Holiday Gift Guide: Top gifts under $50
The present-giving aspect of the holidays for some is more than half the fun. They think of what special little item to give waaay in advance. We here at Backcountry Skiing Canada are not those people. We tend to procrastinate and scramble at the last minute—hoping that the presents we buy for our loved ones will be appreciated. We are also all about giving, and getting, gear. And the occasional book.
It’s in the spirit of this procrastination (and holiday giving, of course) that we provide you with our first-ever Holiday Gift Guide. We’ll break it into three categories. Less than $50, between $50 and $100 and more than $100. We’ll roll it out over a few days. First up—under $50.
Top Gifts under $50
These days, this level is considered low-tier. For people you like, but not that much. The good news?--we’ve assembled a wonderful selection of items for the backcountry dude or dudette on your list. There’s really no need to drop a whack of cash. Sometimes it’s the little things that can make the biggest impression. At this price point, you can give more things to more people. We hope they’ll love these items as much as we do.
Black Diamond Iota Headlamp
The Iota Headlamp is Black Diamond’s smallest, brightest (150 lumens), lightest, rechargeable (by USB) headlamp. The lithium ion rechargeable battery has an average burn time on high power of three hours. Use PowerTap Technology to transition between full and dimmed strength in order to save power. It’s small enough to toss in your ski touring or climbing pack as you never know when you’ll need it--when you do, you’ll be glad to have it.
Find out more here.
Price: $39.95 US
Colours: Salt Water, Denim, Octane, Nickel, Black
Lumens: 150
Batteries:Rechargeable lithium ion
Weight: 56g / 1.9oz (With Batteries)
DryGuy Force Dry
Wet gear sucks, but it happens—especially if you’re sweating it out on the skin track. To prevent stink and bacteria growth in your ski boots, shoes and gloves use the DryGuy Force Dry unit. It’s a quick and easy way dry your gear after every use. A built-in timer lets you set it and forget it. The Force Dry gently circulates warm air through the two drying stacks, drying anything you put over them. There’s no excuse for wet, smelly gear anymore.
Find out more here.
Price: $50 US
Power: 120V AC Household Outlet, 240 Watts
Max. Temperature: 105°F / 40.5°C
Dimensions: : 8.75" x 10.5" x 4.5"
Weight: 3.25 lbs
Warranty: 1 year
Platypus Meta Bottle Microfilter
This is a cool concept—it’s a water bottle with a built-in filtration system. It’s not suited for filtering lots of water at a time but it’s perfect for day hikes or ski tours where you aren’t sure about the water quality and you didn’t pack enough. The hollow fibre filter is effective against protozoa and bacteria and, because the bottom half is made of squishy material, the bottle shrinks to half its full size for packing. Cool.
Find out more here.
Colours: blue or grey
Size: 1 litre
Weight: 240g
Big Agnes mtnGLO Accessory Light Kit
No one likes to be in the dark so brighten things up on your next camping trip with the Big Agnes mtnGLO Accessory Light Kit. A series of durable LED lights easily illuminate the interior of your tent or campsite. Hang out with friends or give the kids peace of mind without blinding them with a bright beam of light. The light kit is a 100"/254cm long strand of LED lights incased in lightweight nylon tubing. It’s powered by three AAA batteries but can also be connected to any USB source. When not in use the neoprene travel case keeps them organized and safe.
Find out more here.
Price: $39.95 US
Therm-a-rest Down Pillow
You know how you think you’ll be OK just stuffing your clothes together to make a pillow when you are in a hut or tent? You know how you never really are OK? Enter the down pillow from Therm-a-rest. It’s super compressible and remarkably lightweight. Great for the tent, hut or couch surfing. Made with drool-proof Nikwax hydrophobic down.
Find out more here.
Price: $29.95 US
Sizes: Regular and large
Colours: Blue and grey
Weight (reg): 4g/113oz
Bolle Amp Black Robot Goggles with Vermillion lens
This one's for the Groms out there, a pair of junior goggle from Bolle which features flow-tech venting and a P80+ anti-fog coating so things never fog up on you. Double Vermillion lens has a high contrast view of the world that’ll work in both sunny and overcast weather. Be ‘Black Robot cool’ and keep your eye on the landing with the new Bolle Amp Goggles.
Find out more here.
Nikwax Hardshell Duo Pack
Nikwax has been around for over 40 years and it’s the trusted go-to for re-waterproofing your jacket and pants. It’s safe and effective, and should be a part of your yearly pre-season ritual. The Nikwax Hardshell Duo Pack contains a 300ml bottle of Tech Wash and TX.Direct. Tech Wash is a soap-based cleaner which can be used to clean clothing and equipment without damaging the Durable Water Repellent (DWR) coatings. After cleaning your gear use Nikwax TX.Direct to add water-repellency and revive breathability.
Find out more here.
Volume: 300ml / 10oz x2
Patagonia Provisions Miir Food Canister
Nothing quite like a 16oz hit of chili or hearty soup halfway through a big day in the backcountry. The Miir is small enough that it’s easy to chuck in your pack. I’ve found that filling it up about ⅘ full delivers optimal results. Double walled and vacuum insulated, it keeps hot foods hot for six hours and cool stuff cool for 12. Short, stout and nice to look at. Bring it along.
Find out more here.
Colours: black and white
Weight: 387g, 13.5 Oz
Montana Fly Company Stainless Steel Hip Flask
What’s a camping trip or backcountry ski tour with out a little shot of something smooth to keep you going or celebrate a summit. The eight-ounce BPA-free Montana Fly stainless steel hip flask is just what you need. It fits easily into ski pants or jacket pockets, and is perfect for toasting, well, anything.
Find out more here.
Price: $30 US
Material: Stainless Steel
Mont Bell Trail Action Balaclava
Mother Nature never co-operates when she’s supposed to. So when you head out in the backcountry and the mercury is set to plummet, take along the Trail Action Balaclava. With a smooth, stretchy fabric it’s ideal for under a ski helmet, it’ll keep you warmer and also wicking away any moisture.
Find out more here.
Colours: Black, Chestnut
Sizes: S/M, M/L
Fabric: Stretch CLIMAPLUS™ (47% Nylon + 36% Polyester + 17% Polyurethane)
Arc’teryx Castlegar Toque
Work your swag with this wool/acrylic blend toque from Canadian backcountry powerhouse, Arc’teryx. Suitable for the uptrack or the club, the Castlegar’s ample size and poly fleece headband merges your needs of design and function. Just don’t try and fly in or out of this hat’s namesake in the winter. You might get Cancelgared.
Find out more here.
Price: $40 CAN
Colours: five to choose from
Materials: Wool, acrylic
GSI Destination Kitchen Set 24
If you’re like most people you have a huge Tupperware which contains all of you car camping cooking utensils. They’re typically unorganized and a mess. No more with the GSI Destination Kitchen Set 24. It contains: Mini Cheese Grater, Collapsible Whisk, Pivot Spoon, Pivot Spatula, Utility Knife, 12 pc. Cutlery Set, Salt + Pepper Shaker Spicer, 2 Soft Sided Condiment Containers, Cutting Board, Scrubber and Camp Towel all in a durable ballistic nylon outer case. Now that sounds easy!
Pieces: 24
Size: 297 x 196 x 89mm / 11.7 x 7.7 x 3.5"
Weight: 799g / 28.2oz
Materials: Copolyester, Nylon 6-6, Acetal, Polyethylene
For gift on a slightly bigger budget, click on over here to see our top holiday gifts $50-$100, or click here for gifts $100+.