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    Give the Gift of Adventure: Our 2017 Gift Guide for Your Favorite Outdoorspeople (for any budget)

    Jenny Abegg
    Jenny Abegg

    outdoor gift guide Days are getting shorter, the snow in the mountains is beginning to fall, and your holiday to-do list is starting to grow. Stress no further! Whether you’re buying for a white elephant gift exchange or gifting to the love of your life, we’re putting on our elf shoes and giving you a hand this year. This guide to outdoorsman gift ideas 2017 will be your handy helper for surprising your most outdoorsy friends with the most outdoorsy of cheer (and gear)!

    Gifts over $100

    Arc’teryx Beta SL Hybrid GORE-TEX Jacket: Whether they’re commuting to work in the rain or ski touring high in the mountains, the Beta SL Hybrid will keep your lucky loved one dry and psyched. It is made with two unique GORE-TEX fabrics to reinforce high wear areas and give stretch where it’s needed. This is a gift that will truly weather the years! And, great news – it’s available for both the outdoorswoman and the outdoorsman, in a variety of colors. ($399) Patagonia Nano-Air® Hoody : This jacket is the perfect choice for all of your high-endurance friends who need warmth and breathability in one smooth package. From the cross-country ski track to climbing frozen waterfalls, there’s no better jacket to accompany a winter adventure. Plus, this synthetic insulated piece stays warm even when wet.  ($299) Outdoor Research Lucent Heated Gloves: These gloves might be a bit spendy, but for those who deal with chronically cold hands, they will be an absolute life-changer. With a battery powered heating system and GORE-TEX inserts, the Lucent gloves will keep your loved one’s hands warm from first chair to last. Perhaps go in with a group to buy this gift for a buddy — if they’re in need, it will be surely the best gift they’ve ever received.  ($359) Black Diamond Trail Pro Shock Trekking Poles: Trekking poles — they’re not just for your parents or your friends with knee problems. Everyone will benefit from a pair, and once a convert, there’s no going back! The Trail Pro Shocks offer amazing shock absorption — all the way up to the hands — and even come with interchangeable tips for traction on all sorts of terrain. ($140)

    Gifts $50-100

    Icebreaker Everyday Long Sleeve Merino Crew: This is not your grandma’s itchy wool sweater! Made with Merino wool, this breathable, soft layer stays warm when wet, is lightweight, and resists odors far better than other wools and polypropylenes. And you can’t go wrong with Icebreaker — a premium New Zealand brand that harvests wool straight from their backyard. The Everyday Crews are available for both men and women — give a pair to your favorite couple and help them stay warm and smelling nice! ($70) Western Mountaineering Flash Down Bootie: Everyone needs a good down booty in their life this time of year, especially one that’s just at home in your kitchen as it is in your sleeping bag or backcountry hut. These goose down booties from Western Mountaineering are compressible and lightweight, and with a reinforced sole they can handle a quick trip out the tent. Added bonus: they’re made right here in the USA. ($69.95) Petzl Actik® Core Headlamp: If you’re gifting for the avid outdoorsperson in your life, you can’t go wrong with a headlamp. And the Actik CORE from Petzl is one of the best — this compact 350-lumen multi-beam headlamp is brighter than most and features a variety of lighting modes. Plus, it comes with the option for standard batteries or a USB rechargeable battery pack — now that’s versatility at its finest. ($59.95) America the Beautiful National Parks Pass: Give the gift of the outdoors, and support your national parks as well! With proposed fee increases for entry to some of our national parks in 2018, you can’t go wrong with securing your loved one with an annual pass for just $80. And they get to choose — will it be Zion or the Great Smoky Mountains, the North Cascades or Big Bend? Adventure awaits.  ($80.)

    Gifts $25-50

    GRID Foam Roller: Everyone loves to hate a good foam rolling session — the pain feels so good! And the GRID foam roller is not only one of the best on the market, but it’s small enough to travel with you! Made from EVA foam, it is firmer and more durable than standard foam rollers. This is an absolute perfect recovery tool after a run or long days in the outdoors — your friends will thank you for helping them stay injury-free.  ($39.99) Snow Peak Ti-Single 450 Colored Cups: There’s a plethora of mugs on the market, but this lightweight titanium mug stands out for its ability to be warmed over a flame. Not only that, but it’s super lightweight, and perfect for backpacking when you’re shaving ounces. Snow Peak is a great source for all your stocking stuffer needs — check out their lineup for more ideas.  ($35.95) Alaska Range: Exploring The Last Great Wild: Whether your loved one is an aspiring alpinist or just loves a good coffee-table book, this beautiful piece showcases stunning photographs of the Alaska Range, including the highest peak in North America. Award-winning photographer Carl Battreall captures amazing landscapes and wildlife images of remote glaciers, tundras, icy rivers, and wild creatures in their natural environment, and essays by Alaskan writers accompany the images. This book is sure to inspire an adventure.  ($29.95) Kavu Goodie Travel Pouch Set: Do you have a friend or family member who loves to stay organized? These travel pouches are just as at home deep in the mountains as they are in the coffee shop, and come in three unique sizes and patterns. Fill one with chocolate and hide a gift card in another — they make great wrapping paper as well!  ($50)

    Gifts Under $25

    Darn Tough Hiker Micro Crew Cushion: Darn Tough socks are ridiculous — they’re so tough they come with a lifetime guarantee. More durable than any other sock on earth, they’re still made in Vermont and come in a wide variety for all of your hiking, skiing, cycling, and running friends. And check out their cool colors and designs too — a perfect way to customize your gift to your friends’ personalities!  ($21) MPOWERD Luci Outdoor 2.0 Light: These lights are all the rage — and rightly so! This solar-powered light from MPOWERD is portable, and provides enough light to illuminate the tent, your cook setup, or outdoor celebration. It is lightweight and even collapses down to save space in a pack. Plus, with updated light settings and a longer-lasting charge than the previous model, even if your loved one already has a solar-powered light, this one’s bound to be an improvement.  ($19.95) Good To-Go Dehydrated Meals: Developed by a renowned chef who wanted to change the face of backcountry food, these meals are made with real ingredients and they have the flavor to prove it. You can’t go wrong with gifting a dehydrated meal to your backpacker buddies! Favorites include the Thai Curry, the spicy Korean Bibimbap, and the comforting mushroom Risotto and Penne Marinara.  ($6.75 single/$12.50 two-person) Rite in the Rain Outdoor Journal: Rite in the Rain has been the go-to writing paper for professionals working in the field for over 100 years now. Do you have a friend who loves to write or take notes? These waterproof paper journals allows hikers, backpackers, kayakers, skiers, hunters, and fishermen to record thoughts and observations without worrying about the rain and snow. Pencils work great on this paper, but check out Rite in the Rain’s lineup of waterproof pens as well!  ($6 for small journal) As you can see, the variety of gifts available for your outdoor-loving friends and family are as vast as the wilderness itself. Hopefully this guide got your elfish juices flowing with ideas for spreading holiday cheer! And if you’re interested in more waterproof, windproof, breathable products to keep your loved ones warm and dry, we’ve got gear for every outdoor adventure you can throw at it.

    Jenny Abegg Jenny Abegg

    Jenny Abegg

    Raised by mountain-loving parents on the flanks of the North Cascades, Jenny’s idea of a perfect day starts and ends wearing a headlamp, and includes a snowy approach, dry granite, and endless high fives with a favorite partner. Her passion for adventurous climbing has led her from the jungles of Rio to windy spires in Patagonia, from the unexplored faces of the Purcell Mountains to heady granite domes of North Carolina. Currently based out of her GMC Safari nicknamed “Ol’ Blue," Jenny is a climbing guide and a writer, exploring the topics of climbing, life, and the spaces between.

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