Gifts for Active Men

When it comes to clothing that stands up to nasty winter weather, nobody does it better. This pullover is a great choice for the active man in your life. It's good-looking, lightweight, breathable and comfortable. This is a nice layering piece when it's very cold or on it's own when it's just a little nippy outside.

This is one of the best jackets in the world. OK, that's a bit dramatic, but my husband has this jacket and he loves it because it provides protection without being bulky. It may be a little heavy for running (unless it's very cold out), but it's a good choice for walks, hikes or even as a middle layer while skiing. This one is perfect for outdoor activities because it's thin, but has a handy fleece layer inside to keep you warm. The outer material is both strong and stretchy, so it moves with you even as it wicks sweat and protects from the wind. 

Whenever it snows, I try to make my husband shovel all the snow off our driveway. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, but it helps that he has a pair of these windstopper gloves to deal with the 10-below temperatures. They really are the best gloves we've found for exercising or working out in very cold weather. They're filled with warm fleece and the elastic wrist band keeps out the cold. If the man in your life needs to update his cold weather wardrobe, this is a great stocking stuffer.

If the man in your life enjoys boxing, kickboxing or martial arts, he might enjoy having a training bag. This one is nice because it's a standing bag and you can fill the bottom with water or sand to up to 250 lbs to keep the base stable. If he's a strong guy, he might find that this bag moves if he kicks it or punches it hard enough for it to fall over (what some people describe as "walking"). I have a client who uses this bag and likes that aspect of it, but some people may not like the movement.

For the runner in your life, the Nike iPod Sports Kit makes a great gift idea. The kit comes with a sensor that goes in his running shoe and a receiver that plugs into an iPod Nano. The sensor sends information to the Nano about pace, speed, distance, calories burned and more. He'll need a Nano for this to work, but you may also find kits that include a Nano if he doesn't have one. This is a great gift for the man who loves to run, listen to music and track his workouts.

Men are usually easy to buy for - my husband would be perfectly happy with a six-pack and a free day to watch football. But, if the man in your life is harder to please, give him something unexpected - an adventure. This pass gives him the adventure of your choice including bicycling, climbing or even bungee jumping trips. The adventures offered are located all around the country and you'll want to research to find the right fit for you (and you're in charge of all the travel arrangements). The regular gift set costs $89 for the basic version which comes with the adventure pass and a guidebook, while the deluxe set ($129) includes that plus a camera and notebook. You can also get two passes if you're adventurous too.

I haven't tried this type of heart rate monitor yet, but it's gotten excellent reviews and is perfect for the gadget-head in your family. This heart rate monitor/GPS device provides continuous information about heart rate, speed, pace, distance and calories burned. The GPS tells you exactly how fast you're going and where you are (which is great if he loves going out on the trails or has a bad sense of direction) and he can even download workout information with the included software. This is a great idea for athletes, marathoners or runners who love tracking their progress. The drawbacks may be the price (about $200-$300) and the big, boxy wrist unit that may be a little awkward.

Some people think that giving someone a gift card is somehow impersonal, but what is more personal than the opportunity to buy tons of great music for your workouts? An iTunes gift card is perfect for the music-lover in your life. He can buy music he loves and make new playlists for his workouts, which will motivate him to exercise more.