Here Are Our Top 5 Gift Ideas for Trail Runners
Hey there fellow trail runners and all those who are looking for a gift for a trail runner!
We recently took a virtual stroll through a trail running forum to find out what the best gift ideas for trail runners are.
Here's what we found. The top five gift ideas for trail runners are:
- Socks
- An Adventure Weekend
- Gels, Snacks and Food
- Running Watches & Heart Rate Monitors
- A National Park Pass
For more details, keep reading!
Give a Personalised Poster of Their Favourite Route
For those who want to try something different and more personal this year, why not check out our range of trail running posters?
Our posters can be personalised by adding names, finishing times or even entire races to it. Contact us to learn more: hello@mytrail.run
Here is what our customers say about our posters!
A Worth-Having Artwork
I have always been thinking of putting a big painting/picture at home but it is really not easy to have something to represent myself. No matter how valuable or beautiful it is, it’s still by others, until I saw the Oxfam Trailwalker Poster from “my trail.run” 2 days before I took part in the event.
I was so impressed with the design of poster and the flexibility to put my team’s information in the graphic. I immediately decided to place the order upon finishing the trail walk to physicalise this once in a lifetime memory, also as a gift to my teammates whom we finished that 100km journey together.
Dom was the one who dealt with my order. He was very sincere and efficient in answering all my queries., even it was during the weekend. It just took me a few days to receive the real products and they are exactly the same as what being shown in the website.
Thanks again to mytrail.run and Dom. The posters are so meaningful to us all.
A Member of Team 160
Oxfam Trailwalker 2023 Finisher
1. Socks
Socks claim the top spot as the number one gift for trail runners. One runner wrote:
"I always am good with more socks. They wear out. Merino wool socks is what I’d go with."
But be careful: runners can be very picky about their socks:
"Go into their closet/ running bag and look at what they have and get them more of it. I'd be hesitant of getting "expensive ones" when they might not like those. If you run a lot you know what you like and don't. If someone got me socks different from my preferred ones I'd never wear them because I've tried a lot and have settled on the ones I have."
In terms of brands, runners recommend Smart Wool, Darn Tough, 2XU, Injini or Balega.
2. Sign Them Up for a Race or Offer a Guilt-Free Adventure Weekend
If you prefer giving experiences instead of items, then suggestion number 2 is for you! Sign them up for a race or offer a guilt-free adventure weekend.
If you're not sure which race to sign them up for, then offering a guilt-free adventure weekend or a gift card towards a race entry of their choosing is a great, more flexible alternative. That way, you're not running the risk of picking a race on a weekend that they are not available, or that they aren't excited about.
And if you are married to a trail runner and have kids, one runner recommended to "Watch their kids for half a day so they can go out on a nice run."
3. Gels, Snacks & Food
For the dedicated trail warriors who practically live on the trails, our third contender is a no-brainer—gels, snacks, and all things nutrition.
More dedicated trail runners who frequently compete in races burn through food quickly! So, it doesn't come as a surprise that several runners mentioned running snacks, such as bars, gels and hydration mix as a gift idea.
One runner recommended to "buy what they usually get, nothing weird so they don't poop themselves out there." Agreed.
Again, trail runners are very specific about the food and flavours that they'll eat while racing. If you're unsure about what exactly to buy, a gift card for a local running store that stocks gels and snacks is a great alternative.
4. Running Watches & Heart Rate Monitors
If you are happy to spend a bit more, then running watches are a great gift for a trail runner. Again, do some research beforehand and try to figure out what their preferred model might be. Or ask their running buddies: you can almost be certain that talking about running watches and fitness trackers is a topic that has been thoroughly discussed between them!
If they don't have a running watch yet, then check out Garmin or Coros as go-to brands.
Alternatively, if they own a running watch already, give them a one-year Strava subscription. Strava is a social network for runners, where runners can share their activities with other like-minded people. A subscription unlocks many of Strava's premium features.
5. A National Park Pass
Now, this one is a bit location-specific, but if your trail aficionado is living near a national park or loves going there for hikes and runs, then giving them a pass to their favourite outdoor haven is a simple and great idea!
To make this even more special, offer to go on a hike with them!
Still Not Sure? Try a Poster!
If you're still not sure which gift is right, why not try one of our posters!
We create custom posters for trail runners. All that is required is a GPX file of their run or, if you don't know what a GPX file is, the name of the race that you'd like to show on the poster.
Posters are a great way to remember a run or a race and are a fancy way to show off accomplishments on your own four walls. They also make for a great conversation starter!
Check out our product here: Products – MyTrail.Run
Gifts That Weren't Mentioned: Shoes
Surprisingly, only a few trail runners mentioned shoes as a gift idea. One runner recommended to give shoes "if they have a certain pair they repeatedly purchase".
Trail runners are in general particular about almost everything: their gear, their food and their equipment.
But if there is one thing that they are really particular about, then it's the shoes that they run in. Also, different brands have different sizes and width. So, assuming that a US 10 in a Hoka translates to a US 10 in an Adidas Terrex is a risky bet.
That's why it's better to steer clear of running shoes as a gift idea (going running shoe shopping together with them, however, is always a nice option)!
