2010 FasterSkier Holiday Gift Guide – Under $20

Winter is definitely here, which means the holiday season is upon us.  FasterSkier will be running the 2010 Holiday Gift Guide this week in several installments covering a variety of price ranges. To begin, we cover gifts under $20.

Putty knife- $2.00 This might just be one of the most useful tools in the wax kit – perfect for scraping kickwax or klister off the base.  Heck, at this price, keep a few on hand! This product is available here.

Olympic Flag Skinny Skis – MSRP $4.95 They’re back! The favorite Olympic Flag Skinny Skis Scraper is a 6mm Plexi Blade. Best seller Jamaica, Sweden, Norway, and USA. This product is available here. Swix Pencil Groove Scraper – $4.99 It is inevitable that wax will find its way into the groove of your skis. Proper removal necessitates the groove scraper, and this handy pencil version, which easily slides into wax boxes, is ideal. No extra skills needed for this piece of equipment – If you can grab a pencil, you can use this scraper.  This product is available here.

Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm- $5.79 Windburned, sunburned, coldburned, chapped lips = bad. Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm = good, all natural solution to the all of the above. Protect your favorite skier’s lips from the elements with this convenient stick. And if this gift is for your special someone, soft lips are enjoyable for more than just the recipient. Package contains two sticks, because we all know how easily they get lost. This product is available here.

Solda Plexiglass Scraper – MSRP: $6.00 Need a good stocking stuffer? Solda’s Plexiglass scraper is an ideal gift for any Nordic skier. After all, we know those scrapers get dull fast, and no skier ever has enough scrapers. Keep one in the car, one in the ski bag, one in the wax room, and most importantly, one to lend to a friend who’s forgotten his own. This product is available here.

W.O.W! Kids’ Winter Activity Log (A Kids’ Winter Activity and Nutrition Log) – MSRP $6.00
W.O.W! is what kids will exclaim when they wander outside this winter and discover how much fun it can be! WANDER OUTSIDE THIS WINTER! (“W.O.W.!”) is an entry-level initiative developed to bring kids and their families outside in the winter. It encompasses a variety of exciting winter activities like cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, downhill skiing, making a snowman, and tubing. Lively illustrations focus on fun and will lure kids outside this winter where they can learn that it’s not cold out when you’re active and dressed properly and fuel your body with healthy things like fruit and vegetables! With colorful charts that let kids log activities and nutrition for 8 weeks, this book can also help kids form good habits that will give them a great start on living a healthy, active lifestyle, as well as teach them to set and achieve goals. This product is available here.

Fischer Ski Ties – MSRP: $6.00 More than anything else, you really can’t have too many ski ties.  They are like socks – one is always going missing.  This product is available here.

Nathan Winter Bottle – MSRP: $6.95 This water bottle prevents the very common issues of the frozen nozzle and cap. The protective flip-top cap is easily opened whether you’re wearing gloves or mittens, providing a simple solution to that infernal freeze-up problem. This product is available here.

Swix Synthetic Racing Cork – MSRP: $7.00 Corks are like toothbrushes, they need to be replaced from time to time, but you rarely remember to do it. And like a toothbrush, it is nice to have a few extras around.  This product is available here.

Rode Blue Super Extra – MSRP: $8.95 A classic kick wax that should be a staple in any well-assorted wax kit. For new, transforming snow and new fine-grained snow with a temperature range of -1 C to -5 C, this is a versatile and well-proven kick wax. This product is available here.

Holmenkol Blue Extra Kick Wax – MSRP: $9.00 Besides scrapers, the other thing every skier needs is lots and lots of kick wax. Holmenkol makes a good wax that will improve your kick while going easy on your wallet. While Blue Extra is a great starter wax, a couple of these in a stocking are sure to make any skier happy. This product is available here.

Fast Wax Sport Waxes for training – MSRP: $9.00 Everyday glide wax is something skiers never get too much of. These versatile glide waxes from Fast Wax have you covered for temperatures from -5 F to well above freezing. This product is available here.

Niflheim Nordic Pole Ferrules –  MSRP $9.50 Always be ready to rollerski with fresh sharp tips.  Niflheim Nordic pole ferrules are available in 10-11mm and 7-8mm sizes to fit any pole.  They feature a 2.5mm wide high strength carbide tip for excellent wear resistance. This product is available here.

Momentum: Chasing the Olympic Dream – MSRP: $9.95 Looking for a good book to read with that cup of hot chocolate? US Ski Team coach Pete Vordenburg wrote a wonderful book about his dream of being in the Olympics. A great read for any Nordic skier. This product is available here.

Brooks NightLife Visibility Band– MSRP: $9.95 Keep your loved ones safe when training in the dark. These also work well when attached to your dog’s collar making sure everyone is seen! This product is available here.

Gu Recovery Brew – MSRP: $10.19-12.79 Replenish energy stores and rebuild muscles after hard workouts. The Gu Recovery Brew has you covered. Protein, amino acids, carbohydrates and vitamins in a tasty way. This product is available here.

Toko GripSpray Base Geen Klister – MSRP: $13 This is the ultimate way to apply a base klister.  Works quite well under kick waxes in aggressive kick wax conditions.  Just spray on, work with thumb, and you’re done!  Ideal for coaches waxing many pairs of skis on a deadline This product is available here.

Swix F4 Glide wax – MSRP $14 This paste glide enhancer is fast to apply and prevents icing and clumping. What else can you wish for? This product is available here. 

V2 Carbide Roller Ski Ferrules – MSRP: $15 Just because there’s snow on the ground doesn’t mean you can’t think ahead. As any rollerskier knows, those ferrules go quickly, whether you lose them, they break, or just get too dull. An extra pair is always a must! V2’s black housing fits 9mm – 11mm poles while the yellow ferrules fit 7mm and 8mm poles. This product is available here.

Personalized iTunes gift card– MSRP: $15 and up Music is the perfect gift, and anyone who has tried doing a stint in the weight room without the right tunes knows how important the right mix can be for performance. iTunes gift cards start at $15.00. This product is available here.

Smartwool PhD Nordic Light Sock – MSRP: $17.99 Warm, wool socks that offer the right amount of compression, feel, and comfort while skiing. This is a popular winter season sock, so shop quickly! This product is available here.

SportHill InFuzion Headband – MSRP $18 Headbands are handy for a variety of reasons. This one is made from SportHill’s signature Swift fabric (90 percent polyester, 10 percent spandex), and reflective logo keeps you visible at night. This product is available here. 

Fast Wax Speed Block – MSRP: $18.95 Heat generating felt pad on wood cork, designed for applying pure fluoro waxes and wax pastes. This product is available here.

Fischer Drink Belt – MSRP:  $19.95 Carrying water when you ski is important. So what better way to do it than with Fischer’s spiffy water bottle holder (with bottle, of course)? The padded back provides a little bit of cushion and the zippered pockets gives you a great place to store an extra stick of kick wax and a cork. This product is available here.

Timex – MSRP:  $19.94 Who hasn’t been caught at the trail head finding that the heart rate monitor is still at home? Toss an extra digital training watch in the bag and you’ll have a backup for basic timing and splits. This product is available here.

Road ID wrist band – MSRP:  $19.99 While nobody plans on crashing, getting hit or picking a fight with a mad moose, stuff does happen. Keep your athlete safe with this comfortable and durable wrist band that contains emergency contact information. Reflective stripes adds safety when training in the dark. Available in a variety of colors. This product is available here.