**It’s the most wonderful time of the year**

I am definitely a gift giver. I always have been. So I LOVE finding that perfect gift. As we get older, this can get a little tougher. Especially for my fitness/outdoors loving friends that maybe already have some cool gear. So here are the things that I’ve found that are either unique finds and/or something that the person would love but likely has a hard time spending the money on it for themselves. No matter what holiday you celebrate, hopefully this helps!

I’m gonna try to put these in order of low to high price, so you can better keep in mind your budget when looking through the list. Nothing over $100, though there are plenty of amazing gift ideas that are on the pricier end. If you want some idea suggestions in that price range, HMU!

Also, I get zero kickback for any of these. Simply products I love and use myself. I have reached out to a few to see if I can get discount codes for you, and if I hear back from any of them, I will let you know!!

For anyone active:

Shammy Towel ($12) - I got myself one of these years ago initially for when I went hiking where I knew I’d be going through water. And I’ve since ended up using it for open water bouldering, paddleboarding, every backpacking trip, and it even goes in my gym bag in place of carting around a full towel for whenever I have to shower at the gym. This thing is bacteria and mildew resistant, lightweight, small and easy to carry everywhere, and dries your skin off honestly better and faster than a regular towel.

Junk Headbands (about $15) - If you read last year’s gift guide, these will be familiar. Legit my favorite headbands for when I’m active (CF, trail running, hiking, etc). I’ve tried a bunch and other ones will often slide back on my head or do something crazy. Not these. And bonus: they have a bunch of cute patterns, including sports teams, to show some personality! They also have winter neck gaiters for my snowboarders (or skiiers) out there!!

Unplugged Bath Soaks ($15-30)- I mean, who doesn’t love a good bath? And all of these sound amazing. Standard bath soaks, as well as some “upgraded” and recovery specific ones. And I feel like most people are way less likely to spoil themselves with this as they are to get it for someone else. Pamper them.

Liquid IV- $24.47 for a pack of 16 sticks. Game changer for hydration. Great for trail runs, longer hikes, CrossFit competitions, or really anything where you’re out in the sun for a long time. I know there’s one hike that I’ve done a few times now (Havasupai) where it’s 10 miles down and through a canyon, almost fully exposed. The first 2 times I did this, I barely made it before finishing off the 4L I was carrying. (Don’t get too hung up on how much water I require. I know it’s a lot. Focus on the difference this stuff made) The 3rd time I did this hike, I put one of these in my 3L reservoir (note they’re meant for one bottle of water, not an entire hydration pack, but whatevs) and then had my extra 1L. Well, I never touched that extra bottle and still had almost 1L left in the bag at the end of that hike! Crazy.

Socks (varies from $15 to well over $30) - . And yeah, yeah, this is like the “lame stocking stuffer”. Or is it? Really good ones can get pricey and I know I personally have a really hard time justifying dropping money on socks. Even though these are awesome. So chances are, the receiver will be more excited than you’d think. Split these up based on activity, but honestly the biggest thing is thickness/material. I have thicker Stance socks that I hike in and have definitely done CF in my lightweight Smartwool socks

• Hikers/backpackers - Smartwool (also lightweight runners versions)

• CrossFit/Weightlifting athletes - Stance (They also have fuzzy slipper socks. Just sayin’)

• Everyday wear - Bombas (every pair bought = a pair gifted to someone in need)

Beam Sample pack ($39) - Ok, I’m sure there are plenty of CBD companies that have great products and maybe at a better price. I feel like Beam is already getting a “bad rap” just for being the go-to company for CrossFitters. But still, Andris and I got the sample pack each and while we haven’t tried all of the 5 day supplies of everything yet, I know we’re for sure in love with the CBD night time powder - tastes like hot chocolate without all the sugar AND helps me sleep?!?! Yes, please!!

Blenders sunglasses ($40-50 for most) or snow goggles ($100-120) - My faves because they are cute, polarized, and very reasonably priced. And they stay put during trail runs and outdoor CF WODs! They also have blue light glasses, though I haven’t tried them yet since I’m still rocking my cheap ones off Amazon. Huge variety of styles and colors.

Recovery Center Day Pass ($40) - Local to Phoenix/Scottsdale? A day pass to Balunsd for your highly active friend! They have all kinds of recovery tools (cold plunge, Normatec sleeves, etc) that you can use after a CrossFit competition, a long trail run, hiking the GC, or whatever challenge you just undertook! Click here

More geared towards the CrossFit/Barbell athlete:

Athia Post Workout Facial Spray ($38) - **use code MOD15 for 15%off - Ok, this actually could go under “all athletes” too. Calming recovery toner to calm your skin down post workout. If you work out a lot, you know how much something like this could help. And this one does. A lot. Different formulas for men and women’s skin, but they do have both! Also, if you really wanna splurge, their night cream ($85) is my absolutely favorite (IMO after trying both, Athia products are better than the seemingly more popular Fre brand. For my skin at least.)

Cute workout gear (price varies): Okay, obvi geared more towards the female. But here are some of my (non Lulu) faves:

• Comfy, cute, and from a company with a great message and mission: Grrrl (to note, I love their sports bras, leggings, etc..everything except their shorts. They ride up like crazy)

• Super cute/funny crop tops (mine include “Love Thighself” and “Life is short. Break the rules.”) and beyond comfy shorts in multiple lengths: WodBottom

• Want a similar look to Lulu with the quality but not the price tag AND support a women owned small biz? Senita

RPM jump rope ($65)- This is probably one of the first things of their own that a CF athlete should have. Yes, there are some cheaper options on Amazon that will work. But once you’ve tried one of these, those cheap ones will get the side eye. You can get all fancy, but the plain $65 one is plenty nice. The extra $15 on the others seems to be purely aesthetic.

Slightly more geared towards the outdoor athlete:

Enamel Camping Mug - Coulier Art ($10-15) - tons of great similar options, but the link is for a local AZ artist. And where I can, I’m gonna try to support a local small biz, esp if it’s female and/or black owned. These are super cute and fire/stovetop safe!! Ie you can heat up coffee or hot chocolate right over the stove while camping! You can also get these at The Merchantile in Scottsdale (a small market of all local merchants).

Hero Clip ($15) - great for organizing gear, clipping things onto your pack, hanging a lantern (like a Luci Light) or headlamp in you tent or around your campsite, etc. Got this as a gift last Christmas and have used it countless times since!

Kula Cloth ($25)- This one is for you hikers/backpackers. This thing is a gamechanger for females, especially. For real. Never again do you have to search for the perfect leaf...Plus, they have really cool designs by artists! From the website: Kula Cloth is a reusable, intentionally designed antimicrobial pee cloth product that eliminates toilet paper waste in the wilderness. It’s a great Leave No Trace alternative that’s both comfortable and has a positive impact on the environment.

Luci solar powered inflatable light ($25) - I have 2 and I use them ALL the time. great for camping/backpacking, but I’ve also used them on my back patio at night. And I keep one in my car in case of emergency

Inflatable Kayak ($90) - Yup, that’s right. A solid kayak for under $100. When I first got one of these a couple years ago, it was actually even cheaper, but I think the company is slowly catching on to just how much people would actually pay for this thing. It’s awesome. I will say, if you’re taller, read the reviews and see if it will work for you. I personally know people up to 5’7'“ that LOVE this thing, but I actually don’t know anyone taller who’s tried it. There are some really good detailed reviews as well if you don’t wanna just take my word for how BA this thing is. Make sure to get a life jacket to have on the vessel as well. It’s the law and at least in AZ, you will get cited.

Alrighty, y’all. Hope you enjoyed this list and found some gift ideas from it! If you have any awesome finds, PLEASE drop them in the comments below for everyone to see!!! Obvi a gift card for a session with me (mobility optimization, physical therapy, etc) is also a great option, but I’m just not a salesy person so it doesn’t feel right to put that in the main list. Link is on my website if you so choose :)

In 2 weeks, keep an eye on your inbox for some hip mobility info!!

Much love,

Dr. Megan