I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday weekend. I made the bold choice to get my flu and COVID shots the day before we left for Bend, and unbeknownst to me, I had a small cold brewing inside of me. So, combined with the shots and holiday festivities, I got sick by the end of the weekend and have been recovering since. But it gave me plenty of time to dive into this newsletter!

As we get closer to the holidays, I wanted to help you out with gift ideas.

Practical Gifts without Breaking the Bank

I'm all for practical gifts that will actually get used and won't empty the wallet. So here's some gear that is under $50

​Black Diamond 400 Headmap: $49.95 - A go-to staple for anyone who likes to spend time outside.

​BioLite Mini Lantern: $29.89 - A lightweight way to add some light to your camping or backpacking trip.

​Weekend Camping Cookbook: $10.95 - Add some flavor to your camping adventures with new recipes.

​Cocktail Box: $22 - A fan of cocktails, all you need is bourbon whiskey and you'll be set!

Darn Tough Socks, $24: Men's | Women's - One of the best brands of hiking socks on the market. These will last years and years.

​NEMO Sleeping Bag Liner, $34.73: If you want to add more warmth to your sleeping bag without buying a new one, a liner is your best bet.

​Men's Nathan 365 Sun Hoodie, $46.73: You can never go wrong with another sun hoodie to protect your skin while running or hiking.

​Patagonia Hiking Hat $29.73: This reminds me that I probably need a new one at some point, as all of mine are pretty gross and dirty from last year.

​Nathan Polarized Sunglasses: $39.73: I personally try not to spend too much on my sunglasses because they always tend to end up under my butt when I go to sit down. So, these are some good quality without sinking too much into them.

​Turtle Fur Balaclava, $24.73: Try to say Balaclava three times fast.

​Sunday Afternoons Sport Hat $25.73: Keep your face and neck shaded as you tackle miles, fish, or enjoy the outdoors.

REMINDER: 2025 Calendars are on sale for $28.50 and will ship out soon!

Warm Weather and Other Gear On Sale Until December 9th or later

(not under $50)

REI Magma 850 Down Hoodie, Currently 40% off - Men's | Women's: If you are looking for a warm down jacket that won't break the bank, this is your best bet. At 850 fill, it's in the top echelon of "warmth." Plus, you can't beat the discount.

Mountain Hardwear Micochill Pullover 50% off: Men's: Comfy fleece pullover for nights camping or a solid mid-layer out hiking.

Icebreaker Merinio 200 Longsleeve Top, 25% off: Women's: I'm a sucker for wool base layers, and Icebreaker makes some fantastic gear that will last a while. Anytime you can get wool at a discount, it's good!

Garmin Fenix 7x Pro Solar, 27% off: Buy it here. This is by no means a budget buy, but if you're shopping for a new hiking watch, I love my Fenix 7. They just came out with a new model, so you'd be getting the older version, but to save almost 30%, it might be worth it!

SoloStove Fire Pit, 23% off: Grab it here. Have a fire almost anywhere you want with the Solostove fire pit. Super easy to use and transport, and keeps the smoke to a minimum.

JetBoil Flash Cooking System, 25% off: Buy it here. This isn't a significant discount and usually happens a few times a year, but if you're looking to gift a backpacker a Jetboil, they would be stoked! I still have my first Jetboil from 2018, so they last.

GSI Outdoors Knife Set, 25% off: Buy it here. The perfect camping knife set up and keeps everything organized and safely packed while traveling.

Insta360 X4, 15% off: See it here. If you are a creator or enjoy making unique videos, the Insta360 allows you a multitude of ways to get creative with videos - especially in places where drones are prohibited.

Gregory Hardcase Luggage, 25% off: Get it here. I've had this one since 2019, and it's been a fantastic travel companion to Iceland, Australia, and Ireland.

Five days in Alaska's Katmai and Lake Clark National Parks

After hours of editing, my short film from Alaska is complete! If you like bears and pretty landscapes, you'll love it.

​You can watch it here. ​

Last but not least!

If you don't want to buy outdoor gear, I would love it if you considered gifting one of my photos this year! It's a fantastic way to support my small business. Thank you to those who browse!

​Explore my photography gallery.