We know your friends and family might be baffled by your obsession with running gear, but we think the perfect gift to make your favorite activity more comfortable while improving your performance is totally worth it. After all, motivating yourself to get out there starts with committing yourself, but having the right gear sure helps, especially during these colder months when staying inside is more tempting.
Whether you need ideas for your own wishlist or gift ideas for the runner in your life, find inspiration for your holiday shopping with our five runner must-haves.
COROS GPS WATCHES
Knowing where you’ve run and how far is a great way to stay motivated. COROS is a performance sports technology company that specializes in helping athletes perfect their training. They fuse premium hardware with cutting-edge technology to provide endurance athletes with equipment built to withstand extreme environments. COROS products have been designed, tested, and refined for athletes, by athletes, and can be relied on for an efficient and intuitive user experience.
Whether a long-distance lover or a quick-job kind of athlete, being able to track your progress is step one to improving your runs. The PACE 2 is the company's entry-level premium GPS watch, packing in many best-in-class features at a great price point. It's the only watch under $200 to feature a barometric altimeter and a magnetic compass. Along with real-time pace, distance, and intensity state, the range of advanced running analytics sets it apart, including training effect, track mode for intervals, recovery-time recommendations, and long-term training-load monitoring complete with a 30-hour GPS battery life.
The APEX and APEX Pro are slightly larger watches with more features specifically designed for more rugged environments. The company's flagship product, the VERTIX 2, has more power, a larger screen, and highly accurate GPS, among numerous other features if you want to go all in.
THERAGUN
The cold winter weather can have you feeling a bit tight and out of sorts — we’ve all been there! Luckily, we have just the gift to keep you feeling at your best all winter long. The Percussive therapy devices have been likened to using a foam roller or getting a professional physical therapy treatment. A form of soft tissue massage, the vibration of a muscle causes increased blood flow that helps soothe aches, sore muscles, knots, and tension. It's a warm-up tool, pain management device, and recovery therapy all in one. The Theragun can relieve stress and relaxes the body by releasing tension and fluid deep in the muscles to increase tissue metabolism. The Theragun Mini is the most accessible and affordable massage gun Therabody makes, giving you quick access to recovery.
ROLL RECOVERY R-8
The R8 massage roller makes deep tissue massage convenient and has been fully redesigned featuring a revolutionary model that can self-adjust for different body sizes. It targets the IT bands, quads, hamstrings, calves, shins, glutes, and arms and breaks up muscle adhesions for myofascial release.
DAWN TO DUSK RABBIT JACKET
Having the right jacket for pre and post-run errands is key. Our pick is made by rabbit, a female-founded running apparel company backed by 30+ years of experience in the running industry and the determination to make gear they loved after being dissatisfied with the performance of available clothing.
Take to the outdoors in their fashionable Dawn to Dusk jacket, lined with High Country Flannel made from warm merino wool and filled with eco-thermal insulation - partially made from recycled coffee grounds! It's wind and water-resistant to keep you dry and comes in cloud white for women or light gray for men.
STOCKING STUFFERS: FEETURE SOCKS, HATS, GLOVES, & SNACKS
After working in the sock industry for over 25 years, Hugh Gaither founded Feetures to create a better-performance sock. Feetures socks are engineered to create a custom fit with Targeted Compression that provides arch support, a comfortable seamless toe, and wicking fibers.
There's a left and right sock for an enhanced anatomical design that conforms to the foot, preventing common issues people have with conventional socks. Their merino wool option will insulate when wet, keeping your feet warm, dry, and odor-free. High-quality socks prevent blisters and chafing, don't fall down in your shoe, and are durable enough to last for years. Major win.
Holiday stocking stuffers have not been forgotten! Share the gift of happiness with extra hats or gloves for those who aren't into extravagant gifts or already have everything on this list.
SANTA BARBARA RUNNING CO: GIFT CARDS
With our various selections in stores, it can be overwhelming picking the right color, size, or item you may want to gift. Santa Barbara Running Co Gift Cards are a great option for those family members or friends who may want to try before they buy, giving you a worry-free gift that will still bring the same amount of happiness.
Stop by Santa Barbara Running Co. to meet all your holiday shopping needs for the runners on your list, and we'd love to share further recommendations and help you find the perfect gift!
