Nov. 2020 - The 2020 Half-Life Guide to Giving Awesome Gifts

My daughter is smart.

There was a popular book a few years ago called the Five Love Languages, saying everyone has a unique way of communicating their love. My daughter immediately seized on the right answer. . . “Gifts. Receiving gifts is my love language.” The other options from the book were things like 1) acts of service, 2) quality time, 3) word of affirmation, and 4) physical touch. She doesn’t want people doing things for her, or spending time with her. . . Her mantra is, “Show Me the Money!” (My family says I am proof that the book is flawed because I have no love language.)

To be fair, she is not only a good gift receiver, but puts a lot of time into the gift giving process. It can be oppressive living with someone who raises the whole gift giving exercise to an art form. The pressure is great. And trust me, going into a thrift shop to get a dog-eared copy of “7 Habits of Highly Successful People,” putting it in a paper bag and then saying, “Happy Hanukkah!” . . . Well, that doesn’t cut it. (Especially if you’re not Jewish.)

There are probably people like that in your life. During the holiday season, you need to show up, rise to the occasion, go big or go home. . . pick your own cliché.

So it is in that spirit, the spirit of avoiding being abused by your family, that we present the 2020 Half-Life Guide to Giving Awesome Gifts. And remember what Deepak Chopra said, or maybe it was Dr. Phil, “You have to love yourself before you can love others.”

Full disclosure on product links: All of the products below are clickable. If it goes to Amazon it is an affiliate link and Half-Life will get credit. This did not guide our selection of the products but it is an effort to help fund the development of content. We would be very grateful if you use the link but even if you choose not to, we hope you love these products that have been tested and loved by the Half-Life nation.

For the WFH world

Greg B WA – Skier, outdoorsman, tennis player, drummer

For those of us stuck on conference and video calls most of the day in a WFH world, my 2020 suggestion is a Blue Yeti microphone. Great sound, adjustable pickup and gain with a hardware mute button. Greg has logged more than 1,000 hours on this mic while also finding time for a little tennis, golf, and hammering the drums.

De_Buyer_Carbon_Steel_frying pan.jpg — De Buyer frying pan

For the Aspiring Chef

Steven B WA – Author, vintner, outdoorsman, tennis player

De Buyer Carbon Steel, heirloom-worthy frying pan. Carbon steel is much lighter than cast iron and truly non-stick once seasoned correctly. Most importantly, it has none of the toxicity of Teflon and other "non-stick" coatings that come off in your fried eggs. I use this for all my frying (sauteing to you foodies.) You can pass this on to your grandkids someday, (unless by then they are using nuclear fusion to cook. That would probably melt the thing.)

If you have the griddle in the middle and have been known to ruin a kitchen utensil or two, this spatula is a must have. It is the daily go to for us and it holds up incredibly well. Could be the last you ever buy. The Kuchenprofi Parma Slotted Turner in 18/10 Stainless Steel.

For the Exotic Man (and...the ski enthusiast)

‘The Gerk’ WA – Skier, biker, tennis, golf

His and her’s matching fuzzy underwear to keep your privates toasty in the coldest of environments. It couples perfectly with the ultimate one ski quiver. If you only want to own one ski, the K2 Mindbender 99Ti is THE ski. Ridden and loved by all Half-Life'rs who have ever touched it.
Tell Gerk that we sent you and he'll throw in a Half-Life hat with your purchase of any ski. He can ship to you anywhere in the U.S.

For the Biker and Outdoorsman

Matthew S CA – Biker, Hiker, Skier, Long board surfer

My dad goes backpacking in the eastern Sierra by himself all the time - Lone Pine, Lee Vining, Mono Lake - great that he's out there doing it but if he gets hurt out there he's all alone. This little treat has a "I've fallen and I can't get up" feature for the outdoor adventure. Great gift to keep yourself or someone you love safe when they're on an outdoor adventure.

When you're out for a ride on the bike it always helps to have a little extra visibility, especially in medium to low light environments. These daylight flashers keep you safe on the road. And speaking of safety, when you pull off for a coffee or perhaps a beer on a ride, this mask keeps you and those around you safe. This is my favorite face mask.

For the Surfer
Jimmy R CA – Avid surfer (OB & Pacifica)

I saw a local ripping on a fish at OB Kellys Cove and asked him who shaped the board and he said a local dude out of his house. Judah Dune. Judah is a street that runs into the middle of OB. OB is known for the big sand dunes. Hence Judah Dune. I dm’d the shaper on Instagram, we clicked, and worked on shape, size and color. (picture above)

{Side note: if you’re not a surfer but are thinking about trying it out, you can’t go wrong with the 8' Wavestorm. The Half-Life crew have ridden them in Maui, Alaska, San Diego to name a few spots. Grab one of these and start your journey.}

Surfears to protect you from surfer’s ear in the cold water. They’re actually quite nice to have for swimming laps in the pool as well so you don’t have to shake your head like a maniac when you get out of the pool.

Apple Watch? What? Instead of a surf watch? Well…yes. Not for the reason you’d think. I often find myself winging in the Puget Sound or on Lake Washington when I need to be home on time. If you’re in the boat, you have your phone but if you’re doing a wind sport you need it on your wrist. For Jim, he combines the Dawn Patrol App and Surfline Sessions for stats on his riding and hopefully a Surfline video tagged of him riding. I’ve held off long enough. Perhaps you have too – it’s time.

For the Host Gift and Good Time Man
Mark H WA – Foodie, tennis, travel

Looking for a fun value wine for a Holiday gathering with friends or family? Try 19 Crimes wine. The labels all come to life using the free living label wine app. Great tasting wines for the money or if you are looking for a fun little host or Hostess gift.
Try the Snoop Dogg Cali Red, the Banished Cabernet, the Warden Shiraz, the Uprising red blend and the Punishment Pinot Noir. These wines come from Napa and South East Australia. Enjoy each bottle as they come to life and tell a story.

To help you do more of what you love

Products from Half-Life

The ultimate adventurer cooler: We all know that Yeti coolers are good but this backpack cooler was our go to all summer whether chasing freighters or sitting at the end of the dock sharing a few cold ones, some laughs, and trying to forget about a global pandemic. You won’t ever regret owning this cooler.

Wake Ballast: I don’t care how awesome your wake surf / foil boat is (well…..for most all boats), it always helps to be able to fine tune the wave. This is the wake ballast that we use and prefer because it’s portable and less cumbersome and frankly…less wet than the water filled fat sacks. We use 10 of these in the Mastercraft X23.

A Stocking Stuffer
The Half-Life Contributing Editor - No Really....he has written novels

For that girl in your life who thinks she wants to be a lawyer, here is a highly regarded legal thriller.

And.....just so you can read a novel from the Half-Life contributing editor you should pick up The Hedge Extreme. The good life – expensive cars, an island mansion, a beautiful wife – Cassius Cartwright, former Hedge Fund Manager of the Year had it all. But in a matter of months, the Great Recession brought Cassius to his knees. Broke, with angry clients and the S.E.C. after him, Cassius needed money, fast. And then he encounters two associates from his past, two cocaine traffickers with a million in cash and no way to get it to their Colombian connection. Stealing their money is the perfect crime, if he can pull it off. But nobody just lets a million dollars walk, so with federal agents and Colombian terrorists in pursuit, Cassius plans the ultimate high-risk gamble, truly A Hedge Extreme.

The starter wake foil setup. This is your meat and potatoes setup to get into foiling. Exact setup depends upon your weight, style/goals, and the boat you’re behind. If you decide you’d like to do this, give me a call and we’ll get the perfect setup for you. (Half-Life is the Slingshot dealer for the Seattle area.)

The ultimate wake foil setup. Save yourself the intermediate step of buying a setup that you’ll end up trading up in a year or two and go straight to the gold standard! The Armstrong all carbon foil setup is the best in the industry….period. Whether you’re interested in wake foil, prone surf foil, wing foil, etc this is the brand and setup for you. The HS1550 foil kit (pictured above) is a great base foil to go with but we should talk to get the perfect setup for your intended use. (Half-Life is the Armstrong dealer for the PNW and Maui)

Don’t get caught in the backlog of orders during the continued time of Covid. So many people had to wait way too long for their water toys in 2020. The inflatable dock above is a sure hit and a must have for the family if you have a place on the water or nearby. The inflatable SUPs track well and are perfect for the recreational paddler who wants to get out on the water to have fun. Light weight and mobile. Both products pack away nicely for storage. (Half-Life is the PopBoard Co dealer for Seattle)

As a Half-Life member you shouldn’t be without the Half-Life lid. We love it when we see folks wearing them and it always garners a fist bump and big smile. Pick from the hats above.

I want to personally thank you for your support of Half-Life. We're now over 3,000 strong and growing. It's not about being awesome at a sport or activity, it's just about doing more of what we love to do. Your notes of encouragement mean everything to us and when we've heard that we've inspired you, please know that you in turn have inspired us. Life is short. Let's spend it doing what we love to do.
Have a wonderful holiday season and please don't hesitate to reach out to us with any questions, suggestions for products and content, or anything else that's on your mind.
We're thankful to have had the opportunity to meet you, have you see our content, do business with us, or to receive a picture from you to keep the stoke going.

Thank you!
Tim