If your significant other is tired of your chapped, gobied paws, tell him or her to get you the Climb On Bar ($8.50 for the one-ounce size), an all-natural balm for all sorts of skin abrasion and irritation. Of course, if you want to actually prevent some of that abuse, go for the Climb On Crème ($13 for the two-ounce size).
www.climbonproducts.com
Forget the astronaut pen you saw on “Seinfeld.” If you need a writing instrument that can handle abuse and write in any conditions, go with the Inka Pen ($25). This stainless-steel writing wonder carries as a compact two-and-a-half-inch package, but extends into a five-inch pen for extended writing sessions. Perfect for your en-route topo notes or writing your post-holiday thank-you cards parked by the Buttermilks ...
www.inkacorp.com
Okay, shameless plug time here. Zach Reynolds, our photo editor, spends hundreds of hours a year poring over his light table in search of the world’s best and most unique climbing photos. Some end up in Gallery, some in our Photo Annual, but ZR saves the finest for our Wall ($16) and WeeklyEngagement ($16) calendars. Planning your life never looked so good.
www.climbing.com
When fire is of the essence, don’t mess around with a convenience-store Bic. Essential Gear’s Windmill stormproof, refillable butane lighter ($50) will ease your relatives’ fears about your adventures in the big open and keep you torching it up for years to come. The Windmill has been tested in winds up to 70 mph, with an igniter that sparks upwards of 30,000 lights.
www.essentialgear.com