Wednesday, December 18, 2013

6 Gifts for Athletes Who Have Everything

Credit: Alan Cleaver at Flickr
Forerunner? Got it. Triathlon backpack? Have it. New gear? Bought it the minute the old gear started showing wear and tear. Big-name race for next season? Already signed up.

Some people are strapped for cash around the holidays. Others are stumped when it comes to giving gifts to the people on their list who have it all, or buy it before you have a chance to gift it (I was accused of that last week). So stumped that you're still shopping for that special gift with less than a week's worth of shopping days left.

I'm currently in that category. My husband already gifted himself new skis (at least I helped with the ordering, that has to count for something.) I spilled the beans to my dad on some new Adidas shirts, shorts and pants perfect for a workout, and he sent my mom to buy them. Aside from some random stocking stuffer ideas I've had, I was screwed until I devised this list.


Here are six items you can gift the athletes--the skiers, swimmers, triathletes, runners, fitness nuts, cyclists, adventurers--who seemingly already have any and everything they could possibly want and need this holiday season.

Orange Mud Transition & Seat Wrap
What more can I say about this towel that doubles as a towel and seat cover? Not much except that it's perfect for the triathlete or trail junkie, and it's most likely an item they don't already have in their gear stash.

Gibbon Slacklines
Random? Yes, a slackline is about as off-the-wall as you can get when it comes to a gift. But if you know someone who wants the single-best way to improve balance, core strength and even concentration, this is it. Plus it's cool to watch others show off their skills--or fall trying.

P90X3
Unless the fitness nut on your list already pre-ordered the next edition of Tony Horton's popular workout, you can't go wrong with purchasing the newest P90X edition. Released by Beachbody on December 10, you can't get much newer than that. Plus P90X3 is different from its predecessors. While the new edition still includes multiple DVDs to follow during the 90-day program, P90X3's workouts are shorter in length, coming in at 30 minutes of maximum intensity.

GoPro Hero3+
GoPro, the company behind the versatile digital cameras that are known for capturing amazing action shots and videos, had a huge 2013. They sponsored Ironman. They sponsored Teva's Summer Mountain Games. They sponsored athletes making huge accomplishments in their sports. They launched the Hero3+, their mightiest camera yet. I might be getting too newsy here, but it's my justification for why anyone wants to have one of these small yet powerful devices waiting for them under the Christmas tree. Imagine all the amazing footage captured while running, biking, skiing, surfing and more.

Nike+ FuelBand SE
For me, it was love at first FuelBand. It tracked my activities and forced me to get moving on days when I spent way too much time at my desk. But the latest model is even better than the original--and not just because of its color choices. It's easier to set fuel goals and challenge friends. It's simpler to scroll through the device's data fields. It syncs better with your phone so you don't have to wait all day to see how you stack up against your friends on those challenges. It's easy to get hooked on it even if you're not uber active. It's.... Too bad my brain failed to remember all the bells and whistles the Ekin at Nike Bucktown told me about; it was too excited at the prospect of a new FuelBand to continue processing the details.

Hoka One One
Even if you have a quiver of running shoes, chances are you probably don't have these that make your feet look like their more ready for a walk on the moon than a run. While the Hoka One Ones might not resemble your regular running shoes, you'll quickly find yourself (or the runner who's lucky enough to score this gift from you) adding them to the rotation--or wearing them on recovery days to pad around town. They're pillows for your feet, and what foot doesn't deserve a little TLC every once in a while?

Now if only my sister were more of an athlete--or I had some sort of creative yoga-related gift to get her. Then my shopping would be easy. What's missing from this list? Any suggestions?

Photo grabbed from Alan Cleaver via Flickr.

2 comments:

  1. Wow really fantastic gifts suggestion. I will apply your tips !!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks! Hope you enjoy the gifts and shopping this season! --kate

    ReplyDelete

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...