From our team with love. Here’s what our staff recommends.

Sylvia, one of our Retail Receivers and Buyers, says:

• “Cribbage boards made by Outside Gifts Inside. Every year we bring in the canoe and kayak cribbage boards, and we love how they can bring an element of the outdoors - indoors!”

• “Playing cards, to go with your new cribbage board. Obviously! We are able to bring in a ton of card designs from wildflowers to the night sky and more.”

• “Bear first aid kit for kids. Because, how cute is that? I think it’s great to help kids care for their bodies, and these kits can be easily restocked with new supplies.”

• “The hand turned wooden compasses we carry are gorgeous, and they really work!”

• “The Lake Superior 2023 calendar features stunning images from the area. I think this is a great gift for someone who loves the big lake but lives too far away to see its beauty all the time.”

• “I may be biased since I order them but.. BOOKS, of course!”

John, our Tour and Rental Coordinator, says:

• “I have used various editions of the Superior Hiking Trail Guidebook for decades. It is always the first source I go to when planning a new hike on this amazing trail. There are descriptions of the campsites, terrain, and features well laid out in this indispensable guidebook.”

• “You can't go wrong with this classic field guide. Roger Tory Peterson revolutionized birding when he put out a field guide with paintings of each bird that emphasized the key identifying characteristics better than any other guide at that time. He also put maps in the guide which help differentiate similar looking birds from different parts of the country.”

• “I recommend the ‘My Superior Hiking Trail’ map because it can help so many people who want to hike the whole trail, but don't have the time to do it all at once. You can highlight the areas you have been and take notes of what you have seen. I think it can inspire all of us to get out and hike more of this great trail!”

• “I have multiple sizes of Hydro Flask bottles and I highly recommend them to anyone. They are vacuum-insulated, and have an incredible ability to keep hot liquids hot and cold liquids cold. I drink a lot of hot tea which I often brew early in the morning, and find the tea is still relatively hot even ten hours later when I am out in moderate temperatures.”

Annika, our General Manager, says:

• “This year I focused on summer sports for my gifts, and I love getting people stoked for warmer days. We carry some incredible paddles from Aqua-Bound, including the 2-Piece Tango Carbon and Fiberglass paddles, which are low angle paddles. Carbon will be lighter but Fiberglass will be cheaper. I know Beth loves hers, and I love the Whiskey style, which is the high angled version. Beth and I both opted for the bent shaft design, which helps reduce the impact of paddling on our wrists for longer trips. Now all I’m waiting for is spring!”

• “When getting gifts for my outdoor friends and family members, I like to buy things that folks don’t typically buy for themselves. That’s why I love buying gear care and repair items, like the stove maintenance kits we carry for MSR products or the general repair kits made by Gear Aid. And, of course, any product from Nikwax, which is great for taking care of technical materials and clothing items like wool and Gore-Tex. It’s my way of making sure my network can take care of their equipment.”

• “There are some lights that can be great additions to shorter trips, car camping and even general house use. I love the Galileo Air 1000 from Nebo, which is a rechargeable unit, and the inflatable solar lights made by Luci. Both are collapsible, and I’ve used both when burn bans are in effect to mimic a campfire or at my house when the power goes out. Luci is lighter but the Galileo is brighter, so you can focus on what’s more important to you.”