Wellness gifts for the fitness junkie
You know the type: Never misses a workout. Can hold court on which fitness trackers is best. Brags about resting heart-rate trends. If you’ve got one of these types on your holiday gift list, look no further for the perfect gift:
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Tech-friendly leggings
File under “What took them so long?†Varley is known for making flattering leggings. But these, with a smartphone pocket on the leg, are equally convenient for the gym or errands. $110. varley.com
Fun run sunglasses
Sunglasses that don’t slip or bounce are a great gift, but do they have to be so darn ugly and expensive? The under $30 colorful polarized shades with UV400 protection and fun names such as “Donkey Goggles†and “Gardening with a Kraken†are the solution. $25. playgoodr.com
Heart-rate headphones
The Jabra Elite Sport wireless earbuds will serve up your favorite workout playlists cord-free and provide in-ear heart-rate tracking, fitness testing, coaching, mileage, and even rep counting through the Jabra Sport app. The charging case delivers an impressive 4.5 hours of play. $249.99. bestbuy.com
A gym bag for everything
Part handbag, part gym bag, the Dash Dot Infinity tote is stylish, but more important, it’s lightweight and functional with a separate compartment for shoes, a laptop pouch, snap-out pouch that turns into a cross-body purse, and laundry bag to keep sweaty clothes contained. $198. godashdot.com
Light-as-air
With its breathable low-profile sock upper, springy light pressure-set foam sole, and special heel cradle designed to prevent irritation, the Reebok Floatride Run is perfect for cushioning the impact of those half marathons. $150. reebok.com
Post-workout soak
Relax body and mind with Herbivore’s Calm and Detox bath salts, containing Pacific sea salt infused with essential oils such as lavender, ylang ylang and eucalyptus, along with detoxifying Cambrian Blue Clay to ease sinus troubles and sore muscles. $32. herbivorebotanicals.com
Space-saving weights
Wouldn’t it be better to have just one set of adjustable weights rather than a dozen dumbbells scattered across your floor? These PowerBlock dumbbells adjust from 5 to 50 pounds in a flash. Plus they can be expanded with additional weight if your favorite weight lifter makes serious gains. $299.99. dickssportinggoods.com
Feel-good hiking layer
When the temps dip, the shearling-style fleece on this Patagonia Retro Pile Vest is all you’ll need to keep you warm on your hike. Made with Fair Trade-certified sewing, it feels good in more ways than one. $119. patagonia.com
No poof, no chafe
Oiselle’s Roga shorts — available in short and long versions — are the rare breed of running shorts that don’t poof or chafe, with their yoga pant-style waistband, flatlocked inseams, stretch material and back zipper pocket. Starting at $48. oiselle.com
At-home rebounder
Trampoline workouts are hot again and this BarreAmped Bundle from Jumpsport provides both ballet barre and highly rated rebounder, along with instruction from top trainer Suzanne Bowen. $339. jumpsport.com
Soft wool workout T
Merino wool is an unexpected multitasker in workout clothes. It’s breathable, odor-absorbing and thermoregulating, meaning that it keeps you cool in the summer and warm in chilly weather. $75. outdoorvoices.com
Retro cool sweat jacket
Take her hoodie game up a notch with Beyond Yoga’s Kate Spade fleece-lined feminine bomber jacket with varsity-striped cuffs and collar and bow-trimmed pockets. It’s the perfect post-studio layer. $220. beyondyoga.com
A sleep savior
Know someone with trouble sleeping? Give them the Nightingale, a plug-in ambient sound machine that uses a proprietary sound “blanket†controlled by app to reflect snore-stopping sound off bedroom walls and get them to bed 38% faster. The device also integrates with other smart home devices such as Hue, Nest and Ring. $149. meetnightingale.com
No bounce waist pack
This ain’t your momma’s fanny pack. The Fitbelt’s spandex waist-sized design lays flat to blend in with your workout clothes and keeps those keys, phone, I.D., and even a contoured 11-ounce water bottle in place during your workout. $34.99. flipbelt.com
Shake, rattle & roller
A foam roller that vibrates. The Hyperice Vyper 2.0 is one of those “Why didn’t I think of that?†products that make sense, combining the beneficial effects of vibration and foam rolling into a compact, do-it yourself massage therapy tool that proponents say may aid athletic performance and speed up recovery time. The cordless device has three vibration speeds, controlled by a single on-off button. $200. hyperice.com
Camping hammock
The Kammock Wallaby, which helped kick-start the hot camping-hammock market, weighs just 10 ounces and can fit in your pocket when stored. It is made of micro-light diamond ripstop fabric that can support a 400-pounder. $65. Straps, $29. kammock.com
Waterproof sound
The EcoPebble is a waterproof bluetooth speaker that can float, mount on handlebars and be clipped to a backpack. The 5-watt, half-pound, 2.9-inch, octagon includes a nylon lanyard, carabineer clip and camera screw mount. You can take calls with it when paired with your smart phone. $59.99. ecoxgear.com
Pop-top bottoms
Let no brew go unopened after a surfing sesh! The Boardshort Bottle Opener is a board short with a built-in bottle opener attached to the inside pocket. And if you’re a fisherman, two models comes with plier pockets. $48. bboshorts.com
Legs for miles
Many runners buy expensive compression socks in the belief that it keeps their calf muscles strong and cramp-free. CEP’s Nighttech Socks also keep you safe, adding reflector dots that car drivers can’t miss at night. $65. cepcompression.com
Penthouse camp view
This is old-style camping: Grab the tent out of the trunk and spend 15-20 minutes struggling to put it together with poles and stakes. This is new-style camping: Pull up to your campsite, stand on a step ladder, reach to the top of your roof and swing open your tent like the big horizontal door. Yep, it automatically builds itself in 30 seconds. Tepui, a leader in the suddenly popular roof-top tent category, includes a built-in foam mattress, a canopy and detachable rain fly. Starting at $850 for a two-person tent. tepuitents.com
Clean water, instantly
You never run out of drinkable water on a long hike into the woods with the Katadyn BeFree, a flexible, collapsible water bottle with a built-in filter. Its EZ-Clean Membrane removes 99.99% of harmful bacteria, surpassing EPA standards. Open the bottle, remove the lid, scoop-up some questionable river water, and drink. The flask packs down small to fit in tight spaces, like pant or jacket pockets, purses and cycling jerseys. $39.95. katadyn.com
Outsmart thieves
Built with multiple layers of 3/4-inch-wide high-temper steel and Kevlar and coated in durable plastic. The super-light (120-235g) Ottolock combination bike lock is billed as being more cut-resistant than a cable lock and lighter than a U-lock. Starting at $55. ottodesignworks.com
Smart baseball bat
Is baseball the way you stay fit? The hits keep coming with the Old Hickory MT27 Smart Bat, which helps you improve your swing with data gathered by a sensor embedded in the handle that measures hand speed and impact. The data is transmitted to a coaching app in your smartphone that offers tips from big leaders like Anaheim Angels star Mike Trout, who partnered with sensor-developer Zepp. Starting at $305. oldhickorybats.com/
Body-heat eats
Backpacking light and can’t carry a stove? No problem with the Crotch Pot, which uses your body heat to warm up your grub. It works like this: Put water and a single serving of dehydrated food into a Ziploc bag, insert that into a thin outer bag with clips on it, then clip the bag in place inside your pants next to the area that generates the body’s highest heat: Your crotch. As you hike on, your “oven†temperature rises and the food cooks. Or, at least, warms up somewhat. $19. gossamergear.com
Barely there camp seat
A lot of backpacking chairs fold up compactly. The aluminum-framed, 510-gram Helinox Chair Zero almost disappears, breaking down to the size of a water bottle. But it’s tough, able to support a 265-pound body 11 inches off the ground. $119. helinox.com