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A Gift Guide for the Outdoorsy Person in Your Life
Hike! The herald angels sing, Back again, for more gifting,Peace on trails, and weather mild,Gear and backpack reconciled. Its that time of year, where I embrace the season and make some lists of gear gifts for the outdoor lover in your life. Last year, I listed out my personal top ten gift ideas, and this year I turned to Instagram and asked what your top gift ideas are. Gear Gifts & Kits 1. Water FiltersThere are several options: I have the the Platypus Quickdraw Filter; theres the MiniWorks EX Microfilter from MSR; and you can also get ones to fit specific bottles, like the Salomon Soft Flask filter. One of the most famous filters that Ive seen mostly people from the USA use is the Sawyer Filter. 2. Repair & Care KitsA really great recommendation! Quite often, those were buying for will know the very specific kit they need to get, and so it can be hard to buy the right thing. But the kit they have always needs to be cared for! You can get a GoreTex Patching Kit for waterproofs; for their sleeping mats, there is the instant field repair kit, and the permanent home repair kit; a neoprene repair kit for the water-sports lovers; a down wash kit for taking care of jackets or sleeping bags; gear cleaner; footwear care kits - the lists go on! 3. A New Head TorchTying in to my recent piece on how to choose a head torch - if you live somewhere that has long, dark winters, a head torch will always be used! Read about the factors to consider when buying a torch here. In general, the three things to consider are: is it at least 500 Lumens; does it have rechargeable/changeable batteries; and is it weather resistant? 4. Maps!There is nothing as nice as a good map (at least, to some people!). If youre looking to buy maps, consider getting laminated maps, as they can withstand the harsh weather. In Ireland, the two options are OSI Discovery Series Maps, or EastWest Mapping. 5. Hiking SocksThe thing that feels cliche, but will always be appreciated, is a good pair of socks! My personal favourite brands are Darn Tough, 1000 Miles, and SmartWool. They all do marino blends for their socks, a personal requirement for new socks for me. And there are so many options - you can get thick, traditional hiking socks; thin liners; or even waterproof socks from SealSkinz!Waterproof socks are a fun gift as theyre something that many people wont consider buying for themselves, but would love to try. I can attest, it's a strange sensation when you feel the water flooding your shoes, but arent actually getting wet. 6. A Gift Voucher for their local Outdoor ShopLocal outdoor shops are great! Theyre spaces for us to see things in person, talk about the pros and cons of different systems, and just get inspired for adventure. Weve worked with Great Outdoors in Dublin for nine years and really value these kinds of long term relationships. Wherever you are, check out whats close to you, and support local! A new Irish outdoors shop option is Spur Outdoors. Spur Outdoors are in the second hand gear market, buying and selling used outdoor gear to create a more sustainable cycle and extending the life of things that are made to last. I love everything thats working to make the outdoors affordable and sustainable, and so wanted to give these guys a special shout out! 7. Shokz Bone Conducting HeadphonesThis one is a personal recommendation. During the summer Carl got me a pair of Shokz for my birthday, and Ive really enjoyed them. Theyre bone-conducting headphones, meaning that theres nothing physically in your ears when your out and about, allowing you to hear whats around you. Whether walking in a forest and wanting to absorb the sounds of nature, or are running and want to know if theres a car coming up the road, Ive found these extremely useful! The OpenRun model (not the pro version), has an IP67 rating, which means Im not afraid of any weather ruining them too! I got the OpenRun mini, as it had a shorter head band. Outdoor Inspired Gifts8. Outdoor Experiences In the last 5 years, saunas have become a much more common occurrence in Ireland - and rightly so! Our cold weather works so well with the heat of a sauna, and I think they can be a fantastic way to relax.Whether its up-skilling for adventure, or looking for a guide, there are so many people in Ireland offering fantastic services. A couple that Ive had the pleasure of working with are: Hike & Climb: up-skilling and rock climbingFia Mountaineering: up-skillingKerry Climbing: up-skilling and guidingTwo Rock Outdoors: up-skilling and guidingShe Summits: trail runningStride Ireland: ups-killing and guidingRock Ready Outdoors: rock climbingAdventure Burn: up-skilling, guided hiking and rock climbingGalz Gone Wild: guided hikes in Ireland and abroadEat Sleep Trail Run: trail running camps in the south of FranceTrails & Roots: trail running camps around the worldAnd on a personal note - I won a Trails & Roots giveaway on instagram, and will be joining them on one of their international trips in January! I absolutely love this company, I couldnt believe I won. Ill let you know how it goes once it comes around9. Nature Inspired Jewellery - The Wandering GoldsmithLeika creates gorgeous handmade jewellery here in Ireland, with so much of her work inspired by nature! Something that reminds someone of a favourite outdoor spot, in clear or subtle ways, can be a really lovely gift. The Wandering Goldsmith Website - Instagram10. Nature Inspired Prints - Storehouse Arts Based in Co. Wicklow, a lot of the work of Storehouse Arts reflects the natural beauty of the Garden County. Youll find lino printed greeting cards, and county high point maps, along with the rivers and mountains of Ireland.Storehouse Arts Website - Instagram11. Nature Inspired Scents - Be Kind IncenseWhile walking St. Kevins Way I stayed in An Teachain Beag, where the owner Belle gave me some incense inspired by the trail! The first scent from Be Kind that Ive tried, they have a whole range inspired by different parts of Wicklow, and other areas of Ireland. Be Kinds Wicklow inspired collection. View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize Outdoor BooksBooks are my second passion, which works well when I cant go outdoors. Here are some of my favourite books from this year, and of all time: The Wildflowers of Ireland: A Field Guide by Zoe Devlin The Hike Life: My Favourite 50 Hikes in Ireland by Rozanna Purcell (book 1)The Hike Life: 50 More to Explore by Rozanna Purcell (book 2)Wanderlust: A history of walking by Rebecca SolnitA field guide to getting lost by Rebecca Solnit Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize I hope youve found some inspiration, and have a lovely festive season ahead of you. Never forget, despite all Ive just written, its not all about spending money. Wishing you all peace on trails, and weather mild. Here is the youtube video version of this article
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