Health is better than wealth, or so the old saying goes. Thankfully, you don’t always need loads of the latter to support the former. Just check out this extensive list of awesome fitness-related gifts and stocking stuffers, featuring no fewer than a dozen items priced at $50 or less — along with a number of pricier exercise-oriented items, just to round things out.
Fitbit Charge 3
Price: $150
From: fitbit.com
If you’re looking for a fitness tracker to use primarily for fitness goals, there’s no better option than the Fitbit Charge 3. It tracks your heart rate around the clock as well as sleep stages, has goal-based exercises, is swim-proof and maybe best of all, the battery lasts for up to a full week.
1. BodyArmor Super Drink
Price: $15/12
From: amazon.com
The official sports drink of the NCAA, UFC and the Spartan Race packs quite a (fruit) punch. BodyArmor boasts potassium-packed electrolytes and coconut water to quench thirst, prevent cramps and support optimal performance.
2. Darn Tough Merino Wool No-Show Athletic Socks
Price: $17
From: amazon.com
Made exclusively in Vermont and featuring 51 percent Merino wool, these socks are naturally antimicrobial, antibacterial and comfy as they come.
3. ProBar Bite Organic Energy Bar
Price: $18/12
From: amazon.com
We’re kinda obsessed with ProBar, a Utah-based brand that makes incredible energy and protein bars with surprising flavor. These bites provide quick, healthy calories during extended adventures. The protein-packed meal bars are awesome too.
4. Kalahari Biltong Variety 3-Pack
Price: $20/3-pack
From: amazon.com
Kalahari Biltong was founded by three endurance athletes wowed by this local treat during a trip to race in South Africa. They describe it as a cross between “dry-aged beef, jerky, and prosciutto.” We find it delicious, and at 32 grams of protein and zero sugar per 160-calorie serving, it’s something of a superfood to boot.
5. ShakeSphere
Price: $21
From: amazon.com
This seemingly simple tumbler cracked the GP100 thanks to an ingenious design. It has no internal edges, which not only cuts down on waste but enables the pureeing of fruit with a few seconds of shaking. The result is convenient, flavorful protein smoothies on the go with minimal mess.
Gear Patrol Magazine Subscription
Price: $39
From: store.gearpatrol.com
Gear Patrol Magazine is a deep dive into product culture. Inside each issue, you’ll find seasonal buying guides, rich maker profiles and long-form dispatches from the front lines of product design. Get four print magazines — delivered quarterly — with an annual subscription.
6. Bravo Sierra Active Set
Price: $26
From: bravosierra.com
This no-nonsense kit featuring anti-bacterial body wipes, shampoo + body wash + shave gel, deodorant and SPF 30 moisturizing lotion is the perfect addition to any exercise enthusiast’s gym bag.
7. Osprey Daylight Waistpack
Price: $28
From: amazon.com
Fanny packs have taken more than their share of abuse over the years, but they’ve stuck around for one inarguable reason: they make it easy to stash a few essentials — say workout gloves, towel, protein powder — till you need them. And this elegant, double-zippered Osprey option is more than up to the task.
8. Under Armour HeatGear Compression T-Shirt
Price: $28
From: amazon.com
Moisture-wicking, performance-enhancing and flattering to the fit physique — this shirt has everything the active man needs, at a price that’s tough to beat.
9. GU Hoppy Trails Energy Gel
Price: $30/24
From: amazon.com
GU is the leader in on-the-go energy gels. And this 24-serving box of electrolyte-loaded 100-calorie packets is the ultimate stocking stuffer for the IPA-loving endurance athlete.
10. Perfect Fitness Pull-Up Bar
Price: $35
From: amazon.com
Those lacking funds or space for a full weight set can get quite a bang for the buck from bodyweight moves. This clever bar hooks under a door frame for all manner of pull-ups and chin-ups — and can also be used for for really deep, chest-expanding pushups.
11. Crown Gear Dominator Weightlifting Gloves
Price: $45+
From: amazon.com
A combination of soft leather, four-way stretch fabric, strategic padding, integrated wrist support and EZ pull-off tabs make Dominators some of the best weightlifting gloves money can buy.
12. Ciele ONECap Clean Britelite
Price: $50
From: cieleathletics.com
Sometimes a running hat is just a running hat. And sometimes it’s a lightweight, packable, reflective wonder that just happens to have “SPEED” printed in huge pink lettering on the underside of the brim.
13. Apex Adjustable Kettlebell
Price: $62
From: amazon.com
No piece of home weight equipment allows fitness fiends to do more with less than an adjustable kettlebell. This affordable Apex option can range from 20 to 50 pounds, enabling a seemingly endless variety of muscle-boosting curls, lifts, presses, swings, lunges and squats.
14. Momentous AbsoluteZero 100% Plant Protein
Price: $65
From: amazon.com
Precious few supplement brands can boast the outdoor & fitness star power of Momentous, whose team includes Jimmy Chin, Rob Dyrdek, Jrue Holliday, Alex Honnold and Kyle Rudolph — plus loads of top coaches and trainers. But you don’t need to know all that to enjoy 20 ounces of clean, tasty protein per serving.
15. Vuori Kore Short
Price: $68
From: vuoriclothing.com
Life is too short to hit the gym in crappy mesh basketball shorts. Upgrade to these stylish, quick-drying Vuoris featuring four-way stretch, a breathable boxer brief liner and what can only be described as majestic levels of comfort, and your workouts will never be the same.
16. Athletic Greens
Price: $77/month
From: athleticgreens.com
Anyone currently getting hosed on $6 green juice bottles needs to be introduced to Athletic Greens. A monthly subscription saves money and time while supporting digestion, immunity, energy, anti-aging and more with 75 (75!) proven ingredients.
17. Nike Element Running Jacket
Price: $85
From: jackrabbit.com
It’s Nike, so the performance aspects are pretty much a given. The real question is, how good does this piece look? Answer: really damn good.
18. Hill City Heavyweight Fleece Hoodie
Price: $98
From: hillcity.gap.com
Speaking of good-looking, Hill City’s classic heavy hoodie, available in four colors, has things covered. Bonus feature: a discreet zippered pocked on the left side makes a great place to stash a phone, wallet and/or keys.
19. Ten Thousand Interval Pant
Price: $98
From: tenthousand.cc
Ten Thousand’s Interval Short, with nearly 2,000 five-star reviews, represents the pinnacle of workout shorts. We have no reason to doubt that the brand-new long-legged version — rocking the same premium performance fabric and zippered, no-bounce hip pockets — is equally fantastic.
20. Marmot PreCip Stretch Jacket
Price: $105
From: rei.com
A little rain can really ruin a run, bike ride or other outdoor activity. The nicely priced jacket — featuring Marmot Stretch NanoPro waterproof breathable fabric, a DWR coating and “Angel-Wing Movement” sleeves for a full range of arm motion — is the perfect antidote.
21. Altra Solstice XT
Price: $110
From: altrarunning.com
Zero-drop shoes that provide a stable platform for power moves during CrossFit WODs and HIIT workouts are all the rage these days. But that’s old news for Altra Running, which has extolled the benefits of zero drop for the past decade. The all-new, gym-specific XTs boast balanced cushioning, a foot-shaped toe box and a flexible midsole. And yes, you can run in them too.
22. On Weather Vest
Price: $140
From: jackrabbit.com
This high-end running vest cracked the GP100 thanks to its perfect balance of insulation, water-repellant-ness, venting and storage. It also weighs less than 3 ounces, so you’ll barely notice it’s there till you need it.
23. Adidas FWD-01 Sport In-Ear Headphone
Price: $149
From: amazon.com
These waterproof in-ear headphones offer 16 hours of continuous playtime, so they’ll easily outlast even the most grueling workouts. Our favorite feature is the knitted sleeve encasing the connecting cable, which recalls a shoelace while boosting the durability.
24. Hypersphere Hyperice
Price: $144
From: amazon.com
The softball-sized Hyperice is yet a third GP100 pick, due to the fact that its bite is bigger than its bark. By which we mean that it’s smaller and quieter than most vibrating massagers, yet its three levels of pulsation can bring the benefits of myofascial release to just about every part of your body.
25. GoRuck Kit Bag
Price: $160
From: goruck.com
For a gym duffel that’ll last a lifetime and look good doing it, look no further than this 32-liter hauler, which boasts durable Cordura fabric, plus two external and three internal pockets for stashing all your gear. It comes by that camo pattern honestly, too, considering GoRuck’s founder spent time in the Special Forces.
26. Smith Wildcat ChromoPop Sunglasses
Price: $161+
From: amazon.com
Running, cycling or otherwise exercising outdoors, the Wildcats help achieve two key objectives: not burning out your retinas and being mistaken for The Macho Man. What else does an active guy need?
27. NordicTrack T Series Treadmill 6.5S
Price: $600+
From: amazon.com
What does this treadmill provide that most others can’t? A 10 percent incline at the touch of a button, connectivity to iFit for world-class real time training and pricing that won’t bust your bank account.
Aer Fit Pack 2
Price: $135
From: store.gearpatrol.com
The Fit Pack 2 stores your gym/work essentials without adding extra bulk. Stylish and functional, this versatile daypack goes with you to the office, gym and everywhere in between.
