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Christmas 2014: 22 best gifts for sports fans
Whether you're a serious cyclist, a would-be yoga bunny, or simply enjoy the great outdoors, get these on your Christmas list
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Short days and festive feasting are no excuse for laziness this winter. Make exercise less of a chore with our selection of sports gear.
1. Le Col B5 Winter Jacket: £250, lecol.net
Pro Yanto Barker has lent his expertise and slim limbs to Le Col, a new premium brand. The winter jacket will keep out wind and rain on all but the harshest winter rides.
2. Garmin Edge 1000: £440, buy.garmin.com
The latest bike computer from the sat-nav kings is by far their most sophisticated. The usual mapping and directions that have opened up roads for hundreds of cyclists also includes live tracking and will pair with your phone to keep you connected, if that’s you’re sort of thing.
3. Fairisle Reflective Belt: £16, cyclechic.co.uk
Bringing life to a tired accessory, this orange sash belt incorporates a fetching fairisle pattern to encourage visible riding and walking during the dark commute.
4. Adidas Climaheat Rocket Boost Shoes: £105, adidas.co.uk
The ultimate women’s winter running shoe incorporates fancy material in the midsole that promises to add an unseasonable spring to your step, and insulated uppers to keep your toes warm. Also available for men.
5. Arc’teryx Beta AR: £170, arcteryx.com
Canadian brand Arc’teryx still reign supreme as the ski brand of choice for those who won’t compromise on quality or function. Their waterproof gloves with fleece liners will take anything you or the mountain throws at them.
6. Sony Waterproof Walkman: From £59, sony.co.uk
Drag and drop your tunes (4 or 8GB) and dive in up to two metres in depth to bring a soundtrack to the pool with Sony’s waterproof mp3 player, which works just as well out of the water.
7. GoPro HERO4 Silver: £290, shop.gopro.com
The crazily popular action camera now features an LCD touch screen, allowing you to control it and play back footage of your thing in an instant. Also connects to your phone for direct sharing.
8. Anon Area Blue Helmet: £80, ellis-brigham.com
If you’re going to put a lid on it on the slopes – and one might as well – then why not make it colourful with Anon’s line of affordably snazzy helmets. The Area includes adjustable vents and removable ear pads for all conditions.
9. Rapha Women’s Winter Hat: £50, rapha.cc
Designed to be worn without or under a helmet to keep your head and ears warm on the coldest rides.
10. Proviz Gilet: £50, provizsports.com
Their jackets are increasingly lighting up streets with their space-age, fully reflective material. For those who don’t want to cook in a jacket when it’s not too cold, there’s a gilet, too.
11. Swingball: 40 Years Anniversary Edition: £24.99, johnlewis.com
There’s a reason this classic has lasted four decades. Fun for five- to 65-year-olds (and easy on everyone’s legs…)
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12. Osprey Raptor 6 Mens Hydration Pack 2014: £68.43, wiggle.co.uk
The most compact in the Raptor series will keep you going for a good two-hour bike ride, long hike or trail run.
13. Nike Elite Lightweight No Show Tab Socks: £9, wiggle.co.uk
If you’re going to put socks in someone’s stocking this year, make it these sweat-wicking, friction-reducing, snuggly fitting beauties.
14. Invisible Friend Cricket Fielding Positions T-shirt: £26, notonthehighstreet.com
Perfect for fans who are bored with telling the unenlightened where they can find silly mid-off.
15. The Indytute Hula Like A Pro Class For Two: £24, notonthehighstreet.com
Learn to twirl, whirl and wiggle while you burn the calories with this one-hour course held in Shoreditch.
16. Asics Gel-Noosa Tri 9 Shoes: £75, wiggle.co.uk
Lightweight, with excellent stability and cushioning, these also have a wet grip outsole to stop you sliding on wet surfaces – ideal in winter.
17. LMNH Tour de France Mug Trio: £25, lookmumnohands.com
If you’re going to make it up the Alpe D’Huez, you’re going to need a strong cuppa to get you going.
18. Finis Aquarius Fin: £33, simplyswim.com
Teach kids 10 years and over to develop a balanced dolphin kick for butterfly (or pretend to be a mermaid if they’d prefer).
19. 6-Bottle Bike Bag Saddle Bags: £34.99, firebox.com
Don’t be in danger of bottles smashing in a backpack again; this Velcro-attached carrier holds six 500ml beverages of your choice.
20. Livewell360 Accel Bag: £149.99, yogamatters.com
Plenty of room (13 pockets!) for all your work-out gear (including quick-release yoga-mat straps), plus a padded compartment to keep a Kindle or iPad safe.
21. Adidas by Stella McCartney Yoga Mat: £60, net-a-porter.com
Textured on both sides for extra grip, this poppy-pink mat is as practical as it is chic.
22. Outwell Folding Transporter Barrow: £75, millets.co.uk
Perfect for transporting all you need on a campsite or the beach – and folds into a neat carrybag for easy portability.
Verdict:
For those with the budget and a roadbike to burn, there is no device that will liberate you on rides better than Garmin’s sat nav. For adrenalin hounds of any description, a GoPro has become as essential as the guts to pull of clip-worthy tricks, but for safety’s sake, drop to the other end of the price spectrum and remember to be seen while you exercise with the reflective sash or Proviz’s impossibly reflective gilets and jackets.
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