My wish list: from the man who really does have everything

• Posted on December 12, 2008 at 4:18 PM
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"He's a tough person to buy for." We've all heard it before and I don't buy it. The only person who can really say that is someone buying for a gear editor. Whatever I want, I can pretty much try. And a lot of it I can keep. Plus, I've tried it all and know exactly what I want. No surprises please.

I really feel for my parents and wife. When it comes to shopping for me the only option is to buy a book or a sweater. I've got quite the library of sweaters at home. That said, there are a few things on my wish list that don't have 200+ pages or look nice with khakis. Here they are in no particular order:

SPOT satellite messenger - Press one of three buttons to 1) let your friends and family track your progress 2) call for assistance from a prearranged person 3) call in the artillery to get you out, now. They're on sale - $50 rebate by clicking the top banner ad - and since I don't think anyone is buying me one I might just do that as soon as I'm finished here. I head off into the mountains, where there's no cell reception, regularly. The thought of orchestrating a rescue is such a nightmare I usually just put it out of my mind.

Arc'Teryx ski pants - A friend just stopped by who works as a lift mechanic at Mount Washington Alpine Resort. Last season they landed themselves a pro deal on Arc'Teryx gear - full Gore XTR waterproof breathable. They got 12 metres of snow last season and being close to the ocean that's seriously wet snow a lot of the time. It's a real testing ground for waterproof gear and his job - ripping around on snowmobiles and hammering ice off lift towers for hours on end - is the ultimate test. His gear didn't leak once. I tried a pair of the Bird's pants last year and they rocked. Too many to choose one - but I'm a fan of bibbed pants.

Surf Tech stand up paddleboard - A Hawaii stand up paddleboarder told me all Canadian surfers should really try it. The reason: no sitting around half submerged in freezing water. It's hard to argue. I hear it's a killer work out too and a hard sport to master - two things that always grab my attention. Of course I'd need a paddle to go with the board - C4 Waterman

A new mountain bike - I still ride a hard tail, aluminum cross country bike from Giant. It's an alright bike, but a gear editor should keep with the times. I'm looking for an all mountain, dual suspension, xc-ish bike. Luckily I'm testing this year's fleet of bikes for the June issue of explore.

Salomon B52 winter boot - On Vancouver Island when we get winter it's sloppy and cold. You need something seriously waterproof and warm enough to fight off that moist cold that sinks into the bones. The B52s do both with Gore membrane and Thinsulate insulation. Add Salomon's excellent fit system and you've got a covet worthy boot.

A kick ass lighter - Brunton builds all kinds of cool stuff, but the one I need the most is a easy to light lighter. I hate those child proof locks. I don't light much and so I struggle getting those kiddy proof things to work, especially if it's windy or wet. Brunton's butane lighters don't blow out and don't have childproof locks.

I've shown you mine, now tell me about yours. What's on your wish list this Christmas?