Athletic-Minded Traveler

Another holiday season is upon us and we are super excited to share our gift ideas with you. Athletic-Minded Travelers can feast on our varied list for varied budgets! Please let us know if you see anything you really like. It makes us feel good...

For the Hot Yogi: Hydro Flask AND Manduka PROlite Mat. ($20+, $60). Yep, we're suggesting a double workout windfall for your favorite hot yoga practitioner. After a decade of Bikram Yoga, our Managing Editor is sold on these two items. The flask (pictured next to "Rudolph") means ice cold water throughout class...and even after. The no-sweating bottle means no damp clothes in the yoga bag.  And only Hydro Flask makes a BIG BOY 64 oz insulated bottle! And after using "whatever mat was on sale", we've test driven a Manduka. And wow, what took us so long to get with the better mat program. After nearly a year, this mat has no stink and there is never a "wet spot" under our mat after a major 90-minute sweat session. Hooray!

For the Eco-conscious Drinker (who appreciates style): bkr Bottles. ($28). "From dirty plastic to clean glass" is the motto. The 16 oz glass bottles have a silicon sleeve that comes in myriad cool colors, and a food grade polypropylene cap plus silicon gasket. The 1 inch opening means no-spill sipping. This glass gem will happily replace your plastic water bottle. (It's not insulated.) Need a cool way to transport it? Look no further than Nite Ize's $3.50 solution.

For the After Dark Cyclist: Radbot 1000 from Portland Design Works ($26-$32). This cycle tail light is a safety must. The 1-watt LED bulb is red and will run 30 hours in flashing mode. The Radbot comes with a backpack clip, rack, seatpost and seatstay mount. Requires 2-AAA batteries. Another very popular model: Planet Bike Blinky Superflash.

For the Hot Tea/Coffee Drinking Traveler (and/or oatmeal eater): Bodum Mini Electric Water Kettle ($30-$50). This is for those die-hards (and we know a few) that MUST have their hot beverage no matter where they are nesting. The 17 oz mini packs easily and guarantees you boiling water fast. Plug it in & in no time you have boiling water. It's faster than a microwave.

For Those Traveling/Living in Wet Climates: RainRap ($60). Portlanders and Seattleites need this! The water repellent/resistant wrap/poncho can be worn a number of ways and is very practical. One size fits all and it's reversible. It folds up very small for easy packing.

For the Crafty Kid or Adult: Loomi Light  ($22 w/o cord). Thank Kickstarter.com for getting this cool light out to the masses! It's a "modular, makeable, paintable, recyclable, light". A DIY lampshade. Kids and adults will love. How crafty are you?

For Anyone Who Does Anything in the Kitchen: Cuisinart Immersion Hand Blender ($35). Pick any brand, but we like this one. And the fact that it comes in myriad colors is an added bonus. Puree a soup, mix French toast batter, whip eggs, whatever. It's fast, easy and cleanup is a cinch.

For Someone Who Seems to Have EVERYTHING: Quarterly ($25+/delivery). We are typically loathe to suggest any type of subscription or "club", but this is way different. Way. Think of it as Twitter on steroids...You pick an "influencer" and receive physical items in the mail from them every 3 months. The fun (or challenge) is picking a "contributor". Go on take a look...it's fascinating! How about spending $100/quarter to get things that Timothy Ferriss is obsessed with? Read about him here.

For Your Friend, Spouse or Kid's Teacher: L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream ($10/1 oz or $28/5oz). There's a reason this is a best seller. It works. Thick, non-greasy, and scent free, which most men will appreciate. We also like that it comes in a convenient travel size. This is a great gift for anyone! Another more "manly" option is O'Keeffe's Working Hands ($8). We've used both and like both! 

For the Soda Drinker: SodaStream ($79+). Not only can you cut your chemical dependency by carbonating at home, but you will also be "doing good" for the environment by eliminating plastic waste from all those soda bottles! We like some good fizz now and then, and this machine delivers. We sweeten with Stevia and flavor with various extracts. A favorite: chocolate and orange!

For the "After Hours" Outdoorsman: Petzl NAO Headlamp ($175). Because there are not enough hours in the day to do it all, the self-adjusting light on this head "torch" is genius. Different light for different needs. There is also software that allows you to create different light "profiles." This is for the hard-core, night-time, activist. 

For the Camper: SlatGrills ($75+). This is a travel friendly outdoor grill that can be used with multiple fuel sources. It's collapsible, portable and light. If you know someone who likes to feed the crew in the great outdoors, take a look at this product.

For the Water Explorer: Aqua Lung Travel Snorkel Set ($60+). Yes the men can get in on this one too, but this particular "model" is for the ladies. It's lightweight and will easily fit into your travel bag. Aqua Lung is known for high quality diving gear.

Still need MORE? Click here for our past years' gift guides. 

STOCKING STUFFERS!!! These will fit the budget and the sock!

For Any Active Person: TheraPearl Sports Pack. Super deal on Amazon for $6.  Freeze it or microwave it, and apply to your tired and sore muscles. They are reusable too!

For the Gadget Lover: Knitted Touch Screen Gloves ($10+ on Amazon.com): Keep your hands warm while still using your smart phone. The tips of the gloves are interwoven with a metal infused thread that conducts enough electricity for your fingers to activate a touch screen. 

For the Organizer: Nite Ize Gear Ties ($5+). These colorful ties come in a variety of colors and will simply twist to keep cords, cables, art supplies & other stuff in place. The rubberized wire is strong, waterproof, and bendable.

For the Athlete: Thorlo "Experia" Socks ($15). These socks rock. They look good and feel good. Coolmax means feet stay dry and pads on the heel area and toe area create a comfy ride. 

For the Kids: Cool Straws ($11). Silicone and reusable. No more plastic straws!!

For the Uber Traveler: AViiQ Ready Clips ($20). No more tangled cables, the pen size USB connector "clip" is super traveler friendly. Just clip it to your bag or pocket and go. 

Happy Holidays from our Athletic-Minded Traveler Team to your "Team"!