The Best Gifts for Your Favorite Walker (Even If That Walker is You)
When it comes to gift-giving, I tend to agonize over ideas—especially when the person I’m buying for tends to be picky. I’m always looking for wish lists from the people I love because I want to get the perfect gifts—the ones that will make their faces light up when they open the package.
If you’ve got a walker on your shopping list, there’s a pretty good chance that a gift of some kind of walking gear will make him or her very happy. To be honest, most of my wish lists are filled with walking-related gift ideas (to the point that my husband once got me nothing but a bunch of different socks and sunglasses for my birthday). So I’ve taken a look at my favorite things—as well as items on my own wish list—to come up with some great gift ideas for the walker in your life.
This article contains affiliate links. If you click on these links and place an order, I will get a small percentage of the purchase at no extra cost to you.
SUNNIES
Anyone who spends time outside needs some good sunglasses—and once you get a pair of goodrs, you’ll never want to go back to anything else. They have a number of fun colors and styles, but the OGs are great all-around glasses. They’re polarized and super light-weight, and they don’t bounce while you’re walking—and they’re not super-expensive. Really, there’s no such thing as too many pairs of goodrs.
And while you’re at it, pick up some nice hard-shell cases to keep those sunnies safe and handy.
RACE ENTRIES
Once you cross the finish line of your first race, you start thinking about signing up for the next one. But race entries aren’t necessarily cheap. Find out which race your favorite walker has been dying to do, and cover the entry fee. That way, he or she will get some cool race swag but also a whole lot of fun and memories, too!
Or…if your walking friend hasn’t tried an in-person race yet, choose a virtual one! Check out sites like GoneForARun.com or VirtualRunEvents.com for some fun options.
DUFFLE BAG
I always keep a bag full of walking necessities in my car. In the summer, it holds things like sunscreen and cooling towels and an extra hat. In the winter, it holds things like jackets and gloves and hand warmers. If your walking friend could use a little extra gear organization, pick up a handy duffle bag.
A couple of my walking buddies and I swear by this one. It may not be super heavy-duty, but it’s nice and roomy, and it has a whole lot of pockets—including a wet pouch and a separate shoe compartment.
If you want to put together a great gift, fill the bag with other essentials. Hit the dollar store for things like hand sanitizer, tissues, lip balm, a mini first aid kit, and some cheap gloves (they’re great for those in-between temperatures and can slide into a pocket when not in use). Snacks are always good, too. They come in handy on long walks.
Other gear bag ideas:
Bib clips: They keep a race bib on tight—and you don’t have to worry about ruining your favorite race shirt with safety pins.
Rechargeable hand warmers for winter walks: Because hands and feet are always the first things to freeze.
Hydration packets: Hydration and nutrition can be a personal choice, so you might want to double-check here, but Gatorade is the choice of most races, so that’s a pretty safe pick.
Some clear zipper pouches to keep everything stored and visible. I like having one for race necessities and another for a toiletries/first aid pouch.
RECOVERY SANDALS
Walkers’ feet tend to take a beating. And after a long walk, there’s just nothing like coming home and sliding into some cozy recovery sandals. There are a couple of different brands out there (and some lower-priced knock-offs, too). But I highly recommend Hoka’s Ora Recovery Slides. They’re cushioned and comfy, and they have great arch support, too.
HEADLAMP
During the winter months, it gets dark earlier and earlier in the evening, and it gets harder and harder to fit in long walks during daylight hours. A beanie with a headlamp keeps your walker’s head warm while lighting up their path. Or you can pick up a headband—or even just a plain runner’s headlamp.
HYDRATION BELT
From training days to race day, a good hydration belt will keep any walker hydrated and organized. I tend to keep my phone in my legging pocket, but I need pockets for everything else—not just water bottles but also my car key, some cash, tissues, and snacks. I’ve long been searching for a hydration belt that does it all (with enough room for my snacks, obviously), and while I don’t own this specific belt, I recently discovered it at a race, on a new walking friend. I love that it has plenty of room for hydration, a phone (if you don’t want to carry it), and snacks (of course). It also includes toggles for your race bib, which is definitely an added bonus.
MEDAL HOLDER
Did I mention that races can be addictive? Once you start, you just want to keep going. And you need somewhere to hold all of those medals, to remember every single accomplishment. So if the walker in your life is storing medals away in a drawer, a nice, basic medal display would make the perfect gift. They range in size and style. Some are customized or have inspiring sayings on them. But you can always just start with something simple.
BIBFOLIO
While you’re shopping for somewhere to display medals, pick up something for race bibs, too! Gone for a Run’s BibFOLIO is my favorite. It comes with rings and sheet protectors to keep everything contained (you can also pick up extra pages and a display stand, too). It’s a fun and decorative way to keep old race bibs organized.
SHOES
Obviously, this is a tough one. You’d need to know which kinds of shoes your favorite walker prefers—along with the right size and width. But all of those miles on the road (or on the trail) mean that walkers always need new shoes. It tends to become a bit of an addiction. But if you listen long enough, you’ll probably hear all about his or her favorite shoes. And if it doesn’t just come up in conversation (which, honestly, it probably will), you can always just ask.
OTHER WALKING CLOTHING
Again, this can be tough. If your walker doesn’t have a specific wish list, you risk buying the wrong size…or the wrong brand…or just the wrong gear all together. But there’s a good chance that he or she has some favorites—favorite brands of leggings, favorite styles of shorts or shirts, favorite socks. Again, if you listen (or, if necessary, ask), you can probably figure it out.
If you need some ideas, these are my favorite socks.
And these are some awesome fleece-lined leggings.
CUSTOM JEWELRY
Whether it’s engraved with a special milestone (like a first race…or a first half-marathon) or just something inspirational and motivational, a piece of custom jewelry is a thoughtful gift—one that your favorite walker will treasure.
FUN WALKING SHIRTS
Shirts for runners are everywhere. Shirts for walkers…not so much. Fortunately, I’ve got you covered there. I’ve got all kinds of fun designs for walkers in the Will Walk for Coffee Etsy shop.
GIFT CARDS
I know, it sometimes feels like such a cop-out. But if your walker is pretty specific about his or her tastes, you can’t go wrong with a gift card. Do a little research on favorite gear, or go with something like:
Dunkin/Starbucks for after-walk treats
Old Navy for good, affordable gear
Sierra for brand name gear at a great price
A local running store
Under Armour / Nike
North Face if your walker is also a hiker
Amazon because it has everything
Really, when you’ve got a walker on your shopping list, there are so many great gift ideas for any size budget. Because while they say that walking is a great way to exercise for free, there are plenty of things that will make your walks more enjoyable.
Do you have a walking wish list? What’s on it?
