Holiday Gift Guide $50 to $100

While finding gifts for skiers in theory should be a breeze – they’re constantly going through gear – sometimes it’s nice to get a few ideas. FasterSkier has done the leg work for you. This part of the 2010 Holiday Gift Guide looks at items in the $50 to $100 range.

Tifosi Sunglasses – MSRP $40-90 Check out this under-appreciated brand of sunglasses that offers style, function and smart technology for some very low prices as compared to pricey Rudy Projects or Oakley’s. Sunglasses typically come with two sets of spare lens if applicable, lifetime lens warranty and Polarized options. This product is available here.

V2 Aero XL ATR – MSRP $98/pair or $49 each The patented ATR (Advanced Training Resistance) mounts to the front tire and is designed to apply variable resistance to the front wheels making them ideal for training and as a safety device when roller skiing down steep hills.  The Aero XL ATR fits both the Aero XL125 and XL150. Other models available for all V2 Roller Skis. This product is available here.

Toko Cork Roller – MSRP $50 A cork roller is the best way to finish an application of JetStream. It is easier on the base then ironing and quicker. The single Rotocork shaft is sold separately. This product is available here.

Petzl Tikka 2 headlamp – MSRP $54.99 While we all wish we could ski all day long, and then come home at night, sometimes you come home at night and then have to ski. Unless you live in Norway or Sweden where every dink town and village has a lighted community ski trail, you will need a source of light. The Petzl Tikka 2 headlamp is lightweight and powerful, runs on AAA batteries. This product is available here.

Fischer RC5 ski pole – MSRP $59 This lightweight composite pole is made from 20 percent carbon, features a cork handle for comfort and race strap performance. This product is available here.

Madshus Overbooties – MSRP $59.99 Cold feet are a real killer of great skiing experiences. Put on these neoprene overbooties from Madshus, and expand your horizon on the lower end of the thermometer. The rear zippers make them easy to put on and take off. Madshus Overbooties come in small, medium and large, and fit all NNN boot/binding systems. This product is available here.

The Thermanator Boot and Glove Dryer – MSRP $59.99 Wet boots and gloves are a real let down, but it’s hard to get things dry between workouts, especially when doing double workouts. Enter the Thermanator – radiant heat gently dries your boots and gloves, and they feel fresh, warm and comfy for the next workout. The Thermanator can accommodate two pairs of boots, or one pair of boots and one set of gloves. Lightweight and easy to move around where you need it or where it’s out of sight. This product is available here.

Rudy Project Snow Shield/Visor – MSRP $60 Yes, we think that shields look funny. But when the snow or rain is falling from the sky – they work much better than glasses. Glasses get fogged up too easily, and get covered with snow and ice. And if you must wear glasses the snow shield won’t interfere with them and will help keep the snow off of them. We keep the a snow shield in our ski bags and pull them out whenever necessary. Red or clear lens. (The red is better for contrast during gray light conditions). This product is available here.

Professional massage – Average price $60 Who doesn’t need one to recover from all those hard workouts? Furthermore, a good massage therapist can help work out those sore spots, aches that don’t seem to go away and in short just make everything feel better. According to Wiki Answers, the average price for an hour professional massage is $60, depending on what kind of massage you get and the environment. To find a licensed therapist in your area, check out American Massage Therapist Association.

Craft Thermal Split Finger Glove – MSRP $69.99 Anyone with cold hands on your list? The Craft Thermal Split Finger Glove is possibly the warmest lobster glove on the market. Wind proof and Craft’s Thinsulate in the palm, terry “nose-drip” thumb, and a removable fleece liner. Split finger design allows the convenience of gloves with the warmth of mittens. This product is available here.

Swix HF waxes – MSRP $69.95 No skier ever gets too many tubs of high fluoro racing waxes in their wax kit. The Swix HF waxes are proven over time. The HF7 is one of the most used waxes on the race circuit as it fits typical winter conditions from -2 C to -8 C, is easy to iron in and scrape off, and delivers consistent results every time. Swix HF line covers temperatures from -32 C to well above freezing between the HF4 (coldest), HF6, HF7, HF8 and HF10 (warmest – for slush and saturated snow), as well as the HF12 combo pack (one bar each of HF7, HF8 and HF10). This product is available here.

Toko Thermo WS Gore Glove – MSRP $69 There is no better 5 fingered glove on the planet for cross country skiing in cold weather with.  It offers the best bulk to warmth ratio and despite being very warm is breathable and comfortable. This product is available here.

Custom stone grind – from $64 to $72 (plus shipping) A custom stone grind from Nordic UltraTune in Winthrop, Washington. Mark Waechter, who was the service rep for the Slovenian national team during the 2010 Olympics in Whistler, has a large menu of World Cup grinds as well as linear, custom grinds. In 2009, Waechter installed a Mantec Ski Numericontrol 140 CNC stone grinding machine, which is the most advanced machine in North America today. A World Cup grind is $64 (D5, i5, S2, M1D, MVL, LJO3) and the XC02 runs $72 per pair. Hot boxing is $15 for the basic, and $25 for the deluxe, shipping is $25 for the first pair ($15 for subsequent pairs). This product is available here.

Power Wheel by LifelineUSA – $74.99 The Power Wheel is one of the tools that CXC Team uses for core training.  A strong core not only helps improve power and balance, it can also help decrease the likelihood of injuries. The Lifeline Power Wheel delivers a series of intense exercises that challenge your abs, obliques, back, hips and glutes, as well as chest, arms, hamstrings and calves.  With exercise options that vary from mild to downright wild, this is the perfect piece of equipment for all fitness levels.  More power helps improve every technique in Nordic skiing.  The Power Wheel will be one of tools that never collects dust. Comes with instructional DVD. This product is available here.

Built Pursuit Skate Wheels 100x24mm – MSRP $80 Roller ski wheels are always in demand. Built Pursuit skate Wheels come in a variety of different speed/resistance options. Weight of four: 0.90 kg. Wheel Speed Options:  Speed 1 – Faster but far from racing fast.  Speed 2 – Slow: Speed and resistance level comparable to average snow. Good for the average 75% skiers out there. If you are a top 15-20% citizen racer go with our 2/3 combo.  Speed 3 – Ultra-slow: For strong/elite skiers looking for the most resistance. This product is available here.

Salomon XT Wing 5 Pack – MSRP $90 The ultimate trail running pack – holds two water bottles in side pockets and plenty of mesh and zippered pockets to stash whatever you need for a long run, ski, hike or ride. The pack also has an inventive 4D system for holding trekking poles when not in use. This product is available here.

Craft Mens Team Flex Hoody 2010/2011 – MSRP $99.95 The Craft Mens Sweden Flex Hoody is from Craft’s team casual clothing line with a loose fit, featuring full front lock down zippers, two front handwarming pockets and an adjustable hood. This hoody is an off-track solution to staying warm and cozy! Hood cinch is easy to adjust to keep wind and elements out. This great looking performance hoody is already a store favorite. This product is available here.

Swix T785 Cross Country Profile Travel Vise 2010/2011 – MSRP $99.95 Designed for race skis, the Swix Cross Country Profile Travel Vise is a three piece aluminum profile that you can easily put in your travel wax box for those races away from home. The travel vise sets up very quickly and securely attaches to any wax bench. It works great at home too! This product is available here.

2XU Compression Tights – MSRP $99.99 Compression tights are designed to maximize blood flow and increase performance by decreasing muscle fatigue and cellular damage, as well as aid in recovery. Made from 4-way stretch material and antibacterial to minimize odor. Men’s and women’s fit. This product is available here.

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