Top 10 Christmas gifts for HIM that will make YOU happy

Men and women may originate from different planets (*audible gasp*) but we can all agree on one thing: Nothings says, “I’m clueless, I give up, I have no imagination” like a bottle of cologne or another reindeer sweater.

For the man in your life that likes to be outdoors:

10. Subscription to Backpacker magazine. I recommend this one because it’s laden with articles, stories, how-to’s, maps, survival polls, survival tips, and gear reviews that are actually useful. Did you click the link? Pretty cool website, eh? You can lost in there.

9. Down comforter. He’ll spend the day shopping with you, hold your purse while you try on outfits, and listen to your rationalizations of going Goth, but he’ll never break down and buy a down comforter.

8. Mysterioso base layers. Because it sucks to be cold.

7. GPS. Because it sucks to be lost.

6. Keens. The first thing he’ll say is, “Sandals? Nice. Are you trying to get me beat up? What else did you get me? Socks? Underwear?” He’ll retract the snide comments the first time he schleps around in these all-terrain kicks. 

5. Smartwool socks. I first discovered the benefits of Smartwool socks on a six-day climbing, trekking, and slogging-through-creeks-and-muck trip to northern Maine. They dry lickety-split fast and, if you get the medium to heavy weights, they take comfort to a whole new level. He can pair these with the Keens in the winter and wear them to work or about town.

4. Anti-microbial underwear. I know what you're thinking. $30 for a pair of skivvies?! One can make the argument that cheesy-smelling, five-day worn BVD’s repels wild animals; a grizzly bear will tell you otherwise. Help your guy to avoid a close encounter with a fanged kind.

3. Eiger Dreams. A fantastic read whether he’s camped on the sofa or in his tent. My husband, who normally reads aviation journals and mountain bike magazines exclusively, read this book twice. He’s been recommending it to all his friends since. Incidentally, if you happen to be the friend he loaned it to three months ago, give it back already! It's mine!

2. Exped DownMats. A portable Tempurpedic mattress. My friend Bill swears by these and gear-tested one on a five-day Salmon River kayaking trip. They fold down to size of a standard sleeping bag and weigh about as much. Each DownMats comes with a pump and carrying case--the carrying case itself is the pump. After it’s inflated, the sack doubles as a pillow.

1. The Casio Pathfinder 1500 PAW-1V. You know I had to add this one. 

You can see most of the items above for yourself at the 23rd Annual Outdoor Adventure Expo at Midwest Mountaineering next weekend.

So now that you have some ideas for the guy in your life, why stop there? Put the Obama family on your Christmas gift list. Don't know what to get the family that has everything? Rob Shirk, the South St. Paul Examiner, has some great ideas.