Okay, okay, so your holiday budget just doesn't include $1,200 to plunk down on a new Jackson Hero for that special paddler on your list. (Note to my girlfriend: Honey, please totally disregard this. I don't want one that bad. Really.) But here are some affordable gift ideas that will make any paddler gleeful, without breaking your bank.
Pogies. Yup, it's that time of year when paddling can be darn right chilly. Get your paddling purist a pair of pogies to keep his or her hands warm. Designed like mittens that fit over and onto a paddle shaft, they keep your hands warm, while still allowing you to have skin-on-shaft contact with your paddle, something gloves can't do. That's important for people who like warm hands, but also still want to "feel" the water with their paddle. You can get good ones for $25 to $35 from companies like NRS, Snapdragon and REI.
AW Membership. Every paddler should be a member of American Whitewater, the conservation and access advocates who protect all of our rivers, while keeping them open to our use. Annual membership starts at $35, and includes a subscription to the American Whitewater Journal, one of the best kayaking reads anywhere. If you spring for an extra $5 by Dec. 31, you can also enter your paddling person in a contest to win a free Dagger Kayak. Sign up here.
Dry bags. This is one of the best Christmas presents I've ever gotten. You can never have too many dry bags around as a kayaker, because you inevitably either a.) leave them in someone else's shuttle vehicle, b.) lose them to the river gods at the end of an absent minded lunch break when you forget to put them back in your boat, c.) lose them to the river gods at the end of a swim because of your absent mindedness when you did not clip them in to begin with, or d.)wear a hole in them by letting them roll around in the back of someone else's shuttle vehicle or your own kayak without being clipped in. Best of all, they're cheap, with some going for just
$10 at REI.
Kayaking Christmas Ornaments. There are a lot of these out there these days. I saw this cool one from Hallmark portraying Snoopy in a canoe with three Beagle Scouts. The company Inside Outside also has a bunch of great paddling-related ornaments, too. My favorite? One of Santa's reindeer trying to stuff a kayak down the chimney, pictured above. Check it out here. Price: $12.95.
Ear Plugs. As someone who can't hear as well as I should -- What's that, honey? -- ear plugs are something I always mean to buy for myself, but don't very often. Kayakers often develop a condition known as "Surfer's Ear," where cold water entering the ear canal causes a bony growth to form over the ear drum. More than a decade-and-a-half into my paddling career, I wish I had been more adamant about wearing earplugs from the very beginning. My problem? I ALWAYS lose them. Sort of like dry bags, a paddler can never have enough. You can get them at paddling stores, drug stores -- or my favorite -- home improvement stores like Lowe's, in the safety equipment section, usually next to the goggles and masks. Price: $5.
Same with nose plugs -- you can never have enough. They get nasty and wear out pretty quick, so it's nice to have a stash around when you need them. Check these ones out from Smiley's. Price $8.95, with leash.
Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas.
