Gear Guide: Gifts Under $50
Princeton Tec Sync (pictured above)
($40; princetontec.com)
Click along the dial on the top of this compact-and-light headlamp to switch between five modes: red, low flood, high flood, spot and full bright. With 150 hours of battery life, it’s the perfect stocking-stuffer.
Columbia Women’s Trail Summit Gloves
($40; columbia.com)
They may look like a light fleece running glove, but inside is a heat-reflective layer and a wicking liner; the index finger has a touch-screen sensitive tip for Instagram selfies.
Dohm Otto Beanie
($38; dohmusa.com)
The Beachcombers’ Relic would have liked this beanie’s style. We also appreciate its shockingly soft merino wool, which comes from animals raised on the high plains of Wyoming and is processed and knit in a sustainable manner.
Optimus Burny Mini Torch
($30; optimusstoves.com)
Everyone needs at least one good lighter and they don’t get much better than this beast. Windproof, rain-resistant and more blowtorch than Bic, it’ll get the stove or fire going, first try.
The Calling: A Life Rocked by Mountains
($34; patagonia.com)
For more than 30 years, Barry Blanchard has been a leading Canadian alpinist, knocking off first ascents and rarely repeated routes around the world. His intimate autobiography is a good read for any climber or explorer.
