GIFT GUIDE
5 nifty food and accessory gift ideas for the adventurer
By Geneviève O’Gleman, nutritionist, savourer.ca
Whether it’s snowshoeing, skating, cross-country skiing or hiking, winter happens outdoors!
I always feel winter goes by too fast and that there aren’t enough weekends between December and March to really get your fill of the great white stuff. That’s right. You’ll never hear me complaining that winter goes on for too long!
I started to love winter the day that I got everything I needed to be properly dressed for the season. The day I stopped feeling cold, I began to love winter and to long for even more of it.
To get the utmost from this rather short season, what I do is enjoy each beautiful winter day to the fullest. Even when it’s minus 30.
I’m no expert on multilayer dressing nor on the best fabrics to choose when the temperature plummets. On that topic I got good advice and it was that simple. However, I am a real pro when it comes to snacks and equipment that I need to survive for trekking outdoors when it’s below zero.
Here’s my list of must haves, and they are as essential as wearing a warm down-filled jacket:
- In the winter, when I’m hiking, I always carry two insulated flasks like these (https://www.sportsexperts.ca/en-CA/p-hydration-s21sx-bouteille-isolee-a-goulot-standard-621-ml/252115/252115-16), one filled with cold water to stay hydrated and the other with a warm drink like tea or broth to keep warm. Warm or cold, the flask maintains the temperature of the contents that is kept in it. The cold drink stays cold without freezing and the warm drink remains warm. I drink from one flask and then from the other while I’m out. I’ve chosen different colours of flasks to make it easier to quickly tell one from the other.
- I also have an insulated bag designed for winter sports like this onehttps://www.sportsexperts.ca/en-CA/p-kresta-14-sac-a-dos/550393/550393-2. It includes a hydration pack with an insulated tube that will not freeze in the cold. Have you ever ended up with nothing to drink because your hydration pack froze? Well I have, but never again. And the pack is very convenient to drink from when you can’t free up your hands because you’re using walking sticks or ski poles, for example. The bag is quite small, but just large enough to carry a lunch and a change of clothing so I don’t feel cold when I come in for dinner and my clothes are soaked.
- The ultimate thrill is being able to make tea or coffee on the trail. What’s even more cool, is making it with snow! It’s a sure-fire way of impressing your friends! Take out your portable burner and in a few minutes, you’ll have warm drinks for your fellow hikers. You’re guaranteed to score points with them! I use this integrated system (https://www.sportsexperts.ca/en-CA/p-windburner-rechaud-individuel/796857/796857-1) that really works well in cold weather and is wind resistant. It’s the best investment! It’s super compact too, you fold it up and it takes up very little space in your backpack. This videohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fym6mgrhdgk) explains how to use it.
These nifty food and accessory gift ideas are all relatively new add-ons for me. I haven’t always had them, but now that I do, I couldn’t live without them. So, if you’re a lover of the outdoors and want to enjoy the winter season to the max, you can ask Santa Claus for some of these wonderful gifts… just saying! ;-)
