Last Minute Christmas List Ideas, 42Outdoors-Style

All I Want for Christmas…

Every year, our family makes an internal Christmas / holiday list. It spoils some of the surprise, but it also makes for a bit less wasted money and effort. In the spirit of Christmas lists everywhere, here is my 42Outdoors 2018 Christmas list, and why you might want to join me!!

Pack Llamas

Did you see that one coming? Pack llamas are the coolest gift of all! First, each of those bad boys or girls can pack 80 pounds of gear day after day. They can pack 120 pounds in a single day if needed, and can pack dozens of pounds more than that in a short effort of a few hours. Compared to horses, they eat about 20% of the feed and you don’t need a farrier. They can be transported in the back of your truck with appropriate precautions including a stock rack. In short, llamas rule!!

Who can benefit from pack llamas? How about:

1. Back country hikers and explorers, hunters, and anglers?
2. Less fit individuals who can day-hike but can’t carry the gear required for overnight?
3. Extending the hiking lifestyle of the elderly?

For me, these beautiful animals represent a means of taking a more comfortable camp into the back country. Two llamas can pack out a boned cow elk or a quartered deer and some extra gear. Pack llamas are number one on my “must have” list for 2019!

Snowshoes

Fitness has become more important to my wife and I over the past few years. We are feeling our mortality and we are fighting back! We hike during the spring and summer, and we hunt/hike from summer to early winter. Snowshoes represent a potential to extend both our hiking and hunting seasons.

Snowshoes aren’t just for adventurers of all types. They are also advanced survival gear for people who travel during the winter under crappy conditions. How many times have you heard of folks getting stuck in mud or snowbanks and having to hike out? It happens. I’m not advocating hiking away from your stuck car or truck in most situations, but in some instances, the snowshoe could be a lifesaver. I’m jonesing for a nice pair of MSR Lightning Explore shoes although the MSR Lightning Ascents may have been a better pick. Hopefully I will find out!

Ice-Fishing Sled

The nice folks at Eagle Claw make a killer plastic cargo sled in a few sizes. Two Idaho elk hunts ago, we were walking on a horse trail near Stanley, Idaho. I kept noticing pieces of curled plastic, both black and green. I quickly realized someone had used a plastic sled to drag pieces of their elk off the mountain. There was a skiff of snow, but the sled must have worked. Now I want one!

I found out from a friend about the Eagle Claw sleds and now I need one. This year my son killed a bull elk within a half mile of a road.Since the bull was above the road, we drove a pickup there and packed the boned elk down the hill. Of the four of us, all four of us have bad backs, so packing elk quarters was out. This would have been the perfect time to scuff up or even break a $40 sled to get the bone-in quarters off the mountain. This sucker will be perfect for moving hay in the winter and getting ice-fishing gear onto the ice. My Christmas list pick #3.

Trekking Poles

Umm…not gonna lie, I already own trekking poles. I’m giving advice this time, not hoping for new poles. Trekking poles are for everyone who hikes in just about any manner. They make the strong stronger and allow them to go faster. They make those of us who aren’t at our peak both safer and stronger. Trekking poles open up new worlds and extend your capabilities. They make a good bipod for camera or rifle. I believe they even provide a limited self-defense function against wildlife and low-lifes.

A few quick ideas on trekking poles.

1. Cork grips are so much better on long trips.
2. Carbon fiber seem to be well worth the price.Quieter and lighter than aluminum.
3. The adjustable length versions can be used differently uphill vs. sidehill vs. downhill
4. I happen to prefer the Black Diamond Alpine Carbon

For any outdoorsman or adventurer, it is hard to go wrong buying them a quality pair of trekking poles like the Black Diamond models. 

Backpack

Where do I start? I own three backpacks, my wife owns two, my daughter owns two, and my son owns one or two. Why would I want another?Backpacks serve needs, and no one pack handles it all. I have a fantastic Osprey pack that weighs a svelte 4.4 pounds and has a suspension system like butter. Sweat doesn’t accumulate and your back is feeling good at the end of a long day. That said, the lightweight materials and suspension limit it to 40-50 pounds of weight and very little hard abuse.

Hunting-specific packs have been around for a while, but now they seem to be in their heyday. Just to name a few, Eberlestock, Badlands, Kifaru, Kuiu, Mystery Ranch, and Stone Glacier all cater to the hunting hard-core with a few extra bucks in their wallet. It is hard to overstate the convenience of a bow or rifle attachment for your pack. Centering that load and placing it on your hips means everything on a long day in the mountains. A strong frame and suspension is needed to get big loads out of the field. I love my Eberlestock for stoutness, but at nearly 8 pounds, this chunky guy is mostly a day-tripper. I am going to spend some real time in 2019 checking out some of the strong and light offerings from others.

Boots

I have thrown away more boots than I’ve worn out. There is something about my feet that is almost always going to result in a bad boot choice. I finally found a boot that works wonders for me by sheer luck, winning them at an Elk Foundation raffle. The Kenetrek boots are like low range for my feet.I can do just about anything in them and my feet are the last things to fail me now. They used to be the first. The problem I ran into in 2018 was on a 35-mile, 3-day hike. Unfortunately the unyielding sole made one of my toes go numb, and it stayed numb for a few months after.

I just purchased a pair of Oboz on sale at REI and I’m hoping these are “the one” for long treks on trails carrying a medium weight pack. I bought them a half-size big so I can add a thickness of shock-absorbent material between the boot and insole. Hopefully, this will get it done, but if not, I could use another pair of something. I hope my family is reading this…it may have to go to Father’s day or next Christmas list, but nothing ventured, nothing gained!

Electronic Game Call

Before you judge me, I’m going to point out that an electronic game call has a number of uses. Most folks use these things to call predators in to end their lives. This is why I want one, but it is only part of the reason. My wife is a photographer, and I can see a nearly unlimited usefulness in today’s sophisticated calls in capturing animals with a lens and CCD. I think this aspect of the call might be the hidden gem that makes it far better for us than just a coyote call. I’m excited to find out what all can be called in with one of these units.

I was having breakfast with a friend this past week and he showed me a picture of he and his boys coyote hunting. Intrigued, I grilled him on the particulars. Turns out he recommended a quality electronic game call, a remote-operated decoy of some sort, and not to get too balled up in sound selection. My limited research seems to be pointing toward FoxPro as the most well-regarded brand, so it is now firmly ensconced in my wish list!

Toys, Toys, Toys

That’s about it for my wish list. Any of you out there in cyberspace that want to send me a nice gift can get hold of me through my website email!! I hope one or more of these ideas sparked some designs of your own. Lists are nice, but the real fun is in figuring out what your loved one or friend will be delighted by, because they don’t know what they don’t know. When you are the person who illuminates, it just feels good.

Last minute, barely related hot-tip: The board game “Codenames” is a simple no-brainer, that should be in everyone’s house, so just go get a few copies and spread them around. You will be a hero!