Published: Sunday, December 18, 2011
Great outdoors gifts for this year ... or next
So you boycotted Black Friday, and Cyber Monday came and went without a click.
Good thing there are still seven shopping days left for the outdoors enthusiast on your holiday shopping list. Here are some ideas to help get you under the mistletoe:
Big Agnes Copper Spur 3 UL
A three-person backpacking tent with 44 square feet of floor space that weighs less than 5 pounds? Just wow. Two doors and vestibules add convenience, silicone-treated floor and coated rain fly with taped seams ensure waterproofness, and color-coded poles make setup a snap.
Price: $499.95 (seen online for as low as $349); bigagnes.com
ABT Lures Banshee
Based in Ahwahnee, ABT Lures is making waves in the tackle industry with these four-section jointed baits that mimic a fish's natural swimming motion. Available in lengths of 4.5 and 6 inches and eight color patterns.
Price: $13.99; abtlures.com
The Strike: Tournament Edition
Bring the great outdoors into your living room with this new video game from Bass Pro Shops. Features 11 catachable fish species, hundreds of lures and accurate depictions of 10 of the top fishing lakes in the U.S., including key landmarks and underwater topography. For Nintendo Wii.
Price: $29.99, $39.99 for bundle that includes fishing pole peripheral, bassproshopsgames.com
Garmont Zenith Mid GTX
These award-winning hiking boots (Outside Magazine 2011 Gear of the Year) are lightweight and breathable without sacrificing stability. Shaped heel cups secure your foot and smooth liner prevents blisters.
Price: $159.95; garmontusa.com
Brazos Walking Sticks
Everyone these days carries trekking poles. But a handmade wooden hiking stick? Now, that's a throwback to a bygone era worth revisiting. Choose from bamboo, hickory, sassafras and even aromatic cedar. They're beautiful, strong and feel great in your hand.
Price: $23.95 to $64.95; brazos-walking-sticks.com
Therm-a-Rest Neo Air
Yes, sleeping pads shouldn't cost as much as a night at the Hilton. But this one sets the standard for comfort (2.5 inches thick) and portability (14 ounces, packs down to water bottle size). Sweet dreams.
Price: $129.95-$169.95, cascadedesigns.com
Coghlan's Fire Starter
Here's a stocking-stuffer for anyone who likes staying warm. Just scrape off a small pile of magnesium shavings, collect some timber and use the metal spine to create sparks. Good for up to 100 fires.
Price: $6.99, coghlans.com
Lodge Logic Dutch Oven
Talk about the gift that keeps on giving. Give a Dutch oven, and you'll be eating chili cornbread pie and peach cobbler on camp-outs from now on. Five-quart models are ideal for families of four.
Price: $58.95; lodgemfg.com
McMurdo Fast Find 210 PLB
Personal locator beacons are becoming standard issue for those who venture into remote places. Get the smallest, lightest one on the market with free NOAA registration and no annual subscription fees. This model includes built-in GPS.
Price: $249; fastfindplb.com
Berkley Mini Fishing Line Spooler
For novice anglers, the only thing tougher than catching fish is spooling line. That's where this little gizmo comes in. It clips onto nearly any size rod and lets you adjust tension to ensure reels are wound without loose coils or loops.
Price: $4.99, berkley-fishing.com
Geigerrig Rig 1200
Who says all hydration packs are the same? Only Geigerrig offers a pressurized bladder, which features a small pump allowing you to squirt water in your mouth or hose down anything else. That's right, no more sucking or difficult cleaning. The pack designs, each with a separate bladder compartment, are just as well thought out.
Price: $130 (seen at Herb Bauer); geigerrig.com
BirdTunes iPhone App
The perfect gift for a bird watcher with an Apple device, this app by natural sound recordist Lang Elliott covers 674 species of North American birds. There are multiple tracks for each species -- more than 2,400 in all -- which can be set for continuous play. Each species also has its own photo. Available on iTunes for iPhones, iPads and iPod Touch. Similar apps are available on the Android market for Android users.
Price: $9.99, birdtunesapp.com.
Good thing there are still seven shopping days left for the outdoors enthusiast on your holiday shopping list. Here are some ideas to help get you under the mistletoe:
Big Agnes Copper Spur 3 UL
A three-person backpacking tent with 44 square feet of floor space that weighs less than 5 pounds? Just wow. Two doors and vestibules add convenience, silicone-treated floor and coated rain fly with taped seams ensure waterproofness, and color-coded poles make setup a snap.
Price: $499.95 (seen online for as low as $349); bigagnes.com
ABT Lures Banshee
Based in Ahwahnee, ABT Lures is making waves in the tackle industry with these four-section jointed baits that mimic a fish's natural swimming motion. Available in lengths of 4.5 and 6 inches and eight color patterns.
Price: $13.99; abtlures.com
The Strike: Tournament Edition
Bring the great outdoors into your living room with this new video game from Bass Pro Shops. Features 11 catachable fish species, hundreds of lures and accurate depictions of 10 of the top fishing lakes in the U.S., including key landmarks and underwater topography. For Nintendo Wii.
Price: $29.99, $39.99 for bundle that includes fishing pole peripheral, bassproshopsgames.com
Garmont Zenith Mid GTX
These award-winning hiking boots (Outside Magazine 2011 Gear of the Year) are lightweight and breathable without sacrificing stability. Shaped heel cups secure your foot and smooth liner prevents blisters.
Price: $159.95; garmontusa.com
Brazos Walking Sticks
Everyone these days carries trekking poles. But a handmade wooden hiking stick? Now, that's a throwback to a bygone era worth revisiting. Choose from bamboo, hickory, sassafras and even aromatic cedar. They're beautiful, strong and feel great in your hand.
Price: $23.95 to $64.95; brazos-walking-sticks.com
Therm-a-Rest Neo Air
Yes, sleeping pads shouldn't cost as much as a night at the Hilton. But this one sets the standard for comfort (2.5 inches thick) and portability (14 ounces, packs down to water bottle size). Sweet dreams.
Price: $129.95-$169.95, cascadedesigns.com
Coghlan's Fire Starter
Here's a stocking-stuffer for anyone who likes staying warm. Just scrape off a small pile of magnesium shavings, collect some timber and use the metal spine to create sparks. Good for up to 100 fires.
Price: $6.99, coghlans.com
Lodge Logic Dutch Oven
Talk about the gift that keeps on giving. Give a Dutch oven, and you'll be eating chili cornbread pie and peach cobbler on camp-outs from now on. Five-quart models are ideal for families of four.
Price: $58.95; lodgemfg.com
McMurdo Fast Find 210 PLB
Personal locator beacons are becoming standard issue for those who venture into remote places. Get the smallest, lightest one on the market with free NOAA registration and no annual subscription fees. This model includes built-in GPS.
Price: $249; fastfindplb.com
Berkley Mini Fishing Line Spooler
For novice anglers, the only thing tougher than catching fish is spooling line. That's where this little gizmo comes in. It clips onto nearly any size rod and lets you adjust tension to ensure reels are wound without loose coils or loops.
Price: $4.99, berkley-fishing.com
Geigerrig Rig 1200
Who says all hydration packs are the same? Only Geigerrig offers a pressurized bladder, which features a small pump allowing you to squirt water in your mouth or hose down anything else. That's right, no more sucking or difficult cleaning. The pack designs, each with a separate bladder compartment, are just as well thought out.
Price: $130 (seen at Herb Bauer); geigerrig.com
BirdTunes iPhone App
The perfect gift for a bird watcher with an Apple device, this app by natural sound recordist Lang Elliott covers 674 species of North American birds. There are multiple tracks for each species -- more than 2,400 in all -- which can be set for continuous play. Each species also has its own photo. Available on iTunes for iPhones, iPads and iPod Touch. Similar apps are available on the Android market for Android users.
Price: $9.99, birdtunesapp.com.
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