This year’s Uproxx Gift Guides are brought to you by Sirius XM. Check out their site to find all the holiday music and content you need to get into the giving spirit.
Over the holidays, many of us receive money in festive envelopes from those who don’t know exactly what to get us. But you can be sure, they’d rather it didn’t just get spent on ambiguous bills. They want to know that it went towards something special that will help you remember them and feel like an actual present. Not it’s my opinion there’s gift more valuable than the gift of health. And these days there are more tools than ever to help us lead healthier lives while bringing a little fun to the process — that’s what we call a win-win.
Below you’ll find a list of health and fitness-based gear — from dynamic training tech to state-of-the-art recovery modalities — that are perfect to help you lead a health-focused year. And make you want to say thanks to your gifter every day. They span all price ranges because when you’re talking about a change of lifestyle, no amount of improvement is too small… or too big. Sure, companies can sometimes overpromise, but that’s why we test everything thoroughly.
Every item featured today has been properly road-tested by the crew here at Uproxx over the span of months, not just a few hours. If we didn’t love it we wouldn’t include it. Period.
Check out the game-changing gear below. You might just decide to treat yourself to an item or two as you shop!
GR1 GORUCK BACKPACK
Price: $335
The Company Line:
GR1 — built to thrive in Baghdad and NYC — has proven itself the world over. That’s why any change, any modification of any kind is a huge deal to us, requiring extensive testing and a strong why. We have now updated GR1 — our flagship rucksack, Built in the USA — and this is our first significant update to GR1. You’re going to like it better because it’s even more versatile now, no matter how you plan to use it. And we hope you use it hard, and all over the world. Proven to Special Forces standards, GR1 is synonymous with the best of American Manufacturing. Each GR1 is built to last and comes with our Scars Lifetime Guarantee.
Why They’re Great Gifts:
In today’s on-the-go environment, there’s no gift more practical or useful than a great backpack. But let’s be honest, practicality isn’t exactly what you want in a great gift. The GR1 may look like any old backpack, but in reality it’s also an awesome piece of training equipment. Rucking, the practice of carrying weight in a pack for long distances, has long been used by the military as a fitness test. This bag is specially designed with pouches where you can put weight plates to turn it into proper rucking equipment.
Give your friend or family the coolest backpack in the room with the GR1.
XMARK PULL-UP BAR
Price: $165
The Company Line:
Hailed as King of the upper-body workout, the chin-up and pull-up will catapult your biceps, back, and shoulders into the next dimension. Uniquely engineered parallel and angled hand grips allow countless hand positions for targeting of specific muscles. The only wall mounted multi-grip chin-up rack available with knurled hand grips to assist in providing a sure grip, even during the most intensive workouts. Unlike other units which are bolted together, the support frame of the XM-9025 is welded together making this unit solid.
Why They’re Great Gifts:
For anyone who has put up a pull-up bar in their own home, there is always a lingering fear that the unit is going to get ripped out the wall and leave you getting injured. That’s why this bar is the right pick. As the product description says, the frame is welded together so that there is extra confidence in the piece while you are pushing (or pulling) yourself to the limit. The other bonus to this piece is the multiple grips available to that you can work out several different muscle groups in your arms and back.
KURONO 90° ADJUSTABLE WEIGHT BENCH
Price: $210
The Company Line:
Designed for a combination of versatility and comfort, the adjustable angle expands up to 90 degrees, accommodating a plethora of workouts. It showcases 9 backrest, 4 seat, and 4 leg-hold-bar position adjustments. The workout bench boasts an exceptional weight capacity of up to 1000 lb. Constructed with superior heavy-duty commercial-grade steel from our 2023 upgrade and featuring a unique triangular support structure with a widened base, this bench ensures the utmost safety of users. The build quality not only adds to its durability but also ensures impressive stability, minimizing wobbling during workouts. Our incline bench features an exclusive dragon flag handle design, offering a unique way to target your abdominal and arm muscles further enhancing your workout. This feature adds remarkable value to our press bench.
Why They’re Great Gifts:
If you’ve been to a gym before, you know how difficult it can be to snag a bench. So why not give the gift of a sturdy bench that is available 24/7?
Paired with a couple of dumbbells or a barbell, the bench can offer a variety of exercises to put muscle mass on the upper body. This is another piece of gear that you are going to want to buy on the sturdy side, because it’s meant to handle your body weight plus free weight. The specialized handles also give the chance to work out the core with leg-ups.
KANE REVIVE
Price: $75
The Company Line:
The Kane Revive is made with RestoreFoam™, created from Brazilian sugarcane. A renewable resource, sugarcane helps reduce greenhouse gases by capturing CO2 as it grows. Kane’s unique RestoreFoam™ provides the ideal balance of cushioning and support to help the body renew. A transformative, sustainably designed injection molded sneaker for active recovery.
Why They’re Great Gifts:
These recovery shoes are much more stylish than other options on the market, and they were created in collaboration with a sports podiatrist, so the science behind them is sound.
Coming from a running shoe mold, they also make fantastic travel shoes or leisure shoes. The excellent breathability makes them that much more comfortable after a sweaty workout or run. There are several colorways, so you can pick one perfect for your loved one. If your giftee happens to be a college football fan, they just released a NCAA collection featuring schools like the Florida State Seminoles and Alabama Crimson Tide.
SONY LINKBUDS S
Price: $148
The Company Line:
LinkBuds S are smaller and lighter than other noise-canceling earbuds. Silicone earbud tips provide a comfortable fit that stays in place. With LinkBuds S, you’re always connected. Wear them comfortably around the clock, staying in touch with people and places without having to pause your playlist. When you are ready to tune out the noise, LinkBuds S offers premium noise canceling to help you focus on your favorite playlist or podcast. Link your worlds as LinkBuds S switches seamlessly between superlative noise canceling and natural ambient sound. Smart features and settings learn from your behavior and automatically adjust sound settings to provide the right sound for the moment.
Why They’re Great Gifts:
These Bluetooth headphones are super low profile and super light, which makes them easy to carry around or have in the ear. They fit tight and don’t have protruding pieces like other headphones. They are also able to connect to multiple devices at a time, so for people who want to go from their training to checking their voicemail on another device, it’s super simple.
The long battery life is also a plus, and anyone who’s had their headphones die mid-workout knows there’s no bigger vibe killer.
HYPERICE VENOM GO
Price: $109
The Company Line:
The Venom Go by Hyperice is a revolutionary heat and vibration wearable with unmatched versatility and customization. Choose from nine combinations of heat and vibration to soothe sore muscles in an instant. Place the Venom Go wherever your body needs it most and remove it with ease. Venom Go brings the same innovation athletes and everyday wellness enthusiasts have loved from the Venom line into a wearable that can be applied anywhere on the body. Heat and vibration spot treatment to loosen and relax muscles stress and tension has never been more convenient – the magic of Venom is ready to go anywhere.
Why They’re Great Gifts:
There’s something special about giving people the ability to treat those random aches and pains that pop up and can tank a training routine. This unit can be put on any part of the body, and soothe soreness no spa appointment is required. It delivers healing vibration and heat directly to the area causing pain. The low profile piece is light and can worn while knocking out chores or just watching shows on the couch. The battery life is long enough to give a full hour of treatment on the move.
NUTRIBULLET ULTRA
Price: $99
The Company Line:
The Ultra takes the essence of the nutribullet you know and love and advances it forward, refining its design with 1200 watts of power, an intuitive illuminated interface, and enhanced blade durability. It’s engineered to produce sound at a lower frequency than previous models, making it our quietest single-serve blender yet, and its Tritan Renew blending cups bring sustainable strength to the table. It’s sleek, it’s powerful, and it delivers the highest quality blends, time after time.
Why They’re Great Gifts:
The blenders from nutribullet are a game changer and have been for years. This new model is a strong upgrade from previous versions, which means that no matter what your friends or family have, this is a level up. For people who don’t have a smoothie maker in their life, you will be giving them the gift of healthy, fresh smoothies made in minutes.
It could not be easier to use these units or easier to clean them for the next round.
ICESHAKER STAINLESS SHAKER
Price: $35
The Company Line:
Ice Shaker Bottles are made from premium, kitchen-grade stainless steel that will not absorb odors or stains. They are also are double-wall vacuum insulated to prevent condensation from building up on the outside of the bottle, keeping your water ice cold for more than 30 hours. Ice Shaker’s Shaker Bottles come with a patented, noise-free agitator that twists onto the bottom and ensures a perfectly blended drink every time. The convenient carry handle built into the lid makes this cup easy to carry when your hands are full. Take your Ice Shaker anywhere you go!
Why They’re Great Gifts:
These bottles are perfect for keeping healthy beverages and water nearby at all times. Odds are a lot of people have blender or water bottles, but not as strong or sleek as the Ice Shaker. There’s a reason it’s become a fast favorite amongst athletes and performed well on the market after appearing on Shark Tank. The tapered bottom makes it easy to fit your shaker into most cup holders, which isn’t as standard as you’d like to think. Their noise-free blender ball makes it possible to mix a drink without that annoying clang that usually comes with making a shake.
SMRTFT NÜOBELL ADJUSTABLE DUMBBELLS | 50 LBS
Price: $595
The Company Line:
The SMRTFT adjustable dumbbells are the most innovative offerings of their kind on the market. They feature the convenience of all-in-one adjustable pieces that can range between 5-50 pounds depending on the setting. They have superior durability thanks to their machined steel-weight plates. Complete with a knurled handle and pancake-style disks, they feel like a heavy-duty barbell that you would find at most commercial weightlifting gyms.
Why They’re Great Gifts:
Dumbbells of an adjustable nature became quite the commodity over the last few years as everyone started to build their home gyms. Not only are they space savers for people who don’t want to make room for a whole dumbbell rack, but they are also cost-efficient, given the fewer materials needed. These are great options, well-made, and sleek-looking for those who want a sharper aesthetic in the workspace.
Since your giftee may be stuck in the house this season due to the frigid temperatures, this brings the gym to them.
EDITOR’S PICK: CASTLEFLEXX
Price: $250
The Company Line:
CastleFlexx is a patented upper and lower-body stretching and strengthening device. It is the ONLY device in the world that does not give you rope burn. Unlocks your lower back by addressing the root cause of back pain by releasing the tightness in your legs and hips. This product can be used any time of the day for all purposes. It is great for a pre-workout stretch, post-workout long stretch, or for a midday mobility session. It is versatile and easy to roll up and carry around to help you achieve your flexibility, strength, and mobility goals.
Why They’re Great Gifts:
My absolute obsession with flexibility might be the oldest thing about me, but I’m not gonna change. Mobility and flexibility are crucial and the second you stop focusing on them, your body starts to tighten up (most studies say that your body is trying to become less flexible by the time you hit 22). I love the CastleFlexx because it’s so intuitive. These days, when I think about getting fitness equipment, the first thought is “Will I have to watch a YouTube tutorial to figure out how this works?”
CastleFlexx is simple and portable and — call me a nerd if you want but — it comes with me just about everywhere. Yes, I’m totally that guy stretching his calves between pickup games at the park. In short, I am very into these and have seen results with a quickness.
