Ladies, your man is really not too hard to please. But you already knew that. Just treat us like the big children we are when you think of gifts for us and remember to stroke our ego a bit.
1. Icebreaker Quantum Hoodie
Here’s the male idea of comfort: a functional hoodie. Made with a mix of merino wool and lycra, the stylish Quantum can deal with everything from winter hikes to spring skiing to a tour of the brewpubs.
$190; icebreaker.com
2. Yeti Tundra 45
It may sound crazy to spend $330 on a cooler but this is the ultimate car-camping tool. The Tundra 45 keeps the important things chilled all weekend long. It’s even grizzly proof.
$330; yeticoolers.com
3. Ortovox Freerider 26 ABS
Here’s one gift that may keep us alive. There’s no substitute for proper training and, most of all, judgement when you travel in avalanche terrain, but mess up and an air bag can increase your chances of survival. The Ortovox M.A.S.S. system means that you can swap out an air bag system in a wide range of packs, either to adapt to resort or hut trips or to use the pack sans bag.
$319 (pack), $699 (M.A.S.S.), $175 ABS activation unit; ortovox.com
4. Prana Axiom Jeans
We live in jeans. So much so you sometimes think it’s a bit gross. So make sure we have jeans that can endure the damage we inflict on them and look a bit classy too. The Axiom feature stretch denim, making them quite durable and ideal for everything from bouldering to walking the dog.
$90; prana.com
5. S.O.G. Fling Throwing Knives
Don’t think badly of us that we want this three-pack of throwing knives. Not only are they fantastic campground entertainment, they also harken back to an age when spiritually dedicated monks used them as meditative art. Right?
$50; sogknives.com
6. Manduka The Black Mat
A strong yoga practice is on the rise for dudes. You like that, and we like this simple, black mat (yeah, we like black) that doesn’t slip.
$100; manduka.com
7. Patagonia Wanaka
Men like technical clothing, and this super-warm insulated jacket melds a waterproof/breathable shell with toasty 600 fill goose down insulation. That may make it a bit too strong for resort skiing, but it is an ideal piece for the rigors of the workweek in bad weather.
$379; patagonia.com
8. Braven 855s
Pounding out 20 watts with 20 hours of play time, these wireless bluetooth speakers let us bring our tunes anywhere we go, from that boys trip to Moab to staging at a cyclo-cross race.
$300; braven.com
9. Rossignol Soul 7
Every EO gear guide we sing the praises of Rossi’s 7 family of skis. The brand never sends us a pair. That’s because they are so damn good Rossi can’t keep them in stock for grubby journalists. At 106 underfoot, the rockered Soul 7 is the one ski we need. Please.
$700; rossignol.com
10. Deep
The one book we must read this winter is Porter Fox’s exploration on how climate change may wipe out skiing.
$25; Buy it here: https://www.amazon.com/DEEP-Story-Skiing-Future-Snow-ebook/dp/B00GMY3ZN2; like the Facebook page here: facebook.com/Deepbook2013
