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Give the locals on your list a gift they will love |
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Written by Tahoe World staff
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Tuesday, 19 December 2006 |
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Need a last-minute gift for that Tahoe local? We’ve got all the recommendations you need below.
Or, if you want to really give a gift that they'll remember forever, click here to check out our list of ski/snowboard trips designed to fit any budget.
Clothing:
 • A T-shirt from the Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe.
For $20, you can give a unique T-shirt — options include “Leg Humper” “Tail Chaser” “Wanna Bone?” “Adopt Me” and “Down Boy” and they come in both men’s and women’s sizes — and help support the Humane Society’s mission of saving and improving the lives of pets through adoptions, community spay/neuter services and humane education programs. Call 530-587-5948 for more information or to purchase a shirt.
• Locally designed ski wear
Designed in the Lake Tahoe area for skiers who want progressive fashion as well as functionality, the Aeryx line of outerwear (part of the Predator Wear family) features magnetic closures on their high-end pieces and a wide range of mix-and-match styles.
 • Snowboard pants that are ready for the after-party
The Burton Aprés pants have a pair of board shorts built in, so you can go directly from shredding the gnar to hot tubbing with the honeys that much faster than your buddies.
 • Accent your steeze with fresh new goggles
Nothing is left unadorned this season, and goggles are no exception. Clockwise from top: The Oakley Crowbar features a denim strap which will match your jeans perfectly; the VonZipper Sizzle in the Boarding for Breast Cancer color scheme features built-in ear muffs, and part of the profits go to breast cancer research; the Anon Majestic won’t be ignored on the slopes; the Electric EG1 Peacock is all about showing what you’ve got; and the Smith Phenom blends style and performance.
 • Snow skate shoes get specific
It used to be that snow skaters had to suffer through cold, wet feet since the skateboard shoes commonly used would soak through quickly. This year, manufacturers have started making shoes specifically for the growing sport, with waterproof liners and sealed tongues to keep out snow. Two popular models are the hightop DC Nomad and the stylish DVS Marc Frank model.
 • A hoodie for the coldest nights
Sherpa-lined hoodies, like these from Totally Board and Volcom, add extra warmth to a Tahoe favorite.
• High-end leather gloves
Hestra gloves ain’t cheap, but the articulated leather fingers will make any skier on your list stoked to help you zip up your jacket when you’re sporting mittens.
Thanks to Totally Board snowboard shop in Truckee and Porter’s Sports in Truckee for giving us the lowdown on their new gear.
Hard goods:
 • The sickest sticks you can ride
Ride DH DFC – $429
The DH, by Ride, is an all mountain board for a resonable price. It’s a twin – meaning it’s got a symmetrical cut tip and tail – designed to do it all. Rip powder turns in the trees, slalom on the courderouy and get sick wit it in the park.
Burton Vapor – $949
The Vapor is supposedly the world’s lightest snowboard. Riders with a fat pocket book who don’t like to feel any weight under their feet will love this stick.
 • Floatation for the two-planking powder whore
K2 Pontoon – $800
From the wickedly insane brain of Truckee local Shane McConkey, the Pontoon is K2’s version of McConkey’s Spatula. In the age of sidecut twin tips, McConkey must have been on to something to get K2 on board, but they’ve fasioned his idea into a backcountry deep powder machine. Boasting a tapered tail, the Pontoon floats on powder like a water ski.
 • Because the backcountry tour never has to end
Fritschi Freeride Plus – $430
The newest addition to the Frischi family has a DIN setting of 12, has a bigger contact point so it rides and feels more like a traditional alpine binding and comes with brakes. For the skier who loves to trek out on their own trail but still loves those powder days in the resort, this is the only binding needed.
7tm Power Tour – $300
A breakthrough in telemark bindings. 7tm has come up with a releaseable tele binding. With a DIN up to 10, this baby will keep your knees in good shape but handle the gnar.
 Atlas BC 24 – $200
A new snowshoe from Atlas, the BC features more teeth on the bottom, climbing bar and a pointed tail to minimize clogging and a super lightweight feel for the rider (or plain walker) who doesn’t want a lot of weight but needs the ability to walk up the steeps and access the goods.
• Ya can’t ski in slippers
 Garmont Mega Ride – $600
A best seller in the Alpine Touring genre, the Mega Ride is as stiff as a four buckle alpine boot, but as light as any touring model, giving versitile skiers the stability they need with the weight they crave. The Mega Ride is also plugged for dynafit bindings and has three settings for walking, normal and a more extreme forward stance.
Electronics:
 • Get your heart beating
The Polar 520 heart rate monitor ($280) blends traditional workout functions with cycling-specific add-ons to provide a great gift for any cyclist on your list. The monitor displays percentage of maximum exertion, predicts the wearer’s VO2 Max, and provides standard cycling computer functions like: speed, distance, etc.
• Never get lost
Want to ensure you always know where you are in the wilderness? Get a Global Positioning System receiver and leave the marked trails behind. The Garmin GPSMAP 76 and eTrex Legend Cx both provide precise GPS positioning using correction data obtained from the Wide Area Augmentation System.
 The GPSMAP 76 ($199) has an internal memory capacity of eight megabytes. In addition, it comes with a built-in basemap of cities, coastlines, lakes, rivers, interstates, and interstate exit information and a database of nautical navaids. An extra-large display measuring 1.6"W x 2.2"H gives users a clear view of information, while a waterproof case means the GPSMAP 76 will keep working well even if it's been submerged in water.
The eTrex Legend Cx ($289) has sunlight-readable color and advanced GPS routing capabilities — all in a waterproof design. In addition, it comes with a blank 64 MB microSD card for storage of optional map detail, all in a size that will fit easily in a pocket.
 • Power up in the backcountry
All these electronic gizmos are great for outdoor use... until they run out of juice. You could carry extra batteries or recharge your gear via the power of the sun with the Solio Universal Hybrid Charger — a portable solar charger for handheld devices. With adapters for most popular electronic products, Solio might just be on the only charging solution you need to power up everything from cell phones to iPods, digital cameras, game players, GPS devices and even fish finders.
Thanks to Ace Mountain Hardware & Sports in Truckee and Paco’s Bike & Ski in Truckee for product information and photos.
Other options:
 • The second edition of “Squallywood: A Guide to Squaw Valley’s Most Exposed Lines” by local skier and psychiatrist Robb Gaffney, M.D.
The first edition became an instant classic and sold out quickly. Gaffney just completed the second edition in the face of overwhelming demand from the local community of skiers. For $24.99 you’ll get the Bible of Squaw — in-depth descriptions of all the toughest lines on the mountain, and a list of films those lines have been featured in.
• Ski & snowboard films by local production companies
Give a gift that will keep your skier or rider entertained and inspired all season long, one of the many ski or snowboard movies produced locally. Your choices include:
“Finding Time” — a snowboard film by Castle Peak Films.
“Hustle & Snow” — a ski film by Adventure Film Works.
“Frozen Assets” — a snowboard film by First Tracks Productions.
“Artistic Freedom” — a snowboard film by the Trilogy Arts Team.
“Open Windows” — a telemark film by Tough Guy Productions.
“Perspective” — a multi-sport film by Summit Side Productions.
For reviews and more details on all of these films, click here to check out the Tahoe World’s ski/snowboard movie review package.
Ski/snowboard trips of a lifetime:
If you want to really give a gift that they'll remember forever, click here to check out our list of ski/snowboard trips designed to fit any budget.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 19 December 2006 )
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