Because guessing doesn’t work—and ain’t nobody got time to return random gear.

My wife knows first hand. Doing any kind of shopping for me is a challenge of near-mythical proportions. She knows I don’t use just any gear, but the things I’ve tried and trust. I’m no different than you! We’re loyal to what works, skeptical of what’s new, and notoriously resistant to anything that hasn’t first been vetted on a long run, or an all-day ride.

But there are gifts that cut through the noise. Items that genuinely matter to athletes because they help them plan better, perform better, recover better, or feel supported. So, whether you are the athlete or you’re the loved one of an athlete, in no particular order is a short and sweet Front Pack Holiday Gift Guide, built for the hard-to-shop-for, nearly impossible, athlete in your life.

Big Ass Calendar

Athletes are planners by nature. Between marathon blocks, triathlon build phases, gravel seasons, and Uncle Rico’s wedding, a year can disappear fast if it isn’t laid out clearly. That’s where the Big Ass Calendar becomes surprisingly valuable: it presents the entire year on one massive, visually intuitive sheet that hangs on a wall instead of hiding on your phone and in email.

Athletes can map out long runs, taper phases, races, vacations, work travel, and recovery weeks all at a glance without ever scrolling or switching views. I especially love seeing my training blocks, months, and milestones in physical form. It satisfies my Type-A “get every second accounted for” instinct and when I put a red X through each day, it feels damn good too. So if you are or know somebody who plans obsessively, the Big Ass calendar is great.

Purchase here for $50

Camino Gummies

Look. THC Gummies aren’t going to be for everybody. Totally cool.

But I’m always on and the way I see it, my body and mind sometimes need help relaxing, or staying mentally present on the trail or focused when I’m on the trainer. That’s why Camino Gummies land so well as a gift: they support the body and mind in ways that are effective, while being legal.

The three I particularly recommend are: Sleep. It is excellent for deep restorative rest, which athletes often miss after long workouts, travel, or you just can’t calm down at night. Take one 15 minutes before you want to fall asleep and you’ll never feel more rested. Next is Chill. It is perfect for calming the nervous system after a monster session, when muscles may be tired but the brain refuses to shut off. In February I did a 30K trail race and ruined my fueling resulting in all-time horrific leg cramps that Satan himself wouldn’t push on anybody. Rocking back and forth on the drive home because of the discomfort, I was able to survive the rest of the day by taking Chill. Finally. Excite is handy for those mornings when a long run or tough interval trainer session awaits and mental focus is just as important as physical preparedness. I sometimes take one of these on the trainer and I stay LOCKED. THE. F. IN. for the entire 2 hours.

Ultimately. I don’t see these as frivolous supplements like creatine gummies; they help athletes support their nervous systems and recovery in a way that feels useful.

Purchase here for $31

Performance Socks

Gifting socks might sound like a joke to the uninitiated, but in our world, socks are QB1. The right pair can reduce blisters, improve circulation, and make hours of training noticeably more comfortable and less sweaty. Brands like Swiftwick, CEP, and MAAP are household names among athletes, and athletes know when socks are thoughtfully engineered. Then newer brands like Runderwear with unbelievably soft inner liners show that innovation still exists in our everyday essentials.

Giving a pair (or a few) from one of these OG and newer brands tells your athlete two things: first, you understand their lifestyle and know what’s up, and second, you put real thought into the gift. Because these aren’t your everyday dad socks from JCPenney.

Purchase at Swiftwick Aspire, CEP, MAAP, Runderwear

People’s Endurance

For cyclists or multisport athletes who appreciate gear with story, craft, and intention behind it, People’s Endurance is one of the best under-the-radar brands out there. Based in Austin, this small-batch cycling apparel company sources materials globally with an artisan mindset.

I personally wore their EndurancePro Mesh Cycling Jersey for the full 359 miles of Unbound Gravel XL. That included brutal Kansas heat by day and cold freezing temps by night. The race had severe ups and downs but it was one of the few pieces of gear I didn’t regret at any point during that 29-hour experience. The quality stands up to premium brands, but the ethos feels personal and the price is far friendlier.

When you give People’s Endurance gear, you’re gifting performance and that “I knew about this before it was cool” cred that athletes secretly love. So skip overhyped PAS, save money, and give People’s.

Purchase here.

Levels (Biomarker + CGM App)

I reviewed Levels earlier in the year and loved it. Its detailed, and actionable. For athletes who want to go beyond gear and step into smart training and health optimization, Levels is a noteworthy choice and offers the biggest bang for your buck in the biomarker arena. It combines continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) with deep insights into biomarkers, macro tracking, and metabolic feedback, giving athletes a sophisticated understanding of how their body responds to meals, training stress, recovery, and daily life.

Unlike most fitness trackers, Levels turns data into your real-time story: you can see how dinner affects your morning run, how fueling strategies perform on long rides, and where your metabolic blind spots may be. For me, someone with a long history of heart disease, this isn’t just about performance; it’s about understanding my internal biology with clarity most athletes have never had before.

For the athlete who already owns everything they can wear, Levels is a gift that details what’s happening inside the body more than anyone else.

Purchase here, starting at $25/month

On Winter Threads

Winter in Austin isn’t long, but it’s long enough to remind me that I’m a huge thin blooded biznatch. Definitely NOT built for it. My philosophy on cold-weather running. Coverage, comfort, and breathability. I’ll pay a little more to not suffer. So I finally ditched this Under Armour fleece hoodie I’ve been dragging along for years and replaced it with On’s Weather Vest, Core Long-T, and the Trek-T. I first touched these at the On ATX store and was blown away with the softness and after TRE knew I had to pull the trigger. The difference was immediate. With the old fleece hoodie, my core turned into a furnace and with these, I can layer effortlessly while having the breathability I need. My Sunday 12-mile runs stopped feeling like Siberian death marches and started feeling enjoyable again.

On’s apparel line has been on an absolute heater this year, and I’d argue the materials and construction are right up there with any premium brand in the space, looking at you Bandit. Yes, they’re pricey — but if you’re like me and take care of your gear, these are pieces that will hopefully last as long as that old crusty UA fleece did.

Purchase here.

Give a Coach Gift Card

At a certain point, an athlete needs to make a call on commitment and the idea of a coach stops being a luxury and becomes an essential part of improving. If you, or the person you’re shopping for is an athlete that is serious about starting something new or finally cracking a PR they only dreamt of, a coaching gift card can be one of the most impactful presents you can give that will help them start fresh.

One proven option is NVDM Coaching — a global network of experienced endurance coaches (full disclosure: I coach with them). Their structure provides personalized training plans and 1:1 coaching, race specific race plans, accountability, feedback, and seasoned judgment that transforms months of training into measurable results. Life aside, endurance training is complex, and having a coach to dial in pacing, build blocks, recovery, and help with goals can be the difference between stagnation and breakthrough. This gift says “I believe in you, go get em” in a way that gear rarely can.

Purchase here for $300 (1-Month of 1:1 Coaching)

Sweat Testing

I’m truly trending into super nerd territory but if you want to gift an athlete a service they might not even know they need, get them a sweat test. If there’s one area endurance athletes still guess far too much, it’s sodium intake. We’ll obsess over shoes, watches, and watts, then blindly guess how much salt we need per hour and wonder why races unravel late in the game.

Knowing your actual sodium loss rate changes how you fuel for everything from a marathon to a gravel race to a full Ironman. I’ve not explored a ton of options but I like Levelen because it’s simple, accurate, and built with multisport athletes in mind. If you race multiple disciplines, you can purchase two tests and understand how your sweat rate changes across conditions. If you’re a single-sport athlete, one test still gives you clarity that pays off every time you toe a start line. The only downside of Levelen. It’s like old school Netflix. You do need to mail in your sweat test vials and wait a week or two to get emailed the results. This is one of those gifts that doesn’t look flashy, but quietly makes someone faster, healthier, and far more confident on race day.

Purchase here, starting at $129.

**All the products, brands, and services highlighted are our honest recommendations and have been tried and tested by our team. No brands mentioned paid to be a part of this gift guide.