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Gifts for Gearheads

© Karen E. Lynn

Gearheads. Every sport has them. They prattle on about fiber content, lightweight metals, GPS technology, and gortex. It’s a little annoying to the garden-variety hiker, but gearheads have their place in the world. They research new products because they enjoy it. They subscribe to industry magazines. They field test gear because they are jazzed about the prospects of enhancing their experience outdoors. Purists argue that too much “stuff” subtracts from discovering the true joys of the wilderness. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, if you have a gearhead on your Holiday gift list, you have an easy person to shop for.

GPS

This is an acronym for Global Positioning Satellite. It tells you exactly where you are on the earth’s crust by utilizing satellites in space. Wild, huh? There have been improvements since the first ones hit the market a few years ago. Getting a read on where you are is easier, and they have become much more user friendly (you no longer need an engineering degree to use it). Beyond pinpointing your location, it also utilizes base maps and established trails, tracks top and average speed of the user, distance, as well as time of sunrise and sunset. They are a pricey little toy ranging from $100-$300.

Headlamps

I admit, my brother got me one of these years ago, and I thought it was a gag gift. I mean they really do look ridiculous. I used it as a substitute for a real flashlight one year while camping. We got to camp late, and were forced to assemble the tent in the black New Hampshire night. I held the headlamp while I tried to unpack the tent. I finally decided to throw it on my head so I could work. I was amazed at how easy it was to direct the light with a simple turn of the head, and have complete hands free capabilities. Now I use that little headlamp for everything! Fixing stuff around the house when a light is needed and both hands are required, collecting firewood on dark nights, or even preparing meals at camp side. I still look silly wearing it, but it’s so practical I don’t care.

Altimeters

Now this is a cool gift. A wristwatch like device that determines how many vertical feet you have ascended or descended, as well as exactly how high you really are. Great for peakbaggers and skiers, this gift usually also tells time and has a built in barometer. Fun but expensive at around $200, your gearhead will not be disappointed.