Five Gifts for the Outdoor Enthusiast

Nov. 23, 2014

1. SCOUT BACKPACK

These styling Big Draw backpacks not only come in a variety of designs, but they’re water resistant, which means that your compass, iPad, books or snacks aren’t going to get wet while you’re trekking to your destination.

"We have never received complaints about the bags’ durability or ability to hold up in severe weather," says Sally Kay, retail business manager for Scout.

The designs were inspired by a trip to Europe then they were made more affordable when manufactured in the United States. The line also contains totes, storage bins and travel accessories.

The coated cotton provides water resistance and can be cleaned simply by wiping with a wet cloth. There’s a large compartment for your stuff and an outside loop with a toggle that can hold anything from a water bottle to a hockey stick. The Stewart tartan is one of seven patterns available.

The backpack sells for $49 and is available at The Lake House, 403 Bridge St. in Charlevoix.

2. GOAL ZERO SWITCH 8 SOLAR CHARGER

Who wants to be in the wilderness without being able to check Twitter? The Goal Zero Switch 8 solar charger uses the sun for its charge, but can also use a wall plug or car outlet. The charger is only 11 ounces and pocket-sized. It works with a lithium ion battery that will hold a charge for up to six months and the solar panel is included.

You simply lay the charger out and let the sun do its work. It takes approximately five to 10 hours for the charger to reach its full capacity via solar or four hours to reach capacity via a USB charge. Once this is done, you can fully charge a smartphone in an hour.

A fully-charged Switch 8 will give you three charges of an MP3 player or conventional cell phone, two charges of a smartphone, a 50 percent charge of an e-reader, or a 25 percent charge of a tablet.

The Switch 8 sells for $99.99 and is available at Bear Cub Outfitters, 321 E. Lake St. in Petoskey.

3. OUTDOOR RESEARCH STORMTRACKER HEATED GLOVES

New this year, these gloves have three settings and, when fully charged, will last on the highest setting for two hours.

"But you probably only want fi ve minutes" because they get so warm, says Kody Schwartz, fl oor leader at Backcountry North in Traverse City.

The gloves have a detachable USB or wall mount charger. The lowest setting will last for eight hours, Schwartz says.

The gloves are windproof, yet breathable, and sturdy, yet thin enough to grab onto ski poles and zippers. You don’t even have to take off the gloves to change the heat settings. Outdoor Research designs gear for the military, arctic explorers and mountain climbers, so years of research–and whining about cold fingers–have gone into the gloves.

The gloves sell for $235 and are available at both Backcountry North locations, 227 E. Front St. and 2820 North US 31 S. in Traverse City.

4. NOMAD PAD

Your best friend deserves comfort too and this lightweight travel dog pad from Nomad keeps him dry and comfy in the great outdoors–or indoors.

The Nomad Pad boasts a heavyduty border, yet the pad itself is soft polar fleece that’s comfortable enough for a human, with one and a half inches of polyfill between Fido and the ground. The nonstick bottom ensures even more protection from the elements. The pad comes in black, lime or tangerine and is easy to roll up and carry, with built-in straps and a handle. It’s also machine washable (air dry).

The Nomad Pad comes in two sizes: medium–28 inches by 40 inches–which retails for $69.95 and large–36 inches by 51 inches– which sells for $79.95. Nomad Pads are available at Ruff Life Pet Outfi t- ters at 309 Howard St. in Petoskey.

5. NORDICA CUSTOM CORK LINER

The newest technology for ski boots utilizes one of the world’s oldest materials–cork. Fitted cork liners in Nordica ski boots provide ankle and arch support, insulation, and power for performance skiing, explains Hannah Kaley, sales associate at Don Orr Ski ’n Beach Haus in Traverse City.

The cork liner is available in Nordica’s NRGy line of boots. It can be heated to mold to the skier’s foot or will conform on its own using the wearer’s body heat. Cork doesn’t compress like other boot liner materials, making turning more precise. The three-step custom-fitting process can be infinitely repeated, if necessary.

Boots are "one of the most important things," Kaley says, because "energy transferred from boot to ski is where it’s at."

Control and power also come from the feet and legs, making high-performance-level boots popular not only with professional racers, but with "beer league" racers, as well.

Nordica’s NRGy line sells for $499 a pair. The NRGy Pro 3 boots regularly sell for $599.99, but are available this winter for $499.99 at Don Orr Ski ’n Beach Haus, 890 Munson Ave. in Traverse City.