Top 12 Outdoor Gear Gifts for 2008
November 17, 2008
Does your holiday gift list include a hiker, backpacker or outdoor enthusiast? We have put together a great list of the Top 12 Outdoor Gear Gifts for 2008 suitable for man or woman, guaranteed to please your outdoorsy friends! Plus, look below for our list of top outdoor gear gifts under $20!
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Petzl Tikka Headlamp $34.95 Every hiker needs a good headlamp and they make GREAT gift for hikers at only $34.95. Weighing less than 80 grams, this amazingly comfortable headlamp is as easy to wear as a fleece headband. Buy Now |
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Jetboil Personal Cooking System $83.16 - $99.95 The Jetboil® PCS stormed onto the camping gear scene in 2004 when Backpacker magazine pinned one of their prestigious Editor’s Choice Awards on it. They recognized the innovation and performance found in this camping stove, just like the continuously growing group of fans who rave about it. The cooking cup that comes standard with the Jetboil® Personal Cooking System works best for feeding 1-2 people. $99.95 Buy Now |
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MSR DuraLite™ Gourmet Cookset $70.45 Designed to be 40% lighter than comparable climbing and backpacking cooksets, the MSR DuraLite™ Gourmet Cookset improves your backcountry culinary potential without excess bulk and ballast. This is a special gift for someone that is trying to upgrade their existing equipment and weight is on every backpackers mind. This is a great ultralight holiday gift. Buy Now |
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Nikon Sportstar Binoculars $79.95 Powerful yet very compact, Nikon’s 2006 Sportstar is perfect for hiking & wildlife spotting, it makes a great gift for hikers & backpackers. Lightweight and compact, the Sportstar 8×25 binoculars (8201) weigh 9.5 ounces. They are mated with a rubber armored exterior that provide added shock resistance and a firm grip. Buy Now |
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Adventure Medical Light and Fast Trail First Aid Kit $20.96 A tremendous value for short backpacking trips and day hikes, the Adventure Medical Kits Light and Fast Trail first aid kit is not only light weight at just 12 ounces, it’s also appropriate for the person who is developing their first aid skills. Buy Now |
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The North Face Bullhead Hydration Pack $44.95 Straight-forward hydration pack with a 50-ounce reservoir for quick treks, great gift for any woman or man looking for a solid hydration system. One owner says: “Excellent product. Drinking tube works perfect … able to keep moving while taking a drink. Magnet secures when not in use. I highly recommend”. Buy Now |
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Leki Trail Trekking Poles $79.95 New for 2008, the LEKI Trail Trekking Poles are ideal for entry-level or cost-conscious hikers and backpackers. Ideal for: Dayhiking, Backpacking and Hiking. Extremely affordable, these poles offer solid aluminum construction, reliable locking mechanism, and a carbide flex tip that deflects up to 30 degrees without damaging the lower pole section; thus reducing the risk of pole breakage if the pole should get caught between a rock and root on the trail. Buy Now |
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Adventure Medical Backcountry Gear Repair Kit $22.99 Broken tent poles, ripped jackets, and delaminating shoes—the Adventure Medical Backcountry Gear Repair Kit includes the necessities to fix a variety of gear problems and makes a great gift for ANYONE that is into backpacking and camping. Buy Now |
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Big Agnes Air Core Sleeping Pad $44.95 - $54.95 Big Agnes REM Air Core Sleeping Pad is incredibly light and comfortable. The Air Core pads stuff to the size of a Nalgene water bottle and weighs a mere 22oz (medium), yet provides a whopping 2.5” thick backcountry bed. ALL REM SLEEP PADS COME WITH A STUFF SACK, REPAIR KIT, AND A 100% GUARANTEE. Buy Now |
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Timex Adventure Tech Digital Compass Watch $69.95 (After 20% Rebate) Perfect for a Hiker that has everything. Customizable mode settings: 3 time zones, 15 pre-set occasion reminders, 100-hour chronograph with lap or split option, and 99-lap counter, Digital compass with needle based on 16 cardinal points measured in degrees; leveling bubble provides increased accuracy, and much more… Buy Now |
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Garmin eTrex Legend GPS $159.95 Without a doubt, the Garmin eTrex Legend GPS remains one of the most affordable and well-detailed GPS units for hikers, backpackers and domestic travelers. The preloaded basemap includes oceans, lakes, rivers cities, interstates and other major roads. You can also customize locations with your own waypoints for fishing spots and other personal waypoints. Scored 5 out of 5 at Altrec.com. Buy Now |
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SPOT Satellite Messenger $149.95 Live to Tell About it with the SPOT Satellite Messenger. The 8oz. SPOT gives you the ability to track your adventure, keep your family and friends up to date on your location and could save your life, all with the touch of a button. Backpacker Magazine 2008 Editors Choice Award. Buy Now |
Outdoor Gear Gifts under $20
- Funny & Cool Hiking T-Shirts
- REI Membership
- Gift Cards! REI, Altrec & AltrecOutlet.com, Backcountry & BackcountryOutlet.com
- Outdoor Research Helium Quick Stuff Sack
- Camelbak CamelBak Better Bottle
- Light My Fire Firesteel Scout
- Gerber Clutch Multi-Tool
- Lifeline Waterproof Survival Kit
- Stickers & Emblems
- Silva Guide 426 Graphite Compass
- Hiking Journal
Gear Review: Lippi’s Selk’bag 2
November 11, 2008
As long as I can remember, I’ve been active. It’s kind of an inside joke that I can’t even sit still when I sleep-I roll around, toss, turn, and bludgeon anyone who’s unfortunate enough to be within kicking distance.
So imagine my claustrophobic nightmare when I experienced the traditional mummy bag-arms at my sides, legs squeezed together, forced to lie flat on my back, a nice preview of death in my nylon coffin. After years of fighting it, I grudgingly accepted mummy bags as a necessary evil if I wanted to play outside.
Enter Lippi’s Selk’bag. This bag was designed specifically with sleepers like me in mind. With external sleeves for your arms and legs, the Selk’bag makes it possible to roll around, cross your arms, kick one leg out to the side, whatever. Their tag-line is “Sleep like you would in a bed” and they aren’t kidding. I have used many a sleeping bag as a necessary evil, but I’ve never enjoyed using one until I met the Selk’bag.
I tested the Selk’bag 2, which retails for about $228.95 at Altrec.com. It’s comprised of a breathable nylon shell with microfiber lining that sleeps in comfort down to about 48 degrees Fahrenheit, will keep you alive in temps down to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, and it weighs in at about 4 pounds. The good people at Lippi also paid attention to detail with vent zips in the legs and torso for when you get toasty, zipper openings in the mitts so that you can access your digits when you need them, reinforced soles so you can walk around the campsite in comfort, and handy little tabs on the zippers so that you can zip/unzip with your Selk’bag mitts on.
One of the complaints about the Selk’bag is that it’s not as warm as traditional bags, and according to the mittens vs. gloves debate, that’s a fact, but what you lose in heat is minimal compared to what you gain in comfort. So if you’re on Everest, rock the extreme sub-zero mummy bag, but on a weekend climbing trip, lounging around the campsite, or scaring the hell out of your cats, you can’t beat the Selk’bag for comfort.
Heck, you can even wear it while you write a gear review.
For more information, check out all the Selk’bags at www.lippioutdoor.com
Brooks-Range Sharktooth Pro Shovel
November 3, 2008
Picture this-you’ve hit a gorgeous climbing spot, only to find that there’s two feet of snow (in May!) covering your starting point. You can either take an hour to dig out your starting point with a gardening spade that your buddy inexplicably has in his backpack, freezing your hands in the process, or you can bring along a snow shovel and put your friends in your debt by digging out the starting area in five minutes.
While we’re at it, imagine this scenario-you’ve just spent an hour hiking in the backcountry with your snowboard, searching for the perfect spot. Once you find and plot the perfect jump, you bust out your lightweight shovel and start digging your masterpiece…and then your shovel snaps in two, leaving you and your angry buddies to attempt to dig a monster kicker with your snowboards. I’ve been unfortunate enough to experience both of these situations. Never again!
I’ve gone through several shovels since moving to the mountains and tromping through the snow every winter (and fall, and spring), and I’ve found that shovels usually have one of two key problems-they’re either light, but way too flimsy to last long or they’re sturdy, but too heavy and bulky to carry around in a pack.
The folks at Brooks-Range have come up with a solution to those problems and have thrown in a few perks of their own. The Brooks-Range Sharktooth Pro retails at $50.00 and is available at www.brooksrange.com. Weighing in at 3.1 pounds, you can’t even tell that it’s hitching a ride in your pack, but when it’s time to get to work, the tempered aluminum scoop eats up snow like its aquatic namesake. The serrated edge cuts through dense snow and ice like a knife through butter, the shaft telescopes to 44”, giving you way better leverage than most shovels, and the D-grip means you don’t have to remove your mitts to use it.
I’m impressed that something so light can have the sturdiness and efficiency of a heavier shovel. It’s tough and sturdy enough to handle a wicked amount of torque, and it won’t break your back to lug it around the great outdoors. 
