2024 Gift Guide - Week 4

There is no need to freak out if your shopping isn't done yet, but if you haven't made your list, now is a pretty good time. For Canadians, the postal strike is having a legitimate impact on package deliveries, so if you're relying on online shopping...best be warned that companies like UPS and Purolator are swamped.

In case you missed them, we've already released week 1, week 2, and week 3, but there are also plenty of good gift ideas (and even more if you check out the comments) in past years of the gift guide.

Those gift guide articles from earlier this year and past years have plenty of bike specific gift ideas. This week, we're bike adjacent. A few of these are higher end versions of things you can get for less that work just as well, but sometimes a gift needs to be something special, and value isn't always the primary consideration. And a few of these ideas are both good value and serve multiple purposes.

Hultafors Agelsjon Mini Hatchet

Like any other tool, axes come in a wide range of prices, styles, and levels of quality. Swedish axes from brands like Hultafors/Hults Bruk are highly prized, in part because Swedish steel made from iron ore that contains small amounts of other metal ores. So what? Well, that makes it the steel an iron alloy. Consistent quality has been a hallmark of the brand's blacksmiths since 1697.

You don't need an axe from Sweden for it to be good, but Hultafors makes special axes, and that makes them great gifts. This particular axe - the Agelsjon - is actually a hatchet. A small one at that. But having recently installed a wood stove, I now find myself both needing to split wood often (with something larger - usually) and processing a ton of kindling. And for the latter job, a hatchet is fantastic. The Agelsjon is closer in size to some knives than many axes, and indeed it will happily perform lots of knife-y tasks. Choke up on it and you can slice and chop to your heart's content. I have limbed trees, including the xmas tree we cut down last weekend, but I also plan to toss it into a pack on work rides this winter when I have to go clear deadfall. Along with a Silky Big Boy (a gift guide recommended from two years ago) I'll be set to take care of small branches all the way up to trees about 18" in diameter.

You may look at this small hatchet and chuckle - I did too! But it's impressive. I've split wood up to 10" wide x 18" high with it. It isn't too big to leave by the stove for use indoors. And it'll last for decades. So, whether this fits for you or someone you'd gift it to or not, you can always look through Hultafors' larger axe options - those make awesome gifts too. Of course you can just grab a Fiskars X7 for a quarter of the price - I have one and it's great - but it doesn't make as special a gift and it won't last as long, since if you break the handle, it's done. Hultafors axes are warranted for life, come with beautiful leather sheaths and hickory hafts hung perfectly, and of course, that wicked tool steel is hand forged and finished in Hults Bruk, Sweden.

Hultafors Agelsjon Mini Hatchet: 175 CAD. It was available at MEC but seems to be temporarily unavailable. They also have the Hultafors Standard Camping Hatchet which isn't as sure to be a heirloom piece but looks like it would crush kindling.

The James Brand - The Kline

There's an incredible shop in downtown Ketchum called Silver Creek Outfitters. Wood everywhere, I mean the place is basically a massive log cabin with incredible merchandise on two floors. On the main floor, apparel and fishing gear (and by the way, if you think carbon bike frames are expensive, have a look at high end fly rods and reels sometime). In the basement is the hunting gear, including the knives which are locked up in glass cases. The first time I remember checking them out as a teenager, all I knew about knives were the Buck folder I used in Scouts, and Swiss Army knives - the one I owned and the 3-4 my dad had that were old and super cool. Anyway, Silver Creek had dozens of knives that cost hundreds of dollars and I remember thinking: "who the hell buys these?"

I had the same feeling and thought the first time I window-shopped Omegas in Lugano, Switzerland. And it turns out, plenty of people buy high end knives, just like plenty of people buy 5-10 thousand dollar watches.

Like high end watches, fancy knives are incredible tools, but they also serve as functional jewelry. It's possible for something to be beautiful as well as tough as a sunburnt brick. Enter The James Brand Kline - the only folding knife I've ever seen with a photo of it being used to baton wood on the brand page. TJB knives started out over 10 years ago and knife nerds were critical because they were just a bit 'too' pretty, but they also were new and had a few teething problems. Those were solved over the years and in recent times they've put out some great knives, including the Carter, which I wrote about last year. You can buy knives for way less than the Carter that do what knives do, and do it well, so it goes without saying you can outmatch the Kline's cost-to-performance ratio quite easily. But we're talking special gifts here, and in this case, a gift for someone that truly appreciates knives, or tools, or metallurgy - or all three. This is one of those ones that someone will use for a lifetime and pass along when the time is right.

It's made in the USA. The design and finish are impeccable. The blade is CPM-Magnacut which is currently regarded as the greatest of all the super steels and the reason(s) why can easily be explained to bike nerds. You know the old chestnut "strong, light, inexpensive, pick two"? Well, in the world of knife metal, they say: "edge retention, toughness, corrosion resistance - pick 2". For most people, two of those is fine! However, MagnaCut basically breaks this rule and that's what makes it special. Do you need to spend this kind of money for a knife to be good? Of course not. This is a Rolex, or an Omega. But if you know someone who would appreciate a Rolex you can cut things with, that costs only 5% as much, I present to you The James Brand Kline.

Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener

So I've now recommended two things that work when they're sharp. Let's include something that works well to sharpen knives, axes, and even things like fish hooks. I've owned my Work Sharp Guided Filed Sharpener for three years and used it on all kinds of tools. It's small and therefore easy to take on trips or be left in a vehicle. The beauty is it fulfills the sharpening, honing and even stropping needs of normal or high end cutlery, and it's designed to be easy to use. All included are diamond plates, ceramics rods, a small leather strop, and even instructions.

There are 20- and 25-degree sharpening angle guides so you can lay a consistent edge on blades meant for slicing or chopping. It's specifically meant for hunting, fishing, or camping, but I've used it to sharpen kitchen knives too. Check the user's guide for a better idea of how it works.

Pair it with a nice knife or axe, or give it on its own to someone who likes to take care of their edges, or maybe needs a little help.

Work Sharp Guided Field Sharpener: 50 CAD / 40 USD

Tunnel Vision volume 1 - FastasFuck Bike

Ollie Hindley is still a bit of a mystery to me, but I stumbled across his book, which he describes as: "A book about trailbuilding, words and photographs by Ollie Hindley". It is a 50-page, 21cm x 21cm (8.2inch) perfect bound book including 30 photographs and a collection of stories, theorys [sic], ideas and inspirations about trailbuilding. I haven't held it in my hands, but I'm buying one for myself if it doesn't end up under the tree. First of all, Ollie's trails are beautiful, and this book looks like an easy match. Golfers have put coffee table books out forever detailing their favourite courses and holes - this is the mountain bike nerd's version and I'm all for it.

Ollie Has been a professional trail builder for the past ten years, focussing on building trail features on video projects for some of the best riders in the world.

Tunnel Vision Volume one contains a collection of photographs from a project built on the Sunshine Coast in BC during the winter of 2023 and discusses the ideas, inspirations and techniques used to create the visually stunning trail features.

I can't ride most of these features but bloody hell are they nice to look at!

Tunnel Vision - 35 CAD

Biolite Base Charge 1500+

Fall storms are pretty common here on the coast. Every time one hits, the big trees swing around and if you happen to get caught in the woods at the wrong time, it's pretty terrifying. Even the cedar in our neighbours' yard looks suspiciously like it holds a grudge against us - I'm worried if it comes down it'll be the end of a greenhouse and two sheds that are all lined up. And we're the softies inland - the folks on Vancouver Island get the real deal. When our winds top out at 80 km/h, they're into the triple digits. Ditto with rainfall. Somehow, luckily, until this year we hadn't suffered many power outages even though our neighbours get nailed multiple times a year. That changed about a month ago when a big tree took out a power line in Halfmoon Bay, which left a whole bunch of us in the dark. Luckily, I was ready. The Biolite Base Charge I'd been using all fall to charge my e-bike was charged and ready. It kept out router rolling all day, as well as charging laptops and other things we couldn't do without if the work day was to continue.

Sure, you could look at a power outage as an excuse to head out somewhere else to get work done, or do some different work or, you know, take the afternoon off and go riding. But our coffee shops were all without power and it wasn't safe in the woods, so I was stuck working. So much better to use a battery inside rather than having to hook up the gas genny. The Base Charge 1500+ and optional solar panels could be a great gift if you're into practical things, but I also like to think of it as something Mum and Dad would have got us as a housewarming gift. It's great to have in case of a power outage but it doesn't have to sit on the sidelines until then. I've taken it camping, I set it up and use it to charge my ebike because I don't run power out to the storage shed, I even brought it along on a ride recently when my bike didn't charge properly because the outdoor outlet I had it hooked up to had been tripped by the small chipper Vanessa was testing out. In other words this little powerhouse is surprisingly useful. It'll power your fridge for 20 hours, or charge your laptop over 20 times, or run your kettle for...an hour. Sheesh, kettles are power monsters.

You can charge it by plugging it into the wall or your car with included cables, or buy an optional solar panel kit and do it for free at up to 100W per panel in bright sunshine.

BASECHARGE 1500+

Battery Capacity 1521 Wh (21.6V, 70.4 Ah), Li-Ion (NMC)

Cycle Life 1000 cycles to 80%+ capacity

Input Ports: Wall/Solar (HPP) 400W (12-30V DC, 20A max), USB-C PD 100W, AC x3 110V:1200W, 2400W Surge, USB-A x2 5V/3.0A, USB-C x2 5V/3.0A.

Output Ports: USB-C PD x1 5V, 9V, 12V, 15V, 20V/5A (100W), DC Car Port x1 12V, 120W, DC Barrel x2 120W, 5.5 mm OD / 2.1 mm ID, Wireless x1 10W wireless charger.

SOLARPANEL 100

Outputs: High Power Pole (HPP) power station connection, (1) USB-C PD, 45W, (2) USB-A.

Solar Specs Rated Power: 100W / Voc: 23.7V / Vmpp: 19.8V / Imp: 5.0A / Isc: 5.3A / Cell Type: Monocrystalline

Biolite Base Charge 1500+: 974 USD (reg 1,299)
Biolite Solar Generator 1500 Kit+: 1,311 USD (reg 1,748)

Smith Monterey Sunglasses

We can heartily recommend Smith eyewear for casual or sports use, but the Monterey is shaped for the ladies (no shade if you're a fella and like the look of 'em, though). For casual wear, I'm always a fan of tortoise shell, and my informal poll of several ladies I know confirmed its supremacy (that may be overstating it, but they did all tell me they dig tortoise, too). The Monterey in Tortoise can be had with Smith's ChromaPop glass polarized brown or rose gold mirror lens, or in Sky Tortoise or Crystal Tobacco frame colours with other ChromaPop polarized lens options. The Smiths I have owned have proved durable and look nice without feeling like they make a look at me statement. I'm a fan of ChromaPop contrast and tinting and the lenses seem to stay clean despite semi rough treatment.

Smith Monterey: from 138 CAD / 139 USD