Yup, it’s that time of the year again. Time to google the crap out of holiday Gift ideas. And with 2016 being as crazy as it was, you bet you’ll have to come with a fantastic gift idea to make up for it. You’ve got gift ideas for your clothes-loving brother, or gift ideas for your outdoorsy mum. But what do you get for the climber in your family? What is it that they don’t already have? Then you have the problem of actually asking them. They tell you something about a camalot that looks like a weird kid toy. They list out the specific brand, specific size and specific colour. What they don’t realise, however, is that they lost you at “I want a cam”. So you end up buying them something random that they didn’t really like in the first place because you just weren’t sure.

Enter my Holiday Gift Guide for climbers. This list contains items that I’ve used and love, or items that I and other climbers would love to have, so they’re 100% climber approved. And since we’re all on different budgets, I’ve allocated different price ranges to suit all your needs. So go ahead, check out my holiday gift guide for climbers, and spoil that monkey friend of yours with a gift they’ll use again and again.

£25 or less:

Thermos Flask (£9.99)

The best feeling in the world is getting back in the car after a long, cold day of climbing and having a cup of hot tea or coffee. Your senses awaken, and your body immediately warms. The only way to get a hot cuppa is with a high-quality flask, not some dinky flask that you found at the pound shop. I high recommend the ThermoCafé Stainless Steel Flask. They’re durable, high-quality and won’t break the bank. Most importantly, they keep your drinks hot even after a long day in cold conditions.

Buy the ThermoCafe Stainless Steel Flask Here

Boot Bananas shoe deodorizers (£14.99)

Angus’ climbing shoes smell. So. Bad. So bad, in fact, that whenever he leaves them in the car overnight, the entire car then reeks of feet the next day. The Boot Banana Shoe Deodorizers fit perfectly into a shoe and has bamboo charcoal, which absorbs moisture and odour. Gift these and your climber friends AND their partners will thank you.

Buy the Boot Bananas Shoe Deodorizers Here

North Face Antlers Beanie (£24.99)

As much as some of us hate to admit it, the best conditions for climbing is when it’s cold out. The rock just sticks a little more. Help the monkey in your life keep their noggins warm with an awesome bobble hat, such as the North Face Antlers Beanie. It looks cool and is nice and toasty. I wear hats all the time when I’m climbing or just in the outdoors, and it makes such a huge difference for your warmth.

Buy the North Face Antlers Beanie Here

Joshua Tree Climbing Salve (£16.95)

Every time I climb, I always end up with cuts on me. I either come back with bloody knuckles (don’t ask how), bruised knees or ripped skin on my palms. I’m in dire need of skin therapy, and this stuff will be my saviour. The JT Climbing Salve is an organic, unscented miracle-product that heals skin. It’s something that all us climbers really need but never take the effort in actually buying the product. We secretly really want to, though! We’re just too cheap to buy it ourselves. P.S. It’s on my Christmas wish list too, just sayin’. ;]

Buy the Joshua Tree Organic Climbing Salve Here

 £50 or less:

Solar Charger (£49.99)

Most of us climbers are dirtbags. If we aren’t dirtbags, we wish we were. Because what’s better than waking up in your van to an amazing view of the cliff you’re about the climb? However, just because some of us live in a van (I wish I was one of them), does not mean we like to keep in touch with the real world every once in awhile. With this solar charger, we’d be able to embrace the power of the sun  AND keep all our devices charged. That way, we can keep taking those awesome photos you see on Instagram. This guy is the highest rated one on Amazon, and has three USB ports so your climber friends don’t have to fight one another for charge.  It’s also waterproof!

Buy RAVPower 24W Solar Charger Here

Belay Glasses (£29.99)

Say no more to cramped and sore necks! These things look so dorky, but trust me, they will be helpful for your climber friend. Angus got tired of constantly looking up and getting sore necks while he was belaying, so gave in and got these glasses. They helped so much during our trip to the Dolomites.

Buy these Belay Glasses Here

Mammut [Indoor] climbing rope (£38.86)

In the UK, if you want to lead indoors, you best have your own rope with you. They don’t provide ropes for you to borrow, so we usually end up using the one rope we have. This isn’t a problem, except when it is a problem. Proper 60m climbing ropes can cost up to a hefty £200, so we like to keep ours in pristine condition. When we’re climbing indoors, however, we’re taking a lot of falls and doing a lot of climbs each week. Therefore, having a shorter rope designated for indoor gyms would be grand for any seasoned climber. It saves us money from having to buy the longer ropes more often.

Buy the Mammut Evolution 9.8mm 30m Rope Here

SPlurge:

Patagonia Down Jacket (£185)

My Patagonia down has been through the wringer. It was with me when I gained control of my fear of heights in Moab, endured the cold in Rifle, seen the beauty of Cinque Torri, and much more. I wear it all the time for all occasions. Mine is 5 years old, going on 6 and is still in great condition. My mum bought me mine for Christmas all those years back. I can definitely say that if you’re going to splurge on a gift idea for a climber, or outdoorsman/woman, this one is the one to splurge on. 

Buy this Patagonia Down Jacket Here

Beastmaker 1000 (£75)

If you have ever been to any climbing gym, you will most likely have seen their training board system, which almost always has the Beastmaker 1000. It’s a classic training board for all climbers, from beginners to advanced. Not to mention, it looks pretty cool to have!

Buy the Beastmaker 1000 Here

What are you going to buy in the holiday gift guide for climbers? If you’re a climber, what things do YOU wish for during the holidays?

Disclaimer: All these products are a part of the Amazon Affiliates programme, in which we receive a small cut of the profits if you purchase any of these items from the link on this post. It doesn’t cost you a thing, and helps us a wee bit. So if you’re thinking about purchasing any of these items, please click on the picture or the link below the picture and we will love you forever! -A&V

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