|
|
|
High Tech Gifts for Skaters
|
Gift ideas for your geeky outdoor friends
If you can't figure out what to buy your favorite athlete
for the holidays, consider one of these electronic gadgets.
Some of them are healthy, some are practical, and some are
neither one, but still lots of fun! Prices are in U.S.
Dollars, but you can use a Money Converter to calculate
costs in other currencies.
GPS Receiver
A hand-held GPS receiver will tell you how far you have traveled
and it will let you make a map of your favorite route for skating,
running, skiing, driving, or anything else. It will also prevent
you from getting lost, by guiding you back to your starting point,
exactly the way you came.
GPS Receivers Available at Amazon.com
MP3 Player
Portable MP3 players are perfect for exercising to music, because
they are small, lightweight, and they have no moving parts, so
your music won't skip when you jump up and down or skate over bumps.
Portable MP3 Players at Amazon.com
Portable MP3/CD Combo Players at Amazon.com
Headphones Available at Amazon.com
Heart Rate Monitor
A heart rate monitor is a great tool for improving the efficiency
of your workouts, because heart rate is the best indicator of
exercise intensity.
Heart Rate Monitors Avaialble at Amazon.com
Digital Camera
Digital cameras are great for athletes, and especially athletes
with Web sites. I skate with a VERY TINY Canon Digital Elph camera,
and when I return home, I can have new skating photos posted on my
Website within 5 minutes. If your computer has a USB port, I highly
recommend purchasing a USB flash card reader, because it will allow
you to download photos very quickly to your computer. My flash card
reader cost about $75 USD, and it reads CompactFlash, SmartMedia,
and IBM Microdrive cards.
Digital Cameras Available at Amazon.com
Digital Camcorder
Digital video cameras come in two formats: MiniDV (Mini-Digital)
uses a cassette tape that is smaller and more expensive than a
VHS or 8 mm tape. D8 (Digital 8) cameras use a standard 8 mm or
Hi8 cassette.
Digital Camcorders Available at Amazon.com
Night Light
A mountain bike headlight mounted on your helmet will let you
see the path in front of you when skate or cycle in the dark,
and there are many fun ideas for lighting yourself up at night,
so you can be seen by others.
Safety Lights and Headlights for Skaters
Binoculars
The last item I would like to add to my inline skating "Bat Belt"
is a tiny pair of binoculars that I can use to get a close-up look
at whales (and other interesting mammals) as I'm skating along the
beach between Venice Beach and Santa Monica. When you shop for
binoculars, you will see they have a specification like "7x35".
The first number represents the magnification (in this case 7x)
and the second number is the diameter of each front lens in
millimeters (in this case 35 mm).
Binoculars Available at Amazon.com
Two Way Radio
There are two basic types of two way radios: (1) the inexpensive,
half-Watt, 2-mile range radios that broadcast on the FRS section
of the airways, and (2) the more expensive, 1 to 5 Watt, 5-mile
range units that (when used in the United States), require an
$80 license from the US/FCC.
Two-Way Radios Available at Amazon.com
Speedometer
A bike speedometer or a pedometer is a gift that any cyclist,
runner, or walker would appreciate, and now you can even buy
skate speedometers and scooter speedometers!
Skate, Scooter, and Bicycle Speedometers
Night Vision Goggles
Night vision goggles and binoculars are not that practical for
active recreational sports, but they sure are fun to play with!
And those devices ARE useful for activities like hiking, hunting,
and camping at night.
Night Vision Optics Available at Amazon.com
|
Related Links
Skating in 100 Countries
All Skating Articles
Translate Any Web Site or Phrase
|
Official Skating Federations
|
2007 Skating Wall Calendars
National Federations
FIRS
SKATERS
by Country
by Name
by Birthday
El Patinador Solitario of Havana makes his own skates.
[ Read More ]
|
A Belgian skater talks about her broken arm.
[Read More]
|
FUN IN HOLLAND!
I got painted orange in
Heerenveen and almost arrested in
Groningen)...
|
My 92 year old
skating buddy
|
Subscribe to our Atom formatted
Newsfeed