THE LOAM WOLF’S
2019 MOUNTAIN BIKER’S GIFT GUIDE
A Curated Gift List for Mountain Bikers
We took quite a bit of time to handpick this list of the best gifts for mountain bikers. There are tons of cool parts out there and we can’t list them all in one mountain biker gift guide, but we think this is a good selection of gear from affordable stocking stuffers to that big-ticket dream item. Whether you’re new to riding or lifelong addicts like us, these gifts are sure to stoke any rider out.
Bell Sixer MIPS
Sporting 26 vents, four brow ports and MIPS protection, the Bell Sixer helmet is one of our favorites for trail riding. Bell offers the fusion in-mold polycarbonate shell in a wide variety of colors to match any bike or kit. Safety is enhanced thanks to Bell’s variable EPS layering process. All you endure bros will be happy knowing the 4-position visor slides up and out of the way for goggle stowage while you’re climbing to the top of your favorite descent.
$170 / Bellhelmets.com
Fox Proframe
This helmet has been getting a lot of use this winter! The added warmth on cooler days make it a welcome piece of gear yet it remains breathable enough to stay on our heads when the temps are a bit warmer. Plus, as our climbing speeds and number of DH laps increase thanks to all the ebikes we’ve been testing lately, having the ASTM F1952 chin bar certification makes us feel a whole lot safer. Throw in a dual-density EPS line, MIPS rotational impact protection technology and some solid looks and this helmet is a solid gift for any aggressive mountain biker. While it wouldn’t be our go-to dedicated DH helmet, for light park riders, shuttle days, ebikers and aggressive enduro racers, this is a solid option and an easy pick for our 2019 Mountain Biker Gift Guide.
$249.99 / Foxracing.com
Leatt 4.5 Goggle
Built around the same bulletproof, military ballistic tested lenses as Leatt’s more expensive 6.5 goggles, the incredibly affordable 4.5 goggles mean there is no excuse for riders to have the ultimate in safety protection and quality vision on the trail. Offering a 170-degree field of view and anti-fog lenses with dual-layer anti-sweat foam, these goggles are quite possibly THE best value on the market and another great pick for our mountain biker gift guide.
$39.99 / Leatt.com
Smith Lowdown Steel Glasses
It’s no surprise that we love Smith’s flagship Lowdown sunglasses. We’ve adorned every iteration on the Lowdowns over the last couple years and the latest Steel version is no different. The Lowdown Steel’s come fitted with Smith’s color boosting ChromaPop Lenses. The thin steel temples give these Lowdown’s a lightweight feel while adding modern style, just don’t pinch your fingers in them! The polarized Lowdown’s come in at $199, while the non-polarized versions come in at $169.
$169 – $199 / Smithoptics.com
G-Form Pro-Rugged
We recently attended the launch of the new G-Form Pro-Rugged pads at SkyPark Bike Park and were very impressed. The new pads are designed to be the next evolution from the brand who’s been known to offer slim, XC oriented pads. The Pro-Rugged pads boast Armortex technology to increase durability while thicker body-mapped Smart Flex pads offer extra protection for more aggressive riders looking to tackle gnarlier terrain.
$79.99 / G-form.com
7IDP Sam Hill
These pads stood out among the rest in 2019 and were an obvious pick for our mountain biker gift guide. We liked them so much we asked Seven to let us sell them in our web store. If you’re looking for a burly, all mountain, endure, ebike or light duty DH pad the Sam Hill knee pads are well worth a check! They’re a touch warm on longer, trail rides in the summer but they’re still super comfortable and well worth it once the trail points down.
$74.99 / 7protection.com
Ride Concepts Powerline Shoe
The Ride Concepts Powerline shoe is designated for hard-chargers looking for a burly shoe. Featuring D30 insole inserts for added comfort and protection, asymmetrical medial collar for ankle protection, custom-molded heel and toe cap protection and welded weather-resistant microfiber material, the Powerline shoes are built to last. Ride Concepts has a very robust line of shoes from kid’s and women’s shoes to XC and DH specific models, which are great additions to our mountain biker gift guide.
$150 / Rideconcepts.com
Bontrager Rally Mountain Bike Shoe
The Rally Mountain bike shoe is the latest offering in Bontrager’s clipless footwear line up. The Rally has a synthetic leather upper with abrasion-resistant coatings on the heel and toe caps. A reinforced toe box provides improved protection for your lower digits. The midsole utilizes shock absorbing EVA which provides plenty of support and cushion. A hook-and-loop strap helps create a secure fit that keeps your foot snug in place. The Rally’s are compatible with all 2-bolt SPD-style cleats and have a large open platform to fine tune footing position. The Bontrager Rally is available in three different colorways, black/white, Olive Grey and the Factory Racing Nautical Navy.
$149.99 / Trekbikes.com
Sensus MeatyPaw
Designed for the man himself, Mr. Kyle Strait, the Sensus Meaty Paws are for those with larger than normal hands. These five-inch grips have a 1.35” diameter with a built-in pinky ramp and integrated end cap. Available in three different colors, Black, Red and Tan with a smorgus board of lock-ring colors. The Meaty Paws may not allow you to ride like Lyle, but at least you’ll be able to hold on to the bike like him.
$33 / Thesensus.com
ODI Rogue Lock-On Grips
Don’t have monster-sized hands, but still want a grip that has more to grab onto? Then ODI’s Rogue grip may be for you. The extra-large pads add an additional tier of shock absorption to your cockpit, this feature is what makes the grips Sourpatch’s grip of choice. The Rogues run a dual lock ring set-up with snap cap end plugs. Grip color options are slim with black and lime green being the only choices, but there are a handful of lock ring colors to choose from. ODI also offers laser etching on the lock rings for a custom look, at an additional $3.50.
$29.95 / ODIgrips.com
TAG Metals T3 Nylon
Another top pick for our mountain biker gift guide are the TAG Metals T3 Nylon pedals. This is a pedal that doesn’t break the bank but still offers plenty of durability and grip. These pedals have an engineered nylon thermoplastic platform with a concave profile. The platform measures in at 110mm by 100mm, fitted with ten 3mm pedal pins per side. The CNC machined Chromoly axle is secured to the platform by DU bushings and sealed bearings. TAG’s T3 Nylon pedals are fully serviceable and are available in four different colors.
$49.99 / TAGmetalsracing.com
Spank Spoon Pedals
Spank’s Spoon pedals were designed with every rider in mind. The Spoon pedals are available in three different sizes (90mm, 100mm and 110mm) to work with any foot size. The 90’s are meant for riders with smaller shoe sizes like younger riders and many women. The 100’s are good for those with shoe sizes in the 7 to 10 (Euro 39-44) range. Meanwhile, the 110’s are meant for those with larger sized feet, this pedal also offers better support and more predictable grip over traditional sized pedals.
All of the Spank Spoon pedals feature a 12-16mm concave aluminum platform. The platform floats on a cold forged chromoly steel axle inserted between a sealed bearing and IGUS bushing. The Spoon platforms come fitted with 20 pins per pedal and are available in four anodized finishes.
$95 / TheGravityCartel.com
Stan’s DART
Being stuck with a flat tire sucks! Over the last few years many riders, ourselves included, have grown complacent thanks to tubeless tires and sealant. The downside to that complacency is when you finally do get a flat, you’re a long way from home with no way to fix your flat! Stan’s DART tool is designed to be compact, quickly accessible and easy to use. The Dual Action Repair for Tubeless tool works by inserting a barbed plastic tip into the puncture, slice or hole and blocking the air from escaping. If you’ve got a mountain biker in your house, chances are you’ve had them show up late to some sort of family function because of a “flat tire.” Buy them a DART and eliminate their excuse for not showing up to Aunt Sheila’s tea party!
$25 / NoTubes.com
Feedback Sports Team Edition Tool Kit
We spent the better part of the summer living out of our van traveling to bike parks and spent plenty of time using this Feedback Sports Team Edition Tool Kit. The portable kit neatly folds up in a durable case and has just about everything you need for emergency or home repairs, making this an awesome mountain biker gift to add to our guide. Twenty-five total tools and 19 bicycle-specific tools mean you’ll be ready no matter where you pull this thing out! If you want to have a clean, well-organized kit that covers the essentials, check out the Team Edition kit from Feedback.
$249.99 / Feedbacksports.com
BlackBurn Big Switch Ratchet Multi Tool
This compact ratchet multi tool from Blackburn Design builds off their tried and true Switch and Big Switch kits. The Ratchet replaces the T-Handles from the other two kits. The kit comes with extra-long 2.5 – 8mm allen bits, T25 and T30 torx bits, flat head screwdriver bit, a wayside chain breaker, size 0,1 and 2 spoke wrenches, disc pad spreader and a presta valve core tool. All these tools fit in a compact pouch about the size of a wallet.
$45 / Blackburndesigns.com
Topeak JoeBlow Booster
Looking for a floor pump that can seat a tubeless set-up on the trail? Look no further than the JoeBlow Booster from Topeak. This floor pump is equipped with an aluminum air chamber that can hold an air charge of one liter, with a max pressure of 160psi. Just fill the chamber and flip the selector from Charge to Inflate and your tubeless set-up will begin to seat. Tire air pressure can be easily tracked thanks to the top-mounted gauges.
$150 / Topeak.com
OneUp Components EDC pump
OneUp Components EDC Pump is a mini pump unlike any other. The high volume 100cc pump offers the highest volume to weight ratio (160 grams) on the market. The pump works with OneUp’s EDC tool system, CO2 cartridge, or whatever else you might want to stash. OneUp equipped the EDC pump with their fast-on head which securely supports the valve stem to prevent bending, breaking or unseating while also leaving no chance of unscrewing your valve core when you remove the pump. OneUp also includes a bottle cage mount with the pump.
The EDC pump is available in 2 sizes, the high volume 100cc pump and a compact 70cc version. The 100cc pump can hold the EDC tool and either a 20g CO2 cartridge or storage capsule. The 70cc Pump can only hold either the EDC tool or a 20g CO2 cartridge.
$55-$59 / OneUpComponents.com
Rumpl Shammy Towel Clean Up Kit
Looking to clean up after a post-ride dip in a creek, shower at the van or just need to wipe the mud off your legs before driving home? Rumpl’s compact, storage-friendly microfiber Clean-Up Kit features two super absorbent, quick-drying towels. One larger size and smaller size to handle little clean-ups like muddy paws. When looking at our mountain biker gift guide for something simple but meaningful, this is an excellent choice.
$29.99 / Rumpl.com
GoPro Hero8 Camera
The standard POV camera, GoPro has stepped up the game once again with their new Hero8. Right now GoPro offers the camera with a 32GB SD card or a bundle kit for the same price. If you haven’t upgraded your GoPro in a while, now may be the time to do so. The HyperSmooth 2.0 stabilization and buil-in mounting make it a truly worthwhile media collection device. Looking to start a YouTube channel, Vlog or anything else? The Hero8 is versatile and has tons of upgrades available from external lights and mics to a display mod. Hopefully, Santa reads our mountain biker gift guide and drops one off under our tree this year!
$399.99 / GoPro.com
EVO Shift Pro Pack Bundle
The EVO Shift is a 3-axis gimbal built for those who want to capture pro-quality footage on their smartphones. The Shift works with all iPhone and Android smartphones in both regular and plus sizes that weigh up to 220grams. The Shift Pro Pack Bundle also comes with EVO’s GS-75 mini tabletop tripod as well as an adapter plate to run your favorite action camera.
Evo has a pretty detailed app for iPhone and Android platforms that works with the controls on the gimbal handle or you can just mount your phone and run the camera manually. Panoramic photos, silky video angles and top-notch stabilization make this a no brainer for techies.
EVO also has two other smartphone gimbal options with more advanced features, but at a price. There is the EVO Pro, which is just as compact but has advanced controls for $139. There is also the Rage Gen2 for the more serious smartphone videographer, which comes in at 299 (on sale). EVO also has a slew of normal camera gimbals which can be found at the link below.
$169 (On Sale Now for $109) / EVOgimbals.com
Inergy Apex Portable Solar Power Station
If you’re a van lifer or doomsday prepper, this Inergy Solar Power generator might be for you. Be sure to watch our video review of it here for a special offer you won’t be able to beat anywhere else.
The Inergy Apex solar power station is the pinnacle of the portable, renewable energy storage market. The Apex is the most compact, lightest weight, and easy-to-use plug-and-play source of renewable, portable power. The Apex features an advanced maximum power point tracking (MPPT) charge controller, so it charges faster and safer. The Apex’s internal battery also lasts up to four times longer than any comparable product on the market. You can charge the unit at home before you hit the road or use solar panels to go completely green.
The Apex packs a huge punch with a peak 1,500-Watt pure sine wave inverter and 1,100-Watt hours of peak battery capacity, so it can power dozens of devices and appliances wherever you need it. Best of all, under normal conditions, the Apex is nearly silent and is 100% odor and fume-free—no pollutants or toxic exhaust of noisy gas generators.
$1,579 / InergyTek.com