Sailors are a fickle group to buy gifts for, as many old salts have their kit of choice and aren’t especially interested in shaking things up. Did I mention that by nature, we’re traditionalists? While some factions among us might be content to hang onto those old, musty-smelling foulies, the good news is that there is plenty of great innovation and bright ideas coming from the industry side of the market, so you can bet that the newer the kit, the better it will perform. That’s news that even the most traditional of traditionalists will welcome.
For this year’s Holiday Gift Guide, SAIL strived hard to find a wide-variety of gear – at a wide-variety of price points – to satisfy every sailor on your shopping list. All of this gear is either unisex or available in both men’s and women’s versions, and the non-clothing items are sure to pique interest. So, deck the halls with glee this year, knowing that if you choose one of the items on this list for a sailor you know – or even for yourself – chances are excellent that it will be well-received. And if it’s not, well, at least it wasn’t fruitcake…
$ Safe Case. If you’re a dinghy sailor or a sport-boat sailor, you understand the importance of keeping vitals – say, your wallet, your cell phone, and your iPod – dry while sailing. This can be tricky, as electronics can be easily damaged if tossed into a dry bag, but Pelican Cases has the solution. Their line of “micro” cases are durable, crush-proof, and extremely water-resistant (they come equipped with a pressure-equalization valve). Some models come with a removable soft-rubber liner that is fantastic at ensuring that items don’t move around inside the case, even if it gets aggressively jostled. The cases come in a variety of colors and sizes, and there is a hard point on the case for attaching a lanyard (separate). $14.95. From www.pelican.com
$ Stomach Tamer. Trouble with seasickness affect someone you know? If so, give them the gift of a steady stomach with PSI Bands. These bands rely on known acupuncture points on your wrist to help sooth the sometimes-lousy feeling of a rough passage by applying pressure to these points with a plastic half marble that acts as an acupuncture instrument (note: the marble is rounded, and is not sharp; no part of the bands punctures the skin). The acupressure bands are drug-free and come with an adjustable plastic strap that keeps the band’s acupressure point in close contact with your acupressure point on your wrist. The bands come in a variety of colors (but not seasick green!) and styles to match your loved-one’s tastes and preferences. $15.99. www.psibands.com
