The Best Gifts for Munro Baggers

Munro baggers are, on the whole, easy to buy for — they have an all-consuming hobby and a permanent list of gear wants. The trick is choosing something they'll actually use rather than another novelty mug. This guide runs from genuinely useful kit through keepsakes and books to a few thoughtful free ideas, split by budget so you can find something whatever you're spending.

Practical kit they'll use every hill day

• A good flask. A quality vacuum flask that keeps soup or tea genuinely hot on a cold summit is one of those small luxuries serious walkers rarely buy for themselves. Hard to go wrong with.
• Merino base layers. Warm, quick-drying and odour-resistant — the workhorse of any hill wardrobe, and always welcome as a replacement for a worn-out one. See our layering system guide for how it all fits together.
• A head torch. Essential for short winter days and early starts, and easy to upgrade. A modern rechargeable torch with a decent beam is a brilliant practical gift.
• Dry bags or a rucksack liner. Cheap, endlessly useful, and something walkers always need more of.
• A power bank. GPS and mapping apps drain a phone fast on a long day; a compact, rugged power bank is genuinely valued.

Maps, books and keepsakes

• The SMC's The Munros guidebook — the definitive illustrated list, and the natural companion to a round.
• A scratch-off Munro map or wall chart — a popular keepsake that turns progress into decor; they scratch or mark off each summit as they climb it.
• OS Landranger or Explorer maps for the regions they're working through — always useful as a backup to a phone.
• A Munro logbook for recording the date, weather and companions on each summit — a lovely record to look back on. (For a free alternative, see below.)

Experiences and bigger gifts

If you're spending more, an experience often beats an object: a guided winter skills course (the single most valuable thing a summer walker can do before tackling winter Munros), a navigation course, a night in a well-placed bothy-adjacent inn, or a booked weekend near a cluster of hills they still need. A pair of quality boots or a winter-rated jacket also lands well — though for anything sized or fitted, a voucher is safer than a guess.

Thoughtful free and low-cost ideas

Not every good gift costs money. A Munro bagger will genuinely appreciate:

• The Munros app — free on the App Store, with offline maps, routes and summit logging for all 282. Pointing them to it (or gifting a day out using it) is a proper, usable present.
• Your time as a walking companion — offering to drive, carry the flask, or just come along on a hill they've been putting off.
• A printed photo from one of their summit days, framed.

What to avoid

Steer clear of novelty gadgets that sound clever but stay in a drawer, cheap "waterproofs" that aren't, and anything sized (boots, harnesses, packs) unless you know their exact preferences. When in doubt, consumables — good socks, gels and snacks, map cases — are always used up and always welcome.

Related guides

• The complete Munro bagging packing list — everything that goes in the pack
• Munro boots and footwear guide
• Best Munro bagging apps — for the tech-minded walker
• Munros tracking app — a free gift they'll use on every hill