These could be for you. The five things listed here might be something you buy for someone else. It’s Christmas time and it’s better to give than receive, though sometimes it doesn’t feel that way when it’s something you wanted.
In no particular order, here are five things you didn’t know you needed to be giving as gifts.
Olight Sphere
The Sphere Ambient Light from Olight is easy to overlook but when you play with one it definitely grows on you. I picked up one recently. At an MSRP of $19.99 it’s an easy stocking stuffer, and when it goes on sale it’s almost a must.
This is perfect for a night light, especially for kids who seem to be mesmerized by its glowing ball of light.
The Sphere has seven lighting modes with a max output of 75 lumens, stepless dimming, magnetically attaches to metal surfaces and runs up to 40 hours on a single change in the lowest mode of white light. Of course it’s reachable using Olight’s MCC-1A Magnetic USB Charging Cable, which is very convenient if you have one of their other products, like the popular Arkfeld EDC flashlights.
On top of all that, they offer an app to operate the Sphere giving you up to 20 color options and a host of other cool features, such as the ability to control 100 Spheres.
NEXTORCH Rechargeable Signal Light
The NEXTORCH UT41 Multi-Function Rechargeable Signal Light retails for $25.99 and is a sneaky cool gift idea. The UT41 provides 13 specialized beacon patterns and a lighting source of White, Red, Blue, Yellow, Green, IR (850 nm) LEDs.
It’s exactly what it seems to be, and that’s a safety light to have on you when camping, hiking or hunting. Have one in your car, or carry one on you or in your purse. It’s an obvious ‘just in case’ item that you hopefully won’t need but will be happy you have it when you do.
It has a maximum runtime of 56 hours in tactical strobe mode, is IPX8 water resistant to two meters, USB-C rechargeable with LED battery level indicator, and can be mounted to a variety of gear and clothing. It’s small and lightweight at just 29 grams, so carrying one with you shouldn’t be an issue.
Mil Usos Heavy Lifting Bundle
I wouldn’t have ever thought of this, or even known about it, had it not been for their agency sending out an email about some new products in which this was listed.
The Heavy Lifting Bundle from Mil Usos has an MSRP of $97.00 and includes their Total Cranarchy Multi-Use Balm (which is what originally caught my attention), the Char Goals Everything Bar Cleanser, and Scuff Love Silk Exfoliating Glove. So, yeah, it’s a bunch of self care stuff that I had no idea why I was seeing it.
However, I am glad I did. The Total Cranarchy balm is for everybody that battles dry, cracking skin during the winter, after washing their hands 50 times a day, or lives in an uber dry climate like Arizona. It’s made from a base of vitamin-rich plant oils, and it’s waterless. The concentrated nature means you don’t have to use gobs of it each time you apply it.
The cranberry seed oil used is sourced in the U.S. and helps restore damaged skin, and hair. For campers, hikers and those working outdoors on a regular basis, it’s a great item to have in your bag. I took mine with me to both Gunsite and then Iowa for a pheasant hunt and was glad I did.
Along with the balm I also used their Char Goals Everything Bar Cleanser (it’s soap-free) with the Scuff Love Silk Exfoliating Glove. This is a combo that makes a lot of sense for those out hiking, and according to their website it’s fragrance-free and undetectable by wildlife, so hunting as well. I might want to research that a bit more before I take it on an expensive big game hunt.
You can get each separately, but the combo is well worth it as a gift. Best of all it’s suitable for both men and women. I like these Mil Usos products and think they might be a great choice for a Christmas present.
Viridian 4LUX 2K Angled Foregrips
I got the chance to play with Viridian’s 4LUX 2K Angled Foregrips well before they were released when they held a range day in February. The new 4LUX 2K and 4LUX 2K Duo began shipping July 4th.
Here’s what you need to know about this new Foregrip design. The ergonomics are great, and a significant improvement over the previous offering, which wasn’t bad at all, it’s just that the 4LUX 2K models are that much better.
Ranging in price from $229 for the 2K and $259 for the 2K Duo. Both prices are MSRP, so shop around. The 4LUX 2K Duo is the full bells and whistles model with both an 1,800 lumen light and a powerful green laser emitting a <5mW beam at 515-532nm wavelength. That’s laser nerd speak for a laser powerful enough to attach to a shark. Modes include: High Beam, Low Beam, Green Laser, High Beam with Green Laser, Low Beam with Green Laser, Strobe with Green Laser, Navigation Ultra-Low Beam
The 4LUX 2K model has a light with an output of 2,060 lumens and a continuous run time of 90 minutes on a single change, versus the 110 minutes offered on the 2K Duo. Modes include: High Beam, Low Beam, Strobe, and Navigation Ultra-Low Beam.
Both models have an IPX6 environmental and waterproof rating, mount via M-LOK (so you can put them on most everything), and have an internal rechargeable lithium battery that utilizes Viridian’s SAFECharge power system.
While the 4LUX 2K models are not now on sale on their website, a source deep inside Viridian HQ tells me their RFX optics (excl. RFX11) are 25% off at the moment. Check out the RFX35, 44 and 45 models, if you’re looking for a green dot optic.
Black On Ammo’s Red Riding Hoodie
If you’re a t-shirt kind of person and aren’t familiar with Black On Ammo, you’re missing out. I met them at the NRA Show in Dallas earlier this year and owner Shawn Menzie has a design style that sets his t-shirts apart from what you typically find.
In addition to t-shirts, Black On Ammo has hats, stickers (get this one), youth tees and morale patches. Being this is winter and most of the country is feeling colder temps, check out their hoodies.
Black On Ammo uses a premium lightweight hoodies that are suitable year round. The Red Riding Hood hoodie (shown above) comes in red or grey, is available in sizes XS to 3XL, and might be the ideal gift for a daughter raised to take no prisoners.
Looking for something else? Check through the best sellers (men's) and best sellers (women’s) to find the right gift for the right person.
– Paul Erhardt, Editor, the Outdoor Wire Digital Network