Smarter Sweat Holiday Gift Guide 2020

12 Top-Notch Gifts to Get Your Favorite Fitness Enthusiasts and Health Nuts

It’s the holidays?! It’s the holidays! At Smarter Sweat we’ve officially declared it holiday season. (Let’s be real. Amanda would celebrate the holidays year-round if it was socially acceptable). 

Anyway, we love the holidays. It’s such a joyful season filled with love, happiness, peacefulness, and gratitude. And good food — can’t forget the food. One of our favorite parts of the holidays is seeing the glee on the faces of people we love when they open a gift they’ve been yearning for. 

Because we know giving gifts is tough (we’re not mind-readers, after all) and giving gifts to people who love health and fitness is even tougher, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite products to help you choose the best gift for your fitness freak of a friend.

Heads up: If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn a small commission. We’ve noted in individual listings where this is the case. Our opinions in stories like these are always truthful and our own. 

For the fit traveler: Skyroam Solis X WiFi Smartspot

Photo: Skyroam

WiFi on the go?! Who’d’ve thought? This is the perfect gift for your adventurous pals. We’re all about disconnecting from technology on road trips and camping trips, but sometimes you need the ability to send an email, post a blog, or hop on a last-minute emergency Zoom call with a frustrated client. Skyroam Solis is simple to set up, and, unlike most portable WiFi options, runs off of any cell phone tower in range. There’s no subscription required, so you can pay as you go by the day or the month. It can go a full day of use with no charge, can be connected to up to 10 devices at a time, is pocket sized for portability, and has a high-speed connection. 

— Recommended by Ashley

Get the Skyroam Solis X WiFi SmartSpot at Skyroam
Use code: SMARTERSWEAT for 10% off at checkout

For the one who wants a perky bum: BC Strength Glute Loop

Photo: BC Strength

Glute loops are all the rage in the fitness world, and for a good reason, but not all glute loops are created equal. What I love about the BC Strength brand is that the loops are made from non-slip, tight-woven fabric rather than latex. With these, you can work your glutes without fear of the band rolling up, pinching your skin, and cutting off your circulation. These bands are also much easier to slip on and off than the ones made with latex. They come in three resistance levels and in two sizes for ultimate customization, too. You can use these to make air squats harder, to isolate your glutes and hamstrings, or to work on hip stability exercises.

— Recommended by Ashley

Get the BC Strength Glute Loop Bret Contreras Strength

For your barefoot friends: Vivobarefoot Primus Lite II Recycled

Photo: Vivobarefoot.

The modern day fashion industry is ruining our foot health with improper fitting shoes, causing pain and imbalance up our body’s entire kinetic chain. We’ve all got a friend who hates wearing shoes, especially when working out. Unfortunately for those friends, most gyms and businesses require them. Barefoot shoes are the next best thing. The Primus Lite II allows you to feel the ground, spread your toes, and move your feet in their natural gait. They’re lightweight and breathable on your feet — and the planet. 

— Recommended by Ashley

Get the Primus Lite II at Vivobarefoot — USE THIS LINK FOR 25% OFF 

For the one who needs to hydrate: 40-Ounce Wide Mouth Hydro Flask With Straw Lid

Photo: Hydroflask

Whether you need to keep your coffee hot or your water ice cold, Hydro Flask is there for you. This trusted go-to brand has never failed me: I’ve had my 40-ounce wide mouth bottle for almost three years and there are no signs of needing a new one. Hydro Flasks are made from stainless steel, so there’s no need to worry about harmful BPAs or the disgusting flavors you get from plastic water bottles. They’re great for your day to day life but also durable enough for your most daunting adventures.

— Recommended by Ashley

Get the 40oz Wide Mouth Hydro Flask at Hydro Flask

For the one with a home gym: Rogue Monster Bands
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Photo: Rogue

Rogue Monster Bands are great for on the go workouts, but also make a staple in home gyms. They can be used for resistance training on their own, an added stimulus in strength training, an assist for pull-ups, or a solid tool for mobility and flexibility training. Rogue makes these bands with a durable, natural latex rubber. I have used Monster Bands for several years as part of my daily workout and mobility routine. 

Note: If you want to get Rogue Monster Bands for the holidays, I recommend signing up now to get notified when they are back in stock. They have a limited selection right now, but Rogue is facing a tough supply chain because of COVID-19, and these will go quickly. 

— Recommended by Ashley

Get the Rogue Monster Bands at Rogue

For the sweaty one with wild hair: BUFF Original Multifunctional Headwear

Ashley wearing a BUFF head wrap.

BUFF headbands are multifunctional and can be worn many ways. I’ve used mine to tame my crazy pineapple hair buns, keep sweat from dripping in my eyeballs (painful), as a sun guard, and as a mask during COVID-19. They also have insulated winter headwear for the cold. These are the only headbands I’ve found that stay on without sliding and don’t give me a headache. I wear these on messy hair days to look more put together, and almost every time I work out. They also have tons of fun patterns and colors to choose from,w hich have led to tons of compliments for me. 

— Recommended by Ashley

Get the BUFF Original Multifunctional Headwear at BUFF

For the one who’s always sore: Ekrin Athletics B37 Percussive Massage Gun

Photo: Ekrin Athletics

If you follow Smarter Sweat on Instagram, you already know we both love the Ekrin Athletics B37 Massage Gun. You can read our full review of the product to get details, specs, and other important information about the Ekrin massage gun, but I’ll give you the gist here: This massage gun is affordably priced, powerful, and mind-bogglingly quiet. 

It stands up to the Theragun, without a doubt. If you (or someone you know) constantly battles muscle soreness from tough workouts, get this massage gun. If you gift it to yourself, you’ll be happy because you’ll have less soreness. If you gift it to a friend, you’ll be happy because you no longer have to hear them complain about their soreness! 

— Recommended by Amanda

Get the B37 massage gun at Ekrin Athletics — USE THIS LINK FOR 20% OFF

For the plant-obsessed friend: The Sill Digital Gift Card

Photo: The Sill

I’ve recently become a strange plant lady. Seriously. I keep stocking up on houseplants even though I don’t really have any more space to put them. The Sill’s motto hits the nail on the head: Plants really do make people happy. If you have a plant-loving (or plant-obsessed) friend, I guarantee they’d love a digital gift card to The Sill — because I’m obsessed with plants and I know I would squeal with glee if someone got me this as a gift for the holidays.

— Recommended by Amanda

Get the The Sill Digital Gift Card at The Sill

For the do-it-all exerciser: Reebok Nano X Training Shoe

Photo: WIT Fitness

I’ve been through my fair share of workout shoes, particularly CrossFit and cross-training shoes. I’m always on the lookout for the best multifunctional workout shoe, because I need a pair of shoes that can run, jump, burpee, lift, climb, lunge, bike, and row. I do it all in my training shoes, so they must be high-quality, durable, and comfortable during a variety of movements. 

I’ve been through several iterations of Reebok Nanos (and I’ve also tried my hand at Nike Metcons and NOBULLs — hate the former, love the latter). The Reebok Nano X has struck me as the most versatile CrossFit shoe of them all, primarily because they’re flat and feature a wide toe box, yet they’re cushioned enough to run in for more than 400 meters. I’m not sure how Reebok did it, but I’m glad they did. I have the Reebok Nano X WIT limited edition shoe, which I especially love for the fun colorway.

— Recommended by Amanda

Get the Reebok Nano X Training Shoe at Reebok

For the screen time junkie: Foster’s Lab Anti-Tech Serum

Photo: Foster's Lab

I’ve only recently started taking care of my skin — I mean really taking care of it. I’ve always cleansed and moisturized, but never paid much attention to the ingredients in my skincare items, how consistently I used them, or how my day-to-day routine affected my skin. When I started looking into skincare, I became aware of the potential effects of blue light on skin. It’s possible that blue light can harm and age our skin just like it can harm and age our eyes, and because I sit in front of a screen for hours each day, I started looking for anti-blue light skin care. 

I found and settled on Foster’s Lab, a new brand that specializes in anti-tech skincare. The anti-tech serum includes antioxidants and other important ingredients that block blue light from penetrating your skin which, over time, prevents premature aging from blue light damage. 

Mainly, I was surprised at how smoothly Foster's Lab anti-tech serum went on. Most serums make my skin look too shiny for my liking, but Foster's Lab left just the right amount of sheen, and my moisturizer spread perfectly on top. No weird pilling! Foster's Lab + a daily matte SPF is my new go-to morning skincare routine, and I love feeling confident that I'm nourishing my skin even when I sit in front of a computer for 8+ hours per day.

— Recommended by Amanda

Get Foster’s Lab Anti-Tech Serum at Foster’s Lab

For the one who works from home: PRO Compression Knee-High Socks

Photo: PRO Compression

Working from home truly takes a toll on your body, in the opposite way that working an active job does. I never thought I’d be in pain from sitting, but here we are. Hours upon hours at my desk each day make my neck, back, and shoulders hurt — and make my legs swell. I hate to admit it, but I end most days with cankles if I don’t get up and move frequently enough. 

To combat leg and ankle swelling on days when I just have too much work to plow through, I wear PRO compression socks, which come in all sorts of fun styles and bright colors. I’ve struggled with compression socks in the past because I hate when they squeeze the top of my calf too hard, but PRO compression offers just the right amount of pressure. I don’t end up with any weird indents, but I do end up with normal sized ankles. 

— Recommended by Amanda

Get PRO Compression socks at PRO Compression

For the one who works out on-the-go: 5.11 TacTec Plate Carrier Weighted Vest

Photo: 5.11 Tactical

It can be tough to get workouts in when you travel a lot, and if you’re used to having a ton of equipment at your fingertips, bodyweight workouts may feel boring or seem too easy. Enter: weighted vests! Weighted vests make any bodyweight workout way more challenging. The vest can double as a free weight, too, if you’re feeling creative. 

5.11 is the best in the industry. TacTec Plate Carriers are durable, customizable, and (most importantly) actually comfortable to work out in. This is the perfect gift for any fitness junkie who has lots of road trips in their future. 

— Recommended by Amanda

Get the 5.11 TacTec Plate Carrier Weighted Vest at 5.11