The Holiday Gift Guide: The Swag Wagon

It's coming to town. Who needs Santa?
By Amy Goldwasser and Andrew Tilin

Colorado Boomerangs
These updated aboriginal throwing clubs promise happy returns long after the holiday glee has worn thin. Colorado Boomerangs fly from 20 to 70 yards in gusts as high as 12 mph. Handmade, hand-painted, and guaranteed to come back--or your money will. $12.50-$30. From Colorado Boomerangs, 800-357-2647.

Five Ten Guide Tennie
This is one approach shoe that hasn't beaten a hasty retreat from its hard-core climbing heritage. The Guide Tennie looks like a rock-solid veteran, complete with sticky rubber sole and technical toe-rand, but handles like a hiker, with a protective full-grain leather upper and a supportive polyurethane midsole. $125. From Five Ten, 909-798-4222.

Motorola Sport Series Radio
For the couple that plays together but can't stay together, Motorola's two-ways bring you close. No glorified string-and-tin-cans here: The FCC recently opened a band of operating frequencies solely for recreational use, so each 11-ounce radio's range is as great as five miles--enough to tell your tired loved one about the view from the top. $360-$600 per pair. From Motorola, 800-448-6686.

Savage Bentshaft
What usually makes a kayak paddle incredibly light--minimalist materials, svelte connection between shaft and blade--also causes it to come apart in the most innocent of whitewater. The 38-ounce Bentshaft, however, is built with Class Vs in mind: The carbon-Kevlar shaft is braided for strength, and it's all of a piece with the blades. Customized for ergonomic efficiency, it comes in the length and feather angle of your choice. $375. From Savage Designs, 704-251-9875.

Cannondale Crop Jersey
If Courtney Love's lifestyle included spins out of Seattle, this is the jersey she'd crank in. Cannondale's Crop Jersey for women delivers on fashion: The ribbed Ebony one has sheer mesh sleeves, the Lipstick Pink one is...well, lipstick pink. It delivers on function, too--it's made from Supplex/Lycra treated with a coating that wicks, and it sports back pockets. Even the zipper pulls are highly hip: mini-wrenches. $40. From Cannondale, 800-245-3872.

Mad River Escape Series
Mad River's Escape canoes work a lot like tents. Pull one out of its airline-baggage-size sack, unfurl the skin, and link up the shock-corded aluminum frame. In 25 minutes (with some practice) you can be floating the Boundary Waters or Class III rapids on the Rogue. The structural coup de grace is the inflatable tubes that run along the sides, reportedly giving these boats a tautness that approaches that of their rigid siblings. Four models, ranging from 12.5 to 16 feet. $1,195-$1,549. From Mad River Canoe, 800-843-8985.

Nike Air Rift
The racy Air Rift, inspired by Kenya's barefoot Rift Valley runners, has a cushy midsole--and not much else. The four-way stretch upper covers enough of your foot to keep the shoe on, and the split-toe design lets your big toe push off independently--almost as if you weren't shod at all. A pair of thonglike Rift socks is included in the package. $85. From Nike, 800-344-6453.

Spinergy Rev-X-Roks
Spoke wrench be gone: The Rev-X-Roks is made with but four carbon-fiber spokes that never need adjusting. Unlike standard 32-steel-spoke setups, these compliant wheels won't put a rattle in your chamois--but the manufacturer claims they're still twice as strong as traditional designs. And the looks! You'll be the darling of your local single-track. $449 front; $549 rear. From Spinergy, 203-762-0198.

Patagonia Puffball Vest
How warm can an insulated vest be that stuffs into its own Frito-snack-bag-size pocket? Toasty enough to keep you comfy on the downhill after dragging a toboggan up. The quilted layer of Microloft insulation is sandwiched by slick nylon, making the 8.5-ounce Puffball the perfect thing to slip on over a fleece sweater--or under a Santa suit. $95. From Patagonia, 800-638-6464.

Asolo Expedition
The problem with many polyurethane mountaineering boots is that they feel like ruthless alpine-ski stompers. With soft polyester added to its hard shell, the Expedition is a comfortable exception; it offers superior fit and flex at even the most unforgiving temperatures. (Asolo rates it to minus 158 degrees Fahrenheit.) The Vibram outsole, PU-fiberglass shank, and stainless steel hardware should serve the subzero zealot well. $450. From Asolo, 802-879-4644.

Chrome Galaxy Bag
If you look at Chrome's latest messenger bag and feel a sudden wave of nostalgia for your Starsky & Hutch-era bike, there is an explanation: The sack's made from the sparkly vinyl upholstery of the banana seat on your Schwinn Sting Ray, in silver or charcoal. Make your favorite commuter misty-eyed. $84. From Chrome, 303-494-9429.

Gregory Mirage Hydro Pocket
Fill the bladder, lash the Hydro Pocket to your backpack, arrange the hose so that it lies close to your mouth, and bite down on the drip-free valve for hands-free drinking. A clever coupling system lets you pump water straight from a filter into the bladder. For the avid accessorizer, Gregory plans to bring out more than a dozen bladder-carrying, sport-specific packs by February. $47. From Gregory Mountain Products, 800-477-3420.

Schwinn Phantom Bar Stool
"Hydrate" for too long on the Phantom Bar Stool and you'll end up with saddle sores. The stool's frame is made with the same tubes, reproduction horn tank, and seat that you'll see on the limited-edition redux of the swoopy Schwinn Phantom, a bike that was introduced for Christmas 1949. Fortunately, the pedals on the belly-up-to-the-bar incarnation are stationary. $320. From Schwinn, 708-231-5340.

Kryptonite New York Chain
Because there's no U-lock wide enough for a big tree or power-line pole, there's now a Kryptonite chain. The hardened, trapezoid-shaped steel used in the links will put up a wearying fight against hacksaws and bolt cutters (though the chain isn't guaranteed against being snipped), and the included padlock is--ta dah!--the smallest U-lock around. In two shoulder-bag-straining sizes: three feet (six pounds) and six feet (11.6 pounds). $105-$170. From Kryptonite Corporation, 617-828-6655.

Airwalk Gyms
Sneakers with a sense of humor: Airwalk has materialized the Platonic ideal of both the tennis shoe and the basketball shoe. The Gym Neon is made from that familiar fuzzy felt; the synthetic-leather Gym High is funky enough to suit Dennis Rodman. $63-$70. From Airwalk, 800-677-1545.

The North Face Easy Rider
Is the pack holding the snowboard, or is the snowboard holding the pack? No matter--with the Easy Rider, designed with guidance from extreme snowboarder Jim Zellers, you can go where most carvers don't. Sleeves for the tails and a skyward tip-lashing system hold your stick (and a friend's, if you're feeling friendly), with 2,400 cubic inches left for clothes, food, and a trusty avalanche transceiver. $219. From The North Face, 800-447-2333.

Canon 12 X 36 IS
High-power binoculars that guard against motion sickness. The "IS" stands for "image stabilization," which means that when you press a button the instrument automatically adjusts for changes in light and hand movement. Perfect for when you nervously catch that whooping crane in your sights. $1,499. From Canon, 800-828-4040.

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Stocking Stuffers