Intro
While some of our friends and family might be easier to shop for than others, we hope our annual Gift Guides can help add a couple of new worthwhile ideas to the list, and maybe provide the perfect gift for someone that they didn’t know they were missing.
For this year’s gift guides, we’re once again starting small(er) with Stocking Stuffers, and over the next couple of weeks we will work our way up to some of the larger potential gift ideas — though we all know that what we really want is good days in the mountains spent with good company. Happy Holidays!
Looking for something a bit bigger? See our picks for gifts that’d be great under the tree
(We've updated this post with several new additions below)
Super Salve Cozy Pack
$12.95
Kara Williard: Not to brag too much, but my medicinal salve game is always on lock. Sunscreen, skin rashes, bumps, or bruises, I’ve got you covered. And typically, this comes in the form of always having the four salves offered in this packable “Cozy Pack” on my person for most travel and adventures.
Super Salve is a company that offers a huge range of products, and all the ones I’ve tried have been super impressive. The Cozy Salve pack includes four different salves in 0.5-oz containers, which is an optimal size to bring on adventures even when you are packing light. This includes their Sun Salve, which works wonders as a sunscreen and lip balm for long days in the mountains. The pack also features their Arnica Muscle Salve which is great for sore muscles; the Super Salve, which is multi-purpose and seems to help on pretty much any rash or skin irritation; and lastly, the Calendula salve which is mild and great for hydrating and repairing skin.
This versatile mix offers almost everything you need when outside, is easy to pack, and definitely ups the level of first aid when it comes to skin irritations.
For someone who is looking for a wide assortment of salves that can cover a huge range of needs out in the field, the Super Salve Super Pack is the perfect gift.
Reserve Fillmore Valves
MSRP: $50
David Golay: I’m a big fan of the philosophy of striving to gift things that a loved one is unlikely to buy for themselves, but that will make their life easier or better in some way. And through that lens, the Reserve Fillmore tubeless valves are a great gift.
Yes, there are many, many tubeless valves that cost less than $50. But the Fillmore ones are legitimately much nicer to use than standard Presta valves, especially when it comes to seating tubeless tires. My overall take on them hasn’t changed one bit since my review last year — and I’ve been using a bunch of pairs continuously since then. They’re great. I’ll grant that I probably swap tires more than most folks in my capacity as a bike-gear reviewer, but the Fillmore valves make the process easier and less messy, and for those reasons, they’re totally worth the money in my book.
Dylan Wood: Yep, I also wanted to add this to our Stocking Stuffers list this year. After putting Reserve’s Fillmore valves on my personal bike more than a year ago, I now have a few sets that I’ll put on just about every bike I am reviewing. They are way, way better than Presta valves in terms of not clogging up, adding sealant with ease, and seating a tubeless tire without needing a special floor pump. If you want to give a gift to someone who runs a tubeless setup on their bicycle, this is a very safe bet.
Hanayama Puzzles
MSRP: $10-15
Jed Doane: I’ve received several of these beautiful cast puzzles from Hanayama as gifts over the years, and I absolutely love them. They have a wide range in terms of difficulty, with some taking me several months of intermittent effort to solve. Absent the fun of solving them, they’re cast from a smooth metal and are very artistically designed. They’re also fun after solving — I generally just leave a few on my coffee table and friends invariably end up engrossed in a puzzle when visiting.
SPY Bewilder Happy Screen Glasses
MSRP: $90
Kara Williard: I wrote about Spy’s Happy Screen Glasses in Stuff We Like: April 2022, and have used the Bewilder Happy Screen Glasses a lot more since then. I’m no optometrist, but the best testament I can provide is that I definitely notice a difference after long days in front of the computer. These glasses noticeably reduce my tendency to squint or strain my eyes the longer I stare at a computer, and in the instances when I don’t wear them over the course of a long day, I have also noticed that it can be a bit hard to unwind when heading to bed. The first pair of blue light glasses I had were on the cheaper side, and while I do think they made some difference, the SPY Happy Screen versions have made a more significant difference in regard to eye strain, headaches, and my ability to relax after staring at a screen all day. If you have a loved one who spends a lot of time in front of a computer, I think SPY’s Happy Screen glasses are a great gift option.
Blister x John Fellows Shirts
MSRP: $30
Luke Koppa: Yeah, this one is obviously super biased, but I think our friend and local Crested Butte artist, John Fellows, nailed the artwork for these tees. And they’re super, super soft. As someone who’s notoriously opposed to wearing branded merch, I’ve been happily wearing this shirt since we got the shipment, which is very high praise.
TRP Hose Cutter & Barb Press
MSRP: $18
David Golay: While we’re talking about things to make bike maintenance tasks easier, the TRP Hose Cutter & Barb Press is another worthy stocking stuffer. As the name would suggest, it’s a tool for trimming hydraulic brake hoses and installing the barbed fitting into the end. The cutting portion of the program works well, but it’s the barb press that really makes this one worthwhile. If you’ve ever struggled to hold onto a brake hose while trying to shove the barb into the end, you know that it can be tough. The TRP tool makes it much, much easier. One lever clamps the hose (and includes a screw so that you can tighten it down super securely, without having to rely on grip strength); a second lever smoothly presses the barb in. It’s simple, super easy to use, and makes light work of a task that can be really annoying without the right tools. If you’re looking for a gift for someone who likes to work on their own bike (or is a full-on bike mechanic), this is a great option.
Bivo Metal Cycling Bottles
MSRP: $39 (21 oz)
Kara Williard: Plastic bottles seem to be the norm for biking, primarily cause they’re lightweight and flexible, but mine seem to always end up kinda gross after a few years (despite frequent cleaning). Until recently, I figured they were the only option, but then I started using Bivo Metal Cycling Bottles. Considering they’re made with (medical-grade) silicone-coated stainless steel, they are pretty amazingly lightweight.
Additionally, the flow design of Bivo bottles makes it so easy to get plenty of fluid with very little effort. It’s definitely a “high-flow” design, which can take a little getting used to, but once the nozzle is open and you turn the bottle upside down, the fluid flows easily without actually having to suck or squeeze, which I ended up preferring to traditional plastic bottles. So far, the Bivo bottles have been durable, easy to clean, and really nice to use on and off the bike.
If you know someone who is trying to get away from plastic, or just needs a good bike bottle that is lightweight and durable, Bivo bottles are worth a look. Plus, they have tons of fun colors to choose from, and the silicone outer coating keeps rattling in bottle cages to a minimum.
Tentree The 5” Boxer Brief
MSRP: $35.00 ($24.50 at time of writing)
Jed Doane: A good pair of boxers goes a very long way, and I’m always very happy to receive them as a gift. This super-soft option from Tentree is one of my favorites. Made from a Tencel/cotton hybrid, I’ve found that they provide enough support, are quite cool on hotter days, have a comfortable pouch design, and are a nice length.
Most importantly, they are incredibly soft and incredibly comfortable, and have edged out merino wool as my favorite daily driver.
Floyd’s of Leadville Sleep Formula CBD Soft Gels
MSRP: $75
Dylan Wood: Getting good sleep is one of the top priorities of my life, and sometimes hours on end staring at a computer without exercise can hamper that. Since I’ve been less active this past mud season (aka, late-fall / early-winter), I’ve been taking Floyd’s of Leadville’s Sleep Formula CBD Soft Gels to help me get restful sleep.
To be clear, and despite what Jonathan thought for about a year, I don’t smoke weed nor take edibles; it’s just not my thing. But I was really impressed with some CBD balm that I got a couple of years ago, and I’ve enjoyed occasionally taking CBD gummies to get knocked out at bedtime.
I’ve been taking Floyd’s 50 mg Sleep Formula CBD Soft Gels before bed for the past two weeks, and I’ve been very impressed with the deep, restful sleep it gives me with no noticeable downsides. So if someone in your life could use some help getting good sleep, consider gifting them some Sleep Formula CBD Softgels from Floyd’s of Leadville.
Luke Koppa: While I think the benefits of CBD are often overstated — mostly, I just want to see more verified research come out as to what it physically does — I can say that for me personally, it helps me stay asleep. I’ve been using Floyd’s Full-Spectrum CBD Tincture daily, right before bed, for several years now, and it’s made a big difference for me personally. I used to almost always wake multiple times throughout the night, but that issue has been nearly eliminated since I started taking 10-25 mg before bed. I’ve tried melatonin (and CBD products with melatonin), and that gets me to fall asleep quickly, but then I wake up totally alert a few hours later; no issues with that with regular ‘ole CBD. I don’t know nearly enough to say which brand is better than others, and there are certainly tons of CBD companies out there, but Floyd’s is what I’ve been using for years and I’m a big fan. And while it’s not sleep-specific, the tincture route is usually the best option in terms of bang for the buck.
Biolite Alpenglow 250
MSRP: $59.95 ($46.94 at time of writing)
Jed Doane: This little lantern has been one of my favorite all-purpose gadgets over the past few years. It has several light options including a warm tone and multiple colors, and it packs a big punch for how small it is. There’s also a 500-lumen option that is brighter and has a few more features, but might be a touch too big for a stocking.
I also like that the Alpenglow 250 acts as a battery pack to charge phones, headlamps, etc. I’ve even started bringing it as backup lighting on international trips where power outages are common. It’s tiny, useful, well-designed, and not too expensive.
Wells Lamont Hydrahyde Working Crew Lobster Mitts
MSRP: $59.99
Luke Koppa: A good pair of winter gloves has been indispensable throughout my life, from shoveling the driveway to ice fishing to daily laps at Mt. Crested Butte. I’ve now tried a whole bunch of them, and personally, I think full-leather gloves with no waterproof membrane are ideal for most cold places where you’re not dealing with super wet snow. More often than not, my hands are getting wet more from sweat than snow, so forgoing a clammy membrane usually leaves my hands drier, warmer, and more comfortable. And leather has historically been far more durable in my experience than any synthetic material.
Currently, my go-to pair is the Wells Lamont Hydrahyde Worker Crew Lobster Mitt (that’s a mouthful…). Despite their long name, they’re pretty simple — full cowhide exterior, 100-g Thinsulate insulation, fleece interior, snug knit wrist to keep out snow, and a removable wrist strap.
They’re also not wildly expensive, and compared to even cheaper alternatives (Kinco) the Wells Lamont leather is way more supple and comfortable. Despite that, my pair is currently looking great after roughly 80 days of use, which is around when I’ve had other several other gloves start to tear / fail. I’d say they’re about average in terms of warmth for a ski glove / lobster mitt; I’ve comfortably skied in them down to about 10°F / -12°C, but I don’t immediately overheat when it’s several degrees above freezing. So far, they’re performing very similarly to my old Hestra Leather Fall Line Mitts, but for less than half the price.
In short, I think these are awesome gloves that are an excellent deal, given their durability, comfort, and overall performance.
PACT Outdoor Bathroom Kit
MSRP: $50
Kristin Sinnott: The PACT Outdoor Bathroom kit is about as un-sexy of a gift that you could give, but when nature calls, this kit will make life a lot easier. I purchased the Bathroom Kit for a long road trip through some sparsely populated and vegetation-free states. If you’ve road tripped in the desert since the pandemic, you’ve likely encountered some pretty nasty pullouts – when there are no rest areas for hundreds of miles sh*t happens and people don’t always dispose of it correctly. We have carried a child potty in the back of our vehicle since my son started potty training, but since getting the bathroom kit, we rarely put that one to use. With a functional shovel, some mushroom discs, and a wet towel, the kit is way more convenient to use than toting around a dirty toddler potty. We use the kit on road trips, hikes, and once we even used it on a river trip. If we can find a public restroom, we use it, but when my 4yo needs to go, he needs to go and the kit has saved us numerous times.
Outdoor Element Firebiner & OmniTensil
MSRP: $14.95 (Firebiner) & $34.95 (OmniTensil)
Kristin Sinnott: The Firebiner is a fire-starting multitool carabiner. It’s well designed and while there are a lot of tools including a screwdriver, bottle opener, utility blade, screwdriver, and an EverSpark wheel built into the carabiner, there isn’t much added weight. I throw the Firebiner on the outside of my pack when I head out for a hike. For the car or pack, the Firebiner makes for a nice stocking stuffer.
Luke Koppa: I’ll second this — I usually have a carabiner or two with me at all times, so having one that does more than just attach things to other things is a huge bonus. And as Kristin noted, the Firebiner is still really light and doesn’t compromise its basic carabiner functionality (it’s not rated for climbing) in order to cram in more tools / functions.
And while we’re talking about Outdoor Element, I’ll also recommend their Omni-Tensil kit. It’s become a go-to of mine for camping, since it combines a fork, spoon, toothbrush, and chopsticks into a single toolset that rolls up and stows in its own pack towel.
The bases of each tool are made of anodized 7075 aluminum which I expect to last a long time, while the toothbrush and chopsticks are made of bamboo. Despite still being terrible at using them to actually deliver food to my face, I have come to love chopsticks for camping since they’re great for stirring, mixing, etc. without scraping cookware, and being able to combine them with the option for a more traditional fork and spoon is super convenient when I don’t want to keep track of a bunch of utensils. For any person who frequently camps, backpacks, or just travels a lot, it’d be a great gift.
Leukotape P
MSRP: $8-$15
Drew Kelly: Recently I’ve found myself looking for effective blister treatment / prevention. Most of the typical choices, from moleskin to KT tape, duct tape, etc. have been prone to peeling, or not sticking when cold or wet. A friend experienced in the diverse challenges and conditions afforded in the world of adventure racing recommended Leukotape P. And, unsurprisingly, she nailed it with this recommendation. Besides its efficacy, it also happens to last longer and be a little cheaper than many other options. So if someone you know has new touring boots or running shoes that are bringing up some hotspots, give Leukotape P a try.
Blackstrap Hood Balaclava
MSRP: $37.99
Luke Koppa: I always wear some sort of hood / balaclava / neck gaiter-y thing when I’m skiing, mostly to keep my hair from getting everywhere and grabbing on the interior of my helmet, but also to keep my face a bit more sheltered from the cold, wind, snow, and sun. Currently, Blackstrap’s original Hood Balaclava is my favorite. This is in large part because of its patterning — it’s not just a tube, but actually conforms to the neck / head to minimize bulk under other layers. If I’m wearing a balaclava, it also pretty much has to be a hinged design, cause I tend to pull it up and down a whole lot, and doing so with just a fixed opening doesn’t work great and tends to accelerate wear. The Hood’s fabric is also a nice middle ground — not stiflingly warm, but substantial enough to add a bit of warmth on frigid, blustery days. And despite being a synthetic fabric, it does an admirable job of resisting odor buildup. On top of all that, Blackstrap’s Hood is both milled and sewn in the U.S.
Walton Wood Farms Sugar Coat It Lip Scrub
MSRP: $10.95
Kristin Sinnott: I first wrote about the Sugar Coat It Lip Scrub in the September 2022 edition of our monthly “Stuff We Like Series.” Think of the Lip Scrub as a body scrub designed specifically for your lips. The Sugar Coat It Lip Scrub is 100% natural, made with sugar, shea butter, jojoba seed oil, peppermint oil, glycerin, lemon peel oil, and Vitamin E. It smells wonderful and makes my lips look and feel soft and smooth.
I live in a high, dry climate and I frequently apply lip balms, but the Lip Scrub is like a spa treatment for my lips, hydrating them more thoroughly all in less than a minute. If you or someone you are shopping for struggles with dry, dull, or cracked lips, I highly recommend checking out the Lip Scrub.
Milwaukee 8-in-1 Ratcheting Screwdriver and Bit Set
MSRP: $17.99
Drew Kelly: Based on my stocking stuffer ideas, you can probably tell ski touring, despite persisting early season conditions, has had a pull on me. An essential in every backcountry pack is a small, lightweight, and versatile repair kit. I haven’t liked the many small separate bits and pieces I often see recommended in other field repair kits, and so, with the help of an Ace Hardware employee / backcountry user, I found this 8-in-1 tool, which has been a much better setup for me. You can store all the bits in the handle, you can buy more or longer bits if needed, and it takes up a negligible amount of space in a pack. And maybe $18 is too much? — you can get the same thing minus the ratchet function for $4. Either price is definitely worth the avoided tragedy of misadjusted bindings or broken boots.
First Ascent Coffee
MSRP: $5–$30
Luke Koppa: High-quality coffee can be a great gift for a lot of people, but high-quality instant coffee has historically been a whole lot harder to find. I love First Ascent’s regular fresh-roasted coffee beans ($15–$22 per bag), but their instant coffee is also excellent. I was blown away the first time I tried it, being accustomed to the either flavorless or punch-you-in-the-face-flavor of other instants. For anyone who loves coffee but doesn’t always have the option of brewing it the old-fashioned way, I can’t recommend First Ascent’s coffee enough. Fun fact: one astronaut is such a big fan of it that they had some shipped to the International Space Station! You can learn more about First Ascent in our CRAFTED episode with them.
Minus33 100% Merino Wool Ridge Cuff Beanie – Midweight
MSRP: $22.99
Kristin Sinnott: I’ve been wearing the Ridge Cuff Beanie for the past year and I have to say, I’m a fan. The beanie comes in 20 different colors, is lightweight, is long enough to wear as a slouch beanie or to fold for a watch-cap style, and is 100% merino wool. The cap is not itchy and it’s not too tight, and honestly, the more I look at the different color options, the more I want to order another one. I pack this hat when traveling, camping, hiking, or heading to the mountain for a day of skiing.
Is there a size chart for the John Fellows Shirts?
I’ve been using that Milwaukee 8-in-1 screwdriver for years and it has become the first screwdriver my wife and I both reach for around the house. One of my best impulse purchases, and highly recommended.