2017 Gift Guide: Give Athletes What They Really Want

 

For the family and friends of endurance athletes, finding a great gift for a cyclist, runner, or triathlete can be a big challenge. It’s not that great gifts are hard to find, it can just be difficult to know what the endurance athlete in your life really wants. So, instead of giving or getting a card with a check and a shrug that says, “Get something nice for yourself”, we’ve put together our 2017 Gift Guide. There’s something for every athlete and every budget, and my coaches and I have used and recommend every gift in the list.

 

Pinarello F10 with Shimano Dura Ace Gruppo

We’re going to start with the ultimate gift. Forget the Mercedes with the bow on the hood; this is the machine a cyclist wants to see in the garage. I’ve ridden this bike for a year, and the only thing better than how it looks is how it rides.

Price: Approx. $13,000

Buy it: Pinarello.com

 

Giordana Sosta Winter Cycling Jacket

Rolling out of the garage on a cold winter’s day is hard, and great gear increases the likelihood a cyclist will ride instead of cutting it short or skipping it altogether. The Sosta jacket from Giordana is warm, wind and water resistant, and has a slightly roomier fit to accommodate layers beneath it.

Price: $390 Men’s, $375 Women’s

Buy it: Men’s or Women’s at Giordanacycling.com

 

Halo Sport

CTS recently partnered with Halo Neuroscience because we think neuroplasticity is the next game-changing technology for athletes. How does it work? Halo Sport leverages neuroplasticity (the ability to create and change neural connections in the brain) to improve your ability to learn and perform complex skills, perform repetitive movements more efficiently, and remodel muscle contractions for greater strength.

Price: $599 (Holiday Bundle price)

Buy it: haloneuro.com

 

Topical Edge Performance and Recovery Lotion

Topical Edge is a performance and recovery lotion that delivers bicarbonate through the skin to help athletes go harder and recover faster. Many athletes are skeptical about the company’s claims, until they use the product. Do the athlete in your life a favor and get him or her a box to try out.

Price: $20 for 5-workout box

Buy it: topicaledge.com

 

Ultimate Direction SJ Ultra Vest 3.0

Everything you need and nothing you don’t. The SJ Ultra Vest is a trail runner’s best friend, with two bottle holsters up front, a pocket for a hydration reservoir in the back, and additional pockets for ample storage, all within a sleek and compact package

Price: $124.95

Buy it: ultimatedirection.com

 

RĒKÜVR from GQ-6

Give the gift of restful sleep! This nutritional sleep supplement provides a blend of melatonin and sleep-enhancing amino acids to help athletes get to sleep faster and achieve more restful sleep. I love the stuff. I travel a lot and have trouble turning my brain off at night to go to sleep. RĒKÜVR doesn’t knock me out like a sleeping pill; it helps calm my mind so I can go to sleep more easily.

Price: $39.99

Buy it: www.gq-6.com

 

Strava Premium Membership

One of the best values on the list, $60 provides access to a ton of value with Strava Premium. Compared to the free version, Premium adds advanced data analysis tools, Beacon to keep athletes safe, a route builder, GPX export and import, a new Clubs feature, and more.

Price: $59.99/yr

Buy it: strava.com/gopremium

 

Probar Nut Butters

Caffeinated peanut butter? You bet! And that’s just the beginning. Probar has 10 flavors of spreadable goodness in single-serve packets, including varieties of peanut butter and almond butter. As with all ProBar products, these are certified organic and non-GMO.

Price: 14.99-19.99 for a box of 10 packets

Buy it: theprobar.com

 

Kenda Volare Tubular Tires

With the Volare, Kenda managed a pretty remarkable feat. This is a pro-level tubular tire; with the ride characteristics you expect from a supple racing tire, but it also has great puncture resistance from the Iron Cloak Belt under the tread. Replacing tubulars due to flat tires is expensive and time consuming, and the Volare does a very good job of saving time and money.

Price: $99.95 each

Buy it: kendatire.com

 

Wahoo KICKR

Despite a growing number of smart trainers on the market, the KICKR from Wahoo Fitness still stands out as the leader. This trainer can wireless connect to Wahoo’s free mobile app and Bolt computers, as well as to your laptop or Apple TV to train with Zwift. The KICKR has helped make the indoor cycling experience not just tolerable, but genuinely appealing.

Price: $1199.99

Buy it: wahoofitness.com

 

ESI RCT Handlebar Tape/Grips

You want to get someone a gift they’ll touch almost every day? Get them handlebar tape or grips. ESI products are 100% silicone, meaning the cushioning doesn’t wear down, and they are waterproof and cleanable. Because the silicone handlebar tape grips itself, this product doesn’t have that pesky adhesive strip on one side, meaning it’s reversible, re-wrappable, and doesn’t leave an adhesive mess on your handlebar.

Price: $41.99

Buy it: esigrips.com

 

Arundel Mandible Water Bottle Cage

Great water bottle cages are the ones you never think about. You never worry about ejecting bottles when you hit a pothole. You never fumble to get the bottle back into the cage without looking. We equip all the CTS Coach Pinarello bikes with Arundel Mandible cages because they work so well we never have to give them a second thought.

Price: $69.95

Buy it: arundelbike.com

 

EVOC Bicycle Travel Bag

There’s nothing scarier than seeing an $8000 carbon bicycle packed for shipping in a used cardboard box. You invested in the bike, so invest in a travel bag that will keep it safe. This EVOC bag is soft-sided but has structural supports to provide rigid protection, and the thoughtfully designed internal space allows you to secure road, gravel, mountain bike, and triathlon bikes equally well. Oh, and the oversized wheels make it a cinch to pull along with you.

Price: $485

Buy it: evocusa.com

 

Fluid Recovery Drink

Why get someone a recovery drink as a Holiday gift? Because it’s something that will improve their performance and something they may be unlikely to purchase for themselves. We talk to a lot of athletes who think recovery drinks are all hype or don’t want to spend the money on them. But once we have them use this product from Fluid, they immediately recognize its value.

Price: $31.99

Buy it: livefluid.com

 

 

Winter Socks from Handlebar Mustache

Great winter cycling socks can mean the difference between enjoying a cold-weather ride and being completely miserable. The husband-and-wife team at HBStache creates stylish and high-quality socks that last a lot longer than other socks we’ve tried.

Price: $23

Buy it: hbstache.com

 

NormaTec Pulse

Pneumatic compression boots are a significant upgrade to any athlete’s recovery routine. We have been using Normatec boots at training camps and in our facilities for years, and the quality, durability, and effectiveness of this product beats the competition by a mile.

Price: $1795

Buy it: normatecrecovery.com

 

PowerTap C1 Chainring Power Meter

When it comes to power meters, experience matters. PowerTap has been a leading manufacturer of accurate and dependable power meters for two decades, and the C1 applies that quality to an affordable chainring-based power meter. This solution is the best option for athletes who want to ride specific wheels, pedals, or cranks.

Price: $349 (Winter Special)

Buy it: powertap.com

 

SDG Duster P Mtn Saddle

CTS Coaches have put tens of thousands of miles on this saddle and it’s road cousin, the Duster P, and we can whole-heartedly vouch for its quality, durability, and comfort. The road and mountain versions are the same shapre; the P Mtn provides added protection against scuffs and damage with the addition of Kevlar on the sides.

Price: $99.99

Buy it: sdgcomponents.com

 

Barfly Rain Fly Fenders

Whether you’re commuting or out for a long training ride, a wet butt is no fun. Barfly has a great solution, especially for bikes that don’t have eyelets for mounting traditional fenders. Secured with zip ties, the Rain Fly fenders are big enough and mount in the right spots to provide significant protection.

Price: $19.95 (front and rear sold separately)

Buy it: barflybike.com

 

Zealios Personal Care Bundle

Endurance sports can be hard on an athlete’s skin and hair, and Zealios products care for athletes from start to finish. The “Full Line” bundle includes an SPF 45 sun barrier and Betwixt skin lubricant/chamois cream for during your workout, as well as body wash, shampoo, and conditioner to help you look and feel great for the rest of the day.

Price: $70.87

Buy it: teamzealios.com

 

Rudy Project Tralyx Sunglasses

Starting in 2018 CTS Coaches will wear the Rudy Project Tralyx while training and coaching. One of the features we like most about Rudy Project’s line of eyewear is the range of options for athletes who need prescription eyewear for outdoor activities. If that’s you, Rudy has you covered, in style.

Price: $249

Buy it: e-rudy.com