing to my brother-in-law and to Dan a couple years ago and it was a total hit. I love this little tool that has multiple functions, like a pen, stylus, screwdriver, LED light, and more. I’m putting one in each of my 4 big kids’ stockings this year!

Lip Balm

Lips get dry when in the outdoors! I love tucking a lip balm in as one of my favorite hiking stocking stuffers. This is my very favorite, and my kids love flavored ones.

Where to Buy: Walmart | Target | Amazon

Beanie

My oldest likes to wear a beanie under his bike helmet for chilly mornings so he’ll definitely be getting one in his stocking. There are so many different styles available for every taste!

Reusable Hiking Spork: 3-in-1 Camping Spoon/Fork/Knife

We stuck these in our kids’ stockings a couple years ago and they were a big hit. They’re a perfect eco-friendly option to keep in a hiking backpack instead of using disposable utensils.

Portable Clothesline

This is really excellent to take camping if you need to rinse out clothing or hang damp stuff to dry. Also great if you’re exploring outdoors with a baby because there’s always inevitably something that needs to be washed!

Mosquito Head Net

Speaking of insect protection, these mosquito head nets are so helpful when in buggy areas. They fold up super small so they’re perfect for travel and outdoors adventure (or as a great hiking stocking stuffer ;)).

Where to Buy: REI | Amazon | L.L.Bean

Wet Bag

Wet bags aren’t just for cloth diapers anymore. 😉 These are great when exploring outdoors to store wet swimsuits, organize stuff in a hiking backpack, or clipping onto another pack. My kids don’t have these so I’m thinking of picking up a few for kids stocking stuffers.

Citronella Candle

Always useful for anyone who spends time outside, whether in the backyard or further afield.

Sun Hat & Sunglasses

Older kids might like a plain baseball cap for this. But if you need a great and useful baby stocking stuffer for a family who loves exploring outdoors, this infant sun hat would make a great baby stocking stuffer – perhaps along with some baby sunglasses. (We have a sun hat from M that I’ll be reusing and including in S’s stocking!)

Mylar Emergency Blankets

These are really great for anyone who is into camping or hiking. A really great but small emergency item to keep on hand that could be life-saving. Would also be great to gift so someone as part of an emergency kit, or would make a terrific gift for a neighbor.

Compressed Towels

We don’t often use these compressed towels and try to go with reusable whenever possible, but they can sometimes be helpful while traveling or on the road. I have some extras that I’m going to slip into my kids stockings for emergency use!

Where to Buy: Amazon | Walmart

Lightweight Beach Towel

I love that sand falls off these so easily and they dry fast. They were our favorite towels to use in our RV!

Small Trowel

It’s not the most glamorous of hiking stocking stuffers, but a trowel is very useful for proper waste management when out on the trail. This one is inexpensive and lightweight. If you want a sturdier one, this one isn’t too much more and we love how hardy it is.

Where to Buy: REI | Amazon

Quick Dry Towel

These are great for hiking, the beach, a lake, or any other outdoor adventure. An awesome addition to your outdoor stocking stuffers.

Where to Buy: Amazon | REI | Backcountry

Women’s Folding Sun Hat

This is a great way to make sure you can always stay protected from the sun (or just comfortable in the heat) without having to take up a bunch of space. Love that it has a slot for a ponytail!

Wallet Multi-Tool

This would be a great outdoor stocking stuffer for an older kid or resourceful younger one. Great for performing a variety of tasks.

Patchdazzle Gear Repair Kit

This is a perfect little item to gift someone who spends a lot of time outdoors to be able to easily repair tents, backpacks, jackets, & more. It’s currently half off, making it under $5!

Bike Bell

If you have a kiddo or family member who loves biking, a new bike bell could be a perfect outdoor stocking stuffer for kids. (Here’s all our favorite bike gear for families.)

Men’s Sun Hat

I think this thing is a little bit hideous but it works! Dan absolutely loves his and never travels without it.

Hand Warmers

We love slipping hand warmers into a gift if we’re headed somewhere cold or need some cold weather hiking stocking stuffers.

Where to Buy: REI | Target | Walmart

Foldable Water Cup

My mind is blown by this thing and I think it may need to go in each of my kids’ stockings. It’s a silicone water cup that folds up into the size of a credit card! So helpful to carry when traveling (think water cup for brushing teeth) or especially for an outdoorsy person.

Walkie Talkies

Walkie talkies are great for giving kiddos a bit of independence on the trail or while out exploring. They’re some of our favorite hiking stocking stuffers and you can split a pack between a couple kids to bring the price well into stocking stuffer range. Split up the pack into two different stockings to encourage partnership and bring down the cost!

Glove Leashes

Dan and I purchased these after we each lost one of our gloves and they’ve been so helpful. They function perfectly and save us from losing gloves!

Reusable Metal Straws

These are great to have on hand at home or while out exploring. A collapsible one would be great for adventures out and about.

Backpack Dividers

These are great for organizing your backpack while traveling. Especially if you have a bag that opens on the side, these are amazing for letting you see everything and keep different categories separated. (Discount code: PASSPORT)

Insect Catcher / Inspector

This is great for the kiddo who loves to examine bugs, rocks, and everything else while out. Such a fun little science stocking stuffer for curious kids.

Insect Repellant

Bug repellant is definitely really important while hiking. Deet is definitely the most effective if we’re in any intense bug areas, especially when we want to protect against malaria and the like. This is my very favorite Deet lotion. It’s super effective even though it’s not a crazy high Deet percentage, and I prefer the lotion to a spray with kids (especially on faces). We have this Deet spray only for the very buggiest of places if we’re super worried about mosquito-borne illness.

I don’t love using Deet all the time when not really necessary, though, so this Picardin lotion is effective, cheap, and safe for the family.

Misting Fan

Heading somewhere hot? Misting fans are perfect to keep everyone happy and moving, including on hot hikes. Our kids are getting these this year as a clue for their big trip gift!

There you have it – some of our favorite outdoors and hiking stuffers for kids & families! Did you find any ideas that will work for your family? Or do you have other great ideas to add to this list? Please let me know in the comments!

Slightly Pricier Stocking Stuffers

Here are just a few items that cost a bit more than a traditional stocking stuffer, but are still really useful and functional, and are staples in our usage. They’d also be great gifts for outdoors families!

Merino Wool Socks

A few years ago, we switched over to almost all merino wool socks for the whole family and they’re the best. Soft, warm, comfy, last forever, and don’t hold older (really great for travel). Here are the ones we love:

Darn Tough – our first love! Lifetime warranty (on socks!), still a family business.
Tough Cutie – I discovered Tough Cutie socks early this year and fell in love. They’re super soft, warm, supportive but not restrictive, and just terrific. Plus, they’re Black woman-owned!
Smartwool – really fantastic socks that are SO warm. Several of my pairs have lasted over a decade. Best for really cold weather. Great sale on them!
REI Co-op merino socks – excellent socks at an excellent price
Inexpensive wool socks – with all the nice ones above, I maybe most often reach for these on a day-to-day basis. While I’d recommend the above styles if you’re in intense cold and being really active, these are soft and stretchy and super comfy.

Owala Water Bottle

These water bottles are incredibly popular, and with good reason. I love the cute colors and the fact that the hook flips up so it’s easy to clip onto a bag or a stroller. We have a few of these and they always come along on our travels or local adventures.

Period Cup

A menstrual cup truly changed travel for me – it made it sooo much more pleasant to be outdoors when on my period (I even used it when doing a multi-day hike in the Alps and it made life so much easier). I really love the Saalt cups and the fact that they’re a small business. They also have discs, period underwear, and more. Code PASSPORT.

Best Mineral Sunscreen

This is our family’s absolute favorite sunscreen – it’s so smooth, mineral-based, and doesn’t leave a white cast. Plus, it’s amazing for sensitive skin and protects really well! We also absolutely love their all-over ointment, bath products, and more. All fantastic for babies, sensitive skin, or anyone else.

Bug Bite Thing

This theoretically suctions the insect saliva from under skin so it’s no longer irritated if you get an insect bite. I’m not totally sure if it works, but it sure seems to help my kids feel better!

Crampons

Speaking of cold weather stocking stuffers, crampons would be great as hiking stocking stuffers from someone in a place with lots of snow and ice (or if you’ll be exploring there).