Top 10 Gifts for a Trail Rider

Cassandra

• December 09 2008
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Don’t get caught empty handed this holiday season. We have 10 great gift ideas for the trail rider in your life, and all you have to do is choose one or two and wrap them up. If you’re an avid trail adventurer, check out the list and figure out what you need…and start dropping hints!

1. Flat Repair Kit

Flat tires are inevitable. You can be the most casual of trail riders, and somehow, somewhere, a sharp and pointy something-or-other is going to get the best of your tires. Don’t let a little puncture ruin your fun. You should always have a tire repair kit on hand to plug up the hole and refill the tire. They come in a variety of sizes and prices, so there’s one out there that’s perfect for you.

2. Rack Storage

Going out deep in the woods is more fun if you can take a little bit of hope with you…or a lot of home (depending on where you’re going). A rack storage box is a great way to carry all the necessities with you without having to wear a backpack or rig some other sort of homemade travel case to the racks. Storage boxes are tough, fight the elements (most are at least water resistant if not waterproof), and can hold plenty of stuff. Some even double as a cooler, which is pretty cool!

3. Helmet

We keep hearing rumors that some trail riders don’t think they need a helmet. Really? You don’t? We beg to differ. If you don’t have a lid on your skull then you’re going to get hurt. And getting hurt while out in the wilderness is not the best idea. Please put a lid on it (and no, baseball caps don’t count). There are plenty of helmets available, from bargain-basement prices all the way up to an entire paycheck. Find one that fits your head well and then wear it!

4. Boots

As much as winter boots, tennis shoes, and flip flops seem like they work for quad riding…they don’t. Get a pair of boots made specifically for riding and your feet will thank you. You don’t have to spend a ton to get a good pair of boots, and they also don’t have to look like you stole them from a Storm Troopers closet. There are a ton of style and price points, so do a little looking around and find a pair that’s perfect for your feet.

5. Tool Kit

If Murphy’s Law has taught us anything, it’s that the last thing you thought would break on the trail will do just that. Having a tool kit on hand at all times is invaluable. From tightening bolts to making MacGuyver-like repairs, a little tool kit that you can stash under the seat or in your storage box will save you a lot of time and trouble. You can even make one from tools you have around the garage. Just gather a few tools that fit the bolts and screws on your quad and take them with you every time you ride.

6. Exhaust System

More horsepower. Better performance. Cooler sound. Good looks. These are things an aftermarket exhaust system can do for you. There are hundreds of pipes out there, and all you have to do is narrow it down to the best one!

7. GPS

If your internal compass has gotten you lost in the past, a GPS could cure your woes and set you on the right path without having to judge the position of the sun, the side of the trees the moss grows on, and that pile of rocks you’ve passed at least 4 times in the past hour. A GPS can be easily mounted to your quad’s handlebars. You can set waypoints (such as your truck and trailer, the cabin you’re staying at, or the river that has more fish than you can shake a rod at) and go adventuring without worrying about how you’ll get back to where you started.

8. Skid Plates

If you didn’t hit rocks and stumps and ruts, you wouldn’t be ATVing. They come with the territory, so prepare your quad for battle with some skid plates. They’ll keep the underside of your machine protected, which means you’ll spend less time trying to figure out how to get the oil back into tank that just got ripped open by a gnarly rock.

9. Hand Guards

Hand guards are invaluable when you’re riding through thick brush. Getting your knuckles slapped by branches is not the most fun part of a day out on the trails, and hand guards prevent that from happening. They come in a variety of colors, shapes, sizes, and price points, so they’re a great gift that’s easy to install and eternally useful.

10. CamelBak

No one wants to get parched out on the trail. A CamelBak is an easy-to-carry drink system that straps on like a backpack and has an internal bladder to hold liquid. We stock ours with water or sports drink and hit the trails. With the long straw that reaches into our helmet, we never have to stop to get a drink.