Hiking can be fun, smooth and effortless. It requires training, correct attitude and proper equipment. Especially in Winter the quality of your gear is important, because the coldness and darkness bring their own challenges.
The best gift ideas of the year with justifications:
- Book for inspiration: How many Finnish national parks can you name? Where are you going next? Tea Karvinen’s ‘National Parks’ is a great book about home-country-travelling and gives a solid understanding of the possibilities of Finnish nature. It is said that by reading one becomes wise, and in this case also enthusiastic! Example: National Parks, Tea Karvinen.
- Raw chocolate! Nothing beats a good snack. For Winter outdoors I recommend to combine raisins, nuts and chocolate. Be prepared to share! 😉 Example: Vegeway Raw Choco Mint & Cacao
- Headlight: The better the light, the better the party! With a high quality headlight, you get your hands free to work, you can change the light output power, or use red light for dark photography, for example. In fact, I like a lamp that feels light and the battery can be charged from the USB powerbank. Example: Petzl Reactik +
- Multifuel stove: The colder the worse the gas burners work. For Winter it is good to have a stove that works also with gasoline! Enough thermal power ensures a successful cooking. Tip: You may want to practice using gasoline in the cooker before your trip. Example: Primus OmniLite Ti
- Food thermos: If hot drinks are enjoyed outdoors, then surely can the warm food be too! Keep your meal tasty all the way, and skip the hassle of cooking in the nature. All you need is a spoon or fork, as the insulated cover also serves as a plate. A spacious thermos can store food for multiple hungry trekkers! Example: Stanley Adventure Food Jar 0.7
- Silky inner duvet: A brilliant product in a sleeping bag or just like that! The silk fabric feels comfortable on the skin, neutralizes odors, repels dirt and absorbs moisture without feeling wet. This makes a sleeping bag sleeping luxury! Example: Cocoon Mummy liner
- Insulated airmat for sleeping: The worst thing is when your back freezes in the middle of sleep. Insulation in an inflatable pad is effective, and there is no need to compromise on comfort. I always recommend getting a mat that is big enough for some movements during the night. Another good thing to do is to choose a square shaped mat, because it is easy to put them next to each other! Example: Synmat 7 LW
- Sleeping bag combo! Now all couples attention! Many sleeping bags have the option to choose the zipper side. The ‘left / right’ option tells you where the bag is opened. Most right handed people like the left zipper and vice versa. If you have similar sleeping bags that open from different sides, they can easily be combined into one large sleeping bag! This way you can cuddle your beloved one in the tent too! Example: Rab Ascent 700
Post made in collaboration with Scandinavian Outdoor.
