GIFT GUIDE + Give the Gift of Outdoors!

Good morning everyone!  I hope your week is off to a great start and that you get in some of your favorite things today.  I’m sharing a bunch of awesome gift ideas for runners and people in your life that love a good outdoor adventure.  This post is sponsored by Backcountry.  I have a discount code for you at the end of the post!

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So many of my favorite memories happen outside—> like when Andrew proposed to me, hiking around Zion with the kids, my sub 3 marathon, runs with friends, daily runs with my own thoughts, boating, exploring our trails, really important conversations, star gazing, camping trips with my family… and the list goes on and on.  In my opinion, the best parts of life happen when we are outside:)  I love the outdoors!  It is so much fun to give gifts to my people that they can use for their outdoor adventures.

Today I want to share some of my favorite things from Backcountry for the runners in your life (or your own personal wishlist;), people that love being active outside along with my favorite gear for little ones.  Let’s keep our family and friends active year round and enjoying each season.

PS remember when I was single and I would always joke about how marrying a runner was #1 on my list?  Little did I know that I would get someone that agreed to train for an ultra with me and schedule our dates to be in the mountains running together.  Let’s just say, 99% of his gifts this year are things he can use for all of his outdoor adventures.

If you are looking for some gifts for the runners in your life, here are some of my favorite things.  I am absolutely obsessed with them!.

*Suunto 9 Watch—>  Backcountry offers so many different watches that are perfect for the runner in your life.  Fitbits, Garmin, Suunto and more.  We did our research to find the best long lasting gps watch and the Suunto 9 is perfect!  It lasts 25 hours in performance mode and 40 hours in endurance mode.  The lime color we chose is bright and gets me excited to hit up the trails now.  PS I’ll give you a full, very-detailed review of it soon!

*Salomon ADV Skin 12L Hydration Vest—>  So many of you recommended this vest for me and it fits like a glove.  I’ve started to wear it for my long runs so my body is used to carrying it for 50 miles on race day.  It fits everything I need. You can find all of the gear that you need to trail run at Backcountry.

*Nike Shield Hooded Jacket—>  The jacket I am wearing in these pictures today.  It is flexible, warm and I love how different it is compared to all of my other jackets!

*Backcountry Matilda Baselayer & 1/4 Zip—>  I’m convinced these are the two best baselayers out there. I wear each of them two times a week.  Staying warm and comfortable now that the temperatures have dropped is NECESSARY for me to get outside and play.  These items help me do that.

*Backcountry Rainjacket—>  The perfect top layer.  It keeps you warm, dry and I love the pattern.

*Sorel Out N About Plus Boot—>  These have been worn daily now that it started snowing here.  My feet are toasty and dry all day long no matter what I am out doing.  Runners need comfortable boots for the rest of the day and these are mine now.

*Electric Encelia Sunglasses—>  My favorite running sunglasses.

*The North Face Winter Warm Tights—>  I wear these on the trails the most often!  They are SO warm, the fleece lining is unreal.

*Smartwool socks—>  Necessary for winter running, I’m obsessed.

I love these products for Brooke. They are perfect for any little girls you are buying gifts for this year:

*Sorel Out N About Plus Boot Girls—>  The shoes she wears to school each day (recess happens all winter long) and for all of her outdoor activities.

*Marmot PreCip Jacket—>  I love the bright green color that we bought for her.  It is incredibly comfortable and keeps her dry and warm.

*Backcountry Nordic Pom Beanie—> My favorite beanie for her.

*Columbia Take A Hike Hoodie Girls—>  Seen in the pictures today!

*Smartwool Polar Bear Socks—>  Keeps those toes of hers warm all day.

*The North Face Osito Earband—> The softest ear band on the planet.

I adore seeing Skye in these pieces.  They help us to keep our adventures outside going strong even though she is so little:

*Patagonia Bunting —>  I die seeing Skye in this.  Doesn’t she look like a big teddy bear that you never want to let go of?  It keeps her nice and toasty when we are outside and it is so easy to get on and off!

*Patagonia Baby Furry Friends Hat—>  My favorite hat on the planet.  It’s so soft and the ears just take it to the next level.

*Bogs Elliot Whale Boot—>  Her winter boots.  They are original, bright and super warm.

*Patagonia Nano Puff Jacket—>  The jacket we have her wear the most often!

*The North Face Perrito Reversible Jacket—>  I love this one because it’s like you get two jackets in one and it gives you the option to keep their hands covered up and warm with the jacket.

If you have an adorable little boy to shop for, here are my favorite things that Knox uses:

*Marmot PreCip Jacket—>  The perfect top layer for when we are hiking or playing outside.  It keeps him dry and warm!

*Nike Flex Contact—>  He calls them his running shoes.  The other day as we were driving by the mountains he asked if we could run up to the top of that one together (just a 4000ft climb:).  I can’t wait until we can do that kind of stuff together.

*Backcountry Chase Your Goat T-shirt—> Soft, simple and spreads the message to get outside!

*VANS Pullover Fleece—>  His favorite hoodie and once it arrived, it’s pretty impossible to convince him to wear anything else!

*Smartwool Wintersport Sock—>  Our kids play in the snow a lot and for hours at a time.  Having the right socks for them while they are outside is key and I love these!

Andrew’s favorite things that the sporty guy in your life might love:

*Alo Yoga Conquer Hoodie—> The softest and thinnest hoodie for the man that overheats often but NEEDS to wear something more than a t-shirt outside.  It’s my favorite thing that he wears, I think it looks so good on him.

*Backcountry Flat Brim Hat—> The perfect hat that goes with everything.

*Backcountry Goat Logo T-Shirt—> A soft t-shirt that he loves wearing.

*Under Armor Fleece Jogger—> He wears these a few times a week because they are so comfortable.

*Nike Flex Short-Sleeve Running Jacket—>  What he is wearing in the pictures today.  He loves running in this because it isn’t constricting and it keeps him a bit covered without feeling suffocated:)

*Nike Essential Running Pant—>  His go-to winter running pant.

I think we are all a bit of gear junkies so here are a few more pieces of gear/accessories that I love:

*Hugger Mugger Yoga Mat—> My favorite yoga mat, many hours have been spent on that mat stretching and doing core work.

*Black Diamond Kids Harness for climbing—> The harness we use for the kids to climb with!

*Smartwool Neck Gaiter—> THESE THINGS ARE AMAZING.  How did I live in Utah for the past twenty years without one.  They save my face and neck on the really cold days.

*Prana Headband—>  Cute and keeps my ears ridiculously warm during the trail runs I take it on!

*The North Face Triple Cable Pom Beanie—>  My favorite beanie and the one I get the most compliments on each time I wear it!

I love giving my people the gear to get them outside and active not only because it makes them happy but it also means I get to join them on some adventures!

Backcountry makes it so easy for you to find everything you need for those that love skiing, yoga, running, climbing, biking, hiking, camping and so much more, all from the absolute best brands.  Enjoy this season with the people you love and get outside together as much as you can!

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If you need to refresh your winter gear or give the people in your life some amazing gifts, use the code RUNNER15 for 15% off your first purchase at Backcountry.com

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How much of your holiday shopping have you completed so far? 

What do you have on your wishlist this year?

Tell me one of the MOST adventurous things that you have ever done!

-Skydiving is up there, a few white water rafting trips and running through a jungle in Thailand (<—never will I do that last one again though, it happened on accident)… I can’t wait to add a 50 miler to the list.

If you celebrate Christmas, do the people you share the day with open up all of the presents at once or do you take turns?

-We’ve always opened one present at a time on Christmas and the youngest goes first!  It turns present opening into something that lasts for a long time but it’s fun to really see what everyone gets!