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10 more Christmas gifts for the trail lover in your life

We’ve done it before here and here, and we’re back this year to do it again. There are still 11 days of shopping left until Christmas, and these are our top 10 gifts for the trail lover in your life. Some are ideal for on the trail and some are good for prep and recovery and some are created right here in Kansas. And they’re all awesome!

1. Well, let’s be honest. As the authors, there was really no way we’d be able to start a list with anything but our very own Kansas Trail Guide: The Best Hiking, Biking, and Riding in the Sunflower State.

But in our defense, it’s an ideal gift for any trail lover who might be passing through the Midwest. If you want your copy signed, send us an email at: kansastrailguide [@] gmail [.] com.

$24.95

2. Via the Trail Runner magazine website, honey can help keep you going.

“A Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research study found that cyclists who consumed 15 grams (about a tablespoon) of honey, dextrose (a form of sugar) or a placebo containing no carbs every 16-ki- lometers of a 64k effort were able to go faster and produce more power with the honey or dextrose (no significant differences between the honey and dextrose). research suggests consuming sugar blends, such as honey, which contains both fructose and glucose, can be more effective at ramping up performance than sports gels or chews with just a single sugar source.”

You can buy local honey from places like KC Raw Honey, Chautauqua Hills Farm, Glenn’s Bulk Food, and more.


3. Pricey? Yes. Amazing? Also yes. Yeti has some of the best coolers around; we like the Tundra 35. You can stand on them, if the occasion warrants, plus they have up to 3 inches of insulation and are easy to haul around.

They have a 5-year warranty, and according to their website, they’re grizzly proof (though I suppose that’s not really an issue in the Midwest!). Pretty much the last cooler you’ll ever have to buy – not only for its ability to keep your ice from melting, but for its incredible durability.

From $299.99

4. Handmade, natural soaps. You have to (or at least should) clean up after a day or five on the trail, and why not use soap that’s handcrafted in Kansas? Try out Great Cakes Soapworts (you can also find them at the Olathe Farmer’s Market in season) or Foam on the Range.

5. Handheld GPS devices can be wildly helpful. They can also be a tad unwieldy to lug around off the trail. Fix that problem and be ready for adventure at all times with the Garmin fenix 3.

With the Sapphire version, you can get it with a leather strap or in rose gold and white. And with the standard fenix 3, you can get red or black. Oh, and they both do the requisite awesome GPS tasks from tracking your route to being waterproof to telling you altitude, pressure, and direction.

From $499.99.

6. The perfect fit to a stocking and at times ideal for trail prep (just don’t overdo!), a bag of heavenly smelling and heavenly tasting coffee beans. Try PT’s Coffee Lump O’ Coal blend with tastes of chocolate.

$17.50

chamber-header

Image from usa.fabric.cc

7. If you’re a cyclist, you may already have these tools, but it’s pretty likely they don’t come in this nice of a package! Fabric has made its Chamber multi-tools in swish and smooth canister.

You get 13 easy to access tools in a container that won’t snag on anything in your panniers, and they have a fixed head and a ratchet head option.

From $50

8. Perfect for day hikes, which many of the Kansas trails are, Osprey has unveiled its 2016 Skarab 24 .

Along with a built-in 2.5 liter hydration reservoir, it has a hip belt to help spread out the weight, a scratch free pocket perfect for sunglasses or a phone, and an easy access outside “shove-it” pocket that, as it happens, will fit the Kansas Trail Guide!

From $100

 9. Another 2015 book from University Press of Kansas is Kansas Wildflowers and Weeds. This large, nearly coffee table size book is full of color images and descriptions for the most devoted plant lover in your life, and you can see how many you can spot along the way.

$39.95.

10. You can give a membership gift to the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy that will not only get you (or your loved one) a t-shirt, but you’ll know that the money will be going to making more trails and supporting the upkeep of rail trails already in place.

You can also donate directly to the Kanza Rail-Trails Conservancy, which does work entirely within Kansas – they helped build the Landon Nature Trail and are working to finish the Flint Hills Nature Trail.

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Review of Garmin eTrex Legend

We’re using Garmin’s eTrex Legend to make the maps for our upcoming Kansas Trails Guidebook.

Why we love it:

  • photoSmall and lightweight at 5.3 oz (150g) and 2.0″ x 4.4″ x 1.2″, it’s easy to slip into a pocket.
  • Waterproof (though doesn’t float)
  • Screen is easy to read, even in bright, direct sunlight
  • Powered by AA batteries, it lasts up to about 16 hours (can depend on temperature and how long it has to search for a signal – can take longer in heavily wooded areas), which should be plenty of time for an overnight trip, though always bring extra batteries
  • Handheld and easy navigation through menus – in fact, the whole thing is designed to be used with just the left hand.
  • Built in base map
  • Easy waypoint setting
  • Navigation between waypoints
  • Sunrise/sunset information, so you know how much daylight you have left!
  • Good price point at $149.99 through Garmin

For us, these aren’t deal breakers, but so you know what it doesn’t have:

  • Gray scale screen, not color
  • 8 mb extra space to add maps, which may not be enough for those wanting to use it to upload larger, more detailed city maps – though for on the trail, that’s not as much of a problem
  • No barometic altimeter
  • May take awhile to pick up a signal if in a wooded area

Play around with it before you head out on the trail with it for the first time so you get a feel for it, and we’ll be including coordinates in our maps and trail guides, so you can always double check to make sure you’re on the right track.